Regular readers of the Oakeley blog will know just how passionate, and proud, we are about our local history and heritage. Wales emerged as a country in it’s own right in the 5th century when the Romans withdrew their forces from Britain and the Celts took control again, although of course, the history can be traced back for many hundreds of years before then.

Wales officially became incorporated into England during the mid 16th century, although we’ve fiercely retained our own sense of culture and identity, as well as our own beautiful (if somewhat tricky to learn) language.

Wales is famed for many things, and our wonderful array of ancient castles is just one of them. They don’t build ’em like they used to, which is why many of the medieval castles built across Wales are still standing.

Visiting a castle is a great family day out, whatever the weather. It’s a chance to explore some of Wales’ culture, history and heritage, while letting little imaginations run riot. Read on for our list of 5 Welsh castles to Visit this Summer……

• 1: Harlech Castle – A short drive from the Oakeley Arms, this is one of North Wales’ best preserved castles. Built by English King Edward I in the mid 1200s, in order to try and control the unruly and troublesome Welsh rebels, it’s still standing almost 800 years later! It’s definitely worth a visit and on a sunny day the views over Cardigan Bay are stunning.

• 2: Criccieth Castle – Another of Edward I’s so called Iron Ring (the most prominent castles were built at key positions along the Welsh coast) of castles built in the 1200s, Criccieth Castle is situated on a hill overlooking the town. This castle is unusual because it wasn’t really built by Edward I; instead he commandeered a castle already constructed by Welsh ruler Llywelyn the Great. If you’re lucky you might event spot a resident bottlenose dolphin in Cardigan Bay from the top of castle hill.

By David M Jones via Wikimedia Commons

• 3: Caernarfon Castle – this medieval fortress is often referred to as the jewel in the crown of Edward’s Welsh castles. It’s awe-inspiring tower construction is mostly still intact on the outside, although the interior isn’t quite as complete. The dominating fortress was intended to be a symbol of English power over Wales. It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to think of the English King running riot here in the 13th century with his entourage. In later history Caernarfon Castle is known for hosting the investiture of the Prince of Wales in 1969.

By Herbert Ortner via Wikimedia Commons

• 4: Dolwyddelan Castle – close to the Oakeley Arms in the wild mountains of the Conwy Valley, Dolwyddelan is thought to have been built by Welsh ruler Llywelyn the Great, as one of the Snowdonia strongholds of North Wales. It was later captured by English troops but peace now reigns, and the castle is open to visitors.

By Cadw via Wikimedia Commons

• 5: Conwy Castle – Another of Edward I’s impressive constructions, Conwy is noted as one of his finest. Built as a defensive castle at a strategic position on the Welsh coast, it cost £15,000 to build, which was a huge sum of money at the time. The defensive walls are huge, so it’s easy to see why this grand building was so respected. It’s well worth a visit to fully appreciate the extraordinary building prowess of a very protective King.

By Mike Peel via Wikimedia Commons