Beaumaris town walls
Encyclopedia
Beaumaris's town walls were a fifteenth century defensive structure built around the town of Beaumaris in Wales
.
in 1296, following the English king's successful invasion of North Wales
. The town was guarded by a castle
, but had no protective wall. Limited foundations appear to have been built for a protective circuit, but despite requests from the townspeople for a town wall in 1315, none was constructed.
In 1400 the Welsh prince Owain Glyndŵr
rose in rebellion against English rule, and took Beaumaris in 1403; the town was not recovered until 1405. In response the decision was taken by 1407 to build a town wall; ditches and an earth bank were constructed and by 1414 a stone wall had been built, with three gates and a number of probable towers. This necessitated the moving of a number of residents whose houses fell in the way of the new defences. Despite damage from the nearby sea in 1460, which resulted in some of the walls being rebuilt between 1536 and 1540, the walls were maintained until the late 17th century.
Today only a few fragments of the wall survive; these are protected as a scheduled monument and a grade I listed building. There are some foundations by the "Gate next the Sea" of Beaumaris Castle
, and the side wall of one property near the churchyard may be part of the curtain wall, according to the authors of a 2009 guide to the buildings of the region. They also suggest that much of the stone was taken to build houses and Beaumaris Gaol
.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
History
The town of Beaumaris was constructed by Edward IEdward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
in 1296, following the English king's successful invasion of North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
. The town was guarded by a castle
Beaumaris Castle
Beaumaris Castle, located in the town of the same name on the Isle of Anglesey in Wales, was built as part of King Edward I's campaign to conquer the north of Wales. It was designed by James of St. George and was begun in 1295, but never completed...
, but had no protective wall. Limited foundations appear to have been built for a protective circuit, but despite requests from the townspeople for a town wall in 1315, none was constructed.
In 1400 the Welsh prince Owain Glyndŵr
Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndŵr , or Owain Glyn Dŵr, anglicised by William Shakespeare as Owen Glendower , was a Welsh ruler and the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales...
rose in rebellion against English rule, and took Beaumaris in 1403; the town was not recovered until 1405. In response the decision was taken by 1407 to build a town wall; ditches and an earth bank were constructed and by 1414 a stone wall had been built, with three gates and a number of probable towers. This necessitated the moving of a number of residents whose houses fell in the way of the new defences. Despite damage from the nearby sea in 1460, which resulted in some of the walls being rebuilt between 1536 and 1540, the walls were maintained until the late 17th century.
Today only a few fragments of the wall survive; these are protected as a scheduled monument and a grade I listed building. There are some foundations by the "Gate next the Sea" of Beaumaris Castle
Beaumaris Castle
Beaumaris Castle, located in the town of the same name on the Isle of Anglesey in Wales, was built as part of King Edward I's campaign to conquer the north of Wales. It was designed by James of St. George and was begun in 1295, but never completed...
, and the side wall of one property near the churchyard may be part of the curtain wall, according to the authors of a 2009 guide to the buildings of the region. They also suggest that much of the stone was taken to build houses and Beaumaris Gaol
Beaumaris Gaol
Beaumaris Gaol is a disused jail located in Beaumaris, Anglesey, Wales. Although no longer in use it remains largely unaltered and is now a museum open to visitors, with around 30,000 visiting each year....
.