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Medieval Castles
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| Conway Castle
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| Caernarfon Castle
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After Rhuddlan, in 1283, the King moved on to Conway where the plans for a castle were immediately put into effect. Conway castle was built on a rocky knoll which dictated its size and shape, not allowing for the concentric plan to be used. Conway is a formidable looking castle with eight fat drum towers, linking walls and two inner courtyards divided by a cross wall. A town was built next to the castle with a surrounding defensive wall in which English settlers could act as pockets of loyalty among the Welsh. Carnarvon Castle was built at roughly the same time and is very similar in design to Conway with no concentric fortifications. Caernarvon has a strong tower that could hold out independently to the rest of the castle. Harlech, also begun in 1283, saw a return for Edward and his master mason to the concentric plan with a strong gatehouse that again could act like a keep, projecting corner towers and an outer curtain wall. The ground falls away on the north and west sides of Harlech so restricting the castles defences. The last and most elaborate of these castles was Beaumaris on Anglesey. It was begun in 1295 as an addition to the chain after Caernarvon was captured by the Welsh in an uprising the year before. The location of Beaumaris has no physical limitations and so allows for a symmetrical concentric layout. Impressive as the design of this castle is, it was never completed. The fortification principles outlined above, mainly the concentric plan was not confined to Wales but was certainly used elsewhere in Wales. Caerphilly Castle in South Wales is similar to Harlech in its central plan but the outer wall and water defence are more elaborate is the terrain is not confining.
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