Conwy Castle

Lore & Background

Before the English built the town of Conwy, the site was occupied by a Cistercian monastery, Aberconwy Abbey, as well as one of the palaces (called llys) of the Welsh princes. Edward captured Aberconwy in March 1283 and decided that the location would form the centre of a new county: he relocated the abbey eight miles up the Conwy valley to a new site at Maenan, establishing Maenan Abbey, and built a new English castle and walled town on the monastery's former site. Work began on cutting the ditch around Conwy Castle within days of Edward's decision. The work was controlled by Sir John Bonvillars and overseen by master mason James of St. George. The first phase of work between 1283 and 1284 focused on creating the exterior curtain walls and towers. In the second phase, from 1284 and 1286, the interior buildings were erected, while work began on the walls for the neighbouring town. By 1287, the castle was complete. The builders recruited huge numbers of labourers from across England for the task. At each summer building season, the labourers massed at Chester and then walked into Wales. Edward's accountants did not separate the costs of the town walls from that of the castle, but the total cost of the two projects came to around £15,000, a huge sum for the period.

Reader's Guide

UNESCO considers Conwy to be one of 'the finest examples of late 13th century and early 14th century military architecture in Europe', and it is classed as a World Heritage Site. The rectangular castle is built from local and imported stone and occupies a coastal ridge, originally overlooking an important crossing point over the River Conwy. Divided into an Inner and an Outer Ward, it is defended by eight large towers and two barbicans, with a postern gate leading down to the river, allowing the castle to be resupplied from the sea. It retains the earliest surviving stone machicolations in Britain and what historian Jeremy Ashbee has described as the 'best preserved suite of medieval private royal chambers in England and Wales'. In keeping with other Edwardian castles in North Wales, the architecture of Conwy has close links to that found in the Savoy during the same period, an influence probably derived from the Savoy origins of the main architect, James of Saint George. Following the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642, the castle was held by forces loyal to Charles I, holding out until 1646 when it surrendered to the Parliamentary armies. In the aftermath, the castle was partially slighted by Parliament to prevent it being used in any further revolt, and was finally completely ruined in 1665 when its remaining iron and lead was stripped and sold off. Conwy Castle became an attractive destination for painters in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Visitor numbers grew and initial restoration work was carried out in the second half of the 19th century. In the 21st century, the ruined castle is managed by Cadw as a tourist attraction, and since 2024, under its Welsh name only.

Did You Know?

• The castle's constable was, by a royal charter of 1284, also the mayor of the new town of Conwy—a tradition that continues today, with the Mayor serving as ex-officio Constable of the Castle.
• During the siege of 1294–95, Edward I was besieged at Conwy by the Welsh between December and January, supplied only by sea, and chronicler Walter of Guisborough claimed Edward refused to drink his own private wine supply, sharing it with the garrison instead.
• In April 1401, Rhys ap Tudur and his brother Gwilym gained entry to Conwy Castle by pretending to be carpenters repairing the castle, killed the two watchmen, and held the fortress for around three months before negotiating a royal pardon.
• The castle retains the earliest surviving stone machicolations in Britain.
• After the English Civil War, the castle was finally completely ruined in 1665 when its remaining iron and lead were stripped and sold off under the supervision of Edward Conway's overseer William Milward.

Common Misconceptions (Editorial)

1. Some believe Conwy Castle was built on an empty site, but it was actually constructed on the location of a Cistercian monastery (Aberconwy Abbey) and a Welsh princely palace, both of which were relocated or removed. 2. The cost of the castle is often cited alone as £15,000, but the facts show this sum was the combined cost for both the castle and the town walls, not the castle by itself.

Why It Matters (Editorial)

Conwy Castle endures as a striking symbol of medieval English military power and the fraught history of Anglo-Welsh relations. Its careful construction, surviving architectural innovations like early stone machicolations, and its role in key rebellions remind us that castles were not just stone fortresses but living centers of political control and conflict.