Wales’ largest castle, second only to Windsor in the UK, has re-opened to the public after an £8m CADW funded refurbishment and two years of works at the 13^th century landmark.

Dating back to 1268, Caerphilly Castle was constructed to protect Anglo-Norman rule against uprising from the Welsh princes. It features multiple layers of defence and extensive water defences across the 30 acre site.

Now, the Castle is a popular tourist attraction and multi-purpose events venue welcoming over 100,000 visitors annually and is an important cornerstone of the town’s economy.

The fabled Great Hall, itself constructed in the 13^th century, has been the central focus of the refurbishment programme. The Great Hall has been painstakingly restored to how it appeared in its “medieval heyday” and now includes interactive digital exhibits.

Other improvements during the renovation programme include improved accessibility, infrastructure and repairs to the East Gatehouse.

Protectahome were delighted to be able to provide multiple packages of specialist works to the project including structural waterproofing, timber inspections and structural ties installation, showcasing our multi-faceted skillset when it comes to working on heritage projects.

The bulk of our works centred around waterproofing to the earth retaining elements of the Great Hall kitchen and WC areas which were being upgraded as part of the wider works programme. Prior to this, Protectahome were instructed to inspect roof void timbers in the Great Hall for evidence of wood boring insects and wood rotting fungi. Finally, we were approached to consult and test structural tie installation to the castle structure to ensure adequate performance for follow on works.

The latest works mark the 3^rd occasion that Protectahome has been called on to work on Caerphilly Castle following structural repair works in 2006 and 2012. We are incredibly proud to have reached our “hat-trick” and to continue to help preserve this historic landmark.