Beaumaris Castle, Anglesey, Wales

 

Even though it was bucketing down with rain, we were determined to drive onto the island of Anglesey and explore Beaumaris Castle.  And I am so very pleased that we did not let the frightful weather put us off! Beaumaris Castle is one of the most impressive medieval buildings I have ever seen.

 

Exploring Beaumaris

 

The little town of Beaumaris, on Anglesey in North Wales is very pretty.  It is a typical “old town” with narrow streets, stone buildings and quaint shops along the high street.  And of course, the most breath-taking views across the Menai Straight.

 

After parking at the Beaumaris Green Parking area, we dashed through the rain towards Castle Street in search of a hot cup of coffee.  This we found at the delightful Beau’s Tea Shop where we huddled like two wet cats, hoping to warm up before starting our visit at the Castle.

 

As we still had a bit of time before our scheduled entry at the Castle, we walked around town for a bit.  It is truly charming.  We found one of the oldest houses in Britain (built around 1400) on Castle Street.  It now houses an estate agency 😁.  There is also the Our Lady, Queen of Martyrs Church near the Castle which is interesting to explore.

 

The little town of Beaumaris, on Anglesey in North Wales is very pretty.  It is a typical “old town” with narrow streets, stone buildings and quaint shops along the high street.  And of course, the most breath-taking views across the Menai Straight.

 

After parking at the Beaumaris Green Parking area, we dashed through the rain towards Castle Street in search of a hot cup of coffee.  This we found at the delightful Beau’s Tea Shop where we huddled like two wet cats, hoping to warm up before starting our visit at the Castle.

 

As we still had a bit of time before our scheduled entry at the Castle, we walked around town for a bit.  It is truly charming.  We found one of the oldest houses in Britain (built around 1400) on Castle Street.  It now houses an estate agency 😁.  There is also the Our Lady, Queen of Martyrs Church near the Castle which is interesting to explore.

 

The Might of Beaumaris Castle

 

I have explored many castles in my time, but nothing quite prepares you for the feeling of dominance and power when you enter Beaumaris Castle.  It is impressive – built from solid stone and just about impregnable, which is exactly the point of a castle 😉

 

Crossing the moat via a small bridge, we entered through the Outer Gatehouse on the Southern side of the Castle.  From here, we walked through the Barbican and then to the massive South Gatehouse.  Even though the castle is slightly ruinous, it is easy to appreciate the craftmanship that went into building this structure.  It is still, after all these centuries, a fortified structure worth our awe.

 

Layout of Beaumaris Castle

 

One thing is certain:  Beaumaris Castle was built to withstand virtually any attack.  The first line of defence is of course the deep moat (which used to be much wider in the Middle Ages).  Then you find yourself facing the Outer Curtain Wall with its 12 rounded towers and two gates.  Before reaching the Inner Curtain Wall, one has to cross the Outer Ward or “Killing Ground”.  This is a narrow strip of land where attackers would get caught up between different firing positions.

 

Finally, one reaches the thick Inner Curtain Wall.  This is built in a square shape with round towers on each corner.  Between these towers are two further D-shaped towers on the East and West walls respectively.  And then there are the two enormous Gatehouses (one North and one South).  Inside all of this, is the Inner Ward.

 

One feels incredibly safe in the Inner Ward – like nothing can possibly ever “get” to you here.  I can imagine that Beaumaris Castle offered a perfect safe haven for anyone during troubled times in the Middle Ages.

 

The Need for a Castle on Anglesey

 

North Wales was in a state of unrest since the 1070’s.  The Welsh Princes and the Kings of England were always vying for power in the region.  By 1276, King Edward of England had had enough and declared full-out war on Llywelyn ap Gruffudd.  During this conflict, Llywelyn lost quite a bit of land with the settlement of November 1277 confining him to Snowdonia and Anglesey.

 

A second war broke out in 1282, resulting in the death of Llywelyn and the total loss of Wales to the English.  The Welsh remained troublesome though, and a rebellion in 1294 was the final straw for Edward.  He decided to build a castle at Beaumaris to show his dominance over the Welsh and also to provide a fortified structure from where he could protect his interests on Anglesey.

 

Building Beaumaris Castle on Anglesey, Wales

 

Building works started in the summer of 1295.  Master James of St George was appointed to oversee the construction.  He was in charge of many castle building projects for King Edward, including the magnificent Conwy Castle nearby.

 

That first summer was an extremely busy time on the building site.  On average, throughout the summer, there were 1800 workmen, 450 stonemasons and 375 quarriers on site.  It must have been chaos!  Weekly wages alone amounted to £270 which was a huge amount at the time.

 

Construction slowed in 1296, mainly due to the incredible cost and by 1300 all works was brought to an end.  At this point, a total of £11 000 have been spent on building Beaumaris Castle.  Of course, a contributing factor to the cessation of building, was Edward’s new wars in Scotland.  He needed to divert money and people up North.

 

This of course meant that Beaumaris Castle was only partially completed.  The inner walls were only half the height they were meant to be, and the North-West and North sides of the Castle still had no defences.

 

In 1306, John of Metfield produced a report concluding that certain “grievous defects” existed at the Castle which required immediate action.  He said the gates needed new locks, the gateway needed bars fitted and that portcullises were missing, among other issues.  This resulted in a new programme of building being undertaken.  Again, work was halted in 1330 but at least progress was made.  But the castle was still not completed – and never was.

 

Beaumaris Castle at War

 

In 1400, Owain Glyndwr led a revolt against English rule.  Beaumaris Castle was under siege and then captured by the Welsh rebels, in 1403.  The English fought back and recaptured the strongpoint in 1405.  From the following year however, Welsh rebellion subsided to bring relative peace to Anglesey.

 

For the remainder of the 15^th century, a small garrison was kept at Beaumaris.  At times, as few as six men guarded the Castle.

 

Later History of Beaumaris Castle

 

Sadly, by 1534, the Castle had fallen into disrepair and by 1609 it was reported as “utterly decayed”.

 

With the English Civil War breaking out in 1642, Beaumaris again became an important location, strategically.  It controlled part of the route between Ireland and England, so was vital to both sides in the war.

 

Thomas Bulkeley held the Castle for the King, but by 1646 it was surrendered to the Parliamentarian forces. The population of Anglesey however revolted against Parliament in 1648 and the Castle was re-occupied by Royalist forces.  That however only lasted a few months and they surrendered again that October.

 

Many castles were slighted (damaged in order to put them out of military use) after the war.  Beaumaris was thankfully spared due to its perceived strategic importance.

 

In 1807, Lord Thomas Bulkeley bought Beaumaris Castle from the Crown for £735.  Then in 1925, it was placed into the care of Commissioners of Works who carried out a massive restoration programme.  In 1950, it was designated as a Grade I listed building and in 1986 became part of the UNESCO world heritage sites.

 

Beaumaris Castle is currently being managed by Cadw.

 

What not to Miss at Beaumaris Castle

 

• Take note of all the “Arrow Loops” in the outer curtain wall. Originally, the Castle had over 300 of these Loops where crossbowmen could shoot from.
• Before entering the castle, look at the small gate in the wall on the North side of the Castle Dock (on the right of the entrance). This is the gate used to unload supplies from boats.
• The South Gatehouse has impressive “murder holes” and spaces where portcullises used to be.
• Take a look at the footings in the North-West corner of the Inner Ward. These are the remains of a malting kiln.
• There is an excellent example of a latrine chamber near the North Gatehouse (accessed from the mural passages).
• On the South wall of the Barbican (in the Outer Ward), you can see a lovely gargoyle.

 

Travel Tips for Visiting Beaumaris

 

• Allow at least a full day to explore the town and castle – there is a lot to see!
• Parking is relatively easy with the Beaumaris Green Car Park (on the sea front), the Castle Car and Coach park and the Leisure Centre car park all within a few minutes’ walk from the Castle and town centre. These are all Pay & Display car parks.
• Use LL58 8AP on Sat Nav to reach the castle.
• There are a great many cafes and restaurants in the town centre, offer food and drinks.
• Public toilets are located in an alley off Castle Street, near the Neptune Café.
• Take the time to walk along the beautiful sea front and pier.

 

Historical Places Nearby

 

• St Mary’s and St Nicholas Church in Beaumaris is a 14^th century church, 5 minutes’ walk from the Castle.
• Conwy Castle lies just 24 miles from Beaumaris
• 13 Miles South West, is the ruins of Caernarfon Castle
• The ruins of Flint Castle are located 56 miles due East
• Ewloe Castle lies 59 miles East of Beaumaris
• Harlech Castle is 40 miles South along the A4085

 

Sources

 

• Site visit and observation
• Wikipedia website
• Discover Beaumaris Castle guidebook