Deganwy Castle

Conwy, United Kingdom

Deganwy Castle was an early stronghold of Gwynedd and lies in Deganwy at the mouth of the River Conwy in Conwy, north Wales.

The Early Middle Ages fortress, which is now little more than ditches and mounds, was made of wood and constructed on a massive rock outcrop in what is now the suburbs of modern-day Llandudno. Traditionally, it was the headquarters of Maelgwn Gwynedd, King of Gwynedd (fl. c. 520–547). A nearby hill is called Bryn Maelgwyn and other places in the locality are associated with him. An important coin hoard of 204 Silver Cnut pennies was found on Bryn Maelgwyn in July 1979.

Deganwy was probably first occupied during the Roman period, but was popular in the years following their departure because it was safe from Irish raids. The area beneath the rocky stronghold may have been the site of a settlement of serfs. The stronghold was burned down in 812 when it was struck by lightning.

By the thirteenth century, Deganwy was fortified by the prince of Wales Llywelyn ab Iorwerth. It was captured by the earl of Chester in 1210, but recaptured shortly afterward by Llywelyn, who had it refortified in stone.

In 1241, possession of the castle was taken by King Henry III of England, who embarked on an extensive building programme. The castle was destroyed by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Prince of Wales in 1263. In 1283, King Edward I of England had Conwy Castle constructed just across the estuary and he left Deganwy Castle in ruins.

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Address

Conwy, United Kingdom
See all sites in Conwy

Details

Founded: 6th century AD
Category: Castles and fortifications in United Kingdom

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

A B (3 months ago)
I enjoyed a nice walk to the ruins of deganwy castle at the top of the hill with a 360 degree panoramic views of the Conwy valley the great Orme and Rhos on sea.
Karen Goodwin (5 months ago)
The sat nav takes you to a road. You feel this is wrong itsnot. Theres a small enclosed alley way that leads to a kissing gate. Go through and follow the path to the top of the hill. Bit of a hike but ok. Dogs can go offlead if recall is great. Or can help pull you up thehill ? ?. Keep looking at the view its AMAZING. Not much left of the castle now but theviews more than compensate for this. No hotel there that we saw.
Bob Andrews (5 months ago)
There is no castle to see! There is however an interpretation panel. Nice walk with views.
Paul Owens (6 months ago)
A lovely area to have a walk around and although there isn't a great deal left of the castle itself what there is is fascinating more for the castle connoisseur than those just looking for a day out but for those with an interest in Welsh history it's a must do.
Matthew Bonham (7 months ago)
Good walk to the top. Stunning views towards Conwy and Anglesey. Not too strenuous. Ideal place to take dogs or have a picnic at the top.
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