Caernarfon Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Caernarvon; Carnarvon

In the community of Caernarfon.
In the historic county of Caernarfonshire (Modern authority of Gwynedd, preserved county of Gwynedd).

Monumental masonry castle, an irregular area, c.150m E-W by 40-46m, is defined by curtain walls studded by 13 polygonal towers and turrets, including two twin-towered gatehouses,; walls and towers feature contrasting bands of stonework, turrets top the towers, and those of the Eagle Tower carried sculptured eagles, one remaining; castle heavily restored in the C19 and C20. The upper ward area is thought to rest upon and incorporate an earlier earthwork castle enclosure/mound. King Edward I intended the castle to be a royal residence and seat of government for north Wales. Begun in 1283 under the direction of Master James of St George, the King's mason-architect, and continuously in Crown possession since. World Heritage Site.

This site has been described as a;
Masonry Castle
Timber Castle
Palace.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Major remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.
This site is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law*.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SH477626

Modern Map from Good for landscape form and features	Modern Map from Good for general location
Air Photo from	1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

National Monuments Record number; 95318

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 3095, 5058

• Web site links
  • http://www.cadw.wales.gov.uk/default.asp?id=6&PlaceID=19
    http://www.castlewales.com/caernarf.html
    http://www.greatcastlesofwales.co.uk/caernarfon.htm
    http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_wales/115/caernarfoncastle.htm
    http://www.worldwidewales.tv/index2.php
    http://vrcoll.fa.pitt.edu/medart/image/England/caernarvon/castle/maincaern.html
    http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/C/castle/cae_main.html
• Books
  • Avent, R., 2006, 'The conservation and restoration of Caernarfon Castle 1845-1912' in Meek, M. (ed), The modern traveller to our past: Festschrift in honour of Ann Hamlin (DPK) p344-52
    Nichol, D., 2005, 'Geological provenance of Caernarfon Castle and town walls' in Bassett, M.G., Deisler, V.K. and Nichol, D. (eds), Urban geology in Walls Vol2 (Cardiff: National Museum of Wales) p204-8
    Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p19-24
    Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p36-9
    Salter, Mike, 1997, The Castles of North Wales (Malvern) p18-25
    Kightly, C., 1991, Caernarfon: A Royal Palace in Wales (CADW)
    Coldstream, N., 1988, ‘The castle builders: Harlech and Caernarfon’, in ‘Architecture’, in B Ford (ed), The Cambridge guide to the arts in Britain. 2. The middle ages, (Cambridge: CUP) p81-7
    Taylor, A.J., 1986, ‘Building at Caernarvon and Beaumaris in 1295-6’, in Taylor, A.J., Studies in castles and castle-building, (London: Hambledon Press) p139-44
    Taylor, A. J., 1986, The Welsh castles of Edward I (London, Hambledon) p77-103
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p32
    Humphries, P. H., 1983, Castles of Edward the First in Wales (London, HMSO)
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p328-30
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    RCAHMW, 1964, A survey and inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Caernarvonshire Vol3: West (HMSO) p116-21
    Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works, vol1: the Middle Ages (London) p369-95
    RCAHMW, 1960, A survey and inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Caernarvonshire Vol2: Central (HMSO) p124-50
    Toy, Sidney, 1953, The Castles of Great Britain (London) p168-71, 244-6
    Neaverson, E., 1947, Mediaeval Castles in North Wales: A study of Sites, Water Supply, and Building Stones (London) p46-8
    Toy, Sidney, 1939, Castles: A short History of Fortifications from 1600 BC to AD 1600 (London) p157-60, 195-8
    Lowe, W.Bezant, 1927, The Heart of North Wales (Llanfairfechan)Vol2 p162-76
    Tipping, 1921, English Homes period 1 (London) Vol1 p83-91
    Armitage, Ella, 1912, The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles (London: John Murray) p261
    Evans, Herbert A., 1912, Castles of England and Wales (London) p345-9
    Hamilton Thompson, A., 1912, Military Architecture in England during the Middle Ages (London) p252-62
    Clark, G.T., 1884, Medieval military architecture in England (Wyman and Sons) Vol1 p309-15
    Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol3 (London) p428-33
    Britton, John, 1835, The Architectural Antiquities of Great Britain (London) p137-40
    Grose, Francis, 1787, The Antiquities of England and Wales (London) Vol7 p15-22, 30-1
    Buck, Samuel and Nathenial, 1774, Buck’s Antiquities (London) Vol2 p367-9
• Journal Articles
  • Avent, R., 2003, 'Uncovering repairs at Caernarfon' Heritage in Wales Vol26 p11-3
    Mathieu, J.R., 1999, 'New Methods on Old Castles' Medieval Archaeology Vol43 p115-42
    Taylor, A.J., 1984, ‘Caernarfon Castle and town walls’, 131st annual meeting, Anglesey, 1984, CAA p33-4
    Thompson, M.W., 1979, 'Caernarfon Castle' 126th Annual Meeting, Lleyn and Snowdonia, 1979, CAA p27-9
    Taylor, Arnold J., 1975, 'Caernarvon Castle and town walls (SH 478627)' Archaeological Journal Vol132 p287-9
    Evans, 1970, Medieval Archaeology Vol14 p179
    Hauge, 1969, Country Life Vol145 p1650-2
    Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol116 p71-132
    Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1963, 'Early castles in Wales and the Marches: a preliminary list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol112 p77-124
    Taylor, A.J., 1952-4, Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies Vol15 p61-6
    Taylor, A.J., 1952, ‘The date of Caernarvon Castle’ Antiquity Vol26 no101 p25-34 [reprinted in Taylor, A.J., 1986, Studies in castles and castle-building, (London: Hambledon Press) p129-38]
    Taylor, A.J., 1950, History Vol35 p256-61
    Edwards, J. Goronwy, 1944, 'Edward I's Castle-Building in Wales' Proceedings of the British Academy Vol32 esp p43-52, 71
    Taylor, A.J., 1937, Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol92 p356-8
    Knoop, D., and Jones, G.P., 1932, 'Castle-building at Beaumaris and Caernarvon in the early 14th Century. A further study in operative masonry' Ars Quatuor Coronatorum Vol45 p4 - 47
    Peers, 1915-6, Transactions of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion p28-74 [Detailed description]
    Peers, 1911, Country Life Vol30 p56-62
    Roberts, 1910-11, Llandudno Field Club Vol5 p3-21 [unimportant]
    Turner, 1895, Archaeologia Cambrensis [ser5] Vol12 p212-22 [rather wild]
    Turner, 1874, Archaeologia Cambrensis [ser4] Vol5 p74-6
    Hartshorne, C.H., 1850, 'Caernarvon Castle' Archaeological Journal Vol7 p237-65
    Hartshorne, C.H., Archaeologia Cambrensis [ser3] Vol1 p242-6
• Guidebooks
  • Taylor, A. J., 2001 (5edn), Caernarfon Castle including Caernarfon town walls (CADW)
    Taylor, A.J., edited by M R Apted, 1993 (3edn), Caernarfon Castle and Town Walls (CADW)
    Taylor, A.J., edited by M R Apted, 1989 (Revised edn, reprinted with revisions), Caernarfon Castle and Town Walls (CADW)
    Taylor, A.J., edited by M R Apted, 1986 (Revised edn), Caernarfon Castle (CADW)
    Taylor, A. J., 1964 (Reprint of 1953 edn with amendments), Caernarvon Castle and Town Walls (London, HMSO)
    Taylor, A. J., 1953, Caernarvon Castle and Town Walls (London, HMSO)
    Peers, 1933, Caernarvon Castle (London, HMSO)
    Pughe, n.d., Illustrated History of Caernarvon Castle (Caernarvon) [slight]
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/glameng.html#carn4]