Powis Castle and Garden

In Brief.

Powis Castle is a 13th century fortress near Welshpool looked after by the National Trust. Though it occupies a lofty, and thus surely defendable position, the castle has been a country house for several centuries, and features fine interiors from widely different periods. The elevated position provides views over the terraced gardens that lead down to lawns, other formal gardens and some woodland walks.

The Castle and 17th century Yew trees from the top terrace.

What's Here?

Occupying a hilltop, the castle tends to be viewed from below, with steep terraces leading down to a large lawn and some formal gardens, before the grounds rise again to a wooded area. Although the gardens are interesting in themselves, the eyes tend to be drawn to the red castle that towers over them.

The courtyard

The castle itself is accessed through a courtyard that offers views over the gardens and hosts the cafe and the Clive Museum. The museum holds a remarkable collection of artefacts from India, including many swords, coats of armour, a state tent and ivory art works, most likely plundered by a previous resident of the castle in colonial times, who now lends his name to the museum.

In contrast with other Welsh castles, such as Conwy, Powis was built for Welsh aristocracy and was the seat of assorted Barons or Earls of Powis through its transition into a country house. Well known for its interiors, these are striking and varied, including a 16th century long gallery, with art, furniture and sculpture collected through many generations. There were enthusiastic guides on hand to explain the interiors on my visit.

Practicalities.

Distance from Manchester Town Hall: 90 miles

Drive Time: 1 hour 55 minutes

Price: $$

Parking: There is a carpark on site.

Food and Drink: There is a pleasant cafe selling standard National Trust offerings in the castle, so good cakes and rustic meals, with tables for eating out in the courtyard.

Retail Therapy: There is a substantial gift shop, with books, gift food, household and garden objects.

Child Friendly: There isn't a play park, though there are places to explore.

Toilets: Near the house and in the gardens.

Do it justice in: 3 hours.

Inside-Outside: 50:50

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Wentworth Woodhouse: Two country houses for the price of one

Image
In Brief. Wentworth Woodhouse is an imposing 18th century country pile near Rotherham, that can boast the longest facade of any country house in England. Though the interior contains little of the original furniture, which was sold off to pay death duties, there are nonetheless striking and varied spaces that benefit from being brought to life in a tour. The property also features an extensive and well maintained garden, with meandering paths, and views of the West Front and surrounding countryside. The impressive East Front. What's Here? Curiously, the property features two houses back-to-back, both built in the early 18th Century, with the slightly earlier Baroque property being considered to give an unsuitable architectural fashion statement in contrast with its Palladian successor.  Both the East Front and the West Front are pictured. The West Front is almost as grand as the East Front. Several themed tours are available; I took the Wentworth Tour, with an enthusiastic and wel...
Read more

Keighley and Worth Valley Railway

Image
In Brief. The  Keighley and Worth Valley Railway is a heritage railway that occupies a 5 mile branch line constructed in the 1860s to provide passenger and goods services to the towns and mills in the valley. Though 5 miles seems very short, train journeys are pleasant enough, with some countryside, some narrow valley scenery, the towns and the occasional tunnel. As a significant tourist destination, the stops include pristine restored stations, museums and an abundance of eateries, and trains are pulled by a variety of steam and diesel rolling stock. Steam engine from 1888 pulling a passenger train. What's Here? Though not originally an especially significant piece of national infrastructure, the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway has been running as a heritage railway for more than 50 years, with more than 100,000 visitors a year.  As well as the regularly running heritage rolling stock, there are many event days of different forms, typically based around train types (I...
Read more

A Day Trip to Shrewsbury, Ending in Prison

Image
In Brief. Shewsbury is a sprawling market town, with a compact historic centre almost enclosed within a loop of the River Severn, the longest river in England. There is more than a day's worth of things to see and do in Shrewsbury; I took a boat trip on the Severn, made a rather brief visit to the museum, and took a tour of the prison.  However, there is also a historic town centre to explore, an abbey and a castle.  What's Here? Having parked near the Abbey, I started by walking along the riverside path towards the Quarry Park, a large open area between the town centre and the river.  This includes the Dingle, an immaculately maintained garden area, with characterful water features and colourful borders.  The Dingle in Quarry Park. My destination was a Sabrina Boat Trip , which as it turns out visited the same part of the river as I had just walked. However, with at-seat refreshments and a commentary providing historical context and humorous asides, this was both a...
Read more