id: sig-20260722-report-gm441
site_id: gb-castle-original-swansea
attribute: designation_report
value: 'Reference Number

  GM441

  Name

  Original Swansea Castle

  Date of Designation

  14/03/1990

  Status

  Designated

  Unitary Authority

  Swansea

  Community

  Castle

  Easting

  265699

  Northing

  193157

  Broad Class

  Defence

  Site Type

  Castle

  Period

  Medieval

  The monument consists of the remains of the first phases of Swansea Castle. (The later phases
  of the castle to the south are scheduled under GM012). The castle stands on the crest of
  a north-south gravel scarp, bounded on the east by the navigable River Tawe (now represented
  by The Strand). Its position was strategic: it commanded the lowest crossing of the river,
  the main east-west route in south Wales, and a good harbour.

  Swansea Castle''s history was a turbulent one: it suffered in many Welsh raids, and changed
  hands many times. It was a Norman castle, first mentioned in 1116 as being attacked by the
  Welsh. It was established by Henry I''s friend Henry de Beaumont, first earl of Warwick,
  as the seat of administration of the marcher lordship of Gower, which Henry bestowed on
  him in about 1106. This first castle was of motte and bailey type and nothing of it remains
  above ground. The west side of its deep ditch has been excavated to the north of the present
  remains. It was rebuilt in stone on the same site, probably after being razed by the Welsh
  in 1217. Nothing remains above ground of this stage either, but the west side of the curtain
  wall has been found, together with a mural tower. To the south-west of this small castle,
  called the ''Old Castle'', a large roughly rectangular outer bailey was walled in stone
  in the 13th century.

  The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval
  defensive practices. The monument is well-preserved and an important relic of the medieval
  landscape. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of
  the presence of both structural evidence and intact associated deposits.

  The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related
  evidence may be expected to survive.'
source_url: http://cadwpublic-api.azurewebsites.net/reports/sam/FullReport?lang=en&id=3738
source_title: Scheduled Monument Full Report — Original Swansea Castle
publisher: Cadw
observed_date: '2026-07-22'
collected_by: scripts/build_assessment_batch.py
confidence: high
notes: The designation text. Assess the six bands against THIS evidence only; omit any band
  it does not speak to.