Castell Dolforwyn

Ruined symbol of Welsh defiance

Built by Welsh lord Llywelyn ap Gruffydd (Llywelyn the Last) in 1273 on hill above the Severn Valley, Castell Dolforwyn was a flashpoint in Anglo-Welsh relations from the very beginning. When word reached King Edward I about the castle, he wrote to Llewelyn forbidding him to continue with the construction. Llewelyn responded that he did not need the king’s permission to build on his own land and carried on regardless.

Unfortunately, Llywelyn’s defiance was to be short-lived. Marcher lord Roger Mortimer took Dolforwyn in 1277 after a two-week siege. The castle was abandoned in the 14th century, falling into disrepair until comparatively recent excavations uncovered its crumbling remains.