Places to go > North Wales > Chirk Castle < Castles & Forts < Things to do

Castles & Forts: Beaumaris Castle, Wales Caernarfon Castle, Wales Caerphilly Castle, Wales Cardiff Castle, Wales Carew Castle, Wales Carreg Cennen Castle, Wales Carrickfergus Castle, N. Ireland Castell Coch, Wales Castell Dinas Bran, Wales Chirk Castle, Wales Cilgerran Castle, Wales Conwy Castle, Wales Denbigh Castle, Wales Dinefwr Castle, Wales Dundrum Castle, N. Ireland Dunluce Castle, N. Ireland Dunseverick Castle, N. Ireland Dunster Castle, England Enniskillen Castle, N. Ireland Harlech Castle, Wales Kidwelly Castle, Wales Pembroke Castle, Wales Powis Castle, Wales Raglan Castle, Wales Rhuddlan Castle, Wales Tretower Castle & Court, Wales ................................................. _________________________________

North Wales attractions: Anglesey Sea Zoo Beaumaris Castle Bodnant Garden Bryn Celli Ddu Burial Chamber Caernarfon Castle Capel Garmon Burial Chamber Castell Dinas Bran Chirk Castle Conwy Castle Denbigh Castle Erddig Hall Ffestiniog Railway Harlech Castle National Portrait Gallery, Wales Penrhyn Castle Plas Newydd, Anglesey Plas Newydd, Llangollen Rhuddlan Castle Segontium Roman Fort Snowdon Mountain Railway Tre'r Ceiri Hillfort Valle Crucis Abbey Welsh Mountain Zoo ................................................. _________________________________

Chirk Castle Chirk, Wrexham, Clwyd, LL14 5AF, Wales, UK. Tel. 44 (0)1691 777701

Chirk Castle stands in a landscaped park just outside the village of Chirk, at the entrance to the lovely Ceiriog Valley in the borderlands of north Wales.

A Marcher fortress dating from the beginning of the 14th century, the castle has had an eventful history, passing frequently between ownership until it was purchased by Thomas Myddleton in 1595. Myddleton transformed it from a fortress to a stately Tudor home, and for the last 400 years it has been occupied by descendents of his family. The layout of the castle was influenced by the design of Edward I's beautiful fortress at Beaumaris, although many architectural changes have been made over the years.

There was much rebuilding work done when the castle was damaged by parliamentary forces in the 17th century. Later, gothic features were added by A.W. Pugin (who designed the houses of parliament) but they were mostly removed, with the exception of some restored details in the Cromwell Hall. The castle's huge drum towers and magnificent wrought iron gates are an impressive sight, while inside you can visit the elegant state rooms, and view the collections of paintings, tapestries and original furnishings. There is also an 18th century Servants' Hall, and atmospheric dungeons in the Adam's Tower. The surrounding formal gardens are lovely, and contain a thatched 'Hawk House' and a 17th century lime tree avenue.

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UK Castles & Forts in our Castles tour section:

Beaumaris Castle
Caernarfon Castle
Caerphilly Castle
Cardiff Castle
Carew Castle
Carreg Cennen Castle
Carrickfergus Castle
Castell Coch
Castell Dinas Bran
Chirk Castle
Cilgerran Castle
Conwy Castle
Denbigh Castle
Dinefwr Castle
Dundrum Castle
Dunluce Castle
Dunseverick Castle
Dunster Castle
Enniskillen Castle,
Harlech Castle,
Kidwelly Castle
Pembroke Castle
Powis Castle
Raglan Castle
Rhuddlan Castle
Tretower Castle
Edinburgh Castle

Other Wales travel related links:

Wales hotel
Wales tour
Cottage holiday in Wales
Wales hostel