Conwy Town Walls

Conwy, United Kingdom

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 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.

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Founded: 1283-1287
Category: Castles and fortifications in United Kingdom

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4.8/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Paul Owens (9 months ago)
What a fantastic town Conwy is. It is well worth making the effort to walk the length of the wall which gives you a brilliant view of the town and surrounding countryside. Although it isn't a long walk it is quite challenging in places but don't let this put you off.
Oliver Henderson (14 months ago)
Short walk up and along the town walls, well worth taking a short detour for, especially as it's not something you can do at every castle.
old greggg (15 months ago)
Awesome town walls, on par with York walls (a little shorter maybe) Great views from all around, lots of hidden ways up and down, the main one for the main part is near the world's smallest house near the harbour. Quite steep in parts, but we'll worth the walk! Would definitely recommend!
Gary Hall (15 months ago)
Excellent walk around Conwy town, it's a little difficult to find the start and end point but the lovely locals and tourists who have just come down can point you in the right direction. The views and the history are so worth the trek
David Brough (21 months ago)
Conwy is a lovely town with the Castle and the walls. You can walk the walks with ease and also part of the bridge can be accessed for free. Plenty of little cafes to have a bite to eat and drink… and several fish and chips to boot. A must visit for all visitors!
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