Adeiladu Y Castell


Adeiladu

Similar Content

Browse content similar to Adeiladu. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!

Transcript


LineFromTo

-Subtitles

0:00:000:00:00

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

0:00:000:00:02

-The castle - an image of Wales...

0:00:090:00:11

-..that's famous

-throughout the world.

0:00:120:00:14

-During this series...

0:00:180:00:20

-..I'll explore

-the castle's construction...

0:00:200:00:24

-..defences and decoration.

0:00:250:00:28

-It's an astonishing story and one

-that is quintessentially Welsh.

0:00:300:00:35

-There are more castles

-per square mile in Wales...

0:00:350:00:38

-..than any other similar country.

0:00:390:00:41

-They attract droves of visitors.

0:00:410:00:44

-But for us,

-they're an uncomfortable legacy.

0:00:470:00:50

-The outcome of ferocious battles

-that led to us being conquered.

0:00:500:00:55

-In order to understand

-the true meaning of the castle...

0:00:590:01:03

-..I've been

-on a journey through Wales.

0:01:030:01:06

-Over the border

-and across the continent...

0:01:060:01:10

-..to see how the castle

-claims a prominent place...

0:01:110:01:14

-..in many countries' histories,

-capturing the imagination...

0:01:140:01:19

-..of people of all ages

-and arousing a lasting interest.

0:01:190:01:23

-How does the castle

-occupy our dreams...

0:01:230:01:27

-..and capture our imagination?

0:01:270:01:30

-To answer that question...

0:01:310:01:33

-..one must work out exactly

-what is the nature of the castle.

0:01:340:01:38

-Is it a fortress or is it a home?

0:01:400:01:43

-Is it a combination

-of pride and folly?

0:01:460:01:49

-Or does it combine a vision

-with hard labour, skill...

0:01:500:01:54

-..and determination?

0:01:550:01:57

-Does it eventually prove

-that it is military power...

0:01:570:02:01

-..that counts?

0:02:010:02:03

-Or does it embody bravery

-and honour, love and romance?

0:02:030:02:08

-Does it frighten or does it excite?

0:02:100:02:14

-It's a prominent

-and powerful symbol...

0:02:160:02:19

-..but do we

-truly understand the castle?

0:02:190:02:22

-How on earth do you go about

-building on such a huge scale?

0:02:320:02:37

-How were castles constructed

-centuries ago...

0:02:370:02:41

-..without the aid

-of modern machinery?

0:02:410:02:44

-Imagine trying to build

-in these hostile surroundings.

0:02:440:02:48

-On barren, rocky land with the

-constant threat of enemy attack.

0:02:480:02:53

-With no machines,

-no vehicles or even roads.

0:02:530:02:57

-It was a major construction project.

0:02:570:03:00

-In the first episode

-of this series...

0:03:030:03:06

-..we focus

-on the construction itself...

0:03:060:03:09

-..and the manpower

-that was vital to build a castle.

0:03:100:03:13

-950 men here in Harlech.

0:03:160:03:18

-A strict regime was required...

0:03:180:03:21

-..to achieve the desired effect.

0:03:210:03:23

-A clear vision

-and numerous resources.

0:03:240:03:26

-A supply of wood and stone

-as well as lime, lead and iron...

0:03:270:03:31

-..from all over Wales and beyond.

0:03:310:03:33

-A global shopping list.

0:03:340:03:36

-Skill coupled with elbow grease.

0:03:390:03:42

-Might and meticulous planning

-are on display here.

0:03:450:03:49

-The builders of the Middle Ages

-faced unique problems.

0:03:540:03:58

-These days, new buildings

-are erected everywhere in Wales.

0:03:590:04:04

-It's easy to forget

-that every major building project...

0:04:060:04:10

-..is nothing short of a miracle.

0:04:110:04:13

-It requires careful planning,

-skill and labour.

0:04:140:04:18

-And a huge amount of money.

0:04:190:04:22

-That was also true 1,000 years ago.

0:04:220:04:26

-The castle

-came to Wales with the Normans.

0:04:330:04:37

-But the Welsh princes

-built castles too.

0:04:390:04:42

-Their sole purpose wasn't merely to

-defend the country against invaders.

0:04:450:04:50

-The castles weren't built to

-keep out the English or the Normans.

0:04:500:04:54

-They were power bases...

0:04:550:04:57

-..for territorial ambitions.

0:04:580:05:00

-But it was English hands

-that built the largest castles.

0:05:050:05:09

-Their might

-was reflected in each stone.

0:05:090:05:14

-The castles

-weren't open and inviting.

0:05:140:05:17

-They were closed

-for a particular purpose.

0:05:170:05:20

-They housed an army whose duty

-it was to keep the Welsh out.

0:05:200:05:26

-For thousands of years...

0:05:360:05:38

-..stone was

-one the main materials for building.

0:05:380:05:42

-Long before the Romans came...

0:05:430:05:46

-..the stone ramparts of

-the hill-fort sheltered the Celts.

0:05:460:05:50

-This was

-a secure stronghold for the tribe...

0:05:590:06:02

-..to defend their territory

-and raise their families.

0:06:030:06:06

-In an age

-of brutal raids and invasions...

0:06:130:06:16

-..a defensive fort was essential.

0:06:170:06:19

-Which explains Roman forts, which

-offered shelter for their legions.

0:06:220:06:27

-The stone walls

-defined the empire's boundaries.

0:06:270:06:32

-But the nature of the castle

-was different.

0:06:350:06:39

-An entire tribe

-lived in a hill-fort.

0:06:390:06:42

-An entire legion in a Roman fort.

0:06:430:06:46

-But a castle offers security

-for a powerful individual...

0:06:460:06:50

-..and his close family.

0:06:510:06:52

-It serves a military purpose,

-of course.

0:06:530:06:55

-But it can also be

-a centre of administration...

0:06:560:06:59

-..to implement a system

-of civil rights.

0:06:590:07:03

-Raglan Castle in Monmouthshire...

0:07:030:07:06

-..fulfilled a public role.

0:07:060:07:09

-But like every other castle,

-it was a defensive fortress...

0:07:100:07:14

-..as well as

-a residence at the same time.

0:07:140:07:17

-A huge private house.

0:07:170:07:19

-It was a fort and a home.

0:07:200:07:22

-Though the relationship between

-the two changed over the years...

0:07:220:07:27

-..those two purposes were at the

-forefront of the builders' minds.

0:07:270:07:32

-In 1066, William the Conqueror

-crossed the Channel...

0:07:350:07:40

-..and brought new methods

-to the battlefield.

0:07:400:07:43

-First came galloping horses.

0:07:480:07:50

-Riders on horseback

-and castle builders alike.

0:07:510:07:55

-The combination of both was a shock

-to the Saxons. It overpowered them.

0:07:580:08:02

-Suddenly, in England...

0:08:030:08:06

-..new structures

-were appearing like mushrooms.

0:08:060:08:10

-A mound of soil, a motte, was built

-up with a wooden tower on top...

0:08:120:08:17

-..surrounded by a bailey, an

-enclosure for people and animals...

0:08:180:08:22

-..protected by a ditch

-and an earthen rampart.

0:08:220:08:25

-These were basic castles -

-simple to erect and easy to defend.

0:08:310:08:36

-They were very successful...

0:08:360:08:41

-..as the Normans retained

-their occupation of the land.

0:08:410:08:44

-There were hundreds of similar

-castles up and down the country.

0:08:460:08:50

-Almost all have disappeared by now.

0:08:510:08:54

-They've blended

-back into the landscape.

0:08:540:08:58

-If you look carefully,

-they're relatively easy to find.

0:08:580:09:02

-And there's no need to venture

-the other side of Offa's Dyke.

0:09:020:09:07

-It's strange

-how quick things developed...

0:09:070:09:10

-..once the Normans arrived.

0:09:100:09:12

-Less than 10 years

-after William the Conqueror...

0:09:130:09:16

-..reached southern England, they

-were building castles in Wales.

0:09:160:09:21

-Castles like Hen Domen

-in Monmouthshire.

0:09:210:09:23

-Its Welsh name eludes to...

0:09:240:09:26

-..an old mound of earth

-surrounded by a ditch.

0:09:260:09:29

-It stands guard over

-a strategically important ford...

0:09:290:09:33

-..across the River Severn below.

0:09:330:09:35

-Because of the

-motte-and-bailey's simplicity...

0:09:380:09:42

-..the Normans occupied

-English territories with ease.

0:09:420:09:46

-Their intention

-was to take control...

0:09:460:09:49

-..so they built stone towers

-to dominate the landscape.

0:09:490:09:52

-To see a very early example

-of an imposing Norman tower...

0:09:550:10:00

-..one must come

-to Rochester in Kent.

0:10:000:10:03

-The name given

-to this kind of tower...

0:10:030:10:06

-..was donjon, meaning a keep

-in English and gorthwr in Welsh.

0:10:060:10:11

-In any language,

-it clearly denotes...

0:10:110:10:14

-..that these stonemasons

-had impeccable skills.

0:10:140:10:18

-Apart from a few churches...

0:10:340:10:36

-..the Saxons didn't have

-a stonemasonry tradition.

0:10:360:10:39

-Their new masters had to bring

-their essential skills from France.

0:10:460:10:51

-But the Normans

-were fully prepared...

0:10:580:11:02

-..to invest in such stonemasonry,

-since a solid stone castle...

0:11:030:11:07

-..like the one in Rochester,

-was very hard to seize.

0:11:070:11:11

-This Norman keep

-is substantial and lofty.

0:11:220:11:26

-It's the tallest in England.

0:11:260:11:28

-There's a wall right in the centre

-which divides the place in two...

0:11:280:11:33

-..and strengthens the structure.

0:11:330:11:35

-But there's also

-another typical feature.

0:11:360:11:39

-It wasn't a soldier who designed

-this place but a cleric.

0:11:390:11:43

-William of Corbeil.

0:11:480:11:50

-A baron and archbishop.

0:11:520:11:54

-He was responsible

-for the structural completion...

0:11:590:12:03

-..of Canterbury Cathedral.

0:12:030:12:06

-He also erected Rochester Castle.

0:12:080:12:12

-His influence

-can still be seen today.

0:12:120:12:15

-Stones from nearby quarries...

0:12:170:12:20

-..adorn the surface of the tower...

0:12:200:12:23

-..which has

-a craggy and unstable appearance.

0:12:230:12:26

-For the more intricate work...

0:12:270:12:29

-..on the corners

-of the windows and doors...

0:12:290:12:32

-..William insisted on importing

-stone from Caen in Normandy...

0:12:320:12:36

-..which explains

-the yellow hue to the stone.

0:12:370:12:41

-William's castle

-combines strength and beauty...

0:12:440:12:49

-..on a massive scale.

0:12:500:12:52

-As I stand

-in the shade of the castle...

0:12:550:12:57

-..you can feel the place's

-authority, even to this day.

0:12:580:13:01

-Every stone eloquently announcing...

0:13:010:13:04

-..that this is a power house.

0:13:040:13:07

-And with its gleaming whitewash...

0:13:140:13:17

-..the walls of Rochester Castle

-would declare that with clarity...

0:13:170:13:21

-..to everyone

-who lived in its shadow.

0:13:220:13:24

-.

0:13:250:13:25

-Subtitles

0:13:280:13:28

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

0:13:280:13:30

-The Normans, Europe's most ferocious

-conquerors of the Middle Ages.

0:13:310:13:37

-To dominate their new territories,

-they had a new, powerful weapon.

0:13:390:13:44

-The castle.

0:13:460:13:48

-And the next target - Wales.

0:13:500:13:53

-A mere quarter of a century...

0:13:530:13:55

-..after William the Conqueror

-seized the English crown...

0:13:550:14:00

-..the Normans had completed

-the Great Tower of Chepstow Castle.

0:14:000:14:05

-Now, the paths to the South Wales

-coastline were open to them.

0:14:070:14:12

-Soon,

-there was a chain of castles...

0:14:120:14:15

-..extending

-from Cardiff to Kidwelly...

0:14:150:14:19

-..and as far as Pembroke

-in the west.

0:14:190:14:21

-There were dozens of castles

-in the Welsh Marches...

0:14:230:14:27

-..and into South Wales.

0:14:270:14:29

-There are more castles there

-than anywhere else in Europe.

0:14:290:14:33

-Very quickly,

-the Norman barons came to power...

0:14:330:14:37

-..by building castles

-along the Welsh Marches...

0:14:370:14:40

-..or Marchia Wallia,

-to use its Latin name.

0:14:410:14:44

-It was far more difficult

-to conquer Pura Wallia...

0:14:440:14:48

-..pure Wales.

0:14:480:14:50

-It would take two centuries

-before the Welsh princes...

0:14:510:14:55

-..would yield the highlands.

0:14:550:14:57

-In the meantime, the Welsh

-were prepared to attack the Marches.

0:14:590:15:04

-That's why the barons

-had to erect so many castles there.

0:15:040:15:08

-They built motte-and-bailey castles

-and regularly built stone castles.

0:15:090:15:15

-It changed the landscape completely.

0:15:150:15:18

-It was a tradition

-that the Welsh gradually emulated.

0:15:180:15:22

-The main emulator was Rhys

-ap Gruffudd, Prince of Deheubarth.

0:15:260:15:30

-It was his choice

-to erect castles...

0:15:310:15:33

-..on sites

-such as that of Carreg Cennen.

0:15:330:15:36

-The Lord Rhys was a young man...

0:15:380:15:40

-..although he was

-shrewd and observant.

0:15:400:15:43

-He studied

-the techniques of the barons...

0:15:430:15:46

-..and used them against foreigners.

0:15:460:15:48

-He used horses to move men quickly

-across the territory.

0:15:490:15:52

-He valued the castle's worth.

0:15:520:15:54

-Not only

-did he manage to beat them...

0:15:550:15:57

-..he also earned their respect

-and inherited a title from them.

0:15:580:16:02

-Ustus Deheudir Cymru.

0:16:020:16:04

-The Lord Rhys thwarted

-the Normans' victorious procession.

0:16:080:16:12

-He used the oppressors'

-secret weapon, the castle...

0:16:140:16:18

-..to stop them.

0:16:180:16:20

-Rhys was a 15-year-old...

0:16:210:16:23

-..based in a barracks

-in Llansteffan in the 1140s.

0:16:230:16:26

-He already had military experience.

0:16:270:16:29

-When he later

-became Prince of Deheubarth...

0:16:290:16:33

-..he seized the castles

-from the Normans...

0:16:330:16:36

-..and he and his sons built castles.

0:16:360:16:38

-Carreg Cennen, Dinefwr,

-Dryslwyn and so on.

0:16:390:16:43

-In Cardigan,

-he seized the town and the castle...

0:16:440:16:47

-..and held what we would call

-an eisteddfod nowadays.

0:16:470:16:51

-A large festival to demonstrate

-his successes and status.

0:16:520:16:56

-He was a pragmatist and open

-to new influences and ideas.

0:16:560:17:01

-He was willing to work with

-the Normans. He also emulated them.

0:17:030:17:07

-He saw that fighting was difficult.

0:17:080:17:11

-Being able to withstand the Normans

-in the long-term was unlikely.

0:17:120:17:17

-A century later, it was

-the turn of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd...

0:17:210:17:25

-..to challenge the English kings

-by playing a dangerous game.

0:17:250:17:29

-It was his father

-who erected Dolbadarn Castle...

0:17:330:17:36

-..to defend the paths

-towards the heart of Snowdonia.

0:17:360:17:40

-Now it was Llywelyn who was using

-the castle to highlight his power.

0:17:400:17:45

-This circular tower which reflects

-the landscape around him...

0:17:450:17:50

-..clearly states,

-"We own this place."

0:17:500:17:53

-And not only Gwynedd

-but the whole of Wales.

0:17:530:17:57

-Llywelyn was confident enough to

-strike a deal with the English king.

0:17:590:18:04

-In September 1267...

0:18:040:18:07

-..Llywelyn travelled to a ford

-across a river on the border...

0:18:080:18:13

-..to meet Henry III.

0:18:130:18:15

-The outcome - a formal agreement

-between Wales and England.

0:18:200:18:25

-The Treaty of Montgomery.

0:18:250:18:27

-This allowed Llywelyn to keep

-his power and influence in Wales...

0:18:290:18:34

-..as long as he paid homage

-to the King of England.

0:18:340:18:37

-Strongholds such as Castell y Bere

-were essential to his plans...

0:18:380:18:42

-..to rule the entire country.

0:18:430:18:45

-These castles...

0:18:450:18:47

-..were usually erected

-in mountainous regions...

0:18:470:18:51

-..in order to use the landscape.

0:18:510:18:54

-They were used

-as much internally as externally...

0:18:540:18:58

-..not so much

-to keep the English out.

0:18:580:19:00

-It was rare to see an English army

-in Gwynedd during that time.

0:19:010:19:05

-It was more likely to see

-numerous armies within Gwynedd.

0:19:050:19:09

-Compare them with Caernarfon

-and they look small...

0:19:100:19:13

-..but before erecting Caernarfon...

0:19:140:19:17

-..they were very imposing.

0:19:170:19:19

-They were constructed

-intricately and carefully.

0:19:190:19:23

-Some of the stonemasonry...

0:19:230:19:27

-..is very artistic and intricate.

0:19:270:19:30

-But Llywelyn yearned for something

-more than his reign over Wales...

0:19:350:19:40

-..by trying to occupy Norman

-territories in the Welsh Marches.

0:19:410:19:45

-A young Norman baron

-called Gilbert de Clare...

0:19:470:19:51

-..is willing to break new ground

-to meet his threat.

0:19:510:19:55

-In Caerphilly, he changes the course

-of the river to create ditches...

0:19:560:20:01

-..to encircle the castle.

0:20:020:20:04

-It's part of an audacious plan to

-build the biggest castle in Europe.

0:20:040:20:09

-This was

-the first castle in Britain...

0:20:090:20:12

-..to include inner walls

-within the external defensive walls.

0:20:130:20:18

-The sheer scale of Caerphilly Castle

-is still astounding today.

0:20:190:20:23

-What's easy to forget

-is how revolutionary...

0:20:260:20:29

-..Gilbert's design was at the time.

0:20:290:20:32

-It was his vision to create obstacle

-upon obstacle upon obstacle...

0:20:320:20:38

-..to keep the enemy at bay.

0:20:380:20:40

-If attackers got through one door...

0:20:430:20:46

-..another awaited them.

0:20:460:20:48

-If they crossed the bridge, they'd

-face an impenetrable portcullis...

0:20:480:20:53

-..and another set of doors.

0:20:540:20:56

-The castle's defenders could shoot

-at the enemy from the turrets...

0:20:560:21:00

-..and on top of the walls.

0:21:010:21:03

-As well as this,

-the castle's moat...

0:21:050:21:08

-..housed trebuchets...

0:21:080:21:11

-..whilst thwarting any attempt

-to storm the castle.

0:21:110:21:15

-It was an incredible design...

0:21:180:21:20

-..which kept the boldest enemy away.

0:21:200:21:23

-But how on earth was it possible...

0:21:230:21:26

-..to erect

-such a huge fortification?

0:21:270:21:29

-A large workforce was essential...

0:21:340:21:36

-..to transport the materials

-to the site and work there.

0:21:370:21:40

-Everything needed to be in order.

0:21:440:21:46

-They key figure

-in Gilbert's project...

0:21:470:21:51

-..was his principal stonemason.

0:21:510:21:54

-As a modern-day architect,

-he's the one...

0:21:580:22:01

-..who designs the building,

-and as the walls are erected...

0:22:010:22:05

-..he's the one who solves

-practical problems which may arise.

0:22:050:22:10

-He's a craftsman himself...

0:22:110:22:14

-..so he understands

-how other craftsmen work.

0:22:140:22:17

-He's a competent

-military engineer...

0:22:170:22:20

-..and contracts his fellow workers.

0:22:200:22:24

-Under the chief stonemason...

0:22:290:22:31

-..are the all-important carvers...

0:22:310:22:34

-..who carve the stone.

0:22:350:22:38

-It's their meticulous work...

0:22:380:22:40

-..that pushes the project forward.

0:22:410:22:43

-By combining their skills and the

-vision of the master stonemason...

0:22:550:22:59

-..the castle is ready to inhabit

-in less than three years...

0:23:000:23:04

-..despite Llywelyn's efforts

-to deter them.

0:23:060:23:10

-De Clare's workers...

0:23:130:23:15

-..deserve

-every penny of their wages.

0:23:150:23:18

-Their outstanding workmanship

-will stand the test of time.

0:23:190:23:23

-A masterpiece of design,

-hard labour and craftsmanship.

0:23:250:23:31

-It's a definite blow...

0:23:330:23:35

-..to Llywelyn's aspirations

-of ruling over the entire nation.

0:23:360:23:40

-However, his battle wasn't over yet.

0:23:420:23:46

-.

0:23:480:23:48

-Subtitles

0:23:520:23:52

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

0:23:520:23:54

-1277.

0:23:550:23:57

-The sun is setting

-on the era of Welsh princes.

0:23:570:24:02

-A new king reigns in England.

0:24:070:24:09

-Edward I, Edward Longshanks.

0:24:090:24:11

-He has an ambitious plan...

0:24:160:24:19

-..to build a ring of castles...

0:24:190:24:21

-..along the coastline

-of North Wales.

0:24:210:24:25

-Edward is an energetic

-and pugnacious king...

0:24:250:24:28

-..who's keen

-to leave his mark on Britain.

0:24:280:24:32

-But when Llywelyn ap Gruffudd,

-the Prince of Wales...

0:24:380:24:42

-..refuses to pay homage to him...

0:24:420:24:44

-..Edward deploys 15,000 soldiers...

0:24:450:24:47

-..to threaten him into submission.

0:24:480:24:51

-Llywelyn ap Gruffudd's

-biggest problem...

0:24:520:24:55

-..was the fact that Edward I...

0:24:560:24:58

-..was the unyielding

-King of England.

0:24:580:25:01

-The conflict rages on.

0:25:030:25:05

-For a time, Llywelyn manages

-to retain his grip on Gwynedd.

0:25:050:25:09

-Llywelyn has his own castles...

0:25:110:25:14

-..but these fail

-to keep him completely secure.

0:25:140:25:18

-Among his own people...

0:25:180:25:20

-..Llywelyn wasn't as popular

-as we'd expect him to be.

0:25:200:25:24

-One of the reasons was because he'd

-been fighting against Edward I...

0:25:250:25:29

-..for a number of years, Llywelyn

-had been taxing his people.

0:25:300:25:34

-He'd been hard on his subjects.

0:25:340:25:36

-His kingdom's foundations

-were starting to shake...

0:25:380:25:41

-..and there's worse to come.

0:25:420:25:44

-In 1282, during childbirth...

0:25:440:25:48

-..Llywelyn's wife, Eleanor, dies.

0:25:480:25:51

-Without a male heir

-and without much hope...

0:25:550:25:59

-..our last prince

-joins his brother...

0:25:590:26:02

-..in an open revolt

-against the English.

0:26:020:26:06

-Llywelyn was dead within a month.

0:26:110:26:13

-A new poverty swept the territory...

0:26:190:26:22

-..as every Welsh home and castle...

0:26:220:26:26

-..grieved wildly for him.

0:26:260:26:28

-The home fires were cold.

0:26:280:26:30

-Ruins echo our history.

0:26:360:26:38

-This structure

-has a real sense of longing.

0:26:380:26:42

-Llywelyn Fawr

-erected Castell y Bere...

0:26:420:26:45

-..and this was Gwynedd's

-headquarters for decades...

0:26:450:26:48

-..until Edward, with

-his desire and power, seized it.

0:26:490:26:53

-Though the Welsh had regrouped...

0:26:530:26:55

-..Llywelyn Ein Llyw Olaf was dead.

0:26:560:26:59

-The age of the princes, the

-Welsh princes, had come to an end.

0:26:590:27:04

-Not for everyone, perhaps,

-but for many of the chief poets...

0:27:080:27:13

-..losing Llywelyn

-marked the end of everything.

0:27:130:27:17

-They continued writing poetry

-about the end of the world.

0:27:170:27:20

-The most famous elegy is a poem

-by Gruffudd ab Yr Ynad Coch...

0:27:210:27:25

-..which refers to the death

-of Llywelyn as the apocalypse.

0:27:250:27:30

-The trees collide with each other.

0:27:370:27:40

-The sea swallows the land.

0:27:410:27:43

-The stars fall.

0:27:430:27:45

-Gruffudd ab yr Ynad Coch asks,

-"How can life continue?

0:27:450:27:49

-"Isn't the world coming to an end?"

0:27:490:27:52

-And if the end was nigh...

0:27:530:27:55

-..there was nowhere

-for the natives to take refuge...

0:27:550:27:59

-..not even

-in the mountains of Snowdonia.

0:27:590:28:02

-At one time, hill-country like this

-and remote rocks...

0:28:060:28:10

-..kept the Welsh safe.

0:28:110:28:13

-But following Llywelyn's death,

-there was nowhere for them to flee.

0:28:130:28:18

-Even after the English conquered,

-they didn't build fewer castles...

0:28:180:28:23

-..they built more, many of which

-were oppressive fortifications.

0:28:230:28:28

-Edward had

-already built large castles...

0:28:290:28:32

-..to keep the Welsh in their place.

0:28:320:28:34

-Now he sets about

-encircling them completely.

0:28:340:28:39

-An iron ring.

0:28:390:28:41

-That was its nickname.

0:28:410:28:44

-The most ambitious building project

-in the whole of Europe...

0:28:440:28:49

-..during the Middle Ages.

0:28:490:28:51

-To promote the venture, a formidable

-headquarters was built in Conwy.

0:28:510:28:56

-The king's office.

0:28:560:28:58

-Seizing Wales

-was a big thing for Edward I.

0:29:010:29:04

-It took a lot of effort.

0:29:040:29:06

-All his soldiers were deployed.

-He wanted to show his importance.

0:29:060:29:11

-That's why he erected the castles.

-They are huge.

0:29:110:29:16

-They were unlike anything else

-seen in Wales at the time.

0:29:160:29:21

-It took an ingenious architect...

0:29:270:29:29

-..to realize Edward's dream.

0:29:300:29:32

-This is the man for the job.

0:29:340:29:36

-Edward had met him...

0:29:370:29:39

-..after his return

-from the Crusades.

0:29:400:29:42

-Now, James from Saint George

-comes to Wales...

0:29:420:29:46

-..as the master mason

-of the king's work.

0:29:460:29:49

-Master James' unique

-architectural signature...

0:29:510:29:55

-..can be seen

-on all of Edward's castles.

0:29:550:29:59

-But, of course, he wasn't

-solely responsible for all the work.

0:29:590:30:04

-Many accomplished craftsmen...

0:30:040:30:07

-..came to work

-alongside Master James.

0:30:070:30:10

-His military engineer,

-Bertrand de Saltu.

0:30:110:30:14

-His principal carpenter,

-Philip Senta.

0:30:160:30:18

-And Stephen the Painter,

-his chief decorative artist.

0:30:200:30:25

-All the locations identified

-had one thing in common.

0:30:250:30:29

-They were all situated by the sea.

0:30:290:30:32

-If the rebellious Welsh...

0:30:320:30:34

-..blockaded them by land...

0:30:350:30:38

-..Edward could ship in men

-to any of his castles...

0:30:380:30:42

-..to lift any potential siege.

0:30:430:30:45

-That was true of Conwy Castle

-and further west in Caernarfon.

0:30:450:30:50

-The last castle to be built

-was Beaumaris.

0:30:520:30:55

-An impenetrable fortification

-of concentric walls.

0:30:550:31:00

-Work began on Harlech...

0:31:050:31:08

-..in April 1283.

0:31:090:31:11

-This is beautiful architecture.

0:31:120:31:14

-An attractive image

-befitting any marketing campaign...

0:31:140:31:19

-..to attract 21st-century visitors.

0:31:190:31:22

-At the end

-of a balmy summer's day...

0:31:250:31:28

-..this place

-is like a picture postcard...

0:31:280:31:31

-..with the mountains

-providing a dramatic backdrop.

0:31:310:31:35

-Imagine the scene

-after it had been newly built.

0:31:350:31:38

-It tamed the landscape and anyone

-who dared to walk through it.

0:31:390:31:44

-Today the castle faces westwards...

0:31:440:31:48

-..over acres of land

-that was once sea.

0:31:480:31:51

-Back then, it stood

-directly above the shoreline.

0:31:560:32:00

-It was possible for Edward's army

-to reach Harlech from the sea.

0:32:020:32:07

-Building

-in these surroundings was a feat.

0:32:090:32:12

-Dense walls...

0:32:120:32:14

-..a secure path

-to reach the sea below.

0:32:150:32:19

-High towers and ramparts.

0:32:210:32:23

-All this had to be constructed

-on remote land...

0:32:260:32:30

-..under

-the hostile eye of the Welsh.

0:32:300:32:33

-We all know the problems

-of building work on our homes...

0:32:370:32:41

-..but when the project is large,

-the complexities multiply too...

0:32:410:32:46

-..causing things to go awry.

0:32:460:32:48

-Edward had an enormous workforce.

0:32:480:32:51

-950 men here in Harlech.

0:32:510:32:54

-But a strict regime was needed to

-ensure the work would be completed.

0:32:540:32:59

-By bringing

-a large workforce together...

0:33:230:33:27

-..Master James

-faced the kind of dilemma...

0:33:270:33:30

-..that's familiar to anyone

-who's hired a builder nowadays.

0:33:310:33:35

-How did they control the cost?

0:33:360:33:39

-Master James

-was under grave pressure...

0:33:390:33:41

-..to justify

-every inch of his budget.

0:33:420:33:45

-Edward's beady eye...

0:33:450:33:47

-..watched his every move.

0:33:480:33:50

-Nobody wanted to anger Longshanks.

0:33:500:33:53

-Master James once wrote to the king,

-stating, "In case you wondered...

0:33:550:34:00

-"..how so much money

-can disappear in a week...

0:34:000:34:04

-"..I'd like you to understand

-that we need 400 stonemasons...

0:34:040:34:08

-"..2,000 labourers, 100 carts...

0:34:080:34:11

-"..60 wagons...

0:34:110:34:14

-"..30 boats...

0:34:140:34:17

-"..200 quarrymen, 30 blacksmiths...

0:34:170:34:20

-"..and on top of that, carpenters."

0:34:200:34:23

-It's hard to imagine

-how many resources, how many men...

0:34:310:34:35

-..how much money

-was needed to do this.

0:34:350:34:37

-Edward had to borrow money from

-European bankers to fund the build.

0:34:380:34:42

-He employed thousands of men

-to clear forests...

0:34:420:34:46

-..and build secure paths so

-that resources could be imported.

0:34:470:34:51

-He transformed Gwynedd.

0:34:510:34:53

-The king insisted

-on seeing detailed records...

0:34:550:34:58

-..and costings for every item...

0:34:590:35:01

-..as rivers of money flowed

-into Wales to pay the workforce.

0:35:010:35:06

-And, of course,

-as well as the high labour costs...

0:35:080:35:12

-..he had to pay for

-a mountain of materials.

0:35:120:35:15

-Lime and stone

-from Anglesey and Caernarfon...

0:35:160:35:19

-..were dragged across land

-by horse and cart...

0:35:190:35:23

-..or imported by sea.

0:35:240:35:26

-Lead from Bristol, iron from

-the Midlands and wood from Flint.

0:35:260:35:30

-A global shopping list.

0:35:300:35:33

-It was enough to bankrupt a king...

0:35:340:35:36

-..which he narrowly avoided.

0:35:360:35:39

-Edward had to empty his coffers

-and beg Parliament for more money.

0:35:390:35:45

-If London was surprised

-at the king's demands...

0:35:450:35:49

-..it was nothing compared to

-the after effects locally.

0:35:500:35:54

-You have to imagine substantial

-numbers of men coming to Gwynedd...

0:35:540:36:00

-..to build these castles

-over a matter of decades.

0:36:000:36:03

-It would've taken

-considerable time to erect them.

0:36:030:36:07

-They would've been something that

-transformed society and the economy.

0:36:070:36:12

-They weren't only castles,

-towns accompanied them.

0:36:130:36:16

-It differed

-from the age of the princes...

0:36:160:36:19

-..who kept administration separate.

0:36:190:36:22

-It was different for the English

-who built these castles.

0:36:220:36:26

-They needed a secure presence...

0:36:260:36:28

-..and needed to be able

-to protect themselves.

0:36:280:36:31

-Towns and castles went hand in hand.

0:36:320:36:34

-The castle had to be solid...

0:36:360:36:38

-..but beautiful at the same time.

0:36:380:36:41

-A fortress and a home to the king

-and his court, from time to time.

0:36:410:36:46

-Craftsmen

-were given an opportunity to shine.

0:36:470:36:51

-And you couldn't live in style...

0:36:560:37:00

-..without the carpenters' input.

0:37:000:37:03

-Luckily, there were plenty

-of forests available locally.

0:37:030:37:07

-Large scaffolding was required

-to work on every wall...

0:37:100:37:15

-..not to mention the intricate

-wooden fretwork inside.

0:37:150:37:20

-Laying floors for a high tower...

0:37:250:37:28

-..was a feat in itself.

0:37:280:37:31

-The final touches were decorative.

0:37:450:37:49

-In order to create

-intricate patterns...

0:37:490:37:53

-..artists used stencils...

0:37:540:37:56

-..and traced shapes on pieces

-of paper to create an outline...

0:37:560:38:00

-..on the surface

-of the material underneath.

0:38:010:38:04

-Rarely did a Welshman see

-the inside of the completed halls...

0:38:210:38:25

-..and chambers...

0:38:260:38:28

-..or an English labourer,

-come to that.

0:38:290:38:31

-But Master James understood

-their importance to the king.

0:38:320:38:36

-He boasted about their charm to

-the court's barons and aristocrats.

0:38:360:38:41

-Might and meticulous planning.

0:38:420:38:45

-Both are on display

-here in Harelch Castle.

0:38:460:38:49

-The place claims authority

-over land and see.

0:38:490:38:52

-Edward was strict and surly...

0:38:540:38:57

-..but all the hard labour

-that went in to Harlech pleased him.

0:38:570:39:01

-In 1290...

0:39:020:39:04

-..Master James was appointed

-Constable of Harlech Castle.

0:39:040:39:08

-What better reward

-for an architect...

0:39:090:39:11

-..than to live in the portcullis

-that he himself erected?

0:39:120:39:16

-.

0:39:170:39:17

-Subtitles

0:39:190:39:19

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

0:39:190:39:21

-One of Edward Longshanks' castles

-in North Wales...

0:39:240:39:28

-..is different from the others, and

-there's a simple reason for that.

0:39:280:39:32

-Caernarfon

-was meant to be not only a fort...

0:39:320:39:36

-..but a palace for the king himself.

0:39:360:39:39

-There was a concerted effort

-to fuse Caernarfon...

0:39:420:39:45

-..and its old Roman history and

-one of the Empire's main cities...

0:39:460:39:51

-..namely Fort of Constantine.

0:39:510:39:54

-Legend has it that Constantine's

-successor, Macsen Wledig...

0:39:540:39:58

-..found the princess of his dreams

-here, on the banks of the Seiont.

0:39:580:40:03

-This isn't

-a plain and simple castle.

0:40:050:40:07

-A stripe

-runs along the brick walls...

0:40:080:40:11

-..which is meant to

-emulate the Fort of Constantine...

0:40:110:40:14

-..the perfect legendary kingdom.

0:40:140:40:17

-Edward is showing that he's arrived

-and that he intends to stay.

0:40:170:40:21

-No-one will seize these castles

-without a fight.

0:40:220:40:25

-It's a very visual symbol

-of the conquest.

0:40:250:40:29

-Did the castle's workmanship

-represent a symbol of power...

0:40:290:40:33

-..rather than any practical use?

0:40:330:40:37

-I wanted to hear the opinion

-of local architect Selwyn Jones...

0:40:370:40:41

-..about the king's intentions

-and those of Master James.

0:40:410:40:46

-There was no need to construct such

-a substantial castle at the time.

0:40:460:40:51

-No, because when construction began,

-Wales had already been conquered.

0:40:510:40:57

-This castle

-is completely different...

0:40:570:41:01

-..from the other three castles

-in Beaumaris, Conwy and Harlech.

0:41:010:41:06

-Maybe they were thinking,

-"What else can we do?"

0:41:060:41:09

-They knew the Romans had been here.

0:41:090:41:12

-They were aware of the town's

-significance and of Macsen Wledig.

0:41:130:41:17

-They claim that Macsen Wledig

-was the son of Constantine.

0:41:170:41:21

-Was it Edward or Master James

-who knew of these connections?

0:41:210:41:25

-Were they creating a fortification

-for a new emperor?

0:41:260:41:30

-Perhaps Edward himself

-saw himself as an emperor.

0:41:300:41:35

-Or was Master James trying

-to please his client by saying...

0:41:350:41:39

-.."This is what

-I've created for you."

0:41:390:41:42

-For Edward, Caernarfon

-was a very significant castle.

0:41:460:41:51

-He went to great lengths to

-make sure that his wife, Eleanor...

0:41:510:41:56

-..gave birth

-to his son and heir here...

0:41:570:41:59

-..in 1284.

0:42:000:42:02

-It was an opportunity

-to stage a colourful scene...

0:42:100:42:13

-..of political theatre.

0:42:140:42:16

-According to legend,

-the Welsh nobility...

0:42:220:42:25

-..longed for a new prince...

0:42:250:42:27

-..to lead them after the

-death of Llywelyn Ein Llyw Olaf.

0:42:280:42:31

-Edward

-presents his own baby to them.

0:42:320:42:36

-A prince

-born in a castle in Wales...

0:42:370:42:41

-..with no concept of English.

0:42:410:42:43

-The tradition of investing the heir-

-apparent to the English crown...

0:42:500:42:54

-..as the prince of Wales...

0:42:550:42:57

-..continues to this day.

0:42:570:42:59

-I, Charles, Prince of Wales...

0:43:000:43:03

-..do become

-your liege man of life and limb.

0:43:030:43:06

-It was Edward's aim

-to intimidate the Welsh...

0:43:060:43:09

-..by erecting the castle.

0:43:090:43:11

-700 years later,

-it's impossible to ignore...

0:43:120:43:15

-..the old history,

-or indeed, the most recent.

0:43:160:43:20

-It's a splendid structure

-and it's typical...

0:43:200:43:23

-..in terms of its architecture,

-but for a Welsh architect...

0:43:230:43:27

-..who lives here and speaks Welsh...

0:43:270:43:30

-..it's a complex symbol.

0:43:300:43:32

-Most certainly,

-and I have mixed feelings.

0:43:320:43:35

-Some people I know...

0:43:360:43:38

-..wouldn't put

-a foot through the door here.

0:43:380:43:42

-In a way, what we're

-standing on here is also a symbol...

0:43:430:43:47

-..of how a fortification

-has been used in the 1960s...

0:43:470:43:53

-..for a political purpose.

0:43:530:43:55

-Having said that,

-what I'm proud of...

0:44:040:44:07

-..is the fact that the town

-of Caernarfon has been reclaimed.

0:44:070:44:11

-The Welsh

-have taken over Caernarfon...

0:44:120:44:17

-..and I'm proud that it's one of

-the Welshest towns in the world.

0:44:170:44:23

-Beyond the castle walls...

0:44:240:44:26

-..Edward

-created a borough for the English.

0:44:260:44:30

-These days,

-no-one can dispute its Welshness.

0:44:330:44:37

-Is it time for us too to accept

-the castle as part of our heritage?

0:44:410:44:45

-Caernarfon Castle

-is undoubtedly a royal stronghold.

0:44:510:44:56

-But as is true of every castle...

0:44:560:45:00

-..ordinary folk

-share in its history too.

0:45:000:45:03

-In this episode, we've seen the

-castle develop within two centuries.

0:45:070:45:12

-From the original

-motte-and-bailey...

0:45:120:45:15

-..to something far more complicated,

-powerful and mighty.

0:45:150:45:19

-The ingenuity and perseverance

-needed to erect a castle...

0:45:220:45:26

-..have come to the fore.

0:45:270:45:29

-For that, praise is often attributed

-to the barons and the kings.

0:45:290:45:34

-The castle was also the backbone

-of the feudal system...

0:45:370:45:41

-..which is anathema

-to the spirit of our democratic age.

0:45:420:45:46

-But understood

-in a different light...

0:45:500:45:52

-..the castle has left a remarkable

-record of craftsmanship and labour.

0:45:530:45:58

-For the work

-of thousands of people...

0:46:010:46:05

-..they had no more to take pride in

-than the work itself.

0:46:060:46:10

-After all, who's truly responsible

-for the castle's grandeur?

0:46:130:46:18

-The Normans?

0:46:180:46:20

-The Welsh princes?

0:46:220:46:24

-Or the castle builders?

0:46:270:46:29

-These days, it's hard to understand

-how hard graft and vision...

0:46:320:46:36

-..combine to create a castle.

0:46:360:46:39

-But as we try to understand

-the castle today...

0:46:390:46:43

-..we have to accept,

-like the kings of old...

0:46:430:46:46

-..the craftsman's authority.

0:46:460:46:49

-In the next episode, we'll see

-the great castles of Europe...

0:47:000:47:04

-..under siege.

0:47:050:47:06

-Can the work

-of the castle builders...

0:47:080:47:10

-..withstand the onslaught it faces

-from the force of arms?

0:47:100:47:14

-S4C Subtitles by Adnod Cyf.

0:47:550:47:57

-.

0:47:570:47:57

Download Subtitles

SRT

ASS