Conwy Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Conwy Castle |
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| Castell Conwy | |
| Conwy, Wales | |
Conwy Castle from above
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 Conwy Castle
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| Coordinates | 53°16′48″N 3°49′32″W / 53.28°N 3.825556°W |
| Type | Rectangular enclosure castle |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Cadw |
| Condition | Ruined |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1283–89 |
| Built by | James of St. George |
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| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
| Part of | Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd |
| Criteria | Cultural: i, iii, iv |
| Inscription | 1986 (10th Session) |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Designated | 1950 |
Conwy Castle (Welsh: Castell Conwy) is a strong fortress in Conwy, North Wales. King Edward I built it between 1283 and 1287. This was during his conquest of Wales. The castle was part of a bigger plan to create a walled town around Conwy. Building both cost about £15,000, which was a huge amount of money back then!
For many centuries, the castle played a big role in several wars. It survived a siege by Madog ap Llywelyn in 1294–95. In 1399, it was a safe place for King Richard II. Later, in 1401, forces loyal to Owain Glyndŵr held it for several months.
During the English Civil War (1642–1646), the castle supported King Charles I. It held out until 1646, then surrendered to the Parliamentary army. After the war, parts of the castle were destroyed. This was to stop it from being used in future revolts. In 1665, its remaining iron and lead were sold off, leaving it a ruin.
In the late 1700s and early 1800s, Conwy Castle became a popular spot for artists. More visitors came, and restoration work began in the late 1800s. Today, Cadw manages the ruined castle as a tourist attraction.
UNESCO calls Conwy one of "the finest examples of late 13th century and early 14th century military architecture in Europe." It is a World Heritage Site. The castle is shaped like a rectangle. It is built from local and imported stone. It sits on a ridge overlooking the River Conwy. This river was an important crossing point. The castle has an Inner and Outer Ward. It is protected by eight large towers and two barbicans. A hidden gate leads to the river. This allowed supplies to come in by sea. It still has Britain's oldest stone machicolations. These are openings for dropping things on attackers. It also has what historian Jeremy Ashbee calls the "best preserved suite of medieval private royal chambers in England and Wales." The castle's design is similar to buildings in Savoy. This is because the main architect, James of Saint George, was from Savoy.
Contents
History of Conwy Castle
Early Days: 13th Century
Before the English built Conwy town, there was a Cistercian monastery called Aberconwy Abbey here. Welsh princes liked this abbey. There was also a palace (called a llys) of the Welsh princes. Part of the town walls today includes a wall and tower from a llys. This belonged to Llywelyn the Great and his grandson Llywelyn ap Gruffydd. It is the oldest part of the town walls. It dates back to the early 1200s.
The castle's location was important. It controlled a crossing point over the River Conwy. This river connected the coast and inland areas of North Wales. English kings and Welsh princes had fought for control of this area since the 1070s. The fighting started again in the 1200s. This led King Edward I to invade North Wales in 1282.
Edward invaded with a huge army. He captured Aberconwy in March 1283. Edward decided this spot would be the center of a new county. He moved the abbey to Maenan, eight miles away. He then built a new English castle and walled town on the old monastery site. The ruined Deganwy Castle was left and never rebuilt. Edward's plan was a way to show English power. Building the new town and walls on a Welsh royal site was a strong symbol.
Work on the castle began quickly. Sir John Bonvillars managed the work. Master mason James of St. George oversaw it. The first stage (1283–1284) focused on the outer walls and towers. The second stage (1284–1286) built the inner buildings. Work on the town walls also started then. By 1287, the castle was finished. Many workers came from all over England. They gathered in Chester each summer and walked to Wales. The total cost for the castle and town walls was about £15,000. This was a massive sum for that time.
The castle's constable was also the mayor of Conwy town. This was set by a royal charter in 1284. The constable led a garrison of 30 soldiers. This included 15 crossbowmen. There was also a carpenter, chaplain, blacksmith, engineer, and stonemason. The first constable was Sir William de Cicon. He had also been the first constable of Rhuddlan Castle. In 1294, Madog ap Llywelyn led a rebellion against English rule. Edward was trapped in Conwy by the Welsh from December 1294 to January 1295. Supplies came only by sea. Forces arrived to help him in February. A writer named Walter of Guisborough said Edward shared his own wine with the soldiers. For years after, the castle hosted important visitors. Edward's son, the future Edward II, visited in 1301. He came to receive homage from Welsh leaders.
Later Years: 14th–15th Centuries
Conwy Castle was not kept up well in the early 1300s. By 1321, a report said it lacked supplies. It also had leaky roofs and rotten wood. These problems continued until Edward, the Black Prince, took control in 1343. His chamberlain, Sir John Weston, made repairs. He built new stone arches for the great hall. But after the Black Prince died, Conwy was neglected again.
In 1399, the castle became a refuge for King Richard II. He was fleeing from Henry Bolingbroke. Richard met Bolingbroke's messenger, Henry Percy, at the castle. Percy promised not to harm the king. Richard surrendered to Percy at Flint Castle on August 19. He promised to give up his throne if his life was spared. The king was taken to London and died later.
Henry Bolingbroke became King Henry IV in 1400. Soon after, a rebellion started in North Wales. It was led by Owain Glyndŵr. In March 1401, Rhys ap Tudur and his brother Gwilym, cousins of Owain Glyndŵr, attacked Conwy Castle by surprise. They pretended to be carpenters. They got inside, killed the watchmen, and took the fortress. Welsh rebels then captured the rest of the walled town. The brothers held the castle for about three months. They then negotiated a surrender. As part of the deal, Henry gave them a royal pardon.
During the War of the Roses (1455–1485), Conwy was strengthened. But it did not play a big part in the fighting. King Henry VIII did restoration work in the 1520s and 1530s. At this time, the castle was used as a prison and a storage place. It could also be a home for visitors.
Decline and Revival: 17th–21st Centuries
By the early 1600s, Conwy Castle was falling apart again. King Charles I sold it to Edward Conway in 1627 for £100. Edward's son, also named Edward, inherited the ruin in 1631. In 1642, the English Civil War began. It was between the King's supporters and Parliament. Archbishop John Williams took charge of the castle for the king. He repaired and staffed it at his own cost. In 1645, Sir John Owen became governor instead. This caused a big fight between the two men. The Archbishop then joined Parliament. Conwy town fell in August 1646. In November, General Thomas Mytton finally took the castle after a long siege. The Trevor family asked Mytton to return their property. They had lent it to the Archbishop.
After the siege, Colonel John Carter became governor. More repairs were done. In 1655, Parliament's Council of State ordered the castle to be slighted. This meant making it unusable for military purposes. The Bakehouse tower was probably partly pulled down then. When King Charles II was restored in 1660, Conwy went back to Edward Conway. But five years later, Edward decided to remove and sell the remaining iron and lead. William Milward oversaw this work. Local citizens of Conwy opposed it. But the work was completed, turning the castle into a complete ruin.
By the late 1700s, the ruins were seen as beautiful and dramatic. They attracted visitors and artists. Paintings of the castle were made by famous artists like J. M. W. Turner. Several bridges were built over the River Conwy in the 1800s. These included a road bridge in 1826 and a rail bridge in 1848. These made it easier to reach the castle. This brought even more tourists. In 1865, Conwy Castle was given to the town's leaders. Restoration work began, including rebuilding the damaged Bakehouse tower. In 1953, the castle was leased to the Ministry of Works. Arnold Taylor did many repairs and studied the castle's history. Another road bridge was built in 1958. The castle was already a scheduled monument. In 1986, it became part of the "Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd" World Heritage Site.
Today, Cadw manages the castle as a tourist attraction. In 2010, 186,897 tourists visited. A new visitor center opened in 2012. The castle needs constant care. Repairs cost £30,000 in 2002–03.
Conwy Castle was twinned with Himeji Castle in Japan in 2019. In December 2023, Condé Nast called it the most stunning castle in Europe. It beat castles like Eilean Donan in Scotland.
Castle Architecture
The castle sits on a rocky ridge. This ridge is made of grey sandstone and limestone. Much of the stone for the castle came from this ridge. This likely happened when the site was first cleared. But the local stone was not good enough for carved details like windows. So, sandstone was brought from other places. These included the Creuddyn peninsula, Chester, and the Wirral. This sandstone was more colorful. It was probably chosen for its look.
The castle is rectangular. It has an Inner and Outer Ward. A wall separates these two parts. There are four large towers on each side. Each tower is about 70 feet tall. Originally, the castle was covered in white lime render. The outside of the towers still has holes from when it was built. These holes held timbers for ramps used by builders. The battlements (tops of the walls) once had fancy designs. They also had square holes along the outside. We are not sure what these holes were for. They might have been for drainage, supports for wooden defenses, or for displaying shields.
The main entrance is through the western barbican. This is an outer defense in front of the main gate. When first built, you reached the barbican by a drawbridge and a ramp. This ramp came up steeply from the town. Today's path goes along the outside of the walls. The barbican has Britain's earliest stone machicolations. These are openings in the floor of a projecting part of the wall. They let defenders drop things on attackers below. The gate also had a portcullis for protection.
The gate leads into the Outer Ward. This area once had many administrative and service buildings. The north-west tower had limited rooms and storage. The south-west tower might have been used by the castle's constable or soldiers. It also had a bakehouse. On the south side of the ward are buildings that included the great hall and chapel. These sat above cellars, which are now open. You can still see parts of the stone arches from the 1340s. Behind the great hall was the constable's tower for prisoners. This included a special "debtors' chamber" and an underground dungeon. On the north side of the ward were service buildings. These included a kitchen, brewhouse, and another bakehouse. The kitchen tower had rooms and storage.
The Inner Ward was once separated from the Outer Ward by a wall. It also had a drawbridge and a gate. A ditch cut into the rock protected it. The ditch was filled in during the 1500s, and the drawbridge was removed. The castle well, fed by a spring, is still there. It is 91 feet deep. Inside, the Inner Ward held the royal family's rooms. It also had rooms for their staff and services. Today, historian Jeremy Ashbee says these are the "best-preserved suite of medieval private royal chambers in England and Wales." They were like a small royal palace. They could be sealed off from the rest of the castle. Supplies could come from the eastern gate by sea. This meant they could last almost forever. However, the royal family rarely used them.
The royal rooms were on the first floor. They were in buildings around a courtyard. The four towers protecting the Inner Ward had service areas. The Chapel Tower held the private royal chapel. Each tower has an extra watchtower turret. These were probably for security and to fly the royal flag. The design was like the 13th-century Gloriette at Corfe Castle. It gave the king privacy and strong security. The two sets of apartments were later combined into one. This included a great chamber, an outer chamber, and an inner chamber.
On the east side of the Inner Ward is another barbican. This encloses the castle garden. The royal apartments overlooked this garden. Its style changed over the years. In the early 1300s, it had a lawn. In the late 1300s, it had vines. In the 1500s, it had crab-apple trees and a lawn. In the 1600s, it had formal flowers. A hidden gate once led down to the river. A small dock was built there. This allowed important visitors to enter privately. It also let the fortress get supplies by boat. This gate is now hidden by later bridges.
Conwy's architecture is very similar to buildings in the County of Savoy from the same time. This includes window styles and the type of crenellation (notches on the walls) on the towers. It also includes the placement of holes for scaffolding. This is usually because of the influence of the Savoy architect Master James. For example, the three-pinnacled merlons (parts of the battlements) are seen at the Savoyard Castello San Giorio di Susa. Edward had visited this castle in 1273.
Constable of the Castle
The Constable of Conwy Castle had many important jobs. They were the Governor of the castle. They were also the governor of the fortified town. They were the keeper of the castle gaol (prison). They were also the Mayor of the town. They had other special duties too.
In 1283, the castle had a garrison. This included 30 soldiers, 15 crossbowmen, a superintendent, a Chaplain, a Stone mason, a Carpenter, an Artisan, and 10 residents. William De Sikun was the first constable. He earned £190 a year.
Images for kids
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See also
In Spanish: Castillo de Conwy para niños
- Castles in Great Britain and Ireland
- List of castles in Wales
- List of Scheduled Monuments in Conwy
