World Heritage Site Management Plan The Castles and Town Walls of Edward I in Gwynedd This management plan is dedicated to the memory of the late Arnold J. Taylor CBE, DLitt, FBA, historian, whose research over thirty-seven years led to the recognition of the international importance of the Castles and Town Walls of Edward I in Gwynedd. Contents, Foreword and Preface Other side: Beaumaris Castle, begun in 1295, was the last and largest of the castles built by King Edward I in north Wales. Above: Recent safety work at Beaumaris Castle has included the provision of new railings on the wall-walks. Table of Contents Foreword CA1.1 General Information CA1.1.1 Location CA1.1.2 Summary Description Preface CA1.2 Cultural Information Status and Content of the Site CA1.2.1 Archaeology CA1.2.2 History Inscription, Significance and Authenticity CA1.2.3 Military Engineering and Architecture Summary Statement of Significance CA1.3 Environment Summary Statement of Authenticity CA1.3.1 Geology and Topography CA1.3.2 Vegetation and Wildlife The Purpose of the CA1.3.3 Historic Landscape Management Plan CA1.4 Interests The Structure of the CA1.4.1 Ownership and Responsibility for Care Management Plan Conwy Castle and Town Walls CO1.1 General Information Part 1: Description CO1.1.1 Location of the Site CO1.1.2 Summary Description CO1.2 Cultural Information Beaumaris Castle CO1.2.1 Archaeology CO1.2.2 History B1.1 General Information CO1.2.3 Military Engineering and Architecture B1.1.1 Location CO1.3 Environment B1.1.2 Summary Description CO1.3.1 Geology and Topography B1.2 Cultural Information CO1.3.2 Vegetation and Wildlife CO1.3.3 Historic Landscape B1.2.1 Archaeology B1.2.2 History CO1.4 Interests B1.2.3 Military Engineering and Architecture CO 1.4.1 Ownership and Responsibility for Care B1.3 Environment B1.3.1 Geology and Topography Harlech Castle B1.3.2 Vegetation and Wildlife B1.3.3 Historic Landscape H1.1 General Information H1.1.1 Location Bl.4 Interests H1.1.2 Summary Description B1.4.1 Ownership and Responsibility for Care H1.2 Cultural Information Caernarfon Castle and H1.2.1 Archaeology H1.2.2 History Town Walls H1.2.3 Military Engineering and Architecture 1 Contents H1.3 Environment 2.3 Evaluation of Site Features H1.3.1 Geology and Topography 2.3.1 Cultural Values of the Historic Fabric H1.3.2 Vegetation and Wildlife 2.3.2 Cultural Values Associated with the Site H1.3.3 Historic Landscape 2.3.3 Contemporary Economic and Use Values 2.3.4 Existing Policy and Planning Context H1.4 Interests 2.4 Management Objectives and Options H1.4.1 Ownership and Responsibility for Care 2.4.1 Overall Management Objectives 2.4.2 Vision for the World Heritage Site and World Heritage Site its Setting 1.4.2 World Heritage Site: Economy and Tourism 2.4.3 Factors Influencing Management 1.4.3 The World Heritage Site and the Community 2.4.4 Management Options 2.4.5 Conservation of the Historic Fabric 2.4.6 Conservation of Records 2.4.7 Conservation of the Setting B2.4.7 Beaumaris Castle: Conservation of the Part 2: Significance Setting CA2.4.7 Caernarfon Castle and Town Walls: Conservation of the Setting and Vision CO2.4.7 Conwy Castle and Town Walls: Conservation of the Setting World Heritage Site H2.4.7 Harlech Castle: Conservation of the Setting 2.4.8 Uses 2.1 Statement of Significance 2.4.9 Study and Research 2.4.10 Education and Interpretation 2.1.1 All were built for King Edward I, one of the 2.4.11 Community Relations most important military leaders of his day 2.1.2 They formed a programme of royal castle 2.5 Appendices to Part 2 building of the first magnitude 2.1.3 Design and direction were in the hands of 2.5.1 National Policies: National Assembly for Wales James of St George, the greatest military and its Agencies architect of the age 2.5.2 Local Planning Policies: Ynys Môn/Anglesey 2.1.4 As a group the castles and walled towns 2.5.3 Local Planning Policies: Gwynedd demonstrate the state of the arts of military 2.5.4 Local Planning Policies: Conwy architecture and craftsmanship in stone at 2.5.5 Local Planning Policies: Snowdonia the end of the 13th century and illustrate the National Park way in which Edward I exercised his power in an annexed territory 2.1.5 As royal works the contemporary documentation of the castles has been carefully preserved Part 3: Prescription 2.1.6 The castles combine a marvellous sense of power with great beauty of line and form, perfectly attuned to their purpose and for Overall Site natural surroundings 2.1.7 Although they suffered periods of neglect as Management their military importance declined, all four castles and the two associated town walls 3.1 Projects have been cared for by the State during the last fifty to one hundred years 3.1.1 Co-ordinating Action 3.1.2 Project Identification and Classification 2.2 Conservation Status of the Site 2.2.1 World Heritage Site Criteria All Monuments in the 2.2.2 Historic Status in Wales and the UK World Heritage Site 2.2.3 Potential Threats 2.2.4 Opportunities W3.1.2 Project Register 2.2.5 Resource Definition and Boundary W3.1.3 Project Descriptions 2 Contents Beaumaris Castle B3.1.2 Project Register B3.1.3 Project Descriptions Caernarfon Castle and Town Walls CA3.1.2 Project Register CA3.1.3 Project Descriptions Conwy Castle and Town Walls CO3.1.2 Project Register CO3.1.3 Project Descriptions Harlech Castle H3.1.2 Project Register H3.1.3 Project Descriptions Bibliography Selected Bibliography and Register of Unpublished Material Acknowledgements Additional Maps and Plans Record of Amendments 3 Contents List of Illustrations Section Divider (Contents, Foreword and Preface) Beaumaris Castle Preface map Stone Castles of the Welsh Princes Section Divider (Part 1: Description of the Site) Caernarfon Castle Map 1 Anglesey, Caernarvonshire and Merioneth under Edward I Diagram 1.2.2 Sources of Labour Diagram 1.4.2 Numbers of Visitors to the World Heritage Site 1986–2004 Section Divider (Part 2: Significance and Vision) Conwy Castle Diagram 2.2.2 World Heritage Site Management Organisation Map B2.4.7 Beaumaris Castle Conservation of the Setting Map CA2.4.7 Caernarfon Castle and Town Walls Conservation of the Setting Map CO2.4.7 Conwy Castle and Town Walls Conservation of the Setting Map H2.4.7 Harlech Castle Conservation of the Setting Section Divider (Part 3: Overall Site Management) Harlech Castle Diagram 3.1.1 Coordinating Action Photo B1.1.1 Beaumaris Castle from the air Photo CA1.1.1 Caernarfon Castle and Town Walls from the air Photo CO1.1.1 Conwy Castle and Town Walls from the air Photo H1.1.1 Harlech Castle from the air Section Divider (Bibliography and Acknowledgements) Caernarfon Town Walls Section Divider (Additional Maps and Plans) Conwy Town Walls Plan Beaumaris Castle Plan Caernarfon Castle Plan Caernarfon Castle and Town Walls Plan Conwy Castle Plan Conwy Castle and Town Walls Plan Harlech Castle 4 Foreword In 1984 the United Kingdom ratified the World Heritage Convention and two years later The Castles and Town Walls of Edward I in Gwynedd was amongst the first seven cultural and natural sites from the UK to be inscribed on the World Heritage List. In just one World Heritage Site we have four magnificent thirteenth-century castles and two almost complete sets of town walls, built by one the foremost medieval military architects of the age. In 2000, a further site from Wales was added to the World Heritage List, the Blaenavon Industrial Landscape, one of the finest surviving examples in the world of a landscape created by coal mining and iron making in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The World Heritage Committee requires nation states to have in place appropriate management arrangements to protect the significance of their World Heritage Sites and this is being achieved in the UK through the production of management plans like this one. The Welsh Assembly Government is committed to implementing all aspects of the World Heritage Convention and we are proud to have the responsibility, exercised through Cadw, of protecting, conserving and presenting to the public the four castles at Caernarfon, Conwy, Harlech and Beaumaris, along with the town walls at Caernarfon and Conwy, which make up this World Heritage Site. Lying at the heart of four of our most important historic towns, these monuments are hugely important to the economy of north Wales, attracting over half a million visitors a year, a quarter of whom come from overseas. During the summer season they are the focus of a range of events, from great set-piece operatic concerts at Caernarfon Castle, through military re-enactments and theatrical performances, to local community functions. World Heritage Status carries with it a responsibility to look after these monuments to the highest standards. The Government’s involvement in their maintenance dates back to the mid-nineteenth century when the architect, Anthony Salvin, was called upon to organise emergency repairs at Caernarfon Castle to prevent parts of the monument from collapsing on to the main thoroughfare leading to the quay and newly established railway. At various times over the next century and a half, major programmes of masonry consolidation have taken place, most recently along the south-western stretch of the town walls at Conwy.