Dolbadarn Castle

Description

Probably built by Llywelyn ab Iorwerth ('the Great') early in C13, the castle is dominated by a massive round-towered keep, still standing up to 50 feet high. Welsh princely castle located on a triangular rocky site of moderate strength; one or two small rectangular towers, and a fine round keep on the curtain. Some rebuilding, which may include the keep. First mentioned in 1284 when being dismantled. Said to have been in existence in 1255. The highly developed keep is likely to be the last, rather than the earliest, part of the fabric.

Dolbadarn Castle was one of three castles begun by Llywelyn ap Iorwerth in the early twelfth century to defend the passes into Snowdonia, together with Dolwyddelan Castle (NPRN 952990) and Castell y Bere (NPRN 93719). It sits at the tip of Llun Padarn, which then, as now, was a main throughway of Wales, and thus allowed the garrison to control movement through the north. The castle consists of the finest surviving example of a Welsh round tower with adjoining stone walls. There are two further ‘towers’, but these were never of a great height. By contemporary standards it was a sophisticated example of military architecture, with a portcullis at the entrance and complex stairway in which the spiral reverses direction at the halfway point. It is probable that the tower of Dolbadarn was the site of Owain ap Gruffud’s long imprisonment, from 1255 to 1277. The castle fell into English hands after the defeat of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in 1282 and was soon supplanted by Edward I’s new fortification at Caernarfon (NPRN 95318), and so was partially dismantled and abandoned. Little is recorded concerning the castle after the early fourteenth century, though there is a suggestion that Owain Glyndwr used the castle to imprison captives circa 1400. (Coflein–K Steele, RCAHMW, 4 November 2008)

Situated on a natural rock outcrop in a strategic position at the north-west end of Llyn Peris, the castle forms a prominent feature in the landscape.
Probably built by Llywelyn ap Iorweth (1173-1240) towards the end of his life, the castle was partly dismantled after the English conquest, some of the timber being taken to Caernarfon for use in the royal castle there in 1284. The curtain wall and outbuildings, of which only fragmentary ruins survive, post-date the keep and may have been added by the English. The castle has been painted by many artists, including Turner.
Interior is roofless; internal spiral staircase remains along with the remnants of 2 large fireplaces and empty sockets for joist and beam ends of the former floor structures.
Castle keep. Circular plan surviving to about 14.5m in height. Regularly coursed and tightly-packed slate-stone slabs, now roofless. Original entrance on north-western side with steeply pointed arch approached by wide flight of C20 external steps; another steeply pointed arch directly above. A well-preserved lean-to garderobe tower projects to the left of the entrance and a series of narrow rectangular windows to the right indicates the position of the internal spiral staircase. (Listed Building Report)

The castle consists of a round tower, still standing to almost full height, with walls 2 m thick, and the foundations of several rectangular buildings with walls up to 1 m thick, all fitted on to the top of a steep-sided rocky crag with good views up and down the valley. The remains are well consolidated and in good condition. There is an access from the NE which comes into the large building on the N - this is presumably original. (The main access is from the S). The round tower has a garderobe extension on the N. It is possible to climb to the top, from where the views are spectacular, but the steps on the outside, and their wall, are presumably modern. (Scheduling Report)

Comments