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Only the tower remains of this 12th Century castle, yet Loughor Castle has much history in its stone walls and has a big story to tell.

First fortified by Roman forces around AD 75, Loughor was originally named Leucarum and was built as a fort to control a fording point across the river. Although the timber structures were once adorned with painted walls, now only ruins mark the existence of its original structure.

In the early 12th Century, the Normans took control over South Wales and extended the castle. As part of a Welsh rebellion, the Welsh decided to attack Loughor Castle in protest and burned it down. Although the Normans soon regained control of and made repairs to the structure, the Gower peninsula came under attack again in 1189 and 1192.

After peace talks between Henry II and the Welsh, the castle was taken into Crown ownership towards the end of the 12th Century and the rectangular keep that visitors see today was built. Welsh Wars of Independence following Henry II culminated in more attacks on the castle, and it was only when Edward I finally conquered Wales that the military significance of Loughor Castle began to decline.

Many artefacts have been found on the grounds of the castle which detail the rise and fall of this beautiful landmark and help us understand Norman life in Wales.

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