Cardigan Castle hosts conferences, training courses, meetings, private parties and weddings, from a private meeting for four people to gatherings of up to 100. The castle sits in the center of Cardigan, in Ceredigion on the west coast of Wales, above the River Teifi.
Seminars and company events
Meetings take place in heritage rooms across the site, from small private rooms to spaces for group meetings of up to 100 people. Food and drink packages can be added to any room hire. For a team activity, the castle runs an escape room for teams of two to six players, built around the history of Castle Green House, with one hour to solve the case. Because the castle is a listed building set within an ancient monument, organizers with specific access needs are asked to discuss them with the team in advance; Castle Green House has a lift and the paths are suitable for wheelchairs.
Weddings and receptions
Couples can marry inside Castle Green House or in the landscaped gardens that look over the Teifi. The venue handles small ceremonies as well as larger celebrations. A dedicated events team helps with catering, decoration and entertainment, and the castle offers a tour and tasting before booking. Guests can stay overnight in the rooms and cottages on site.
Rooms and capacities
The castle offers a range of rooms for hire, from intimate spaces for four people to rooms for groups of up to 100. The grounds include Regency-style gardens, a Regency kitchen garden, an orchard and a whale bone arch, which work for drinks receptions and photographs.
Accommodation
Bed and breakfast rooms and self-catering units sit within the castle grounds. They include Y Cei, a first-floor double with a river view; Y Copa, a twin attic room; Y Delyn, a double in Tŷ Cadwgan beside the castle wall; Yr Afon, a first-floor double; Y Goron, a two-story apartment for four; four Georgian en-suite Heritage Rooms in the East Wing of Castle Green House; Tŷ Coets, a wheelchair-accessible former coach house; the Gardener's Cottage; and Y Stablau, a family room in a cobbled courtyard. The East Wing can also be rented as a five-star self-catering house for eight. Breakfast is served in 1176 or delivered as a hamper. Parking on site is reserved for overnight guests.
Catering
All meals and refreshments for events are freshly prepared by 1176, the castle's own restaurant, which is open daily from 8:30 a.m. and also serves breakfast to residents.
History and setting
A wooden castle was built on this site in 1110 by Gilbert fitz Richard de Clare, and it has been occupied ever since. In 1171 Rhys ap Gruffydd, known as Lord Rhys, rebuilt it in stone, believed to be the first stone castle built by a Welshman, and he celebrated with what is now accepted as the first Eisteddfod in 1176. The castle was besieged during the English Civil War. Castle Green House was built in 1808 and extended in 1827. After decades of decline, the county council bought the site in 2003, and a restoration costing around £12 million opened it to the public in 2015.
Getting there
The address is Green Street, Cardigan SA43 1JA. Day visitors use public car parks in town; the nearest, at the bottom of Quay Street, is a one-minute walk from the castle.
