Did you know that Oystermouth Castle has been standing for 900 years? The original section of the castle was built around the early 1100’s, but over the years it has been burnt to the ground three times!
Wyddech chi fod Castell Ystumllwynarth wedi bod yno ers 900 o flynyddoedd? Adeiladwyd rhan wreiddiol y castell tua dechrau’r 12fed ganrif, ond mae wedi’i losgi i lawr dair gwaith dros y blynyddoedd!
The majority of what you see today dates back to the 13th and 14th century.
Mae’r rhan fwyaf o’r hyn sydd i’w weld heddiw’n dyddio’n ôl i’r 13eg a’r 14eg ganrif.
Read on, and you’ll learn lots of interesting facts about Oystermouth Castle and what it was like to live in a castle.
Darllenwch ymlaen a dysgwch lawer o ffeithiau diddorol am Gastell Ystumllwynarth a sut beth oedd byw mewn castell.
Look out for Roger, the Oystermouth Castle knight. There are 10 of him within this booklet – so see if you can spot him!
Cadwch lygad allan am Roger, marchog Castell Ystumllwynarth. Mae 10 ohono yn y llyfryn hwn – felly ceisiwch ddod o hyd iddo!
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Brief history of castles!
Hanes cryno cestyll!
Throughout the ages, people have built protection around them:
Trwy’r oesoedd, mae pobl wedi adeiladu diogelwch o’u cwmpas:
Stone Age people lived in caves and made defences to keep out wild animals. The first towns and cities had walls to keep out invaders.
Roedd waliau o gwmpas y trefi a’r dinasoedd cyntaf i gadw goresgynwyr allan.
The first castles were built by the Normans. The great age of castles began almost 1,000 years ago and lasted for nearly 500 years. The Normans introduced the first proper castles following their victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. They needed to protect their new kingdom, so as a result the early years of Norman occupation saw a frenzy of castle building. Initially they where Motte and Bailey castles (basically earth!), but they where quickly replaced by permanent stone Norman castles.
Celts 500bc
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Romans AD43
Saxons 450
Vikings 793
Normans 1066
Tudors 1485
Roedd pobl Oes y Cerrig yn byw mewn ogofâu ac yn codi amddiffynfeydd i gadw anifeiliaid gwyllt allan.
Dechreuodd oes fawr y cestyll bron 1,000 o flynyddoedd yn ôl a pharhaodd am bron 500 o flynyddoedd. Cyflwynwyd y cestyll go iawn cyntaf gan y Normaniaid ar ôl eu buddugoliaeth ym Mrwydr Hastings ym 1066. Roedd angen iddynt amddiffyn eu teyrnas newydd felly, yn ystod blynyddoedd cynnar meddiannaeth y Normaniaid, cafwyd prysurdeb gwyllt o adeiladu cestyll. Cestyll Mwnt a Beili (pridd yn y bôn!) oeddent ar y dechrau, ond cawson nhw eu disodli’n gyflym gan gestyll Normanaidd carreg parhaol.
Victorians 1837
Celtiaid Rhufeiniaid Sacsoniaid Llychlynwyr Normaniaid Tuduriaid Fictoriaid 500CC OC43 450 793 1066 1485 1837
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What was it like to live inside a castle?
Sut beth oedd byw mewn castell?
Castles may have looked warm from the outside, but they were rather cold and damp. The only heating was provided by fireplaces in each room, and because they were so dark inside, torches were used for light. Kitchen staff would decorate most of the food before it was served. Sometimes, the servants would put fur or feathers back on meat to make it look alive! Because there were no fridges back in those days, the food didn’t last long. The only way of preserving food was to salt all the meat.
Efallai bod cestyll wedi yn edrych yn dwym o’r tu allan, ond roeddent yn weddol oer a thamp. Yr unig wres a ddarparwyd oedd gan leoedd tân ym mhob ystafell a defnyddiwyd tortshis am olau oherwydd roeddent mordywyll y tu mewn. Byddai staff y gegin yn addurno’r rhan fwyaf o’r bwyd cyn ei weini. Weithiau, byddai’r gweision yn rhoi ffwr neu blu yn ôl ar gig i wneud iddo edrych yn fyw! Gan nad oedd oergelloedd yn y dyddiau hynny, nid oedd y bwyd yn para’n hir. Yr unig ffordd o gadw bwyd oedd trwy halltu’r holl gig.
There was no plumbing in a castle either. Have a look at the garderobes (toilets) as you walk around the castle. Where do you think the waste went? Did you know, the majority of spiral staircases in castles as you climb are clockwise; this is no accident, in fact all part of defence features. As most people are right handed, this provides more manoeuvrability for the defenders sword arm and restricts the attacker’s sword arm.
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Nid oedd plymwaith mewn castell chwaith. Edrychwch ar y geudai (toiledau) wrth gerdded o gwmpas y castell. Ble ydych chi’n meddwl aeth y gwastraff?
Wyddech chi fod y mwyafrif o risiau troelleg mewn cestyll yn glocwedd wrth i chi eu dringo; nid damwain yw hyn, yn wir, mae'n rhan o'r noddweddion amddiffynnol. Gan fod y rhan fwyaf o bobl yn llaw dde, mae hyn yn rhoi mwy o le i fraich cleddyf yr amddiffynnwr ac yn cyfyngu ar fraich cleddyf yr ymosodwr.
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Colour in this picture of Oystermouth Castle
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Lliwiwch y llun hwn o Gastell Ystumllwynarth
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Parts of a castle
Rhannau o gastell
Castles were built to withstand attack from the enemy. Many castles were built on high ground with clear views of the surrounding land, or near wide rivers for protection. Inside castle walls were many things:
Adeiladwyd cestyll i wrthsefyll ymosodiadau gan elynion. Roedd adeiladwyr cestyll yn ychwanegu nifer o nodweddion amddiffynnol i’w gwneud yn anodd i’r rhai a ymosodai ar eu cestyll. Roedd llawer o gestyll yn cael eu hadeiladu ar dir uchel â golygfeydd clir o’r tir o’u hamgylch, neu ger afonydd llydan ar gyfer diogelwch. Y tu mewn i waliau’r cestyll roedd llawer o bethau:
The Keep - One of the largest spaces in a castle behind thick walls, the Keep was the safest part of the castle. The Barracks - This is where the soldiers defending the castle would sleep when not on duty. The Chapel - The Chapel was built to hold religious services by the Lord and his family. Curtain Wall - Tall, thick curtain walls surrounded the castle buildings like a strong shield. There were few doors in the wall, therefore limiting access to the castle. Towers - Towers allowed people to look about and keep watch outside the castles walls. In addition, at times they kept prisoners. The Gatehouse - The entrance to the castle! Some castles would have drawbridges across moats which where pulled up to stop people crossing. At Oystermouth Castle a spiked metal barrier, called portcullis, helped protect the doors from fire and battering. Small holes, called murder holes, were added to the ceiling above the main entrance to pour boiling liquid down on entering enemies. Urgghhhh!
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Y Gorthwr - Un o’r lleoedd mwyaf mewn castell y tu ôl i waliau trwchus, y Gorthwr oedd rhan fwyaf diogel y castell. Roedd e’n cadw bwyd, gwin a grawn rhag ofn gwarchae. Y Barics - Dyma lle byddai’r milwyr a amddiffynnai’r castell yn cysgu pan nad oeddent ar ddyletswydd. Y Capel - Roedd y Capel yn cael ei adeiladu i gynnal gwasanaethau crefyddol gan yr Arglwydd a’i deulu. Llenfur - Roedd llenfuriau uchel, trwchus o gwmpas adeiladau’r castell fel tarian gref. Prin oedd y drysau yn y wal, gan gyfyngu ar fynediad i’r castell. Sut gallech fynd i mewn i’r castell heb ddod trwy’r prif borthdy? Tyrau - Roedd Tyrau’n galluogi pobl i edrych o’u cwmpas a gwylio’r tu allan i waliau’r castell. At hynny, roeddent yn cadw carcharorion ar adegau. Y Porthdy - Mynedfa’r castell! Byddai rhai cestyll â phontydd codi ar draws ffosydd a oedd yn cael eu codi i atal pobl rhag croesi. Yng Nghastell Ystumllwynarth, roedd atalfa fetel bigog, o’r enw porthcwlis, yn helpu i ddiogelu’r drysau rhag tân a dyrnu. Roedd cadwyni’n ei gostwng o siambr uwchben y porth. Roedd tyllau bach, o’r enw tyllau llofruddio, yn cael eu hychwanegu at y nenfwd uwchben y brif fynedfa i arllwys hylif berw ar elynion a ddeuai i mewn. Ych a fi!
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Can you find all the hidden words? Allwch chi ddod o hyd i’r holl eiriau cudd?
A E P E DDS C HL QUE J L B D S WO R D HG I Z A E N
KNIGHT QUEEN KING SWORD
Y MJ L I E L MZ F Q E N P L K G
MARCHOG BRENHINES BRENIN CLEDD
C DE I HL J ZL N CA OKR T AR OSN WO B E RR R CE HSN E HH R I I A EN L L E DS H J
AP CZ BC F G S T HK I A CA NN V H OI KR S
E L M B HA AC DT R F F MK C L E HL B T OO NR GF S T E L L F H OQA NE B T R P I KI NG CNQPK NI K UZ UL GI O WD L K I U OY S K J CHA P F P WQ G Y V HX J X P MW M J HK I N A
CHAPEL CELLAR CASTLE
J T HW A NJ GHT J L K MQT V O E L R
CAPEL SELER CASTELL
29840 -12 Designprint 01792 586555