The History of Caernarfon
Caernarfon is a storied town within North Wales, which is fortunate enough to face onto the Menai Strait, be sheltered by Anglesey and be protected by its magnificent castle. To this day, Caernarfon pulls in a large amount of visitors for all manner of things, and our Country House Hotel in Snowdonia is always pleased to recommend it for an excellent day out.
Whether its visiting the castle, walking around the castle walls, or even visiting Plas Menai – there’s so many things to do within the pretty walled town of Caernarfon, that taking advantage of the walking tours around the town are an absolute must.
Whether you choose a guided tour of Caernarfon or wish to experience it at your own pace, visiting the castle is highly recommended. Very well known for its great beauty (and officially the most famous castle within the UK, actually!) you might be rather surprised to find that Caernarfon Castle was originally constructed at a cost of £22,000… and didn’t allow any Welshman or woman within its walls.
Admittedly, construction of the castle by Edward the First happened in 1283, and that £22,000 simply can’t be given an (accurate) modern equivalent because of how much money it was back then, and Caernarfon was originally built for the use of English settlers – but we digress.
Caernarfon Castle was originally designed to be imposing and rather magnificent, and it certainly was. However, all of its grandiosity was for nothing – Caernarfon was captured by Madog ap Llewellyn as the castle was being built. Madog ap Llewelyn’s thoughts upon Caernarfon as a town were indeed very clear – marked by the fact that the castle was torched and had to be started all over again.
The Welsh occupation of Caernarfon was brief however – the next year Edward the First brought Caernarfon back under English control, and fortified the castle to the extent that even the celebrated Welsh hero Owain Glyndwr couldn’t breach its walls despite multiple attempts to bring Caernarfon back into Wales.
Later, the ascension of the Tudor Dynasty to the throne ensured that Caernarfon would find itself part of Wales again – as the Tudors themselves were a Welsh family, it was decreed that Caernarfon would allow Welsh people within its walls and Caernarfon has been a bustling centre of the celebration of the Welsh culture and heritage ever since.
If you’re visiting Wales, it simply doesn’t get any Welsher than towns like Caernarfon!
With a series of attractions, beautiful views and a very, very rich history, it’s no wonder that Caernarfon is a bustling tourist attraction even now, and is absolutely worth a visit. In fact, it’s only 14 minutes away via car from our gorgeous Country House Hotel and restaurant in Caernarfon.
