Rhuddlan Castle

 Town Gate West Gatehouse East Gatehouse Inner Ward North Tower South Tower Friary Gate Gillot's Tower Dock aka River Gate Water Gate Unamed Tower Moat

Rhuddlan Castle is in Rhuddlan.

Views of Rhuddlan Castle showing the canalised River Clywd.

The River Clwyd rises 8km north-west Corwen, Denbighshire [Map] from where it flows past Ruthin Castle [Map], Denbigh [Map], St Asaph [Map] to Rhuddlan Castle, from where the remaining 4km were canalised when the castle wads constructed, entering the Irish Sea at Rhyl [Map].

In 1277 Rhuddlan Castle was commissioned by King Edward "Longshanks" I of England (age 37). Work was initially started by Master Betram but was completed by James of St George Master Mason. It was completed in 1282.

In 1282 Rhuddlan Castle was besieged by the Welsh until relieved by Amadeus V "Great" Savoy (age 32).

On 07 Aug 1282 Princess Elizabeth of Rhuddlan Countess Essex, Hereford and Holland was born to King Edward "Longshanks" I of England (age 43) and Eleanor of Castile Queen Consort England (age 41) at Rhuddlan Castle.

On 23 Jun 1283 Owain ap Dafydd Aberffraw (age 8) was imprisoned at Rhuddlan Castle.

Archaeologia Volume 16 Section VIII. Copy of a Roll of the Expenses of King Edward the First at Rhuddlan Castle, in Wales , in the tenth and eleventh years of his reign [1281-1282], remaining among the Records in the Tower, communicated by Samuel Lysons , Esq. F. R. S. Director: with a Translation, by the Rev. John Brand, M. A. Secretary. Read Nov. 27, 1806.

Archaeologia Cambrensis 1887 Page 349. At Rhuddlan the Archdeacon guided the Association in its perambulation of the Castle, and pointed out the principal features; after which he read a brief epitome of the chief events bearing on the history of the place from the time of King Offa's victory on the adjoining marsh, in A.D. 795, down to the dismantling of the Castle by order of the Parliament in 1646. The accompanying plan, enlarged from that in the New Ordnance Survey, will show the arrangement of the fortress and its defences. Placed on the bank of a tidal river, and forming one of the keys of Snowdonia, it was always a point of strategic importance, and sustained a remarkable series of sieges, captures, and recaptures, during the Welsh wars, and its massive walls and simple military character are well in character with those conditions. The main entrance was at a, between the two round towers, b and c; and it was approached by a drawbridge over the moat, the bastions of which are shown on the inner side. Two corresponding towers occupy the opposite angle of the court, and the other angles are each of them strengthened by a single massive round tower. The chief living rooms were within the tower. There ai'e no remains of buildings in the court, but the walls show where the beams rested for the timber floors and roofs. The moat is encased in masonry, and was evidently filled with water which was retained by walls. The slope of the ground from the west prevented its being continued on that side, and its place was supplied by strong walls and towers.

Rhuddlan Castle Plan

The Welsh Castles and Towns of Edward I comprise a number of castles, some with associated planned towns, commissioned as a means of containing the Welsh. They included, from east to west, Flint Castle [Map], Rhuddlan, Conwy Castle [Map], Beaumaris Castle [Map], Caernarfon Castle [Map], Harlech Castle [Map] and Aberystwyth Castle [Map]. Those not on the coast include Chirk Castle [Map], Denbigh Castle and Town Walls and Builth Castle [Map]. Arguably, Holt Castle [Map] and Criccieth Castle [Map] should be included.

Europe, British Isles, North East Wales, Flintshire, Rhuddlan Castle Plan, West Gatehouse [Map]

West Gatehouse [Map]. The missing masonary suggest the upper part of the front wall now gone. View of the inside of the guarderobe.

Europe, British Isles, North East Wales, Flintshire, Rhuddlan Castle Plan, East Gatehouse [Map]

East Gatehouse [Map].

Europe, British Isles, North East Wales, Flintshire, Rhuddlan Castle Plan, Inner Ward [Map]

Inner Ward [Map] and the outside of the Curtain Wall, with it exterior base projection and the drainage slots.

Europe, British Isles, North East Wales, Flintshire, Rhuddlan Castle Plan, North Tower [Map]

North Tower [Map].

Europe, British Isles, North East Wales, Flintshire, Rhuddlan Castle Plan, South Tower [Map]

View of the South Tower [Map]. Note the guarderobe projecting off the wall.

The remains of the Friary Gate [Map] with the South Tower [Map] beyond.

Europe, British Isles, North East Wales, Flintshire, Rhuddlan Castle Plan, Friary Gate [Map]

The remains of the Friary Gate [Map] with the South Tower [Map] beyond.

Europe, British Isles, North East Wales, Flintshire, Rhuddlan Castle Plan, Gillot's Tower [Map]

Gillot's Tower [Map] over-looking the Dock Gate [Map]. Gillot’s Tower is probably named after Gillot de Chalons, a mason who was working at Conwy in 1286 and had been previously employed at Rhuddlan. Four storeys high and projecting from the southern corner of the outer ward, the original entrance was on the third storey. The two windows in this room are almost the only ones in the building which retain their dressed stonework intact.

Europe, British Isles, North East Wales, Flintshire, Rhuddlan Castle Plan, Dock aka River Gate [Map]

Dock aka River Gate [Map].

Europe, British Isles, North East Wales, Flintshire, Rhuddlan Castle Plan, Unamed Tower [Map]

Unamed Tower [Map].

Europe, British Isles, North East Wales, Flintshire, Rhuddlan Castle Plan, Moat

Moat.

Section of the moat showing detail of the outer wall with its arrow loops.

Detail of one of the Tower that provided access to the Moat from the Outer Ward.

Detail of the Moat nearest to the [Map] with what appear to be drainage openings.