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a Castle in the town of Conwy, in the county of Gwynedd

Conwy Castle 005

About Conwy Castle

Conwy Castle, with its great wall's and twenty-one towers, must be one of the most impressive fortifications in Wales, if not Great Britain. Begun in 1283, it completion in 1288 must have been something of a record for those far off days.

The castle is one of Edward I's fortifications, built by the brilliant military engineer, James of St.George, Master of the Royal Works. Interestingly, the castle was built to follow the contours of the rock, it does not have a gatehouse, but the castle forecourt was defended by two of the great towers and the town itself was strongly fortified.

Although most of the inside of the castle is ruined, the walls remain almost intact, with the great round towers still to their full height. Entrance is gained through the old main gate leading into the outer ward, with the dramatic great hall on the right and a narrow gate to the inner ward opposite.

The royal apartments were situate in the four corner towers of the inner ward, whilst beyond is the east barbican, giving access to the rear gate.

By the 17th century the castle had begun to fall into decay, and in 1628 it was sold to Viscount Conway for £100. At the outbreak of the Civil War the castle was repaired by John Williams, Archbishop of York, an ardent Royalist, but under bombardment it soon fell to Cromwell's forces.

The death knell for the castle began to toll when in 1665 the 3rd Earl of Conway ordered all its movable contents to be shipped to Ireland, thus interest in the castle waned until the early part of the 19th century when a lively interest was rekindled by the building of the two bridges which stand alongside it. Telford's bridge was built in 1817 and Stephenson's was completed by 1848.

Late in the 19th century the castle was taken over by the Welsh Historic Monument Association, who preserve it to this day. Conwy without doubt is in a class of its own, it is without equal anywhere in the world, and is truly one of the most impressive castle masterpieces ever.

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Nearby travel help

Conwy Station(0.1 miles, 0.2 km)
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Book the The Quay Hotel in Deganwy Quay, Deganwy, Gwynedd, Wales5 stars

The Quay Hotel

Deganwy Quay, Deganwy, Gwynedd, Wales (0.9 miles, 1.4 km)
This 5-star quality, fully non-smoking hotel, located on the breathtaking Deganwy marina, opened in August 2006. With views overlooking the Conwy Estuary and Deganwy marina, be one of the first to exp...
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Book the Deganwy Castle Hotel in Station Road, Deganwy, Conwy, Gwynedd, Wales2 stars

Deganwy Castle Hotel

Station Road, Deganwy, Conwy, Gwynedd, Wales (1.0 miles, 1.6 km)
This listed building, originally a farmhouse dating from the 17th century, is now a hotel offering modern amenities whilst keeping its old world charm. Period features include oak beams and roarin...
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Book the The Sandringham Hotel in West Parade, Llandudno Conwy, Conwy, Wales2 stars

The Sandringham Hotel

West Parade, Llandudno Conwy, Conwy, Wales (2.8 miles, 4.5 km, direction N)
Relax in the comfortable surroundings of The Sandringham Hotel, whilst our friendly and helpfull staff do their utmost to ensure your stay is enjoyable. The hotel is situated on the seafront in the ce...
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Book the Cae Mor in Central Promenade, Llandudno, Conway, Conwy, Wales3 stars

Cae Mor

Central Promenade, Llandudno, Conway, Conwy, Wales (2.9 miles, 4.7 km, direction N)
The Cae Mor Hotel, located next to Venue Cymru (North Wales Theatre and Conference Centre) now combines a beautiful blend of Victorian period features with tasteful decor and furnishings after a full ...
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The Tilstone Guest House

15 Carmen Sylva Road, Craig-Y-Don, Llandudno, Conwy, Wales (2.9 miles, 4.7 km, direction N)
The Tilstone is a family-run, strictly non-smoking Guest House run by Steve and Lynne Jones and situated in a quiet residential area. The Guest House is just a short walk from the Promenade, North Wal...
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