Occupying a prime spot in the beautiful Conwy Valley the ancient castle of Gwydir boasts a reputation as one of the finest Tudor houses in Wales.

After falling into dereliction the former ancestral home of the powerful Wynn family, the castle has undergone a 20-year restoration programme and is almost back to its former glorious self.

But the very structure of the Grade I listed building is now coming under threat from repeated flooding,which Gwydir Castle’s owners say is caused by the flood defences designed to protect homes and farmland further upstream.

The couple, who spent tens of thousands restoring the castle since taking over ownership in 1994, accuse the Welsh Assembly Government of ignoring its plight and being happy to let Gwydir sink into the rising waters.

Peter Welford, who owns the castle with his wife Judy Corbett, said: “This isn't about Peter and Judy’s home. It’s about whether we collectively value heritage and culture. These are Grade I listed castle and gardens, but the gardens are drowning and we’re having to underpin the cellars.

“The Welsh government has a duty of care to prevent this kind of damage. They decided to make us prone to flooding by building a series of flood defences north of us, preventing the floodplain from being naturally flooded and leading to the castle to suffer flooding it never used to before.”