There is 19th-century gothic grandeur, then there is Gwrych Castle (pronounced Goo-ri-ch: that last ‘ch’ is to be raspily rolled around the roof of your mouth). It was built by the High Sheriff of Denbighshire as a memorial to his ancestors, and its crenellations loom handsomely above the town of Abergele, while its 250 acre gardens afford commanding views of the wild Irish Sea.
Local architectural historian Mark Baker saved it from ruin in recent years, having fallen in love with it as a child (It’s hosting I’m A Celebrity 2020, and the fee will help with the continuing renovations).
