Castell Caergwrle
Overview
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
Daily 10am–4pm
Last admission 30 minutes before closing
Closed 24, 25, 26 December and 1 January
Facilities
Public car park available in the village just off High Street.
Dogs on short leads welcome to access ground floor levels of the site.
Please read our policy information about flying drones at Cadw monuments: read the guidance
Smoking is not permitted.
Directions
Entrance to the castle is situated off the A541 in the village of Caergwrle
Entrance to the castle is situated some 0.25miles from Caergwrle Station
NCN Route No.5 or 568 (13.4km/8.3mls).
Postcode LL12 9DG
For further information, please contact: Traveline Cymru on 0800 464 0000 or National Rail Enquiries on 03457 48 49 50.
