I grabbed an all day bus pass to get to the castle and beyond. Under $10. Short, nice ride through few Welch villages and then across the River Conwy, it stands magnificently as a great example of medieval military architecture and is now a World Heritage site. Built between 1283-1289, it formed part of the castle ring Edward I, Longshanks, built around Wales. Designed by the renowned military architect of the time, James of Saint George. It still stands strongly overlooking Conwy and encircling it in it’s wall.
When I was getting my ticket, I mentioned that I hoped to see other castles in Wales and I was offered a year pass for £19/$25 and since that was the entrance fee for 3 castles, I got it. Now I will have to return to Wales next year. Damn!
The main landward entrance to the castle with a part of the walls that surround what was the town of Conwy at the time. The town has long extended outside the walls.
For a pile built over 730 years ago, it remains one of the most impressive of British castles. Not Stirling or Edinburgh impressive, but still amazing.
All the wood used for floors and roofs has long rotted away but are easy to visualize in one’s mind, especially as you note the ‘putlog’ holes notched into the walls to support them or the stone arches that supported the roofs.
The view across the fast flowing river where boats loaded with stone once dock as impressive. That is a section of the wall.
Thomas Telford https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Telford designed the suspension bridge between 1822-26 and since then a rail bridge on the right and new vehicle bridge have been added. If you note the wake behind the moored white sailboat you can get a sense of the river’s flow.
Looking down from on the the eight towers.
I am not sure what this is
The Welch countryside from a tower
As you begin the walk on the town wall
Most Catholic Churches depict the Stations of the Cross inside, but St. Michael’s, hard by the Castle has these marble ones affixed to the town walls
I was going to remove the rake but then realized it gave the opportunity to see the size of the panels.
And as I continue the wall walk the views are great
Some people look at an 700 year old castle and say “meh” but I am fascinated by the ability of the men at the time to design and build such immense and long standing structures with all the limitations of their era.
Now off to storm another castle.
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