by Patrick Boniface

Created on: July 11, 2011   Last Updated: July 12, 2011

If someone was trying to create the perfect medieval castle, perhaps for a movie, then they should look no further than Caernarfon Castle in Wales. It is a magnificent fortress that truly can be said to dominate the whole of the town of Caernarfon.

Built on a rocky outcrop and overlooking the important waterway below it, there has been a castle on the site since the 11th Century when a simple motte and bailey type of castle was first erected. These castles were simply mounds of earth with some wooden barricades, nothing like the mighty edifice we see today at Caernarfon. Even before this the Romans had built a fort called Segontium nearby.

In 1283 the importance of the town was recognised by King Edward 1st of England who ordered that the castle be rebuilt, this time out of stone and the grand defenses were started. At a cost of around £25,000, many billions of pounds in today’s money, the first phase of the castle’s reconstruction was completed in 1330.

Throughout the years that followed the castle was the scene of many battles including being sacked by Madog ap Llywelyn in 1294 and besieged during the Glyndwr Rising of 1400-1415. During the Tudor dynasty castles around Great Britain were allowed to fall into varying amounts of disrepair and Caernarfon was no exception. Despite this, during the English Civil War, the castle was held by the Royalists and was besieged on no fewer than three times by the Parliamentarian forces.

Caernarfon Castle, never again played an active role in war, although some defences were erected on its barricades throughout both World Wars. By the 19th Century, Caernarfon Castle, one again had fallen into disrepair and had money allocated from the State to repair its once mighty edifice. The work was started in the 1870’s with the deputy constable Llewellyn Turner overseeing the huge catalogue of works to be undertaken. The castle’s battlements, steps and roofs were all repaired or replaced. One area of controversy was the clearing of the moat to the north of the castle of all post medieval buildings much to the annoyance of the local residents of the town.  With the work done in 1911 Caernarfon Castle was chosen as the most appropriate site for the investiture of the Prince of Wales. This ceremony would be repeated in 1969 for the current holder of the title, Prince Charles.

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