Conwy town walls

Conwy town walls
Conwy, Wales
The south side of the walls, looking towards Mill Gate
Conwy town walls is located in Wales
Conwy town walls
Conwy town walls
Coordinates53°16′49″N 3°50′20″W / 53.2803°N 3.8388°W / 53.2803; -3.8388
Grid referencegrid reference SH775775
TypeTown wall
Site information
OwnerCadw
Open to
the public
Yes
ConditionIntact
Site history
MaterialsSandstone, limestone and rhyolite
Part ofCastles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd
CriteriaCultural: i, iii, iv
Reference374
Inscription1986 (10th Session)
Listed Building – Grade I
Designated1950

Conwy's town walls are a medieval defensive structure around the town of Conwy in Wales. The walls were constructed between 1283 and 1287 after the foundation of Conwy by Edward I, and were designed to form an integrated system of defence alongside Conwy Castle. The walls are 1.3 km (0.81 mi) long and include 21 towers and three gatehouses. The project was completed using large quantities of labourers brought in from England; the cost of building the castle and walls together came to around £15,000, a huge sum for the period. The walls were slightly damaged during the rebellion of Owain Glyndŵr in 1401, but political changes in the 16th century reduced the need to maintain such defences around the town. The fortifications were treated sympathetically during the development of the road and railway systems in Conwy during the 19th century and survived largely intact into the modern period. Today the walls form part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site administered by Cadw. Historians Oliver Creighton and Robert Higham describe the defences as "one of the most impressive walled circuits" in Europe.[1]

  1. ^ Creighton and Higham, p.274.