Who do you believe built Castell Morgraig?

Morgraig also had a rectangular keep and the pattern of Morgraig's keep was similar to some of the welsh castles in North Wales. This evidence could possibly suggest that Morgraig was built under the direction of the welsh prince, Llewelyn. Cathcart King said, "At this time the Normans were building very different round towered keeps".

The castle also appears to be asymmetrical, like most welsh castles built around the same time. Castell Morgraig also had D - shaped towers which offered a wide range of fire and more spacious interior rooms which made the castle more livable. The curved shaped faces of the towers also could withstand under miming and bombardment much better than flat surface. There are other castles such as 'Ewloe Castle' built by Prince Llewelyn ap Gruffudd that also have D - shaped towers. John Owen says, "The four flanking towers at Morgraig are typically Welsh D - shaped apsidal towers...Their presence at Morgraig indicates a North Welsh influence". Evidence also suggests that Morgraig was welsh built due to poor workmanship on the castle. This was usual for the Welsh but not expected of the Normans who had far better skilled craftsmen. J.G Owens says, "I find it difficult to believe that an English Mason would produce such poor quality".

Most Welsh castles have ditches around them, but when Morgraig was

Discovered there were none. This has been used as an argument to suggest the castle was Norman, but although a ditch would provide defence, it would also make constructing the castle very difficult, as Morgraig was built on the uneven crest of a ridge. Also, the ditches might have been never added to the site, simply because it was never finished.

Castle Morgraig was built with Sutton stone and many historians debate fiercely that Sutton stone would have been impossible to transport from Norman controlled land all the way in Ogmore. This has been used to state the castle in Norman, however the welsh prince Llewelyn ap Gruffudd was a very powerful man at the time Morgraig was built, and he had many Norman alliances. Evidence could suggest that Llewelyn made alliances with powerful Normans in Ogmore, in order to obtain and transport the Sutton stone needed to build Morgraig. An example of a time when the Welsh and Normans worked together would be during the Baronial Revolt between 1258 and 1265. The Baronail Revolt began due to the new English King, Henry the third, faced opposition from his own barrons, who wanted more of a say in how the country was run. Many marcher lords from Wales joined the revolt, and fought against the king. Even Lleweyn joined the revolt, fighting alongside the Norman barons and marcher lords. Llewelyn even fought alongside Richard de Clare, the Norman ruler of Glamorgan, whose land Llewelyn desperately wanted to seize for himself. In normal times, these two were sworn enemies.

The location of the castle also suggests that is was welsh built. Castell Morgraig stands on the thirteenth century border between Welsh Senghennydd and the Norman Glamorgan. Many historians believe that it was built purposely in its location in order for the welsh to watch over Norman controlled Cardiff. A.T Gill says, "Llewelyn wanted his frontiers guarded against the Normans and this was an ideal site".

Many historians also believe that the location would have been an ideal place to plan attacks and see invading Norman enemies from miles away; even across the Bristol Channel.

There is a large possibility that the castle was built in order to defend the Welsh border and stop any Normans coming into Glamorgan. The castle could also have been built in order to control what goods left and came into Welsh territory. Many historians argue that Morgraig could have been built as a political statement, a symbol of Llewelyn ap Gruffudd's growing power or even as a symbolic statement to challenge the power of the de Clares who were great enemies of the Welsh and of Llewelyn at this time. J.Owens states, "In my opinion the establishment of a castle at Morgraig was a political statement by the Lords of Senghennydd to define their Southern boundary''.

In conclusion, most evidence suggests that the welsh built Castell Morgraig. It is probable that Prince Llewelyn ap Gruffudd built it as a base of attack and to watch over Norman controlled Cardiff.