Why did Edward I build castles in North Wales?
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Why did Edward I build so many “state of the art” castles in northern Wales? Dr Sam Willis has described Edward I as,” the greatest castle building king this country has ever seen”. He went on to say, "his castles were his Arthurian Camelot, a tool to conquer and then recolonise". Dan Jones has commented, "every Plantagenet king with exception of Richard I has come to Wales and all departed having barely left a footprint. Edward I ended that trend emphatically".
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St Teilo’s Church, now lovingly re-erected within the open-air precinct of St Fagan’s Museum of Welsh Life, is a remarkable testament to Wales’s medieval and 16th century heritage. Originally constructed in the early 16th century, this humble parish church was painstakingly dismantled, transported, and restored to its former glory — not least its dazzling wall paintings, which have been carefully recreated with scholarly precision. These vivid murals, brought back to life through meticulous craftsmanship, offer visitors a rare window into the devotional art and storytelling of the late medieval period. Stepping inside St Teilo’s, you’re transported back half a millennium, immersed in a world where faith, community, and artistic expression converged on plastered walls that still speak with vibrant colour and enduring power.