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Welsh Castles
The Norman barons who conquered Wales may
have been a small group of men, their impact on the Welsh
countryside is undeniable. This invading warrior race had
already practiced battle techniques against English armies
and then brought these tactics to the western part of the
island.
Edward I was responsible for much of the
castle construction in Wales. His plan was to repair and rebuild
castles where possible and erect more scientifically designed
and more carefully located castles in new sites.
Wales was home to the famous "Iron
Ring" of defensive castles. These medieval strongholds
were so well constructed that even Cromwell's attempts to
destroy royal fortresses were ineffective. Gunpowder and artillery
were not enough o bring down many Welsh castle walls.
Castles were a vital part of Welsh protection,
even as late as the 1400s, during the Wars of the Roses. The
most impressive and powerful of these medieval strongholds
were those built by the Anglo-Norman lords and the castles
still keep their names, such as Caerphilly, Cardiff, Chepstow,
and Kidwelly.
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