This was actually our first major stop. Caernarfon is a beautiful Welch seaside town. Wales resisted English advances into its territory for a long time. Especially after the Norman conquest, there was significant effort by the Normans to extend their influence into Wales, but they found the wild forests and the excellent bowmen a difficult match (Steven Lawhead has written an interesting trilogy that retells the story of Robin Hood as a Welch leader--it's the books Hood, Scarlet and Tuck--good reads if you like the Robin Hood stories).
Anyway, Edward I (that's the same Edward from the Braveheart movies) finally managed to conquer Wales in the 13th century. He built a series of castles to intimidate the Welch and protect his gains. That was when Caernarfon Castle was built. He also promised the Welch a noble prince who would not speak a word of English. He then had his wife come to Caernarfon and deliver a baby that he introduced as the "Prince of Wales." The legend is that this was the source of naming the next king in that way, but it really didn't catch on until centuries later.
The Queen's Gate of Caernarfon was one of the two key gates, and it was where the king could be presented to the public, but there is no longer a direct land connection to the gate, so it's quite a view over the city.
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| View from the top of the castle |
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| Tink at the top |
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| The way up in these places is small-and has two way traffic |
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| Tink liked the cannons |
Anyway, Edward I (that's the same Edward from the Braveheart movies) finally managed to conquer Wales in the 13th century. He built a series of castles to intimidate the Welch and protect his gains. That was when Caernarfon Castle was built. He also promised the Welch a noble prince who would not speak a word of English. He then had his wife come to Caernarfon and deliver a baby that he introduced as the "Prince of Wales." The legend is that this was the source of naming the next king in that way, but it really didn't catch on until centuries later.
The Queen's Gate of Caernarfon was one of the two key gates, and it was where the king could be presented to the public, but there is no longer a direct land connection to the gate, so it's quite a view over the city.
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