Conwy Castle and the walls that surround its little town form one of the most spectacular medieval ensembles in Europe. On the coast of north Wales, at the mouth of the River Conwy, Edward I had a fortress with eight great towers and a walled town for English settlers built in just four years, between 1283 and 1287. Today the castle, the walls more than a kilometre long and the small harbour are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, together with the castles of Harlech, Caernarfon and Beaumaris.
History
After conquering Wales, Edward I chose Conwy, home to an abbey dear to the Welsh princes, to build one of the pillars of his rule. The project was entrusted to Master James of St George, the Savoyard architect who also designed Harlech Castle. Thousands of labourers, masons and carpenters worked non-stop: the castle and walls were completed in record time. The abbey was moved further upriver, and the new town was settled by English colonists.
In 1399 King Richard II took refuge at Conwy before being captured and deposed. In 1401, on Good Friday, two cousins of Owain Glyndŵr slipped into the castle disguised as carpenters and held it for several months. During the Civil War Conwy was a Royalist stronghold; it was then abandoned and left to ruin, but its structure has remained remarkably complete.
- 1283Edward I begins building the castle and walls
- 1287The castle is completed
- 1399Richard II takes refuge at Conwy before his capture
- 1401Supporters of Owain Glyndŵr seize the castle
- 1826Thomas Telford builds the suspension bridge
- 1986The castle and walls become a UNESCO World Heritage Site
What to see
The castle
The castle has an elongated plan, adapted to the rocky spur on which it stands, with eight round towers and two barbicans. You visit the outer ward with the great hall, kitchens and prison, and the inner ward with the royal apartments, the best preserved in medieval Wales, where the king and queen stayed. Climbing to the top of the towers you get an outstanding view over the estuary, the mountains of Eryri and the rooftops of the town.
The walls
The town walls, about 1.3 kilometres long, with 21 towers and three original gateways, are among the most complete in Europe. You can walk along much of their circuit, passing above the gardens and streets of the town: from the highest point the view of the castle is superb.
The town and the harbour
Inside the walls you can visit Plas Mawr, one of the best-preserved Elizabethan town houses in Britain, with decorated and coloured plaster ceilings. On the quay stands the smallest house in Great Britain, less than two metres wide and painted red. Next to the castle, Thomas Telford's 1826 suspension bridge, now pedestrian, and Robert Stephenson's tubular railway bridge cross the river.
Practical information
The castle is managed by Cadw and open all year, with shorter hours in winter. The tower stairs are narrow and steep. Access to the walls is free. Opening times and prices are published on the Cadw website.
Getting there
- By train: Conwy station is inside the walls, on the north Wales coast line; many trains stop at Llandudno Junction, 15 minutes' walk away.
- By car: along the A55; car parks outside the walls.
- By air: Liverpool and Manchester airports are about an hour and a half away.
Nearby
- Llandudno, an elegant Victorian seaside resort with the Great Orme headland.
- Caernarfon Castle and Eryri National Park.
- Bodnant Garden, owned by the National Trust. See also Wales and the history of Wales.
Tips
- How long: a couple of hours for the castle, half a day with the walls, Plas Mawr and the harbour.
- When to go: all year round; in summer the harbour is livelier.
- A tip: walk the walls in the late afternoon, when the golden light falls on the castle towers.