Dolwyddelan Castle
Encyclopedia
Dolwyddelan Castle was a native Welsh castle
located near Dolwyddelan
in Conwy County in North Wales
. It was built in the 13th century by Llywelyn the Great
, Prince of Gwynedd and North Wales.
. It consisted of two rectangular towers linked by an irregular curtain wall.
The Welsh castle functioned as a guard post along a main route through North Wales. On January 18, 1283, it was captured by Edward I of England
's forces during the final stages of his conquest of Wales. The castle was then modified and strengthened for occupation by an English garrison.
Edwardian troops maintained a military presence here until 1290. As the long-term strategy of control in Wales began to rely on military and administrative centres accessible by sea, the inland castles became obsolete.
In the 15th century, an upper storey was added to the keep by local lord Maredudd ap Ieuan
. It was restored and partly re-modelled in the 19th Century by Lord Willoughby de Eresby, who added the distinctive battlement
s.
, which is part of the Welsh Assembly's historic environment division.
.
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
located near Dolwyddelan
Dolwyddelan
Dolwyddelan, Welsh language : 'the meadow of Gwyddelan', is a village and community in Conwy county borough, north Wales, on the main A470 road between Blaenau Ffestiniog and Betws-y-Coed...
in Conwy County in North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
. It was built in the 13th century by Llywelyn the Great
Llywelyn the Great
Llywelyn the Great , full name Llywelyn ab Iorwerth, was a Prince of Gwynedd in north Wales and eventually de facto ruler over most of Wales...
, Prince of Gwynedd and North Wales.
Construction
Dolwyddelan was built between about 1210 and 1240 as one of the Snowdonian strongholds of the princes of GwyneddKingdom of Gwynedd
Gwynedd was one petty kingdom of several Welsh successor states which emerged in 5th-century post-Roman Britain in the Early Middle Ages, and later evolved into a principality during the High Middle Ages. It was based on the former Brythonic tribal lands of the Ordovices, Gangani, and the...
. It consisted of two rectangular towers linked by an irregular curtain wall.
History
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
's forces during the final stages of his conquest of Wales. The castle was then modified and strengthened for occupation by an English garrison.
Edwardian troops maintained a military presence here until 1290. As the long-term strategy of control in Wales began to rely on military and administrative centres accessible by sea, the inland castles became obsolete.
In the 15th century, an upper storey was added to the keep by local lord Maredudd ap Ieuan
Maredudd ap Ifan
Maredudd ab Ifan was the Head of the House of Aberffraw following the death of his father. It is not known if he had any siblings. He rebuilt Gwydyr Castle after it was destroyed in the 1460s and made it the family home. He is cited by Sir John Wynn, 1st Baronet as one of his ancestors and head of...
. It was restored and partly re-modelled in the 19th Century by Lord Willoughby de Eresby, who added the distinctive battlement
Battlement
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
s.
Present day
The castle is now under the protection of CADWCadw
-Conservation and Protection:Many of Wales's great castles and other monuments, such as bishop's palaces, historic houses, and ruined abbeys, are now in Cadw's care. Cadw does not own them but is responsible for their upkeep and for making them accessible to the public...
, which is part of the Welsh Assembly's historic environment division.
Media appearances
In 1980 the location was used for all the outdoor shots of Ulrich's castle during the making of the film DragonslayerDragonslayer
Dragonslayer is a 1981 fantasy movie set in a fictional medieval kingdom, following a young wizard who experiences danger and opposition as he attempts to defeat a dragon....
.
External links
- http://www.llywelyn.co.uk
- Castles of Wales, information and photographs of Dolwyddelan Castle
- "Castle Explorer" page
- www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Dolwyddelan Castle