Denbigh Castle
Mighty fortress evokes the drama of medieval warfare
It was once the royal residence of Dafydd ap Gruffudd, whose attack on nearby Hawarden Castle provoked the English king Edward I to mount a full-scale invasion. By 1282 Denbigh was the in hands of the king’s commander Henry de Lacy.
He lost no time in building a huge stone fortress with extensive town walls on top of Dafydd’s stronghold. But the Welsh weren’t finished just yet. The half-complete castle was attacked and captured and, by the time they got it back, the English had changed the blueprint.
They made the curtain walls much higher, added the imposing gatehouse and inserted an ingenious ‘sally port’ – a secure secret doorway – so defenders could sneak out in an emergency.
How to visit
• purchase your admission tickets on arrival (or book online)*
• view our opening times and prices below
• check Welsh Government health & safety advice before visiting.
*pre-booked tickets are non-refundable.
Gallery
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Opening times & prices
Opening times
| 1st April - 31st October | 10am-5pm (Closed Tues-Wed) |
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| 1st November - 31st March | 10am-4pm (Closed Mon-Thurs) |
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Last admission 30 minutes before closing Closed 24, 25, 26 December and 1 January Please note: during extreme weather conditions we may need to close monuments at short notice, please check our social media channels before visiting to ensure the site is open and safe to visit. Facebook @CadwWales | Twitter @cadwwales
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Prices
| Category | Price |
|---|---|
| Members - Join now |
Free
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| Adult |
£5.90
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| Family* |
£18.90
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| Disabled person and companion |
Free
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| Juniors (Aged 5-17) / Students** |
£4.10
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| Seniors (Aged 65+) |
£5.70
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*Admits 2 adults and up to 3 children All children under 5 receive free entry **Student photo ID card required to be shown on entry Blue Light Card holders and HM Armed Forces & Veterans receive 10% off admission (not available online). |
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Visitor information
Access guide
Please read our accessibility guidance for information on how to plan your visit.
Baby changing
Toilets available with baby changing facilities.
Bikes access
Bike storage area available in car park or close to site.
Car park
Narrow road access to the castle car park which is situated approx. 100 metres from the castle entrance.
There is a gravelled car parking area adjacent to the castle which holds approx. 15 cars.
There is one dedicated accessible parking space.
Dogs welcome
Dogs on short leads welcome to access ground floor levels of the site.
Portable hearing
A portable induction loop is available.
Toilets
Toilets are located in the visitor centre.
Exhibition
On-site exhibition within monument.
Gift shop
Gift shop at this site offering a range of products and guidebooks.
Venue hire
This site is available to hire for events, filming and exhibitions.
Wi-Fi
Cadw free public WiFi available at this site.
Drone policy
Please read our policy information about flying drones at Cadw monuments: read the guidance
No smoking
Smoking is not permitted.
School visits
To book your free self-led education visit to this site, go to our self-led education visits section.
While you're there, check out our free learning resources to help with your time travel adventure!
Directions
Address
Castle Hill, Denbigh LL16 3NB
For contractors, educational visits and deliveries please ring 01745 813385
Rydym yn croesawu galwadau’n Gymraeg / We welcome calls in Welsh.
Telephone 03000 252239
Email DenbighCastle@gov.wales
Postcode LL16 3NB
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For further information, please contact: Traveline Cymru on 0800 464 0000 or National Rail Enquiries on 03457 48 49 50.
