Caernarfon
- Maximus Nostramabus
- Aug 23, 2019
- 7 min read
Updated: Apr 12
Mediaeval castle of power and the longest toponym - Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd 374
What and Why
Gwynedd is located in the northern part of now Wales, and was a kingdom by itself from the 5th till the 11th century, when it was conquered by England. The Kingdom of Gwynedd, partly a successor state to the Roman Empire (Latin: Imperium Romanum), built a number of fortified castles around the area of Caernarfon and Conwy. These castles are very well constructed and preserved and present themselves as fine and powerful examples of fortress in the Middle Age. They constitute one of the most significant ensembles of mediaeval military architecture in Europe.
These fortifications were built by Edward I (né Edward Plantagenet) after his invasion of North Wales in 1282. They feature extensive use of multi-layered defences, barbicans and substantial gatehouses which garner world-wide acclaim. These fortifications were part of a deliberate strategy to conquer, control, and colonise Wales. Beyond their immediate military purpose, they represent a profound cultural landscape shaped by conflict, political authority, architectural innovation, and identity formation. Sitting along the rugged Welsh coastlines, these structures are not merely defensive works; they were colonial tools designed to house English settlers, intimidate the local populace, and project Edward I's absolute power.
Before Edward I’s campaigns, Wales was a patchwork of principalities, with Gwynedd being the most powerful under rulers such as Llywelyn ap Gruffudd. Welsh resistance to English expansion had always been persistent, reflecting both political independence and a strong cultural identity rooted in language, law, and tradition. Edward I’s conquest of Wales during the late 13th century culminated in the defeat and death of Llywelyn. This marked the end of native Welsh rule and the incorporation of Wales into the English Crown.
Following the conquest, Edward I initiated an ambitious castle-building programme, often referred to as the 'Iron Ring'. The castles in Gwynedd were strategically positioned along the coast and key inland routes, enabling rapid troop deployment both from sea and land and a strong projection of royal authority. These fortifications were not isolated structures but part of an integrated system combining castles, walled towns, and supply networks.
The design and construction of the castles were overseen by James of Saint George (né Jacques de Saint-Georges (French)), a master mason from Savoy (Arpitan: Savouè). His expertise brought continental European influences into British military architecture, resulting in some of the most advanced fortifications of the medieval period. For instance he introduced the defining feature of the use of multi-layered wall and tower systems arranged to provide overlapping fields of fire to these castles. This design significantly enhanced defensive capability by ensuring that attackers would face successive lines of resistance.
Other key elements include the installation of massive curtain walls, round or polygonal towers to improve visibility. One of the most important ones would be the use of gatehouses functioning as heavily fortified choke points, which was absent from previous British castles.
While these castles are now celebrated for their architectural brilliance, they remain symbols of a complex history. They were built at a staggering cost, nearly GBP £80,000, which would make an equivalence of £100 million nowadays! This cost created a deep source of resentment and obviously oppression for the Welsh people for centuries. To deepen the wound and sense of conquer, each of these castles was paired with a walled bastide (Occitan: bastidas) town, a fortified settlement only reserved for English merchants. The Welsh people were forbidden from living inside these walls or trading within them without a permit, creating an apartheid atmosphere. Today, they stand as peaceful monuments, preserved not just as military relics, but as masterpieces of human construction.
Toponymy
There is no agreed etymological meaning of Gwynedd and it is generally accepted that it means 'a collection of tribes' in Old Celt. Caernarfon derives its name its Welsh form 'y gaer yn Arfon', meaning 'the stronghold in the land over against Môn': Môn is the Welsh name for Anglesey. Caernarfon is now anglicised to Carnarvon.
See
Caernarfon Castle
The Caernarfon Castle was a motte-and-bailey castle in the town of Caernarfon from the late 11th century until late 13th century when Edward I of England began replacing it with the current stone structure, under the supervision of Saint George. The castle was besieged and survived at least two independent revolt: the Madog ap Llywelyn in the late 13th century and the last Welsh independence movement Glyndŵr Rising in the early 15th century.
If the so-called Iron Ring had a capital, it would have been Caernarfon and its castle. Unlike the other castles, Caernarfon was designed with a specific symbolic weight, intended to mirror the walls of Constantinople (Greek: Κωνσταντινούπολις, Konstantinoupolis). These include the use of many polygonal towers instead of traditional cylindrical ones, due to the inspiration from Byzantine architecture. Equally the limestones are interspersed with bands of different coloured stone, a direct reference to the Constantinople, linking Edward I’s reign to the glory of the Roman Empire.
In 1911, Caernarfon was first used for the investiture of the Prince of Wales when Prince Edward, later Edward VIII (né Edward Windsor), eldest son of the newly crowned King George V (né George Windsor); and in 1969, the precedence was repeated with the investiture of then Prince Charles (né Charles Mountbatten-Windsor), now King. It is now a fine museum and perhaps a better place for hide-and-seek as the castle is itself a joy to explore around. The entire castle is inter-connected and some of the towers have very steep stairways.
Caernarfon Castle's design was partly influenced by a desire to symbolise the new English rule in Wales, and hence strength and fortitude is the theme of the architecture. There are altogether ten towers around the castle surrounding the inner bailey, with the Eagle Tower being the tallest.
The view below is from the Eagle Tower. This massive three-turreted tower served as the residence for the King’s representative and was topped with stone eagles to signify imperial status.
Part of the castle museum collection includes artefacts collected during the imperialism period of the British Empire. My Iraqi friend in front of the flag that shows his country being conquered during the British imperial period.
Conwy Castle
Conwy Castle was also built by Edward I, during his conquest of Wales, during the late 13th century. Conwy is around 30 km away from Caernarfon.
Conwy is often cited as the most aesthetically perfect of Edward’s castles. Built in an incredibly short span of five years between 1283 and 1287, it sits atop a coastal ridge, overlooking the Conwy estuary.
Saint George was again the chief designer of Conwy and it features itself as a linear fortress. Due to the narrow rock outcrop, the castle is rectangular rather than round. There are eight almost identical massive imposing towers, these towers create a silhouette that has defined the Welsh landscape for over 700 years. While the castle appears quite ruinous, Conwy still contains some of the best-preserved mediaeval royal chambers in the United Kingdom, offering a glimpse into the domestic life of a campaigning king.
Similar to Caenarfon, Conwy boasts another apartheid bastide and is the most complete set of ramparts in Europe. You can still walk the entire circuit, crossing 21 towers and three original gateways, providing unparalleled views of both the mediaeval town and the surrounding Snowdonia (Eyri) National Park mountains.
It is often considered that Conwy to be one of the finest examples of Middle Ages military architecture in Europe. It is also one of the best preserved.
Other than Caenarfon and Conwy, two other castles are grouped under this WHS: Harlech Castle, which occupies a dramatic coastal cliff, combines natural and artificial defences with an emphasis of maritime logistics.
The other is the Beaumaris Castle, which is often considered the most technically perfect example of multi-layer design, though it was never fully completed. Its symmetry and precision reflect the culmination of know-hows of Edwardian military architecture. Unfortunately they are located even further and we did not have time to explore them during this visit.
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
The longest station name and I bet no 'normal' person would be able to pronounce this in one breath, Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch means what the picture spells out in Welsh and is the second longest place in the world. The above station name also gives the meaning of this outrageous town name. The pronunciation is best nailed by this weather presenter in this clip. The town is around 10 km away from Gwynedd and other than this name, this little town is very uninteresting and I bet the only reason why people come to this station is to read this name, including myself.
The 'honour' of the first is the 85-letter Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu in Māori language in New Zealand (Maori: Aotearoa).
Experience, Buy and Do
Caernarfon is probably the best place to see, hear and speak the Welsh language. Over 80% of the population speak Welsh, and it is practised commonly amongst the locals.
Travel Suggestions and Logistics
The A55 road from Chester to Caernarfon is a very scenic drive. The two castles will give you a full-day of mediaeval fantasy. The area is also served by the National Rail. If one plans on visiting at least three of these, purchase a Cadw Explorer Pass. It covers entry to all four and many other Welsh heritage sites.
UNESCO Inscription
The castles of Beaumaris and Harlech (largely the work of the greatest military engineer of the time, James of St George) and the fortified complexes of Caernarfon and Conwy are located in the former principality of Gwynedd, in north Wales. These extremely well-preserved monuments are examples of the colonization and defence works carried out throughout the reign of Edward I (1272–1307) and the military architecture of the time.
References
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Please share your thoughts and comments about the blog. If you need suggestions to build a travel itinerary, please let me know. More than willing to help. I would also like to build a bespoke-in-depth travel community around UNESCO WHS and ICH.
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