Description
eaumaris Castle on
the Island of Anglesey is the great unfinished masterpiece. It was built
as one of the 'iron ring' of North Wales castles by the English monarch
Edward I, to stamp his authority on the Welsh. But it was never finished
money and supplies ran out before the fortifications reached their full
height.
Beaumaris is nonetheless an
awesome sight, regarded by many as the finest of all the great Edwardian
castles in Wales. Begun in 1295, it was also the last. The king's
military architect, the brilliant James of St George, brought all his
experience and inspiration to bear when building this castle, the
biggest and most ambitious venture he ever undertook.
In pure architectural terms
Beaumaris, the most technically perfect castle in Britain, has few
equals. Its ingenious and perfectly symmetrical concentric 'walls within
walls' design, involving no less than four successive lines of
fortifications, was state of the art for the late 13th century.
The
stronghold stands at one end of Castle Street, inextricably linked with
the history of the town. This was the 'beau marais' (fair marsh) that
Edward chose for a castle and garrison town. From the outside, Beaumaris
appears almost handsome. It does not rear up menacingly like other
fortresses buts sits contentedly in a scenic setting overlooking
mountains and the sea, partially surrounded by a water filled moat.
The gate next-the-sea entrance
protected the tidal dock which allowed supply ships to sail right up to
the castle. Beaumaris is endlessly fascinating. There is so much to see
here, the 14 separate major obstacles that any attacker would have to
overcome, the hundreds of cleverly sited arrow-slits, the deadly use of
'murder holes' to defend entrances.
This outstanding fortress is a
World Heritage inscribed site. | 
