Last Day in Conwy

I have to play some catch up as I have not blogged since Conwy. I could have blogged last night but I was too tired.

Oct 7th

We toured Plas Mawr a restored Elizabethan Home and the Conwy Castle today.

Conwy is a walled town. It was walled in by Edward the 1^st because he had just had a battle to subdue the Welsh. They had acknowledged the English as sovereigns during his father’s reign, but when he came onto the throne they refused to submit. So he waged war against them, chasing them into a stronghold in Snowdonia. In order to cut the leaders off and maintain his hold on the land he had a series of great castles and walled towns built. They were so well built, at great expense, they required only 30 soldiers per castle to garrison them. This was in about 1280. The castle is now in a state of disrepair as it was last used in 1640. It used to have a glowing white plaster finish and many of the beams are gone that roofed the halls.Me at the Castle
It is still huge and impressive.

The Plas Mawr was built in 1580 and has been restored at great expense. We were alone for our tour from 930-1100. All the plaster work has been restored. The women represented the master’s idea of Greek statuary he had seen. The severed heads of Englishmen were part of his heraldic crest. The house was very large as he was a wealthy man who wanted to impress visitors with his importance.

Me at the Plas Mar

Me with the severed head.