Wales, apart from living up to its nickname “The Land of Song” is also known throughout the world for its dramatic mountain scenery and its once thriving woolen industry. But Wales is also the land of castles – almost 400 of them in various states of repair and dating from different periods in history can be found all over the small country. The most spectacular of the Welsh castles are the castles constructed by King Edward I during the 13th Century – a collection of dramatic and almost impregnable fortresses that are permanent reminders of the days of knights, sieges and heroic bids for independence and power.
It’s hard to believe when you experience the welcome and hospitality of the Welsh people today, that Wales and neighboring England have not always enjoyed so peaceful a relationship. During the turbulent 13th century, Prince Llewellyn of Wales declared independency from England, resulting in successive years of battles and skirmishes between the two countries. After Llewellyn’s death, the English King Edward I spent 20 years building a series of impressive and formidable castles around the North Wales coast to reinforce English rule over Wales. Today, nearly all these castles are still standing – the five greatest and best known being Conway, Caernarvon, Beaumaris, Harlech and Criccieth.
Conway - a Medieval Masterpiece
All of Edward’s castles are worth visiting and all have wonderful settings but the most spectacular is Conway Castle – in my opinion if you only have time to visit one Welsh castle, make it Conway. The castle has a strategic location at the mouth of the wide estuary of the river Conway; and from its battlements you have a panoramic view of the town of Conway and the nearby Snowdonia Mountains. If you drive to Conway or take the train from the nearby seaside resort of Llandudno, just before you cross over the estuary, watch for the stunning view of the castle framed against the nearby mountains.
When Conway castle was designed and built by the premier castle builder of the time – James of St George - it was a masterpiece of engineering. Conway boasted easy access to the open sea, innovative round towers to deflect missiles, and thick inner walls as well as an outer series of defensive walls. Today, over 700 years later many of these features can clearly be seen, and the castle also offers many exhibits depicting the often harsh castle life back in the middle Ages. You can also see a scale model of the castle and the town of Conway in the chapel tower. Look for the distinctive “murder holes” throughout the castle which could be used for dropping boiling oil onto attackers; and the 90 feet deep well set into one of the walls. And if you are observant, you might notice the castle walls – they are not completely vertical, but taper outwards at the base making it easier to spot attackers; another example of clever medieval engineering. Conway Castle was originally whitewashed – it is said that any attackers had to avert their eyes when the sun shone upon the walls.
Like most of Edward’s castles, Conway’s defences also included the town walls which are rather romantically said to resemble a Welsh harp in shape. You can still walk along much of the walls, while traffic roars through the narrow gateways below. Once you have seen the castle, Conway is a lovely town to explore, with its small quayside area, fishing boats, tea rooms and gift shops. The other highlight of a visit to the town of Conway is the smallest house in Great Britain – built into the town walls to supposedly avoid paying taxes. There is nearly always a woman in traditional Welsh costume outside the house inviting you to pose for a photograph with her. The last inhabitant of the house was a fisherman – who at over 6 feet tall was actually taller than the house is wide.
Caernarvon - Influenced by the Mysterious East
Further along the coast, Caernarvon Castle is notable for its unusual eight-sided towers with their distinctive bands of colored stone; the builders were probably influenced by buildings they saw on recent travels to exotic Constantinople (now called Istanbul). Caernarvon was also originally intended to be a seat of power, as well as the ultimate symbol of English superiority; hence its rather majestic appearance.
Caernarvon is best known for being the setting for the investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales in 1969, and there is a small exhibit on the ceremony in one of the towers. You can still see the Royal dais in the upper ward of the castle. There are also small but fascinating exhibitions on famous British battles and the history of weapons, which help make the past come alive.
Despite its somewhat less rugged appearance, Caernarvon castle also had formidable defenses, with walls measuring 20 feet thick, and two gateways defended by strong gatehouses. A rather clever feature at Caernarvon is angled entryways so if intruders ever breached the castle, they could not use their shields effectively as defense.
Harlech and Criccieth
Harlech and Criccieth have settings almost as spectacular as Conway. Both are perched on hilltops above their respective towns – it isn’t difficult as you approach these castles to see that their settings were carefully and strategically chosen. The highlight at Criccieth is the huge twin-towered and massive gatehouse which looms over you as you climb the rather steep hill up to the entrance. Unfortunately, much of the interior of Criccieth is a ruin and not much remains except the shells of various rooms.
Harlech’s setting almost rivals that of Conway, although since its construction, the tide has permanently gone out, leaving Harlech watching over miles of sand dunes and the nearby golf course. The defensive features are as impressive as any other castle – apart from its strategic position on top of the hill, the main entrance was protected by no less than 3 portcullises. Harlech is best known for a song – the rousing march “Men of Harlech” was supposedly written after a siege of the castle by the house of Lancaster during England’s War of the Roses.
Beaumaris - the Symmetrical Masterpiece
Beaumaris castle, on the island of Anglesey was the last of the great castles to be built by Edward I. Some visitors find Beaumaris something of a disappointment as it was built on flat ground and lacks the spectacular setting of Conway or Harlech. What it lacks in grandeur it makes up for in beauty – Beaumaris if seen from the air is almost completely symmetrical with both an inner and outer defensive wall, and in some ways is considered the pinnacle of medieval castle construction. Today swans and ducks glide gracefully around the moat and it is hard to imagine the castle in more warlike times. If you visit Beaumaris, don’t miss the chapel located in Chapel Tower with its stunning vaulted ceiling and distinctive pointed windows.
Most of the castles can easily be explored on your own, or you can usually join a walking tour group. They all have well stocked gift and souvenir shops. If you do plan on visiting more than one castle, consider buying one of the Welsh heritage passes, valid for different lengths of time.
A Real Taste of Castle Life...
Finally, for a real taste of castle life, another of Edward’s castles, Ruthin was the first castle in Wales to come up with the idea of hosting medieval banquets for visitors. Here you are expected to leave your table manners at home as you eat with your fingers from wooden bowls and join in the general merriment and rowdiness accompanied by the resident jesters. It’s an experience not to be missed – Ruthin castle will even allow you to get married on their grounds if you want a unique wedding location.
Today, the Welsh castles still stand watch over this now peaceful part of the United Kingdom as they have done for centuries. Care of Edward’s castles falls under the protection of the Welsh organization Cadw, which means “to keep” in Welsh. They are responsible for conserving and protecting some of the greatest medieval masterpieces in the world – and ensuring they can be appreciated for another 700 years.