National Trust - Chirk Castle
A few years ago hubby and I decided to get a yearly membership to the National Trust. There are quite a few places locally and in North Wales to go and discover.
One of them is Chirk Castle. About a 45 minute drive from us and set into the Welsh countryside.
It was never designed as a family home but was built as a military fortress on the Welsh/English border to keep the Welsh under English rule. It has been around, in one way or another since the late 13th century.
In the 16th century it was slowly re-developed by Sir Thomas Myddleton into a family home. The room interiors are now recreations of previous schemes as designed by previous occupants. The castle was rented out for many years until, after the Second World War, the Myddleton family returned to live there and did so until 2004. It is now owned by the National Trust.
You can read all about it here - Chirk Castle
What a beautiful place, nice that it's close. From an outsider's perspective - thank goodness for the National Trust, they do a wonderful job of ensuring history is not lost. Will Chirk Castle be one of those first on the list of places to re-visit?
ReplyDeleteIt most certainly will be on my list to visit after my favourite, Bodnant Gardens (more on that in another post). :)
ReplyDeleteI think that Thomas Myddelton has a connection to a town near where I live. It's a place called Ware, in Hertfordshire and I think one of his brothers was responsible for developing the New River which linked the River Lea to London. There are a few roads in Ware named after him.
ReplyDeleteI had heard that some National Trust properties were opening up their gardens for free admission during the lockdown, I wonder if Chirk Castle is one of them? Won't it be lovely when we can go out again and visit all these places of interest!
It will be great to get out again. Hubby and I try and do something each Sunday. Working full time, it's nice to get away from it all for one day.
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