Chirk Castle

An initial fortification near Chirk existed as early as 1157, built by King Henry II, and later came into the possession of the Welsh prince Iorwerth Goch. In 1212, the wooden structures were renewed, after which the castle was not mentioned for a long time. Following Edward I's conquest of Wales in 1282, Roger Mortimer, a follower of the king, began constructing the current stone castle around 1295 as the center of his dominion. The royal master builder James of St. George was involved in the designs, but despite royal support, the complex remained unfinished at Mortimer's downfall in 1322. Around 1400, the castle courtyard was enclosed by a southern wall to counter the threat of the Owain Glyndŵr rebellion. In the 16th century, the castle was rebuilt under Henry VIII and passed to Robert Dudley in 1563. In 1595, Sir Thomas Myddelton acquired the castle and began its transformation into a country house. During the Civil War, Chirk Castle changed hands multiple times and suffered severe damage from artillery fire in 1659. After the Stuart Restoration, the castle was rebuilt and underwent several redesigns in the 18th and 19th centuries before the Myddelton family handed it over to the National Trust in 1978.

The castle is situated on a hill approximately 198 meters above sea level, about three kilometers west of the town of Chirk in the county of Wrexham, Wales, United Kingdom. It lies north of the confluence of the Ceiriog and River Dee.

Chirk Castle is open to visitors year-round. The interior of the castle houses rooms that reflect the various phases of its reconstruction.