Castles in Gwynedd
Cymer is known for its medieval abbey, but there is a more martial remain nearby. The motte castle was in existence by 1113, though little is known about its origins beyond the name of its builder, Uchdryd ab Edwin. The castle motte is now overgrown with vegetation, though there are scanty masonry remains.
Llanelltyd, Gwynedd, Wales
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The twin hills above Deganwy show signs of occupation as far back as the 6th century. Legend says that Maelgwyn Gwynedd, one of the most powerful men in post-Roman Wales, held his court here. In 1080 the Norman lord Robert of Rhuddlan built a motte and bailey at Deganwy.
Deganwy, Gwynedd, Wales
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The original Deudraeth Castle was built by Gruffydd ap Cynan beginning about 1175, making it one of the earliest Welsh castles to be built in stone. That castle is mentioned by the 12th century monk Geraldus de Cambrensis in his "Journeys through Wales".
Portmeirion, Gwynedd, Wales
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Also known as Dinas Emrys, a hillfort here was inhabited in the 5th century on a volcanic outcrop above the Gwynany valley. Dinas Castle is the traditional location of a fortress established by Vortigern. Later myths associate the place with Merlin the Magician and the Arthurian legends.
Beddgelert, Snowdonia, Gwynedd, Wales
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Built by Llewelyn Fawr (Llewelyn the Great), the striking ruins of this D-shaped castle sit above Llyn Padarn lake at the foot of Mount Snowdon. The view east along the lake from the lakeshore, with the castle keep rising above its surrounding belt of trees, is one of the most striking views in Wales.
Llanberis, Snowdonia, Gwynedd, Wales, LL55 4UB
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Dolwyddelan Castle is an early 13th-century Welsh fortress built by Llywelyn Fawr (Llywelyn the Great) to guard the approaches to Snowdonia through the Ffestiniog valley. At about the same time Llywelyn built Dolbadarn at Llanberis. An unsubstantiated legend says that Llywelyn was born in or near Dolwyddelan Castle in 1173.
Dolwyddelan, Snowdonia, Gwynedd, Wales
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The name Harlech has been translated as 'high rock', an apt description of this striking site atop a high cliff looking west towards Cardigan Bay. Though the site has obvious advantages for dominating the coast, the castle was built by Edward I in 1283, as part of his efforts to subdue the Welsh of Gwynedd. The English lord Sir Otto de Grandison first identified the potential of the site on his march north after sacking the Welsh fortress at Castell-y-Bere.
Twtyl, Harlech, Gwynedd, Wales, LL46 2YH
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One of the largest medieval castle mottes in Wales, Tomen y Bala is a steep conical mound, with a base about 40 metres across. It rises 8 metres high, with a level top about 16 metres wide. The summit of the motte would originally have been topped by a timber palisade, possibly with a timber tower within.
Bala, Gwynedd, Wales
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