Wales - full of castles

[editor]

Interesting fact! What's your favourite Welsh castle?

Wales has a higher castle density than any other country in Europe, and more per square mile than anywhere else in the world.
There are more than 600 of them, over 100 still stand, some have been lived in for over a thousand years. If New York City had the same castle density, it would have 23 castles, 2 in Manhattan alone.

 

[existentialist]

Interesting fact! What's your favourite Welsh castle?

It's hard to have a favourite! You've got the grandeur of the great big ones that are largely intact, and then there's the allure of places like Dryslwyn, stuck up on a hill in the middle of nowhere, and a lovely peaceful place to admire the Towy Valley from...

 

[farmerbarleymow]

I've only been to Wales once as a kid (apart from brief forays in and out on the train since) so don't think I've visited one of the castles unless there is one in Tenby / St David's Head area that I might have seen/visited. I liked visiting the ones in NE England though - always interesting places, often in glorious settings.

Sorry - that's not really answering the question!

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Raglan is pretty good

Rubbishest one has to be Monmouth. Hidden away and very easy to miss. More of a large room than a castle.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Yes ^^ pictures of Welsh castles would be good on this thread.

 

[editor]

Caerffili's a cracker too

Caerphilly Castle is one of the great medieval castles of western Europe. Several factors give it this pre-eminence - its immense size (1.2h), making it the largest in Britain after Windsor, its large-scale use of water for defence and the fact that it is the first truly concentric castle in Britain. Of the time of its building in the late 13th century, it was a revolutionary masterpiece of military planning

 

[ddraig]

Castell Coch is quite nice
Cardiff Castle is good too

 

[existentialist]

Wiston Castle. Not overwhelming.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Wiston Castle. Not overwhelming.

View attachment 242541

Monmouth has a rival! Wiston at least has its own hill.

 

[nogojones]

Swansea Castle's pretty shit, but you know, it's Swansea init

 

[existentialist]

Llansteffan Castle has some wonderful views to it across the estuary, although I can't find one on Google. We did a band shoot at this one...

 

[planetgeli]

Dryslwyn, as mentioned above, because seemingly me and existentialist are the only two people alive who know of its existence. I live very nearby, it's free to visit and subsequently doesn't appear on any tourist maps. It's broken down, full of sheep shit, and gives the most amazing views of the Tywi river which meanders past it. I can't find a single photo that does it justice.

Of the mainstream ones Pembroke is quite beautiful. Castell Coch is approaching the nearest thing we have to a German schloss.

Not a castle but Llanthony Priory is amazing and in the most beautiful valley.

 

[planetgeli]

Two other castles within 4 miles of me are also worth a mention.

Dinefwr. (Llandeilo)



Carreg Cennen (Trapp)



On top of a hill - and has a deep, dark scary underground passageway.

Here endeth the advert for 'visit Carmarthenshire'.

 

[mojo pixy]

Aberystwyth castle is a wreck but it's a 1 min walk from a fairly decent chippy, and the view up and down Cardigan Bay from the walls is stunning.

 

[StoneRoad]

I quite like Tomen y mur. It is very remote, up near Trawswynedd.

Until recently (like a year or two ago) I didn't know anything about it, despite being a regular visitor to the area. Starts off mainly Roman, but then has some Norman influence, now it is just the sheep ...

cym - tomen motte par StoneRoad2013, on ipernity

there are 15 images from the visit when I had a working camera with me.

 

[existentialist]

I've stayed here - Ruthin Castle. It was very nice: I'd definitely go back again.

 

[20Bees]

Castell Coch is lovely, though I haven’t visited any away from the south and there may be lovelier castles elsewhere

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Two other castles within 4 miles of me are also worth a mention.

Dinefwr. (Llandeilo)

View attachment 242555

Carreg Cennen (Trapp)

View attachment 242556

On top of a hill - and has a deep, dark scary underground passageway.

Here endeth the advert for 'visit Carmarthenshire'.

There's a lot to be said for the ruins that are just there. No car park or visitor centre or boards telling you stuff. Just you and a few sheep.

 

[planetgeli]

I've stayed here - Ruthin Castle. It was very nice: I'd definitely go back again.

I've stayed there too. Lovely place, as is the town.

 

[kebabking]

Raglan is a big favourite at Chez Kebab - not far from here and lots of room to run about playing knights an ting (for the kids, obvs..)

Castell Coach was my favourite as a kid - we used to stay with rellies nearby: one time we went over for the day/evening, but my mum got hammered while playing cards, so we stayed over - eating vast plates of egg, ham, and home made chips - so our vague relative took us to Castell Coch for the day while my mum sobered up to drive home...

Carnarvon is fab, and there's excellent crabbing to be done under its mighty walls.

Carreg Cennen is probably my favourite...

 

[editor]

Castell Coch is lovely, though I haven’t visited any away from the south and there may be lovelier castles elsewhere

It's a bit of a work off fiction too, lovely though it is.

 

[JuanTwoThree]

because seemingly me and @existentialist are the only two people alive who know of its existence.

Three

But Carreg Cennen is my favourite. The water supply in the cave is worth a visit.

 

[Plumdaff]

I love Carreg Cerren too. It's just great fun to run around (or fall over around...it was very rainy the last time we went to the 'dungeons' eta. pic of our last visit in perfect summer holiday weather. Still looks awesome though, eh?

 

[BristolEcho]

Llandovery is the only one I've seen in person. Not much left now.

 

[Chilli.s]

Im fond of Castell y Bere, but it's not that impressive, an absolutely completely ruined pile:



But the setting/location are great and picturing it in an undestroyed state when visiting (it's never busy) is always a pleasure.

 

[existentialist]

And the latest in my series of underwhelming (but rather cute) minor Welsh castles, I give you...Narberth Castle!

 

[kebabking]

Ooh.. I forgot Castell Dinas Bran up by Llangollen - fantastic place. Views like nothing on earth.

 

[Chilli.s]

One site that although it can't be called a castle as such is definitely a fortified town at the top of a hill:

Tre'r Ceiri hillfort



Its history goes way back.

 

[editor]

Mind you, if you want unimpressive castles, look no further than this one:

Castell Morgraig, Castle Morgraig on Graig Llanishen and Cefncarnau, north Cardiff, south Wales

Castell Morgraig, Castle Morgraig on Graig Llanishen and Cefncarnau, north Cardiff, south Wales

www.urban75.org

 

[existentialist]

Mind you, if you want unimpressive castles, look no further than this one:

View attachment 242582

Castell Morgraig, Castle Morgraig on Graig Llanishen and Cefncarnau, north Cardiff, south Wales

Castell Morgraig, Castle Morgraig on Graig Llanishen and Cefncarnau, north Cardiff, south Wales

www.urban75.org

I see your pathetic Morgraig, and raise you one Cwm Camlais...


Yep, that's it, folks!