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CAERPHILLY
CASTLE
Wales Largest Medieval Castle
Caerphilly
Castle in South Wales is one of the most spectacular of medieval castles
of
Europe, the largest castle in Wales and second largest in
Britain after Windsor (see Windsor Castle). Noted for its photogenic
setting circled by a wide moat formed from the flooding of a natural
depression with
the
waters of the Nant Gledyr stream, creating a large defensive lake to
the south of the main castle. Caerphilly was the first castle of the
concentric
walls and round towars design, with four gates blocking approach from
several bridges across the moats. The castle and its posterns occupy
three islands surronded by open greens in the center of town. While North
Wales is known for the "Iron Ring" castles built by Edward
I (see Caernarvon Castle), the photogenic fortress at Caerphilly is not
one of them.
Caerphilly
Castle was built primarily between 1268 to 1272 by Gilbert “The
Red” De Clare, the Earl of Gloucester and Lord of Glamorgan, to
block the threat from the last Welsh Prince of Gwynedd in a long running
dispute under Henry III. Gilbert "The Red", was a descendent
of the one of the great powerful families of Norman England. The first
Gilbert de Clare fought alongside William I "The Conquerer" and
felt a strong claim on the throne of England. Gilbert "The Red" was
the grandson of Richard De Clare, the “Strongbow” of Ireland
(see Dublinia and Christ Church), the one time Earl of Pembroke who lost
that title to William Marhsal in a power contest with Henry II, wary
of the challenge of the De Clares (see Pembroke
Castle). Gilbert consolidated
his hold on the lands in Wales and for the most part ended the conflict
with the Plantagenets by marrying Joan of Acre,
a daughter of Edward I, born on crusade, only to see the castle and lands granted to the
Despensers
under her brother Edward
II, contributing to the near overthrow of the English throne by the Welsh
Marcher barons under Roger Mortimer (see Mortimer's Hole).
Caerphilly
Castle actually saw few real assaults, an unsuccessful attack in 1294
during
the revolt of Madog ap Llywelyn, a more intense assault
in 1316 in the Welsh rebellion led by Llywelyn Bren, and brief occupations
by the forces of Owain Glyndwr, in the last serious Welsh revolt of 1403
and 1405. One of the castles’s more distinctive features is the
leaning tower, which was thought to have been damaged during the English
Civil War, though no significant battle took place there. The other theory
is the leaning tower is the victim of the natural subsidence of the land.
In either case, remarkably, the shard of stonework wall has stood at
an impossible angle for several hundred years.
The
castle was maintained as a strategic defense through the 15th Century,
but mostly abandoned after the death of Jasper Tudor in 1495, used as
many old fortresses as a prison for a time, with restorartion undertook
by the Marquesses of Bute who took ownership in 1766. Much of the castle
as seen today was restored in the 1930s. Never suitable
as a noble estate and in the center of the
town
of Caerphilly,
the castle
was turned over to the government in 1950, now adminstered by Cadw.
The
views of the castle had for a time been obscured by the growth of the
city around it, but with redevelopment, is clearly ready for its photogrpahic
close-up from its southside acoss the lake which surrounds it. The
castle’s
Great Hall can be rented out for weddings and historic exhibits can
be viewed in the main outer gatehouse. Replica Trebuchet siege machines
sit out on the dam wall which was once a tournament field (see Medieval
Events Caerphilly).
Visiting Caerphilly Castle
The castle at Caerphilly is open daily from 9:30am to 6pm in summer,
until 5pm in spring and autumn, and in winter from 9:30am to 5 pm
Monday to
Saturday and 11am to 4pm on Sunday. Last entrance is 30 minutes before
closing. Admission for adults is £3.60, Student and Seniors, £3.20
with a family ticket available for £10.40. A modern visitor’s
center is located across the street with pay and display parking.
There is also some restricted street parking around the moat park.
Caerphilly
Castle is the one closest of the great walled castles to Cardiff,
about 15 minutes by car. © Bargain
Travel Europe
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Cadw
- Caerphilly
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SEE ALSO:
CAREW CASTLE & TIDAL MILL - TENBY
DINEFWR CASTLE PARK AND NEWTON HOUSE
ST DAVID’S BISHOP’S PALACE AND CATHEDRAL
DYLAN THOMAS - BOATHOUSE AND SWANSEA
LAUGHARNE CASTLE - ROMANTICS RUIN
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