Conwy Castle was built by Edward I between 1283 and 1287 as part of his “iron ring” of…

Conwy Castle was built by Edward I between 1283 and 1287 as part of his “iron ring” of fortresses designed to crush Welsh independence after the death of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd. It cost £15,000, a staggering sum for the time, and was deliberately built on the site of Aberconwy Abbey, the burial place of Llywelyn the Great, to send a clear message about who was in charge. UNESCO considers it one of the finest examples of medieval military architecture in Europe. Despite all that, in 1401 two of Owain Glyndŵr’s cousins disguised themselves as carpenters, walked straight in while the garrison was at prayer, killed the guards and held the castle for three months.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​