Harlech Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Arlech

In the community of Harlech. In the historic county of Merioneth (Modern authority of Gwynedd, preserved county of Gwynedd).

Built between 1283 and 1289 by Master James of St George for King Edward I. Constructed of limestone and granite, with sandstone dressings. Of concentric design, comprising a rectangular, high-walled, inner ward with four round towers at the corners, and a lower-walled outer ward broadly following the same line. Large square gatehouse to the E wall of inner ward, which housed the principal rooms, and was designed to be independently defensible. The hall, chapel, service and storage buildings were located to the N, S, and W sides, although only the chapel remains above foundation height. Seized by Owain Glyn Dwr in 1404 and held successfully by him for four years. World Heritage Site.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law. This is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law*.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SH58103125

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's National Monument Record (Coflein) number is 93729
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 2908 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website.

• Web site links
  • http://www.cadw.wales.gov.uk/default.asp?id=6&PlaceID=78
    http://www.castlewales.com/harlech.html
    http://www.castles99.ukprint.com/Essays/harlech.html
    http://www.greatcastlesofwales.co.uk/harlech.htm
    http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_wales/124/harlechcastle.htm
    http://vrcoll.fa.pitt.edu/medart/image/England/Harlech/Castle/mainHarlech.html
    http://www.ecastles.co.uk/harlech.html
• Books
  • Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p164-7
    Gravett, Christopher, 2007, The Castles of Edward I in Wales 1277-1307 (Osprey Fortress series 64)
    Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p115-9
    Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p87-9
    Salter, Mike, 1997, The Castles of North Wales (Malvern) p44-7
    Higham, R. and Barker, P., 1992, Timber Castles (Batsford) p173, 174
    Coldstream, N., 1988, ‘The castle builders: Harlech and Caernarfon’, in ‘Architecture’, in B Ford (ed), The Cambridge guide to the arts in Britain. 2. The middle ages, (Cambridge: CUP) p81-7
    Taylor, A.J., 1986, ‘Harlech Castle: the dating of the outer enclosure’, in Taylor, A.J., Studies in castles and castle-building, (London: Hambledon Press) p173-5
    Taylor, A.J., 1986, The Welsh castles of Edward I (London, Hambledon) p65-73, 120-5
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p276-7
    Taylor, A.J., 1983, Four Great Castles: Caernarfon, Conwy, Harlech, Beaumaris (Newton: Gwasg Gregynog Ltd)
    Humphries, P. H., 1983, Castles of Edward the First in Wales (HMSO)
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p355-7
    Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works, vol1: the Middle Ages (London) p357-65 Vol2 p1030-5
    Toy, Sidney, 1953, The Castles of Great Britain (London) p170-3, 241-3
    Toy, Sidney, 1939, Castles: A short History of Fortifications from 1600 BC to AD 1600 (London) p160-1
    Oman, Charles W.C., 1926, Castles (1978 edn Beetham House: New York) p216-20
    RCAHMW, 1921, An inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Merionethshire (HMSO) p59-60
    Evans, Herbert A., 1912, Castles of England and Wales (London) p352-5, 356-7
    Hamilton Thompson, A., 1912, Military Architecture in England during the Middle Ages (London) p273-6
    Clark, G.T., 1884, Medieval military architecture in England (Wyman and Sons) Vol2 p72-81
    Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol3 (London) p444-6
    Lewis, Samual, 1849, A Topographical Dictionary of Wales http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=47832#s5
    Buck, Samuel and Nathenial, 1774, Buck’s Antiquities (London) Vol2 p412
• Journal Articles
  • Mathieu, J.R., 1999, 'New Methods on Old Castles' Medieval Archaeology Vol43 p115-42 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Taylor, Arnold J., 1976, 'Harlech Castle' Archaeological Journal Vol132 p258-60
    Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol116 p71-132
    Taylor, A.J., 1951, 'Harlech Castle: The Dating of the Outer Enclosure' Journal of the Merioneth Historical and Record Society Vol1 p202-3
    Taylor, A.J., 1948-9, Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol100 p278-80
    Neaverson, E., 1947, Mediaeval Castles in North Wales: A study of Sites, Water Supply, and Building Stones (London) p48-9
    Edwards, J. Goronwy, 1944, 'Edward I's Castle-Building in Wales' Proceedings of the British Academy Vol32 esp p19-22, 72
    Simpson, W.Douglas, 1940, ‘Harlech castle and the Edwardian castle plan’ Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol95 p153-68
    Peers, 1921-2, Transactions of the Hon. Soc. of Cymmrodorion p63-82
    Hughes, Harold, 1913, 'Harlech Castle' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol68 p275-316
    Wynne, W.W.E., 1875, 'Harlech Castle' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol30 p21-31
    Clark, G.T., 1875, 'Harlech Castle' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol30 p101-15 [reprinted in Medieval Military Architecture]
    Wynne, W.W.E., 1848, 'Additional Documents relating to the Town and Castle of Harlech' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol3 p49-55
    Wynne, W.W.E., 1846, 'Documents relating to the Town and Castle of Harlech' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol1 p246-67
    Chapman, F.G.W., Journal British Archaeological Association Vol34 p159-67
• Guidebooks
  • Taylor, A.J., 2002, Harlech Castle (CADW)
    Taylor, A.J., 1988 revised edn, reprinted with amendments, Harlech Castle (CADW)
    Taylor, A.J., 1985 revised edn, Harlech Castle (CADW)
    Taylor, A.J., 1980, Harlech Castle/Castell Harlech, Gwynedd (HMSO)
    (Peers and Hemp), 1964 (2edn), Harlech Castle (HMSO)
    (Peers and Hemp), 1934, Harlech Castle (HMSO)
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • Rickard, John, 2002, The Castle Community. The Personnel of English and Welsh Castles, 1272-1422 (Boydell Press) [lists sources for 1272-1422] p305-6
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/glameng.html#merns3]