Ewloe Castle

What makes Ewloe Castle unique is the free standing apsidal or “D” shaped tower, known as the ‘Welsh Tower’. This would have been the castle keep, which was the living quarters of the Lord of the castle, and a last stronghold of defence. Look out for the steps at either side of the original drawbridge entrance that would have accessed the ‘wall walk’. You can also still see the holes in the keep wall that would have held the timber joists under the floorboards of the first floor living area of the castle.

Look at the defences of Ewloe and you will see its many weaknesses. It has low, insubstantial curtain walls. Its gatehouse was not built to be strong, and its internal spaces are irregular enclosed areas that would be hard to control during an attack. Ewloes’ two towers would have only been two or three storeys high, and even at the top of them it would be almost impossible to see if an enemy was about to attack from the woodlands. The whole castle is overlooked from higher ground, and there are “blind spots” from the curtain walls! The Welsh never intended their castles to withstand a siege. Theirs instead was a guerrilla war.