Things people “know” about Welsh castles

Myth The Welsh never built castles.

Fact But the Welsh were castle builders too, defending their land from each other and from invasion, and protecting important routes. Cadw booklet: The Castles of the Lords and Princes of Wales (PDF) Cadw calls Llywelyn ap Iorwerth the most active castle builder among the Welsh princes. Cadw booklet: The Castles of the Lords and Princes of Wales (PDF)

Myth Every castle in Wales was built by Edward I.

Fact Most castles in Wales were built by the kings of England or the Anglo-Norman lords of the March, the borderland between England and Wales. Cadw booklet: The Castles of the Lords and Princes of Wales (PDF) With the remains of up to 500 earthwork and stone castles, Cadw calls Wales truly “a land of castles”. Cadw booklet: The Castles of the Lords and Princes of Wales (PDF)

Myth Welsh princes always lived in castles.

Fact Early Welsh princes preferred moving between undefended courts (llysoedd) spread across their lands. Cadw: More about Castell Dolwyddelan Not until the 13th century did Welsh princes build stone castles as mighty as those of the Marcher lords. Cadw: More about Castell Dolwyddelan

Myth Castles were always grey stone.

Fact Traces of lime render show that Conwy Castle was originally white. Cadw: More about Castell Conwy

Myth Welsh castles were copies of English ones.

Fact Unlike the geometric English fortresses, Welsh castles tend to be irregular, made to fit their rocky settings. Cadw: More about Castell Dolwyddelan Welsh castles had lower walls, and characteristic D-shaped (not round) towers that were the real strongholds. Cadw: More about Castell Dolwyddelan

Myth Edward I lived in his Welsh castles.

Fact 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

Myth Big castles always took decades to build.

Fact Conwy’s castle and town walls were built in about four years, between 1283 and 1287. Cadw: Castell Conwy Harlech was finished from ground to battlements in just seven years. Cadw: Castell Harlech

Myth Beaumaris was finished.

Fact Lack of money and trouble in Scotland meant work petered out by the 1320s, leaving it unfinished. Cadw: Beaumaris Castle

Myth There was no prince of Wales before the English one.

Fact In 1267 Henry III formally recognised Llywelyn ap Gruffudd as prince of Wales in the Treaty of Montgomery. Cadw booklet: The Castles of the Lords and Princes of Wales (PDF) Edward of Caernarfon, born at Caernarfon on 25 April 1284, was the very first English Prince of Wales. Cadw: More about Castell Caernarfon

Myth Every source agrees on the dates.

Fact Cadw’s Dolbadarn page says it was most likely built by Llywelyn the Great in the late 12th or early 13th century. Cadw: Castell Dolbadarn Cadw’s booklet says it was probably built in the last decades before his death in 1240. Cadw booklet: The Castles of the Lords and Princes of Wales (PDF)