Back in 2020 the stars taking part in ITV’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here had to swap the Australian jungle for a abandoned castle in north Wales
When the brave crop of stars ventured into Gwrych Castle in North Wales rather than jetting off for the sunny climes of Australia for the 2020 series of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here, many fans thought they were crazy for swapping the jungle for the freezing Welsh countryside.
One look at the stunning 19th century castle, nestled into the Welsh hills close to Abergele and abandoned for decades can’t have calmed the nerves of eventual winner Giovanna Fletcher and finalists Vernon Kay and Jordan North, who called it their home for three weeks. Built between 1812 and 1822 by Lloyd Hesketh Bamford-Hesketh, Gwrych Castle was a testament to its owners ambition, foresight and determination. Over the next few decades, the castle was extended to include new wings, a stunning marble staircase and the gardens and huge 3,000 acre estate were developed.
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However, as with many of the aristocracy, the family fell onto financial hard times and the castle was used to house hundreds of Jewish children, brought to safety to the UK as part of Operation Kindertransport. It then underwent several reincarnations, first as a visitor attraction until its sale in 1968, when it was then transformed into a medieval entertainment centre, complete with jousts in the castle’s once magnificent pleasure gardens.
But by 1990, it had been sold again, this time to an American businessman who dreamed of turning it into a golf course and luxury hotel – these plans never materialised. Decades of neglect followed, with squatters moving in and many of the castle’s stunning original features – including its incredible marble staircase (once dubbed one of the seven wonders of Wales) and marble fireplaces being stripped.
Local thieves and vandals were also regular visitors, stripping the roof of lead until it eventually collapsed, and causing several of the unsteady walls to suffer serious damage. The neglect of this stunning and vast property was a source of much heartache to a group of extremely determined locals and supporters of Gwyrch Castle, who founded the Gwrych Castle Preservation trust and eventually managed to buy the crumbling building in 2018.
Since then the group has worked tirelessly to restore what they can – the long abandoned and overgrown pleasure gardens are once again stunning and their tireless efforts have saved countless areas with work due to finally start later this year on a replacement roof for the ruined building, keeping nature out and ensuring no further deterioration as the renovations continue.
The castle’s plight reached a wider audience four years ago when it was chosen as the site of I’m A Celeb and since then work has continued at pace. Jane Lavender wrote for the Mirror how it was a glorious, sunny autumnal day when she paid a visit to Gwrych Castle. She said she was shown round by Chris, who has had the building in his blood since he was a teenager. And knows plenty of the ghost stories about the abandoned site.
He himself has heard footsteps while filming in the castle and he spoke first-hand with one of the final residents, a caretaker who spent the winter months in one of the few still habitable rooms back in the 1990s. Climbing the now ruined marble staircase – wearing a safety hard hat – it’s easy to believe the tales of those who have reported seeing people walk past the bottom of the stairs, even though the castle was utterly empty.
And those brave enough to venture into the chapel can stare into a mirror and see what happens. There are countless tales of those fearless enough to try only to see another face, entirely different to their own, staring back at them after a few minutes. The magic of the castle is felt by any who walk through its main gate but for me, the view from the top of the tallest turret, the Hesketh Tower, was the most magical moment of all.
It feels as if you’re on the top of the world – or Wales at least – with incredible views across the castle itself, its gardens, into the valley below and right out to sea. However, this climb requires special permission and if I hadn’t been in the capable hands of Chris, would have sent me fleeing in terror.
The steep, stone steps up to the top of the tower are overgrown. Nature really has made itself commander of this impressive building. Gwrych Castle is one of the highlights of this part of Wales, and indeed the whole country, and every effort should be made to support its restoration to its former glory.
