Carnarvon Castle is deservedly regarded as a major historical landmark in Wales. Its appearance still amazes with its scale, grandeur, impregnable walls and military might. It illustrates the saying that all the castles of Scotland can be placed in one Welsh castle. Back in 1986, the castle was one of the first to be placed under UNESCO protection.
Carnarvon is no less important to the royal family of Great Britain - it is here that the tradition of naming the Crown Prince of Wales originated. The inauguration ceremony of the future king is still held on the castle grounds. It is likely that soon we will be able to observe the next one - the investiture of Prince William, the eldest son of King of England Charles.
History
The earliest fortified structure on the site of present-day Carnarvon was a first-century fort of the ancient Romans. Its ruins can still be seen on the outskirts of the town. The fort was then rebuilt into a stone fortress in the "motte-and-bailey" style, i.e. consisting of a single main tower on a hill. The castle changed hands until the region was occupied by the Welsh.
In 1274, King Edward I came to the throne of England. He found it difficult to put up with the strange customs and warlike temperament of his neighbours, so he resolved the issue in the spirit of his time by invading the neighbouring territory and taking control of North Wales. The rebellious Welsh rebelled several times, protesting against the English crown. Edward decided to surround the region with impregnable castles to show his strength and crush resistance. In Wales 8 castles were built, of which 4 have survived, one of them being Carnarvon.
Castle construction
Construction of the castle began in 1283 and stretched for almost half a century, interrupted periodically by rebellions, attacks and other troubles of life. Nevertheless, Carnarvon was never completed; Edward I's original plans are left to speculation. The amount eventually spent on construction equalled the annual budget of the entire country, but the result seems to have been worth it.
The shape of the castle exactly repeated the precipitous cliff on which it was built. It reliably protected the fortress from the sea side; on the opposite side, walls reaching 6 metres in height were erected. The King's Gate, leading to the castle from the city, was a tangled labyrinth with six rows of hinged bars, various traps and slits-killers, from which uninvited guests were pelted with hot oil.
The architecture of the castle is reminiscent of the fortresses of Constantinople. The fort consists of nine observation towers. Not round, as it was customary, but polyhedral. The highest tower, the Eagle Tower, is accompanied by three more lower towers and was decorated with figures of eagles. The second entrance to the castle (the Queen's Gate) allowed to leave the castle bypassing the town. At different levels of the castle and towers there were loopholes, and at the folding gate - fortification barbicanes.
Photo: bvi4092. Source: Flickr
Legend of the Armistice
The truce with the Welsh is linked to a beautiful legend. The king signed a treaty with the locals, agreeing on the terms that they could recognise only "a native of Wales who spoke not a word of English" as their ruler. Edward immediately showed them his son, born the day before. The treaty had to be recognised, the future Edward II was indeed born in Carnarvon and did not speak English, nor any other language, not yet either. His statue, erected in the fourteenth century, still adorns the castle gates.
Carnarvon today
The beautifully preserved and restored Carnarvon Castle today is a pilgrimage site for tourists and a cultural playground for the city. It hosts reenactments of Hundred Years' War battles, theatre productions, craft exhibitions and concerts of Welsh national music. The castle houses the museum of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. This is the oldest royal regiment and its history can be explored in an exhibition showing uniforms, weapons and honours.
Practical information
The castle is open every day except Christmas and New Year's Day. The mode of operation varies according to the time of year:
- March to June - 09:30-17:00;
- July to August - 09:30-18:00;
- September to October - 09:30-17:00;
- from November to February - 10:00-16:00.
Ticket offices close half an hour before the castle closes. Cost of entrance tickets:
- adult - £9.90;
- children 5 to 17 years old - £6;
- children under 5 - free of charge;
- family (2 adults and 3 children) - £28.90.
A visit to Carnarvon Castle is a must in Wales. There aren't many places left in the world where time seems to have stopped. Here you can feel like an explorer, wandering through the intricate maze of passageways and staircases. Feel the wisdom emanating from the walls of the XIII century, silent witnesses of turbulent history. And stand on the black circle in the courtyard, pretending you are the Prince of Wales.
