Caernarfon, situated between the picturesque Menai Straits and Mount Snowdon is a busy Welsh market town and a major tourist centre. Renowned for the World Heritage Site of Caernarfon Castle, the most famous of Wales' castles, and the investiture in 1969 of Prince Charles as the present Prince of Wales.
Indeed the town is dominated by King Edward I's impressive medieval fortress and town walls, built as part of the iron ring of castles to secure his English foothold in Wales after the death of the last Prince of Wales.
But the town is older than its medieval castle would suggest. Much older.
A SHORT HISTORY :
The Romans built the fort of Segontium here in the first century A.D. after the successful campaign by the roman commander Suetonius Paulinus to remove the threat of the ancient british Druids by invading Ynys Mon (Isle of Anglesey). Faced with the superior power of Romes' elite legions the Druids fled or were massacred and the sacred groves of Ynys Mon were destroyed. The Roman fort of Segontium was built soon after in what is now Caernarfon, circa 80 A.D. The fort housed a detachment of some 800 men, and from here the Romans were able to keep a watch over both Ynys Môn and the Llyn peninsula to the west. The romans strengthend the original fortifications and occupied Caernarfon for over 300 years.
After the departure of the Romans came the "dark ages" and by definition one can only guess about the occupants of Caernarfon until the Norman invasion of England in 1066. From then it is known that William the Conqueror was eager to conquer Wales and his man Hugh of Avranches conquered much of North Wales, establishing a motte and baily castle in Caernarfon in 1088 - 1098. But the Norman occupation of North Wales was short lived, ceasing circa the end of the eleventh century. From that time Hugh's castle became one of the courts of the Princes of Gwynedd. The Welsh had retaken the original motte and retained control until Edward's invasion and colonization in 1283. It was during this era that the name 'Caernarfon' came into being. Giraldus Cambrensis (Gerald the Welshman) states in his "Itinary" that he passes through "Caer-yn-arfon" on his tour through Wales (1188) preaching the crusades. (A religious fanatic ..what's new?) Thus Edward the first of England took control in 1283 and Caernarfon was granted it's foundation charter in 1284 and the Castle and Town Walls were substantially completed by late 1285.
HEAR ENDETH THE HISTORY LESSON.
Surprisingly today you can still walk in the shadows of the historic medieval walls. Many so called castles are little more than ruins ..piles of stones, the castle walls being robbed over the millenia by the locals to build their own houses and farmsteads.
THIS IS WHY CAERNARFON HAS EARNED ITS WORLD HERITAGE TITLE.
For some reason the town and castle walls are still substantially intact ! Walk alongside the harbour, stroll through the ancient Gateways and along the narrow streets. Enjoy a meal or a pint of beer in an old welsh pub or a tarted up "bistro". Rejoice that this old town and castle has survived the ravages of time and is still here for us to enjoy and to appreciate the craftsmanship of the thirteenth century workmen whether they be Englishmen, Welshmen, or Frenchmen / Normans. Other attractions include a Roman Fort, the Welsh Highland Railway, a Floating Restaurant, Exclusive Craft shops, fine Restaurants, and a first class Golf course.