Click here for an easy and free way to help protect endangered habitat at The Rainforest Site! Non-profit ad by Voyager
VoyForums

[ VoyUser Login optional ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, [7], 8, 9, 10 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 10:35:05 05/14/10 Fri
Author: albion
Subject: Come inside Holly
In reply to: Gwen 's message, "Oops that should say Llanelwedd, I'll be getting myself into trouble again if I don't proof read." on 09:20:56 05/14/10 Fri

I agree with Gwen, South and North Wales do have very different landscapes, but both beautiful in their own way. My paternal family is from South Wales, but I live in Chester, which is right on the North Wales border (often called the Welsh Marchers, which is Norman for frontier) and spend a lot of time walking in North Wales and visiting the castles. The thing to remember in Wales is that there are Welsh Castles built by local Welsh princes and English Castles built by Norman nobility (actually it would probably be more accurate to call them Norman castles as they were built by Normans French invaders and their descendants. During the early medieval period the native English were frequently just as subjugated by the Norman invaders as the Welsh were. Castles such as Caernarfon, Harlech, Beaumaris, Flint and Conwy were all built when the English Kings finally defeated the Welsh. They are excellent examples of medieval architecture and all worth a visit, but they are not Welsh medieval architecture. The walls of Caernarfon were actually based on the walls of medieval Constantinople. I particularly like Conwy Castle and town. You can also walk around parts of the medieval city walls and see a statue of Llewelyn Fawr.It's a lovely little town. Criccieth Castle is lovely too and sits right on some cliffs next to the sea. You can see right across the bay to Harlech and a great view of Harlech Castle.

English castles in North Wales tend to be in towns, but Welsh castles tend to be, but not always, in more remote areas such as remote hill and mountain passes. Dolbadarn Castle is now in Llanberris, but would have once been rather remote and guarded the pass of Llanberris. Even driving through the pass today you get a feeling of how difficult it would have been to travel through the pass in the Medieval period. I love Dolwyddelan castle and would certainly suggest a visit if you ever come to North Wales. You get amazing views of Snowdonia and Meol Siabod. Castel y Bere, further south, is also in a rather remote rural area, but again worth a visit.

The Welsh castles in North Wales tend to be much smaller and less spectacular than the English built Castles. Welsh nobility simply didn't have the financial resources that the English Kings had. Edward the First spend massive amounts of cash on his castles.

There is a website that has walking and driving tours based on Sharon Penman's books. I've more or less done them all several times and have always enjoyed them. Walking in the footsteps of the Princes of Gwynedd really gives one a great connection to the books.

http://www.princesofgwynedd.com/

Chester although in England is worth a visit too. SKP set Joanna and Llewelyn's wedding in Chester. It still has the feel of a medieval city and you can do a complete circuit of the medieval walls, see our medieval rows ( 2 tired galleries of shops first built in the 12th century) and visit our medieval cathedral.

Hope that's helpful.

Maxine (albion)

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:



[ Contact Forum Admin ]



Forum timezone: GMT-8
VF Version: 2.94, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2012 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.