Beaumaris is an ancient castle located on the island of Anglesey, at the entrance to the Menai Strait Menai Strait, which separates Anglesey from the coast of north Wales.
It was originally the site of a small Viking settlement, which was so called Porth y Wygyr. In 1295, King Edward I ordered the building of a castle here - another link in the iron ring of fortresses, which Edward intended to girdle Wales and consolidate the power of the conquerors. This ring includes the castles of Conwy, Carnarvon and Harlech (Harlech).
Beaumaris Castle was built on moorland, hence its name - a corruption of the French of the French "beau marais". The castle fulfilled a dual function - to control the strategically important Menai Strait and to act as a deterrent a deterrent against the outbreak of further Welsh rebellions. The work of by the architect Jacques (James) St George of Savoy is considered a masterpiece and the perfect example of a concentric castle.
Beaumaris was given royal status, which meant that the castle and the town around it and the town around it could only be inhabited by English and Normans. And townspeople of Welsh were barred from holding office, bearing arms, to own property within the town. A separate clause in the charter forbade Jews in the city for Jews. It also forbade any trade outside the city limits, so Beaumaris quickly became the commercial centre of Anglesey. It also became one of the three most important Saxon ports in Britain and a centre of shipbuilding.
Apart from the castle as such, the town retains many ancient buildings. These include the courthouse, built in 1614, the town prison, the parish church of St Mary's St Mary's Church, built in the fourteenth century and the then built "Tudor Rose", one of the oldest half-timbered buildings in Britain. У Beaumaris pier, built in 1846, yachts and pleasure craft still moor today.
