Dolwyddelan Castle

Dolwyddelan Castle stands on a small knoll west of the village of Dolwyddelan in Conwy County Borough. Built in the 13th century, it replaced an earlier tower called Tomen Castell, which still stands nearby on a rocky outcrop. The castle was begun by Llywelyn ab Iorwerth to guard a key route through Gwynedd. After Edward I captured it in 1283, the English strengthened its defences before its importance faded. By the 19th century it was a ruin until restored by Lord Willoughby de Eresby. The castle’s keep is the oldest part, with two storeys above a basement. A later tower on the west side was added after the English conquest. The walls enclose a roughly circular space, linked by curtain walls. The keep was heightened twice, first by Edward I or Maredudd ab Ieuan, then again in the 19th century. Its rectangular design resembles other towers built by Welsh princes in the same period. Visitors find a circular enclosure with the keep on the east and a tower on the west. The keep has a basement and two upper floors, with restored battlements and fake drains. The entrance is on the first floor, reached by steps once protected by a forebuilding. The surrounding knoll drops steeply on three sides, offering views over the valley. The nearby ruins of Tomen Castell add to the sense of history. The castle is now managed by Cadw and open to the public.