History of Flint Castle
Flint Castle is a castle in Flintshire, Wales. It was built in the late 13th century by Edward I, King of England, as part of his campaign to conquer Wales. The castle was one of a series of 10 fortifications built by Edward in the region, including Conwy Castle and Caernarfon Castle. These 10 castles are referred to as the 'Ring of Iron'.
Construction of Flint Castle began in 1277 and was completed in 1284. It was built on a promontory overlooking the River Dee and was designed to be a formidable defensive structure. The castle has a square plan, with four circular towers at each corner and a large central keep. It was surrounded by a moat and had a drawbridge for access.
Over the centuries, Flint Castle has been used for a variety of purposes. It has served as a royal palace, a prison, and a military garrison. During the English Civil War, the castle was held by Royalist forces and was besieged by Parliamentarian troops. The castle was eventually captured by the Parliamentarians and was partially dismantled to prevent it from being used as a military stronghold again by the order of Olver Cromwell.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the castle was used as a courthouse and a police station. It is now a popular tourist attraction and is managed by Cadw, the Welsh government's historic environment service.
The castle is open to the public and visitors can explore the castle's grounds, as well as the chapel, the Great Tower, and the castle's outer walls. There are also a number of events and activities held at the castle throughout the year, including reenactments, medieval festivals, and educational programs.
My thoughts on Flint Castle
Most of Flint castle has been destroyed over the centuries, however, what is left provides great insight into what living in the castle must have been like back in the 13th Century.
One of the remaining towers has an internal spiral staircase which allows you to climb to the top to get what I imagine to be a great view over the River Dee. Due to my incredibly ridiculous vertigo, I was sadly not able to get to the top!
Definitely worth a visit if you are in North Wales and like me, are interested in historical architecture.
