Penrhyn Castle and Garden

19th-century fantasy castle with spectacular surroundings

More about this place

A long exposure photograph of the night sky over Penrhyn Castle

Penrhyn Castle Dark Skies Festival 2020 

Learn about all things celestial as we celebrate the night skies with the first North Wales Dark Skies Festival.

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Penrhyn Castle and Garden

Things to see and do 

Garden, shop and cafe open every weekend in winter

A family paying a visit to the Fire Queen steam engine at Penrhyn Castle.

Visit the railway museum 

Visit the Railway Museum and learn about the locomotives used in the local area and at the slate quarry in Bethesda.

Visit the walled garden at Penrhyn Castle

Penrhyn Castle gardens in winter 

There's plenty to see and do in the Penrhyn Castle gardens in Winter.

Dog in the walled garden at Penrhyn Castle

Sunday dog walks 

Let your furry friends stretch their legs with a social stroll on our guided dog walks. Various Sundays throughout the season, 11:30-12:00.

Catering at the National Trust

Winter warmers

What's better after a bracing stroll than a comforting mug of hot chocolate? Our cafe is open every weekend 11am-3pm

Locally made gifts at Penrhyn Castle

Shopping at Penrhyn Castle 

Get the perfect present or a special memento from our second-hand bookshop, stable shop and castle shop on your visit to our special place. (Weekends only from 6 Nov - 17 February)

Explore hidden corners at Penrhyn Castle

A breath of fresh air 

Make the most of crisp winter days exploring the gardens and woodland surrounding Penrhyn Castle.

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Penrhyn Castle and Garden

What's on

Upcoming events

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Beginners running programme - Group 14

Sun 26 Jan 2020
09:30-10:30
Join a friendly running group in the grounds of Penrhyn Castle. No matter what your ability or fitness level, you can enjoy walking, jogging & running, inspired by the beautiful views! Our lovely Run Leaders will support you every step of the way.

Sunday dog walking sessions at Penrhyn Castle

Sun 26 Jan 2020
11:30-12:00
Bring your four-legged friend (or friends) for a Sunday stroll around the grounds at Penrhyn Castle.

Dark Skies Festival: Zodiac talks

Thu 20 Feb 2020
11:00-11:30
Join is for special led tours into the castle where we explore the iconic zodiac stained glass windows in the Grand Hall.

Dark Skies Festival: StarDome planetarium experience

Thu 20 Feb 2020
11:15-11:45
Step inside the StarDome and travel deep into outer space to experience all the wonders of the night's sky.

Dark skies festival: Fireside star stories

Thu 20 Feb 2020
16:00-17:00
Take a walk with us into the woods as we settle down by our new fire-pit for some starry storytelling. Learn how the stars helped shape Welsh history and hear some of the myths, legends and literature, inspired by the nights sky.

Dark Skies Festival: Evening stargazing

Thu 20 Feb 2020
18:30-19:30
Join us for a wonderful evening of stargazing, exploring the night's sky and celebrating our status as a Dark Skies National Park
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Penrhyn Castle and Garden

Eating and shopping

Eating at Penrhyn Castle

A warming cinnamon latte surrounded by Christmas greenery and dried oranges.
A freshly prepared Carrot Cake at penhryn Castle
Bara brith is a traditonal Welsh tea-time treat

Christmas indulgence

Enjoy some seasonal spice with our special cinnamon latte or a luxury hot chocolate: the perfect winter warmer. Served in the café during the winter weekends.

Eating at Penrhyn Castle (2019) 

Visit our Castle Café for a delicious lunch of fresh sandwiches or hot food including home-made soup and local dishes. We also serve a host of tempting cakes, tea, coffee, snacks and ice lollies - perfect to hit the spot after after exploring the garden.

Bara Brith from Penrhyn's Victorian Kitchens 

Bake some traditional Bara Brith (it's name literally means 'Speckled bread') at home with our easy recipe.

Locally made gifts at Penrhyn Castle

Relax with retail 

Get the perfect present or a special memento from our second-hand bookshop, stable shop and castle shop on your visit to our special place. (Weekends only from 6 Nov - 17 February)

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Penrhyn Castle and Garden

History

Sugar and slate

The Denbigh sugar plantation in Jamaica.

Penrhyn Castle and the transatlantic slave trade 

Behind the formidable architecture, Victorian grandeur and fine interiors, present day Penrhyn Castle’s foundations were built on a dark history. One of exploitation, Jamaican sugar fortunes and the transatlantic slave trade.

Penrhyn Slate Quarry by Henry Hawkins (1820-81) at Penrhyn Castle, North Wales.

Penrhyn Castle and the Great Penrhyn Quarry Strike, 1900-03 

Learn more about the history of the Great Strike of Penrhyn 1900-03, the longest running industrial dispute in British history.

Caryl Parry Jones at Penrhyn Castle

People's Landscapes: The Castle on the Hill 

Join singer and songwriter Caryl Parry Jones, as she visits Penrhyn Castle to hear about the amazing history of this special place, its relationship with the local community of Bethesda and the choir that inspired Blur front-man Damon Albarn’s latest album.

The south-west elevation of the Keep Penrhyn Castle

Our History 

Take a quick look at the background of this marvellous neo-Norman castle and the family that owned it.

Visitors on the Grand Staircase at Penrhyn Castle

Thomas Hopper: the creator 

Meet the man largely responsible for our special place as we see it today. Thomas Hopper was a famous 19th-century architect well known for his extravagant and unusual designs.

Walter Speed’s garden at Penrhyn Castle

Walter Speed- Victorian Head Gardener 

The beauty and variety of our grounds and gardens owe a lot to the Victorian Head Gardener, Walter Speed. He was a loyal and devoted employee of Penrhyn as well as an exceptionally skilled gardener.

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Penrhyn Castle and Garden

Our work

Walk through Penrhyn Castle's winter garden

Restore Penrhyn Castle’s Fuchsia walkway 

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Restore our Fuchsia walkway
Snowdrops at Penrhyn Castle on a beautiful winter's day

Flushed with success at Penrhyn Castle 

How a new collaborative energy project could stop energy going down the drain at Penrhyn Castle.

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Penrhyn Castle and Garden

Get involved

A volunteer working on the Fire Queen, the oldest locomotive in the collection.

Celebrating our amazing volunteers at Penrhyn Castle 

To celebrate Volunteers' Week 2019 we've been finding out about the volunteers that inspire us and why they choose to volunteer their time at Penrhyn Castle.

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Penrhyn Castle and Garden

Art and collections

Our collections

Explore the objects and works of art we care for at Penrhyn Castle and Garden on the National Trust Collections website

Search the collections
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