Welcome to the
Castles of Wales
Website!

Above: spectacular view of the native-Welsh Dolbadarn Castle in Snowdonia, north Wales
Photograph copyright © by Jan Kohl and castlegraphics.com

 

Welcome to the Castles of Wales Website. Wales is often called the "Land of Castles" as it is home to some of Europe's finest surviving examples of medieval castle architecture. Over the years I've visited and explored many of the region's castles, from mighty Chepstow in southeast Wales, to picturesque Beaumaris on the Isle of Anglesey, and charming Ewloe in the north. I created The Castles of Wales in 1996 to provide visitors with information on the hundreds of castles found throughout the land, not simply the most famous ones. Our extensive database provides information on over 400 different Welsh castles, accompanied by high quality photographs. Our essays include profiles of the principal Welsh castle builders  along with an examination of the turbulent times in which they lived. We also feature many of the lesser-known castles of Wales, some of which are as historically significant as their better-known counterparts. Our essays and photographs are contributed both by historians and published authors, as well as amateur historians and castle enthusiasts. If you're just beginning your exploration of Welsh castles, a good place to start is our Historical Essays or Recommended Castles pages. We also offer sections on Welsh Abbeys and Other Religious Sites, and certain pre-Medieval sites and monuments, both of which are important components of Welsh heritage and history. The Castles of Wales survive today in a variety of conditions, ranging from completely ruined and difficult to find, to nearly complete castles that still retain their medieval appearance. Many are currently under the care of CADW: Welsh Historic Monuments, an organization whose members are dedicated to preserving the many ancient monuments found throughout the land.  I would like to extend my sincere thanks to our many contributors, but particularly to our principal historians and researchers, John Northall, Paul M. Remfry, Lise Hull, Catherine Armstrong, Irma Hale, and Richard Williams, for their valuable and insightful contributions to this website. Also a special thanks to Jan Kohl for his stunning high-resolution aerial photographs. Diolch yn fawr iawn! Jeffrey L. Thomas Would you like to contribute to the Castles of Wales website? We currently have a need for decent quality photographs for the following castles: Abergavenny Castle Kenfig Castle Cardiff Castle Bronllys Castle Carndochan Castle Loughor Castle Coity Castle Pennard Castle Dinas Powys Castle White Castle Oxwich Castle Skenfrith Castle Goodrich Castle Cilgerran Castle Harwarden Castle Ogmore Castle Lesser-known castles, especially the ones lacking photographs     Enjoying the ruins and scenery at Dryslwyn Castle, 2002

Historical Essays	Castle Terminology
Main Castle Index	Abbeys & Other Religious Sites
Recommended Castles	Pre-Medieval Sites
Complete Castle Database	Welsh Castles As Art
Castle Builders	What's New/Contributions
Lesser Known Castles	Welsh Language Pages
Vanished/Lost Castles	Recommended Links
Lost Castle Spotlight	Reference Sources
Random Link	Site Statistics & Metrics

 

"In a country with relatively few great churches
and abbeys, and even fewer unfortified manor houses,
the Castles of Wales form the most imposing group of
monuments left from the Middle Ages. In terms of
grandeur they are second only to the dramatic landscape."

Adrian Pettifer - Welsh Castles

 

 

The Castles of Wales Website is non-profit, educational resource created, written and maintained by Jeffrey L. Thomas. All text and photographs are copyrighted © by the Castles of Wales web site and/or their respective authors and contributors, with all rights reserved. This site was last updated May 2024.

The Castles of Wales Website is copyrighted ©1996-2024 by Jeffrey L. Thomas.