North
Wales Coast and Borderlands
Castles,
country houses, coastline and pastoral scenery all add
up to make this part of Wales full of attractions. Bronze
Age remains and Iron Age hillforts dot the landscape.
Some towns date back to the 14th century.
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The
view from Denbigh Castle
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Denbigh
is an old market town with steep streets. Henry Stanley
of Stanley and Livingston fame-"Dr. Livingstone, I presume"-came
from here. Interesting buildings in the town include the
ruins of two churches: an early 14th century church, St
Hilary's and "Leicester's Folly," (Queen Elizabeth I's
favourite man about town). A Carmelite friary, remnants
of town walls, and an ancient market add to Denbigh's
atmosphere. Henry de Lacy, the English commander erected
the town walls.
Denbigh
Castle crowns a steep hill overlooking the town and the
countryside. It was built as part of Edward I's 13th century
campaigns against the Welsh. Due to a Welsh uprising in
1294, the triple-towered Great Gatehouse was added to
the castle.
Rhuddlan
Castle was another of Edward I's iron ring of fortresses
built in the late 13th century. The first view is of its
massive twin-towered gatehouse. Set within are concentric
wall-within-wall defenses. Although the castle is 3 miles
(5km) from the sea, the River Clwyd was dug out in order
to give ships access to the castle.
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Erddig
House
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Erddig
House, built in the 1680's, was known for the close
relationship between the servants and family, and photographs
of the servants line the hallway "downstairs". Upstairs
are 18th century furniture, porcelain, and glass. The
rooms both up and downstairs are much as they would be
in the late 1800's. The estate outbuildings include a
blacksmith shop, saw mill, stable yard, carriages, laundry,
bakehouse, and kitchen. The 18th century walled garden
is considered important historically.
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Llangollen
and the River Dee
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Llangollen,
clustered around the River Dee, nestled in the Vale of
Llangollen, and surrounded by hills is as scenic as it
gets. It is best known today as the home of the Llangollen
International Musical Eisteddfod. For one week in July
this village comes alive with dancers, singers, choirs
and musicians from all over the world and the village
of 3000 people swells to 120,000 as cultural competitions
and celebrations dominate the scene.
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Plas
Newydd
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Plas
Newydd sits high on a hill overlooking Llangollen.
This black and white timbered house was the home of two
eccentric Irish ladies, known as the Ladies of Llangollen.
Lady Eleanor Butler and Miss Sarah Ponsoby, who always
dressed as men, lived in the house for 50 years, entertaining
famous literary and political figures, including Sir Walter
Scott and William Wordsworth. The beautiful grounds surrounding
the home are now a public park.
Hill
climbers might almost believe the crumbling ruins of the
medieval Castell
Dinas Bran, perched on another hilltop high above
the town, were designed with a challenge in mind. Breathtaking
views are the reward for the steep 750-foot climb. The
13th century castle, named for a Celtic god, is partly
surrounded by the remnants of an Iron Age hill-fort and
ditch. In the 18th century its status grew when it was
considered a "romantic ruin", and it became the most famous
landmark in the Vale.
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Vale
Crucis
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A
stone's throw from Llangollen, in a setting both romantic
and stunning, the Gothic stone ruins of 13th century Valle
Crucis Abbey beckon. This Cistercian abbey, founded
by a Welsh prince, boasts an almost intact chapter house.
One of the enterprising abbots was accused of minting
his own money.
Bodelwyddan
Castle may look medieval but it's a fake 19th century
mock castle complete with turrets and battlements, built
on and around an earlier original house. The architect
responsible for the castle, Joseph Hansom, invented the
Hansom cab that bears his name.
The National Portrait Gallery has a collection of 19th
century paintings displayed here.
Bodnant
Gardens, situated above the River Conwy, look across
to the mountains of Snowdonia. These late 19th century
gardens are in two parts, the first a series of Italianate
terraces; the second is the real treat-the Deep Dell,
cut through by the River Hiraethlyn.
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St
Winefride's Well, Holywell
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The
holy well of St
Winefride gave its name to the town that grew up around
it. It is the only shrine in Britain with an unbroken
history of pilgrimage. A chapel above the well has a camberbeam
roof and carved corbels.
Llandudno,
a seaside resort, lies between the Great
Orme and Little Orme, two limestone headlands. There
are two beaches: North Shore with three miles of sand
and a 120 year old pier, and West Shore, a area of sand
dunes. Llandudno owes its popularity to the Victorian
custom of seaside holidays. There is a seafront promenade
and a pier. A cable car goes to the summit of Great Orme
where there is a visitor centre.
One
of Europe's most perfectly preserved walled towns, Conwy,
lies in the green, fertile Vale of Conwy, reached by a
bridge. The most dramatic bridge is that of Thomas Telford.
The 1826 suspension bridge - now preserved by the National
Trust - leads to the castle. Nearby Gwydir Forest and
Coed y Brenin Forest provide walks.
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Conwy
Castle
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The
town is dominated by Conwy
Castle built by Edward I and considered one of the
greatest of European fortresses and the town walls, ¾
mile (1.2 km) long with 21 towers and three gates. Aberconwy
House, a medieval merchant's house, features an exhibition
on life in Conwy from Roman times to the present. Also
in the town is a supposedly haunted architectural gem
of an Elizabethan townhouse, Plas Mawr. The "smallest
house in Britain" at 6-ft (1.8m.) wide and 10ft (3m.)
high is also open for a peek inside.
Web
links to places mentioned in this section:
More
information about North Wales/Borderlands:
Hotels
North
Wales Attractions Map
Tourist Information
Centres
Continue
Virtual Tour
All
Photos © 2001 Barbara Ballard except Bodnant Hall
and Conwy, courtesy Wales Tourist Board
Britain
Express Virtual Tour of Wales
