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5th May (Welsh castles gain World Heritage Status)
Caernarfon Castle was granted World Heritage Status on 5th May 1986.
Located at the southern end of the Menai Strait, Caernarvon is strategically an excellent place to build a castle and is regarded as one of Wales's most impressive. Its bands of coloured stone are also suggested to be a conscious copy by Edward I of the Byzantine Walls of Constantinople as an assertion of his authority over the conquered Welsh.
c. 77 The first fortification at Caernarfon was the Roman fort Segontium, which is on the outskirts of the modern town, which they built after conquering the Ordovices. It was the main Roman fort in the north of Roman Wales and was connected by road to the legionary base, Deva Victrix at Chester. During the 2nd century, the original timber defences were rebuilt in stone
1090 The first castle, which was of a motte and Bailey design was constructed by Norman Marcher Lord Hugh d'Avranches, Earl of Chester
1155 The Welsh recaptured Gwynedd including Caernarfon Castle came, both Llywelyn Fawr (c. 1172 – 1240) and Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (c. 1223 – 1282) are recorded as staying at the castle.
1282 Llywelyn ap Gruffudd was killed on 11 December but his brother Dafydd continued to fight
1283 Edward defeated and executed Dafydd all but ending Welsh resistance and began building the castle and town walls with his master mason James of Saint George, to consolidate English rule.
1284 The Statute of Rhuddlan was enacted, which made Caernarfon a borough and the administrative centre of North Wales
1284 Edward II, born at Caernarvon Castle.
1294 When Madog ap Llywelyn led a Welsh rebellion, Caernarfon was targeted as being the centre of English administration in Gwynedd.
1295 The English retook Caernarfon and Edward I spent enormous sums refortifying the castle and town.
1400 Tension between the Welsh and the English spilled over resulting in the Glyndwr Rising.
1401 Caernarfon was one of the targets of Glyndwr's army, the town and castle were besieged which was repeated in 1403 and 1404, with support from the French.
1538 It was reported that many castles in Wales were in a state of disrepair, the walls at Caernarfon remained in good condition, but the roof and constructional timbers were in a state of decay.
1642 Despite the disrepair of the domestic buildings, the castle's defences were in a good enough state that during the English Civil War, it was held by Royalist forces of King Charles I,
1969 Caernarfon Castle was used for the investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales.
Beaumaris Castle gained World Heritage Status on 5th May 1986.
Beaumaris Castle was the last and largest of the castles to be built by King Edward I in Wales, it was built on an entirely new site, with an almost perfect geometric symmetry. It is the great unfinished masterpiece of the 'iron ring' of North Wales castles built by Edward to stamp his authority on the Welsh, it is regarded by many as the finest of all the great Edwardian castles in Britain.
1294 During the Welsh revolt, led by Madog ap Llywelyn, Roger de Pulesdon, the sheriff of Anglesey was killed.
1295 After Edward I had suppressed the rebellion, he immediately began to fortify the area, which included beginning the construction of Beaumaris Castle by Master James of St George.
1300 Construction of Beaumaris Castle was halted as Edward I became distracted by the wars in Scotland.
1306 Work on the castle recommenced as Edward became concerned about a possible Scottish invasion of North Wales.
1330 Work halted for the last time, with the castle incomplete.
1400 Tension between the Welsh and the English spilled over resulting in the Glyndwr Rising.
1403 Beaumaris Castle was taken by the Welsh
1405 Beaumaris Castle was re-taken by the English
1535 The castle was ill-maintained and fell into disrepair
1609 The castle was classed as "utterlie decayed"
1642 At the start of The English Civil War, Beaumaris Castle was held by Royalist forces of King Charles I, as it controlled part of the route between the king's bases in Ireland and his operations in England.
1646 Parliament forces took the castle.
1648, Anglesey revolted against Parliament and Beaumaris was briefly reoccupied by royalist forces, surrendering for a second time in October that year.
1651 After the war many castles were slighted to put them beyond military use, but Parliament was concerned about the threat of a royalist invasion from Scotland and Beaumaris was spared.
1660 At the Restoration of the monarchy, Charles II restored the Bulkeley family as castle constables.
1832 Queen Victoria visited the castle for an Eisteddfod
1925 The Bulkeley family gave Beaumaris to the Commissioners of Works, who carried out a major scale restoration.
Conwy Castle was granted World Heritage Status on 5th May 1986
Conwy Castle is constructed to a rectangular plan and is divided into an Inner and Outer Ward, with four 70ft towers on each side, originally the castle would have been white-washed using a lime render.
1186 Aberconwy abbey was founded by Cistercian monks on the site of modern-day Conwy Castle and was favoured by Llywelyn Fawr and his grandson Llywelyn ap Gruffydd.
1283 After the death of Llywelyn, Edward I of England, moved the monks from the site and began the construction of the walled town and castle at Conwy
1287 Conwy Castle was completed
1295 Edward I was besieged over winter at Conwy.
1301 The future Edward II received homage from the Welsh Princes after being made Prince of Wales
1343 The castle came under the control of Edward the Black Prince
1399 Richard II used the castle a refuge on his return from Ireland and it was here that he was taken prisoner by Henry Percy
1401 Rhys and Gwilym ap Tudor took control the castle and town, with a surprise attack, dressed as carpenters, during the rebellion of Owain Glyndwr. However, after three months they negotiated a royal pardon from Henry IV, before surrendering.
1520 Henry VIII used the castle as a prison.
1627 Edward Conway bought the castle from Charles I
1642 John Williams, the Archbishop of York, took charge of the castle on behalf of the king at the outbreak of the English Civil War.
1645 Sir John Owen was appointed governor of the castle, leading to a bitter dispute between himself and the Archbishop of York, resulting in the Archbishop defecting to the Parliament side.
1646 General Thomas Mytton besieged and took the castle for Parliament.
1655 Parliament ordered the castle to be slighted and put out further military use
1660 On the Restoration of the Monarchy, Charles II returned the castle to Edward Conway, who stripped it of the remaining iron and lead and turned it into a total ruin.
1865 Conwy Castle passed to the civic leadership of Conwy town, who commenced restoration work.
Harlech Castle was granted World Heritage Status on 5th May 1986
Harlech Castle is considered to be one of Europe's best example of the architecture of a late 13th-century military fortification. It is situated in an incredibly strong defensive position on a 200ft high spur of rock with a ditch cut into the rock also protecting its approach
It is associated in mythology with the legend of Princess Branwen, who features in the Mabinogian. Later it is thought to have been the site of a Llys (Welsh royal court) of Prince Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, who defended North Wales from the English Kings Henry III and Edward I.
1282 After his successful campaign in North Wales and the death of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Edward I began the construction of Harlech Castle.
1289 The castle was completed
1294 The Castle held out against a siege by Madog ap Llywelyn during a Welsh uprising.
1404 The castle fell to Owain Glyndwr and became his residence and military headquarters for four years
1405 Owain Glyndwr held a parliament at Harlech.
1408 Henry V placed Harlech Castle under siege.
1409 Harlech Castle was captured by the English.
1460 Queen Margaret of Anjou fled to the castle during the Wars of the Roses and it was held by her Lancastrian supporters, becoming a base for their operations across the region.
1468 Harlech Castle was captured by the Yorkists after a month's siege, which is credited with inspiring the song Men of Harlech.
1644 Prince Rupert made the local Royalist, Colonel William Owen, the castle's constable.
1647 The castle was surrendered to Parliamentary forces after a 10 month siege and was the last royal fortress to do so and as it was no longer required for the security of North Wales, Parliament ordered it's slighting to take it out of use, however the orders were only partially carried out and thankfully it was not totally demolished.
