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The Grade I Listed Conwy Castle built between 1283 and 1289 during King Edward I's second campaign in Wales. In Conwy, Conwy County, North Wales.
It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and managed by Cadw. It is also part of the World Heritage Site entitled Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd. The Castle was built along with the Town Walls at the combined cost of £15,000, (approximately £7.6 million in today's money).
Before the English construction of the town of Conwy, the site was occupied by Aberconwy Abbey, a Cistercian monastery favoured by the Welsh princes. The site also controlled an important crossing point over the river Conwy between the coastal and inland areas of North Wales and was defended for many years by Deganwy Castle. The English kings and Welsh princes had vied for control of the region since the 1070s and the conflict had been renewed during the 13th century, leading to Edward I intervening in North Wales for the second time during his reign in 1282.
Edward invaded with a huge army, pushing north from Carmarthen and westwards from Montgomery and Chester. Edward captured Aberconwy in March 1283 and decided that the location would form the centre of a new county: the abbey would be relocated eight miles inland and a new English castle and walled town would be built on the monastery's former site. The ruined castle of Deganwy was abandoned and never rebuilt. Edward's plan was a colonial enterprise and placing the new town and walls on top of such a high-status native Welsh site was in part a symbolic act to demonstrate English power.
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Llangollen takes its name from Saint Collen a 6th century monk who founded a church beside the river there. St Collen is said to have arrived in Llangollen by coracle. As there are no other churches in Wales dedicated to St. Collen, it is possible that this St. Collen may also have connections in both Colan, Cornwall and Langolen, Brittany.
Standing high above the town to the north is Castell Dinas Bran, the former stronghold of the Princes of Powys. Beyond the castle is the limestone escarpment known as the Eglwyseg Rocks. The outcrop continues north to the area known as World's End. The area nearest to the castle is the Panorama Walk, and a monument to local poet I.D. Hooson can be found there.
Valle Crucis Abbey was established in nearby Llangwestl in about 1201, under the patronage of Madog ap Gruffydd Maelor of Castell Dinas Brân.
The bridge at Llangollen was built in about 1345 by John Trevor, of nearby Trevor Hall, who later became Bishop of St Asaph. It was extended to cross the railway when this was built in the 1860s and was widened in the early 1960s. The upstream side has new masonry which blends in with the older structure.
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All my photos and images are copyrighted to me although you are welcome to use them for non commercial purposes as long as you give credit to myself.
Many thanks for looking at my photographs it is much appreciated.
Caernarfon Castle, North Wales. UK
While the castle was under construction, town walls were built around Caernarfon. The work cost between £20,000 and £25,000 from the start until the end of work in 1330. Despite Caernarfon Castle's external appearance of being mostly complete, the interior buildings no longer survive and many of the building plans were never finished. The town and castle were sacked in 1294 when Madog ap Llywelyn led a rebellion against the English. Caernarfon was recaptured the following year. During the Glyndŵr Rising of 1400–1415, the castle was besieged. When the Tudor dynasty ascended to the English throne in 1485, tensions between the Welsh and English began to diminish and castles were considered less important. As a result, Caernarfon Castle was allowed to fall into a state of disrepair. Despite its dilapidated condition, during the English Civil War Caernarfon Castle was held by Royalists, and was besieged three times by Parliamentarian forces. This was the last time the castle was used in war. Caernarfon Castle was neglected until the 19th century when the state funded repairs. In 1911, Caernarfon Castle was used for the investiture of the Prince of Wales, and again in 1969. It is part of the World Heritage Site "Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd".
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Caerphilly Castle is one of the great medieval castles of western Europe. Several factors give it this claim to fame - its immense size (30 acres / 12 hectares, making it the largest in Britain after Windsor), its large-scale use of water for defence and the fact that it is the first truly concentric castle in Britain.
Of the time of its building in the late 13th century, it was a revolutionary masterpiece of military planning
The castle saw extensive fighting soon after its completion. It was attacked during the Madog ap Llywelyn revolt of 1294, the Llywelyn Bren uprising in 1316 and during the overthrow of Edward II in 1326–27.
In the late 15th century, however, it fell into decline and by the 16th century the lakes had drained away and the walls were robbed of their stone. The Marquesses of Bute acquired the property in 1776 and under the third and fourth Marquesses extensive restoration took place.
In 1950 the castle and grounds were given to the state and the water defences were re-flooded. In the 21st century, the Welsh heritage agency Cadw manages the site as a tourist attraction. The long-running British television show Doctor Who chose Caerphilly Castle as a filming location for several episodes, including "The End of Time" in 2009, "The Vampires in Venice" in 2010, two parter "The Rebel Flesh" and "The Almost People" in 2011; "Robot of Sherwood" in 2014 and "Heaven Sent" in 2015
Llangollen takes its name from Saint Collen a 6th century monk who founded a church beside the river there. St Collen is said to have arrived in Llangollen by coracle. As there are no other churches in Wales dedicated to St. Collen, it is possible that this St. Collen may also have connections in both Colan, Cornwall and Langolen, Brittany.
Standing high above the town to the north is Castell Dinas Bran, the former stronghold of the Princes of Powys. Beyond the castle is the limestone escarpment known as the Eglwyseg Rocks. The outcrop continues north to the area known as World's End. The area nearest to the castle is the Panorama Walk, and a monument to local poet I.D. Hooson can be found there.
Valle Crucis Abbey was established in nearby Llangwestl in about 1201, under the patronage of Madog ap Gruffydd Maelor of Castell Dinas Brân.
The bridge at Llangollen was built in about 1345 by John Trevor, of nearby Trevor Hall, who later became Bishop of St Asaph. It was extended to cross the railway when this was built in the 1860s and was widened in the early 1960s. The upstream side has new masonry which blends in with the older structure.
All my photos and images are copyrighted to me although you are welcome to use them for non commercial purposes as long as you give credit to myself.
Thank you for looking at my photographs and for any comments it is much appreciated.
In a steep-sided valley north of Llangollen lies one of the most attractive historic sites in Wales; the ruins of the medieval Cistercian Abbey of Valle Crucis founded by twelve monks who arrived in 1201.
The Cistercians tended to seek out remote locations for their Abbey’s, far from the temptations of civilisation, and Valle Crucis must have seemed an idyllic location to them. The patron of Valle Crucis was Madog ap Gruffudd Maelor, King Powys Fadog, and the monks came from Strata Marcella, outside Welshpool. Valle Crucis was the last Cistercian monastery to be founded in Wales.
In the early 14th century the Abbey Church was enlarged and a wonderful western gable with a rose window added under the rule of Abbot Adam. The number of monks fell in the 14th century, possibly due to the devastating effects of the Black Death. In the early 15th century Valle Crucis suffered again during Owain Glyndwr's rebellion. Once more the monks rebuilt, and created the wonderful chapter house with its vaulted ceiling that is one of the real highlights of the Abbey.
Prosperity increased during the late 15th century and the Abbey became known for its hospitality. The Abbot's rooms are some of the most interesting chambers in the Abbey today, featuring a nicely carved fireplace. The dormitory now houses a display of medieval sculptured grave slabs.
The end came in 1537 when Valle Crucis was dissolved by Henry VIII. Henry leased the site to Sir William Puckering, and the east range was used as a private dwelling. After Elizabeth I granted the lease to Baron Wotton in 1583 the monastic buildings were converted to serve as a Manor House, but in the late 18th century they were once more converted to use as a farmhouse.
Much of the Abbey Church is now in ruins, but the wonderful west front is well-preserved, with its striking rose window.
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© Jim Roberts JR's Gallery
Thank you for looking at my photographs and for any comments it is much appreciated.
All my photos and images are copyrighted to me although you are welcome to use them for non commercial purposes as long as you give credit to myself.
In anchor off Porthdinllaen,with Pistyll village in the distance.
Research Vessel Prince Madog
State-of-the-art, purpose built research vessel commissioned by Bangor University using a £3.5 million Joint Infrastructure Fund grant. Managed and operated by O.S.Energy, delivered and in service July 2001.
The vessel enables the UK's marine scientists to study the biology, chemistry, geology and physics of our seas. Designed to take up to ten scientists and 20 students. The School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor and other university departments in the UK also use the vessel as a teaching platform, training the next generation of marine scientists.
Full details and specifications
Prince Madog (O.S.Energy)
Build Number 3485
Gross Tonnes 390 tonnes
Length Overall 34.9m
Breadth Moulded 8.5m
Draft max 3.5m
Endurance 10 days between ports
Scientific Berths 10
Crew 8
Constructed Visser, 2001
Design Speed 10.5 knots
Actual Speed 12 knots
Propulsion 1080kW
Bow Thruster 150kW
Equipment
Reson 7125 dual frequency (200 kHz and 400 kHz) SeaBat Multi-beam system.
Teledyne RD Instruments (RDI) Acoustic Doppler Current Profiling system 300 kHz
Simrad HPR-410P Hydroacoustic Positioning reference system
Simrad EK60 Scientific echosounder 120kHz and 38kHz split beam transducers
Underway sampling and meteorological package
Water purification system
Walker Marine Aquaprobe speedlog
Trimble DGPS 12 channel receiver
Scientific Fridge and Freezer
Seabird SBE 911plus CTD with SBE32 water sampler
CTD cable
1000m Hydrographic winch
Llangollen takes its name from Saint Collen a 6th century monk who founded a church beside the river there. St Collen is said to have arrived in Llangollen by coracle. As there are no other churches in Wales dedicated to St. Collen, it is possible that this St. Collen may also have connections in both Colan, Cornwall and Langolen, Brittany.
Standing high above the town to the north is Castell Dinas Bran, the former stronghold of the Princes of Powys. Beyond the castle is the limestone escarpment known as the Eglwyseg Rocks. The outcrop continues north to the area known as World's End. The area nearest to the castle is the Panorama Walk, and a monument to local poet I.D. Hooson can be found there.
Valle Crucis Abbey was established in nearby Llangwestl in about 1201, under the patronage of Madog ap Gruffydd Maelor of Castell Dinas Brân.
The bridge at Llangollen was built in about 1345 by John Trevor, of nearby Trevor Hall, who later became Bishop of St Asaph. It was extended to cross the railway when this was built in the 1860s and was widened in the early 1960s. The upstream side has new masonry which blends in with the older structure.
All my photos and images are copyrighted to me although you are welcome to use them for non commercial purposes as long as you give credit to myself.
Thank you for looking at my photographs and for any comments it is much appreciated.
Blue boats at Porthmadog Marina
A harbour town situated on the Glaslyn Estuary, Porthmadog is rich in maritime history and is an excellent base for touring the surrounding area. It has a number craft shops and restaurants. The town was named after W.A. Maddocks whose ambitious "Cob" embankment scheme led to the town's name, which translates as "Madog's Port". In times gone by, it was a vital, busy shipping port for the international slate trade, brought down from Blaenau Ffestiniog. The maritime history depicts its proud past.
The Grade I Listed Conwy Castle built between 1283 and 1289 during King Edward I's second campaign in Wales. In Conwy, Conwy County, North Wales.
It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and managed by Cadw. It is also part of the World Heritage Site entitled Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd. The Castle was built along with the Town Walls at the combined cost of £15,000, (approximately £7.6 million in today's money).
Before the English construction of the town of Conwy, the site was occupied by Aberconwy Abbey, a Cistercian monastery favoured by the Welsh princes. The site also controlled an important crossing point over the river Conwy between the coastal and inland areas of North Wales and was defended for many years by Deganwy Castle.
The English kings and Welsh princes had vied for control of the region since the 1070s and the conflict had been renewed during the 13th century, leading to Edward I intervening in North Wales for the second time during his reign in 1282.
Edward invaded with a huge army, pushing north from Carmarthen and westwards from Montgomery and Chester. Edward captured Aberconwy in March 1283 and decided that the location would form the centre of a new county: the abbey would be relocated eight miles inland and a new English castle and walled town would be built on the monastery's former site.
The ruined castle of Deganwy was abandoned and never rebuilt. Edward's plan was a colonial enterprise and placing the new town and walls on top of such a high-status native Welsh site was in part a symbolic act to demonstrate English power.
Information Source:
Unoccupied since the late 90s, the upper floors have all but fallen through, subsidence in evidence. A small hole in a hedge round back allows access to some agricultural style buildings and enshrouded woodland style garden which is now starting to envelope the property, the beginning of the end for this beautiful old place.
Caernarfon Castle (Welsh: Castell Caernarfon; Welsh pronunciation: [kastɛɬ kaɨrˈnarvɔn]) is a medieval fortress in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. The first fortification on the site was a motte-and-bailey castle built in the late 11th century, which King Edward I of England began to replace with the current stone structure in 1283. The castle and town established by Edward acted as the administrative centre of north Wales, and as a result the defences were built on a grand scale. There was a deliberate link with Caernarfon's Roman past—nearby is the Roman fort of Segontium—and the castle's walls are reminiscent of the Walls of Constantinople.
While the castle was under construction, town walls were built around Caernarfon. The work cost between £20,000 and £25,000 from the start until the work ended in 1330. Although the castle appears mostly complete from the outside, the interior buildings no longer survive and many parts of the structure were never finished. In 1294 the town and castle were sacked and captured by Madog ap Llywelyn during his rebellion against the English, but were recaptured the following year. The castle was unsuccessfully besieged during the Glyndŵr Rising of 1400–1415. When the Tudor dynasty ascended to the English throne in 1485, tensions between the Welsh and English began to diminish and castles were considered less important. As a result, Caernarfon Castle was allowed to fall into a state of disrepair.
Despite its dilapidated condition, during the English Civil War Caernarfon Castle was held by Royalists and besieged three times by Parliamentarian forces. This was the last time the castle was used in war. The castle was neglected until the 19th century when the state funded repairs. The castle was used for the investiture of the Prince of Wales in 1911 and again in 1969. The castle is managed by Cadw, the Welsh Government's historic environment service. It is part of the World Heritage Site "Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd". Wikipedia
At her berth in Menai Straits, Anglesey.
www.bangor.ac.uk/oceansciences/about/facilities/madog/ind...
Nikon F2
NIKKOR 28mm f/3.5
Kodak T-MAX 400
EI 400
Developed at Ag Photographic + Photolab
Scanned using Sony A7S
Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/4
Nikon PN-11
Converted with Negative Lab Pro
Porthmadog has had a number of stations using this name, or the original name, Portmadoc. The present station was opened by the Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway as Portmadoc on 12 September 1867, and renamed Porthmadog on 5 May 1975.The Festiniog Railway's Porthmadog Harbour railway station was originally only a shunting yard, but was upgraded to a full station on 6 January 1865. It was renamed to Portmadoc Old on 8 June 1923, and then to Portmadoc on 23 July 1955. It was renamed to Porthmadog on 10 March 1973.
The Welsh Highland Heritage Railway (WHHR) run a station known as Porthmadog, which opened on 2 August 1980.Although located on High Street, is also (incorrectly) referred to as Tremadog Road.
Additionally there were two interim stations either side of, what is now, the Network Rail / WH Cae Pawb crossing. These were referred to as Portmadoc New, with the original Festionig Railway station becoming Portmadoc Old. The Festiniog Railway station opened on 8 June 1923 and closed on 16 September 1939, while the WH station opened in May 1929 and closed on 28 September 1936.
In 2014, main line services were suspended due to structural problems with the Pont Briwet viaduct near Llandecwyn.[4] Network Rail and Gwynedd Council were carrying out work to build a £20 million replacement for the current bridge a few metres downstream, but in doing so had caused the old one to sink and thus made it unsafe for both rail & road traffic. A replacement bus service operated during the railway's closure.
Services
The Grade I Listed Conwy Castle built between 1283 and 1289 during King Edward I's second campaign in Wales. In Conwy, Conwy County, North Wales.
It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and managed by Cadw. It is also part of the World Heritage Site entitled Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd. The Castle was built along with the Town Walls at the combined cost of £15,000, (approximately £7.6 million in today's money).
Before the English construction of the town of Conwy, the site was occupied by Aberconwy Abbey, a Cistercian monastery favoured by the Welsh princes. The site also controlled an important crossing point over the river Conwy between the coastal and inland areas of North Wales, and was defended for many years by Deganwy Castle. The English kings and Welsh princes had vied for control of the region since the 1070s and the conflict had been renewed during the 13th century, leading to Edward I intervening in North Wales for the second time during his reign in 1282.
Edward invaded with a huge army, pushing north from Carmarthen and westwards from Montgomery and Chester. Edward captured Aberconwy in March 1283 and decided that the location would form the centre of a new county: the abbey would be relocated eight miles inland and a new English castle and walled town would be built on the monastery's former site. The ruined castle of Deganwy was abandoned and never rebuilt. Edward's plan was a colonial enterprise and placing the new town and walls on top of such a high-status native Welsh site was in part a symbolic act to demonstrate English power.
The Grade I Listed Conwy Castle built between 1283 and 1289 during King Edward I's second campaign in Wales. In Conwy, Conwy County, North Wales.
It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and managed by Cadw. It is also part of the World Heritage Site entitled Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd. The Castle was built along with the Town Walls at the combined cost of £15,000, (approximately £7.6 million in today's money).
Before the English construction of the town of Conwy, the site was occupied by Aberconwy Abbey, a Cistercian monastery favoured by the Welsh princes. The site also controlled an important crossing point over the river Conwy between the coastal and inland areas of North Wales, and was defended for many years by Deganwy Castle. The English kings and Welsh princes had vied for control of the region since the 1070s and the conflict had been renewed during the 13th century, leading to Edward I intervening in North Wales for the second time during his reign in 1282.
Edward invaded with a huge army, pushing north from Carmarthen and westwards from Montgomery and Chester. Edward captured Aberconwy in March 1283 and decided that the location would form the centre of a new county: the abbey would be relocated eight miles inland and a new English castle and walled town would be built on the monastery's former site. The ruined castle of Deganwy was abandoned and never rebuilt. Edward's plan was a colonial enterprise and placing the new town and walls on top of such a high-status native Welsh site was in part a symbolic act to demonstrate English power.
Caernarfon Castle often anglicised as Carnarvon Castle or Caernarvon Castle – is a medieval fortress in Caernarfon, Gwynedd, north-west Wales cared for by Cadw, the Welsh Government's historic environment service. It was a motte-and-bailey castle from the late 11th century until 1283 when King Edward I of England began to replace it with the current stone structure. The Edwardian town and castle acted as the administrative centre of north Wales, and as a result the defences were built on a grand scale. There was a deliberate link with Caernarfon's Roman past, and the Roman fort of Segontium is nearby.
While the castle was under construction, town walls were built around Caernarfon. The work cost between £20,000 and £25,000 from the start until the work ended in 1330. Although the castle appears mostly complete from the outside, the interior buildings no longer survive and many of the building plans were never finished. The town and castle were sacked in 1294 when Madog ap Llywelyn led a rebellion against the English. Caernarfon was recaptured the following year. During the Glyndŵr Rising of 1400–1415, the castle was besieged. When the Tudor dynasty ascended to the English throne in 1485, tensions between the Welsh and English began to diminish and castles were considered less important. As a result, Caernarfon Castle was allowed to fall into a state of disrepair. Despite its dilapidated condition, during the English Civil War Caernarfon Castle was held by Royalists, and was besieged three times by Parliamentarian forces. This was the last time the castle was used in war. The castle was neglected until the 19th century when the state funded repairs. The castle was used for the investiture of the Prince of Wales in 1911 and again in 1969. It is part of the World Heritage Site "Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd".
The impressive Great Gate House this was equipped with drawbridge, portcullis and murder holes to provide a formidible line of defence. Above the door is the remains of a statue believed to be that of King Edward II.
View from the Bishop's Tower to the Great Gate House and Visitor Reception and Shop.
For more photographs of Castell Dinbych please click here: www.jhluxton.com/Wales/Clywd/Castell-Dinbych-Denbigh-Castle
Denbigh Castle (grade 1 Listed) and town walls (Welsh: Castell Dinbych a waliau tref) were established to secure control over Denbigh following Edward I of England’s conquest of Wales in 1282. The territory was assigned to Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, who initiated the construction of a fortified town populated by settlers from England, safeguarded by an imposing castle and surrounded by deer parks for hunting. Construction was incomplete by 1294 when Welsh forces briefly occupied the castle during the Madog ap Llywelyn revolt. Subsequent enhancements were made to its defenses, though the castle remained unfinished at Henry's death in 1311.
Ownership of the castle changed hands several times during the early 14th century until it came under the Mortimer family's control. Meanwhile, living within the walled town proved impractical, leading to the rise of a larger settlement outside the original fortifications. In 1400, the walled town suffered attacks during the Glyndŵr Rising; however, the castle itself withstood these assaults. During the Wars of the Roses, Lancastrian troops raided and burned the town, prompting most inhabitants to abandon the old area, which then became part of the castle’s extended defenses.
During the First English Civil War, Royalists held Denbigh until Parliamentarian forces seized it in October 1646. After Royalist soldiers retook it in 1659, General George Monk ordered the castle to be slighted, resulting in the demolition of portions of its walls and towers. Over time, the site further deteriorated, and the deserted walled town remained largely untouched. Restoration efforts began in the mid-19th century when a local committee took charge of the ruins. The Office of Works assumed responsibility for the fortifications in 1914, eventually transferring the site to the Welsh Cadw heritage agency.
Denbigh Castle is distinguished by three octagonal towers forming its main entrance, described by historian John Goodall as "the most architecturally sophisticated gatehouse of the thirteenth century." The curtain wall is reinforced by eight mural towers, additional barbicans, and several defensive terraces and walls. The castle joins the town walls, which are mostly intact and enclose approximately 1,100 metres (3,600 ft) around the old town. Originally, four towers and two gatehouses defended the town walls, although only one gatehouse remains. Both the castle and town gatehouse feature ornate stonework intended to reflect royal authority and civic pride.
Porthmadog
A harbour town situated on the Glaslyn Estuary, Porthmadog is rich in maritime history and is an excellent base for touring the surrounding area. It has a number craft shops and restaurants. The town was named after W.A. Maddocks whose ambitious "Cob" embankment scheme led to the town's name, which translates as "Madog's Port". In times gone by, it was a vital, busy shipping port for the international slate trade, brought down from Blaenau Ffestiniog. The maritime history depicts its proud past.
Greetings. Wishing everyone a happy day. Thank you for your kind comments and support.
Approaching Harlech Castle, in the town of Harlech (Gwynedd, in northwest Wales), on a clear early afternoon in mid-October 2024.
The castle, Castell Harlech in Welsh, was one of the English castles built on the orders of Edward I during his conquest of Wales, constructed 1282-1289 on top of a crag that was accessible from the sea at the time. It is now about half a mile inland.
In the distance on the right, below the castle rock, trees, dunes, and beach along Tremadog Bay can be seen, part of which is within the Morfa Harlech National Nature Reserve (Gwarchodfa Natur Genedlaethol Morfa Harlech). In the far distance, to the north, the north shore of the bay can just be made out.
The architect Master James of St George oversaw its design, which featured strong concentric defensive walls. It was besieged and attacked 1294-1295, by Madog ap Llywelyn; in 1404 and 1409, during the rebellion of Owain Glyndŵr, the last leader crowned as Prince of Wales; in 1468, during the Wars of the Roses when Yorkist forces took the castle from Lancastrians; and 1644-1647, during the “English” Civil War – which actually impacted not only England but also Wales, Scotland, and Ireland.
Currently, it is in the care of Cadw, which has built a modern visitor centre and the “floating” footbridge seen here to facilitate access. During our 20 October 2024 visit, bands of post-tropical Storm Ashley were sweeping in from Cardigan Bay, so we had time for only a quick visit, and I took no pictures from the footbridge because our traversing it had to be cautiously done with both hands free!
Harlech is also one of the fortifications collectively designated as the Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Harlech is located just back from Tremadog Bay, northernmost inlet of Cardigan Bay (in Welsh, Bae Ceredigion), within the Eryri National Park (also known as Snowdonia National Park, Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri in Welsh). The older, upper town was built to huddle behind the protection of the castle, while the more modern new town below takes advantage of its seaside location.
Until 1974, Harlech was part of the administrative county of Merioneth or Merionethshire, a part of southern Gwynedd still considered as a historic county and referred to as Meirionnydd.
(Information from the Cadw website, last consulted 21 September 2025; the UNESCO World Heritage Convention site (dossier 374), last consulted 6 September 2025; and Wikipedia, last consulted 22 September 2025. The name headings of Edward I and James of St George, with dates, are from US Library of Congress/Name Authority Cooperative records n50035065 and nb2022014797.)
[Harlech 15 castle bridge 2024-10-20 s; 20241020_131113]
Harlech Castle (Welsh: Castell Harlech; Welsh pronunciation: [kastɛɬ ˈharlɛχ]) in Harlech, Gwynedd, Wales, is a Grade I-listed[1] medieval fortification built onto a rocky knoll close to the Irish Sea. It was built by Edward I during his invasion of Wales between 1282 and 1289 at the relatively modest cost of £8,190.[2] Over the next few centuries, the castle played an important part in several wars, withstanding the siege of Madog ap Llywelyn between 1294–95, but falling to Owain Glyndŵr in 1404. It then became Glyndŵr's residence and military headquarters for the remainder of the uprising until being recaptured by English forces in 1409. During the 15th century Wars of the Roses, Harlech was held by the Lancastrians for seven years, before Yorkist troops forced its surrender in 1468, a siege memorialised in the song Men of Harlech. Following the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642, the castle was held by forces loyal to Charles I, holding out until 1647 when it became the last fortification to surrender to the Parliamentary armies.
Beaumaris Castle in Beaumaris, Anglesey, Wales, was built as part of Edward I's campaign to conquer the north Wales after 1282. Plans were probably first made to construct the castle in 1284, but this was delayed due to lack of funds and work only began in 1295 following the Madog ap Llywelyn uprising. A substantial workforce was employed in the initial years under the direction of James of St George. Edward's invasion of Scotland soon diverted funding from the project, however, and work stopped, only recommencing after an invasion scare in 1306. When work finally ceased around 1330 a total of £15,000 had been spent, a huge sum for the period, but the castle remained incomplete.
The Grade I Listed Conwy Castle built between 1283 and 1289 during King Edward I's second campaign in Wales. In Conwy, Conwy County, North Wales.
It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and managed by Cadw. It is also part of the World Heritage Site entitled Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd. The Castle was built along with the Town Walls at the combined cost of £15,000, (approximately £7.6 million in today's money).
Before the English construction of the town of Conwy, the site was occupied by Aberconwy Abbey, a Cistercian monastery favoured by the Welsh princes. The site also controlled an important crossing point over the river Conwy between the coastal and inland areas of North Wales, and was defended for many years by Deganwy Castle. The English kings and Welsh princes had vied for control of the region since the 1070s and the conflict had been renewed during the 13th century, leading to Edward I intervening in North Wales for the second time during his reign in 1282.
Edward invaded with a huge army, pushing north from Carmarthen and westwards from Montgomery and Chester. Edward captured Aberconwy in March 1283 and decided that the location would form the centre of a new county: the abbey would be relocated eight miles inland and a new English castle and walled town would be built on the monastery's former site. The ruined castle of Deganwy was abandoned and never rebuilt. Edward's plan was a colonial enterprise and placing the new town and walls on top of such a high-status native Welsh site was in part a symbolic act to demonstrate English power.
✈ DCA.🇺🇸 | #N552AA #AmericanAirlines #AA #McDonnell.Douglas #MD82 #Landing #WashingtonDC | © #AWP # CHR-2014
@ American Airlines 🇺🇸
McDonnell Douglas MD-82 (DC-9-82) - msn 53034 / 1826
• Production Site : Long Beach (LGB) CA. USA 🇺🇸
• ENG : 2x PW JT8D-217C
• PAX : C16Y124
• REG : N552AA
• RMK : Fleet number 552
@ Aircraft History :
• JAN.1991 : First flight at built site Long Beach (LGB) CA. USA
• 28.FEB.1991 : Delivered to "American Airlines" AA & AAL with reg N552AA
• 11.DEC.2014 : Withdrawn from use and stored at Roswell (ROW)
• 05.MAR.2016 : Sold to "Delta Air Lines" DL & DAL with reg N552AA for spare items and still stored at ROW
Denbigh (Dinbych) a market town and county town of Denbighshire, North Wales.
The town developed around Denbigh Castle, built in 1282, and the walled settlement that followed under Edward I. Over the centuries, it became known as a stronghold, a busy market town, and an administrative hub. Although Denbigh has seen times of conflict and decline, its medieval walls, castle ruins, and historic centre still shape its character today.
As part of his campaign to take and retain control of the area, Edward I decided to fortify Denbigh, ordering the construction of Denbigh Castle and town walls, which were begun in 1282. The Burgess Gate, whose twin towers adorn the symbol on Denbigh's civic seal, was once the main entrance into the town. The town was involved in the revolt of Madog ap Llywelyn who captured the castle in 1294.
During the Wars of the Roses, the town within the walls was largely destroyed. The focus of the settlement then shifted to a site immediately outside the old town walls to the north-east, centred on a market place along High Street.
In 1536 the new county of Denbighshire was created under the Laws in Wales Act 1535, comprising the old lordship of Denbighland plus other territories. Denbigh was declared to be the county town, with the county's courts directed to be held alternately at Denbigh and Wrexham. The County Hall (now the library) was built in 1572 to serve as the town's main public building, functioning as a market hall, town hall and courthouse for when the county's courts sat in Denbigh.
In 1643, during the English Civil War, Denbigh became a refuge for a Royalist garrison. Surrendering in 1646, the castle and town walls eventually fell into ruin.
The town grew around the textile industry in the 1600s, hosting specialist glovers, weavers, smiths, shoemakers, saddlers, furriers and tanners. Denbigh has been an important location for the agricultural industry throughout its history.
Information Source:
Castle entrance as it was in 2013. The steps have since been replaced by a bridge across the castle ditch to improve accessibility.
Click here for more photographs of Castell Harlech: www.jhluxton.com/Wales/Gwynedd/Castell-Harlech-Castle
Harlech Castle (Welsh: Castell Harlech) in Harlech, Gwynedd, Wales, is a Grade I listed medieval fortification built onto a rocky knoll close to the Irish Sea.
It was built by Edward I during his invasion of Wales between 1282 and 1289 at the relatively modest cost of £8,190.
Over the next few centuries, the castle played an important part in several wars, withstanding the siege of Madog ap Llywelyn between 1294 and 1295, but falling to Prince Owain Glyndŵr in 1404. It then became Glyndŵr's residence and military headquarters for the remainder of the uprising until being recaptured by English forces in 1409.
During the 15th-century Wars of the Roses, Harlech was held by the Lancastrians for seven years, before Yorkist troops forced its surrender in 1468, a siege memorialised in the song "Men of Harlech".
Following the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642, the castle was held by forces loyal to Charles I, holding out until 1647 when it became the last fortification to surrender to the Parliamentary armies.
In the 21st century the ruined castle is managed by Cadw, the Welsh Government's historic environment service, as a tourist attraction.
View from ramparts below the South West Tower.
Conwy Castle is a medieval fortification in Conwy, on the north coast of Wales. It was built by Edward I, during his conquest of Wales, between 1283 and 1289. Constructed as part of a wider project to create the walled town of Conwy, the combined defences cost around £15,000, a huge sum for the period. Over the next few centuries, the castle played an important part in several wars. It withstood the siege of Madog ap Llywelyn in the winter of 1294–95, acted as a temporary haven for Richard II in 1399 and was held for several months by forces loyal to Owain Glyndŵr in 1401.
Following the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642, the castle was held by forces loyal to Charles I, holding out until 1646 when it surrendered to the Parliamentary armies. In the aftermath the castle was partially slighted by Parliament to prevent it being used in any further revolt, and was finally completely ruined in 1665 when its remaining iron and lead was stripped and sold off. Conwy Castle became an attractive destination for painters in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Visitor numbers grew and initial restoration work was carried out in the second half of the 19th century. Today the ruined castle is managed by Cadw as a tourist attraction.
UNESCO considers Conwy to be one of "the finest examples of late 13th century and early 14th century military architecture in Europe", and it is classed as a World Heritage site. The rectangular castle is built from local and imported stone and occupies a coastal ridge, originally overlooking an important crossing point over the River Conwy. Divided into an Inner and an Outer Ward, it is defended by eight large towers and two barbicans, with a postern gate leading down to the river, allowing the castle to be resupplied from the sea.
The Grade I Listed Beaumaris Castle in the town of Beaumaris, Anglesey, North Wales,
It was built as part of Edward I's campaign to conquer north Wales after 1282. Plans were probably first made to construct the castle in 1284, but this was delayed due to lack of funds and work only began in 1295 following the Madog ap Llywelyn uprising.
A substantial workforce was employed in the initial years under the direction of James of St George. Edward's invasion of Scotland soon diverted funding from the project, however, and work stopped, only recommencing after an invasion scare in 1306. When work finally ceased around 1330 a total of £15,000 had been spent, a huge sum for the period, but the castle remained incomplete.
Beaumaris Castle was taken by Welsh forces in 1403 during the rebellion of Owain Glyndŵr, but recaptured by royal forces in 1405.
In March 1592, the Welsh Roman Catholic priest and martyr William Davies was imprisoned in the castle, and was eventually hanged, drawn and quartered there on in 1593.
Following the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642, the castle was held by forces loyal to Charles I, holding out until 1646 when it surrendered to the Parliamentary armies. Despite forming part of a local royalist rebellion in 1648, the castle escaped slighting and was garrisoned by Parliament, but fell into ruin around 1660, eventually forming part of a stately home and park in the 19th century. In the 21st century, the ruined castle is still a tourist attraction.
The fortification is built of local stone, with a moated outer ward guarded by twelve towers and two gatehouses, overlooked by an inner ward with two large, D-shaped gatehouses and six massive towers. The inner ward was designed to contain ranges of domestic buildings and accommodation able to support two major households. The south gate could be reached by ship, allowing the castle to be directly supplied by sea.
UNESCO considers Beaumaris to be one of "the finest examples of late 13th century and early 14th century military architecture in Europe", and it is classed as a World Heritage Site.
Information Source
I've always wanted to take a photo like this and 'FINALLY' I've managed to get one I'm happy with ^_^
This was taken on a wet and miserable day. I had left the camera behind and so this photo was captured on my phone.
The following description is taken from the cadw website:
cadw.gov.wales/visit/places-to-visit/harlech-castle
Harlech Castle crowns a sheer rocky crag overlooking the dunes far below – waiting in vain for the tide to turn and the distant sea to lap at its feet once again.
No further drama is really required but, just in case, the rugged peaks of Snowdonia rise as a backdrop. Against fierce competition from Conwy, Caernarfon and Beaumaris, this is probably the most spectacular setting for any of Edward I’s castles in North Wales. All four are designated as a World Heritage Site.
Harlech was completed from ground to battlements in just seven years under the guidance of gifted architect Master James of St George. Its classic ‘walls within walls’ design makes the most of daunting natural defences.
Even when completely cut off by the rebellion of Madog ap Llewelyn the castle held out – thanks to the ‘Way from the Sea’. This path of 108 steps rising steeply up the rock face allowed the besieged defenders to be fed and watered by ship.
Beaumaris Castle (Welsh: Castell Biwmares), located in the town of the same name on the Isle of Anglesey in Wales, was built as part of Edward I's campaign to conquer the north of Wales after 1282. Plans were probably first made to construct the castle in 1284, but this was delayed due to lack of funds and work only began in 1295 following the Madog ap Llywelyn uprising. A substantial workforce was employed in the initial years under the direction of James of St George. Edward's invasion of Scotland soon diverted funding from the project, however, and work stopped, only recommencing after an invasion scare in 1306. When work finally ceased around 1330 a total of £15,000 had been spent, a huge sum for the period, but the castle remained incomplete.
Beaumaris Castle was taken by Welsh forces in 1403 during the rebellion of Owain Glyndŵr, but was recaptured by royal forces in 1405. Following the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642, the castle was held by forces loyal to Charles I, holding out until 1646 when it surrendered to the Parliamentary armies. Despite forming part of a local royalist rebellion in 1648 the castle escaped slighting and was garrisoned by Parliament, but fell into ruin around 1660, eventually forming part of a local stately home and park in the 19th century. In the 21st century the ruined castle is managed by Cadw as a tourist attraction.
Historian Arnold Taylor described Beaumaris Castle as Britain's "most perfect example of symmetrical concentric planning"The fortification is built of local stone, with a moated outer ward guarded by twelve towers and two gatehouses, overlooked by an inner ward with two large, D-shaped gatehouses and six massive towers. The inner ward was designed to contain ranges of domestic buildings and accommodation able to support two major households. The south gate could be reached by ship, allowing the castle to be directly supplied by sea. UNESCO considers Beaumaris to be one of "the finest examples of late 13th century and early 14th century military architecture in Europe", and it is classed as a World Heritage site.
This is the current ship,Prince Madog ll,entered service in 2001 and it is at its berth at Menai Bridge.
It a research vessel of Bangor University school of Ocean Sciences.
The 390 - tonne purpose built vessel features state - of - the - art equipment and is designed to take up to 10 scientists and 20 students.
It cost £3.5 million to build.
Beaumaris Castle, built, on the Isle of Anglesey, Wales, as part of Edward I's campaign to conquer the north of Wales after 1282. Plans were probably first made to construct the castle in 1284, but this was delayed due to lack of funds and work only began in 1295 following the Madog ap Llywelyn uprising. A substantial workforce was employed in the initial years under the direction of James of St. George. Edward's invasion of Scotland soon diverted funding from the project, however, and work stopped, only recommencing after an invasion scare in 1306. When work finally ceased around 1330 a total of £15,000 had been spent, a huge sum for the period, but the castle remained incomplete.
We've just come back from a very pleasant three days, staying at a lovely country house hotel in Dolgellau. The weather was poor with lots of low cloud and mizzle, but I still managed to get a few shots, including in and around Caernarfon.
Caernarfon Castle, which is almost on the edge of the Menai Strait in North Wales, was built by King Edward I (commencing in 1283) as part of a strategic ring of castles around Wales. The town and castle were sacked in 1294 when Madog ap Llywelyn led a rebellion against the English. Caernarfon was recaptured the following year. During the Glyndŵr Rising of 1400–1415, the castle was besieged once more. When the Tudor dynasty ascended to the English throne in 1485, tensions between the Welsh and English began to diminish and castles were considered less important. As a result, Caernarfon Castle was allowed to fall into a state of disrepair. Despite its dilapidated condition, during the English Civil War Caernarfon Castle was held by Royalists, and was besieged three times by Parliamentarian forces. This was the last time the castle was used in war. Caernarfon Castle was neglected until the 19th century when the state funded repairs. In 1911, Caernarfon Castle was used for the investiture of the Prince of Wales, and again in 1969.
Source: Wikipedia.
My travels around the UK by car for three weeks with my son. June/July 2019 Wales.
Day Ten .. a visit to Conway Castle before making our way to Liverpool for the night.
The Conwy Suspension Bridge is a Grade I-listed structure and is one of the first road suspension bridges in the world. Located in the medieval town of Conwy in Conwy county borough, North Wales, it is now only passable on foot. The bridge is now in the care of the National Trust.
Conwy Castle is a fortification in Conwy, located in North Wales. It was built by Edward I, during his conquest of Wales, between 1283 and 1289. Constructed as part of a wider project to create the walled town of Conwy, the combined defences cost around £15,000, a huge sum for the period. Over the next few centuries, the castle played an important part in several wars. It withstood the siege of Madog ap Llywelyn in the winter of 1294–95, acted as a temporary haven for Richard II in 1399 and was held for several months by forces loyal to Owain Glyndŵr in 1401.
UNESCO considers Conwy to be one of "the finest examples of late 13th century and early 14th century military architecture in Europe", and it is classed as a World Heritage site. The rectangular castle is built from local and imported stone and occupies a coastal ridge, originally overlooking an important crossing point over the River Conwy. Divided into an Inner and an Outer Ward, it is defended by eight large towers and two barbicans, with a postern gate leading down to the river, allowing the castle to be resupplied from the sea. It retains the earliest surviving stone machicolations in Britain and what historian Jeremy Ashbee has described as the "best preserved suite of medieval private royal chambers in England and Wales". In keeping with other Edwardian castles in North Wales, the architecture of Conwy has close links to that found in the Kingdom of Savoy during the same period, an influence probably derived from the Savoy origins of the main architect, James of Saint George.
For More Info: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conwy_Castle
A visit to Ffestiniog railway at Porth Madog.Love my travel camera the Nikon D3100 and the nikon 18-55mm vr2.
Nikon F2
NIKKOR 28mm f/3.5
Kodak T-MAX 400
EI 400
Developed at Ag Photographic + Photolab
Scanned using Sony A7S
Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/4
Nikon PN-11
Converted with Negative Lab Pro
Caerphilly Castle (Welsh: Castell Caerffili) is a medieval fortification in Caerphilly in South Wales. The castle was constructed by Gilbert de Clare in the 13th century as part of his campaign to conquer Glamorgan, and saw extensive fighting between Gilbert and his descendants and the native Welsh rulers. Surrounded by extensive artificial lakes – considered by historian Allen Brown to be "the most elaborate water defences in all Britain" – it occupies around 30 acres (12 ha) and is the second largest castle in Britain.[1] It is famous for having introduced concentric castle defences to Britain and for its large gatehouses.
Gilbert began work on the castle in 1268 following his occupation of the north of Glamorgan, with the majority of the construction occurring over the next three years at a considerable cost. The project was opposed by Gilbert's Welsh rival Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, leading to the site being burnt in 1270 and taken over by royal officials in 1271. Despite these interruptions, Gilbert successfully completed the castle and took control of the region. The core of Caerphilly Castle, including the castle's luxurious accommodation, was built on what became a central island, surrounding by several artificial lakes, a design Gilbert probably derived from that at Kenilworth. The dams for these lakes were further fortified, and an island to the west provided additional protection. The concentric rings of walls inspired Edward I's castles in North Wales, and proved what historian Norman Pounds has termed "a turning point in the history of the castle in Britain".[2]
The castle was attacked during the Madog ap Llywelyn revolt of 1294, the Llywelyn Bren uprising in 1316 and during the overthrow of Edward II in 1326–27. In the late 15th century, however, it fell into decline and by the 16th century the lakes had drained away and the walls were robbed of their stone. The Marquesses of Bute acquired the property in 1776 and under the third and fourth Marquesses extensive restoration took place. In 1950 the castle and grounds were given to the state and the water defences were re-flooded. In the 21st century, the Welsh heritage agency Cadw manages the site as a tourist attraction.