Conwy Castle is one of the ring of built by Edward I to rule north after he defeated the Welsh princes. A walled town for English settlers was established at the same time.The walls and castle are remarkably complete and, along with Castle and town wall, Castle and Castle, in 1987 they were added to the World Heritage List of sites of outstanding value. History , built on a rocky outcrop, controls the crossing of the , at the eastern edge of . Edward I personally oversaw the planning of the castle and town early in 1283, and the work was supervised by Master James of St George, one of the greatest military architects of his day. In summer 1285, 1,500 workmen were employed, and two years later the work was largely completed. In such an exposed A reconstruction of the position, the building soon began to decay. In 1332 it was said to be not fit in the west for the king to stay in. In 1346 the buildings were re-roofed in lead. In the , showing the way they range, stone arches strong enough to support a lead roof replaced may have been used during an the previous timber trusses.The castle was seized by followers of Owain attack or upon the gateway Glyn Dwˆ r in 1401. Little maintenance seems to have been carried out until leading to the outer ward. the castle was repaired by supporters of the king in the Civil War.After that, the roof was removed.The castle was attractive to artists in the eighteenth century and it was painted by J. M.W.Turner.When ’s road bridge and later the railway brought visitors to Conwy, more interest was shown in the castle. It was given to the borough in 1865 and is now in the care of , on behalf of the National Assembly for Wales.A continuous programme of research and maintenance is carried out. Looking at the buildings The exterior • Look at the siting of the castle and its relationship to the river and town walls. • Is there evidence that the castle was built in a single phase? • Look for patches of limewash, which show that the castle was painted white. • Putlog holes: these round holes, visible in the tower walls, show where the scaffolding was. • Square holes beneath the are evidence for a hourd, or wooden platform. • Arrowloops at alternating heights improve defence. • Notice the on the four eastern towers. Stockhouse To w e r Chapel To w e r

N 1

3 2 King’s To w e r Site of Ramp

h Names of Inner Ward Rooms D i t c o f To w Bakehouse Derived from 1627 Survey t e S i To w e r (Public Record Office, SP 16/89/25) n W

a Site of ll 1 The Great Chamber 2 The Presence Chamber Modern Path Stockhouse Chapel North-West Tower Kitchen To w e r 3 The Privy Chamber To w e r To w e r 4 A Large Arched Roome used for a Cellar

5 A Like Large Roome used for a Kitchen

Site of 6 A Faire Lowe Parlor Site of Kitchen and Stables Granary Site of Stairs to West Drawbridge 4 7 A Litle Roome used as a Buttery (?) Barbican Gate-passage Water Gate Well Inner Outer Ward Ward 7? East Barbican Porch

6 5 King’s Lesser To w e r n Wall Hall Pas Chapel Tow e-room sage nt Great Hall South-West A To w e r

Bakehouse To we r Upstanding Walls/Visible Foundations

Buried/Lost Walls Prison To w e r 0 10 20 30 Metres

0 25 50 75 100 Feet

The outer gate and west barbican • The present entrance is modern.The original was via a ramp to the right. • Notice the grooves for a and pivot holes for a drawbridge in the outer gate. • There are drawbar holes for doors at the end of the gate-passage. • Large arrowloops and machicolations protect the gateway to the outer ward. The outer ward • This is where the garrison lived, and in 1284 this comprised fifteen crossbowmen and fifteen other servants. • Notice evidence for a portcullis and a drawbar in the gateway. • The kitchen, stable and guardroom were built of timber against the north wall. Notice the foundations and stone corbels to support the roof in the wall. The great hall range • These were grand rooms: notice the fine windows and door frames. • There are three fireplaces in this range. • The stone arches were built to support the new lead roof in 1346. The towers

• The north-west and south-west towers were the home of the constable and his family.

• Notice the fireplaces and latrines.

• The basements were used for storage.

• The prison tower had a cell in the basement. The inner ward

• This was ‘a castle within a castle’, containing the apartments of the king and queen.

• From the castle it was reached over a drawbridge.

• It could be entered from the east barbican without passing through the outer ward.

• The towers have turrets.

• There are some fine windows.

• Some original plaster survives on the walls.

• The chapel is the best preserved in the Edwardian castles.

5 The town walls Porth yr Adain G 6

A d f a o o 4 n R 7 Berry Street ch it C D o n w n To 8 w y • Edward I divided the Welsh territory into English-style counties Y Porth t ee Isaf 9 el Str hap C 3 10 t and Conwy was designed to be a county town. C tree as tle St High S 2 t reet an as 11 le t Eglwys P e t e n tr y Santes Fair u S o 12 te Porth M a Lancaster 1 G Square y Gilddor er pp • The whole circuit of the town walls survives, although new U

13 e Lan ry ma reet ose Hill St R Rose Y Porth Castell openings have been made for roads and the railway. Uchaf Porth (a’r bont) 14 17 18 19 y Felin 20 16 21 15

A 0 50 100 Metrau fo n G yffin • The walls are 1,400 yards (1.3km) long, with twenty-one 0 100 200 300 Troedfeddi towers roughly 80 yards (46m) apart.

• There are three defended gates and a row of twelve latrines.

• There is a good view of the walls and the castle from Tower 13. Some ideas for site activities The castle as a stronghold

• From the outside, what is most impressive about the castle? Does everyone agree? The new-style Conwy Castle guidebook contains information • What obstacles face attackers trying to reach the inner ward? about the history of Conwy and What are the most dangerous places on their route? reconstruction drawings of the • Where would you position the fifteen crossbowmen in the buildings. It is available at 25% garrison to best defend the castle? discount for educational use from Cadw Sales. • In 1401 the followers of Owain Glyn Dwˆ r seized the castle by Tel 01443 336 092/094 ‘treachery’. How might they have sneaked in? Plan a possible route Email [email protected] to the king’s chamber. Priory, Cross, Dovecote The domestic arrangements and St Seiriol’s Well Conwy Castle Prestatyn Rhyl and Town Walls Castle Beaumaris and Twthill Castle A55 • Describe or sketch the chapel. How is it different from the A55 Plas Friary, Mawr Bangor B51 0 Leicester’s Church other rooms? 7 4 and St Hilary’s Chapel

06 Roman Fort A 8 A54 Dolbadarn Gwydir Uchaf Chapel Denbigh Castle Castle and Town Walls • Would the castle have been a healthy place to live? Would it A4086 A5 Caernarfon Castle Betws-y-Coed Burial Chamber have been the same for the king, the constable, the soldiers and Town Walls Conwy Derwen A A487 40 Churchyard Cross 85 Blaenau and the servants? Castle Rug Chapel Castle Llangar 12 A42 Old Parish Church Dee Bala • Parts of the decorative windows survive. Can you sketch one

A470 Harlech B4391 N Castle Bala Lake as it would have been when complete? Burial Chamber A494 Cymer A Conwy Leisure and tourism 4 Abbey 9 Pont Castle 6 Minllyn A4 70 Dyfi 0 Km 8 3 • Since 1966 the chapel has had a new roof and a new floor. 5 A49 0 Miles Should more work be done to the castle? • Design a guide for a visitor who can only spend an hour in Conwy. Decide what are the most important things to see. Your visit Conwy Castle and walled town are reached via the A55 coast road. Facilities Parking, toilets, guidebook available, site exhibition, gift shop, tourist information centre on site. Access Good access to the shop, paying desk and exhibition area.There is a Cadw sloping path and steps from there to the castle entrance and the ground Plas Carew has various stairs and levels.There is an exhibition inside one of the towers Unit 5/7 Cefn Coed and there are information panels on the site. Benches are provided. Parc Nantgarw CF15 7QQ The pay-and-display car park next to the castle is free to disabled Tel 01443 33 6000 badge holders.There are five spaces with the wheelchair logo Fax 01443 33 6001 (two wide and three of normal size). Email [email protected] Web www.cadw.wales.gov.uk The public toilets next to the shop include one radar key toilet. Disabled visitors and their assisting companion are admitted free of charge to all monuments. Please note that, for health reasons, dogs are not allowed on Cadw sites, but guide dogs and hearing dogs for the deaf are welcome. Further information, help and advice on visiting the site is available from the custodian at the monument, who can also arrange a free planning visit for group leaders. The Custodian, Conwy Castle, Conwy, LL32 8AY Tel 01492 592358 Email [email protected] Buy the new-style Conwy Castle guidebook at 25% discount for educational use from Conwy Castle shop or Cadw Sales at the main Cadw address. Tel 01443 336 092/094 Email [email protected]