Castell Caergwrle

LL12 9DG
Car park
Dogs welcome
Drone policy

Castell Caergwrle is one of Cadw’s most recent acquisitions through Guardianship, although the wider site remains in the ownership of Hope Community Council.

Built between 1278–82 by Dafydd ap Gruffudd (d. 1283), brother of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, on lands given to him by Edward I and taken from Powys, it was the last castle to be built by a native Welsh prince.

The castle provided the base for Dafydd’s attack on the English garrison at Hawarden in 1282, which sparked Edward’s second Welsh campaign.

Work on the castle continued under the Crown, but it was probably incomplete when it was abandoned after a fire and was ruinous by 1335. There is a waymarked path from the junction of Wrexham Road and Castle Street in the centre of the village.

A five-year programme of improvement to the wider castle grounds has been agreed with the community council and is being delivered by Flintshire Countryside Services.

Opening times & prices

Opening times

1st April - 31st March	Open all year
Open all year — during reasonable daylight hours Closed 24, 25, 26 December and 1 January

Visitor information

Car park

Public car park available in the village just off High Street.

Dogs welcome

Dogs on short leads welcome to access ground floor levels of the site.

Walking difficulty

Terrain: Level 3 — Moderate

Drone policy

Please read our policy information about flying drones at Cadw monuments: read the guidance

No smoking

Smoking is not permitted.

Health & Safety

Parking is available in the streets below the castle; you may need to cross busy main roads to access the entrance. There is steep walk through the lower wooded area. The grounds therefore may be uneven and muddy in places.

You will have to pass over grassed grounds whilst at the top if the site. Please wear footwear appropriate to the weather and conditions of the site.

Whilst at the monument, access can be achieved by crossing either sets of steps. The set to the left has a fully functional handrail for those that require assistance. As the site is positioned quite high, there is a drop beyond the rear ruinous curtilage wall. The site is sloped.

As with all ancient monuments there is always a risk of stones being dislodged in bad weather, however, we manage this through extensive monitoring.

Climbing may result in serious injury.

There are several wild plants and flowers, although these are great pollinators, they may be poisonous to visitors and animals, we strongly advise you not to touch or allow dogs to eat any vegetation.

Please watch our health & safety film before visiting Cadw sites.

Iechyd a Diogelwch / Health and Safety

Please report any anti-social behaviour such as climbing, setting fires, graffiti etc. to CadwAccidentsReports@gov.wales

The following signs can be found around the site at key areas of risk, please pay attention where appropriate.