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Castell Ewloe, Deeside
Castell Ewloe, Deeside
Ewloe Castle (Welsh: Castell Ewloe) is a native Welsh castle built by the Kingdom of Gwynedd near Ewloe in Flintshire, Wales.
Key Facts
- Location: Ewloe, Deeside, Flintshire, Wales
- Built: 13th Century
- Architect: Unknown
- Denomination: Welsh
- Grade: I
Overview
Ewloe Castle (Welsh: Castell Ewloe) is a native Welsh castle built by the Kingdom of Gwynedd near Ewloe in Flintshire, Wales. It was one of the last fortifications by the native Princes of Wales and was abandoned during Edward I’s invasion in 1277. Constructed using local sandstone, it was never completed and fell into ruin under English control.
Located on high ground within Tegeingl, a cantref in north-east Wales, Ewloe Castle held a strategic position near the Wales–England border. It sits on a steep promontory in a forested valley, overlooking the junction of two streams.
Ewloe Castle combines motte-and-bailey and enclosure castle features. An asymmetrical curtain wall with parapets encloses two courtyards. A rock-cut neck ditch defends the southern side. The upper triangular inner ward has a D-shaped “Welsh keep” on a stone outcrop. The lower outer ward is enclosed by two wall sections meeting at a circular fortified tower on a rocky knoll. Access was via wooden ramps, with no gateways connecting the inner ward to the outer courtyard.
Initially thought to be built around 1257 by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, it is now believed to have been started earlier by his grandfather, Llywelyn ab Iorwerth, possibly between 1213–18 or 1221–37. An earlier fortification might have existed following Owain Gwynedd’s victory in the Battle of Ewloe in 1157.
Ewloe was used during negotiations between Llywelyn’s son, Dafydd ap Llywelyn, and Henry III’s officials in the early 1240s. After Dafydd’s defeat, it was abandoned but later recaptured and refurbished by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in 1256–57.
Edward I’s Welsh War in 1276 led to the construction of Flint Castle, rendering Ewloe obsolete. The last reference to Ewloe Castle is from 1311, noting it was still standing but ruinous by the late medieval period.
Ewloe Castle, a Grade I listed building, is part of Wepre Park, managed by Flintshire County Council and under Cadw’s care. Public access is free via footpaths through Wepre Woods. In 2009, the castle and surrounding land were sold at auction but remain protected from development.
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