Building work began on mighty Harlech Castle in 1283, and was completed by the end of 1289 (employing nearly 950 men at its peak).

A year later, in return for all his good work, Edward I appointed Master James of Saint George ‘constable of the castle’. Harlech Castle was built in the ‘concentric’ style: high inner curtain walls with round towers at each corner and lower outer curtain walls. Today the castle walls still stand almost to their full height. But Harlech Castle’s exciting and turbulent past is every bit as noteworthy as the building work: the castle was captured by Owain Glyndwr in 1404 after a long siege, and became the main residence of his court – he even called a parliament here in 1405. English troops besieged the castle in 1408, and the castle returned to English rule in 1409. It was a long siege here during the Wars of the Roses that inspired the quintessentially Welsh song ‘Men of Harlech’. During the Civil War, Harlech was the last royalist stronghold to fall. Harlech Castle gained UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 1986 along with the other Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd.

This attraction is Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Service (VAQAS) approved.

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