Caernarfon Castle, in north Wales, is the most imposing of the fortresses built by Edward I of England after his conquest of the country. With its polygonal towers and walls banded with stone of different colours, it overlooks the estuary of the River Seiont and the Menai Strait. The first English Prince of Wales was born here, and here in 1969 the present King Charles III was invested. Together with Beaumaris, Conwy and Harlech castles it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986.
History
In 1282 Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last prince of independent Wales, was killed in battle, and Edward I completed the conquest. To assert his rule, in 1283 the king began building a ring of castles, entrusted to the Savoyard architect Master James of St George. Caernarfon was to be the capital of the new government: that is why it was built with special grandeur, inspired by the walls of Constantinople and by the Roman past of the site, where the fort of Segontium had stood. In 1284 the king's son, Edward, was born in the castle; in 1301 he received the title of Prince of Wales, which has been given to the heir to the throne ever since.
In 1294 the Welsh, led by Madog ap Llywelyn, rebelled and damaged the castle, which was then retaken and rebuilt. Work continued until around 1330, but the castle was never finished. In the 20th century it became the venue for the investiture of the Princes of Wales: in 1911 that of the future Edward VIII, in 1969 that of Prince Charles. For the history of this period see the history of Wales.
- 1283Edward I begins building the castle
- 1284The future Edward II is born in the castle
- 1294Madog ap Llywelyn's rebels damage the castle
- c. 1330Work stops, leaving the castle unfinished
- 1969Investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales
- 1986The castle becomes a UNESCO World Heritage Site
What to see
The towers and walls
The castle is shaped like an hourglass, with two wards and a series of polygonal towers linked by wall-walks. The grandest is the Eagle Tower, with three turrets once topped by stone eagles: from the top you can see the town, the Menai Strait and the mountains of Snowdonia. The banded walls, with alternating pale and dark stone, recall those of Constantinople, and the main entrance, the King's Gate, was defended by doors, portcullises and arrow slits.
The exhibitions
The towers house exhibitions on the history of the castle, the Princes of Wales and the 1969 investiture, with the slate dais used in the ceremony. One of the towers is home to the museum of the Royal Welch Fusiliers, with uniforms, medals and mementoes of three centuries of military history.
The town and its walls
The castle was part of a fortified town: the town walls, with eight towers and two gates, still enclose the narrow streets of the centre. On the waterfront and in Castle Square you feel the atmosphere of a small town where Welsh is the everyday language.
Practical information
The castle is open all year round and is cared for by Cadw, the Welsh historic environment service. There are many narrow, steep staircases. Opening times and prices are on the Cadw website.
Getting there
- By train and bus: by train to Bangor, then a bus to Caernarfon in about 25 minutes.
- By steam train: the Welsh Highland Railway links Porthmadog to Caernarfon through Snowdonia.
- By air: Liverpool and Manchester airports are about two hours away.
Nearby
- Beaumaris Castle, on the Isle of Anglesey, and Conwy Castle.
- Harlech Castle and the village of Portmeirion.
- Snowdonia National Park (Eryri) and the railway to the summit of Snowdon.
Tips
- How long: two hours for the castle, half a day with the town.
- When to go: April to October.
- A tip: for the finest photo, cross the swing bridge over the Seiont and look at the castle from the opposite bank, with the harbour in the foreground.