12771277–1330 · Gwynedd, north Wales
Edward I's castles and the conquest of Wales
The death of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in 1282 ended native Welsh rule, and Edward I held Gwynedd with a ring of castles and walled English towns, most designed by Master James of St George. Conwy, Caernarfon and Harlech rose from 1283 and Beaumaris from 1295; Welsh people were barred from living inside the new boroughs. Edward's son, born at Caernarfon, became the first English Prince of Wales.
Sites
- Site 1: Caernarfon CastlePolygonal towers and banded stone built to echo Constantinople's walls.Map ↗
- Site 2: Conwy Castle and town wallsEight-towered castle and an almost complete circuit of town walls.Map ↗
- Site 3: Harlech CastleConcentric castle on a crag above the dunes of Tremadog Bay.Map ↗
- Site 4: Beaumaris CastleSymmetrical moated castle on Anglesey, left unfinished.Map ↗
Guides who take you there
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Also in North Wales: Conwy, Caernarfon and Snowdonia
More from the Medieval
Read more: reference. Summary written by History-Tours.com.