Gwrych Castle

Every visitor to north Wales admires the elegant castle that sits on the hillside just to the west of Abergele. The more thoughtful observe that it is built in such a position that anyone on the summit of the hill could drop boulders into its defences and conclude that it is a folly; Americans jam on the brakes and shoot off a roll of film - so romantic is its aspect of venerable age and fairy-tale beauty.

Well, if you want to know more about this castle, here it is: more lords, earls and ladies than you ever knew existed. I have to admit that young Mark stunned me with his endless list of names and dates.

Mark is trying to preserve the castle and if you would like to help him in his campaign, do visit the Gwyrch Castle website at The official trust website or Mark's own website

The second film concerns the most blood-stained piece of ground in the whole of Wales.