Iron Ring of Castles

Peaceful Now, Iron Ring Not Needed
Knowing that Edward I built his “Iron Ring of Castles” in this area of north Wales to control the rebellious Welsh is easy to forget when you stand on Conwy beach and look across to the Great Orme (the massive chunk of limestone rising up near Llandudno.) The beach has golden sandbanks and dunes, as well as charming bluebell walks to reach it from certain directions.

Penrhyn Castle (Castle Penrhyn)
Was NOT one of Edward I’s Iron Ring – in fact is is a Victorian pile with faux medieval features, but with the attraction of enchanting William Morris decoration and pre-Raphaelite paintings. The displays about the impact of the building of the railways and the use of the local slate quarry were compelling, probably because the information honestly and imaginatively confronted the slave trade’s role in contributing to the growing economy of the Pennant family in the 17th and 18th centuries.

From “pretend” Castle Penrhyn to Fortress Caernarvon
Sturdy Caernarfon (Canarvon Castle to English tongues) is a lynchpin of the Iron Ring and has been home to several important historical events, not least of which was the investiture of Prince Charles in 1969 and, five decades earlier in 1911, the future King Edward VIII, both becoming Prince of Wales. The mighty, heavily restored Caernarvon boasts Castillian octagonal turrets (no less than three on the Eagle Tower.) 

Multimedia Castle
Imaginative multi-media displays brought different periods of the castle’s history to life. There was a circular projection that helped fill in the timeline, a giant “chess board” depicting the ownership of the title “Prince of Wales”, a shadow-puppet pageant of Eleanor of Castille’s life and a dramatic depiction of Edward I’s manipulation (to his own ends) of the myths of King Arthur.

The Museum of the Royal Welch Fusiliers
Within the Castle is an account of the distinguished Welch Fusiliers (yes, spelled with a c not an s!) The regiment was raised in 1689 and the museum contains fascinating material, including an account of Jenny Jones and Mother Ross, women who dressed as men to fight beside their comrades. A goat has been the regiment’s mascot since 1777 and, since 1844 and Queen Victoria’s “gift,” the goat has always been a “royal goat.” The new royal baby, Archie, appeared in early May, so it seemed somewhat fitting that we were visiting one of Archie’s ancestor’s large-scale Defence of the Realm F-Off castles. Will Archie ever be crowned Prince of Wales? (As Seventh in line to the throne, it is unlikely but, then again, who would have predicted Edward VIII’s life choices back in 1911?)

Harriet was off camping on this holiday; and this pic includes the longest town name in the UK

Plas Mawr (Great Hall)

Plas Mawr
I had few expectations of this Elizabethan town house, restored to as much glory as the restoration team could afford. It is tucked away in Conwy and proved to be a delightful surprise. The curators provide an audio-guide which gives an evocative two hours of detail, recreating the mansion’s past and its recent restoration. Even the outside yard has been given planters with what could be found at the time of the Great Hall's first incarnation.

Tenacious survival
The property was built Robert Wynn between 1576 and 1585 and the décor seems to be a blend of Renaissance and Elizabethan styles. Architecturally it is unchanged from its original form but the painting is recreated from contemporary accounts and uses as much authentic material as possible. Over the years it has been used, for example, as a schoolroom or a courthouse; and its almost unbroken use (and its semi-hidden location) is perhaps why it has survived.

Plas Mawr yard and view over to Conwy Castle

Bodnant Garden

National Trust – Bodnant Garden
Early May found Sally, Emily and me sleeping in the quiet countryside of North Wales – inside the palpable blackness of the night, free from light pollution – and woken by the sound of birds in the morning. Our first beautiful oasis was the National Trust’s Bodnant Garden: wisteria, rhododendrons, handkerchief trees, sequoia, cypress, glades, rocks, lawns, meadows, water, running streams, lakes, tiny bridges, benches, sharp inclines, vistas, formal sections, informal sections, pinks, whites, yellows, purples, reds and oranges – stunning landscapes in which to get lost.

Dwelling by a stream
Bodnant in Welsh means “dwelling by a stream” and this lovely place in the Conwy Valley is a rewarding place to visit if you like your soul to be bathed in nature.

Love among the ruins

Through the chinks
It’s no secret that the ruined (and a couple of not-so-ruined) abbeys of Great Britain are among my favourite places to visit. Jervaulx Abbey in North Yorkshire is awe-inspiring any time of year but in May there is a distinctive atmosphere with the scattering of wildflowers and the tumbling of blossoms among the ancient stones. I’m reminded of one of the less-well known poems of Robert Browning:
From Love Among The Ruins:

Where the quiet-coloured end of evening smiles,

Miles and miles

On the solitary pastures where our sheep

Half-asleep

Tinkle homeward thro' the twilight, stray or stop

As they crop…..

…..Now—the single little turret that remains

On the plains,

By the caper overrooted, by the gourd

Overscored,

While the patching houseleek's head of blossom winks

Through the chinks—

Marks the basement whence a tower in ancient time

Sprang sublime….

Jervaulx Abbey, the largest Cistercian Abbey in the UK, is well worth a visit, as is the tea shop nearby in the car park.

Abbey model and, the day after, Juliet's birthday cakes....