King Edwards White Elephant September 15, 2006
This morning we visited the Caernarfon Castle in the town of Caernarfon. Which, you guessed it, is a listed UNESCO site. The castle was started in 1283 by King Edward I after subduing the Welsh and putting the head of the Welsh King on a pole at the Tower of London. It seems Edward angered quickly and would deal with “the fly” buzzing around his head both immediately and harshly. This is the same Edward Long Shanks that started the war with the Scots when they did not obey all his royal edicts. If you saw the movie “Braveheart” Edward was the bad guy.
The castle, based on the design of the Byzantine palace in Constantinople, was built to be a military fortress, a royal palace, a seat of government and a symbol of his power and dominance. In order to solidify England’s rule over Wales he named his son, Edward II, the first Prince of Wales a tradition that continues to this day with Prince Charles holding the title. (As a note when the 1969 investiture ceremony of Prince Charles was transferred to Caernarfon Castle the still un-subdued, after 700 years, locals tried unsuccessfully to blow up his train. Also over 80% of the citizenry still use Welsh as their first language. It does not seem that Edward’s subjugation strategy worked.) The structure was built to hold one thousand soldiers, but the largest permanent garrison ever based here consisted of twelve men which acted as the town’s police force. The building of the castle also managed to bankrupt Edward even though this was only the first, albeit the largest, of thirteen castles he built in Northern Wales.
The castle itself is in good shape after restoration work was completed in the early 20th century and is quite impressive to see. We were lucky that a guided tour was starting just as we arrived so we latched on and were treated to a knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide that also had a sense of humor. He explained the political history, technical construction and workings all in one hour. Caernarfon stands guarding the River Seiont on the Menai Strait and below the Snowdonia Mountains and offers some exceptional views which were enhanced by a bright cloudless day.
After our castle experience we drove north about 200 miles to the Lake District. For the next three nights we will be staying at a B&B named the Howbeck Lodge, a working farm just down the road from the village of Hesket Newmarket. After we arrived at the lodge this evening we walked the half mile or so to the village for a quick look. A post office, general store, pub, a free church and a couple of dozen cottages make up the village. From our second story window we overlook pastures which hold chickens, goats, cows, horses and of course sheep. We have arrived in the English countryside.
The castle, based on the design of the Byzantine palace in Constantinople, was built to be a military fortress, a royal palace, a seat of government and a symbol of his power and dominance. In order to solidify England’s rule over Wales he named his son, Edward II, the first Prince of Wales a tradition that continues to this day with Prince Charles holding the title. (As a note when the 1969 investiture ceremony of Prince Charles was transferred to Caernarfon Castle the still un-subdued, after 700 years, locals tried unsuccessfully to blow up his train. Also over 80% of the citizenry still use Welsh as their first language. It does not seem that Edward’s subjugation strategy worked.) The structure was built to hold one thousand soldiers, but the largest permanent garrison ever based here consisted of twelve men which acted as the town’s police force. The building of the castle also managed to bankrupt Edward even though this was only the first, albeit the largest, of thirteen castles he built in Northern Wales.
The castle itself is in good shape after restoration work was completed in the early 20th century and is quite impressive to see. We were lucky that a guided tour was starting just as we arrived so we latched on and were treated to a knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide that also had a sense of humor. He explained the political history, technical construction and workings all in one hour. Caernarfon stands guarding the River Seiont on the Menai Strait and below the Snowdonia Mountains and offers some exceptional views which were enhanced by a bright cloudless day.
After our castle experience we drove north about 200 miles to the Lake District. For the next three nights we will be staying at a B&B named the Howbeck Lodge, a working farm just down the road from the village of Hesket Newmarket. After we arrived at the lodge this evening we walked the half mile or so to the village for a quick look. A post office, general store, pub, a free church and a couple of dozen cottages make up the village. From our second story window we overlook pastures which hold chickens, goats, cows, horses and of course sheep. We have arrived in the English countryside.
posted by Gary and Holly Davis @ 4:04 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home