Harlech Castle

Built between 1283 and 1289 under Master James of St George, Harlech is a concentric design: a compact inner ward of four round towers inside a lower outer wall, set on a rock about sixty metres above the flats. When it was built the sea reached the base of the crag, and a fortified stairway of 108 steps ran down to a water gate so the castle could be supplied by ship; the sea has since retreated and the steps now end above a golf links and dunes with the water half a mile off. It is part of the UNESCO group of castles and town walls in Gwynedd, inscribed in 1986. The gatehouse is unusually large and held the constable's own apartments. The view west takes in Tremadog Bay and the Llyn peninsula, with Snowdonia behind.

History

Local legend ties the site to the Welsh princess Branwen, but there is no evidence of a Welsh fort here; Sir Otton de Grandson took Harlech with 560 infantry in May during Edward I's conquest of north Wales, and the king ordered one of seven new castles here, built between 1282 and 1289 for the modest sum of £8,190, with a small planned town beside it. It held out against Madog ap Llywelyn in 1294-1295, fell to Owain Glyndŵr in 1404 and served as his residence and headquarters until English forces retook it in 1409, and in the Wars of the Roses the Lancastrians held it for seven years until the Yorkists forced its surrender in 1468, a siege remembered in the song Men of Harlech. In the Civil War it was held for Charles I until 1647 (Wikipedia, Harlech Castle).

What you'll find

• The water gate stair - 108 fortified steps down to a shoreline that has gone.
• The concentric plan - a compact inner ward inside a lower outer wall.
• The gatehouse - an oversized structure holding residential apartments.
• The Snowdonia view - mountains behind and Tremadog Bay in front.

When to go

April to October for the clearest views; the castle is exposed on its rock and windy in any season. Winter opening is shorter. Late afternoon light from the west over the bay is the best for photographs.

Before you go

The castle is a roofless shell with no floors in the towers. The wall walks and stairs are narrow spirals, and sections close in high wind. Harlech town is very steep and parking near the castle is limited.

Nearby

Portmeirion lies north; the Rhinogydd hills rise directly east.

Key facts