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Harlech Castle, Wales

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Harlech Castle, built between 1283 and 1289, is one of the most impressive and carefully built castles in Britain. Edward I spent part of his youth on crusade, and during this time he saw many Middle Eastern castles, which represented the peak of military technology at that time. The Crac de Chevalier in modern Syria is the most formidable example. The architecture of Crac de Chevalier lays all kinds of deceptive traps for its attackers. A dark sloping entrance hall with many defensive positions leads up to a junction where a frightened soldier has a choice - continue up another dark, terrifying hallway, or take an apparent escape route through an inviting door into what appears to be the relief of daylight. In reality the inviting doorway leads to a courtyard surrounded on all sides by defensive walls from which defenders would pour fire down on their trapped victims. Similar deceptions awaited attackers of Harlech. Doorways into towers were built to allow a defender full range of movement for his weapons. His adversary would be hampered by the stairwell layout as he tried to come to terms with blows coming from above. Up on the ramparts narrow walkways would lead around defensive towers. Attackers would naturally follow the walkways, assuming that they led to a doorway giving shelter from fire coming down on their heads. In reality these walkways led nowhere, and were simply designed to herd soldiers into cramped places where they could be killed. Edward also learnt from weak points of Crac de Chevalier, which gained its water supply from a vulnerable aqueduct. If this aqueduct was controlled by the enemy, the castle garrison would have to surrender or die of thirst. Edward built his castles in coastal locations so that they could be re supplied by sea, and would thus be invulnerable to siege. At Harlech there is actually a gated and fortified stairway leading down to the foot of the castle rock where the thirteenth century coastline ran. Hopefully of course Harlech would look so impressive that no one would try to attack it in the first place. Throughout the history of castles the symbolism of these massive structures has been as important as their physical strength. Edward I built on this symbolism when he carefully took apart Welsh leader Llewellyn ap Grwffyd's royal hall and rebuilt it within the grounds of Harlech.

The castle's imaginative defenses were first tested in 1295 when a garrison of only twenty men, and a group of town's people taking shelter, faced a Welsh siege. Harlech held long enough for reinforcement by sea to arrive. Defeat for Harlech first came in 1404 when Owain Glyndwr took the castle during his rebellion against Henry IV. But Owain's victory was a result of bribing the English garrison, who allowed him to walk in. Harlech then became the seat of Glyndwyr's Welsh parliament, a symbol of his power. By the 1400s times had changed, and castles were no longer at the forefront of military technology. Gunpowder was now available and Henry IV sent his son, Harry of Monmouth, later Henry V, to retake the castle from the Welsh. Nevertheless, even using new weapons available Henry could not break through Harlech's walls, and a long siege was required, which ended in 1409.

Through its changeable history Harlech has become an ambivalent national symbol, a symbol of both English and Welsh power, meaning different things to different people. The castle itself seems to give nothing away, and just sits brooding on the top of its rock.

Opening Times: Open daily except for 24th - 26th December and 1st January.

1st April to 31st October 9am to 5pm,

1st November to 31st March, Monday to Saturday 9.30am to 4pm and Sunday 11am to 4pm.

Last admission thirty minutes before closing.

Address: Harlech Castle, Castle Square, Harlech, Gwynedd LL46 2YH

There is parking at the castle, information panels, an exhibition, toilets, and a shop. There are restaurants and tea rooms nearby. No dogs permitted, except assistance dogs.

Directions: Harlech Castle can be found in Harlech near the centre of Gwynedd, North Wales, off the A496,and 200m from Harlech station. Click here for an interactive map centred on Harlech.

Access: This is a difficult site for disabled people. Three disabled spaces are provided in the car park, but there are long flights of steps up to the castle. The toilets do not include a disabled toilet.

Contact:

telephone: 01766 780552

fax: 01766 780552

e-mail cadw@wales.gsi.gov.uk

The Y Branwen Hotel stands just below Harlech Castle, and offers accommodation to a high standard. Click here for details.