The striking ruins of Denbigh Castle, crowning a steep hill above the town, enjoy commanding views of the pastoral Vale of Clwyd and the round-backed hills of the Clwydian range.Denbigh Castle is one of the ring of castles built by King Edward I in order to establish his dominance over Wales. Edward invaded Wales in 1277, defeating its leader, Llywelyn ap Gruffydd (Llywelyn the Last) and then proceeded to encircle it with imposing castles.
Denbigh Castle was constructed from around 1282 atop the ruins of a Welsh fortification. It’s worth noting that the construction had to be halted in around 1294 when the Welsh briefly took hold of the fortification, but later continued.
Today, the ruins of Denbigh Castle form a dramatic sight. There are better preserved castles left over from Edward’s campaign; in fact, four of them – Beaumaris, Caernarfon, Conwy and Harlech – are listed by UNESCO. However, despite being in a more ruined state than its counterparts, Denbigh Castle is still worth seeing and is an important reminder of this period. It still has discernible curtain walls and a well preserved gatehouse.
