On March 1st, Cadw usually open some properties free to the public. Caernarfon castle was on the government list and that is how my friend and I ended up there!
Caernarfon castle is where Prince Charles, the current Prince of Wales, received his formal title from the Queen in a ceremony of investiture back when he was only 20 years old.
Where did this royal tradition start? It has its roots in Welsh history.
In the picture above, you can see the Edward 1st. This English King built the castle at Caernarfon as part of a tactic to colonise the Welsh after turf wars with powerful Welsh 'Princes' (which is how Welsh 'royal' elites styled themselves).
Edward 1st's son, also Edward, became the first English Prince of Wales. Edward orchestrated that young Edward was born at Caernarfon castle, once he had defeated the indigenous Welsh princes.
Edward 1st did not have a residence at the castle, but exploited Welsh culture to build his rule in Wales. The English King drew on popular myths surrounding King Arthur as well as a popular legendary claim concerning Caernarfon: that a castle at Welsh Caernarfon once ruled a vast Empire and rivaled Rome in its splendor. This is what we read in the exhibition inside the castle when we visited.
For Edward 1st, then, bringing his wife to Caernarfon for his son to be delivered there was the final gesture of assimilation and dominance over the Welsh.
Edward, The Prince of Wales (1301) and heir to the throne later became king of England (1327), called Edward 2nd.
We had a lovely day and the Erdd Eisteddfod team were out and about banging their lively tin drums with hundreds of school children in procession in Welsh bonnets, dragon and daffodil hats. There was even an electric guitarist playing anthems on the mezzanine level. It was right ruckus, I may upload the clips!
The whole town was decorated too.
We have two famous flags in Wales. The yellow cross of St David's flag (similar to the flag of his historic diocese) is drawn on a black background and is waved alongside the Welsh dragon, especially on St David's day. We saw hundreds of both these flags flying, not only in the castle and in the hands of schoolchildren, also in bunting all over the town. Well worth a day trip on a £5.50 Arriva bus ticket!
Caernarfon castle is where Prince Charles, the current Prince of Wales, received his formal title from the Queen in a ceremony of investiture back when he was only 20 years old.
Where did this royal tradition start? It has its roots in Welsh history.
In the picture above, you can see the Edward 1st. This English King built the castle at Caernarfon as part of a tactic to colonise the Welsh after turf wars with powerful Welsh 'Princes' (which is how Welsh 'royal' elites styled themselves).
Edward 1st's son, also Edward, became the first English Prince of Wales. Edward orchestrated that young Edward was born at Caernarfon castle, once he had defeated the indigenous Welsh princes.
Edward 1st did not have a residence at the castle, but exploited Welsh culture to build his rule in Wales. The English King drew on popular myths surrounding King Arthur as well as a popular legendary claim concerning Caernarfon: that a castle at Welsh Caernarfon once ruled a vast Empire and rivaled Rome in its splendor. This is what we read in the exhibition inside the castle when we visited.
For Edward 1st, then, bringing his wife to Caernarfon for his son to be delivered there was the final gesture of assimilation and dominance over the Welsh.
Edward, The Prince of Wales (1301) and heir to the throne later became king of England (1327), called Edward 2nd.
We had a lovely day and the Erdd Eisteddfod team were out and about banging their lively tin drums with hundreds of school children in procession in Welsh bonnets, dragon and daffodil hats. There was even an electric guitarist playing anthems on the mezzanine level. It was right ruckus, I may upload the clips!
The whole town was decorated too.
We have two famous flags in Wales. The yellow cross of St David's flag (similar to the flag of his historic diocese) is drawn on a black background and is waved alongside the Welsh dragon, especially on St David's day. We saw hundreds of both these flags flying, not only in the castle and in the hands of schoolchildren, also in bunting all over the town. Well worth a day trip on a £5.50 Arriva bus ticket!
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