Conwy Castle

Conwy castle is one of the finest Medieval Castles in Europe. Conwy Castle and its town walls are a World Heritage Site, the views from the walls and towers are stunning. The mountains of Snowdonia are clearly visible from the tops of the Castle walls, which are over three quarters of a mile long. Snowdonia’s mountains create a magical setting for the Conwy River Estury and the beautiful, awe-inspiring town of Conwy and its eminent Castle.

King Edward I began building the castle in March, 1283, after the capture of Dolwyddelan Castle in January 1283. King Edward 1 had already ended the rule of the Welsh Princes and had completed the conquest of Snowdonia before he began building Conwy Castle. An estimated £15,000 was spent on building the castle and its defences. That would be around £9,000,000 in today’s money. Conwy Castle was the most expensive castle that Edward I built between 1277 and 1304.

Like Caernarfon Castle, Conwy Castle has a linear arrangement of defences, due to the rock promontory they are built on. This was to protect and guard the entrance of the River Conwy and also designed to prevent undermining. The interior of the Castle is divided into two separate wards; the inner ward, housing the Royal apartments, and the outer ward, which contains the Great Hall amongst other buildings.

The building of Conwy Castle was organised by King Edward I, and supervised by the master mason; James of St. George and his associate James of Chester. The huge team of craftsmen, labourers and stone-cutters were guided and advised by both James of St. George and James of Chester, but also influencing the team were Master carpenters Laurence of Canterbury, Henry of Oxford and Mason John Francis. This team grew steadily, and by the summer of 1285 there were 1,500 workers dedicated to building Conwy Castle. The huge workforce meant that the Castle was substantially complete within four years.

The A55, dual carriageway, runs along the whole of the North Wales coast, and Conwy, making it quick and easy to visit Conwy and its Magnificent Castle. North Wales railway line also runs along the coast and right through Conwy.

The main entrance to Conwy Castle is through the Visitors Centre, where you can purchase Castle merchandise and learn lots more interesting facts about “The most magnificent of Edward I’s Welsh Castles”; Conwy Castle.

The town of Conwy is a beautiful destination, it has all the sea side attractions you would expect, from Welsh craft and quality clothes shops to fantastic fish and chips, all within the Castle walls. There are many more reasons to visit Conwy, there is Conwy Marina were the landing docks for D-day were built, way back in the second world war. There are regular farmers markets, in Conwy, where you can sample some of the best of Wales’s produce, and enjoy a little banter with the locals.