Latitude: 53.1165 / 53°6'59"N
Longitude: -4.1141 / 4°6'50"W
OS Eastings: 258603
OS Northings: 359793
OS Grid: SH586597
Mapcode National: GBR 5Q.7P2Q
Mapcode Global: WH54M.SX2P
Plus Code: 9C5Q4V8P+J8
Entry Name: Dolbadarn Castle
Listing Date: 28 May 1999
Last Amended: 28 May 1999
Grade: I
Source: Cadw
Source ID: 21854
Building Class: Defence
ID on this website: 300021854
Location: Situated on a natural rock outcrop in a strategic position at the north-west end of Llyn Peris, the castle forms a prominent feature in the landscape.
County: Gwynedd
Community: Llanberis
Community: Llanberis
Locality: Pentre-castell
Traditional County: Caernarfonshire
Tagged with: Castle Castle of the Welsh princes
Probably built by Llywelyn ap Iorweth (1173-1240) towards the end of his life, the castle was partly dismantled after the English conquest, some of the timber being taken to Caernarfon for use in the royal castle there in 1284. The curtain wall and outbuildings, of which only fragmentary ruins survive, post-date the keep and may have been added by the English. The castle has been painted by many artists, including Turner.
Castle keep. Circular plan surviving to about 14.5m in height. Regularly coursed and tightly-packed slate-stone slabs, now roofless. Original entrance on north-western side with steeply pointed arch approached by wide flight of C20 external steps; another steeply pointed arch directly above. A well-preserved lean-to garderobe tower projects to the left of the entrance and a series of narrow rectangular windows to the right indicates the position of the internal spiral staircase.
Interior is roofless; internal spiral staircase remains along with the remnants of 2 large fireplaces and empty sockets for joist and beam ends of the former floor structures.
Listed Grade I as a well-preserved example of a C13 native Welsh castle with circular shell keep.
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