Richard MAUNSELL

                   http://www.castlewales.com/coity.htmlSir Payne de Turberville of Coity CastleSir Payne was the first Turberville to come to Britain. He allegedly arrived with William the Conqueror and fought with him at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. In return for his services William rewarded him with the Lordship of Coity. The remains of Coity Castle can be seen in the outskirts of Bridgend, Glamorganshire in Wales.Umfraville: see TurbevilleTurbeville: Family of Crickhowell Castle (Brecknock), Wales, in the 13th century.The Norman conquest of the peninsular of Gower and the Principality of Morganwg, South Wales, during the last years of the 11th century was led by Robert FitzHamon, one of a family to which the Conqueror had given wide grants in Gloucestershire. He endowed his co-adventurers with fiefs all along the fertile shoreland of Morganwg. Twelve lordships, owing fealty to the head of the company at Cardiff were founded for the Londres, LeSoers, Summerys, Umfravilles, Sullys, Grainvilles, Turbevilles and others.The Turbevilles lived at Coity Castle for three centuries. Local legend will have it that on Sir Pain's first appearance on the spot (end of 11th, beginning of 12th century) the Welsh owner displayed to him on the one hand his war-band, and on the other his not inattractive daughter, asking which way he would prefer to win the lordship, by fighting or by marriage. The Norman opted for the peaceful method and his line of descendants were half-Welsh from the first. The last Turbeville, Sir Richard, died in the reign of Edward II and the lordship passed to his sister Catherine, wife of Sir Roger Berkrolles.http://www.castlewales.com/newcas1.htmlThe castles of Newcastle, Ogmore, and Coity were established at the western limit of the early Norman penetration into south Wales, and were built to consolidate the Norman's hold on the area.Newcastle is strategically placed on a high bluff above the Ogmore valley to guard the river crossing below. The original castle, first mentioned in 1106, marked the western limit of Robert Fitzhamon's conquests. It is thought to have been an earthwork castle of ringwork type, and its location is unknown. It could have been on the site of the present castle, in which case its palisade may have underlain the later stone curtain wall. The round corner stone building, the foundations of which are visible in the south-east corner of the interior, could date from this initial phase, and might have been a keep. Rebuilding in stone probably took place during an unsettled phase in the 1180s, when the king himself, Henry II, held the castle. The layout and style of stonework are of this period, and the fact that it was in royal hands would explain its superior quality.The castle's most outstanding feature is its complete Norman doorway (shown at left), which greets the visitor approaching the castle from the south. It is late 12th-century, contemporary with the curtain wall. On the inside it is quite plain, but the outside is given fine decorative treatment. Once inside the curtain wall, the circuit of which is complete, the nature of the castle becomes apparent. It is a courtyard castle, roughly circular in plan, with two mural towers built into the curtain wall on the south and west sides. The curtain wall, which was built in straight sections, is impressive and stands to its full height on the west side.The square mural towers were a new development in military planning when built, but were soon to be superseded by round towers. The south tower is the better preserved, standing in parts to three storeys high. It was much altered for domestic use in the 16th century, when Tudor windows and fireplaces were inserted. Only the ground floor of the west tower survives. Very fragmentary foundations of a detached building at the north end, and the more complete foundations of two buildings against the east curtain wall are visible.Apart from refurbishments in the south tower in the late 16th century, the castle is virtually untouched since the late 12th century. In 1217 it was given to the Turbevilles, lords
of Coity, who had little use for it as their main seat was nearby Coity Castle