Ellen Glynne

Explorer Tom Flint Castle got in early: it was the first of Edward I's great new castles in north Wales, begun in 1277 before the others had even found their feet. Its great detached tower looks like a castle trying to keep a spare castle in reserve. If the outer walls failed, that last refuge was meant to have an answer ready. Construction continued into the 1280s beside the Dee estuary. The massive south-eastern tower had its own moat and drawbridge, thick walls and the supplies needed to survive a siege. It is the part to seek out first, because the unusual plan makes sense once you see it standing apart from the main courtyard. Flint later became a stage for another turn in British history: in 1399 Richard II met Henry Bolingbroke here before losing his throne. Shakespeare put the encounter into his play, but the real walls are quite capable of delivering the drama without an actor. Cadw opens the castle free during its listed hours, normally 10 to 4, with a few holiday closures. The ruins lie close to Flint town and railway station. Some surfaces and old steps are uneven, so stay on the visitor route. The estuary setting can feel calm now, which is almost rude considering the effort spent making this place impossible to take. Give the solitary great tower a second look before you go; it was built to be the last one standing.