| Castles Wales UK |
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Featured Article
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Living History 2006! From This Week® Wales |
"Wales is a land of castles, heritage sites, stately homes and gardens...there are hundreds here - experts have yet to agree on the precise number!"
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They range from forgotten earthen fortifications to mighty World Heritage Sites like Caernarfon, Conwy, Harlech and Beaumaris. Almost all of the great castles are under the care of Cadw and no visit to Wales is complete without the experience of walking along a windy battlement, or exploring a gloomy dungeon, wondering at the skills of the medieval stonemason in constructing such towering edifices. |
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Each of the following has its own story to tell and most are open all year round to visitors: |
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1. Caernarfon Castle
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Castle Ditch, Caernarfon, Gwynedd LL55 2AY
 World Heritage Site. King Edward I intended this castle to be a royal residence and seat of government  for north Wales. The castle's symbolic status was emphasised when Edward made sure that his son, the first English Prince of Wales, was born here in 1284. In 1969, the castle gained worldwide fame as the setting for the investiture of HRH Prince Charles as Prince of Wales.
New for 2005:
 A major new exhibition, A Prospect of Caernarfon, brings history to life within the castle’s thirteenth-century towers. Housed on the ground floor of the great polygonal Eagle Tower, the new display offers a comprehensive interpretation of the castle’s long and  turbulent history, including an account of the early history of Edward I, and the growth and development of Caernarfon itself. A reconstruction model showing the town and castle, as it would have been in about 1330, is also located at the heart of the exhibition. Click here for more information.
Impressive range of displays and exhibitions:
The refurbished Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum is one of the most up-to-date  regimental museums in the country, with interactive displays and life-size tableaux.
Facilities:
Parking: adjacent to the castle is a daily charge public car park with four wheelchair symbol spaces. There is a slope from the car park to the castle. Toilets, guidebook available, on-site exhibitions, gift shop. Click here for events.
Opening times:
Spring: 18.03.05 - 31.05.05: 9.30 -17.00
Summer: 1.06.05 - 30.09.05: 9.30 - 18.00
Autumn: 1.10.05 - 31.10.05: 9.30 - 17.00
Winter: 1.11.05 - 31.03.06: 9.30 - 16.00 Monday to Saturday, 11.00 - 16.00 Sunday.
Admission prices:
Adult £4.90; Concession £4.50; Family £15.00.
 Disabled access:
There are twelve steps to the entrance, but inside the walls there are some level grassed areas and paths. Steps and uneven levels make the site unsuitable for those with sight difficulties. There are exhibitions and displays in the towers, in some cases reached by spiral stairs. There are information panels on site. The audio-visual display has an induction loop. Benches are provided. Adjacent to the castle is a daily charge public car park with four wheelchair symbol spaces. There is a slope from the car park to the castle. There are steps down to the toilets on site. A National Key disabled toilet is situated 50m (54yds) from the parking spaces.
 About our location:
OS map 115: SH 477626. A4085, A487(T), B4366. In Caernarfon town centre.
Bus: 200mtrs / 220 yards Caernarfon Penllyn, route No 5/5A/5B, Bangor-Caernarfon. Cycle: Click here for map.
Train: 16km / 10mls Bangor, on the Crewe-Bangor / Holyhead route.
Telephone: 01286 677617 Website |
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2. Beaumaris Castle
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 Castle Street, Beaumaris, Isle of Anglesey LL58 8AP
World Heritage Site. Begun in 1295, this unfinished castle is the last and largest of King Edward I's Welsh fortifications. Built under the supervision of the king's mason-architect, Master James of St George, it is a perfect example of a concentrically planned castle. Formidable defences survive, surrounded by a partly restored moat.
 Facilities:
Parking: there is a setting-down point close to the entrance.
Opening times:
Spring: 18.03.05 - 31.05.05: 9.30 -17.00
 Summer: 1.06.05 - 30.09.05: 9.30 - 18.00
Autumn: 1.10.05 - 31.10.05: 9.30 - 17.00
Winter: 1.11.05 - 31.03.06: 9.30 - 16.00 Monday to Saturday, 11.00 - 16.00 Sunday.
Admission prices:
Adult £3.50; Concession £3.50; Family £10.00.
 Disabled access:
The path to the entrance rises slightly but has a firm surface. There is a wooden bridge over the moat. The grounds are laid to grass. There is one step into the museum and exhibition, but there are steep stairs to the chapel and walls. There are information panels. Benches are provided. There is a setting-down point close to the entrance. The public pay-and-display car park is 200m (216 yds) away.  There are no designated disabled spaces. Public toilets, with one Radar key toilet, are 50m (54 yds) from the entrance.
About our location:
OS map 115: SH 607762. A545 (Menai Bridge) A5 (Bangor).
Bus: Ena's 100mtrs/110yards, routes 53/57/58 Bangor-Beaumaris - Llandonna/Penmon.
Cycle: Click here for map. Train: 15km/9mls Bangor, Crewe-Bangor/Holyhead route.
Telephone: 01248 810361 Website |
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3. Conwy Castle
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Conwy, Conwy County LL32 8AY
World Heritage Site. Built for King Edward I between 1283-87, Conwy remains one of the most outstanding achievements of medieval military architecture. The distinctive elongated shape, with its two barbicans, eight massive towers and great bow-shaped hall, was perhaps determined by the narrow rocky outcrop on which the castle stands.
 Conwy Town Walls: Over 3/4m (1.2km) of town walls, one of the finest and most complete sets in Europe, with twenty-one towers and three gateways. N and W of castle, enclosing much of the town.
Plas Mawr Elizabethan Townhouse: Possibly the best-preserved Elizabethan townhouse in Great Britain.  Built by Robert Wynn between 1576 and 1585, it dominates the town with its gatehouse, stepped gables and lookout tower. The interior with its elaborately decorated plaster ceilings and fine wooden screens, reflecting the wealth and influence of the Tudor gentry in Wales, has been almost entirely restored.
Facilities:
Castle: Parking, toilets, guidebook available, site exhibition, giftshop, tourist information centre on-site. Plas Mawr: Shop, toilets, parking nearby, site exhibition, audio-visual presentations, and  audio tour (included in price). Click Click here for events.
here for events.
 Opening times:
Spring: 18.03.05 - 31.05.05: 9.30 -17.00
Summer: 1.06.05 - 30.09.05: 9.30 - 18.00
Autumn: 1.10.05 - 31.10.05: 9.30 - 17.00
Winter: 1.11.05 - 31.03.06: 9.30 - 16.00 Monday to Saturday, 11.00 - 16.00 Sunday
 Admission prices:
Adult £4.00; Concession £3.50; Family £11.50.
Note: A joint ticket for Conwy Castle and Plas Mawr is available: Adult £6.50; Concession £5.50; Family £18.50
Disabled access:
Good access to the shop, paying desk and exhibition area. There is a sloping path and steps from there to the castle entrance and the ground has various stairs and levels. There is an exhibition inside one of the towers and there are information panels on the site. Benches are provided. The pay-and-display car park next to the castle is free to disabled badge holders. There are five spaces with the wheelchair logo (two wide and three of normal size). The public toilets next to the shop include one radar key toilet.
 About our location:
Castle: OS map 115: SH 783774. Conwy town centre; Town Walls: OS map 115: SH 477628; Townhouse: OS map 115: SH 781776. Conwy on the A55 or the B5106.
Bus: 200m/220yds, route Number 5, Llandudno-Conwy-Bagnor/Caernarfon.
Cycle: Click here for map.
Train: 2km/1.6mls Llandudno Junction, on the Crewe-Llandudno Junction/Holyhead line.
Telephone: 01492 592358 Website
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4. Denbigh Castle
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 Castle Hill, Denbigh, Denbighshire LL16 3NB
Begun by Henry de Lacy in 1282, with the support of King Edward I, the site is dominated by an impressive triple-towered gatehouse, the link between defended town and castle ward.
Denbigh Town Walls: Substantial circuit of walls forming the castle's 'town ward', and built to protect the new borough. A key to the walls can be obtained from the castle custodian or town library when the castle is closed.
Lord Leicester's Church: Remains of the only large new church built in the reign of Elizabeth I. Begun by Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester, in 1578.
St Hilary's Chapel: Built about 1300 as a chapel to serve the new town. The tower and a short section of the west wall survive.
Denbigh Friary: Established as a Carmelite friary. Remains of the late thirteenth-century church survive.
Facilities:
Castle: Parking, toilets, guidebook available, site exhibition. A key to the walls can be obtained from the castle custodian or town library when the castle is closed. Click Click here for events.
Opening times:
Spring: 25.03.05 - 30.09.05: 10.00 - 17.30 Monday - Friday, 9.30 - 17.30 Saturday and Sunday.
Summer: 25.03.05 - 30.09.05: 10.00 - 17.30 Monday - Friday, 9.30 - 17.30 Saturday and Sunday.
Autumn: 25.03.05 - 30.09.05: 10.00 - 17.30 Monday - Friday, 9.30 - 17.30 Saturday and Sunday.
Winter: Closed.
Note: Open sites are unstaffed and open to the public with no admission charge at all reasonable times, usually between 10.00 and 16.00 daily.
Admission prices:
Adult £2.90; Concession £2.50; Family £8.30
Disabled access:
A firm, gravel path rises form the car park to the gate-house, and from there to the paying kiosk and exhibition. The internal ward is flat grass. There are information panels on the site. The car park is in the grounds. The public toilets on site are not adapted for disabled users. There is a disabled toilet in the town centre.
About our location:
Castle: OS map 116: SJ 052658. On hill above Denbigh town centre; Town Walls: OS map 116: SJ 051657; Church: OS map 116: SJ 053657; Friary: OS map 116: SJ 059666. Denbigh on the A525, A543 or the B5382. Bus: 300m/330yds, route number 151/152 by Rhyl/Denbigh. Cycle: Click here for map. Footpath:
Features on the Denbighshire Medieval Trail. Train: 12km/7.5mls Abergele, Llandudno-Chester.
Telephone: 01745 813979 Website
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5. Harlech Castle
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Castle Square, Harlech, Gwynedd LL46 2YH
World Heritage Site. Built between 1283 and 1289 by Master James of St George for King Edward I. The castle is designed on a concentric plan with a small but powerful inner ward dominated by an impressive twin-towered gatehouse and four round corner towers. Seized by Owain Glyn Dwr in 1404 and held successfully by him for four years.
Facilities:
Parking: there is a setting-down point at the entrance. Street parking is possible close by, and there is a car park 200m (216 yds) away. Toilets, guidebook available, giftshop, site exhibition). Click Click here for events.
Opening times:
Spring: 18.03.05 - 31.05.05: 9.30 -17.00
Summer: 1.06.05 - 30.09.05: 9.30 - 18.00
Autumn: 1.10.05 - 31.10.05: 9.30 - 17.00
Winter: 1.11.05 - 31.03.06: 9.30 - 16.00 Monday to Saturday, 11.00 - 16.00 Sunday.
Admission prices:
Adult £3.50; Concession £3.50; Family £10.00
Disabled access:
This castle is in a raised position and there are long flights of stairs to the shop/paying desk and from there to the entrance. There are information panels and an exhibition. Benches provided. The pay and display car park has three spaces marked with the wheel chair symbol.  The public toilets near the car park do not include a disabled toilet. There are steps down to the toilets at the castle.
About our location:
OS map 124: SH 581312. A496.
Bus: 150m/ 170 yds, No. 38, Y Barmouth-Harlech/Blaenau Ffestiniog.
Cycle: Click here for map.
Train: 200m/ 220 yds, on the Shrewsbury - Machynlleth/Pwllheli line.
Telephone: 01766 780552 Website
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6. St Davids Bishop's Palace
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St Davids, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire SA62 6PE
Imposing palace within the defended perimeter of the cathedral precincts. The surviving buildings date chiefly from the fourteenth century, and most were constructed by Bishop Henry de Gower (1328-47). It is de Gower's celebrated arcaded parapet which is one of the glories of the site.
Facilities:
Parking, toilets, guidebook, giftshop, site exhibition. Click Click here for events.
Opening times:
Spring: 18.03.05 - 31.05.05: 9.30 - 17.00
Summer: 1.06.05 - 30.09.05: 9.30 - 18.00
Autumn: 1.10.05 - 31.10.05: 9.30 - 17.00
Winter: 1.11.05 - 31.03.06: 9.30 - 16.00 Monday to Saturday, 11.00 - 16.00 Sunday.
Admission prices:
Adult £2.90; Concession £2.50; Family £8.30
Disabled access:
This site is level and mainly laid to grass, with some paths, and can be viewed from the courtyard. The exhibitions, with models and information panels, are at ground level. The shop is very small. Benches are provided.  There is a setting-down point at the entrance. Street parking is possible close by, and there is a car park 200m (216 yds) away. Public toilets with one Radar key toilet are situated close to the entrance.
About our location:
OS map 157: SM 750254. Near centre of St David’s. A487 to St Davids, minor road past Cathedral. Bus: 250m/270yds, route No 411 Haverfordwest – St Davids/Fishguard. Cycle: Click here for map. Train: 25km/16mls, Haverfordwest Rail Station, on the Milford Haven route.
Telephone: 01437 720517 Website
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7. Lamphey Bishop's Palace
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Lamphey, Pembroke, Pembrokeshire SA71 5NT
Extensive remains of a lavish country retreat used by the bishops of St Davids, with buildings dating from the thirteenth to sixteenth centuries.
Facilities:
Parking: opposite entrance. Toilets, guidebook available, gift shop. Click Click here for events.
Opening times:
Spring: 10.00 - 17.00
Summer: 10.00-17.00
Autumn: 10.00-17.00
Winter: 10.00-17.00
Note: The visitor centre will be closed during the winter,  but the gate will be left open for access to the site.
Admission prices:
Adult £2.90; Concession £2.50; Family £8.30
Disabled access:
The palace grounds are laid to grass and are fairly level. The doors to the shop/pay desk are narrow and will not admit a wide wheel chair. The side gate may be used but the path to this is uneven. There is an audio tour. Benches are provided. The car park is opposite the entrance. The disabled toilet on site is not fully adapted but has a ramp.
About our location:
OS map 158 SN: 018009. Lamphey, E of Pembroke, off A4139 from Pembroke or Tenby.
Bus: 600m/660yds, route 349/359, Tenby/Lamphey /Pembroke/ Haverfordwest.
Cycle: Click here for map.
Train: Lamphey 600m/660yds, on the Swansea-Carmarthen/Tenby/Pembroke Dock line.
Telephone: 01646 672224 Website
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8. Laugharne Castle
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King Street, Laugharne, Carmarthenshire SA33 4SA
Established in the early 12th century as an earthwork castle, Laugharne was rebuilt in stone by the Anglo-Norman de Brian family between the mid thirteenth and mid fourteenth century.  Sir John Perrot later transformed it into a Tudor mansion in the 16th century.
Facilities:
Parking, guidebook available, on-site shop. Click Click here for events.
Opening times:
Spring: 18.03.05 - 30.09.05: 10.00 - 17.00
Summer: 18.03.05 - 30.09.05: 10.00 - 17.00
 Autumn: 18.03.05 - 30.09.05: 10.00 - 17.00
Winter: 01.10.05 - 17.03.06: closed
Admission prices:
Adult £2.90; Concession £2.50; Family £8.30
Disabled access:
The path to the gatehouse has a slight gradient,  but there is then level access to the pay desk and visitor centre. There is a short wooden ramp with a non-slip surface from here into the grounds. The grounds and garden and the inner ward have firm pathways with occasional gradients, but there is a cobbled path into the inner ward. There are information panels and an exhibition on site and benches are provided.  There is a setting-down point (with double yellow lines) outside the castle and a small parking area opposite. The public car park is 200m (216 yds) away. There is a disabled toilet outside the visitor centre. The custodian is the key holder.
About our location:
OS map 159: SN 302107. Laugharne, on A4066, 14m SW of Carmarthen.
Telephone: 01994 427906 Website
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9. Kidwelly Castle
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5 Castle Road, Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire SA17 5BQ
Impressive remains of a castle established as a huge earthwork in the early twelfth century. The stone castle was largely constructed by the de Chaworths, and was much modified later by the earls (eventually dukes) of Lancaster.
Facilities:
Parking: near the castle grounds. Toilets, guidebook available, gift shop, site exhibition and audio tour. Click Click here for events.
Opening times:
Spring: 18.03.05 - 31.05.05: 9.30 -17.00
Summer: 1.06.05 - 30.09.05: 9.30 - 18.00
Autumn: 1.10.05 - 31.10.05: 9.30 - 17.00
Winter: 1.11.05 - 31.03.06: 9.30 - 16.00 Monday to Saturday, 11.00 - 16.00 Sunday
Admission prices:
Adult £2.90; Concession £2.50; Family £8.30
Disabled access:
The path that leads from the shop/paying desk to the gate house has a slope and a rough surface. There is a wooden bridge across the moat. The internal and external wards of the castle are grass with solid, level paths. There is an audio tour with induction loop. There are information panels and an exhibition. Benches are provided. The car park is adjacent to the Castle grounds. A Radar key toilet is situated outside the entrance.
About our location:
OS map 159: SN 409701. Kidwelly is on the A484.
Bus: 100mtrs/110yds, route number X11/X12, Swansea - Carmarthen.
Cycle: Click here for map.
Train: 2km/1.2mls Kidwelly, on the Swansea – Milford Haven/Pembroke Dock line.
Telephone: 01554 890104 Website
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10. Castell Coch
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Tongwynlais, Cardiff, Cardiff County CF15 7JS
Late nineteenth-century 'fairy-tale'-style castle, built on medieval remains, designed for the third marquess of Bute by William Burges. Lavishly decorated and furnished in the Victorian Gothic style; a Romantic vision of the Middle Ages.
New for 2005: A new guidebook to Castell Coch including the history of the castle’s vineyards and a number of new illustrations. Modern Welsh winemaking may be going from strength to strength today but more than a century ago the slopes west of  Cardiff were already producing wine fit for the table of one of the world’s richest man at the time, the marquess of Bute. Click here for more information.
Facilities:
Parking: close to the entrance. Site exhibition, audio tour, parking, toilets, cafe, shop, guidebook. Click Click here for events.
Opening times:
Spring: 18.03.05 - 31.05.05: 9.30 -17.00
Summer: 1.06.05 - 30.09.05: 9.30 - 18.00
Autumn: 1.10.05 - 31.10.05: 9.30 - 17.00
Winter: 1.11.05 - 31.03.06: 9.30 - 16.00 Monday to Saturday, 11.00 - 16.00 Sunday. Closed for conservation works 4.01.06 - 11.02.06
Note: Castell Coch is closed for a period of six weeks every January and February to allow the rolling programme of cleaning and conservation to continue unhindered. In 2006, the site will close on 3 January and reopen on 11 February.
Admission prices:
Adult £3.50; Concession £3.00; Family £10.00
Disabled access:
There is a steep wooden ramp to the entrance. The yard is cobbled. There are steps to the tea room and the shop. Most of the rooms of interest are sited on the first floor, with stone steps going up to it. There is an audio tour, with an induction loop installed. The exhibition is sited  on the first floor. Benches are provided. The car park is close to the entrance.
 About our location:
OS map 171: ST 131826. M4 (Junc 32), A470 then sign-posted.
Bus: 1km/0.6mls Tongwynlais, route Number 26, Cardiff - Tongwynlais/Tredegar.
Cycle: Click here for map.
Train: 2.5km/1.5mls Taff's Well, on the Cardiff - Taff's Well/Merthyr Tydfil/Aberdare/Treherbert line.
Telephone: 029 2081 0101 Website
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11. Caerphilly Castle
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Castle Street, Caerphilly, Caerphilly County CF83 1JD
One of the largest medieval fortresses in Britain, begun in 1268 by the Marcher lord, Gilbert de Clare. Concentrically planned, the rings of stone and water defences are formidable even today. Famous for its 'leaning tower'. Impressive great hall, now used for various functions.
Facilities:
Parking: pay-and-display car 800m (866 yds) from the entrance and a a short stay car park opposite the entrance. Toilets, guidebook available, gift shop, two site exhibitions, audio-visual display and replica medieval siege weapons. Audio tour. Click Click here for events.
Opening times:
Spring: 18.03.05 - 31.05.05: 9.30 -17.00
Summer: 1.06.05 - 30.09.05: 9.30 - 18.00
Autumn: 1.10.05 - 31.10.05: 9.30 - 17.00
Winter: 1.11.05 - 31.03.06: 9.30 - 16.00 Monday to Saturday, 11.00 - 16.00 Sunday.
Admission prices:
Adult £3.50; Concession £3.00; Family £10.00
Disabled access:
The grounds are fairly level and laid with paths, and the custodian will open the double gates for wheelchair users as the door into the pay kiosk/shop is narrow. The wooden bridges into the middle and inner wards are steep. Benches are provided. Some of the exhibitions in the towers are reached by spiral stairs. There are information panels and an audio tour with an induction loop. There is a setting down point near the entrance. The pay-and-display car park is 800m (866 yds) from the entrance and has seven wheelchair symbol spaces. The short stay car park opposite the entrance is on a slope and across a busy road with steep kerbs. A Radar key toilet is situated off the inner ward of the castle.
About our location:
OS map 171 ST: 155870. A468 (From Newport), A470, A469 (From Cardiff).
Bus: Adjacent, route 26 Caerphilly/Islwyn , Cardiff - Caerphilly/Tredegar.
Cycle: Click here for map.
Train: 1km/0.6mls Caerphilly, on the Cardiff – Bargoed Rhymney route.
Telephone: 029 2088 3143 Website
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12. Caerleon Amphitheatre, Barracks and Baths
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High Street, Caerleon, Newport County NP18 1AE
The site of the 50-acre (20.3ha) Roman legionary fortress of Isca, the permanent base of the Second Augustan Legion in Britain from about AD 75. Impressive remains of the fortress baths, amphitheatre, barracks, and fortress wall. Audio guide and videos available at the fortress baths.
Facilities:
Parking: There is a level car park adjacent to the Amphitheatre. There are no designated disabled spaces. At the Baths, the adjacent public house car park is a free public car park during the day. Guidebook available. Click Click here for events.
Spring: Baths 18.03.05 - 31.10.05: 9.30 - 17.00
Summer: Baths 18.03.05 - 31.10.05: 9.30 - 17.00
Autumn: Baths 18.03.05 - 31.10.05: 9.30 - 17.00
Winter: Baths 1.11.05 - 31.03.06 9.30 - 17.00 Monday to Saturday, 11.00 - 16.00 Sunday.
Note: The amphitheatre and barracks are open sites, unstaffed and open to the public with no admission charge at all reasonable times, usually between 10.00 and 16.00 daily.
Admission prices:
Adult £2.90; Concession £2.50; Family £8.30
Disabled access:
The amphitheatre is laid to grass. It may be viewed from the surrounding grounds. The path into the arena is steep and leads to a narrow wooden bridge. There is an information panel on site. Uneven ground makes  the site unsuitable for those with sight difficulties. In the Roman Baths, there is level access to the pay kiosk and shop, and along the wooden walkway from which the site and the exhibition are viewed. There are information panels and the exhibition includes a video and an audio commentary. There is a level car park adjacent to the Amphitheatre. There are no designated disabled spaces. At the Baths, the adjacent public house car park is a free public car park during the day. The nearest toilets are 100m (108 yds) away at the Roman Legionary Museum (closed on Mondays). There is a disabled toilet here (not fully adapted). There is a radar key toilet a further 200m (216yds) away.
About our location:
OS map 171: ST 337906. B4596 to Caerleon, M4 Westbound (Jct 25), Eastbound (Jct 26).
Bus: 200mtrs/0.125mls Post Office, route No 7/7B Newport-Caerleon/Cwmbran.
Cycle: Click here for map.
Train: 6km/4mls, Newport, on the Cardiff-Newport/London/Manchester/Liverpool route.
Telephone: 01633 422518 Website
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13. Tretower Court and Gardens
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Tretower, Crickhowell, Powys NP8 1RD
Restored courtyard house with origins in the fourteenth century. Rebuilt by Sir Roger Vaughan in the fifteenth century. Magnificent timberwork survives in the northern and western ranges, with later Classical-style windows dating to the 1630s. Recreated 15th-century garden. Admission charge includes
Tretower Castle: Motte-and-bailey castle established during the Norman conquest of Brycheiniog. The shell-keep was raised on the mound about 1150, and a round tower added in the early 13th century.
New for 2005: Elizabethan entertainment and guided tours of the re-created garden to which new plants and a variety of new fruit trees have been added. Click here for more information.
Facilities:
Parking: in lane opposite or in carpark laid to grass. Audio tour included in admission charge. Parking, toilets, shop, guidebook. Click Click here for events.
Opening Times:
Spring: 1.03.05 - 17.03.05: 10.00 - 16.00
Summer: 18.03.05 - 30.09.05: 10.00 - 17.00
Autumn: 1.10.05 - 31.10.05: 10.00 - 16.00
Winter: Closed
Note: Last admission 30 minutes before closing.
Admission prices:
Adult £2.90; Concession £2.50; Family £8.30
Disabled access:
The ground floor of Tretower Court, garden and grounds have level access. The courtyard is cobbled. There are firm paths in the garden and in the grounds although these are mainly laid to grass. Access to the castle is through a field with a wicket gate. There are information panels. Benches are provided. Cars may be parked in the lane opposite the entrance. There is also a car park which is laid to grass. The toilets on site include a Radar key toilet. There is a ramp but the toilets are reached by going through the house and over grass. The custodian may be able to arrange alternative access.
About our location:
Court: OS map 161: SO 186211. Tretower, off A40, 3m NW of Crickhowell; Castle: OS map 161: SO 185212. Signposted in Tretower Village, off A479 5kms/3mls north-west of Crickhowell.
Bus: 400mtrs/430yds, route No 21 Newport-Brecon.
Cycle: Click here for map.
Train: 18km/11mls Abergavenny, Manchester/Liverpool-Abergavenny/Cardiff.
Telephone: 01874 730279 Website
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14. Raglan Castle
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Raglan, Monmouthshire NP15 2BT
Remains of impressive fifteenth-century castle built by Sir William ap Thomas and his son William Herbert, remodelled by William Somerset, third earl of Worcester, 1549-89. Despite demolition attempts during the Civil War, much of the hexagonal-shaped Great Tower and lavish suites of state apartments still survive.
New for 2005: Oriel window overhaul, and a new guidebook (£3.25) with stunning drawings takes a look at Raglan Castle: ‘the splendid late medieval palace-fortress set amidst the romantic pastoral landscape of Monmouthshire.’ Click here for more information.
Facilities:
Parking: close to the entrance. Toilets, guidebook available, on-site shop, site exhibition. Click Click here for events.
Opening times:
Spring: 18.03.05 - 31.05.05: 9.30 -17.00 : 1.06.05 - 30.09.05: 9.30 - 18.00
Autumn: 1.10.05 - 31.10.05: 9.30 - 17.00
Winter: 1.11.05 - 31.03.06: 9.30 - 16.00 Monday to Saturday, 11.00 - 16.00 Sunday.
Admission prices:
Adult £2.90; Concession £2.50; Family £8.30
Disabled access:
A firm but slightly sloping path leads from the car park to the shop/pay desk. From here there is level access to the Great Gatehouse and two of the three exhibition areas (both have one step). The Pitched Stone Court, which has a cobbled surface, may be viewed from here. Other rooms are reached from this courtyard or by stairs. There are information panels and benches are provided. The car park is close to the entrance. There are steps down to the toilets. There is no disabled toilet in the vicinity.
 About our location:
OS Map 161: SO 414083. Via A40 and signposted.
Bus: 11km/7mls Monmouth, route No 60, Newport-Monmouth, 2-hourly Mon-Sun.
Cycle: Click here for map. 2.849412&resplacey=51.768858> Train: Newport 30km/19mls Cardiff-Bristol, Birmingham, London and Manchester lines.
Telephone: 01291 690228 Website
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15. Tintern Abbey
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Tintern, Chepstow, Monmouthshire NP16 6SE
Cistercian abbey, founded in 1131 in the beautiful Wye valley. Remarkably complete abbey church rebuilt in the later thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries, with extensive remains of the cloister and associated monastic buildings.
Facilities:
Parking: car park with two wheelchair symbol spaces. Toilets, guidebook available, on-site giftshop, site exhibition, audio tour. Click Click here for events.
Opening times:
Spring: 18.03.05 - 31.05.05: 9.30 - 17.00
Summer: 1.06.05 - 30.09.05: 9.30 - 18.00
Autumn: 1.10.05 - 31.10.05: 9.30 - 17.00
Winter: 1.11.05 - 31.03.06: 9.30 - 16.00 Monday to Saturday, 11.00 - 16.00 Sunday.
Note: Last admission 30 minutes before closing.
Admission prices:
Adult £3.50; Concession £3.00; Family £10.00
Disabled access:
Carpark with two wheelchair symbol spaces.
About our location:
OS map 162: SO 533000. From Cardiff; M4, J23, M48, J2, A466. From London M4, J21 to M48.
Bus: 300mtrs/325yds, route No 69, Chepstow-Monmouth.
Cycle: Click here for map.
Train: 7km/4mls Chepstow, Cardiff-Chepstow/Gloucester.
Telephone: 01291 689251 Website
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16. Chepstow Castle
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Bridge Street, Chepstow, Monmouthshire NP16 5EZ
Substantial remains of one of the earliest stone-built castles in Britain - the centre of the medieval Marcher lordship of Chepstow. The castle was modified and developed in successive stages throughout the Middle Ages and was twice besieged during the Civil War.
Bulwark Camp: Double banked-and-ditched enclosure, probably dating from the later Iron Age period.
Port Wall: Remains of the town wall survive, including the town gate.
Facilities:
Parking: a pay-and-display car park is situated near the entrance to the castle with four spaces reserved for the disabled. Toilets, guidebook available, gift shop, on-site exhibition. Click Click here for events.
Opening times:
Spring: 18.03.05 - 31.05.05: 9.30 -17.00
Summer: 1.06.05 - 30.09.05: 9.30 - 18.00
Autumn: 1.10.05 - 31.10.05: 9.30 - 17.00
Winter: 1.11.05 - 31.03.06: 9.30 - 16.00 Monday to Saturday, 11.00 - 16.00 Sunday.
Note: Last admissions 1/2 hour before closing time.
Admission prices:
Adult £3.50; Concession £3.00; Family £10.00
Disabled access:
The path to the entrance is solid but is quite long and steep, without flat resting places. There are three steps to the ticket office and shop. Access to the castle and part of the exhibition area, is possible by arrangement with the custodian, through the gates at the side of the entrance. Within the walls there are cobbled paths and there are uneven paths on a slope to the lower, central and higher baileys. There are information panels and exhibition areas. Benches provided. A pay-and-display car park is situated near the entrance with four spaces reserved for the disabled. The public toilets in the car park include a Radar key toilet.
About our location:
Castle: OS map 162: ST 533941; Bulwark Camp: OS map 162: ST 538927; Port Wall: OS map 162: ST 533941. From Cardiff M4 (J23), M48 (J2), A466. From London M4 (J21) & M48.
Bus: 100m/110yds route Number 73, Newport - Chepstow/Gloucester.
Cycle: Click here for map.
Train: Chepstow 1km/0.6mls on the Cardiff - Gloucester - Birmingham line.
Telephone: 01291 624065 Website
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01. World Heritage Sites in Wales
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Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd
The magnificent and well preserved castles at Beaumaris, Caernarfon, Conwy, and Harlech, with planned defended towns at Caernarfon and Conwy, are outstanding examples of medieval military architecture and planning and were added to the World Heritage Sites list in 1986. Master James of St George, Edwards I’s Master of the King’s Works in Wales, superintended the building of these strongholds as part of the king’s campaign to conquer and rule the medieval principality of Gwynedd.
Blaenavon Industrial Landscape
The development of the coal-mining and iron-making industries led to the world's first Industrial Revolution, and south Wales was a leader in both fields in the nineteenth century. The area around Blaenavon contains well-preserved material evidence of the industries and the way of life of the people who worked in them: quarries, mines, furnaces, an early railway system, houses and public buildings. Blaenavon was added to the World Hertage Sites* list in 2000.
World Heritage Sites are places or buildings of outstanding universal value that form part of mission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to encourage countries to ensure the protection of their own natural and cultural heritage. Click here for more information about UNESCO or World Heritage sites click.
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02. Important Information for Disabled Visitors
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Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd
Disabled visitors and their assisting companion will be admitted FREE of charge to all monuments. Please note that, for health reasons, dogs are not allowed on Cadw sites, but guide dogs and hearing dogs for the deaf are welcome.
A guide is available for disabled visitors to some of Cadw's most popular sites. The guide is best used in conjunction with Cadw site leaflets or the Cadw Map of Wales. Guidebooks are also available for many of the sites.
The guide provides details of parking and toilet facilities, shops, visual displays and tours on tape at thirty-eight Cadw sites. Versions of the guide for specific sites are available in Braille by telephoning Cadw HQ on 01443 336 000.
Wheelchair users with assistance and those with limited mobility will be able to access parts of many of the sites.
Further information, help and advice on visiting these sites is available in most instances from the custodians at the monuments (individual telephone numbers are supplied). For information on other monuments please contact Cadw HQ by telephone (01443 336 000) or email.
Click here for a copy of the Cadw Guide for Disabled Visitors (PDF file 1.2Mb)
Click here for a an HTML version (40K)
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03. Health, Safety and Security
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Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd
Cadw have introduced safety warning signs at many of their sites. General warning signs are at the entrances and in many cases are reinforced by smaller 'pictogram' repeater signs identifying specific hazards at individual monuments. Some or all of the following warning signs may be seen around Cadw sites:
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Low headroom |
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Please let your eyes adjust to the darkness |
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Unprotected drops |
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Uneven, steep or narrow stairs |
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Uneven or slippery surfaces. |
Leaflets providing guidance (particularly on safety) for organisers of school/group visits to Cadw’s most popular sites can be downloaded from the Cadw website. Please click here then go to the page for the site you want to visit, scroll down and click on ‘Resources’ in the left-hand margin of the page to find the leaflet you want.
Car parking security: When visiting Cadw sites PLEASE lock your vehicle and DO NOT leave valuables on display. Lock them up or take them with you.
Do not make it obvious if you are putting things away as thieves might be watching. Remember that vehicles and contents are left at your own risk.
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Associated Features
Heritage in Wales Membership
Wales Castle Tour
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