Fonmon ( cy, Ffwl-y-mwn) is a

hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

in the

Vale of Glamorgan The Vale of Glamorgan ( cy, Bro Morgannwg ), often referred to as The Vale, is a county borough in the south-east of Wales. It borders Bridgend County Borough to the west, Cardiff to the east, Rhondda Cynon Taf to the north, and the Bristol ...

in south

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...

. It lies just off the

B4265 road The B4265 road (often known as the Barry-Llantwit road) is a main road in the Vale of Glamorgan, southeastern Wales, running in a northwesterly direction along near the coast. It links Cardiff Airport to Bridgend, lasting for 15.9 miles (25.6&nbs ...

to the northwest of

Font-y-Gary Font-y-Gary, also Fontygary, Fontegary or Fontygari ( cy, Ffont-y-gari), is a village adjacent to Rhoose, 3 miles south-west of Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan, on the coast of south Wales. To the north is Fonmon and Fonmon Castle. The origin of ...

and

Rhoose Rhoose ( , cy, Y Rhws from "the moor") is a village and community near the sea (the Bristol Channel) in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, near Barry. The wider community includes villages and settlements such as Font-y-Gary, Penmark, East Abert ...

on the western side of

Cardiff Airport Cardiff Airport ( cy, Maes Awyr Caerdydd) is the only airport offering commercial passenger services in Wales. It has been under the ownership of the Welsh Government since March 2013, operating at an arm's length as a commercial business. Pa ...

. The hamlet is best known for its central duck pond and

Fonmon Castle , map_type = Wales Vale of Glamorgan , map_caption = Location within the Vale of Glamorgan , map_alt = , map_size = 250 , coordinates = , established = , dissolved = , location = ...

, a historical house located on the otherside of the B4265 road to the north. The largest house in the hamlet is called The Gables, accessed off a drive on the left approaching Fonmon from the north. A number of the houses in the area are thatched roofed.

Castle

Fonmon Castle , map_type = Wales Vale of Glamorgan , map_caption = Location within the Vale of Glamorgan , map_alt = , map_size = 250 , coordinates = , established = , dissolved = , location = ...

is one of the few medieval castles which are still lived in as a home. Since it was built by the St. John family c.1200, it has only changed hands once. Oliver St John of Fonmon was one of the legendary Twelve Knights of Glamorgan who effected the Norman conquest of Glamorgan. The St John family is today represented by the Viscounts Bolingbroke. The castle is still in use as a private residence. The present owners, the

Boothby baronets There have been two baronetcies created for persons with the surname Boothby, both in the Baronetage of England. One creation is extant as of 2022. The Boothby Baronetcy, of Broadlow Ash in the County of Derby, was created in the Baronetage of ...

, are descendants of Colonel Philip Jones, who bought the house in 1654. In 1762 the castle was renovated by Thomas Paty of Bristol for its owner at the time, Robert Jones. The ceilings and library were designed by

Thomas Stocking Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...

in the

Rococo Rococo (, also ), less commonly Roccoco or Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and theatrical style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpted moulding, ...

style and extensive gardens were added.

Gallery

File:Pond, ducks and bridge, Fonmon, Vale of Glamorgan - geograph.org.uk - 1028271.jpg, Duck pond File:East Hall, Fonmon. Vale of Glamorgan - geograph.org.uk - 1028263.jpg, East Hall, Fonmon File:Fonmon Castle.jpg,

Fonmon Castle , map_type = Wales Vale of Glamorgan , map_caption = Location within the Vale of Glamorgan , map_alt = , map_size = 250 , coordinates = , established = , dissolved = , location = ...

References

{{authority control Villages in the Vale of Glamorgan Hamlets in Wales