CONWY CASTLE

AND

ORME'S HEAD COPPER MINES

 

 

STONE ARCH OVER GREAT HALL

 

CONWY CASTLE

 

Conwy castle is very distinctive perched on a rock promontory, jutting out into the river Conwy on the north west coast of Wales. When it was built in 1283 it must have been an impressive sight, as when it was completed in 1287 it was rendered in lime wash, a white castle sitting on dalk rocky base! It's walls wrap round the town so not only the castle inhabitent's who would have been protected against attack.

It was one of the castles built by Edward I when he conquered the area but it seems that it's grandure didn't last long as it was falling into disrepair by 1321 and had to undergo major restoration in 1347.

 

SORRY DOUGAL YOU'LL NEVER HIT ME FROM THERE!

(SOUTH WEST TOWER)

Dispite all this, most of the main outer constuction remains intact and enough of the inner walls to work out what the rooms were used for. As you walk round you can still imagine the grandure of what Edward I would have seen when it was completed.

 

FIRE PLACE IN THE GREAT HALL

My favourite parts would have to be the prision tower, the machicolations (murder holes above the west barbican) for dropping rocks etc. on invaders! and the idea of the King sitting above the chapel looking down on the priest giving Mass, with a privy behind him.  

 

PHILB SURVEYING THE ROUTE AHEAD!

 

GREAT ORME COPPER MINES

 

 

ORMES HEAD COPPER MINE

The Bronze age copper mines on Ormes Head just above Llandudno in north west Wales were found in 1987 and have been dated from between 1860 B.C and 600 B.C and so far over 4 miles of tunnels have been found.

The Bronze age miners didn't have explosives or large drills they had to mine the copper with stone hammers and bone scrapers, if the rock was too hard to mine they would set fires to weaken the rock in the tunnels. To do this safely they must have blocked and unblocked tunnels to control the air flow.

 

OK, BUTTON YOU CAN COME BACK NOW!!

They have also found a large cavern in the mine that has been dated to over 3,500 years old. Above this chamber a possible open cast mine has been discovered, but this could have possibly been another underground chamber which roof has since collapsed.

The copper that they mined had many uses but is a soft metal on it's own, when it is mixed with tin it forms the alloy, Bronze! The nearest supply of tin to the mines is in Cornwall so it shows long distance trade, as it is a round trip of 500 miles! This would would have also made it a valuable commodity to have!

 

STRANGE GROUP OF PEOPLE WEARING EVEN STRANGER HATS!

 

For a more detailed report of the NWFF trip by Phil B, and lots more photo's!!!

Click on the link below!

http://www.trenchphil.co.uk/conwy.htm

and even more photo's here..

http://www.tilthammer.com/trench/conwy/index.html