Harlech Under Fire: The Story of a Castle that Refused to Fall

Hello and welcome to Castles and Legends. On this beautiful sunny day we have returned to North Wales. We recently visited Beaumaris and Caernarfon Castle built by Edward I and today we're back to visit another castle from his ring of iron. This is Harlech Castle. Following many years of tensions between the English and Welsh, King Edward I of England unleashed his first colossal invasion of Wales in 1277. Facing an overwhelming English army, Flewellyn the last recognised the slim chances of victory and chose to accept the terms set out in the Treaty of Aberconwy. These terms significantly reduced Flewellyn's territorial holdings yet he retained the prestigious title of Prince of Wales. In 1282, conflict erupted once more following a rebellion led by Flewellyn's brother, Baffeeb in North Wales. Despite having previously aligned himself with the English and fought against Flewellyn, Baffeeb had become disenchanted with the rewards he had received from Edward I. In December 1282, Flewellyn was killed, providing Edward with the chance to bolster his forces and seize Dolwevellyn Castle, a stronghold of Welsh resistance. By June 1283, Baffeeb was apprehended and transported to Shrewsbury where he faced execution, marking the completion of Edward's conquest of Wales. After Edward's successful conquest of Wales, his focus shifted to maintaining control over the region. To achieve this, he initiated the construction or renovation of a network of fortifications, famously known as the Iron Ring of Castles, primarily situated in North Wales. The area known for its staunch Welsh resistance. In 1282, construction of Harlech Castle began under the direction of the master architect, James of St George, whose expertise was instrumental in bringing Edward's vision of a formidable fortress to life. James also oversaw the construction of Edward's other great castles in Wales, including Conwy, Caernarfon and later Bo Marys. Harlech Castle was built on a spare of rock, 200 feet high, which gave it a natural defence. As well as this, there's a rock cut ditch and an interesting point is if we look over there, just over the sand dunes is the Irish Sea. Now in the time of the 1200s, the sea was not over there, it was all the way over here next to the castle, giving it both defence and if there was a siege, provisions could be brought in by the sea. Though smaller than many of Edward's castles, Harlech made up for its modest size of its formidable design. Built to withstand prolonged sieges and direct assaults, it featured thick stone walls, imposing towers and a range of defensive elements, including arrow slits, murder holes and a strong gatehouse. The castle features a concentric design, consisting of an inner and outer ward. The outer ward is encircled by strong curtain walls and defensive towers, creating a formidable first line of defence around the inner ward. One of Harlech's most ingenious features lies on the western side, the famous Watergate. This secret access point includes a long, steep staircase of around 1,000 steps, now partially eroded, descending the cliff to the sea. It allowed supplies and reinforcements to be delivered by boat during sieges, an advantage that proved critical during the siege in the War of the Roses, which we'll explore later. The inner ward is a square enclosure, strengthened by four large round corner towers. Dominating the eastern side is a massive twin-towered gatehouse, equipped with portcullises, murder holes and chambers. Another vital structure within the inner ward was the well tower, containing a deep well which could provide a reliable water supply during times of siege. Additional buildings inside the inner ward included the Great Hall, Chapel, Kitchens, Granary, Bakehouse and Pantry. Remarkably, construction of Harlech Castle was completed in just seven years, and by the end of 1289 it was nearly finished, just in time, as its formidable defences would soon be put to the test. In 1294, Madoc of Llywelyn laid siege to Harlech Castle during a widespread Welsh uprising against English rule. The castle was completely cut off by land, but its strategic location proved vital to its survival. Thanks to the water gate and its direct access to the sea, Harlech could be supplied by boat, allowing it to withstand the siege. Following the suppression of the revolt, the English took no chances and reinforced their stronghold. Additional defensive measures were implemented, including the construction of a new wall and tower to the north, further enhancing the castle's already formidable defences. In 1400, the Great Welsh Uprising, led by Owain Glyndawr, erupted in defiance of English rule. By 1403, only a handful of key castles, Aberystwyth, Fomeros, Caernarfon and Harlech, remained under English control. Harlech, however, was poorly stocked with military supplies and unable to endure a prolonged siege. By the end of 1404, it had fallen into Welsh hands. Owain made Harlech his royal court and family residence, and it is widely believed that he was formally crowned Prince of Wales within its walls. In around 1408, English forces, led by Henry of Monmouth, who would later become King Henry V, besieged Harlech. The castle came under relentless bombardment from cannons, causing considerable damage, particularly to the eastern and southern sections of the outer curtain wall. To this day, a mound of cannonballs lies scattered across the gatehouse floor. Despite the onslaught, Harlech valiantly held its ground. Eventually, Henry shifted his focus to recapturing Aberystwyth Castle, leaving John Talbot in charge of the siege. As supplies inside Harlech dwindled and hope faded, the garrison surrendered in February 1409, and Harlech was back in the hands of the English crown again. In 1455, the War of the Roses began, a bitter conflict between the House of Lancaster and the House of York for control of the English throne. Harlech Castle played a crucial and role, becoming the site of what is widely regarded as the longest siege in British history. After the Battle of Northampton in 1460, in which King Henry VI was captured by the Yorkers, his wife, Queen Margaret of Anjou, fled with their infant son and took refuge within the walls of Harlech Castle. From 1461 to 1468, the castle served as a stronghold for Lancastrian forces under the leadership of Thafivap Luan, standing defiantly against the advancing armies of Yorkist King Edward IV. Determined to crush the remaining Lancastrian resistance, Edward IV dispatched Lord William Herbert to secure the Welsh castles. Amidst the fall of numerous castles, Harlech stood resolute as the final fortress under Lancastrian control, serving as a key centre for resistance and coordination. In 1464, the castle was used to plan military operations, and in 1466, Sir Richard Tunstall launched derring attacks from Harlech's secure base. The situation escalated further in 1468 when Jasper Tudor arrived with French reinforcements, using the castle as a staging ground for raids, including a significant incursion into the town of Denby. This final provocation enraged King Edward, who ordered Lord Herbert to launch a full-scale assault on Harlech. Herbert complied, advancing with an army reportedly numbering up to 10,000 men. The siege that followed was intense and unrelenting. Despite being offered terms of surrender, the defenders refused and continued to resist for another month. However, as provisions ran low, the Lancastrian garrison was forced to surrender on 14th August 1468. Remarkably, David and his men were granted leniency. They were allowed to leave peacefully and return to their homes. The outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642 plunged Britain into a period of intense conflict between the Royalists, loyal to King Charles I and the Parliamentarians. This era marked the final chapter in the military use of most British castles, including Harlech. From the spring of 1644, Harlech Castle was held for the Royalist cause by Colonel William Owen, commanding a modest troop. According to one account, as few as only 28 men. Despite their small numbers, Owen and his men made efforts to reinforce and repair the castle's defences in anticipation of a possible siege. By 1646, the Parliamentarian forces were nearing total victory, but one last Royalist stronghold remained defiant, Harlech Castle. In June of that year, Major General Thomas Mitten led a Parliamentarian army to besiege the castle. The siege lasted a long hard nine months before the garrison finally surrendered on 15th March 1647, marking the last Royalist castle to fall and effectively bringing the Civil War to a close. In the aftermath, Parliament ordered Harlech, like many other castles, to be slighted, that is destroyed, to prevent any future military use. However, these orders were only partially executed at Harlech, while elements such as the staircase in the gatehouse were destroyed and certain areas rendered unusable, the castle's main structure survived largely intact. Harlech Castle, along with Carnarvon and Beaumaris Castles, and the castle and town walls of Conwy, formed the UNESCO-designated Castles and Town Walls of King Edward and Gwyneth World Heritage Site, being the finest examples of late 13th century and early 14th century military architecture in Europe. It has been a sheer pleasure to explore Harlech Castle today. So we're back in Wales and we have the sunshine today, lovely. And Harlech Castle, the history is so rich, marked by centuries of warfare, conquest and cultural significance. Well I hope you have enjoyed the history and exploring with us today. If you have, please give our video a like, think about subscribing if you've not already, and hope to see you again very soon. Bye for now!