Wales

Battle of Crogen circular walk

Find the Gates of the Dead and the site of the Battle of Crogen on this circular walk from Chirk Castle. Walking alongside Offa's Dyke you will stumble across 1,000 years of history and conflict. This walk is part permissive, so is available April to September only.

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Total steps: 10

Start point

Chirk Castle car park. Grid ref: SJ267384

Step 1

Exit the car park, go past Home Farm and turn right when you get to the driveway.

Step 2

After 100 yards, turn right and follow the path down through the woodland. This is a permissive path open from April to September.

A gate at the entrance of a permissive path at Chirk Castle surrounded by leafy, green woodland. — Entrance to permissive path on Battle of Crogen walk, Chirk Castle | © Jon Hignett

Step 3

Walk down the path, continue over the stile and follow the white marker posts through the field. This field used to be known as 'the chase' and is thought to have been part of the old deer park. There is a well preserved section of Offa's Dyke on your right. Continue to the bottom of the field and climb over the stile.

Offa's Dyke

Bisecting the estate is a section of the remarkable 8th-century defensive earthwork, Offa's Dyke, built by King Offa of Mercia to mark the ancient border with the kingdom of Powys. The area of Offa's Dyke along the old deer park is one of the best-preserved sections in the area. Across other parts of the estate large sections of Offa's Dyke were flattened by William Emes in the 18th century as part of his landscaping works.

Step 4

Continue down the slope through the trees to the bottom of the valley. You will see the enormous oak at the Gates of the Dead on your left. This tree is believed to date back to the 11th century, so would have been standing in 1165 at the time of the Battle of Crogen. There is also information about the Battle of Crogen further down the path on your left. Continue down the path. Don't cross the road – instead turn right after 10 yards (9m) then take the track to the right.

The Battle of Crogen

In 1165, the mighty Henry II gathered his forces, ready to expand his enormous empire even further, 'thinking to annihilate all Welsh'. He left Oswestry and marched west, into Wales. News of his approach swiftly reached a temporary alliance of Welsh princes, led by Owain Gwynedd, and a united army of troops from across Wales assembled 16 miles from Chirk at Corwen. Hugely outnumbered, the Welsh tactics were to raid and ambush and, as the English army cut through the dense forests of the Ceiriog Valley, they were repeatedly attacked by the Welsh. Henry’s counter plan was to order 2,000 woodsmen to clear a way through the dense woodland, to allow his army easier access. These woodsmen were protected by a powerful vanguard of pike-men, but they were heavily ambushed near a gap in the ancient earthwork of Offa’s Dyke, which runs across the Chirk Castle estate. The troops of Owain Gwynedd inflicted severe losses on the English, at a place now known as ‘The Gates of the Dead’. This skirmish, known ever since as ‘The Battle of Crogen’, would have cost Henry II his life, had it not been for the action of Hugh de St Clare, who threw himself in front of his king, saving him from certain death. The English army retreated and abandoned the campaign when the Welsh forces cut off their supplies. Henry ordered hostages to be brought to him at Shrewsbury, where twenty-two of them (including two of Owain Gwynedd’s sons) were publicly mutilated. This action then led to anti-Norman retaliation throughout Wales.

A large, dead oak tree on Chirk Castle estate with woodland in the distance on a grey, winter day in Wrexham. — A 1,000-year-old oak tree at the Gates of the Dead at Chirk Castle, Wrexham | © National Trust/Jon Hignett

Step 5

After 500 yards (457m) turn right at the fork and head uphill with the woodland on your right.

Step 6

Continue uphill, passing a farm, for another 600 yards (548m).

Step 7

Take the right-hand track via the signposted metal kissing gate into the field following the marker posts. Continue through the fields.

Step 8

After 250 yards (229m) go through the metal kissing gate and head to the left of the houses. Continue along the fields. There is a fantastic view of Chirk Castle on your right.

Step 9

Turn right through the next kissing gate and take the National Trust path to the right of the houses.

Step 10

Continue to follow the path through the field back to Chirk Castle car park.

End point

Chirk Castle car park. Grid ref: SJ267384

Trail map

Battle of Crogen walk at Chirk Castle map | © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey

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Chirk Castle, Chirk, Wrexham, LL14 5AF

01691777701

chirkcastle@nationaltrust.org.uk

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Total steps: 10

Total steps: 10

Start point

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Look out for...

Step 4

Look out for...

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

Step 8

Step 9

Step 10

End point

Trail map