medieval fortress north west wales cared historic environment service bailey castle town late 11th century king edward england began replacing current stone structure town castle acted administrative centre north wales result defences built grand scale deliberate link past roman fort nearby castle construction town walls built work cost start end work despite external appearance complete interior buildings longer survive building plans finished town castle sacked led rebellion english recaptured following year rising castle besieged tudor dynasty ascended english throne tensions welsh english began diminish castles considered important result allowed fall state disrepair despite dilapidated condition english civil war castle held besieged times forces time castle war neglected 19th century state funded repairs king edward background fortifications built romans fort named outskirts modern town fort sat near bank likely fort positioned sheltered nature traffic able supply derives roman fortifications welsh place called meaning stronghold land welsh known fate associated civilian settlement romans departed britain early 5th century early castle following england william turned attention wales according charge northern wales killed welsh cousin earl chester hugh norman control north wales building castles unknown location early castle peninsula bounded bailey defended timber banks mound integrated later castle location original bailey uncertain north east excavations revealed traces medieval occupation suggesting evidence removed likely wooden tower known welsh recaptured came possession welsh princes contemporary documents written castle known later occasionally stayed castle war broke england wales march welsh leader died later year december brother continued fight english edward victorious edward marched northern wales capturing castles establishing war finally drew close castle captured shortly edward began building castles castles impressive time wales construction castles country helped establish english rule master mason responsible design construction castle probably experienced architect military engineer played important role building castles wales according construction castle planned town body roman emperor discovered ordered local church construction new stone castle programme building transformed town walls added connected castle new built earliest reference building dates june ditch dug separating site castle town north type created site protect permanent defences construction timber shipped far away liverpool stone nearby places town force hundreds worked excavation moat digging foundations castle site expanded began town houses cleared allow construction residents paid compensation years later foundations stone walls created timber framed apartments built edward eleanor queen arrived july stayed month construction castle continued winter extent completion uncertain architectural historian speculated edward eleanor visited easter eagle tower complete statute enacted march borough administrative centre county according tradition born april edward created prince wales control wales title traditionally held eldest son monarch according famous legend king promised welsh prince born wales speak word english produced infant son surprise story traced 16th century defended garrison men thirty strong garrisons peace time castles guard men defended people importance town walls complete time work continued castle spending construction accounts end edward campaign castle building wales cost spent construction castle southern facade town walls southern wall town walls completed defensive circuit plan build castle northern facade wales broke rebellion led prince wales centre administration symbol english power targeted welsh forces captured town september process heavily damaged town walls castle defended ditch temporary quickly taken set fire leaving destruction wake summer english moved retake november year english began town rebuilding town walls high priority nearly half sum initially spent walls spent completing job months ahead schedule attention shifted castle finishing work halted rebellion edward began building castle work overseen result walter took master mason new phase construction end spent work focus work northern wall towers accounts november september missing possibly hiatus work labour moved north help england war scotland records left october remained occupied scottish wars autumn building resumed walter died immediate subordinate took position master mason construction continued steady rate accounts end spent castle town walls sum enormous spending castles dover expensive impressive fortifications later 12th early 13th centuries subsequent additions major remains castle substantially period despite expense planned castle carried entrance town queen gate entrance south east left unfinished foundations castle interior mark buildings stood work continued later history centuries conquest wales arrangements established edward governance country remained place time castle constantly garrisoned effectively capital north wales degree discrimination important administrative jobs wales usually closed welsh people tension welsh english start 15th century outbreak revolt targets army town castle besieged november year took place nearby defenders besieging force besieged welsh troops support french forces garrison time thirty ascension tudor dynasty english throne heralded change way wales administered welsh origin rule eased hostilities welsh english result castles provided secure centres country administered important neglected reported castles wales case walls town castle remained good condition features required maintenance roofs state decay timber rotten conditions poor castles seven towers roofs domestic buildings inside castle stripped valuable glass iron despite disrepair domestic buildings castle defences good state english civil war century garrisoned besieged times war constable 1st baron surrendered forces time saw fighting ordered castle town walls dismantled work aborted early started despite avoiding castle neglected late 19th century 1870s onwards government funded repairs deputy constable oversaw work cases restoring rebuilding castle simply existing stonework steps roofs repaired moat north castle cleared post medieval buildings considered view despite protest locals auspices successors castle preserved historic significance time later eldest son newly crowned king george ceremony held insistence chancellor raised precedent repeated charles prince wales property crown built currently cared english historic environment division responsible maintenance care wales historic buildings added list castles king edward recognition global importance help conserve protect site castle houses new entrance pavilion built designed architects architecture design partly influenced desire structure impressive symbol new english rule wales particularly acute centre government northern country castle layout dictated lay land inclusion previous castle played narrow enclosure roughly shape figure divided upper lower east west respectively eastern containing royal accommodation completed divide supposed established range fortified buildings built curtain wall towers flanking fire deployed tops walls towers southern face firing galleries intended include galleries northern face built opinion military historian combined formidable concentrations fire power found middle ages northern towers stand storeys including western corner castle turrets statues eagles tower contained grand probably built sir wales basement level contained water gate visitors travelling enter castle water drawn eponymous tower appearance differs castles use banded coloured stone walls round towers extensive academic debate interpretation features argued design castle representation walls constantinople conscious use imagery byzantine assertion authority edward influenced legendary dream roman emperor dream seen fort man saw city mouth river mountainous country opposite island edward interpreted mean city dream drew imperial link building recent work historian suggests design assertion edward authority drew imagery roman sites britain intent creating allusion legitimacy king main entrances leading town allowing direct access castle having proceed town queen gate form typical time passage flanking towers completed visitor crossed passed doors negotiated right angle turn emerging lower enclosure route overlooked numerous arrow loops murder holes statue erected niche overlooking town entrance opinion architectural historian building britain demonstrates immense strength medieval fortifications great twin gateway queen gate unusual entrance ground level integration earlier raising ground level interior externally gate approached stone ramp longer present curtain wall towers survive largely intact remains buildings contained castle foundations royal upper ward lower contained buildings located immediately west basis foundations taylor suggests strongly built key feature castle domestic great hall south lower ward metres foundations survive great hall impressive building featuring fine architecture host royal entertainment completed intended able contain royal household people
Caernarfon Castle