Chirk Castle

Tuesday
Back into Wales today, to Chirk Castle. The castle was built in 1295 by Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March as part of King Edward I's chain of fortresses across the north of Wales. It guards the entrance to the Ceiriog Valley. The castle was bought by Thomas Myddelton, a wealthy London merchant, in 1595, and has remained in the family ever since. The property is now run by the National Trust, though the family continue to live in part of the castle. It was a brighter day today, but quite cool and very windy, and we were getting quite chilled listening to the guide outisde the castle gates. Whilst not as spectacular as the gardens at Powis, the award-winning gardens are nonetheless quite beautiful, containing many clipped yews, some of which you see in the picture, herbaceous borders and shrub and rock gardens. A terrace with stunning views looks out over the Cheshire and Salop plains.

As we were driving to the castle in the morning we saw signs to an aqueduct, so in the afternoon, before heading home, we went in search of it. The Chirk Aqueduct is a 70-foot high and 710-foot long navigable aqueduct that carries what is now the Llangollen Canal across the Ceiriog Valley. The aqueduct was designed by Thomas Telford for the Ellesmere Canal and completed in 1801. It was a forerunner of the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct also on the Llangollen Canal. Immediately north of the aqueduct is the Chirk Tunnel, which is 459 yards long and has a complete towpath inside. Right beside the aqueduct is the Chirk Viaduct, carrying the railway line across the valley. This was erected in 1846-8 and rebuilt in 1858 and was the work of the Scottish engineer Henry Robertson. It stands 30 feet higher than the aqueduct, at 100 feet.

One year ago: Enjoing the sun