The Largest Castle in Wales

The story behind Caerphilly Castle…

What’s your inspiration?

For Caerphilly Castle, the inspiration was the fear of a Welsh prince (guessimg that wasn’t your answer). Not just your average Welsh prince, but the all mighty Prince Llywelyn ap Gruffudd was the reason why Caerphilly is home to the breathtaking castle.

Although Prince Llywelyn ap Gruffudd was the castles inspiration, its true hero was Lord Gilbert de Clare’s who in 1268 quickly ordered the construction of this truly formidable fortress. The castle still to this very day stands (and leans) as the largest medieval castle in Wales.

Unbreachable walls, over glancing towers and impassable gatehouses were combined with sprawling water defences to cover an astounding total area of 30 acres. To give you an idea of the scale of Caerphilly Castle, consider that the Tower of London would fit within its outer walls twice!!👀

My personal experience…

I absolutely loved my visit to this 13th Century Castle, it was just what I imagined and more. It felt as if I was dicovering a new secret around every corner and it really transported me back in time. Everything a Medieval castle should be, it even has its very own pit of dragons (i’ll let you guys discover them on your visit).

The Statue supporting the tower…

The 4th Marquess of Bute is sculpted by John Merrill in 2013.
His wealth & tenacity saved the castle from ruin, for the People of Wales.

4th Marquess of Bute – John Crichton-Stuart.(20 June 1881 – 25 April 1947)
The Marquess is displayed supporting Caerphilly’s famous leaning tower. The larger than life sculpture stands over 20 feet tall, & shows the 4th Marquess, wearing a long flowing robe. Sculpted from a fallen Oak, found in the grounds of Powys Castle, Mid Wales.

Events @ Caerphilly Castle…

The Castle today as you can imagine due to its history and iconic structure, is a very popular tourist destination, with all types of events being held. I would strongly recommend planning your visits around the upcoming events, you can check future events via the Castles tel. 02920 883143 or email cadw@gov.wales CaerphillyCastle@gov.wales

How much is it to visit?

Category	Price
Member	Free
Adult	£8.90
Family*	£25.70
Disabled and companion	Free
Juniors (Aged 5-17) / NUS / Armed Forces and Veterans	£5.30
Seniors (Aged 65+)	£7.10
Admits 2 adults and up to 3 children All children under 5 receive free entry

Address…

Caerphilly Castle
Castle St, Caerphilly CF83 1JD

Local Directions…

• Road A468 (from Newport), M4 (J32), A470, A469 (from Cardiff).
• Rail 1km/0.6mls Caerphilly, on the Cardiff-Bargoed Rhymney route. 
• Bus Opposite, Caerphilly/Islwyn No 26, Cardiff-Caerphilly/Tredegar. 
• Bike NCN Route No.4 (200m/219yards).

For further information, please contact: Traveline Cymru on 0800 464 0000 or National Rail Enquiries on 03457 48 49 50.