Your email address will not be published. Castles of the Welsh Princes . Open all year from dawn to dusk. An expert guide to the best castle hotels in Wales, including the top Welsh castles to stay in for medieval character, historic interiors, and sea views. Northwest Wales. The four castles of Beaumaris, Caernarfon, Conwy, and Harlech together make up the … The castles featured in this post are the best castles in Wales to visit with kids which we have tried and tested personally. Caerphilly Castle, Caerphilly. South Wales is filled with romantic ruins and castles, a legacy of Norman rule in the 12th century. Edward I of England had total control over Wales afterward and to ensure that people of Wales would be faithful to the English rule, he commanded the building of castles, many of them enormous stone structures so typical of Medieval architecture. Standing in ruin today, visitors can cross the modern bridge across to the now-empty moat to see the remains of the great keep, the latrine tower, cellar, and more whilst admiring the picturesque views. South Wales Castles Visitors to South Wales is blessed with some of the World’s greatest castles. Castles in South Wales. photo/cadw. Located in beautiful Pembrokeshire in the south-west, Picton is a medieval castle/fortified manor house built in the 13th century by Sir John Wogan and acquired by the Phillips in the late 1400s. Caerphilly Castle. During your stay at our award winning cottages, you will be able to visit some of the best ones. You are never too far from a castle in South Wales and we made it our mission to visit as many of them as we could before we emigrated from the UK. Where: CaerphillyWhen: 13th centuryOpen for visit: Yes. Considered to be one of the best Medieval castles in the whole of Western Europe, Caerphilly is an imposing fortified castle with 2 lakes and an iconic leaning tower that leans even more than the Leaning Tower of Pisa! It’s also one of the oldest and best preserved. … Castles in South Wales. in CADW, South Wales, Wedding Venue. North Wales. From the climbing of towers and exploring the underground passages and dungeons, to role-playing at being a prince or princess living in the castle. Wales is Castle Central. Well, "... there, being from Swansea, lovely pond with ducks geese beautiful to walk around, also lovely, "Loved visiting the castle, such a tranquil place, great to read the history of the place and the, "I spent a while just sitting and enjoying the stillness and nature watching in the well preserved, "... than I thought and was filled with underground cellars you can enter, little walkways through the castle you can explore and (always a must at a castle) you can climb up the stairs to walk on the, "This 900+ year old castle may be a ruin, but you can still climb the spiral staircases to the ramparts, for, "The museum is free too, and has a wealth of great, "Lots of events here over the summer, free to visit, kid's park opposite and amazing, "There's a notice at the entrance so you can learn snippets of history, and there are signs saying what rooms or features some, "Overall we both had a really great time and felt really calm the whole time we were at the, "Parking nearby in several locations, also close to the Gower Heritage Centre and Three Cliffs Bay, all three can be combined into a fabulous full day without walking more than 2 miles or so on good, "I was brought up in Pennard and love the castle and the amazing view over the valley below and, "The village of Grosmont is also lovely and, "Well worth making the effort if you're looking for an, "The route via the golf course is the easiest, but the, "The carpark was pretty full when we arrived but there was a huge grassy extension where we could, InterContinental (IHG) Hotels in South Wales, Hotels near St Fagans National Museum of History, Points of Interest & Landmarks in South Wales, Abergavenny Museum and Castle: Tickets & Tours‎, Things to do near (CWL) Cardiff-Wales Airport, Things to do near St Fagans National Museum of History, Things to do near Big Pit National Coal Museum, Things to do near The Royal Mint Experience, See more castles in South Wales on Tripadvisor, See more castles for kids in South Wales on Tripadvisor, See more castles for couples in South Wales on Tripadvisor, See more castles for groups in South Wales on Tripadvisor, See more budget-friendly castles in South Wales on Tripadvisor, See more hidden gem castles in South Wales on Tripadvisor. From lesser-known gems like Carreg Cennen and Llansteffan to major World Heritage Sites. What are the best places for castles in South Wales? In 1260, the advancing army of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd began to threaten the king’s supremacy in South Wales, and the three castles were refortified in readiness. WORK WITH US Wales once had over 600 castles! The original motte and bailey castle was built around 1081, shortly after the Norman Conquest of England, within the walls of a 3rd century Roman fort. Edward’s idea was to build an “Iron Ring” of massive stone castles around Wales to subdue the Welsh population. Otherwise known as Llantilio Castle, this ruined fortress is one of three that were built to control the border during the reign of Edward I. Unitary Authorities Map. It is a … In no particular order, here they are: We also find that Christmas is an ideal time of year for your castle wedding, as castles are often richly decorated for Christmas with candles, trees and traditional touches. ... Llanelly House is located in the centre of Llanelli and is one of the best examples on an 18th century town house in South Wales. These places are best for castles in Southern Wales: Llancaiach Fawr; Raglan Castle; Caerphilly Castle; Chepstow Castle; Caldicot Castle; See more castles in Southern Wales on Tripadvisor Where: MonmouthshireWhen: 15th centuryOpen for visit: Yes. … From Caernarfon to Pembroke, Wales is home to more castles per square mile than anywhere in the world. During your stay at our award winning cottages, you will be able to visit some of the best ones. - travel guide to Scottish, English, Irish and Welsh castles with fact sheets, history, interactive maps Britain - Ireland - Castles . all rights reserved History buffs will enjoy the free guided tour that takes place every hour for it was at Pembroke Castle where the Tudor Dynasty started. Wales had about 600 castles, of which over 100 are still standing, either as ruins or as restored buildings.The rest have returned to nature, and today consist of ditches, mounds, and earthworks, often in commanding positions. Wales is a country often called ‘Land of Castles’ due to having some of Europe’s finest examples of Medieval castles. This small, mountainous part of Great Britain has been fought over many times, and the legacy of this is over 600 castles. Amazing constructions most of which are under the care of CADW: The Welsh Government’s Historic Environments Service. Where: CarmarthenshireWhen: 13th centuryOpen for visit: Yes. Others are ones we have travelled a bit further to, or have visited on one of our many trips away in Wales. These are the best hidden gems for castles in South Wales: "There is an excellent exhibit of the history of the house, the family, the era the tour is set in etc before you go into the manor house itself and is, "We decided to go here on the last day of our holiday, and what a great day it was , the house was amazing and the guides kept in, "The shop was cute, well stocked with the usual nic nacks.... and staff were friendly The castle itself was fantastic- lots of, "Amazing medieval castle fantastic views a real moat very authentic great shows, "There are loads of nooks & crannies for children to explore, a couple of towers to climb (with, "This is a very beautiful castle, inside and out, it's, "From the moment we entered we felt welcome , this Castell has a fascinating past and is well preserved ,the, "6. 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