July 2026
Penrhyn Castle is listed as a neo-Norman Fantasy Castle, so I was prepared to hate it. I was gape mouthed through the entire thing due to the amazing quality of the craftsmanship.
The Penrhyn Estate was founded by Ednyfed Fychan. In the 15th century, his descendant Gwilym ap Griffith built a fortified manor house on the site. It is built in the Norman style by Architect Samuel Wyatt.
Lord Penrhyn, who was elevated to the peerage in 1783, derived great wealth from his ownership of slave plantations. Lord Penrhyn’s wealth was used in part to develop the slate mining industry.
In 1995, Alaistair Hennesey published a pioneering article on Penrhyn and slavery in History Today. Of Penrhyn, Hennesey wrote, “there is no building which illustrates so graphically the role which slave plantation profits played in the growth of British economic power.”
The Plaster Work
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The Wood Work
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Carved Marble Fireplaces
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The Stone Work
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And of course, a slate bed.
