In the 13th century St Donats was held by the de Haweys family who also had estates in Somerset and Dorset. Sir Peter Stradling had come over from Switzerland with his father and Sir Otto de Grandison. He was custodian of Neath Castle in 1296-7 (handing it over to Walter Hakelute 14/7/1297 - P.R.) and then went on the Flanders expedition with Thomas de Hauwey, probably by then his father-in-law.
He married Joan de Hawey thereby inheriting the St Donats estate, (previously owned by the Marcross family) as well as Combe Hawey in Somerset and Compton Hawey in Dorset. Peter became lieutenant to Grandison in Ireland in 1298 when Otto went to Rome on behalf of the king, Edward I. (CPR 1292-1301, p354,- June, 1298 - ? - "Letters for Joan, wife of Peter de Stradlinges, going to Ireland, nominating Nicholas Fraunceys and John de Dytton her attorneys for two years." )
His sister Matilda had entered the royal Household as companion to The Duchesse of Brabant, Ed.I daughter by 1295 and in 1297 accompanied her across the channel.
Sir Peter probably did not do much in the way of building the castle, although it seems there was some sort of stone castle at St Donat’s from c.1150+.
Sir Peter de Stratelynge (Stradling) died soon afterwards (c1304?) so it was either his sons or Joan's second husband John de Pembridge who built the castle in the early 14th century.
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