Beaumaris Castle

Beaumaris Castle is a late 13th-century concentric castle located at Beaumaris on the Isle of Anglesey, Wales. It was begun in 1295 as part of King Edward I’s campaign to control northwest Wales and represents a high point of medieval military design.

Visitors can see the symmetrical plan with inner and outer walls, a surrounding moat and well-preserved gatehouse and towers. The castle has extensive curtain walls and a wide defensive ditch that illustrate the concentric layout.

Construction was initiated by Edward I and is associated with the master mason James of Saint George; works continued through the late 13th and early 14th centuries but the project was never fully completed to the original, grander specification. The castle later fell into partial ruin and has been conserved as a historic monument.

Beaumaris stands on the island’s eastern shore in the town of Beaumaris, on the Menai Strait coast of Anglesey, and is prominent from coastal roads and nearby viewpoints.

• Construction: Construction began in 1295 under King Edward I and the castle is commonly attributed to the master mason James of Saint George; it was never fully completed as originally planned.
• World Heritage: Part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing covering Edward I's castles in north Wales; the site is often best viewed from the sea or the coastal road that runs behind the town.

What to See #

• Curtain walls and moat: The concentric defensive layout with inner and outer curtain walls, bastions and a water-filled ditch that illustrate late 13th-century military design.
• Gatehouse: The gatehouse and entrance complex formed part of the castle's main defensive axis and are notable for their preserved masonry and defensive passageways.
• Inner ward and towers: The inner ward and towers which contain surviving domestic spaces and service rooms dating to the original Edwardian construction phase.