Last Day....II

I took a last walk around the walls in Conwy.  One the way home from my train journey, I walked from the station and took these photos.

Last Trip in Conwy

I am exhausted but I did not want to waste the day doing nothing. I planned a train and bus trip to Denbigh Castle.  I started by taking a 25 minute train to Rhyl, walking around the town, then taking a 45 minute bus right to the town. From the bus stop it was a steep walk uphill to the castle.  It wasn't the greatest castle but it was a nice day out. Tomorrow I catch the 6:30 train to London.

Castlebank Hotel

The Castlebank with Kaiser and Missy the wonderful kitties.

Conwy Castle III

Conwy Castle II

Conwy Castle I

Today I visited granddaddy of them all, the Big Boo-Who, King James I, takes six years at a cost today of a half billion dollars and builds possibly the greatest Medieval Fortress. Conwy Castle, Wales 1283-1289

Beaumaris Castle: History

Beaumaris, begun in 1295, was the last and largest of the castles to be built by King Edward I in Wales. Raised on an entirely new site, without earlier buildings to fetter its designer's creative genius, it is possibly the most sophisticated example of medieval military architecture in Britain.This is undoubtedly the ultimate "concentric" castle, built with an almost geometric symmetry. Conceived as an integral whole, a high inner ring of defenses is surrounded by a lower outer circuit of walls, combining an almost unprecedented level of strength and firepower. Before the age of cannon, the attacker would surely have been faced with an impregnable fortress. Yet, ironically, the work of construction was never fully completed, and the castle saw little action apart from the Civil War in the 17th century.
A castle was almost certainly planned when King Edward visited Anglesey in 1283 and designated the Welsh town of Llanfaes to be its seat of government. At the time, resources were already stretched and any such scheme was postponed. Then, in 1294-95, the Welsh rose in revolt under Madog ap Llywelyn. The rebels were crushed after an arduous winter campaign, and the decision was taken to proceed with a new castle in April 1295. The extent of English power is demonstrated by the fact that the entire native population of Llanfaes was forced to move to a newly established settlement, named Newborough. The castle itself was begun on the "fair marsh," and was given the Norman-French name Beau Mareys. Building progressed at an astonishing speed, with some 2,600 men engaged in the work during the first year.

 

Beaumaris Castle

Caernarfon Castle II

Caernarfon Castle

I hired a taxi to take me to two castles about 40p an hour. Public transportation was two much of a pain. Caernarfon Castle is the first castle..

Caernarfon Castle: History

A brute of a fortress. Caernarfon Castle’s pumped-up appearance is unashamedly muscle-bound and intimidating. Picking a fight with this massive structure would have been a daunting prospect. By throwing his weight around in stone, King Edward I created what is surely one of the most impressive of Wales’s castles. Worthy of World Heritage status no less!

The site of this great castle wasn’t chosen by accident. It had previously been the location of a Norman motte and bailey castle and before that a Roman fort stood nearby. The lure of water and easy access to the sea made the banks of the River Seiont an ideal spot for Edward’s monster in masonry. 

Edward wasn’t one to miss on an opportunity to tighten his grip even further on the native population. The birth of his son, the first English Prince of Wales, in the castle in 1284, was a perfect device to stamp his supremacy. In 1969 the current Prince of Wales, HRH Prince Charles’s investiture took place here.

Onto to Conwy...

I took a 4 1/2 hour journey by train to Conwy. The problem is it was just general seating. I wish there was a first class seat...oh well...

View from Lounge

Great View from Hilton Lounge....

Cardiff Hilton: Review

Pro:

Perfect location
Great breakfast
Excellent service


Cons:
Spotty WiFi
Bed not the best.

Castell Coch

this was not really a castle but more a chateau. A pleasure palace owned by the same Lord of Cardiff Castle. It has a real working drawbridge. I was tempted with the wheel that opens and closes it to close it but then you know some people can't take a joke.

Llandaff Cathedral

Just too nice a day to just sit and relax so I decided to visit to easy two get to places Llandaff Cathedral and Castell Coch.
 A taxi outside the hotel took me first to the church. This 12c Catherdal had a few interesting sights. The Welsh Chapel for fallen heroes in wars, the wood roof that was in wood due to the WW 2 Bombing raids by Germany, the modern sculpture of Christ in the middle of the church and Nave stain glass window which I could not get close to for a photo.

Last Day In Cardiff..

I was so wound up and over tired I did not get yo sleep until early in the morning. I though I would spend the day close to the hotel relaxing. However, the sun was out so I took a taxi to visit Castll Coch and a Cathedral....the places are close by to Cardiff.
I came back to the room had a latte n the lounge and am relaxing ..

Crepstow Castle

Chepstow Castle: History

The fourth and final ruin for the day....

Beautifully preserved Chepstow Castle is a history lesson in stone.

If you think modern doors are long lasting, think again. Chepstow boasts the oldest castle doors in Europe. All wood and all of 800 years old. Until 1962 these doors hung in the main gateway, but are now in safe keeping in the on-site exhibition. Let’s just say it would be nigh on impossible to find a replacement.

The whole site is a lesson in longevity. From around 1067 through to 1690, the castle, almost chameleon-like, changed its appearance as fashions changed in military architecture. More a case of bright architects than bright colours however.

Century after century, the castle grew and grew along its narrow cliff top ridge. The oldest building is the Norman great tower but building work continued well into the 17th-century as medieval battlements were replaced by stronger musket-friendly parapets. Bows and arrows were so last century!

Tintern Abbey

The 3rd Ruin on this day.....