Clwyd West Assembly Member Darren Millar has praised restoration works at Gwrych Castle after visiting the historic Abergele landmark last week.

Darren was shown around the site by Cllr Mark Baker, founder of the Gwrych Castle Preservation Trust, which was set up to raise awareness of Gwrych’s plight and to establish a solution for the conservation and preservation of the castle.

Mark updated Darren on efforts to restore the Grade 1 listed building and showed him around the formal gardens and a tower, which used to incorporate Countess Dundonald's writing room.

The Trust are now seeking support to reroof another building, the Melon House, and to re-erect a conservatory on the site.

Darren said:

“It was great to catch up with Mark and see first-hand all that has been achieved at Gwrych Castle.

“Mark has been committed to saving the castle since he was a young boy. In 1997, when he was just 12 years old, he set up the Trust in a bid to seek a long term solution for the castle and grounds. Since that time the Trust has gone from strength to strength, and now has over 150 volunteers and more than 500 members.

“I would like to commend them all for all they have done to restore, renovate and revive the castle, ensuring that it is once again a landmark that the people of North Wales can be extremely proud of.”

To keep up with everything that is going on at Gwrych Castle follow its website www.gwrychtrust.co.uk and join its Facebook page: www.facebook.com/gwrychcastle