Castles of Wales

John Davis

• Publisher: Pen and Sword History
• Year: 2022
• ISBN:
  9781526749963
• Topic: Architecture
• Subtopic: History of Architecture

In 1277, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Prince of Gwynedd, met with Edward I of England in Aberconwy to finalise a treaty that would change the fate of both nations. His hand forced by Edward’s invasion earlier that year, Llywelyn’s acceptance of the terms confirmed not only short-term peace but also that the rule of Wales would pass to Edward on his death. To augment his rising dominance, the English king embarked on a building project that saw the rise of some of the most recognisable fortresses in Europe. Quite literally, an ‘Iron Ring’ of castles. Even before the construction of Edward’s infamous ‘Iron Ring’, castles were by no means rare in Wales. Both before and simultaneous to William the Conqueror’s establishment of timber and stone fortresses in the south and borderlands, a process continued by many of his descendants, native structures also existed. Though often more palatial than protective, such constructions proved decisive to the ongoing wars and were often chosen as sites for future castles. Just as had been the case in England, the story of the castle crosses many centuries. Many began as Roman forts, whereas others date from more modern times. While many are now romantic ruins, others remain cherished family homes, if not hotels or museums. By adopting an identical approach to that seen in Castles of England, the purpose of this book is to throw light on the stories behind them. For as long as there have been castles in Wales, there have been mysteries within their walls. Murders that remain unsolved, treasures unfound, prisoners left to rot in the darkest pits and valiant warriors whose heroic deeds have become a cherished part of the Welsh identity. From blood-soaked heroes to long-lost legends, despotic pirates to wailing hags, Castles of Wales offers a fresh investigation into many of its fascinating fortresses. No country has more castles per square mile than Wales. Even today, there are more than 200 to be enjoyed. Inspired by such a rich tapestry of tales, this book provides an essential introduction to the nation many regard as ‘The Land of Castles’.

Chapter 1

Denbighshire and Flintshire

Bodelwyddan

Famed as one of the most haunted buildings in Wales, Bodelwyddan Castle is the classic site of many purposes. A recuperation hospital in the First World War, in recent times, it has served as an all-girls school, museum and visitor attraction.

As of 2021, the castle is sadly one of many plagued by financial complications. Since Lowther College closed in the 1980s, the Bodelwyddan Castle Trust has looked after the castle. In partnership with the National Portrait Gallery and Royal Academy of Arts, its rooms displayed many fine pieces of their collections. During that time, the interior was impressively refurbished in the style of the Victorian era. Sadly, in 2017 the partnership ended with the deeply disappointing decision of Denbighshire County Council to cut funding. As of 2019, the museum and gardens have been closed to the public. A sad set of circumstances for a beautiful building nominated ‘Museum of the Year’ as recently as 1989. One can only hope that the right buyer will come.

Located near the village of the same name, a stone’s throw from the seaside town of Rhyl, Bodelwyddan Castle was founded around 1460. Its first owners were the Humphreys family, who hailed from Anglesey. What started life as a humble manor house has been improved and upgraded many times. In 1690 the Humphreys sold the castle to Sir William Williams, 1st Baronet, who briefly served as Speaker of the House of Commons in 1681. In later years the family merged with the Wynns (see Gwydir Castle).

It was under Williams’s descendants that the present castle was born. Around 1830 a period of remodelling took approximately two years under the ownership of Sir John Hay Williams. Intent on creating a masterpiece in the Greek Revival style, Williams enlisted famed architects Edward Welch and Joseph Hansom (the man behind the Hansom Cab). Their combined ambition was somewhat unprecedented. As such, the site has been labelled ‘wildly dramatic’ and ‘owing nothing to its predecessors’. Further to the grand redesigns and addition of an estate wall, Sir John Hay’s passion for horticulture saw the creation of formal gardens.

Sadly for the estate, a deterioration in the family’s lead mining prospects saw it fall on hard times. Consequently, Sir John’s relative, Sir Herbert, 7th Baronet, inherited the castle on his cousin’s death and took on the refurbishments. Thomas Hayton Mawson undertook the last great work done on the gardens in 1910. His creations complemented the earlier addition of many exotic plants from Sir John’s time.

By the early twentieth century, the castle’s time as a family home was nearing an end. Following the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, the house was redeployed as part of the war effort. As well as tending to the wounded, the grounds were used for training troops in trench warfare, physical evidence of which can still be found. By 1920 further financial pressures saw the Williams-Wynns lease the property to Lowther College, followed by a sale five years later. Prior to the college’s closure in 1982 (another to be cursed by financial mishaps) the school had established a reputation for talented musicians. It was also unique for being one of the first all-girls schools to own a swimming pool and private golf course. Concurrent to the museum and gardens, the owners leased a large part of the site to create a luxury hotel independent of the museum and grounds.

A fact common for sites of regular reconstruction, Bodelwyddan has established a reputation for being haunted. In recent years, the castle has become of particular interest to advocates of ‘stone tape theory’: the notion that the surroundings can record past happenings. Indeed, it is said that the hammering and hubbub of comings and goings were not the only occurrences during the Victorian era. Inspired by the wave of spiritualist mediums in Britain, the castle played host to many séances. Ghostly children have been heard playing, and there have been many reports of clothes and hair being pulled in the Toy Room. Chief among the alleged sightings are two Victorian girls, usually peering out into the courtyard.

A particularly famous sighting at Bodelwyddan is the ‘blue lady’. Sporting a flowing dark blue dress, she wanders what was previously the Sculpture Gallery. She has also reputedly been seen to pass through a wall where a doorway once was. Whether the blue lady is the same spirit as that described as a two-dimensional, reddish-brown, or sepia tone is unclear. Both have been said to sport a long dress, seemingly of the same period.

The ghost of a soldier in World War One uniform has been witnessed strolling one of the galleries. Despite fitting the broader profile of a former inhabitant, his identity remains unknown. Perhaps he was brought to the castle to undergo treatment and rehabilitation. A far darker spirit is said to dwell in the cellar and has been described as unfriendly to women.

By far, the strangest haunting is that of disembodied legs. Seen by a security guard as he opened a door that led from the entrance hall to Watts Hall, the sight of black shoes with gold buckles below white stockings was clear enough to report. What had become of the spirit’s torso remains one of the castle’s more colourful mysteries.

Chirk

On first viewing, the modern façade of Chirk Castle has more in common with a stately home than one of Edward I’s great citadels. Indeed, should a visitor arrive at the small town of the same name in the hope of finding a majestic Harlech-style ruin, the last thing they may expect is a well-rounded establishment with manicured gardens in the care of the National Trust. The reason for the discrepancy, of course, can be summed up in one word – Cromwell. While his name is often regarded as a swear word among castle lovers, on closer inspection, one will find Chirk a castle of reinvention and survival.

As indicated by its age, the original castle was another vital link in Edward I’s strategy to cement his conquest of the north. On this occasion, the builder was Edward’s loyal ally Roger Mortimer de Chirk, uncle and near-namesake of the famous ‘greatest traitor’, Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March. Mortimer erected the fortress around 1295 to guard the Ceiriog Valley. Being located within 200m of Offa’s Dyke, which denoted the ancient Welsh border, and between the cold waters of the rivers Dee and Ceiriog, the castle became the administrative centre of the local Marcher Lordship of Chirkland. As the Marcher lordships declined following Henry IV’s accession, Chirk’s status wavered with it. In 1593 the castle was sold.

In addition to the Mortimers, two families are commonly associated with the castle: the Trevors and the Myddeltons. One could also add the Hugheses of Gwerclas to this list: an ancient Welsh family descended from the kings of Powys Fadog. Information about precisely what transpired during the period 1295-1593 is frustratingly sparse. In 1593, the Trevors sold the property for the hefty sum of £5,000 to Sir Thomas Myddelton, a merchant adventurer and future Lord Mayor of London. During his son and namesake’s tenure, an initial allegiance to Cromwell spared the castle of Roundhead-related trouble. However, this changed when Myddelton defected during the Cheshire Rising of 1659 under George Booth, 1st Baron Delamer.

Exactly when Chirk was partially demolished is unclear. The third Sir Thomas Myddelton, styled 1st Baronet of Chirke, inherited the castle after Charles II’s accession. The chain continued until the male line died out in 1796. The final Myddelton to inherit the castle was Charlotte, later Mrs Robert Biddulph, who joined their respective surnames. Their son and successor was Robert Myddelton Biddulph, whose descendants inherited it. Except for the first half of the twentieth century, when the castle was leased to Baron Howard de Walden, Chirk remained a Myddelton property until 2004. With this, an arrangement with the National Trust that began in 1981 became obsolete.

There is little doubt that the castle’s present appearance offers a greater connection to more recent times than medieval conquest. Before serving as a refuge for evacuees in the Second World War, the country house-style façade made it the perfect setting for the film Victory and Peace in 1918. Today, under National Trust ownership, the estate is popular among visitors for its clipped yew hedges, attractive terraces, rich collection of art, carpets and tapestries, and Georgian parkland.

Yet should one dig a little deeper, surprises await. Approximately 300m from the castle, the remains of an ancient tree can be found close to the earthworks of Offa’s Dyke. According to legend, the tree dates from the reign of the ninth-century Saxon king Egbert of Wessex. In the twelfth century, it is believed to have been used as a grave marker for victims of the Battle of Crogen, fought between Henry II and Owain Gwynedd. It has been described as the ‘only living witness of the battle’ and earned the nickname ‘Oak at the Gate of the Dead’.

Joining the veteran tree, many other reminders have survived of the castle’s dark past. The original dungeon and tower remain from the medieval period. Records from 1422 tell of the transfer of 15 French prisoners there from the Tower. That they are among the castle’s ghosts is a tantalising thought. The apparition of a lady in a black Victorian costume has been seen on the grand staircase. Footsteps have been heard in the Long Gallery, while others have complained of being touched by unseen hands. Similar tales concern the sounds of children running along corridors. In the king’s bedroom, a woman’s shouting has been heard by multiple people. Noises and peculiar smells are also reported there.

Stories of paranormal activity are said to plague other parts of the castle. A happy man in a brown outfit has been seen on many occasions. A lady in an oversized dress, and another in green pyjamas, have also been reported. Even more bizarre was the moving of furniture and a conversation between two invisible forces. Among the most incredible sightings were two soldiers in First World War uniforms carrying a third on a stretcher.

A strange epilogue to Chirk Castle’s catalogue of mysteries concerns the origin of the Myddelton family coat of arms. Local legend tells that a dispute occurred at some point in the castle’s past when the elderly owner had to decide how to split his fortune between his twin boys. The pair agreed to partake in a race between the castle gates and the lake. As the more popular of the brothers closed in on victory, he was cut down by a supporter of his opponent, culminating in the origin of the ‘bloody hand’. Various other editions of the story have also been passed down, including that they swam across the lake, at which point the first hand to touch the far shore was cut off. A more bizarre version tells that the less popular brother, trailing by a few metres, chopped off his own hand and tossed it across the line to win the race. A different story tells that a curse was placed on the family and would only be removed if a prisoner could survive ten years in the castle dungeons. The legend goes on to explain the likelihood that no prisoner ever could. Perhaps the strangest potential origin story still conjectured that he would inherit the castle if one could stay alive for twelve years without cutting his fingernails.

Perhaps the most likely point of origin is that a battle during the family’s formative years led to the injury of an early Myddelton dressed in a white tunic. On touching the tunic with his bloodied hand, the heraldic symbol was born. The rest, as they say, is history.

Denbigh

Seated on a steep slope that towers above the county town of Denbighshire, Denbigh Castle was in every way a defensive masterpiece. Begun in 1282 by Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, to form part of Edward I’s Iron Ring, this imposing fortress occupies an almost perfect military position. Few castles enjoyed such excellent views of the surrounding area. Nor were many so challenging to besiege.

Like much of the Iron Ring, modern-day Denbigh is a castle of contrasts. Though Parliamentarian siege and father time has brought parts to the point of dilapidation, reminders of Denbigh’s former grandeur are also clear to see. The great medieval gatehouse that famously stood guard against would-be invaders remains the initial greeting for any modern visitor. Similar is true of some of the surrounding towers. A combination of centuries of weathering and the colour of the local Gwespyr stonework has left the walls a slimy green, creating the strange impression that a great snakeskin has been shed. Carved into the stonework of these ‘Green Chambers’, a series of Gothic corbels achieve the chilling illusion that ancient eyes watch on. In the town itself, the remains of the old walls merge seamlessly with the modern: so much so, it isn’t easy to see where the old ends and the present begins. The Burgess Gate that offered entry to the old town remains a jewel in the North Wales crown. Reminiscent of nearby Conwy and Caernarfon, the construction of Denbigh Castle and its town walls were a complementary project.

Situated within the ancient Welsh patrimony of Perfeddwlad, which controlled the Denbigh Moors’ farmlands and led to the creation of Gwynedd’s royal palace, Denbigh was always destined to become an important location in the context of local government. When Edward I toasted early success in the region in 1277, the king granted Perfeddwlad to the Welsh prince Dafydd ap Gruffudd, brother of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, but not always the prince’s ally. Dafydd clearly rated the site, as he adopted the improved castle and settlement of Dinbych – an abbreviation of Dinas Fechan, which translates as ‘little fortress’ – as his chief residence.

Many legends surround the area’s earliest times. Ancient folklore records that a fire-breathing dragon once terrorised the area until one Sion y Bodiau defeated it. A giant of a man, Bodiau was reputedly possessed of two thumbs and eight fingers on each hand, earning him the English nickname, Sir John of the Thumbs. On killing the dragon, he repeatedly cried ‘Dim bych’, meaning ‘no dragon’. From this, Denbigh was born.

On firmer historical ground is what followed Dafydd’s construction. By 1282 the feuding brothers had resolved their differences and entered an alliance. Concerned by Dafydd’s perceived treachery, Edward marched on North Wales with a large force and took the castle in October. Edward later created a new Marcher lordship there and granted the renamed Denbigh to Henry de Lacy.

Consistent with the building of the other great citadels of Edward’s ‘Iron Ring’, the influence of the king’s master mason, James of St George, proved of intrinsic importance. As with nearby Conwy, great emphasis was placed on defence and surveillance: a feat achievable due to the castle’s lofty location. Complementary to both factors, Edward’s decision to rebuild atop a former Welsh stronghold was symbolically of great importance and proved detrimental to the Welsh morale.

As the king probed ever deeper into the Snowdonia wilderness, de Lacy worked hard on his new fortress. By 1285, the castle and town were already prospering. The town walls followed the castle’s southern and western sides, around which time Henry granted the town its first charter. A census from no later than 1286 reveals that the 9.5-acre town held sixty-three burgesses, mostly of English birth. Work on the remaining defences and nearby buildings continued throughout the next decade. Despite possessing many fine features, the castle remained incomplete when Madog ap Llywelyn laid waste to the area in September 1294. Though the rebellion saw the castle change hands, it was swiftly recovered before the end of the year, thanks chiefly to de Lacy’s relief force. Once back in control, the earl subsequently improved the defences.

On de Lacy’s death in 1311, and with his son having predeceased him, the castle passed to his daughter, Alice. Wife of Thomas, Earl of Lancaster – grandson of Henry III by Edward I’s younger brother, Edmund – Alice’s situation became complicated by her husband’s execution for treason against Edward’s son and heir, Edward II, in 1322. Further to Lancaster’s deprival of estates, a stunning insight into the instability of the time can be found in the knowledge that Denbigh’s owners in Edward II’s reign included royalists Hugh le Despenser the Younger and William Montagu, as well as the king’s usurper, Roger Mortimer.

Despite the toing and froing of fortunes, work on the castle and town walls progressed well. In 1355 Mortimer’s descendants regained the lordship, after which Denbigh’s prospects soared. So impressive had the joint castle and town defences become, rebellion by Owain Glyndŵr achieved little beyond raids of the town. Due to the young age of Edmund Mortimer, 5th Earl of March – he was only seven years old on the death of his father, Roger, the fourth earl, in 1398 – Henry IV subsequently bestowed Denbigh’s command to Sir Henry ‘Hotspur’ Percy. Under Hotspur’s guidance, Denbigh stood firm, and Edmund held the castle until dying childless in 1425. For the first time in almost a century, Denbigh left Mortimer hands and became the property, through marriage, of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.

Under York, Denbigh’s role in the Wars of the Roses was more or less assured. In 1457 Henry VI placed the castle under the constabulary of Jasper Tudor, Earl of Pembroke, albeit still technically in York’s possession. When the Lancastrians achieved victory at Ludford Bridge in 1459, Jasper finally forced the garrison to surrender. As the war ebbed and flowed, Yorkist control resumed in 1461 under Sir Richard Herbert. In 1467 William Herbert was appointed constable and steward a year before Jasper’s return saw the town razed. Somewhat predictably, this resulted in a widespread exodus, which eventually led to new suburbs. Writing in 1586, the antiquarian William Camden recorded that the ‘old town is now deserted’.

Though the castle became a centre of county administration, its condition improved little. The gatehouse and accompanying towers were used primarily as a courthouse and prison. In 1563 Elizabeth I leased the castle to Robert Dudley, who built a church in the town, yet little changes were made to the castle beyond minor repairs. Dudley died in 1588, the year of the Spanish Armada.

Denbigh’s final date with destiny would occur the following century. Like most castles, when the English Civil War encroached into Wales, the castle’s garrison was stoutly Royalist. Charles I was even recorded as having sought refuge at Denbigh for three days in September 1645 following the Battle of Rowton Heath. In October, a force led by Sir William Vaughan was attacked at Denbigh Green, a stone’s throw from the old friary, as they sought to relieve the royal troops at Chester. As the Roundhead body led by Sir Thomas Mytton approached the castle, they also took parts of the suburbs. After failing to infiltrate the main town, Mytton returned with reinforcements the following year. A siege that began in April 1646 battered the east side with heavy artillery. Only on hearing word of the king’s willingness to concede did the valiant Royalist Colonel William Salesbury finally enter negotiations to surrender. When terms were agreed, Parliament installed a small garrison under Colonel George Twistleton, who used it chiefly to incarcerate political prisoners. A Royalist gaol bre...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction
• Preface The Castle in Wales
• Chapter 1 Denbighshire and Flintshire
• Chapter 2 Anglesey, Caernarvonshire & Merionethshire
• Chapter 3 Cardiganshire, Montgomeryshire, and Radnorshire
• Chapter 4 Pembrokeshire
• Chapter 5 Brecknockshire and Carmarthenshire
• Chapter 6 Glamorgan
• Chapter 7 Monmouthshire
• Chapter 8 The Welsh Marches: Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire
• Chapter 9 The Best of the Rest
• Postscript
• Appendix A Edward I’s Ring of Iron
• Appendix B Further Castles in Wales or the Welsh Marches
• Bibliography
• Plate Section