Oxwich Treasure

At Bayview Oxwich we sometimes take for granted what’s actually right under our noses. Our eyes are so often drawn to the wonderful coastal vistas across Oxwich Bay to Three Cliffs Bay and beyond, that we neglect to look right, and take notice of the castle walls that rise spectacularly through the woodland adjacent to our land.

Oxwich Castle has a lot of stories to tell, the first being that it actually isn’t a castle at all but a grand, Tudor fortified manor house built in courtyard style sitting splendidly above the sweep of the bay. We often think of what might have gone on within its walls and who visited the Mansel family who lived there when it was in its glory.

What we do know is that when the castle was being renovated in 1968, local workman, Cyril Gorve, discovered a rare and fine example of British jewellery when he was clearing the undergrowth of the east block.

The jewellery, said to have been made in the Medieval period between 1320-1340, is known as the Oxwich Brooch and is now in the Collections at Amgueddfa Cymru (National Museum Wales, St Fagans and is available to see in the Life Is gallery.

The brooch is decorated with six settings containing alternating 3 cameos of chalcedony and 2 cameos of cabochon rubies – 1 setting is empty. The cameos show a man’s head in profile with a coif. The goldwork maybe Parisien.

There are so many maybes when it comes to history. Some people say that the brooch might have been part of the lost stash of Edward 2 after his abdication in 1327. Others say that the brooch is an heirloom of the Mansel family. Who knows the history behind the treasure? That’s what makes the story so interesting. The mystery. The gaps in our knowledge.

Whatever the truth of the discovered treasure, the real treasure is here in the castle and in its beautiful location. Check out the atmosphere of ‘our castle next door’ while you’re here staying in one of our luxury holday rental properties. Wanda and the Team at Bayview will be happy to talk through any booking requirements and explain the best way to walk to Oxwich Castle.

For more on the Oxwich Brooch and Castle please visit www.museum.wales/stfagans and www.cadw.gov.wales/more-about-oxwich-castle

Imagery: © Amgueddfa Cymru