Harlech Castle: A Fortress Surviving Century After Century

Harlech Castle, located in Harlech, Gwynedd, Wales, is a Grade I listed medieval fortification. It was built by Edward I during his invasion of Wales between 1282 and 1289 at an estimated cost of £8,190. Over the next few centuries, the castle played a crucial role in various wars, withstanding the siege of Madog ap Llywelyn between 1294 and 1295, but falling to Prince Owain Glyndŵr in 1404. It then became Glyndŵr’s residence and military headquarters for the rest of the uprising until being recaptured by English forces in 1409.

During the 15th-century Wars of the Roses, Harlech was held by the Lancastrians for seven years, before Yorkist troops forced its surrender in 1468. This siege is memorialized in the song 'Men of Harlech'. In the 1640s, the castle held out as a Royalist stronghold during the English Civil War, only surrendering to Parliamentary forces in 1647.

Today, the ruined castle is managed by Cadw, the Welsh Government’s historic environment service. UNESCO considers Harlech, along with three others at Beaumaris, Conwy, and Caernarfon, to be one of ‘the finest examples of late 13th-century and early 14th-century military architecture in Europe,’ and it is classified as a World Heritage Site.

Note: The statement regarding the garrison at Harlech may not be historically accurate, as there is no concrete evidence to support it.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons