Building blocks of history: Flint Castle gets Minecraft makeover

School children have explored Flint Castle through Minecraft Education as Cadw launches its fourth Welsh heritage site on the popular gaming platform.

Pupils from Ysgol Flint Gwynedd and Ysgol Cornist Park, including Young Custodians for Flint Castle, gathered at the 13th-century fortress on 7 November to experience the castle for real whilst exploring digitally, bringing its turbulent 750-year history to life through interactive learning.

The launch marks the latest addition to Cadw’s world in Minecraft, a pioneering educational initiative that merges Minecraft with Welsh heritage, education and skills.

Since the project’s debut at Conwy Castle in December 2024, the bilingual resources have been downloaded over 7,000 times by educators across Wales.

Flint Castle holds a unique place in British history as the first of King Edward I’s fortresses built during his conquest of Wales in 1277. The castle witnessed pivotal moments including the capture of King Richard II in 1399 – immortalised in Shakespeare’s Richard II – and played a key role in Owain Glyndŵr’s rebellion in 1400.

Through the Minecraft experience, learners aged 8 to 14 can explore the castle’s walls and towers on a virtual tour, follow the new ‘Conflict Trail’ which charts centuries of power struggles between Wales and England, and create their own historical films in specially designed Machinima zones.

Minister for Culture, Jack Sargeant, attended the launch at Flint Castle to see the game play for himself.

He said: “Flint Castle’s story of conquest, rebellion and resilience is perfect for young people to question and explore. In Minecraft, learners don’t just study history, they’re able to step inside and start their own story.

“This innovative project shows how we can inspire the next generation to engage with Welsh history and heritage in new and exciting ways. By bringing Flint Castle into the classroom through Minecraft, we’re helping young people connect with their past whilst developing crucial digital skills for their future.”

The initiative plans to add approximately 20 Cadw-managed heritage locations to the Minecraft world over the next year, with Plas Mawr in Conwy and Blaenavon in Torfaen next in line.

The Flint Castle Minecraft Education world is fully aligned with the Curriculum for Wales and is available in both Welsh and English, with the Welsh version representing the first fully immersive Welsh-language Minecraft resource.

Resources are available to download via Hwb and the Cadw website.