Ruthin Castle is a 13th century stone 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 repair and garrisoned the castle but following the siege of 1646, when Major-General Mytton bombarded the walls, the castle was slighted. Sadly the early 19th century, castellated mansion house of two blocks, one in each ward and landscaped gardening overlays the internal buildings of the castle. 8 miles north-west is Denbigh Castle and 9 miles north-east is Mold Castle.