CAERPHILLY CASTLE

Wales

Caerphilly Castle is a medieval fortification in Caerphilly in South Wales. The castle was constructed by Gilbert de Clare in the 13th century as part of his campaign to maintain control of Glamorgan and saw extensive fighting between Gilbert, his descendants, and the native Welsh rulers.

Surrounded by extensive artificial lakes – considered by historian Allen Brown to be “the most elaborate water defences in all Britain” – it occupies around 30 acres (12 ha) and is the largest castle in Wales and the second-largest castle in the United Kingdom after Windsor Castle.

It is famous for having introduced concentric castle defences to Britain and for its large gatehouses. Gilbert began work on the castle in 1268 following his occupation of the north of Glamorgan, with the majority of the construction occurring over the next three years at a considerable cost.

The project was opposed by Gilbert’s Welsh rival Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, leading to the site being burnt in 1270 and taken over by royal officials in 1271. Despite these interruptions, Gilbert successfully completed the castle and took control of the region.

The core of Caerphilly Castle, including the castle’s luxurious accommodation, was built on what became a central island, surrounded by several artificial lakes, a design Gilbert probably derived from that at Kenilworth.

The dams for these lakes were further fortified, and an island to the west provided additional protection. The concentric rings of walls inspired Edward I’s castles in North Wales, and proved what historian Norman Pounds has termed “a turning point in the history of the castle in Britain”.

The castle was attacked during the Madog ap Llywelyn revolt of 1294, the Llywelyn Bren uprising in 1316 and during the overthrow of Edward II in 1326–27. In the late 15th century, however, it fell into decline and by the 16th century the lakes had drained away and the walls were robbed of their stone.

The Marquesses of Bute acquired the property in 1776 and under the third and fourth Marquesses, extensive restoration took place. In 1950 the castle and grounds were given to the state and the water defences were re-flooded. In the 21st century, the Welsh heritage agency Cadw manages the site as a tourist attraction.

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BEAUMARIS CASTLE

Wales

Beaumaris Castle in Beaumaris, Anglesey, Wales, was built as part of Edward I’s campaign to conquer north Walesafter 1282.

Plans were probably first made to construct the castle in 1284, but this was delayed due to lack of funds and work only began in 1295 following the Madog ap Llywelyn uprising.

A substantial workforce was employed in the initial years under the direction of James of St George. Edward’s invasion of Scotland soon diverted funding from the project, however, and work stopped, only recommencing after an invasion scare in 1306.

When work finally ceased around 1330 a total of £15,000 had been spent, a huge sum for the period, but the castle remained incomplete.

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CARREG CENNEN CASTLE

Wales

Carreg Cennen Castle is a castle near the River Cennen, in the village of Trap, four miles south of Llandeilo in Carmarthenshire, Wales.

The castle is within the Brecon Beacons National Park, and its location has been described as spectacular, due to its position above a limestone precipice.

It has been in a ruinous state since 1462 and is now in the care of Cadw, the Welsh Government historic environment service.

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ROCH CASTLE

Wales

Roch Castle is a 12th-century castle, located at Roch near Haverfordwest, Wales.

Built by Norman knight Adam de Rupe in the second half of the 12th century, probably on the site of an earlier wooden structure. Roche is the usual French word for rock, while rupestre signifies a plant growing among rocks.

Built at the same time as Pill Priory near Milford Haven, Roch Castle was probably built in this location as one of the outer defences of “Little England” or “Landsker”, as it is located near the unmarked border which for centuries has separated the English and Welsh areas of Pembrokeshire.

After the de Rupe family died out in the 15th century, the Castle was taken over eventually in the 17th century by the Walter family. Their daughter Lucy was born in the castle, and later became a courtesan of Charles II, and bore him an acknowledged son James, 1st Duke of Monmouth.

During the English Civil War, the Walter family declared for King Charles I. Although Pembrokeshire was initially Royalist, the Puritans gained the upper hand.

The castle changed hands twice before the Walter family fled when it was captured for a second time by the Parliamentary forces and subsequently burned in 1644. It lay dormant and unclaimed until the return of Duke of Monmouth, who led a rebellion and was captured at the Battle of Sedgemoor, and then beheaded on 15 July 1685.

The castle remained to decay until 1900 when purchased by John Philipps, 1st Viscount St Davids, who restored it with a steel frame and new concrete floors to the designs of D. E. Thomas of Haverfordwest.

Further works were carried out in 1910 and circa 1918–20, the latter by D. F. Ingleton.

The Castle was purchased in 2008 by Keith Griffiths for the Griffiths-Roch Foundation and was restored for operation by the Retreats Group as a six-bedroom luxury hotel Roch Castle Hotel.

Completed in 2013, the restoration was designed by architects Keith Griffiths and Acanthus Holden. In 2016, the hotel received a 5-Star Gold Award from the AA ^[6] and was named Best 5-star Hotel in Wales by Trivago.

It is also listed in The Independent’s ‘The Big Six: British castle stay’; The Guardian’s ‘10 of the best cool new hotels in Wales’, The Sunday Times ‘Ultimate 100 British Hotels’ list, The Times’s Cool Hotel Guide, and was featured by BBC News, WalesOnline, Conde Nast Traveller and more.

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GWRYCH CASTLE

Wales

Gwrych Castle is a Grade I listed 19th-century country house near Abergele in Conwy County Borough, Wales. The castle and 236-acre estate are privately owned but a portion of the land is leased to Natural Resources Wales on a 999-year term.

The Lloyds (Lloyds) of Plas yn y Gwrych were the ancestral owners of Gwrych and could trace their ancestry back to the mediaeval period. They were part of the royal house of Marchudd ap Cynan, founder of the VIII Noble Tribe of North Wales.

The Lloyds also shared co-sanguinity with Llywelyn the Great. Situated within the Gwrych Castle Estate is a pair of Iron Age hillforts, a Roman shrine, lead and silver mines and mediaeval battle sites; the latter^[5] are recorded on stone tablets at the principal entrance.

Gwrych Castle was built between 1810 and 1825 by Lloyd Hesketh Bamford-Hesketh (1787–1861), in memory of his mother Frances Lloyd and her ancestors. It incorporated an earlier house that had been in the ownership of the Lloyds since the late-medieval period.

From 1894 until 1924, Winifred, Countess of Dundonald, the Hesketh heiress, owned the estate and it became the residence of the Dundonald family (family name of Cochrane). The countess left the castle in her will to King George V and the then Prince of Wales (who later became Edward VIII).

However, the gift was refused and the castle passed to the Venerable Order of Saint John. In 1928, the 12th Earl of Dundonald purchased the castle for £78,000 (equivalent to £4,734,000 in 2019), selling the contents to meet the cost.

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RHUDDLAN CASTLE

Wales

Rhuddlan Castle is a castle located in Rhuddlan, Denbighshire, Wales. It was erected by Edward I in 1277, following the First Welsh War.

Much of the work was overseen by master mason James of Saint George. Rhuddlan, which was not completed until 1282, was built concurrently with Flint Castle, at a time when King Edward I of England was consolidating his conquest of Wales.

It was temporarily his residence, and his daughter, Elizabeth, is presumed to have been born there.

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