A TOURIST attraction which once won a prestigious national award will finally close this weekend.

The Bodelwyddan Castle Trust announced in February that it would keep the property open to the public as long as possible after deciding to sell the 99-year lease.

Since then, although the mansion itself and art gallery have been closed the gardens and parkland have remained open. But with very limited income the closure was inevitable.

“We have looked at other ways we might become self-sufficient but just could not carry on,” said Trust chairman Dr Helen Papworth.

The Victorian mansion, which was a girls’ school known as Lowther College from 1920 to 1982, was acquired by Clwyd County Council and opened as a museum and art gallery. It became a satellite of the National Portrait Gallery and in 1988 was named as Britain’s Museum of the Year, but the NPG’s collection was withdrawn two years ago when funding was reduced.

The viability of the attraction became questionable when, in 2017, Denbighshire County Council, announced it was withholding its £144,000 annual grant.

Trust secretary Dr Kevin Mason, a former director of the castle, said: “The trustees didn’t want to end up being insolvent but the council compounded the problem by withholding the rent it received from Warner Holidays for the hotel on the site for some reason.

“The whole thing is a complete mess and it should never have happened.”

Though the grounds, including the re-created WWI trenches in the parkland, will be closed a skeleton staff will remain for security and maintenance purposes.

The lease is divided into three sections – the building and 55 acres of parkland, 145 acres of agricultural land and a 2-bedroom cottage known as St Asaph Lodge. A covenant stipulates that the main building cannot be converted into a hotel, but it is said to be suitable as a wedding venue or conference centre.

It has been valued at over £1m, and the Trust hopes to use the money to further its educational aims and display its own collection of artwork elsewhere.

A spokesman for agents Lambert Smith Hampton, who are handling the sale, said: “We have had quite a bit of interest.”

This Saturday’s Parkrun in the castle grounds will be the last.