Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Dolbadarn Castle
Llanberis, Gwynedd, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade I
- Broad class
- Defence
- Date of designation
- 28 May 1999
- Locality
- Pentre-castell
- Community
- Llanberis
- Unitary authority
- Gwynedd
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 53.11652, -4.11415
- Cadw reference
- 21854
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1896 "Sheet 7. Ordnance Survey of England and Wales." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Cadw's description
Location
Situated on a natural rock outcrop in a strategic position at the north-west end of Llyn Peris, the castle forms a prominent feature in the landscape.
History
Probably built by Llywelyn ap Iorweth (1173-1240) towards the end of his life, the castle was partly dismantled after the English conquest, some of the timber being taken to Caernarfon for use in the royal castle there in 1284. The curtain wall and outbuildings, of which only fragmentary ruins survive, post-date the keep and may have been added by the English. The castle has been painted by many artists, including Turner.
Exterior
Castle keep. Circular plan surviving to about 14.5m in height. Regularly coursed and tightly-packed slate-stone slabs, now roofless. Original entrance on north-western side with steeply pointed arch approached by wide flight of C20 external steps; another steeply pointed arch directly above. A well-preserved lean-to garderobe tower projects to the left of the entrance and a series of narrow rectangular windows to the right indicates the position of the internal spiral staircase.
Interior
Interior is roofless; internal spiral staircase remains along with the remnants of 2 large fireplaces and empty sockets for joist and beam ends of the former floor structures.
Reason for designation
Listed Grade I as a well-preserved example of a C13 native Welsh castle with circular shell keep.
Nearby in the register
- Castell DolbadarnCastleunder 1 mi
- Capel Jerusalem with former domestic accommodation to rearReligious, Ritual and Funeraryunder 1 mi
- Bryn EithinDomesticunder 1 mi
- Ty Ucha'r FforddDomesticunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.