Earlier Houses: An earlier Penrice Castle, a 13th century house built by the de Penrice family (who came over with William the Conqueror), was replaced by the current house. The ruins of the castle sit on a rise in the land behind the present house.

Built / Designed For: Thomas Mansel Talbot

House & Family History: The Great Western Railway had a locomotive (No. 5057) named Penrice Castle in honor of the house.

Collections: During his Grand Tour (1769-73) Thomas Mansel Talbot formed an important collection of antiquities. He purchased from Gavin Hamilton, Thomas Jenkins, and Giambattista Piranesi, among others. A Minerva with a bronze helmet and a funerary monument, formerly in Talbot’s collection, are both today in the collection of The Courtauld Institute of Art, London. Talbot also purchased paintings by Rembrandt and Hackert and drawings by Poussin. Later generations moved the Penrice Castle Collection to the family’s other seat, Margam Castle. A statuary marble, porphyry, and ormolu chimneypiece made by Carlo Albacini and Luigi Valadier in 1773 for Penrice remains in the house today.

Country Life: CLVII, 694, 754, 1975.

House Listed: Grade I

Park Listed: Grade I

Current Seat / Home of: Thomas Methuen-Campbell, a descendant of the de Penrice family.

Past Seat / Home of: SEATED AT EARLIER HOUSE: De Penrice family, 11th century until 1410. Mansel family, 1410 until the 16th century. SEATED AT CURRENT HOUSE: Thomas Mansel Talbot, 18th century.

Current Ownership Type: Individual / Family Trust

Primary Current Ownership Use: Private Home

Ownership Details: The Penrice Estate lets 16 holiday cottages overlooking Oxwich Bay.

House Open to Public: Limited Access to Grounds Only

Phone: 01792-391-212

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://penricecastle.co.uk

Historic Houses Member: No