Rhuddlan Castle

Rhuddlan Castle is a Welsh castle located in Rhuddlan, Denbighshire. It was erected by King Edward I beginning in 1277, but was not completed until 1282. The castle sits alongside the River Clwyd, which allowed the castle to be provisioned through a special canal built for that purpose. During the castle's lengthy construction, the Clwyd was straightened and dredged to facilitate deliveries to the castle. Rhuddlan was planned as a concentric castle, boasting twin-tower gatehouses in its inner ward and small towers and turrets in its outer ward. Rhuddlan is relatively unique in that it is 'diamond' in layout, the gatehouses positioned at the corners of the square baileys instead of along the sides as at Harlech, Caerphilly or Beaumaris.

History

Rhuddlan has a longer history then the castle fortress built following the Edwardian Conqest of Wales. Prior to Norman occupation of lower Gwynedd, the Perfeddwlad, Rhuddlan was the site of a Welsh cantref, and served as the seat of government for the Welsh king Gruffydd ap Llywelyn (1007 – August 5, 1063), whose family may have been the traditional Welsh lords of Rhuddlan for generations.

Following the Norman invasion of Gwynedd, Rhuddlan had been fought over by the Princes of Gwynedd and Earls of Chester, finely falling into Edward's hands in with the treaty of Aberconwy between Llywelyn II of Gwynedd and Edward I of England.

Rhuddlan was not the first fortress built in this area. The remains of a castle built in 1086 called Twthill can be found close to Rhuddlan's current location. The Statute of Rhuddlan, overriding Welsh rule of law with that of the English rule of law after the defeat of Llywelyn II of Gwynedd, was signed here in 1284.

Elizabeth of Rhuddlan, eighth daughter of Longshanks was born here in 1282.

References & External Links

* [http://www.castlewales.com/rhudln.html Castle Wales on Rhuddlan castle with photos]
* [http://www.rhyl.com/rhuddlan.html Rhyl website on Rhuddlan castle]
* [http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_wales/116/rhuddlancastle.html Castle UK info on Rhuddlan castle]
* [http://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=2767834 www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Rhuddlan Castle]