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 Denbigh Castle is a castle built following the 13th century conquest of Wales by King Edward I of England. It stands on a rocky promontory above the small town of
Denbigh.
The site of the castle was probably occupied from the early Christian period, with the possibility that a native Welsh fortress was built on the site and was being used as a royal centre immediately before the building of the current stone castle. The current stone castle was begun by Henry de Lacy, 3rd Earl of Lincoln, to whom King Edward had granted the territory, shortly after the defeat of the last native Welsh prince in 1282.
During the English Civil War, Denbigh Castle was a stronghold of the Royalist cause, and King Charles I of England stayed there briefly in September 1645, when his forces in other parts of the country were suffering defeat after defeat.
The original plan of the castle consisted of a long span of curtain walls with irregularly spaced projecting, half round towers with two gateways. These original walls now form the town walls. The current castle was divided from the rest of the enclosed area by a newer set of more massive walls in the style of Caernarfon Castle, including the unique three-towered gatehouse that is its most striking feature. Although there is no hard evidence to prove it, it is widely believed that the architect responsible for these walls was the king's Master Mason, Master James of Saint George. The castle is also the home of one apparation of the "Grey Lady".
Modern visitors passing through the gatehouse may find the building fairly confusing, since so much of it is ruined. In recent years, however, restoration efforts have greatly upgraded the overall appearance of the gatehouse. Indeed, visitors cannot help but be impressed by what greets them when they approach the castle's entrance: a fascinating carved figure towers overhead, said by some to be the great Edward I himself. Individualized carvings like this remarkable piece give Denbigh Castle its distinctive character.
The green brilliance of the Inner Ward is startling. Now a large empty area, the ward once bustled with activity during the Middle Ages. Around the perimeter are the ruins of various buildings, most of which date to the second phase. Lengths of the wall-walk have been preserved, and are usable by modern explorers to overlook the Kitchen Tower as well as to experience the marvelous views of the surrounding countryside and the fine castle. High atop the curtain wall, we can appreciate the value of this site to the castle's medieval builders, for any unusual movement certainly would have been noticed. Beware, though - apparently, the ropes placed to safeguard curious visitors have been removed. Tread lightly as you scale the walls!
Today, Denbigh Castle is in the care of CADW: Welsh Historic Monuments. It is freely accessible at any reasonable time. Travelers passing through northeast Wales should make time for a side trip into
Denbigh. You will discover one of Wales' best kept and most fascinating
secrets.
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