Dyserth Castle - Wherefore art thou?
The Dyserth branch line was a short standard-gauge mineral railway between the northern end of the Clwydian Range at Dyserth and the North Wales Coast Line at Prestatyn.The line, which was opened by the London and North Western Railway in 1869, was built to carry quarried stone and coal. The rise of tourism led to the introduction of a passenger service in 1905. Basic halts were introduced along the line. However, competition from road transport led the passenger service being withdrawn in 1930. With the eventual demise of all the mineral industries around Dyserth the entire line was closed in September 1973.
Since closing the railway become a walkway / cycle track, and now houses a series of Geocaches called the Dyserth to Prestatyn WalkWay (DPWW)
Dyserth Castle has been known also as Castell Diserth, Castle de Rupe, Castle of the Rock, Caerfaelan, Carregfaelan, Castell-y-Garrec, Dincolyn, Castell y Ffailon, and Castell Cerri.
Prince Llywelyn the Great died in 1240, and after his death the English extended their authority into Wales as far north as the River Conwy. To confirm their control of the territory the English then began the building of new castles and rebuilding of certain older castles including Rhuddlan Castle and Deganwy Castle.
Dyserth Castle was one of those castles, and was intended to replace the original old Rhuddlan Castle at Twthill and to supplement Deganwy Castle.
Dyserth Castle was first attacked by the Welsh around 1245. It was attacked a number of times over nearly two decades and was seized and occupied at different periods by the English and Welsh. In 1263, it was totally destroyed by the Prince Llywelyn ap Gruffudd after several weeks of a blockade and siege.
During World War I, the ridge served as a quarry and much of the former castle ruins were removed or fell into the quarry. There is now very little evidence left that there was ever a castle here at all.
This cache is a "Daughter" of the The Mother Cache (Team Marzipan)