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CONWY CASTLE...

Words cannot do justice to Conwy Castle. One of the best and most simple description is found in the guidebook published by The Welsh Historic Trust, which states: "Conwy is, by any standards, one of the great fortresses of medieval Europe".

Conwy is probably the most impressive of all the Welsh castles. Designed by Edward I master castle builder, James of St. George, Conwy's eight massive towers and high curtain wall are more impressive than most found in the United Kingdom. Conwy Castle and town are surrounded by a well-preserved wall lending an additional sense of strength to the site and helps the town maintain a medieval character lost by other Welsh castle-towns over the years.

Construction began in 1283. The castle was an important part of King Edward I's plan of surrounding Wales in "an iron ring of castles" to subdue the rebellious population. The highly defensible wall Edward built around the town was intended to protect the English colony planted at Conwy. The native Welsh population were violently opposed to English occupation of their homeland. The beauty of this section of the country rivals anything in Britain.

Approaching Conwy, the castle seems to suddenly rise out of the hills. The majestic old suspension bridge connecting the castle with the main peninsula, depicted in many representations over the years, still guards the main approach to the castle that still dominates the entrance to Conwy, immediately conveying its sense of strength and compactness. The eight great towers and connecting walls are all intact, forming a rectangle as opposed to the concentric layouts of Edward's other castles in Wales. Journeying to the top of any of the towers offers the visitor spectacular views of the town, surrounding coastline and countryside. Sailboats and other pleasure-craft dot the picturesque harbor and quay next to the castle, while flocks of sheep roam the nearby hills.

Anyone looking at Conwy Castle for the first time will be impressed first and foremost by the unity and compactness of so great a mass of building, with its eight almost identical towers, four on the north and four on the south, pinning it to the rock on which it stands. Especially striking is the long northern front, where the tower's equidistant spacing divides the wall surface into three exactly similar sections, each pierced by a similar pair of arrow loops, and each rising to a common battlement line. Like Edward's other well-preserved castles, Conwy gives visitors the opportunity to walk top portions of the curtain wall, and ascend higher to the tops of the towers. From these vantage points you can begin to appreciate the layout of the castle interior - the Inner Ward, Great Hall and Cellars, King's Hall, and other associated buildings. The Inner Ward is the heart of the castle, containing, as it does, the suite of apartments that Master James of St. George contracted to build for King Edward and Queen Eleanor in 1283. In each range of buildings the principal rooms were on the first floor, with heated but somewhat dark basements below them. All the floors are now missing.

Almost all of Conwy Castle is accessible although the interior is not complete, with it's rectangular shape unique among Edward's castles. The different sections rise to three distinct heights in a terraced fashion. Conwy Castle will be a highlight of your day. So, come and join us on our next adventure to North Wales. You are guaranteed satisfaction, of which we are totally reliant on for the success of our business. Please remember to book early as space is limited on this very popular tour.

BUSYBUS looks forward to being part of your holiday memories!!

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