By Ferne Arfin
United Kingdom Travel Expert, about.com
[post_ads_2]The Welsh like to tell you that they have 427 castles scattered around their part if the UK. They probably do, but at least 200 of the castles in Wales are little more than crumbled ruins or earthworks that, to the untrained eye, look like natural features on the landscape.
Still, that does leave 200 castles in Wales worth visiting. Where do you begin?
One
approach is to understand a little bit about the different periods of
castle building and then to choose some good examples of the kinds of
castles in Wales that interest you the most. So here's a quick rundown
on the Welsh castle builders, along with recommendations of the best
examples.
Norman Castles[post_ads_2]
After William the Conqueror
became ruler in 1066, one of the first things he did was secure the
country by giving land to his loyal nobles. Those early castles in Wales
went up quickly. Most were a combination of earthworks and enclosed
wooden courtyards called motte and bailey castles. Later, weathly Norman lords built elaborate stoneworks and stone keeps.
The period of Norman castle building in Wales lasted into the early 13th century. Norman Castles worth visiting include:
Castles of the Welsh Princes
History,
as you probably know, is written by the victors - who also do a pretty
good job of moving in on anything good the losers have left behind. The
princes of Wales built stone castles in Wales to defend themselves
against invading Normans and, later, the English. Most ended up being
incorporated and built over by successive waves of victors -- though the
Welsh national hero Owen Glendower did win back some.
One of those he captured back was the spectacular clifftop ruined Castle in Wales Carreg Cennan.
The Castles of Edward I[post_ads_2]
Edward
I of England led two military campaigns against the Welsh in the late
13th century. Eventually, he surrounded the North Wales province of
Gwynedd with castles. Those that remain today are some of the most
famous and well preserved castles in all of the UK:
Later Castles
After
the 15th century, the Welsh and English stopped fighting with each
other and the need for fortified castles in Wales disappeared. Some
important castles were redeveloped into great houses for nobles and
royals. A few are still occupied to this day. Among the best of these
later castles are:
