Construction on Caerphilly Castle began on April 11th 1268 by Red Gilbert de Clare as defense against Prince Llywelyn of Wales. Gilbert fought beside Edward Plantagenet, future King Edward I against Simon de Montfort at the Battle of Evesham. Simon was killed but his son and others escaped to Kenilworth Castle. It was here that Gilbert saw first hand how the water defenses at Kenilworth added to its strength. So when the plans for Caerphilly Castle were drawn, water defenses were a major part of the design. In 1270, Prince Llywelyn attacked and destroyed Caerphilly Castle which was still under construction. Undaunted, Gilbert began construction again in 1271. Edward I began his campaign against Prince Llywelyn in Northern Wales when Llywelyn failed to pay homage to Edward upon being crowned King of England on his return from the crusades. The prince was killed and Edward seized control of Wales by building his famous castles in Northern Wales, thus Caerphilly Castle was no longer needed as a protector of the new frontier. Two Hundred or so years later, after the War of the Roses and the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, King Henry VII granted the Lordship of Glamorgan to Jasper Tudor, his uncle and Earl of Pembroke. From then on, mighty Caerphilly Castle slowly fell into ruin until the 1870s when the restoration of Caerphilly Castle began by re-roofing the great hall.

Caerphilly Castle.

Written by  Ron Lyons Jr..

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