Ruthin Castle facts for kids

The old part of Ruthin Castle.

The new Ruthin Castle hotel, connected to the old castle.

Ruthin Castle (Welsh: Castell Rhuthun) is an old castle in Wales. It is located near the town of Ruthin in the beautiful Vale of Clwyd. This castle was built in the late 1200s by Dafydd ap Gruffydd, who was the brother of Prince Llywelyn ap Gruffudd. It sits on a red sandstone hill that looks out over the valley. Some of the original castle walls are still standing today. These old walls are now part of the Ruthin Castle Hotel.

A Look Back in Time: Castle History

Ruthin Castle is built on a spot that was used even before the castle. Long ago, during the Iron Age, there was an old fort here.

How the Castle Started

In 1277, Edward I of England gave the land to Dafydd ap Gruffydd. King Edward did this to thank Dafydd for his help during a time when England was taking over North Wales. We don't know for sure if there was already a fort there or if Dafydd built the first castle. The castle was first given a Welsh name: Castell Coch yn yr Gwernfor. This means 'Red Castle in the Great Marsh' in the Welsh language.

Important Owners and Events

Ruthin Castle became a very important home for the de Grey family. They were known as the "Barons Grey de Ruthyn" and were powerful lords in the area called Dyffryn Clwyd. A famous owner was Reginald Grey, 3rd Baron Grey de Ruthyn. Some people say he helped start a big rebellion led by Owain Glyndŵr.

The Castle During the Civil War

When the English Civil War began, the castle was not in good shape. People quickly fixed it up so it could be defended. In 1646, the castle was attacked by soldiers for eleven weeks. It finally gave up when the attackers said they would dig tunnels and blow up the walls. Later, Oliver Cromwell's army broke down and destroyed parts of the castle. This was a planned way to make sure it couldn't be used as a fort again. This process was called 'slighting'.

Ruthin Castle Today

In 1923, Ruthin Castle became Britain's first private hospital. It was a place where doctors studied and treated unusual internal diseases. This hospital closed around 1950.

From Hospital to Hotel

Since the 1960s, the old castle parts have been made into a hotel. One famous guest was Prince Charles. He stayed there the night before he officially became Prince of Wales at Caernarfon Castle in 1969.

Haunted Tales

Some people say the castle is haunted! Because of these stories, a TV show about ghosts called Most Haunted investigated the castle in 2018.