They were received by the seneschal of William Beauchamp, Lord of Abergavenny.

Chirk Castle had passed through many hands, having been several times granted to royal favourites; being a fine building, standing on a lofty eminence, which afforded a view of no less than seventeen counties.

It was square and massive, with five flanking towers, and its vast strength was calculated to defy the utmost efforts of the Welsh to capture it.

It was but a short distance thence to the valley of the Dee, in which was the estate of Glendower, extending for some eight miles north, into what is now the neighbourhood of Llangollen.
As one of the detachments had arrived before daybreak, and the other two hours after dark, it was improbable that their advent had been noticed; and, at the request of the knight who commanded the troop from Ruthyn, the gates of the castle had been kept closed all day, no one being allowed to enter or leave.
At daybreak the next morning, the whole force sallied out.
Three-quarters of an hour later, they dashed down into the valley at a point about half a mile distant from Glendower's dwelling.
This was a very large and stately building.

Near it stood a guest house and a church, and all the appurtenances of a man of high rank.