Castles · North Wales
Edward I's ring of iron: the great castles of north Wales
Four UNESCO World Heritage castles, each within an hour's drive of the next.
When Edward I conquered Gwynedd in 1283 he ringed the coast with four monumental castles: Conwy, Caernarfon, Harlech and Beaumaris. They are the largest and most ambitious medieval fortifications in Britain — and together they form a single UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can see all four in two days.
Places in this guide
📷 5Castles · North Wales
Conwy Castle
Conwy Castle — castle in Conwy, North Wales.
Grade I👶↗ cadw.gov.wales
📷 3Castles · North Wales
Caernarfon Castle
Caernarfon Castle — castle in Caernarfon, North Wales.
👶↗ cadw.gov.wales
📷 4Castles · North Wales
Harlech Castle
Harlech Castle — castle in Harlech, Gwynedd, Wales.
👶↗ cadw.gov.wales
📷 5Castles · North Wales
Beaumaris Castle
Beaumaris Castle — castle in Beaumaris, Anglesey, Wales.
👶↗ beaumaris.com