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The Welsh American Search Engine Everything you need to know about Wales  ( Travel Tips, History etc )      and the Welsh contribution to the building of America can be found right here!

 

 

 

Castles of Wales

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  One of the finest things that Wales has to offer is a magnificent collection of medieval fortifications. When I was a boy I thought these places were magical relics of a bygone era, steeped in myth and legend. When I was a rebellious teen I thought they were bastions of feudal repression designed to hold a cowering and servile peasant population forever in awe of their noble masters. Now that I am almost an adult I prefer to think of them as priceless tourist assets. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dolbadarn Castle, Gwynedd Dolbadarn is a native castle built by Llewellyn the Great  in the early 13th century. It is situated just outside Llanberis in the shadow of  Snowdon. The ruins are not extensive but it is an historic and magnificently situated monument. LINK

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Most of these fortifications were constructed by Norman or Anglo-Norman invaders but there are also a few "native" Welsh castles mainly in North and West Wales. A selection of some of Wales` finest castles is presented on this page together with links to the excellent "Castles of Wales" site which includes a history, description and pictures of all the major ( and many minor ) castles in the Principality. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Caerphilly Castle,Glamorgan Just 5 miles north of Cardiff, Caerphilly Castle is a concentric castle and reputed to be the second largest in the UK after Windsor.   The ruins are extensive and the castle is often used for banquets and concerts. It is famous for its 'leaning tower'. LINK

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Whist there are substantial remains at many sites, be prepared for a disappointment in some cases. An 'historic monument' marker on a map does not necessarily mean that there is much visible above ground. Many Welsh castles are of the 'Motte and Bailey' type and consist of little more than an earthen mound that once boasted a complex of wooden fortificatios long since eroded or destroyed in the many wars between the Welsh and the Marcher Barons. An example can be found here LINK.   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dinefwr Castle, Carmarthenshire Another native castle, Dinefwr,  was a stronghold of  'The Lord Rhys'  ( Rhys ap Gruffydd ) the ruler of 'Deheubarth' in the 12th century The castle was extensively altered and repaired in the 17th and and 20th centuries and opened to the public recently. LINK

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Castles have an extraordinary capacity to capture the  imagination of children and with that fact in mind we have included a link to a site which is intended primarily as a teaching resource but which might well appeal to the enthusiastic hobbyist. It encourages you to design your own medieval castle according to a set of predefined criteria. The site provides a good basic introduction to the period and to the architecture of these magnificent structures.  LINK -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Caernarfon Castle, Gwynedd Caernarfon is perhaps the finest example of an Edwardian concentric castle built after the conquest of Gwynedd in 1282. The current Prince of Wales was invested here in 1969. This is a magnificent and imposing edifice but it can get crowded on weekends and holidays. LINK

NEW STUFF

Disney Does St. Davids Day Disneyland Paris will stage a Welsh St. Davids Festival next year between  Feb 29th and March 2nd. Google & Miss Wales 1907 An appreciation of the Google 'My Library' feature. Welsman Wins 3rd Cheese Rolling Race Great Welsh sporting achievement! Joyful Noise in Beavercreek Bryn Seion 72nd annual Gymanfu Ganu. Library A Welsh literary resource page. What Is Wales? Part 1 of a new series

OTHER STUFF

Welsh Parliament Abolishes Prescription Charges They do Things Right In Chicago! St Patricks Day  An American Welsh perspective Malcolm Pryce and the Wild Men of Aberystwyth

SITES WE LIKE

Listed on Links Page and here:- Introducing Wales An excellent site hosted in Vancouver  B.C. The Chicago Tafia One of the best Welsh American and  ex-pat sites on the web Mr Shouty Trousers A mixture of celtic eclecticism and humor. Highly recommended. Hendy Productions An excellent site featuring a DVD movie recording of a tour around Wales in 2006.

FUN STUFF

From the World Wide Web Cats That Look Like Hitler Bread Is Dangerous Welsh Toast Arranging Suicide Jumper Bottle Blade Mozart