Caergwrle Castle

The view from Caergwrle Castle looking over the A541 in the direction of Mold

There is thought to have been a hill fort on this site dating from the late or post-Roman period.

Today, the medieval castle ruins are a focal point of a hilly walk from the community of Caergwrle, off the A541 Wrexham-Mold road, and it's managed by Caergwrle Community Council.

Castle facts Built: 1278 Refurbished: 1282 In ruins: 1335 Source: Flintshire Council

From its location, the ruins have far reaching views over Cheshire and, therefore, England, as it was a border fortification built by Welsh noble Dafydd ap Gruffydd in the 1200s.

It's hard to believe it today, but when English king Edward I took over its control in 1282, there had been big plans for the castle. Indeed, if, as was planned by the king, a town was built around the castle then Wrexham may well have been a different place today.

Records show 340 carpenters, 600 diggers and 30 masons were employed to start its refurbishment. But it wasn't completed as the castle was gifted by the king to various English nobles.

By the 1300s it started to go into decline as these private owners failed to invest in its upkeep unlike the crown when it was first taken under English control.

A detailed study, Excavations at Caergwrle Castle, 1988-1990, written by John Manley, is available to read online along with other resources via the Archaeology Data Service