How Harlech Castle Withstood Some of History's Most Brutal Sieges

Dan visits Harlech Castle, one of Europe's most impressive medieval fortifications. Built in the late 13th century the castle occupied a strong defensive position a'top a spur of rock surrounded by the sea.
Throughout the late medieval period, this bastion of English power withstood a number of epic sieges. It was eventually taken at the end of 1404 by none other than Owain Glyndŵr, the famous Welsh resistance leader.
Five years later however, it fell back into English hands following the collapse of Owain's resistance.
Here Dan explores the defensive structure and explains why it is one of the most remarkable castles not just in Britain but in the whole of Europe.
#HarlechCastle #DanSnow #Wales

[@samwallace]

Their bridge construction was ahead of its time.

[@greenriverviews6819]

haha

[@ChevalierGaucho]

Indeed

[@richardlloyd9976]

This is just one of many castles that I visited while driving around Wales in 2005. Loved them all. Richard Lloyd from Tamworth New Hampshire

[@teiloturner2760]

Lloyd is a Wesh surname you know

[@rosierose3257]

Went there in 1982 (from Australia) with a man whose surname was Lloyd. Magnificent castle, have never forgotten it.

[@davidpowell5437]

Admired this castle for over 50 years. Strong? Apparently the original garrison was 27 men, and if you walk round and consider fields of fire you can still see how that might be enough, short of a full scale assault. I'm just a bit disappointed that there is nothing here about the "Brutal sieges" of the title...

[@idanben8457]

@@rooneye 27 was probably the exact number to run everything without having spare people/people that need to do multiple thins

[@memoryfoam2285]

My mum was born in Barmouth and grew up in Harlech, the castle is amazing and I loved going round it as a kid.

[@bobapbob5812]

I played bagpipes with a Celtic folk band in Fredericksburg, Virginia. One of the numbers was "Men of Harlech". People loved it.

[@bobapbob5812]

@@rooneye Sometimes I would play small ceilidh pipes with less volumen and different key. Even the highland pipes I would play along with other instruments. But if you want something truly grating it's the Breton bombard. PS: My father always said "why didn't you learn to play the guitar like everyone else?" I lived in Munich for four years where the sister city is Edinburgh. The British consulate had my number (I also speak German) and I got some very strange gigs.

[@wellingtonsboots4074]

Really fond memories of visiting this castle many years ago. Thank you, enjoyed this

[@Ben1159a]

I'd love to hear the story of those sieges.

[@doyoumind9356]

These old castles get me very excited 😀😀

[@darthmong7196]

I was here last week. Been here dozens of times since I was about 3 or 4. Loving the new visitors centre but not so keen on the new walkway.

[@bargepoled]

Harlech is a wonderful place. The beach is panoramic. There is a brilliant campsite nearby at Nantcol Waterfalls.

[@ItzLight]

I went here 2 years ago it was great!

[@OwainGlyndwr1927]

I Wish a film was made about Owain Glyndwr ( My Hero ) and the Welsh rebellion against the English. similar to ) Braveheart.

[@robnewman6101]

Wow.

[@teambridgebsc691]

Nice one 🙂

[@DreadWaaaghGaming]

How and when was the land gained from the sea?

[@samueldorrington8990]

Britain (especially Wales) is slowly rising due to something called isostatic rebound combine this with varied sea levels varying over cooler and warmer periods of histoy. While it's a large area around the castle it's all completely flat as it used to be the sea bed. It would not take a large rise in sea level to flood. Many castles in Wales are actually a surprising way in land, but were by the sea when constructed. Source: My parents (they studied geography at Aberystwyth University)

[@walesxscarlets]

With all due respect say the name right. Especially if you're family lives near. Learn to say HarleCH!

[@hotbaconbap6485]

Thought the same, he says Harlek 😂😂

[@sunnyjim1355]

What do you expect from Dan 'I've only got a job at the BBC because of my dad' Snow? 🙄

[@RONNYNASH]

Every Welsh word he said sounded wrong. I wouldn't have cared except he made a fuss about his heritage

[@cymro6537]

His mother was born near the site - but he can't even pronounce the name of the castle- he keeps on calling it 'Har-lick' 🙄 It's pronounced " *Harlech* " "Harr(rolled 'r's') and "leh-ch"

[@will1603]

Yeah he seems very english. Seemed excited to call it a bastion of English power

[@davepowell7168]

The prehistoric starmap is being bulldozed in South Wales and Welsh castles are ignored.

[@oldmcdonald6319]

What's the prehistoric starmap?

[@PoleTooke]

Cool castle, but... Any info about the sieges or...nah...?

[@cleverusername9369]

How is this only 3 minutes long??

[@hendecksolutions8950]

in the Anglo-Boer war, the British soldiers built blockhouses and named it after castles and forts in England. Fort Harlech is situated in a town called Krugersdorp, and looked over a concentration camp.

[@eifionjones559]

so did thye original

[@cymro6537]

But ...Harlech is in Wales - not England 🤔

[@BantamGX]

But it was built by The English…😂.

[@dannygroom3327]

Don't you mean Welsh power?correct me if I'm wrong ?

[@jomix7]

King Edward I of England invaded and took over Wales in the late 13th century, during this time he commissioned this castle as well as many others to be built across wales to control the nation and quell any Welsh rebellions.

[@dannygroom3327]

@@jomix7 . Ok so I was wrong , a castle so famous they even named a TV station after I which slander Wales and even part of Britain, sorry my bad, I meant England!

[@BernardVisagie]

Why is it no longer on the sea, what changed in the area?

[@samueldorrington8990]

Britain (especially Wales) is slowly rising due to something called isostatic rebound combine this with varied sea levels varying over cooler and warmer periods of histoy. While it's a large area around the castle it's all completely flat as it used to be the sea bed. It would not take a large rise in sea level to flood. Many castles in Wales are actually a surprising way in land, but were by the sea when constructed. Source: My parents (they studied geography at Aberystwyth University)

[@MostlyCastles]

Looks smashing. Shame the sun didn't come out for this.

[@upursanctum]

Where can I get the full episode? And does anyone know if he did an episode on Conwy Castle?

[@OwainGlyndwr1927]

Perhaps more people around the world would know wales is a country, its not England. We, celts ( wales and Scotland) were on this island long before the Anglo saxons invaded.

[@Achilles66666]

Yaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwnnnnnnn zzzzzzzzzzzz

[@thomaslewis3071]

Recent genealogical study has shown the Anglo Saxons didnt push the Celts out of what is modern England, they mixed with them.

[@thomasellis445]

@@thomaslewis3071 Nope, that is revisionist garbage.

[@Achilles66666]

@@thomasellis445 people like you believe in a lot of myth believe what you want many a historian has proved and also DNA testing through out England that the Saxons and Celts inter married and there was not a mass influx of Anglo Saxons they and the Celts eventually co habited together also you mustn't forget the Romans and the Normans and Vikings that inhabited most of Britain including Wales, Scotland and Ireland

[@davidedbrooke9324]

Been there, a lovely coastline

[@zekun4741]

I never realised that the sea levels were higher 700 years ago

[@Tom_Saar]

I'd like to know more about this! Been trying to research it to no avail...

[@samueldorrington8990]

Britain (especially Wales) is slowly rising due to something called isostatic rebound combine this with varied sea levels varying over cooler and warmer periods of histoy. While it's a large area around the castle it's all completely flat as it used to be the sea bed. It would not take a large rise in sea level to flood. Many castles in Wales are actually a surprising way in land, but were by the sea when constructed. Source: My parents (they studied geography at Aberystwyth University)

[@cymro6537]

@@samueldorrington8990 So, in a few centuries time , geographically,Wales will be bigger YEAH !👍🏻😀🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@samueldorrington8990]

@@cymro6537 assuming the world stops warming

[@fghjjjk]

Run up the castle hill many times in the Harlech triathlon

[@willyamboy7899]

where did the sea go ?

[@oldmcdonald6319]

It floated off

[@henryvagincourt4502]

Visit it, you will not be disappointed..

[@golds335]

My grans house was nest to the castle loved it here when i was a kid.

[@TheBeaumarisEcho]

Such a shame you don't pronounce "Harlech" properly.

[@CRAZYHORSE19682003]

Why is the sea so much further away today?

[@garyheather6870]

That's the problem with global warming (not). Sea withdrawal.

[@hotbaconbap6485]

Because the earth changes over time, hasn't been like it is since its making 😂

[@CRAZYHORSE19682003]

@@hotbaconbap6485 I understand that but for such radical changes in the blink of an eye geologically speaking is crazy.

[@samueldorrington8990]

Britain (especially Wales) is slowly rising due to something called isostatic rebound combine this with varied sea levels varying over cooler and warmer periods of histoy. While it's a large area around the castle it's all completely flat as it used to be the sea bed. It would not take a large rise in sea level to flood. Many castles in Wales are actually a surprising way in land, but were by the sea when constructed. Source: My parents (they studied geography at Aberystwyth University)

[@CRAZYHORSE19682003]

@@samueldorrington8990 Thank you so much for the information. Can you ask that since Britain is rising now are there periods where it will be sinking?

[@kathiejohns1418]

I'm from Bangor myself

[@thomasbrookes2266]

if you are an invader then why attack the castle you can just keep the people inside prisoner then take the land around

[@a44489]

Shame about the ppl livin there. Girls good thoe always willing.

[@JonnySublime]

God we lead boring miserable lives.

[@melgrant7404]

Htv television named after lord Harlech

[@thewhitedoncheadle8345]

where is harlick 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️ learn how to pronounce the name before you use it

[@teiloturner2760]

Bruh he is literally from there he said ... c'mon

[@lsd938]

This guy is so handsome...

[@davidbenner2289]

Beautiful? You mean the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia? Yes, the castle is nice.

[@stevezodiac491]

Harlech Castle surrounded by the sea in medieval times ? You couldn't possibly be right ? Global warming and consequential sea level rise because of it is an undeniable fact ? Those envionviromental scientists couldn't possibly be wrong ? Could they ?

[@daviddavies3637]

They're not wrong. Britain is still righting itself after the north was pushed down during the last ice age. And in case you didn't notice, there are earthworks holding the sea back. Tin foil hats not wanted here, thanks.

[@stevezodiac491]

@@daviddavies3637 good, that means that the UK will never be affected by man made global warming sea level rise, as the land continues to rise faster by the glacial ice springing effect. We can look forward to new land being available to us in the future, returned from the sea. I am glad you put that one to bed, no worries now.

[@daviddavies3637]

@@stevezodiac491 Not sure if you're being serious. You do realise that Harlech was built almost 900 years ago, right? At the current rate of global warming, it'll probably be pretty close to the sea again within 100 years, I should think.

[@thomaslewis3071]

Coastlines arent static. They constantly grow or shrink. Its been 900 years.

[@Oogbae]

@@stevezodiac491 What a lunatic hahaha

[@mr31337]

What's this? Dan is a TAFF? Unsubbed!

[@greenriverviews6819]

that song in Zulu! Men of Harlech!!