Comments on: Morris Castle, Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales

By: Hockley Abbey, Birmingham, West Midlands. – The Folly Flaneuse

Hockley Abbey, Birmingham, West Midlands. – The Folly Flaneuse — Sat, 10 Jan 2026 08:53:43 +0000

[…] more follies built out of furnace waste see this post about Morris Castle, near […]

By: Editor

Editor — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 10:37:51 +0000

In reply to Steve H. Hello Steve. Thanks for getting in touch with such an interesting comment. As you say, Morris Castle really was impractical - it’s a fascinating story. I know the collection of wonderful buildings in Bristol but I am long overdue a return to Portmeirion, so you have prompted me to make that a priority for 2024.

By: Steve H

Steve H — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 10:18:15 +0000

Very interesting piece. My mother was originally from Brynhyfryd, Swansea, and when, over forty years ago, we went to visit the street where she was born we also climbed the nearby hill to Morris Castle. “Clambering up” just about sums it up, a very impractical setting for such a building. but with fantastic views over Swansea Bay. When I read that copper slag was used for some of the decoration, as a Bristolian I immediately thought of Arno’s Castle, which as stated is now a pub, stranded in a Sainsbury’s car park, and so was pleased to see it mentioned here. Quaker industrialist William Reeve was a fascinating character who lived just over the road at Arno’s Court, originally called Mount Pleasant, now a hotel (where I celebrated my 21st birthday in the late ’70s) and another connection with Wales is that a colonnade which once stood in front of the bath house there was later moved to Portmeirion piece by piece, and as the “Bristol Colonnade” is now a centrepiece of the village. A “triumphal arch” for the estate was also moved, but this time just over the main Bath Road in Brislington, Bristol, near the rear of Sainsbury’s! The wonderful Arno’s Vale cemetery is nearby, although any comparison to the setting of the Arno as it flows through Florence is perhaps a little fanciful.

By: Morris verett Jr

Morris verett Jr — Sun, 03 Sep 2023 17:27:19 +0000

Sarah or anyone. My name is Morris Everett jr. and my great-grandfather was Calvary Morris and his father(name unknown) moved from Wales to Athens, Ohio in the mid 1850’s. Do you my some miracle know if we are related?

By: Editor

Editor — Sun, 17 Jul 2022 20:07:26 +0000

In reply to Loretta Moulpied. Hello Loretta. Very pleased to have solved the mystery for you

By: Loretta Moulpied

Loretta Moulpied — Sun, 17 Jul 2022 18:33:04 +0000

I saw this from Mayhill through binoculars and wondered what it was, not sure of the area someone thought it was near Plasmarl and maybe a disused factory. I was pleasantly surprised to learn of it’s history, not an actual castle but close enough for me.
And to aldo learn about Morris Town, or Morriston.

By: Editor

Editor — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 07:07:06 +0000

In reply to Sarah. Hello Sarah and thanks for sharing your memories of Morris Castle.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 03:52:21 +0000

I used to play around the ruins when I was a child, my mother was Annie Morris, my grandfather was a John Morris and we lived in Morriston, not far from the castle. It didn’t know it was a John Morris who built it.

By: Editor

Editor — Sat, 26 Sep 2020 12:19:06 +0000

In reply to Gand. We were there before the pub opened so missed out on the interior (and beer). Yes I was lucky to make it to Swansea in the brief window between lockdowns and local restrictions. Look forward to more folly forays before too long, hopefully.

By: Gand

Gand — Sat, 26 Sep 2020 11:54:51 +0000

We were in the Black Castle pub a couple of years ago after a folly trip. Looks better on outside. A bit ‘fur coat and no knickers’. However the beer was good.
We will have to delay any Swansea trip till next year l feel. Your timing was good.