DUNRAVEN CASTLE
The Castle of Dunraven was built on the site of an early Iron Age Fort. It is said to have been a Royal-Roman stronghold during the time of Bran, the son of Lear. There is record of the Saxons burning the residence of Dunraven during 1050, it is also noted that Rhys ap Tewder destroyed the residence some thirty years later (1080) when it was the home of Iestyn ap Cwrgan, the last native Prince of Glamorgan.
During the time of the Normans ‘Donrevyn’ fell under the Lordship of William de Londres, one of Robert FitzHamon’s Twelve Knights of Glamorgan. In about 1128 the manor and land of Dunraven was awarded to Arnold de Boteler (the Butler of the Ogmore residence of the de Londres family) after he bravely defended Ogmore Castle against the attack of the Welsh.
The Boteler (Butler) family held Dunraven throughout the 12th , 13th, 14th and 15th centuries until the male line of the Boteler’s died out. During this time it (15th century) is reported that Owain Glyndwr destroyed the Castle. Ann, the daughter of Jane and John Boteler married the soon to be notorious Walter Vaughan thus bringing the estate into the Vaughan family. During the 1540’s Dunraven is described as a “Manor Place” owned by Walter Vaughan. In 1642 Sir Richard Vaughan sold the estate to Humphry Wyndham the husband of Jane Carne of Ewenny whose descendants were the Earls of Dunraven.
In 1803 Mr Thomas Wyndham made alterations to the Manor House as did his grandson Edwin (the son of Countess Caroline of Dunraven) in 1858! After these works the Manor House attracted the named Dunraven Castle due to its many castellations.
During World War One and World War Two the ‘Castle’ was used as Glamorgan Red Cross County Hospital. (Still in the hands of the Earls of Dunraven)
After the Second World War the Manor House was used as a WTA Guest House. The property and grounds were rented and run by the W.T.A from the 6th Earl of Dunraven Richard Southwell Windham Robert Wyndham-Quin. The property was managed by Mr & Mrs Anderson.
During 1960 The Workers Travel Association decided against renewing the lease for the manor house due to rising costs of running the guest house. It was decided by the owners that the property should be sold. Glamorgan County Council were approached but saw no use for the building. Several parties expressed an interest in the property and the interest of developing it into a caravan site. In February of 1961 a public enquiry was set up o hear arguments for and against the development of Dunraven Castle. The plan was to house 800 caravans on the Dunraven Estate, and turn the Castle into an amenities block. The plans for this to go ahead were refused by Glamorgan County Council and local residents. The Dunraven family then decided to sell the property to a consortium who stripped everything that was of value and sale-able
The building was finally dismantled and bulldozed into the tennis court/gardens.
THE CACHE
The area around Dunraven Castle and Witches Point is a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) and forms part of the Glamorgan Heritage Coast. The final location for the cache is places just outside of the designated SSSI area.
The listed coordinates are for the car park at Southerndown Beach which may incur a small parking fee (£3.00) depending on the time of day and year but even if you do have to pay, I feel it is well worth it. To find the cache you will need to take a stroll around this beautiful and interesting location and find some information at the given waypoints. The gentle walk will cover approximately 1 mile and should take you around an hour
At the listed cache coordinates you will find a large notice board at the back of the car park. Look for the information section on crabs found on the beach. A = How many species of crab are mentioned?
Now pass through the gate by the gatehouse and follow the road to the barrier.
Waypoint 1 - Follow the track up towards the walled garden when you will find a newly installed stone bench with an inscription on it, the first part of it reads "Up he comes and settles on a rock. Shakes the spray from his beard. Stories whistle round his ???" B = How many letters in the next word?
Waypoint 2 - It is time now to enter the delightful walled garden through the door in front of you. This garden provided much of the fresh produce for the castle when it was in use. Today it remains a warm, sheltered and quiet sanctuary even when the weather may be inclement outside. Look for the memorial bench. To which Earl of Dunraven is it dedicated? let the answer = C
Waypoint 3 - Continue through the walled garden to the last section where at the western end you will find 3 gravestones dedicated to one presumes the master's dogs. BINA was "my faithful friend" for DE years.
Waypoint 4 - Now exit the walled garden and head for the ice tower. The cellar would have been filled with ice and straw in the winter and used to keep food cool through the heat of the summer. Today it is possible to enter the upper section up the steps. F = how many vertical iron bars are there on each window?
Waypoint 5 - The track now takes you to a spectacular viewpoint looking south along the Glamorgan Heritage coast - beware of the proximity to the cliff edge if with small children or dogs. On the notice board in front of you there is a description of the geology of the coast. In BOLD is a coloured type of rock. G = How many letters in that rock colour?
Waypoint 6 - Continue up the track to emerge at the foundations of the castle itself. It must have been a spectacular sight, such an imposing building on the headland and the view from this point is sensational. The notice board will give you the last information you need to find the cache. H = How many pheasants in the picture?
Final cache can be found at
N 51 HE.GF(A+B) W 003 AB.(F-D)(C-A)G
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