Native Welsh Castles (original) (raw)

Text copyright © 1995 by Lise Hull

Many visitors to Wales are acquainted with the Norman and Edwardian castles that dominate the countryside. Indeed, that domination was one of the reasons for their construction - domination, intimidation, subjugation of the local populace. Although less celebrated than their Anglo-Norman counterparts, Welsh-built castles, powerful in their own right, also impacted the land during the Middle Ages. They remain as fascinating survivors of a heritage marked by conflict - not only with the conquering outsiders, but between princely brothers vying for control of their inheritance.

One's personal discovery of these Welsh castles is both exciting and enlightening, for it presents an aspect of Welsh history that is frequently bypassed, certainly less known than that of the conquering invaders, but every bit as eventful, chaotic and significant. Welsh-built castles were unknown prior to the Norman invasion, however, material defenses were common. Welsh administrative centers, the commote or "llys" generally were lightly fortified, enclosed by a stone curtain wall, and in the Iron Age, earthworks called hillforts dotted the Welsh countryside.

****Caergwrle Castle**	****Carreg Cennen Castle**
****Castell y Bere**	****Criccieth Castle**
****Deganwy Castle**	****Castell Dinas Bran**
****Dinefwr Castle**	****Dolbadarn Castle**
****Dolforwyn Castle**	****Dolwyddelan Castle**
****Dryslwyn Castle**	****Ewloe Castle**
****Nevern Castle**	****Newcastle Emlyn**

With the Normans came subjugation in the form of the motte and bailey castle (earth and timber fortresses), easy and quick to construct. Hundreds of these castles were built throughout Wales and may be spotted almost everywhere (minus their timber defenses). The Welsh adopted this building technique from their overlords and, like the Normans, soon recognized the advantages of buttressing their castles with stone.

Welsh-built castles tend to be somewhat less overbearing and less lavishly designed, but this fact is due merely to the relative lack of fiscal resources available to the Welsh princes, as well as the unavailability of architects and other craftsmen, who were conscripted by the Normans. Furthermore, as one source states:

"We must also consider the possibility that, in the planning of these castles, there may have been an almost unspoken reluctance to embark upon the ambitious programme of fortification for fear of provoking a hostile reaction from the other side (this happened at Dolforwyn)."

"Above all these considerations, however, there was the overriding difference in the two cultures. In Wales, the bonds between a lord and his followers were essentially those of kinship; in England, authority was very largely maintained by fear and force of arms."

These differences are directly reflected in the development of distinctive castle styles. The castles of the Welsh princes have a variety of common characteristics which distinguish them from their English equivalents. Ingenuity was one of the Welshman's greatest attributes successfully applied to castle-building.

One Welsh advantage against effective invasion was the rugged topography of their homeland. So, the castle-builders relied on the conveniently inhospitable terrain of the Welsh countryside as their primary means of defense. Consequently, Welsh strongholds were isolated, frequently perched high on rocky outcrops, protected by sheer cliffs, and defended by deep-cut ditches. Additionally, Welsh castles tended to be smaller and erratic in plan; generally consisted of only one ward; depended on a two-storied keep as the main source of refuge and accommodation; and, most notably, incorporated a new design - the apsidal tower.

This elongated D-shaped structure was a strategically intelligent combination of two more vulnerable designs (the round tower and the rectangular keep), and was technically more useful. The rounded end opened up the defender's field of fire and was less susceptible to undermining, while the squared-off side allowed the expansion of interior rooms for more living - and breathing - room. Interestingly, while many English castles used spiral staircases to move between levels, most Welsh strongholds contained straight flights of steps set into the interior walls. Follow this link to see a cross section of a D-shaped Welsh tower.

Curiously, most Welsh castles made little use of one particularly formidable defensive asset - the fortified gatehouse (Criccieth being the one blaring exception), a structure successfully employed in many English castles. However, the precarious location of Welsh castles would have afforded long-range observation and timely preparation for invasion.

Exploring Welsh castles is a true adventure! The solitary, foreboding siting of these fortresses provides modern visitors with great opportunity: at once you feel the elation of seeing something surprising for the first time, and a sense of accomplishment for tackling the challenge of the site's excellent natural defenses (or the uncertainty of its location). Above all, you absorb a permeating sense of historical energy, and have visions of survival and warfare which once filled these marvelous structures.

An avid traveler, Lise Hull is a freelance historian and writer, with a Masters Degree in Historic Preservation. She previously obtained a BA in anthropology, minoring in archaeology, and spent almost three years studying archaeology at Indiana University prior to switching into the preservation program. Lise has lived in Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion Wales for several years, traveled over 50,000 miles throughout Britain, and has studied castles and medieval Britain for sixteen years. She often returns to Great Britain for research, and has just completed her master's dissertation in Heritage Studies in the Department of History and Welsh History at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth.