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Description

Denbigh Castle is all about drama. Cross the drawbridge into the triple-towered gatehouse and you’ll hear the portcullis thundering down, chains rattling and the din of horses and marching soldiers.

Don’t be too alarmed. It’s all down to sensors and the wonders of modern technology. But it’s a powerful reminder that this great fortress crowning a rocky outcrop above the Vale of Clwyd played a vital role in the wars that shaped Wales.

It was once the royal residence of Dafydd ap Gruffudd, whose attack on nearby Hawarden Castle provoked the English king Edward I to mount a full-scale invasion. By 1282 Denbigh was the in hands of the king’s commander Henry de Lacy.

He lost no time in building a huge stone fortress with extensive town walls on top of Dafydd’s stronghold. But the Welsh weren’t finished just yet. The half-complete castle was attacked and captured and, by the time they got it back, the English had changed the blueprint.

They made the curtain walls much higher, added the imposing gatehouse and inserted an ingenious ‘sally port’ – a secure secret doorway – so defenders could sneak out in an emergency.

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Location
Ordnance Survey
Closed
Open hours today: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Monday

    10:00 am - 5:00 pm

  • Tuesday

    Closed

  • Wednesday

    Closed

  • Thursday

    10:00 am - 5:00 pm

  • Friday

    10:00 am - 5:00 pm

  • Saturday

    10:00 am - 5:00 pm

  • Sunday

    10:00 am - 5:00 pm

  • June 10, 2023 6:23 pm local time

    The information on Monty's Guide website is advisory and some places have restricted access during temporary closures or special event days. Please be sure to check the website of the place you intend to visit before travelling

Additional visitor information

Seasonal opening times as follows:

1 April - 31 October

Thursday–Monday 10am–5pm

Last admission 30 minutes before closing

Closed Tuesday and Wednesday

1 November - 31 March

Friday–Sunday 10am–4pm

Last admission 30 minutes before closing

Closed Monday–Thursday

Closed 24, 25, 26 December and 1 January

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