Castell Y Bere
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Castell y Bere is a
Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...
castle near Llanfihangel-y-pennant in
Gwynedd Gwynedd (; ) is a county and preserved county (latter with differing boundaries; includes the Isle of Anglesey) in the north-west of Wales. It shares borders with Powys, Conwy County Borough, Denbighshire, Anglesey over the Menai Strait, and C ...
, Wales. Constructed by
Llywelyn the Great Llywelyn the Great ( cy, Llywelyn Fawr, ; full name Llywelyn mab Iorwerth; c. 117311 April 1240) was a King of Gwynedd in north Wales and eventually " Prince of the Welsh" (in 1228) and "Prince of Wales" (in 1240). By a combination of war and d ...
in the 1220s, the stone castle was intended to maintain his authority over the local people and to defend the south-west part of the princedom of
Gwynedd Gwynedd (; ) is a county and preserved county (latter with differing boundaries; includes the Isle of Anglesey) in the north-west of Wales. It shares borders with Powys, Conwy County Borough, Denbighshire, Anglesey over the Menai Strait, and C ...
. In 1282, war with
Edward I of England Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vassa ...
resulted in the death of Llywelyn's grandson,
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (c. 1223 – 11 December 1282), sometimes written as Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, also known as Llywelyn the Last ( cy, Llywelyn Ein Llyw Olaf, lit=Llywelyn, Our Last Leader), was the native Prince of Wales ( la, Princeps Wall ...
, and Castell y Bere fell to English forces. Edward I expanded the castle further and established a small town beside it. In 1294 the Welsh leader
Madog ap Llywelyn Madog ap Llywelyn (died after 1312) was the leader of the Welsh revolt of 1294–95 against English rule in Wales and proclaimed "Prince of Wales". The revolt was surpassed in longevity only by the revolt of Owain Glyndŵr in the 15th century. Ma ...
mounted a major revolt and the castle was besieged and apparently burnt. Edward did not repair it and it became ruined. Today it is in the hands of
Cadw (, a Welsh verbal noun meaning "keeping/preserving") is the historic environment service of the Welsh Government and part of the Tourism and Culture group. works to protect the historic buildings and structures, the landscapes and heritage s ...
and operated as a
tourist attraction A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or an exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement. Types Places of natural b ...
.


History


1220–40

Castell y Bere was built in the 1220s by Llywelyn the Great on a rocky
hillock A hillock or knoll is a small hill,The Free Dictionary
"hillock" entry, retrieved December 18, 2007
...
overlooking the Dysynni Valley, near Llanfihangel-y-pennant. Traditionally the Welsh princes had not constructed castles, instead using undefended palaces called ''llysoedd'', or courts. From the late 11th century onwards, the
Normans The Normans (Norman language, Norman: ''Normaunds''; french: Normands; la, Nortmanni/Normanni) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norsemen, Norse Viking settlers and indigenous West Fran ...
had advanced into Wales, taking lands in the north and establishing a band of occupied territory in the south called the
Welsh Marches The Welsh Marches ( cy, Y Mers) is an imprecisely defined area along the border between England and Wales in the United Kingdom. The precise meaning of the term has varied at different periods. The English term Welsh March (in Medieval Latin ...
. During the 12th century some timber and earthwork castles began to be built, but in small numbers. Llywelyn the Great initially controlled the princedom of Gwynedd, but grew more powerful over the course of his reign, extending his influence over much of Wales during the early years of the 13th century. Llywelyn was faced by several challenges, including dealing with the threat from the kings of England, and maintaining his authority over the native Welsh.Avent, p. 7. In 1221 Llywelyn took control of neighbouring
Meirionnydd Meirionnydd is a coastal and mountainous region of Wales. It has been a kingdom, a cantref, a district and, as Merionethshire, a county. Kingdom Meirionnydd (Meirion, with -''ydd'' as a Welsh suffix of land, literally ''Land adjoined to Meirio ...
from his son, Gruffydd; Llywelyn had previously placed Gruffydd in power there, but the father and son had fallen out. The prince then began to build the castle of Castell y Bere with the intent of controlling the local population and securing his new south-west border, which included the mountain trade routes between Gwynedd,
Powys Wenwynwyn Powys Wenwynwyn or Powys Cyfeiliog was a Welsh kingdom which existed during the high Middle Ages. The realm was the southern portion of the former princely state of Powys which split following the death of Madog ap Maredudd of Powys in 1160: the ...
and
Deheubarth Deheubarth (; lit. "Right-hand Part", thus "the South") was a regional name for the realms of south Wales, particularly as opposed to Gwynedd (Latin: ''Venedotia''). It is now used as a shorthand for the various realms united under the House of ...
. Castell y Bere was the first of several stone castles built by Llywelyn and the initial castle consisted of several towers positioned around a courtyard, situated on a rocky
hillock A hillock or knoll is a small hill,The Free Dictionary
"hillock" entry, retrieved December 18, 2007
...
in the Dysynni Valley near
Cadair Idris Cadair Idris or Cader Idris is a mountain in the Meirionnydd area of Gwynedd, Wales. It lies at the southern end of the Snowdonia National Park near the town of Dolgellau. The peak, which is one of the most popular in Wales for walkers and hiker ...
.Avent, p. 8.


1240–1300

Following Llywelyn's death in 1240, Gwynedd's power declined and many of its eastern lands were taken by
Henry III of England Henry III (1 October 1207 – 16 November 1272), also known as Henry of Winchester, was King of England, Lord of Ireland, and Duke of Aquitaine from 1216 until his death in 1272. The son of King John and Isabella of Angoulême, Henry a ...
in 1247.Avent, p. 14. Llywelyn's grandson,
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (c. 1223 – 11 December 1282), sometimes written as Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, also known as Llywelyn the Last ( cy, Llywelyn Ein Llyw Olaf, lit=Llywelyn, Our Last Leader), was the native Prince of Wales ( la, Princeps Wall ...
, took power in 1255 and imprisoned his brother Owain ap Gruffudd before extending his power across Wales. Llywelyn extended the castle with an additional tower to the south, similar to that built at Dolforwyn, probably in order to provide additional accommodation. The conflict between the Welsh princes and the English kings continued in the reign of
Edward I Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vassal o ...
. In 1282 Llywelyn fought a final campaign against Edward, ending in the prince's death near
Builth Builth Wells (; cy, Llanfair-ym-Muallt) is a market town and community in the county of Powys and historic county of Brecknockshire (Breconshire), mid Wales, lying at the confluence of rivers Wye and Irfon, in the Welsh (or upper) part of ...
that December.Avent, p. 16. His brother,
Dafydd ap Gruffydd Dafydd ap Gruffydd (11 July 1238 – 3 October 1283) was Prince of Wales from 11 December 1282 until his execution on 3 October 1283 on the orders of King Edward I of England. He was the last native Prince of Wales before the conquest of Wa ...
, assumed power but during 1283 was forced south into
Snowdonia Snowdonia or Eryri (), is a mountainous region in northwestern Wales and a national park of in area. It was the first to be designated of the three national parks in Wales, in 1951. Name and extent It was a commonly held belief that the nam ...
. Meanwhile, forces under the command of Roger Lestrange and
William de Valence {{Infobox noble, name=William de Valence, christening_date=, noble family=, house-type=, father= Hugh X of Lusignan, mother=Isabella of Angoulême, birth_name=, birth_date=, birth_place=, christening_place=, styles=, death_date=13 June 1296, death ...
marched from south Wales and
Shropshire Shropshire (; alternatively Salop; abbreviated in print only as Shrops; demonym Salopian ) is a landlocked historic county in the West Midlands region of England. It is bordered by Wales to the west and the English counties of Cheshire to th ...
, placing Castell y Bere under siege and taking it on 25 April. Edward deployed 7,000 troops to detain Dafydd who was finally captured and executed in October. A team of five masons and five
carpenter Carpentry is a skilled trade and a craft in which the primary work performed is the cutting, shaping and installation of building materials during the construction of buildings, Shipbuilding, ships, timber bridges, concrete formwork, etc. ...
s, under the command of Master Bertram the Engineer, were left at Castell y Bere "to carry out various works" after the English army had left. The precise nature of these works are unknown, but historian A. J. Taylor interprets them as being repairs to the castle following the siege. Edward continued to invest money and time in Castell y Bere; he visited three times in 1284, establishing a small town alongside the castle, possibly just to the east.Avent, p. 19. Walter of Huntercombe was appointed the
constable A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other peop ...
of the castle by Edward in 1284 and spent £47 building a new chamber there, potentially for the king to use during visits. Another £262 was spent between 1286 and 1290, most of this in the year following the revolt of
Rhys ap Maredudd Rhys ap Maredudd ( 1250 – 2 June 1292) was a senior member of the Welsh royal house of Deheubarth, a principality of Medieval Wales. He was the great grandson of The Lord Rhys (died 1197), prince of south Wales, and the last ruler of a unit ...
. A pair of linking walls to the south tower was probably built around this time, and the external barbican and gate towers may also have been built at this time. In 1294, however, the Welsh leader
Madoc ap Llywelyn Madog ap Llywelyn (died after 1312) was the leader of the Welsh revolt of 1294–95 against English rule in Wales and proclaimed "Prince of Wales". The revolt was surpassed in longevity only by the revolt of Owain Glyndŵr in the 15th century. ...
mounted a major revolt across Wales. Richard Fitzalan, the
Earl of Arundel Earl of Arundel is a title of nobility in England, and one of the oldest extant in the English peerage. It is currently held by the Duke of Norfolk, and is used (along with the Earl of Surrey) by his heir apparent as a courtesy title. The ...
, was ordered in mid-October to ensure that the castle was secure, but by late October the castle was under siege from Madoc's forces.Avent, p. 19; Taylor, p. 76.
Robert FitzWalter Robert FitzwalterAlso spelled Fitzwater, FitzWalter, fitzWalter, etc. (died 9 December 1235) was one of the leaders of the baronial opposition against John of England, King John, and one of the twenty-five sureties of ''Magna Carta''. He was Eng ...
, the castle's constable, was sent to lead a relief expedition. The final fate of Castell y Bere is uncertain, but it was probably taken by Welsh forces in late 1294 and subsequently burnt.


14th–21st century

Following the revolt Castell de Bere and the new English town were both abandoned. While the castle was well situated, unlike the other new coastal castles built by Edward I it could not be provisioned by sea and as a result did not fit well into his plan for controlling North Wales. By the 16th century the castle had lapsed into a state of decay, and the Welsh poet Gruffydd Hiraethog observed that "on the banks of the river Dysynni is Castell-y-Bere, where stood a large strong building but which is now destroyed and cast to the ground". After many years, the site was finally cleared of undergrowth in the 1850s, revealing more of the castle's remains, and William Wynne, the owner of the site, carried out the first archaeological investigations. In 1949 Charles Corbett, the last private owner of the ruins, placed them into the guardianship of the state. In the 21st century the site is in the care of
Cadw (, a Welsh verbal noun meaning "keeping/preserving") is the historic environment service of the Welsh Government and part of the Tourism and Culture group. works to protect the historic buildings and structures, the landscapes and heritage s ...
and is protected as a
scheduled monument In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a nationally important archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorised change. The various pieces of legislation that legally protect heritage assets from damage and d ...
and maintained as a
tourist attraction A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or an exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement. Types Places of natural b ...
. In the light of
Welsh devolution Welsh devolution (Welsh: ''Datganoli i Gymru'') is the transfer of legislative power for self-governance to Wales by the Government of the United Kingdom. Wales was conquered by England during the 13th century; the 1284 Statute of Rhuddlan caused ...
and other political changes, the history of Castell y Bere and similar Welsh castles has become increasingly prominent. In response, Cadw have noted that they intend to give an increased priority to communicating the history of these castles and the Welsh princes.


Architecture

Today the ruins of Castell y Bere still stand on a rocky outcrop, with protective ditches cut into the stone on the south and east sides.Avent, p. 37. The entrance to the castle lies on the west side, where the barbican, probably built by Edward I, contains two gatetowers, overlooking the stone steps approaching the inner gate. Through the barbican is the castle courtyard, containing a large well and the remains of several internal buildings of uncertain date.Avent, p. 38. The north tower is an apsidal, or "D-shaped", design that is characteristic of Welsh castles of the early 13th century. Originally it may have contained either a hall or a chapel. What is today the middle tower was originally the southernmost part of the defences, but now leads through the Edwardian ditch yard to the south tower, another apsidal design that once contained spacious accommodation. Both the apsidal towers lacked fireplaces in the main chambers, instead using central heaths to heat the rooms. Unusually for an early Welsh castle, there is evidence of decorative sculpture, including statues of soldiers, having been built into the castle, along with decorative floor tiles. Castell y Bere is the only castle, other than
Criccieth Criccieth ( cy, Criccieth ) is a town and community on the Llŷn Peninsula in the Eifionydd area of Gwynedd in Wales. The town lies west of Porthmadog, east of Pwllheli and south of Caernarfon. It had a population of 1,826 in 2001, reducing ...
, to display such features. Historian Lawrence Butler considers that the castle has delivered some of "some of the finest stone carving from thirteenth-century Wales".Butler, p. 35.


Cultural references

*"Castell y Bere", with words by
Myrddin ap Dafydd Myrddin ap Dafydd (born 25 July 1956) is a Welsh writer, publisher and chaired bard. In 2018 he was elected Archdruid of Wales. Myrddin ap Dafydd was born in Llanrwst, north Wales. He was educated in the town's schools and at the University Col ...
set to a tune by
Brian Warfield Patrick Brian Warfield (born 2 April 1946, Holles Street, Dublin) is the vocalist, banjo, harp and bodhrán player and lead songwriter with long-standing Irish band The Wolfe Tones. Brian introduces many of the songs at the Wolfe Tones live conc ...
, is the first track on the album ''Rhown Garreg ar Garreg'' (1981) by the Welsh folk group
Plethyn Plethyn is a Welsh language folk music group that was at their zenith between 1978 and 1995. The members are Linda Healy, Roy Griffiths and John Gittins. The three members originate from near Meifod, Montgomeryshire, in mid-Wales. Roy Griffiths an ...
. Castell y Bere was visited by legendary rock singers
Brian Johnson Brian Johnson (born 5 October 1947) is an English singer and songwriter. In 1980, after the death of Bon Scott, he became the third lead singer of the Australian rock band AC/DC. He and the rest of the band were inducted into the Rock and Rol ...
of
AC/DC AC/DC (stylised as ACϟDC) are an Australian Rock music, rock band formed in Sydney in 1973 by Scottish-born brothers Malcolm Young, Malcolm and Angus Young. Their music has been variously described as hard rock, blues rock, and Heavy metal ...
and
Robert Plant Robert Anthony Plant (born 20 August 1948) is an English singer and songwriter, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the English rock band Led Zeppelin for all of its existence from 1968 until 1980, when the band broke up following the ...
of
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...
. This was for Johnson's Life on the Road series. The Castle is not far from Bron yr Aur.


See also

*
Castles in Great Britain and Ireland Castles have played an important military, economic and social role in Great Britain and Ireland since their introduction following the Norman invasion of England in 1066. Although a small number of castles had been built in England in the 1050 ...
*
List of castles in Wales Wales is sometimes called the "castle capital of the world" because of the large number of castles in a relatively small area. Wales had about 600 castles, of which over 100 are still standing, either as ruins or as restored buildings. The ...


Notes


References


Bibliography

*Avent, Richard. (2010)
Dolwyddelan Castle, Dolbadarn Castle, Castell y Bere.
' Cardiff: Cadw. . *Butler, Lawrence and Dunning, G. C. (1974) "Medieval finds from Castell-y-Bere, Merioneth," ''Archaeologia Cambrensis'' Vol. 1974 pp. 78–112. *Butler, Lawrence. (2010) "The Castles of the Princes of Gwynedd," in Williams and Kenyon (eds) (2010). *Davis, Paul R. (2007)
Castles of the Welsh Princes.
' Talybont, UK: Y Lolfa Cyf. . *Jones, Alan Ffred. (2010) "King Edward' I's Castles in North Wales – Now and Tomorrow," in Williams and Kenyon (eds) (2010). *King, D. J. Cathcart. (1991)
The Castle in England and Wales: An Interpretative History.
' London: Routledge. . * Taylor, Arnold Joseph. (1986)
The Welsh Castles of Edward I.
' London: Hambledon Press. . *Williams, Diane M. and John R. Kenyon. (eds) (2010)
The Impact of the Edwardian Castles in Wales.
' Oxford: Oxbow Books. . *Wynne, W. W. E. (1861) "Castell y Bere, Merionethshire," ''Archaeologia Cambrensis'' Vol. 16 pp. 105–110.


External links


Cadw site for visitors
{{Authority control Bere Castle Cadw Castles of Llywelyn the Great Bere Castle Hill castles Llanfihangel-y-Pennant Former populated places in Wales