Dolwyddelan Castle - Ruin - Snowdonia, Conwy, Wales
N 53° 03.185 W 003° 54.573
30U E 439035 N 5878562
Dolwyddelan Castle is in ruin with its notable keep remaining almost intact. Like most of the castles of the native Welsh Princes, it is set amidst spectacular scenery. The Castle guards a mountain pass through Snowdonia, Vale of Conwy, North Wales.
Waymark Code: WMWC58
Location: North Wales, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 08/12/2017
Views: 1
Dolwyddelan Castle is now owned by the Welsh Government,
Preserved & maintained by Cadw : (
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Photos of the Castle & Surrounding Area: (
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From Coflien (Royal Commission on the Ancient & Historical Monuments of Wales) Website:
"Site Description: Dolwyddelan Castle is believed to have been begun by Llywelyn ab Iowerth in the thirteenth century, and initially consisted of a squat stone keep on a rocky outcrop overlooking the valley of the Afon Ledr. Together with Dolbadarn (NPRN 93541) and Castell Y Bere (NPRN 93719) it dominated the principal routes through Snowdonia, replacing an earlier fortification nearby, Tomen Castle (NPRN 303046).
Following the defeat and death of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in December 1282, the castle fell to Edward I, who ordered that repairs be undertaken. At this time the keep was heightened and a second rectangular tower was added to provide further accommodation; the English maintained a military presence until 1290 but abandoned the site in favour of more strategic coastal strongholds. Dolwyddelan was occupied by Maredudd ab Ieuan ap Robert at the end of the fifteenth century, who added a further storey to the keep, but later it fell into ruin once again. Major restoration was to take place at the hands of Lord Willougby de Eresby, who restored the eastern tower in the nineteenth century in the Romantic style with false battlements visible today. The remains of the castle consist of two rectangular towers linked by an irregular curtain wall, with ditches and banks on the north-east and south-west sides" Text Source: (
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From Castles, Forts, & battles Website:
Dolwyddelan Castle was re-occupied in the late fifteenth century. Maredudd ab Leuan ap Robert purchased the lease of the castle in 1488 having moved from near Caernarfon. He allegedly found his new surroundings somewhat lawless and may well have made repairs to the curtain wall of the castle at this time.
It was not certain when the castle was abandoned as a residence for the final time but engravings from the mid-eighteenth century suggest it was ruinous by then. It remained so until it was 'restored' by Lord Willoughby de Eresby between 1848 and 1850. His work accounts for the seemingly good condition of the Keep but his modifications, which included the crenellations complete with arrow slits, were a Victorian fiction rather than a restoration of the origin design." Text Source: (
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Property Address:
Dolwyddelan Castle
Dolwddelan
Lledr Valley
Snowdonia
Conwy
North Wales