Ruthin Castle is a 13th century earth and timber pentagonal enclosure fortress, founded by King Edward I. Built on a red sandstone ridge, the castle was given to Prince Dafydd ap Gruffydd, in 1277. In the late 13th century, Reginald de Grey flanked the revetted curtain wall of the inner ward with large rounded mural towers and a twin-towered gatehouse. To the south-west, he added a walled lower outer ward, flanked on the angles by drum towers, with its west gate giving access to the inner ditch. In 1642, the Crown repaired and garrisoned the castle but following the siege of 1646 and the bombardment of the walls by Major-General Mytton, the castle was slighted. An early 19th century, castellated mansion house of two blocks, one in each ward and landscaped gardening now overlays the internal buildings of the castle. 5 miles east at Llanarmon-yn-ial is Tomen-y-faerdre and 8 miles north-west is Denbigh Castle.