Ruthin Castle

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the scheduled monument.

The monument consists of the remains of a castle, dating to the medieval period. A castle is a defended residence or stronghold, built mainly of stone, in which the principal or sole defence comprises the walls and towers bounding the site. Some form of keep may have stood within the enclosure but these were not significant in defensive terms and served mainly to provide accommodation. Ruthin Castle is a 13th century castle and courtyard with moat, standing on a ridge of red sandstone which rises above the Clwyd valley and overlooks lower ground to the west. The castle was built of local, soft red sandstone and was in the form of an irregular pentagon. Little now remains of the castle buildings but it is possible to locate the hall which was placed on the opposite side of the quadrangle to the gateway. The chapel was probably one of the buildings abutting upon the west curtain wall and two of the towers along the wall still exist while one corner constituted the entrance gateway. The outer courtyard lay beyond the west wall and is of later date than the towers and walls of the castle. The castle was surrounded by a moat which is still visible on the north side.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval defensive practices. The monument is well-preserved and an important relic of the medieval landscape. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of both structural evidence and intact associated deposits.

The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.