Castles · South Wales
Margam Castle
Also known as: Castell Margam
Margam Castle — country house in Neath Port Talbot County Borough, Wales.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Nearest railway station
- Pyle · 4.6 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Margam Castle, the nearest railway station is Pyle, located 4.6 km away. The postcode for sat-nav is SA13 2TJ. Accessibility is limited for wheelchair users.
About
Margam Castle is a castle in the United Kingdom — fortified architecture from the medieval, Tudor, or Victorian-revival period. Records date its origin to 1830. Built in the Gothic Revival style. Heritage designation: Grade I listed building. Part of Margam Estate. Wikidata describes it as: "country house in Neath Port Talbot County Borough, Wales". Coordinates: 51.5628°, -3.7254°.
Photo gallery
Heritage listing
Margam Castle, Margam, Port Talbot, Wales, is a late Georgian country house built for Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot. Designed by Thomas Hopper, the castle was constructed in a Tudor Revival style over a five-year period, from 1830 to 1835. The site had been occupied for some 4,000 years. A Grade I listed building, the castle is now in the care of Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council. The castle stands within Margam Country Park, the former estate to the house.
From Cadw under OGL v3.
Official information
Margam Castle is located within Margam Country Park, offering visitors a chance to explore its historic grounds and enjoy various outdoor activities. The park features a café, a fairytale village, and scenic walking paths, making it a family-friendly destination.
From the Wikipedia article
Margam Castle, Margam, Port Talbot, Wales, is a late Georgian country house built for Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot. Designed by Thomas Hopper, the castle was constructed in a Tudor Revival style over a five-year period, from 1830 to 1835. The site had been occupied for some 4,000 years. A Grade I listed building, the castle is now in the care of Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council. The castle stands within Margam Country Park, the former estate to the house. The park is listed at Grade I on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The Margam estate was occupied in the Iron Age, and the remains of a hill fort from that period, Mynydd-y-Castell, stands north of the castle. After the Norman invasion of Wales, Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester, and Lord of Glamorgan, granted the lands at Margam to Clairvaux Abbey, for the establishment of a new Cistercian monastery which became Margam Abbey. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries from 1536, the Margam estate was bought by Sir Rice (Rhys) Mansel. His descendants built a substantial Tudor mansion in the park. In the 18th century, this mansion was demolished, and the family returned to one of their earlier ancestral homes, Penrice Castle, Thomas Mansel Talbot…
Architecture
John Newman, in his Glamorgan volume in the Buildings of Wales series published in 1995, writes that "Margam has an accumulation of architecture and sculpture unparalleled in Wales". The centrepiece of the estate is the castle. Thomas Hooper designed it in the Tudor Revival style, following examples at Ashridge in Hertfordshire and Dalmeny in Scotland. The scale was vast, the cost was £50,000 as are the terrace walls and screen, while the steps in the terraced garden are listed Grade II.
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.5628, -3.7254
- District
- Neath Port Talbot
- Parish
- Margam
- Postcode
- SA13 2TJ
- Parliamentary constituency
- Aberafan Maesteg
- Phone
- 01639 881635
- Established
- 1830
- Nearest railway station
- Pyle — 4.6 km
- Opening
- Daily 10am–6pm; closed for private event 24 Jun–18 Jul
- Official site
- www.margamcountrypark.co.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q12061481 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Margam Castle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Margam Castle - geograph.org.uk - 1308540.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Mynydd-y-Castell Camp, Margam
Vineyards · 0.3 km
Margam Abbey
Abbeys & priories · 0.3 km
Margam Abbey
Cathedrals · 0.3 km
Margam Park Railway
Miniature railways · 0.3 km
St Mary's Abbey Church
Historic churches · 0.3 km
Margam Stones Museum
Museums · 0.4 km
Hen Eglwys
Historic houses · 0.4 km
Hen Eglwys
Archaeological sites · 0.4 km
Rheillffordd Parc Margam Park Railway
Miniature railways · 0.5 km
Half Moon Camp, Margam
Vineyards · 0.7 km
Graig Fawr 'Chain Home Low' Radar Station (WWII)
Historic houses · 1.4 km
Red rock camping
Campsites · 1.5 km
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Margam Castle?
- Margam Castle is in South Wales, United Kingdom (postcode SA13 2TJ), in the parish of Margam.
- What is Margam Castle?
- Margam Castle — country house in Neath Port Talbot County Borough, Wales.
- How do I get to Margam Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Pyle, about 4.6 km away. Drivers can use postcode SA13 2TJ.
- When was Margam Castle built?
- Built or established in 1830.
- Who owns Margam Castle?
- Margam Castle is owned by Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council.
- Is Margam Castle a listed building?
- Margam Castle is officially recognised as Grade I listed building listed.
- Does Margam Castle charge admission?
- Margam Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
- How do I get to Margam Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Pyle, about 4.6 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode SA13 2TJ.