Photographs of Criccieth Castle

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Criccieth Castle is a native Welsh castle on a rocky peninsula in Tremadog Bay overlooking Criccieth, Gwynedd, in North Wales. The Inner Ward with the imposing Gate House was built by Llywelyn the Great of the kingdom of Gwynedd in the 1230s. In the 1260's Llywelyn's grandson, Llywelyn ap Gruffydd (also known as "the Last") added a curtain wall which encompassed the entire promontory and formed the outer ward. It had a simple gateway on the south face and a large rectangular tower at the southwest corner which may have served as the keep. The Castle was heavily modified after its capture by English forces of Edward I in the late 13th century. Just two years after its completion in 1292, the English stronghold withstood its first siege, from Welsh rebels led by Madog ap Llywelyn. In 1315 Criccieth Castle was abruptly brought down when Owain Glyndwr led the last major Welsh rebellion against the English and tore down the stone walls and burned the castle. It was never repaired.