Bodelwyddan Castle is actually a 15th century manor house with a Victorian facade, that has had an interesting and varied history.

During the 1690's the Williams family bought the house and called it Bodelwyddan Hall.

it was owned at that time by Sir William Williams, the speaker of the House of Commons.

In 1830 the Williams family had the building restored by architects Joseph Hansom ( inventor of the Hansom cab ) and Edward Welch into the building you see today.

This work was undertaken by Sir John Hey - Williams, who after receiving his knighthood, decided to upgrade his home to one that was more befitting a man with a title.

His work was a labour of love that would take him 22 years to complete. 

                                 Image courtesy of Adrian Pingstone, wikimedia commons.

During World War I the grounds of the castle were used for trench warfare practice by soldiers based at the nearby Kinmel Army Base, and the castle was fitted out as a military hospital and officers mess.

In 1920, due to financial problems, the then owners, the Wynn - Williams family, leased the building to Lowther Girls College, one of the first all girls schools in the U.K.

During the 1920's and 30's the school was reknowned throughout the country for the high rate of academic qualifications and music talents of it's pupils.

The school admitted boys from 1977 until it closed, due to financial difficulties, in 1982.

During the mid 1980's the castle was bought by Clywd Council, in order to turn the castle into a visitor attraction.

Clywd Council in partnership with the National Portrait Gallery of Wales, paid for the building to receive yet another restoration, this time by Victoriana expert and architect, Roderick Gradidge, who painstakingly restored all the castle's 19th century features.

The castle sits in a large area of parkland and formal gardens - which were originally designed by landscaper Thomas Hayton Mawson in 1910 - which have stunning views out across the Clwydian Hills and the North Wales coastline. Also encompassed in this breathtaking view, is the Marble Church of St Margaret, in Bodelwyddan Village, built by the daughter of the owner of the castle in 1856, Sir John Hey - Williams, perfectly positioned so as to be viewed from the castle frontage. 

                                        Image courtesy of Dot Potter, wikimedia commons.

Today the grade II listed castle and grounds is one of North Wales most visited attractions, that consists of the historic house / castle which houses a museum with interactive exhibits and a portrait gallery that houses over 100 works of art by some of Wales' most eminent artists, such as Sir Kyffin Williams, Peter Prendergast, Will Roberts and Emrys Williams, and a garden with bird hides, an avery, a bowling green, a butterfly glade, a maze, several pathways,the remains of the WWI practice trenches and ornamental terraces where one can take in those spectacular views.

The castle is also reknowned for ghost sightings, and has been filmed for both The Most Haunted and Ghosthunters International T.V series. 

( For Bodelwyddan Castle opening times and prices, please refer to the castle's website below.)

In 1994 part of the site was bought by the Rank Organisation who built a 186 room hotel set into a cobbled courtyard that houses a pub, cafes and shops.

The hotel today is part of the Warner Leisure Group and houses a swimming pool, a beauty centre and fine dining restaurant For more information, read .bodelwyddan-castle-hotel-north-wales

ADDRESS: Junction 25, off the A55, at Bodlewyddan, Denbighshire.

TELEPHONE: 01745 584060

POST CODE: LL18 5YA.

WEBSITE.  www.bodelwyddan-castle.co.uk/ 

Read the story of the Marble Church at Bodelwyddan, built by Lady Margaret Willoughby de Broke. 

                                    the-marble-church-of-st-margaret-bodelwyddan