The Mammoths level of excitement knew no bounds as we headed towards a Christmas get together with his bestie Sion, the soundtrack in the car on repeat ‘I’m coming Sion, I’m nearly there’ at a volume that made it headache inducing.
Woolly says – it was an important day, what did she expect? We were going on a Christmas tree hunt, seeing a castle, catching up with my bestie and having food, of course I was excited, who wouldn’t be!
The grey clouds hung ominously above us as we pulled into the parking for Chirk Castle only minutes after Sion and his carer Jen, we couldn’t have timed it better. With tickets sorted we wandered towards the impressive structure whilst the humans attempted to take photographs of the surrounding landscape which was getting rapidly more difficult to see as the drizzle seemed to increase with every footfall. We had been here previously a few years ago whilst we were living and working in the Wrexham area but that visit had not provided the Christmas magic, I hoped for today.
Chirk Castle is a Grade I listed castle that was built in 1295 by Roger Mortimer de Chirk, uncle of Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March as part of King Edward I’s chain of fortresses across the north of Wales.
The castle was bought by Sir Thomas Myddelton in 1593 for £5,000 which was a fortune at the time. His son, Thomas Myddelton of Chirk Castle was a Parliamentarian during the English Civil War, but became a Royalist during the ‘Cheshire rising’ of 1659 led by George Booth, 1st Baron Delamer. the castle was partly demolished in the English Civil War following the restoration, his son became Sir Thomas Myddelton, 1st Baronet of Chirke. The castle passed down in the Myddelton family until after World War II when the castle was leased by Thomas Scott-Ellis, 8th Baron Howard de Walden, a prominent patron of the arts and champion of Welsh culture.
The Myddelton family returned to live at Chirk Castle until 2004 and remained in the Myddelton family until it was transferred to the National Trust in 1981.
It was an impressive building with its towers and inner courtyard which gave no clue as to what lay within.
Passing the first Christmas tree that sat damply under the castles clock we headed into Adam’s tower, Sion and I set off to see if Adam was in as Jen and Jo followed behind nattering away as they swopped news and updates on life. With its large oven and deep set windows it could have been very cosy in the winter months unlike the dungeon deep below us that was cold and damp and not a place that you would want to spend any time in.
As we climbed up and down the steep stone stairwells it gave us an opportunity to admire the thick wooden doors that would have secured the building as well as costumes that would once have been worn.
We found ourselves in a bright room with a corner fireplace and a white band of decorated plaster that dropped down by a couple of feet from the ceiling. Once upon a time it would have been the local magistrates court room although according to records it was barely used for that purpose.
Sion and I trotted down the numerous steps passing a curious area that was blindingly white with a slope going down to a small window, we spent several minutes sliding down and climbing back up again before the humans arrived to spoil our fun.
Across the courtyard was a large wooden door which led us into a magnificent hallway with swords of every size and shape and plagues showing the crests of local nobilities. The large fireplace stood empty but if lit would have warmed our paws and fur from several metres away.
A beautiful Christmas tree stood in one corner filled with crackers and large print jokes that crackers are famous for containing, we raced round reading as many as we could before trying to open the huge pile of presents that surrounded the tree base. Again, the miserable humans stopped us in our tracks with some silly excuse of it being a display and not actually presents for us.
The staircase held an even better tree which climbed towards the ceiling on the first floor with it’s Alice in Wonderland theme including chess pieces and playing cards.
The gallery on the landing gave us a large range of the family’s portraits, why do people having their picture painted always look so stern? I would be smiling fit to burst if I was sitting.
Next door was a room fit for royalty with it’s mint green walls and gold leafed décor, the ceiling had been beautifully restored and a wonderful tree placed next to the large dining table.
Next came the biggest room yet with it’s comfy settees and tapestries Sion and I tried sneaking towards the presents waiting ready by the fireplace but quickly receive Jo’s teacher stare that made us reconsider.
The ceiling was incredible and designed in a square pattern with a royal blue paint that contrasted beautifully with the gold decoration.
As we trotted onwards, we found ourselves in an immensely long hallway which would have made fantastic skateboard area for me on its wide oak floorboards. More portraits lined the walls again with nobody actually smiling in them.
A beautiful tree seemed tiny in comparison to the room itself but its nativity was delightful and as Sion and I were welcomed by the herd of sheep surrounding the crib of baby Jesus I felt proud to be representing the rest of the animal population whilst my best sheep tried to get his new friends to line up correctly and stop eating the straw.
We found ourselves at the top of a stair case looking down into a large sitting area with a grand fireplace with yet another tree surrounded by goodies.
The walking had given us quite an appetite so it seemed sensible to finish our visit with a hot meal and a mince pie as well as further time to catch up with all of our news as Jen and Jo caught up on theirs. As I tried to fit in a further mouthful of two of my meal I sighed happily, you really can’t beat a day of being with friends in a castle with Christmas trees and a full tummy.