Candleston Castle — Attraction in Merthyr Mawr

Wales has a huge amount of castles in various states of repair and from different eras in history. Clearly Welsh land was land worth fighting for and worth protecting!

If you want a fairytale castle head to Castell Coch. If you want impressive fortifications head north to Caernarfon and Beaumaris. If you want moats head east to Caerphilly. But if you want to feel like you have made a real discovery then turn off the beaten track, drive over a mediaeval dipping bridge, through the beautiful village of Merthyr Mawr and keep going until you end up in a pay-and-display carpark surrounded by trees. Be aware that the lanes that lead here are narrow and there are likely to be walkers on the road so caution is advised.

If you don't have change for the carpark do not despair as there is a free carpark adjacent to what is known as the Swing Bridge or Bouncing Bridge which crosses the Afon Ogwr or River Ogmore. From there a lovely walk past the chocolate box cottages and beautiful church - also worth a visit for its historical significance - will take you to the castle.

This area is famous for its expansive sand dunes which are well worth a visit especially with a sledge. It is the dunes to which the vast majority of visitors head and most of these will not even be aware of the gem that is hidden just metres away from their cars. If you did not know it was there it would be easy to miss but for me this is in its favour as it generally means that a visitor will have the castle to themselves.

Even if you do notice the ivy-covered walls to the left of the entrance to the carpark you'd be forgiven for dismissing them as insignificant ruins. However if you venture into the unknown you will be rewarded, for these are the ruins of a fourteenth century Manor house, abandoned to the elements in the nineteenth century and slowly being overtaken by nature. There is not a lot left of what must have been an impressive dwelling but there is enough for the adventurer inside me to get excited about. If you are feeling brave then you can access the first floor where the staircase used to be.

Unfortunately it seems even this isn't far enough off the beaten track to dissuade the oiks from lighting fires but in general, for a site open to the public, there isn't too much rubbish around.

A visit would be improved by interpretation boards, of which there are none. I'm not sure who is responsible for the castle--possibly the local council- but taking information from the Internet with you would enae you to have a better understanding of what you are looking at as mobile phone signal is not good in the area.

Obviously this is not the sort of castle where you will spend a large amount of time, but it could be coupled with a walk through the sand dunes to the sea, or back up through the village and across the rivers via bridge and stepping stones to nearby Ogmore Castle which sits close to a pub and tea rooms.

If you appreciate castles then Candelston is a hidden gem. Not widely known and easy to miss it's a great place to visit when...

The name Candleston is probably derived from the de Cantelupe family who built a fortified manor house here in the later 14th century. The lands of the manor later became covered with dunes and thus valueless, but the building remained occupied until the 19th century and is consequently much altered. It comprises a D-shaped courtyard about 30m across with a very ruined wall 1.1m thick rising 2m to the wall walk from the inside but rather more above the ground outside, plus a two storey hall block and tower on the east side. The only feature of interest in the hall block is a 15th century fireplace backing onto the tower which contains a solar above a dark cellar with a very flat vault. The tower measures 7.9m by 6.4m and has a parapet on a corbel table around a dark topmost room probably for the use of servants. The solar is reached from below by a straight stair in the thick south wall and has a fireplace, large windows, and a latrine. The wing projecting south from the hall block is a later addition and the range east of the tower is even...

Went to walk the dogs through the dunes onto Merthyr mawr beach. Car park is a gravel car park about 40 minute walk through the dunes to the beach. Car park has 2 electronic pay metres which also use the ring go app. Which are also easy to use. It has one female and one male toilet available for public use, they are a bit gritty, but useable if you bring your own tissues/toilet paper. You can’t use google maps using a post code, but you can just enter candleston car park and it will find it easily enough. You drive through one track lanes to get to it, so please drive carefully, courteously, and respectfully, as you also go through a small village. Plenty of pulling over space to let oncoming cars pass you. Plenty of space for plenty of parking if people don’t be idiots about the width of...