Conwy Castle (formerly anglicised as Conway Castle) is a castle in Conwy, on the north coast of Wales. It was built between 1283 and 1289 as part of King Edward I's second campaign in north Wales. Like many of the castles in the area, it was designed by James of St. George, although Richard of Chester was responsible for the initial stages. The castle is divided into two wards, with the outer ward and inner ward surrounded by four towers each, with turrets. An estimated £15,000 was spent building the castle and the town's defenses.

Conwy superficially resembles a Concentric castle, but more accurately it is linear. Like Caernarfon Castle, it is built on a rock outcrop, to reduce the possibility of undermining. It also takes advantage of other geographical features.

Nearby Bodysgallen Hall was built in the 13th century as a watchtower for Conwy Castle to lookout for attack from a northerly exposure not easily watched from Conwy itself. Some of the stone used in construction of Conwy Castle has been linked to a quarry at the Bodysgallen property (C.M. Hogan, History of Bodysgallen Hall, July, 2004, Aberdeen Municipal Library Acrchives, Aberdeen, United Kingdom).

The castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and part of the World Heritage Site "Castles and Town Walls of King Edward I in Gwynedd".

 Address:

Conwy Castle
Conwy LL32 8AY

 Telephone:

01492 592358

 Website:

http://www.cadw.wales.gov.uk/default.asp?id=6&PlaceID=55

 Admission Charge:-

Adult - £4.50, Concession - £4.00, Family - £14.00

 Hours:

Spring Opening Times:
1.04.06 - 31.05.06: 9.30 - 17.00

Summer Opening Times:
1.06.06 - 30.09.06: 9.30 - 18.00

Autumn Opening Times:
1.10.06 - 31.10.06: 9.30 - 17.00

Winter Opening Times:
1.11.06 - 31.03.07: 9.30 -16.00 Monday - Saturday,
11.00 - 16.00 Sunday
 
Further Information:
Most sites are closed on 24, 25 and 26 December and 1 January. Full details are available from Cadw Site Operations Unit, tel. 01443 336000. Last admission to all sites is thirty minutes before closing.

 Facilities for the Disabled:

Good access to the shop, paying desk and exhibition area. There is a sloping path and steps from there to the castle entrance and the ground has various stairs and levels. There is an exhibition inside one of the towers and there are information panels on the site. Benches are provided.

The pay-and-display car park next to the castle is free to disabled badge holders. There are five spaces with the wheelchair logo (two wide and three of normal size).

The public toilets next to the shop include one radar key toilet.

Disabled visitors and their assisting companion will be admitted free of charge to all monuments. Please note that, for health reasons, dogs are not allowed on Cadw sites, but guide dogs and hearing dogs for the deaf are welcome.

The images below are by Denis Egan.
 To view a larger image, just click on the image