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The Ring of Iron or Iron Ring of Castles was a chain of fortifications and castles built across Wales at Edward I's command after the death of
File:Aberystwyth - panoramio (21).jpg, Aberystwyth Castle (1277)
File:Beaumaris Castle, Anglesey (geograph 4681759) (cropped).jpg, Beaumaris Castle (1295)
File:The motte at Builth Wells Castle - geograph.org.uk - 2882182.jpg, Builth Castle (masonry removed) (1277)
File:Caernafon Castle (HDR) (8074250799).jpg, Caernafon Castle (1283)
File:Conwy Castle (7989).jpg, Conwy Castle (1283)
File:Denbigh gatehouse.jpg, Denbigh Castle (1283)
File:Flint - Flint Castle - 20220322133307.jpg, Flint Castle (1277)
File:Harlech Castle (geograph 4561829) (cropped).jpg, Harlech Castle (1283)
File:Hawarden Castle Estate (1).JPG, Hawarden Castle (1277)
File:Castell Rhuddlan, Sir Ddinbych 02.JPG, Rhuddlan Castle (1277)
The Ring of Iron or Iron Ring of Castles was a chain of fortifications and castles built across Wales at Edward I's command after the death of 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 ...
in 1282 and the subsequent Conquest of Wales by Edward I of England
The conquest of Wales by Edward I took place between 1277 and 1283. It is sometimes referred to as the Edwardian Conquest of Wales,Examples of historians using the term include Professor J. E. Lloyd, regarded as the founder of the modern academi ...
. Edward spent over £80,000 on all of the castles, with £20,000 being incurred just by Rhuddlan Castle
Rhuddlan Castle ( cy, Castell Rhuddlan; ) is a castle located in Rhuddlan, Denbighshire, Wales. It was erected by Edward I in 1277, following the First Welsh War.
Much of the work was overseen by master mason James of Saint George. Rhudd ...
, Aberystwyth Castle
Aberystwyth Castle ( cy, Castell Aberystwyth) is a Grade I listed Edwardian fortress located in Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Mid Wales. It was built in response to the First Welsh War in the late 13th century, replacing an earlier fortress located ...
, Flint Castle
Flint Castle ( cy, Castell y Fflint) in Flint, Flintshire, was the first of a series of castles built during King Edward I's campaign to conquer Wales.
The site was chosen for its strategic position in North East Wales. The castle was only o ...
, and Builth Castle.
The purpose of building the iron ring of castles was to control the native Welsh population, particularly in Gwynedd, which had been the main focus of resistance to the English crown for centuries. The jewel in the crown of the Iron Ring was Caernarfon Castle, which Edward intended to be his seat in Gwynedd and where he arranged for his son Edward II to be born.
Many of the castles begun after the end of the war in 1282 were the work of master architect James of Saint George
Master James of Saint George (–1309; French: , Old French: Mestre Jaks, Latin: Magister Jacobus de Sancto Georgio) was a master of works/architect from Savoy, described by historian Marc Morris as "one of the greatest architects of the Europea ...
. Most castles were built with an integrated fortified town, as can still be seen at Denbigh. This idea of providing a fortified town was likely from Gascony in southwest France, where they are called bastide
Bastides are fortified new towns built in medieval Languedoc, Gascony, Aquitaine, England and Wales during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, although some authorities count Mont-de-Marsan and Montauban, which was founded in 1144, as the fir ...
s. Some towns, such as Rhuddlan, were not encircled in stone and instead were surrounded by wooden palisades and earthworks. By populating the bastides with English settlers, Edward created an outpost of England within Wales; Welsh were permitted to enter the town unarmed during the day but not to trade.
In July 2017, plans for an iron sculpture of a giant ring were announced as part of the £630,000 restoration project of Flint Castle
Flint Castle ( cy, Castell y Fflint) in Flint, Flintshire, was the first of a series of castles built during King Edward I's campaign to conquer Wales.
The site was chosen for its strategic position in North East Wales. The castle was only o ...
, the first castle built in Wales by Edward I. This plan was met with criticism, and accusations were made that it was commemorating the Edwardian conquest of Wales, a contentious event among the Welsh public. Following a petition, plans for the sculpture were ultimately cancelled
See also
*Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd
The Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd is a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site located in Gwynedd, Wales. It includes the castles of Beaumaris and Harlech and the castles and town walls of Caernarfon and Conwy. UNESCO considers ...
(a World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
)
Gallery of the Iron Ring of Castles
References