Castles of the princes and the king
Fifteen castles, each with what Cadw says about it.
Jump to: Edward I’s castles | Castles of the Welsh princes | A Marcher lord’s castle
Edward I’s castles
Caernarfon
Cadw says Caernarfon is recognised around the world as one of the greatest buildings of the Middle Ages. Cadw: Castell Caernarfon Castle, town walls and quay were built at the same time; the project took 47 years and cost £25,000. Cadw: Castell Caernarfon
Its many-sided towers, eagle statues and multi-coloured stonework echoed imperial Roman architecture, especially the walls of Constantinople. Cadw: Castell Caernarfon The Eagle Tower has three great turrets and walls 18 feet thick. Cadw: More about Castell Caernarfon
Edward of Caernarfon, born at Caernarfon on 25 April 1284, was the very first English Prince of Wales. Cadw: More about Castell Caernarfon Caernarfon hosted the investiture of Prince Edward in 1911 and of Prince Charles in 1969. Cadw: More about Castell Caernarfon
Conwy
Conwy’s castle and town walls were built in about four years, between 1283 and 1287. Cadw: Castell Conwy Conwy is still ringed by an unbroken 1.3km (1,400-yard) circuit of town walls. Cadw: Castell Conwy
Conwy has a high curtain wall and eight lofty towers. Cadw: Castell Conwy It has the most intact set of medieval royal apartments in Wales. Cadw: Castell Conwy
Traces of lime render show that Conwy Castle was originally white. Cadw: More about Castell Conwy Edward I spent £15,000 on Conwy but stayed only once: trapped by the rising of 1294, he spent Christmas there with one barrel of wine. Cadw: More about Castell Conwy
Harlech
Harlech was finished from ground to battlements in just seven years. Cadw: Castell Harlech James of St George was also constable of Harlech from 1290 to 1293. UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd
When cut off by the rising of Madog ap Llewelyn, Harlech was supplied by ship up the “Way from the Sea”, a path of 108 steps. Cadw: Castell Harlech Owain Glyndŵr took Harlech in 1404 and made it his main residence and court. Cadw: More about Castell Harlech
Harlech was the last royalist stronghold to fall in the Civil War, surrendering in 1647. Cadw: More about Castell Harlech Cadw says Harlech, with its many sieges, inspired the rousing song “Men of Harlech”, a tale of heroism against overwhelming odds. Cadw: More about Castell Harlech
Beaumaris
Beaumaris was the last royal castle Edward I built in Wales. Cadw: Beaumaris Castle Its name comes from “beau mareys”, beautiful marsh, beside the Menai Strait. Cadw: Beaumaris Castle
It has four rings of defences, a water-filled moat with its own dock, and 300 arrow loops in the outer walls. Cadw: Beaumaris Castle Lack of money and trouble in Scotland meant work petered out by the 1320s, leaving it unfinished. Cadw: Beaumaris Castle
By 1305 Beaumaris had 132 “burgages” or properties, the biggest borough in north Wales. Cadw: More about Beaumaris Castle
Rhuddlan
Rhuddlan, begun in 1277, was the first of James of St George’s concentric castles. Cadw: Castell Rhuddlan Hundreds of ditch-diggers deepened and moved the River Clwyd so ships could reach Rhuddlan. Cadw: Castell Rhuddlan
Rhuddlan was completed in 1282 at a cost of £9,613. Cadw: More about Castell Rhuddlan After Llywelyn the Last’s death, Edward I laid down the law in Wales with the Statute of Rhuddlan, creating the shires of Flint, Caernarfon, Anglesey, Merioneth, Cardigan and Carmarthen. Cadw: More about Castell Rhuddlan
Castles of the Welsh princes
Dolwyddelan
One of a group of fortresses built to command the mountain passes of Eryri (Snowdonia), Dolwyddelan is a lasting memorial to Llywelyn the Great. Cadw: Castell Dolwyddelan Tradition says Dolwyddelan was Llywelyn ap Iorwerth’s birthplace. Cadw booklet: The Castles of the Lords and Princes of Wales (PDF)
Llywelyn’s castle had a two-storey rectangular keep, with the main chamber above an unlit basement. Cadw booklet: The Castles of the Lords and Princes of Wales (PDF) In the 19th century Lord Willoughby de Eresby added medieval-style battlements to the keep. Cadw: Castell Dolwyddelan
Edward I took Dolwyddelan in 1283; the garrison was given white tunics for winter warfare in the mountains. Cadw: Castell Dolwyddelan
Dolbadarn
Dolbadarn’s round tower stands 15.2m (50ft) high above Llyn Padarn. Cadw: Castell Dolbadarn Cadw calls Dolbadarn the finest surviving example of a Welsh round tower. Cadw booklet: The Castles of the Lords and Princes of Wales (PDF)
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd is said to have kept his brother Owain prisoner there for two decades. Cadw booklet: The Castles of the Lords and Princes of Wales (PDF) Its curtain walls are made of unmortared slate slabs. Cadw: Castell Dolbadarn
Criccieth
Criccieth’s great gatehouse, with D-shaped towers, was built by Llywelyn the Great; his grandson added the outer ward. Cadw: Castell Cricieth After Edward I took it, the north tower was fitted with a stone-throwing machine. Cadw: Castell Cricieth
Around 1359 Sir Hywel y Fwyall (Hywel of the Axe) became Criccieth’s first Welsh constable. Cadw booklet: The Castles of the Lords and Princes of Wales (PDF) In 1404 Owain Glyndŵr’s forces burnt the towers red. Cadw: Castell Cricieth
J. M. W. Turner painted Criccieth when it was already a ruin. Cadw: Castell Cricieth
Castell y Bere
Castell y Bere was begun by Llywelyn the Great in 1221 and stayed in use until 1294. Cadw: Castell y Bere Llywelyn took the site from his own son Gruffudd in 1221 to build the castle. Cadw: More about Castell y Bere
Its entrance, with two gate-towers each with a drawbridge, was very advanced for its time, even by English standards. Cadw: More about Castell y Bere It guarded Llywelyn’s cattle range: in medieval Wales cattle were as good as money. Cadw: More about Castell y Bere
Ewloe
At Ewloe, the evidence now seems to favour Llywelyn ap Iorwerth as the first builder. Cadw booklet: The Castles of the Lords and Princes of Wales (PDF)
Castell Dinas Brân
Castell Dinas Brân above Llangollen was built by Madog ap Llywelyn of Powys Fadog, probably in the 1260s. Cadw booklet: The Castles of the Lords and Princes of Wales (PDF)
Caergwrle
Caergwrle, built 1278–83 by Dafydd ap Gruffudd, was the last castle built by a native Welsh prince. Cadw booklet: The Castles of the Lords and Princes of Wales (PDF)
Dolforwyn
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd began Dolforwyn in 1273, to rival the royal castle at Montgomery 4 miles away. Cadw booklet: The Castles of the Lords and Princes of Wales (PDF)
Dryslwyn
Dryslwyn became one of the largest stone castles ever raised by the native Welsh lords. Cadw booklet: The Castles of the Lords and Princes of Wales (PDF)
A Marcher lord’s castle
Caerphilly
Gilbert de Clare began Caerphilly in 1268, fearing Llywelyn ap Gruffudd; it is the biggest castle in Wales. Cadw: Caerphilly Castle With its water defences it covers 30 acres, second only to Windsor in Britain. Cadw: Caerphilly Castle
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd twice tried to knock it down before it was finished. Cadw: Caerphilly Castle Its leaning south-east tower leans more than the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Cadw: Caerphilly Castle
The fourth Marquess of Bute restored the castle from 1928; half of what you see today is down to him. Cadw: More about Caerphilly Castle
Cadw’s pages and booklet give different dates for some of these castles. More on when sources disagree.
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