Conwy Castle - 2nd of the castles I visited for my "Castle of Wales" project.

Conwy Castle is one of the earliest examples of Edward I's "iron ring" of castles built to pacify the rebellious princes of northern Wales. So important was the castle to Edward that he imported up to 1,500 craftsmen from all over England to speed the building process. The castle was completed in only four years, a remarkable feat in those days. Conwy was begun 1283 and it was as soon as 1295 that it was called upon to defend King Edward I against the rebellion of Madog ap Llywelyn.

In 1399 it was at Conwy that Henry Bolingbroke arranged to meet King Richard II had arrested him, precipitating the rebellion of Owain Glyndwr. Four years later, Glyndwr's forces took the castle in 1403 (although through trickery rather than military strength) before ransoming it back to the crown.

After the early part of the 15th century, Conwy Castle saw little more military action, save for the Civil War.Archbishop of York John Williams, a Royalist, repaired the castle but it was swiftly taken by the Parliamentary forces in 1646. After the war, the third Earl of Conwy stripped the castle and decamped to Ireland, and the castle was allowed to fall into disrepair. Despite the lack of use Conwy Castle is very well preserved, regularly repaired, and retains its majestic appearance.