Gwynedd Archaeological
Trust Regional Historic Environment Record
Harlech Castle, Harlech
Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 2908 Trust : Gwynedd Community : Harlech Unitary authority : Gwynedd NGR : SH5810031250 Site Type (preferred type first) : MEDIEVAL CASTLE Status : Snowdonia National Park
Summary : The earliest reference to Harlech is in the Mabinogi but no evidence has ever been found for an early court or llys on the site. Work was begun on the castle in 1283 to the design of Master James of St George and it was completed by 1289. The strong position of the castle on its rock overlooking the sea is hard to appreciate today as the sea has been replaced by the extensive sand dunes of Morfa Harlech. It was supplied by sea in 1294 having been entirely cut off by land during the revolt of Madoc ap Llywelyn and thus was able to survive. In 1404, however, it fell to Owain Glydwr who held the castle for over four years before it was finally regained by the future king Henry V. Unlike other of Edward I's castles, Harlech continued to play a role and was the last Lancastrian stronghold to fall in 1468. The Gatehouse was used for meetings of the court of assizes during the 16th century and the castle was held by the Royalists during the Civil War, being again the last castle to fall. The defences were ordered to be demolished in 1660 but the order was never carried out and the shell of the castle remains to this day.
The castle is concentric in design with a narrow out ward protected by a rock cut dry moat and an almost square inner ward with massive gatehouse. The Great Hall and kitchens were set against the curtain wall in the inner ward as was a building referred to as the Ystumgwern Hall which is thought to have been transported to the castle from nearby Ystumgwern.
An English borough was founded along with the castle at Harlech but no traces of walls or a regular grid of streets survive.
Description : Harlech Castle, built 1285-90, is a rectangular fortress enclosed by 2 lines of walls, forming the inner and middle baileys, and defended by an outer bailey covering the N and W sides. The E and S sides are defended by a moat. The inner bailey has a tower at each corner and a large gatehouse in the middle of the E front.
There is a postern in the N wall and one in the W wall. The middle bailey, actually a narrow terrace between the two walls, has two gateways and two posterns in the curtain. <5>
The medieval watergate of Harlech castle, constructed in 1289 by Ralfe de Ocle at a cost of 124 15s 11d, and an area now used as a car-park and visitor reception building, possibly representing the site of the castle quay. (Gwyn, 1996)
Harlech castle is one of a series of masonry castles built by Edward I following his conquest of Wales in 1283. The design of the castles is thought to have been largely that of Master James of St George, who was Master of the Kings Works in Wales. The castle uses a series of concentric defences based around the gatehouse, including an inner ward with curtain wall, outer ward with lower curtain wall and a deep ditch on the south and east sides. Construction of the castle started in 1283, and it was nearly complete by 1289. A protected path, called 'the way to the sea' leads to the former dock at the base of the cliff, which it is assumed was accessible by boat either via a short canal or by the sea that may then have reached the castle cliffs. The large outer rock to the north was enclosed after 1294. (Berks and Davidson, 2006)
Construction of the Harlech castle began in May 1283 with 950 workers employed at the height of the building project in 1286 and the building complete by 1289 (Taylor 2002, 6). It is possible that sea access was from a dock near the present Water Gate (Lower Harlech) and building materials from Chester, Ergyn and Anglesey were carried up from there via a path that was formally recognised as such in 1289 (GAT 2009). It is likely that during the fourteenth-century sand inundation caused the lower castle docks area to become landlocked. The castle was seized by Owain Glyndwr in 1404 and held until 1409 and also was held for the Lancastrians in the Wars of the Roses in between 1461 and 68. Harlech was the last royalist stronghold to fall in 1647 signifying the end of the English Civil War (Taylor 2002, 13). The castle was transferred to the Office of Works in 1914 during which period repair and excavations were carried. In 1969 it became the responsibility of the Welsh Office and later Cadw in 1984. Two years later (1986) it was listed, together with Caernarfon and Beaumaris castles and Conwy town walls as a World Heritage Site. (Davies and Jones, 2015)
An interesting similarity is found in St. Briavels Castle,formerly a royal castle and the administrative centre for the Forest of Dean, where a sub-rectangular ward is fronted by an Edwardian gatehouse built c. 1292. It closely resembles the gatehouses of some of the great castles of Edward I in north Wales. Two large D-shaped towers flank a strongly defended gate-passage, with accommodation for the constable on the two floors above. It was a 'keep-gatehouse', capable of being sealed off and defended independently of the rest of the castle (Knight, 2002).
Description of Harlech Castle (Fenton, 1808). Historical revision' to existing publications following a visit in 1949 (Taylor, 1949).
“The northern of the two newel stairs in the gatehouse, from which all the steps were missing, has been given new treads, and a start has been made on the second. Kidwelly Town Gate. In 1950 the Ministry accepted responsibility for its mainten- ance, and work has been carried out to make it safe.” (The Inspector, 1957).
Documents related to the history of Harlech Castle: 1) Grant of the Office of Constable of the Castle of Harlech to William de Wlonkeslowe [Rotulus Walliae, 12 Edw. I]. 2) Receipt from Stephen de Norton for his wages as Carpenter in the Castle of Harlech, from Easter Day to Michaelmas, 1307. 3) Account of John le Coliere of Expenditure for the Castle of Harlech, from Whitsunday to Michaelmas, 1307. 4) Warrant for the Repairs of some of the Castles, &c., in North Wales [Ministers' accounts for Merioneth, 29-30 Hen. VIII]. 5) Survey of Harlech Castle, 23 Sept. 1564. 6) Receipt for a Sum of Money for the Repairs of the Castle of Harlech. 11) A Letter from Prince Rupert to Lieut. Col. Owen, expressive of Willingness to Confirm, by Commission, Col. Owen's Interest in the Custody of Harlech Castle [1644] 12) Articles for the surrender of Harlech Castle [Civil War]. 13) Letter from Edward Wynne, relative to the demolishing of the Castle of Harlech. Article also includes a list of the Constables of Harlech Castle (Wynne, 1846).
Some historical information on the siege of Harlech Castle in 1468 by William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke who was dispatched by Edward IV. (Williams 1860).
reference made to several castles, including Harlech, Conwy, Criccieth,Beaumaris and Caernarfon. Information predominantly concerns Harlech. It includes several drawings and plans of the castle as it was at the time. The beginning of the article there is some information where it is unclear to which castle the imformation refers (Hughes, 1913).
Case for classifying Harlech Castle as an Edwardian castle in its most perfect form (Simpson, 1940). Article on development of Harlech Castle (Wynee, 1875).
In 1874 William Watkin Edward Wynne was appointed Constable of Harlech Castle. He resigned the office in the April of 1880 and was succeded by his son, W. R. M. Wynne (Breese, 1880).
A watching brief was undertaken on the gatehouse passage in 2018. None of the excavation areas uncovered what could be conclusively proven to be intact Medieval (or earlier) deposits. The small section of wall uncovered in the electric connection box is presumed to be Medieval, but this cannot conclusively be proven due to the small size of the excavated area. Medieval artefactual material was recovered from the site but was residual rather than being found insitu.
It would seem likely that the cobbled surfaces exposed (contexts 03 & 06) were laid as part of the late 1860’s work around the gatehouse, with later disturbances associated with the use of the area as a tourist venue during the mid-twentieth century when visitor toilets were installed. This cobbled surface corresponds with the stone layer uncovered during previous archaeological works at the site (Morgan 2013).
Despite a Medieval date for the human remains recovered during the works, these remains were not uncovered insitu and they are believed to have been discovered during the works in the mid-twentieth century and reburied within the passageway (Rees & Jones 2018).
© Cadw/ICOMOS UK)
