The History
The castle is a fortified Tudor manor house thought to have been built by Sir
Thomas Morgan. There was previously a Norman Castle on this site in the 13th
century. The manor house may incorporate part of the earlier castle.
Pencoed Castle is a listed grade II building, meaning that it is of particular
historical value. The site also has other grade II listed buildings which include a barn,
dovecote, and the remains of a medieval tower.
The Gwent and Glamorgan Archaeological Trust excavated Pencoed Castle
and some of the surrounding areas in 1991-1992. A resident archaeologist stated that
"At this time they discovered 28 areas around the castle of particular archaeological interest. The site has not been thoroughly explored, and further information is required.
Update
Legend Court Ltd. had submitted plans to the Newport and Monmouthshire Country Council to create Europe's largest theme park.
Thursday, 23 December, 1999, 18:02 GMT
Thumbs down for giant theme park
People who would have been living in the shadow of a planned gigantic theme park
in south east Wales are celebrating after the scheme was turned down by council
planners.
Following a full day of discussion in two meetings, Newport councillors rejected
plans to build the Disney-style theme park.
Backers of the Legend Court theme park claimed the site would have rivalled
Disneyland in Paris and attracted three million people every year as well as creating
4,000 jobs.
But people living near the site of the planned park at Magor, outside Newport said it
would have been an environmental disaster.
Campaigner Ian Sanderman said: "We would have lost a lot
of good quality landscape.
"One of Wales's historic castles would have lost its historic
setting. There are sites of special scientific interest, a national
nature reserve.
"It was a nice area, it still is and lets hope it stays that way.
Both the Welsh Development Agency and the Wales Tourist
Board had given Legend Court their support saying it would
have brought huge benefits to the region and Wales as a
whole.
The £625m theme park - billed as the largest in Europe - also had the backing of
American money and the plan included developing a film studio.
Members were concerned the giant theme park would fail to attract the three
million visitors needed every year to make it a viable development.
There were also doubts whether the project could attract the 4,000 jobs that the
consortium claimed would be created.
The biggest concerns were that it would damage the environment and blight the
lives of people who live near the site.
"I think in the end nobody actually believed they could develop the site and deliver
what they promised," added Mr Sanderson, who was involved in a 21-month
campaign against the site.
"In the end a very sensible decision was reached.
"We're very relieved it's all over."
Backers of the Legend Court theme park scheme have declined to comment.
