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Ruperra Castle has stood derelict in the countryside near Draethen for 80 years.

The Grade II* listed building was once part of the Tredegar Estate, which covered 53,000 acres – the equivalent to more than 35,000 football pitches.

Built in 1626, the castle was a lavish home for the aristocracy before becoming a base for soldiers during WWII.

However, a fire ripped through the castle on December 6, 1941 – gutting it from the inside and leaving it in the ruinous state it remains in today.

Now, campaigners are determined to restore and preserve the castle for community use.

The castle will feature in an art exhibition held in the Senedd on Thursday, May 25 – with embroideries created by artist Haf Weighton on display.

The aim of the artwork is to help visualise a future for the ruin, which campaigners from the Ruperra Castle Preservation Trust say is at risk of collapse.

The campaigners have worked alongside Ms Weighton on the project, which will be on display in the Senedd from 10am to 2pm.

There’s no need for visitors to book their visit to the exhibition in advance – with visitors able to help complete the artwork by creating their own embroideries.

Ms Weighton said: “I am so proud to be associated with Ruperra. I grew up in Lisvane and as a child I loved walking around the old ruins and imagining Ruperra in its former glory. I am delighted to be helping the local community to visualise how the castle could look once its new vision is finally realised.”

Caerphilly Senedd Member Hefin David said: “Ruperra Castle is a very special place for me.

“Located in a beautiful newly designated greenbelt between Cardiff, Newport and Caerphilly town, it is a place to be cherished and I know that many of my constituents walk and cycle in the area.

“It is wonderful to see the local community engaging in a vision for the castle’s future, which I hope can be secured very soon.” 

The trust will also be speaking about its vision for the future of Ruperra Castle on Wednesday, June 1.

The event will be held at Rudry Parish Hall from 10.30am and will include a walk to the castle. Attendees will need to book in advance at ruperracastle.wales/news-and-events/category/events 

What is the Ruperra Castle Preservation Trust?

The Ruperra Castle Preservation Trust was set up in 1996 with the aim of buying and preserving the castle and the land surrounding it.

The castle is owned by Hyder and Victoria Al-Khafaji, who have submitted plans to redevelop parts of the Ruperra Castle estate.

The plans were submitted to Caerphilly County Borough Council back in 2019, but no decision has yet been made.

The owners want to turn the stables near the castle into seven ‘residential units’ and move a bat roost onto the former kitchen greenhouse on the site.

However, the trust is opposed to this and has called for a “holistic estate masterplan” to be developed before any decisions are taken.

The trust has said it wants to repair the castle for future generations and manage its gardens, grounds and outbuildings with a caretaker living on site.

The trust also wants to use the castle as a base for heritage, archaeology, gardening and skills training and encourage sustainable access.

The trust has urged anyone wanting to support its aims to work together to ensure there is “something to celebrate” by the time the castle celebrates its 400th anniversary in 2026.