Sights in Llangollen
- Sort by:
- Popular
-
A
Valle Crucis Abbey
Located at the foot of the Horseshoe Pass, the dignified ruins of Valle Crucis Abbey represent one of Wales' last Cistercian monasteries. Founded in 1201 by Madog ap Gruffydd, who ruled Northern Powys, its serene setting and present, largely Gothic form (including a huge rose window) predates its grander, more famous sibling at Tintern.
It suffered several fires during the Middle Ages - partly through being victimised by Edward I, following the abbot's support for Llywelyn ap Gruffudd - and then later during the Owain Glyndŵr uprising.
Things looked up in the 15th century, and the buildings were extended. In 1525 the estate was valued and found to be the second-richest …
reviewed
-
B
Llangollen Canal
In the 18th century canals and the horse-drawn barge were the most efficient way of hauling goods over long distances but, with the advent of the railway, most of them fell into disrepair.
The Llangollen Canal fared better than most because it was used, for years more, to carry drinking water from the River Dee to the Hurleston Reservoir in Cheshire. Today it's again in use, carrying visitors up and down the Vale of Llangollen. In addition, the old towpaths offer miles of peaceful, traffic-free walking. And the canal itself is part of the attraction, thanks to the great civil engineer Thomas Telford (1757-1834).
To collect water for the canal from the River Dee, Telford d…
reviewed
-
C
Castell Dinas Brân
A spectacular hill-top site, 229m above the Dee Valley and to the north of Llangollen, Castell Dinas Brân marks the remnants of an Iron Age fort and the tumbledown ruins of a castle whose history is shrouded in mystery. It may have been built in the late 12th century by Madog ap Gruffydd, the Welsh chieftain credited with the building of nearby Valle Crucis Abbey. The castle fell to the forces of Edward I in 1277 and remained in English hands for two centuries, after which it went to ruin.
The attraction today is the fantastic panorama - northeast to the limestone escarpments of Eglwyseg Mountain, southwest to the rounded Berwyn Mountains, west to Snowdonia and east into…
reviewed
-
D
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
The real masterpiece of civil engineer Thomas Telford (1757-1834) is the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, completed in 1805 to carry the Llangollen Canal over the Dee River. At 316m long and 38m high, it is perhaps the most spectacular piece of engineering on the entire UK canal system and the highest canal aqueduct ever built. The first stone of the aqueduct, which connected the rivers Severn, Mersey and Dee at the height of the Industrial Revolution, was laid in 1795.
More recently it was nominated by the government as a World Heritage site. If accepted by Unesco, the aqueduct will join Stonehenge and the Tower of London on the list of World Heritage sites in Britain.
The aqueduct…
reviewed
-
E
Llangollen Wharf
Llangollen Wharf arranges two options: a short excursion on the Llangollen Canal by horse-drawn narrow boat, and motorised narrow-boat trips. Trip options include travelling one-way from Llangollen to Froncysllte, a return from Froncysllte to Bryn Howel crossing the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, or a single to Llangollen Wharf - you can combine any of these trips to travel by boat there and back.
Return transport to Llangollen is provided where necessary. Only the horse-drawn narrow boats are wheelchair accessible. You can also hire self-steer boats from £100 per day.
reviewed
-
F
Plas Newydd
The Ladies of Llangollen lived at Plas Newydd for almost half a century. Lady Eleanor Butler and Miss Sarah Ponsonby transformed the house into their own private romantic hybrid of Gothic and Tudor styles, complete with stained-glass windows, carved-oak panels and formal gardens. Audio guides in English and Welsh are now included in the ticket price and a new educational centre with an artist-in-residence is now based in the grounds. The house is 0.25 miles southeast of the tourist office.
reviewed
-
G
Llangollen Motor Museum
About a mile out of town on the A542 at Pentrefelin is the Llangollen Motor Museum, featuring over 30 classic vehicles from the 1920s to the 1970s, a 1950s garage with pumps, and the owner's living room.
reviewed
-
H
Llangollen Museum
The Llangollen Museum has a small collection for fans of local history.
reviewed
