Wales is renowned for its castles - from Cardiff Castle to Caernarfon Castle, you'll find one at every turn. In fact, there are more than 600 castles in Wales, which means there are more per square mile than anywhere in the world. After hundreds of years, some are still standing tall, while others remain as romantic ruins.
Castell y Bere is exactly the latter. The remote Welsh-native castle sits on a rocky hill that overlooks the Dysynni Valley, which is at the foot of Cader Idris in Snowdonia (Eryri). The fortress was built in 1221 by Welsh ruler Llywelyn ap Iorwerth - who was also known as Llywelyn the Great, in order to protect Gwynedd's southern frontier. The castle would remain in use until 1924.
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Although Castell y Bere's location may be impressive, its architecture also adds to its brilliance. The sophisticated entrance featuring two gatehouses with drawbridges and possibly portcullises was extremely advanced for its time, even by the standards of English fortifications. The castle also includes a characteristic Welsh apsidal, in other words, a D-shaped plan of the south tower.
The fortress was vital for Llywelyn's security. It guarded his cattle range, protected the homeland of Gwynedd and dominated the neighbouring lordship of Meirionydd. In medieval Wales, cattle was regarded as good as currency.
After Llywelyn died, his successor - his son Gruffudd, continued to use it. Castell y Bere was to remain a Welsh stronghold for only six decades. In 1283, it was taken by the English king Edward I after his momentous incursion into Wales to crush the rebellions of the Welsh.
After falling to the English, some changes were made to the fortress and Edward I hoped an English frontier town would grow there, but this never happened. The English abandoned the site during an uprising against their rule in 1924.
Today, Castell y Bere may be located in a remote and wild part of the Dysynni Valley, but it stands proudly as a testament to Welsh history and architecture. According to walkers, nothing can be seen of it on a walk round the rocky keep, however if you enter at the west gate, you are immediately surrounded by the ruins of the picturesque castle. To get more Welsh news like this straight to your inbox, subscribe to our What's On newsletter here.
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