I have a fondness for ruins and there’s an imposing ruined castle less than 20 miles from Dinas, on the river Teifi. Cilgerran castle served its purpose in the wars between the Normans and the Welsh when it changed hands several times and was damaged and repaired as a consequence.  It then served as a home for the Vaughan family for a couple of hundred years but has officially been a ruin since 1387.  It is now run by Cadw for the National Trust and there are several events organised there this summer.

As a picturesque ruin, it has attracted the attention of artists over the years and the newly hung exhibition at the Whitworth Gallery in Manchester has William Havell’s view of Cilgerran Castle, probably painted in the early 1900s. Unfortunately the new hanging places some pictures out of reach (and sight) of visitors – even quite tall visitors.

The best we could do (and it’s not good) was from our 6ft tall photographer, who held his phone aloft and managed to end up with a distorted, but recognisable Cilgerran Castle, with its unusual two massive round towers dominating the river Teifi from its vantage point on the cliffs above.