Castles / GB / Wales
Hawarden Castle
Which definitions does it satisfy?
This dataset does not record whether something “is a castle”. It records a verdict against each named definition, with the reasoning that produced it.
| Definition | Verdict | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Fortified residence | yes | The report gives its own definition — "a defended residence or stronghold ... in which the principal or sole defence comprises the walls and towers bounding the site" — and describes a shell keep serving "mainly to provide accommodation", a curtain wall around the bailey and a hall with an elaborate barbican (defence meant to be held); the earlier work was built by Hugh, Earl of Chester. Both halves are met. |
| Enclosure fortification | unassessed | No source consulted so far speaks to this definition. Unassessed is not the same as no. |
| State fortification | unassessed | No source consulted so far speaks to this definition. Unassessed is not the same as no. |
| Palatial seat | unassessed | No source consulted so far speaks to this definition. Unassessed is not the same as no. |
| Revival and folly | unassessed | No source consulted so far speaks to this definition. Unassessed is not the same as no. |
| Popularly a castle | unassessed | No source consulted so far speaks to this definition. Unassessed is not the same as no. |
Facts
| Tradition | european medieval |
|---|---|
| Location | Hawarden, Flintshire, Wales, GB |
| Built | Medieval |
| Confidence | medium |
| First recorded | 2026-07-21 |
| Last updated | 2026-07-22 |
In the registers
Where this structure appears in official inventories. This is what turns an individual record into evidence about a count.
- Cof Cymru — National Historic Assets of Wales —
FL016· Scheduled Monument — SiteType: Castle · entry
Location
Approximate. © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Notes
Designation report (FL016) assessed. fortified_residence: yes — the report quotes its own castle definition and describes a shell keep for accommodation, a curtain wall around the bailey and a hall with an elaborate barbican, built on an earlier motte-and-bailey by Hugh, Earl of Chester. Other bands omitted: no popular-usage evidence, no palatial conversion (partially demolished c.1660), no post-defensive-era construction. This record is the medieval ruin (FL016), not the neighbouring 18th-century Gothic house. One report plus register → medium.
Sources
- Scheduled Monument Full Report — Hawarden Castle — Cadw, 2026-07-22
Cadw's full scheduled-monument report (FL016); assessed against the bands.
Signals
Raw per-source observations behind this record (2):
sig-20260721-cadw-fl016,
sig-20260722-report-fl016
Record file · dataset licensed CC BY 4.0 — see provenance.