IMAGES OF MEDIEVAL ART AND ARCHITECTURE

BRITAIN: WALES
CAERNARVON (CAERNARVON CASTLE)

© Alison Stones

Plans of Gatehouse Adapted form Toy, Castles Defenses Bule- Moat Green- portcullus gates Pink- Holes to drop objects and substances on attackers
Side View	Floor Plan

Courtesy of Dr. Ruth Dean/1972 View from Quay (S.E) Screen-sized Image / Large "Archive" Image	Courtesy of Dr. Ruth Dean/1972 Castle and River Seiont, with Bridge Screen-sized Image / Large "Archive" Image
Courtesy of Dr. Ruth Dean/1972 Eagle Tower  and Inner Bailey Screen-sized Image / Large "Archive" Image	Courtesy of Dr. Ruth Dean/1972 N. E. Tower and Turret, Watch Tower, and Queen's Gate Note that the wall to the left has 3 rows of slits for archers Screen-sized Image / Large "Archive" Image
Courtesy of Dr. Ruth Dean/1972 View of King's Gate, Prison Tower, and Well Tower, with Menai Strait beyond Screen-sized Image / Large "Archive" Image	Courtesy of Dr. Ruth Dean/1972 The Lower Ward Screen-sized Image / Large "Archive" Image

• Near the site of Roman Fort
• First Norman Castle by Earl Hugh of Rhuddlen ca 1090
• Edward I began the present fort and town in the summer of 1283
• Edward II born here April 25, 1284 There is a legend that Edward I had promised the Welsh  nobility a prince "that was bourne in Wales and could speake never a wrod of English", then named his newborn son the Prince of Wales
• Present sturcture substantially completed 1292
• Captured by Welsh insurgents 1294-1295, and damaged the building greatly
• Rebuildings started 1295, completed circa 1330
• Eagle tower named for figures of eagles on each of the 3 turrets
• Archtitect probably was James of St. George (c1235-1308) Master Mason and military engineer to Edward I

Click here to see a page about the Welsh castles of Edward I

Humphries, P. H.. Castles of Edward the First in Wales. London : H.M.S.O., 1983.  Number:   DA737 .H85 1983

Phillips, Alan.Caernarvon Castle, Castell Caernarfon, an illustrated souvenir. London : H.M. Stationery Off., c1961, 1970. LC Number: NA994.C12 P5

Platt, Colin. The Castle in Medieval England and Wales. New York: Barnes and Noble Books, 1981. ISBN 0 76070 054 0

Taylor, A. J. (Arnold Joseph) Castell Caernarfon, Caernaryon Castle Cardiff, H.M.S.O. [for the Ministry of Public Building & Works] 1969. LC  Number: NA994.C12 T2c

Taylor, A. J. (Arnold Joseph) Caernarvon Castle and town walls,London, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1953. LC Number NA994.C12 T2

Taylor, A. J. (Arnold Joseph) The Welsh castles of Edward I . London : Hambledon, 1986. LC Number: NA497 G7T39 1986

Thompson, Alexander Hamilton.  Military architecture in England during the middle ages, by A. Hamilton Thompson ... illustrated by 200 photographs,   drawings, and plans. London, New York [etc.] H. Frowde, 1912.  LC number NA963 .T46

Toy, Sidney.  Castles, a short history of fortifications from 1600 B.C. to A. D. 1600 London, Toronto, W. Heinemann, ltd. [1939]. LC Number:  NA490 .T75