Getting Lost

In 1284, the English king, Edward I, built the massive castle on the site of an earlier castle and near a 5th century Roman fort. Caernarfon Castle is very impressive and intimidating. It doesn't have round towers. Instead they are various polygons in shape, with the largest having ten sides, and inside the walls there is a maze of passage ways and small rooms. You could easily lose your children here while exploring. You can make your way from tower to tower inside the walls, or along the tops. It is just what I imagine a medieval castle would be like.

This is where Edward's son was born, becoming the first Prince of Wales. Edward's Spanish wife Eleanor, was 13 when they married! They apparently had a happy and devoted marriage until she died 18 years later. Prince Charles was crowned Prince of Wales in 1969, on the round platform. 

 Plas y Newydd - across the water from Caernafon, on Anglesey Island, has been the home of 8 generations of Marquesses of Angelseys, and what an eccentric interesting family they were. The first Marquess lost a leg fighting Napolean. The fifth Marquess married his cousin, had the marriage anulled two years later and then had it reinstated. He built his own theatre at the house to put on plays that he acted in. He died aged 29 - too much partying, I reckon. Beautiful house in a beautiful location.

 The 7th marquis only died 3 years ago. This is his study, exactly as he left it.

 The family have given the house and gardens to the National Trust, but still use the top floor for their holiday house. And there are red squirrels in the garden.

Royalty have stayed here at Penrhyn Castle which is really a fantasy mansion built in a gothic castle style, on the location of an older medieval manor. This 'house' was built from 1820 to 1833 by a George Dawkins who obviously wanted to show off. It is huge inside and outside. 30 bedrooms! Double height ceilings in most rooms. Incredibly ornate wooden carved decorations on walls, intricate molded ceilings, carved stone staircases, and intentional features such as off centre doors and decorations being different on one side to the other. It plays with your mind.

Beautiful gardens. No wonder they needed to employ 18 gardeners in 1900.

A fuschia arch - wow.

Photos cannot capture the scale and elaborateness of this place.

Oved 50 servants kept the house running until the mid 20th century. There was always a male French chef in charge of the kitchen and he was the highest paid staff member. He was paid 3 times what the poor female housekeeper was.

Penrhyn Castle is impressive but it is a ridiculously over-the-top display of wealth and greed. Ten course dinner menus. Huge elaborate custom made furniture. Queen Victoria once came to stay, so the Lord of Penrhyn had a bed specially made from Welsh slate, just for her, at great expense, but she refused to sleep in it as she thought it looked like a gravestone.

Three 'houses' that certainly have the wow factor. They were all very intetesting to visit but I would much prefer to live in a cosy little cottage.