North Wales house Rhuddlan Castle and several fascinating castles in British history. This region is famous for castles and is often called the “The big five,” which include the castles of Rhuddlan, Dolbadarn, Conway, Beaumaris, and Caernarfon.

Like all other 04, Rhuddlan Castle was once flawless, but still; its remains are majestic.

Today’s Rhuddlan castle is listed as ruined, but the remaining shows how monumental and grand it once was.

Though this 13th-century castle is listed as a ruin, it is still in pretty good condition to visit it with family and friends, use its location for photography adventures, or plan a trip down there to enjoy historical and nature-filled views.

Rhuddlan Castle Location

This castle is in northern Wales city – Denbighshire, beside the river Clwyd bank.

The address of Rhuddlan castle is Castle St, Rhuddlan LL18 5AD, United Kingdom.

Rhuddlan Castle History

This Castle was constructed by Master James of Saint George in 5 years starting from 1277. The construction period is the same as castle flint. During the construction of Castle Flint, King Edward 1 relocated to Rhuddlan and made it his headquarters.

This castle was a temporary residence for King Edward while he was on his vanquishment of Wales. Before the development of Rhuddlan castle, a timber castle of the motte and bailey style existed towards the south.

It was a castle and has played its share in politics. In 1294, the castle saw an attack on it; later, in 1400, it saw another attack by the last Prince of Wales. During this attack, the castle prevailed, but the town of Rhuddlan revolted.

It was during the period of the English Civil War when the narrative of the castle turning away from Charles I to ruin began. In 1646, the Parliamentarians took the castle, taking charge of Charles I, destroying the fortress, and ever since then, it has turned into ruins.

Nowadays, the Castle is managed by Cadw; the job is to keep the castle in the best shape and allow visitors.

Inside the Rhuddan Castle

The plan for Rhuddlan was to build a castle with walls inside walls, basically as a parallel wall-to-wall castle. The layout of this castle is different from other castles like Flint and Harlech.

It has a unique diamond style, and the gates of Rhuddlan Castle are positioned at the edge. There
are dormitories on all 4 sides, North, West, South, and East. The gates of the square bailey are significant pieces of English construction work from the late 1270s.

A curtain wall covers the castle’s outer ward with small turrets because it is built in a concentric style. The inner ward provides a defender to the outer ward and can be helpful in striking fire weapons.

 

The inside has kitchens, stables, and private apartments. Rhuddlan is based at a distance from the castle and is perfect in a location without causing any hindrance in the expansion of Denbighshire.

Typical Edwardian Concentric style is represented in Rhuddlan castle’s construction style. For defense, a ring of walls is characterized by the castle style. The West Gate of the castle provides the main entrance to the inner ward and apartments.

For the additional protection of the archers of the castle, the towers grasp crenellations. The gate on the southern side is Gillot’s Tower protects the Dock gate from the threats reaching from the River Clwyd.

Timings

The castle is not open all year long.

Rhuddlan Castle usually remains open from April to October and closed from November to March.

This year from the 8th of April till the 31st of October, the castle will remain open at 10 am and closes at 5 pm, except on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, it will be closed.

Check the castle website for visiting hours, closure, and ticket availability to avoid inconvenience.

Tickets

A visit to Rhuddlan Castle is possible on pre-booked tickets. The authorities do not entertain on-spot ticket demands. You can easily book tickets on the castle’s website.

As the castle is not open 24 hours, you must also book the visiting hours. If you can’t visit the castle on your booked date, you can neither refund the ticket amount nor move it to another day.

Different deals are available for ticketing starting from different days of the month. But on average, ticket costs around £2.00 per person. Entry for a family costs £6.00. Children under the age of 5 are not eligible for the entry fee.

Car Parking at Rhuddlan Castle

A car parking of 25 vehicles and a bike storage area is available near the monument.

Places Nearby

Shops, restaurants, and hotels are available nearby.

Some other places to visit near Rhuddlan castle are Rhuddlan nature reserves, Rhyl library, museum and arts centers, Dyserth waterfall, Twthill, St. Margaret’s Church, Bearded Men Adventures, and St. Asaph Cathedral.

Facilities

The castle is nowadays extended to an effective general audience. The website lets you purchase tickets, check visiting hours, and learn about the castle’s history. The guidebook of the castle is also available online from the website.

The castle allows dogs at the ground floor level of the site. For disabled people, the grounds are leveled with grass, and there is also a parking space for disabled people.

Inside the castle is a gift shop that has various gifts, and guidebooks are also available. Some restrictions are associated with the castle’s security, just as drones and smoking are prohibited on the premises.

The use of drones is prohibited under the governance of Cadw management, as they only allow drones for workers and construction and management purposes at the site.

Rhuddlan Castle offers light refreshment services. If a school or any other educational institute wants to visit the site, they are allowed to book themselves, and using the links on the website, they can do time travel. You can also plan your visit to the site by following the links available.

A water refilling facility is also available at the castle.

Photography

The natural scenery with green space, a river nearby, and significant historical structures make Rhuddlan Castle a fantastic place for photography.

Photography is allowed, but flying drones is strictly prohibited.

Final words

Despite being listed as ruined, Rhuddlan Castle is one of the must-visit places if you are nearby.