Conwy Castle is one of the finest pieces of architecture in Wales. It is rich in history, surrounded by natural scenery, and an excellent spot for picnics with friends and families.
Conwy Castle was built in the 13th century and held a significant place throughout the history of wales. Over the next few centuries, multiple small structures were added, many of which are long gone.
Today, this castle is listed as a ruin managed by Cadw. All the remains are exceptionally well-preserved, and it is one of the famous tourist attractions in Wales.
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Conwy Castle Address:
The Conwy Castle is located at Rosa Hill St, Conwy LL32 8AY, UK.
Conwy Castle History
Conwy castle is the oldest structure in town which was built on the orders of King Edward I. Designed collectively by Edward I and the most excellent master builder of his time, James of St. George. It was built between 1283 and 1289 in North Wales.
Conwy Castle itself is a part of a grand structure that was built for city defense. Historians state that more than 15,000 workers worked on it for six years. Castle has eight towers 70 feet tall and 30 feet in diameter; however, the wall is 15 feet thick. It is considered one of the finest castles in Britain. UNESCO declared it World Heritage Site in 1986.
The castle of Conwy played a vital role in many British wars. In the early 15th century, the Welshman Owain Glyndwr came with his army and captured Castle; however, this lasted only three months.
Conwy Castle had significant importance at the time of the Civil War. The Royalist army was controlling it during that period in 1646. The castle was sold to Viscount Conwy after its restoration. It was bought in the year 1628 for just £100.
In 1865, it was passed by the Holland family, they had leased it from the progeny of the Conwy, and later, it was given back to the Conwy town itself. By then, the castle had started to ruin because of a lack of maintenance.
In the 18th century, the castle’s ruins attracted many tourists and people from different walks of life to come and visit it. By the end of the 18th century, it became famous for photography.
J.W.W Turner and Thomas Girtin were some of the favorite artists who made a painting of the castle.
Architecture
The castle is built with grey sandstone and limestone. This magnificent structure was built over 700 years ago and is still standing tall and perfectly safe for visits. Castle is surrounded by a well-preserved wall giving additional strength to it.
The rectangular Conwy castle is divided into an Inner and Outer Ward, separated by a cross-wall, with four large, 70-foot (21 m) tall towers on each side.
The main entrance to the castle is through the western barbican, just in front of the main gate. This gate leads to the outer ward, which was initially used for administrative and service buildings to run the castle. In front of that is a northwest tower, once an accommodation area of the army.
On the south side of the ward is the great hall and chapel, sitting on top of the cellars, which are now exposed and almost ruined. Behind the great hall was the tower used by the constable for detaining prisoners.
On the north side of the ward was a range of service buildings, including a kitchen, brewhouse, and bakehouse, backed into by the kitchen tower, containing accommodation and storerooms.
The Inner Ward was initially separated from the Outer Ward by an internal wall and a gate. The spring-fed castle well built alongside the entrance survives, and today is 91-foot (28 m) deep.
The inner ward once has the chambers for the royal household, their immediate staff, and service facilities. Four towers protect the inner ward. These structures are well-preserved and still in pretty good shape.
On the eastern side, there is another barbican with a garden filled with greenery.
Accessibility
Conwy castle is accessible to the general public with pre-booked tickets before their visit. Dogs assisted by owners are permitted.
Public toilets and level-accessed toilets are also available for disabled visitors.
Conwy Castle Parking
Conwy castle is accessible by public transport. Paid car parking and particular parking areas for disabled visitors are also available.
Vehicles can also be parked anywhere in the nearby streets for free, but that way, your vehicle security wouldn’t be the responsibility of the castle’s authorities.
Some other parking spots in Conwy Town come under Conwy County. These places charge you according to hours and are around 10 minutes away from the castle.
Conwy Castle Visiting Hours
Conwy castle is not open for visits all year long. With pre-bookings, you can visit it from 1 Apr 2021 to 28 Feb 2022. Closed on Thursday and Friday.
For brand new timings and opening/closing hours, you can visit the official website.
Conwy Castle Tickets
Booking the ticket in advance is compulsory. It can be done from the website (check the link for prices) or by calling the booking helpline at 03000 252239.
| Category | Price |
|---|---|
| Member |
Free
|
| Adult |
£11.10
|
| Family* |
£36.60
|
| Disabled person and companion |
Free
|
| Juniors (Aged 5-17) / NUS / Armed Forces and Veterans |
£7.80
|
| Seniors (Aged 65+) |
£10.60
|
|
*Admits 2 adults and up to 3 children All children under 5 receive free entry. |
|
Queries
Conwy Tourist Information Centre is the best place to contact in case of ticketing queries, visiting hours, and related things.
Places Nearby
The castle is surrounded by some fancy and local restaurants like Poppy Conwy Bakery, and Edwards of Conwy are some of them. Apart from the Castle, there are other tourist attractions like Wide Awake Tours, Conwy visitors center, and Conwy Guildhall.
You can easily find accommodation, shopping, and other great tourist attractions nearby Conwy castle.
Facilities
Ever since Cadw took over the management of Conwy Castle, they have been working towards providing a lot of facilities to promote tourism here.
You can see many facilities here, making disabled people friendly. There are dedicated parking, public washrooms, and wheelchairs friendly routes. Tourists traveling with young kids or babies have easy access to the toilet and baby changing room.
People who like to travel with their pets can take them along.
There is a little gift shop on the castle premises where visitors can buy guides and different products.
There are exhibitions as well. However, they take place on the site itself.
Conwy castle authorities encourage schools and other educational institutes to travel to the castle. Special discounts and dedicated guides are provided for trips of such nature. They can book their journey through the website, email, or call.
A Free Wi-Fi facility is also provided for all visitors.
Besides all these facilities, flying drones and smoking are strictly forbidden.
Photography
Photography is allowed both inside and around the castle. If someone wants to plan an event/film/movie/drama, they are allowed to do so.
The facilities strictly prohibit the use of drones for photography or any other purpose.
Conclusion
Suppose you are an enthusiast of visiting historical sites, looking for a nice place to stay with your friends and family, or looking for good locations for photography ventures. In that case, we highly recommend you visit Conwy castle.
