Conwy Castle Facts & Worksheets

• At the end of the 14th century, King Richard II took shelter at Conwy Castle. In August 1399, after coming back from Ireland, he met Henry Percy there to negotiate with the forces of his rival, Henry Bolingbroke. Percy promised in the chapel not to harm the king. Shortly afterwards, Richard was forced to surrender at Flint Castle and was taken to London, where he later died in captivity at Pontefract Castle.
• Shortly after Henry Bolingbroke became King Henry IV, a Welsh rebellion broke out under Owain Glyndŵr. On Good Friday 1401, Rhys ap Tudur and his brother Gwilym, cousins of Glyndŵr, carried out a surprise attack on Conwy Castle. Pretending to be carpenters, they gained entry, killed the watchmen, and captured the fortress. The rebels also took control of the walled town. They controlled the castle for about three months before agreeing to surrender, which included receiving a royal pardon. 
• During the 15th century, Conwy Castle was maintained but rarely used in battles. In the Wars of the Roses (1455–1485), it was strengthened but played only a minor role. By the end of the century, the castle was mainly used as a prison, for storing goods, and sometimes for visitors to stay. Even though it was no longer important in battles, it still showed the king’s power in the area.

17th–21st centuries

• By the early 17th century, Conwy Castle was in bad condition. In 1627, Charles I sold it to Edward Conway, and it passed to his son in 1631. When the English Civil War began in 1642, the castle became important again. John Williams, the Archbishop of York, took charge for the king and repaired the castle at his own expense. In 1645, Sir John Owen was made governor, which led to a dispute between the two men. The Archbishop later joined Parliament. The town of Conwy was taken in August 1646, and in November, General Thomas Mytton seized the castle following a lengthy siege. Colonel John Carter was then made governor, and more repairs were carried out.
• In 1655, Parliament ordered the castle to be “slighted,” meaning it was made unusable for war. The Bakehouse Tower was partly destroyed at this time. In 1660, when Charles II became king, the castle was returned to Edward Conway, the Earl of Conway. Five years later, he removed the remaining lead and iron from the castle and sold it, leaving the castle in ruins, despite protests from the town.
• By the late 18th century, people admired the castle ruins for their dramatic and beautiful look. Artists like Moses Griffith, Julius Caesar Ibbetson, Thomas Girtin, J. M. W. Turner, and Paul Sandby, painted it. In the 19th century, a road bridge (1826) and a railway bridge (1848) were built over the River Conwy, making the castle easier to visit. In 1865, the castle was given to the town of Conwy, and repairs began, including rebuilding the damaged Bakehouse Tower.
• In the 20th century, the castle was cared for by the Ministry of Works. Arnold Taylor carried out repairs and studied the castle’s history. A new road bridge in 1958 made it even more accessible. Already protected as a scheduled monument, Conwy Castle became part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site designated the “Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd” in 1986.
• Today, Conwy Castle is managed by Cadw and is a major tourist attraction. In 2010, nearly 187,000 people visited, and a new visitor centre opened in 2012. The castle still needs regular maintenance, which costs thousands of pounds every year. In 2019, it was twinned with Himeji Castle in Japan. In December 2023, Condé Nast named it the most beautiful castle in Europe.

Architecture and Design

• Conwy Castle was built both as a strong fortress and a royal home. It was designed by James of St George and made mostly from grey sandstone and limestone from the ridge it stands on. Decorative stone, such as for windows, was brought from the Creuddyn peninsula, Chester, and the Wirral.
• The castle's design was influenced by Savoy castles, visible in its windows, battlements, and tower details. The triple-pinnacled merlons are similar to those at Castello San Giorio di Susa, which Edward I saw in 1273.
• Conwy Castle has a rectangular layout, divided into an Outer Ward and an Inner Ward, separated by a cross-wall. Each side has four large towers around 70 feet (21 m) tall. The castle was originally white-washed with lime. The towers still have putlog holes from the wooden scaffolding used when the castle was built, and the battlements originally featured decorative pinnacles and a row of square holes, which may have been for drainage, defence, or showing shields.

Key Points of the Outer Ward

• Main entrance through the western barbican with a drawbridge and ramp.
• Barbican featured stone machicolations and a portcullis for defence.
• North-west tower – storage and small rooms.
• South-west tower – possibly used by the constable or garrison; included a bakehouse.
• South side – contained the great hall and chapel built above cellars; some 14th-century stone arches survive.
• Constable’s tower – held prisoners and included an underground dungeon.
• North side – kitchens, brewhouse, and bakehouses; kitchen tower provided extra rooms and storage.

Key Points of the Inner Ward

• More private and heavily defended; had its own wall, drawbridge, and rock-cut ditch (later filled in).
• Contained royal chambers, forming a small palace that could be sealed off and supplied by sea.
• Rooms included a great chamber, outer chamber, and inner chamber.
• Four towers protected the ward, including the Chapel Tower with a private chapel.
• Small watchtowers allowed extra security and display of the royal flag.
• East barbican and garden – garden changed over time: lawn, vines, crab-apple trees, and ornamental flowers.
• Postern gate to the river – allowed private arrivals and resupply by boat (now hidden by later bridges).