Clytha Castle, Gothic Revival folly in Llanarth, Wales
Clytha Castle is a Gothic Revival folly with an L-shaped design and two drum towers built from rendered rubble stone, featuring crenellation and arched windows. The interior contains three bedrooms and a full kitchen for visitors staying overnight.
William Jones commissioned this memorial in 1790 following the death of his wife Elizabeth, engaging architect John Davenport to design the structure. The castle emerged from personal grief expressed through architectural form.
This folly represents a Welsh tradition of building decorative monuments that served both as memorials and to enhance the surrounding landscape.
The property is available for rent as accommodation for up to six people, maintained by the Landmark Trust with complete facilities. Visitors planning to stay should contact the trust in advance for booking and access arrangements.
One of the two drum towers deliberately remains roofless to create facade balance and frame views toward Sugar Loaf mountain. This intentional incompleteness is a striking architectural choice that distinguishes the building from typical castle designs.
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