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The history of the house and estate extends to before 1460 though
the association with the Williams family dates from around 1690.
The Castle as seen today is a creation of Sir John Hay Williams
dating from between 1830 and 1852. Architects Hansom and Welch
were employed by Sir John to refurbish and extend the house while
further works at this time also resulted in a magnificent estate
wall and formal garden. |
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The loss of the main income source for the estate - lead mining - in
the 1850s resulted in the decline of the Williams family fortunes, though
further building refurbishment took place in the 1880s. By the First
World War, the estate had been reduced in size and the house used as
a recuperation hospital.
Entrance Hall 1924 |
The grounds to the east of the main house were also used by nearby
Kinmel Camp as an area for trench warfare training. In 1920 the house
and estate were finally sold by the Williams family to Lowther College,
a girls private school. The College was based at the Castle until
1982 when it finally closed due to financial problems. |
In the 1980s the Castle was purchased by the then Clwyd
County Council and developed as a museum, gallery and visitor attraction.
Partnerships
were formed with the National Portrait Gallery, Victoria & Albert
Museum and the Royal Academy of Arts to enable the display of
many important national treasures at the Castle. To house these
collections,
the interior
was sympathetically restored to its Victorian splendour by architect
Roderick Gradidge. |
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In 1994, the County Council leased part of the site to the Rank Organisation
for its first Warner Holidays hotel. Meanwhile, the magnificent
Williams Hall with its national collections was placed under the
control of
Bodelwyddan Castle Trust.
The National Portrait Gallery maintains the loan of nationally
important art collections at the Castle with day-to-day curatorial
care resting
with the Trust. The Trust is supported in its work by the County
Council (now Denbighshire) with an annual grant currently in
the sum of £194,000.
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