A force of Welsh and Irish men led by Gruffydd ap Llywelyn, a Welsh prince attacked and burnt the building.

Aelfgar, earl of Mercia was outlawed by the witan. In revenge he built a force and allied himself with Welsh Gruffydd ap Llywelyn. After defeating the King's nephew, Radulf, they attacked Hereford and raided the church killing several canons and taking everything of value leaving the building on fire. The rebels also attacked Leominster.

Death of Athelstan, bishop of Hereford; succeeded by Leofgar, who tried to take reprisals against Gruffydd, the Welsh Prince.

In reponse to the attack on Hereford Catherdal, Leofgar the bishop of Hereford took an army into Wales to deal with the Welsh prince. In battle Gruffydd ap Llywelyn killed the bishop and others near Glasbury on Wye. Earl Godwin raised an army in response but the two side eventually came to peaceful terms and Aelfgar was later restored to his position.

Harold led an attack on the stronghold of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn at Rhuddlan in north Wales. The attack was a success but the Welsh Prince managed to escape.

Harold invaded south Wales while Tostig of Northumbria attacked the north.

The Welsh Prince, Gruffydd ap Llywelyn, was killed by his own men. (Need to find out why)

A Norman army attacked the northern Welsh town of Bangor and destroyed the Cathedral there.

Roger Fitz Osbern joined an unsuccessful uprising against the king and lost. The castle then passed to the crown.

William the Conqueror visited South Wales and St. David's. He met Rhys ap Tewdwr, the ruler of the area and allowed him to remain in control of the region for a yearly sum of money.

William the Conqueror may have ordered the creation of a castle at Cardiff during his tour of Southern Wales. The first castle on the site would have been a motte and bailey type and it was built on the site of existing Roman fortifications.

The Norman baron, Roger de Montgomery, had a motte and bailey castle constructed at Cardigan as he attempted to control the Welsh.

Gerard of Windsor built a motte and bailey castle on the Daugleddau creek in south Wales around this time. The land on which the castle was built was given to Gerard when he married Princess Nest. The castle is called Carew Castle.

Nest, the wife of Gerald de Windsor, was abducted along with her children possibly from Cilgerrran Castle. She was abducted by one of her own relatives, Owain ap Cadwgan.

At Aberystwyth in Wales an improved castle was built by the Norman Gilbert de Clare replacing an earlier fort. This castle was also known as Aberrheidol Castle.

The Welsh led by Grufydd ap Rhys attacked both Llandovery and Carmarthen Castles.

The Normans were defeated in battle at Crug Mawr, south west Wales, by a Welsh army. Cilgerran Castle then fell to the Welsh.

Llansteffan Castle was captured by the Welsh.

King Henry II invaded the northern territories of the Welsh Prince Owain Gwynedd. At truce was agreed and the Welsh Prince paid homage to English King.

Welsh leader Ifor Bach attacked the castle and kidnapped William Fitzcount, the Lord of Glamorgan, along with his family.

King Henry II invaded Deheubarth taking Lord Rhys prisoner and confiscated his lands. Rhys was released a few weeks later. This prompted Lord Rhys to make an alliance with Owain Gwynedd, the Prince of Gwynedd to create an army to stand up to the Anglo-Normans.

In an attempt to finally bring the Welsh princes under control King Henry II took a large army into north Wales. But the Welsh princes had combined their forces to create a single army of Welsh that matched the strength of the English. The Welsh had the advantage of terrain that they knew and this forced the English king to abandon his plans and return home.

King Henry II granted territories of south Wales including Cardiganshire to Rhys, the Prince of Wales.

Abergavenny Castle was captured from William de Braose by Sitsyllt ap Dwfnwal, a Welsh Chieftain. The castle was restored to Braose by Sitsyllt and the Chieftain was invited to a feast to celebrate its return. Instead of a friendly meeting Braose had Sitsyllt ap Dwfnwal and his guests murdered.

In 1182 Abergavenny Castle was invaded by the sons of Sitsyllt in revenge for the death of their father.

Dingstow (Dingestow) Castle was under construction by 1182, in the form of a motte and bailey. Located near Monmouth in south Wales.

In 1189 William Marshal married Isabel, the heiress of Earl Richard de Clare. Isabel's castles passed to William including Pembroke Castle.

In this year Rhys ap Gruffydd, The Lord Rhys captured the castle at Kidwelly from the Normans. It is possible that he repaired its structure at this time.

William de Camville had been granted Llansteffan Castle by King Henry II and rebuilding work started in 1192.

After the death of Rhys ap Gruffydd, Lord Rhys, his eldest son Gruffydd ap Rhys was generally accepted as his successor, but not by his brother Maelgwn. With the help of Gwenwynwyn ap Owain, the ruler of the areas around mid Wales, Maelgwn invaded the lands of South Wales controlled by Gruffydd his brother. The invaders managed to capture the town and castle at Aberystwyth.

Gwenwynwyn ap Owain exchanged his prisoner, Gruffydd ap Rhys, for a castle(?). Gruffydd ap Rhys was transferred to Corfe Castle. Maelgwn extended his control over the South or Wales.

William Marshall captured the Welsh castle at Cilgerran in Pembrokeshire from the Welsh.

The castle at Aberystwyth was demolished by Maelgwyn, the brother of the then Lord of Cardiganshire. Maelgwyn had risen up in revolt against his brother and put him in prison. Maelgwyn had first captured the castle but decided to destroy it because Llywelyn the Great was threatening to attack Maelgwyn's lands and he feared the that castle could fall into Llywelyn's hands.

King John used Haverfordwest Castle as a staging post before and after travelling to Ireland.

King John took an army into Wales and subdued the princes of the regions. John and Llywelyn the Great of Wales reached an agreement and a peace treaty was signed.

The castle at Abervagenny was captured from King John's forces by Llewellyn.

Llewellyn's fight against the Normans continued with the capture of Cilgerran Castle.

Rhys Grug, another son of the Lord Rhys, captured and burnt the castle at Kidwelly. The Welsh held the castle for several years until Llywelyn the Great forced its restoration to the Normans .

Hubert de Burgh improved the defences at Grosmont Castle, including the gatehouse and towers.

Llywelyn, the Prince of Wales, began raiding Pembrokeshire to retake land that he accused William Marshall, the younger, of stealing. This included Wiston Castle.

Llyewelyn the Great started the construction of this Welsh castle.

Llywelyn, the Prince of Wales, had captured the castles at Carmarthen and Cardigan but both were recaptured by William Marshall, the younger.

William Marshall, the younger, recaptured the castle at Cilgerran from Llywelyn ap Iorwerth.

Hubert de Burgh had become a powerful Lord in the Welsh Marshes, controlling castles such as Cardigan and Carmarthen. He began to threaten the local Welsh leaders.

King Henry III was at Gloucester where he summonsed Richard Marshall. When the Earl refused to attend Henry called for an army to be formed to deal with the rebellion.

King Henry III's army was camped at Grosmont Castle when they were attacked in the night by a force of Welsh and English rebels. Several of Henry's supporters were captured and the castle was returned to Hubert de Burgh, one of the rebels.

When Maud, the last of the Marshal line, died in 1245 Chepstow Castle was passed to her son Roger Bigod II, Earl of Norfolk.

Llywelyn ap Gruffudd declared himself ruler of North Wales and had given himself the title of Prince of Wales. King Henry III told Prince Edward that he would not help remove Llywelyn from power and Edward would have to do that himself if he wanted his inheritance.

Under their leader, Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, the Welsh invaded the northern coastal areas that had agreed to English rule. Prince Edward, who had been given the areas to administer himself by his father King Henry III asked his father for help but Henry refused.

King Henry III relented to his son's demands for assistance to fight the Welsh, and joined him on a campaign to retake the territories lost to the Welsh under Llywelyn.

Llywelyn received the support of the native lords in Wales and declared himself the 'Prince of Wales'. Under him, a united Welsh nation was ready to defend itself from the English.

Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, the 'Prince of Wales' rose up against the English and attacked the castle at Tenby. He also laid siege to Builth Wells Castle with siege engines.

Llywelyn attacked Hawarden Castle because Henry de Montfort had promised to hand the castle over to the Welsh but had failed to honour the agreement.

The Treaty of Shrewsbury was an agreement between King Henry III of England and Llywelyn the Prince of Wales. Henry recognised Llywelyn's position as Prince of Wales in return for a regular payment. Also known as the Treaty of Montgomery.

Construction of the castle at Caerphilly was begun in 1268 under the control of Gilbert de Clare.

The Welsh attacked the castle during its construction and set it alight. It appears that the conflict could have become out of control but King Henry III intervened and Llywelyn withdrew to leave de Clare to restart the building work.

Llywelyn ap Gruffydd of Wales had consistently failed to do homage to King Edward I. He had been paying sums of money to the English crown as agreed in the Treaty of Shrewsbury drawn up in 1267 but after the death of King Henry III the payments had stopped. Edward's repeated demands for a meeting with Llywelyn were ignored. In an attempt to stir up internal problems in England Llywelyn sent to France for Eleanor de Montfort who had been promised to him as a bride for his support of King Henry III in the Baronial revolt against the English King. Eleanor was captured by the English on the journey and was then held prisoner by Edward. Edward finally had to accept Llywelyn as a rebel and so began his war on the Welsh. Feudal levies were called for in June 1277 allowing an army to be raised via the feudal system to supports the King's war with the Welsh.

Before the main army could be assembled Edward ordered that the Marchers and the smaller permanent forces attached to the royal household were to be sent out in three detachments. Although not much headway was made in the north the south and central districts abandoned their allegiance to Llywelyn. Roger Mortimer was able to force Llywelyn to retreat from Powys northwards. It was soon clear that the only area the Llywelyn had any control over was the north of Wales.

Reconstruction of the castle at Aberystwyth was begun by the English during King Edward I's conflict with Llywelyn ap Gruffydd.

King Edward I called for feudal levies to be collected to pay for his war against the Welsh prince who had repeatedly refused to pay him homage.

As part of the plans to defeat Llywelyn, King Edward I ordered the construction of Flint Castle in Clwyd. Edward had been impressed by fortified town and castle combinations he had seen on his travels in France and Flint Castle was designed in the same manor. The castle was completed in 1280.

Joined by a force of some 800 cavalry and 2500 infantry at Worcester, King Edward I moved north to Chester. Edward's forces then proceeded to move along the north coast of Wales. His advance was impeded by dense forest which offered the Welsh good opportunities to launch surprise attacks on the English troops. Edward built a wide road through the forests building fortified posts along the way. The force of soldiers were on a forty-days service agreement and after that some returned home. Edward retained some by paying them extra for their services.

Leaving work on Flint Castle underway King Edward I moved on up the coast to Rhuddlan where he found the remains of an old Norman Motte and Bailey castle overlooking an important crossing point of the river Clywd. A new castle was ordered and work began to create both the castle and a new town alongside.

Another castle was built by King Edward I's master castle builder, James of St. George in North Wales.

The Welsh attacked and burnt the castle at Aberystwyth and its town.

When Dafydd ap Gruffyd rebelled against King Edward the Welsh area Dyffryn Clwyd became was granted to Reginald de Grey as a Marcher Lordship. Reginald was granted the castle at Ruthin.

David ap Gruffydd attacked and took control the castle at Hawarden. The constable, Roger de Clifford, was captured during the attack.

David, Llywelyn's brother, rose up in revolt. Llywelyn, even though he had sworn fealty to Edward, joined his brother in the fight against the English.

King Edward had called for the feudal army to gather at Rhuddlan in August to put down the Welsh revolt. Edward and Eleanor's daughter Elizabeth was born at Rhuddlan at this time.

Luke de Tany, on the side of the English, had taken control of Anglesey. The plan was attack the Welsh rebels from the north and so a bridge of boats was constructed across the Menai Straits that separate Anglesey from Wales. The Welsh were waiting for the English in force and the English plan failed. Many of the English knights drowned when the boat bridge was destroyed.

Whilst fighting in the south of Wales Llywelyn was killed. He had moved to the rear of his army feeling secure with the way the war was progressing. A detachment of English found a way across the river Wye which Llywelyn was using for protection and moved around the rear of the Welsh army where the Prince was. Before Llywelyn could rejoin his army he was cut down and killed. His head was cut off and taken to the King Edward. Llywelyn's brother David carried on the fight against the English for another six months.

After capturing Dolwyddelan, Edward moved up the river Conwy to its mouth and a new castle was ordered. The castle's design and size were chosen to prove the royal power of the English King. Construction work lasted until 1297.

Edward and his master castle builder started the reconstruction of a new castle at Caernarfon.

After the death of Lleweyln Edward was free to occupy all the previous strongholds of the Welsh Princes. In 1283 Edward attacked and captured the Welsh castle at Dolyyddlan.

Edward moved around the Welsh coast to attack and capture the Welsh castle at Criccieth. He then moved on and ordered another castle to be built at Harlech. In the summer of 1283 King Edward provided money to improved the defences at Criccieth Castle.

David the brother of Llywelyn was handed over to the king by his own supporters who had already surrendered. He was taken to Shrewsbury Castle where a Parliament met and sentenced him to death by execution.

Dafydd was found guilty of high treason and sentenced to death. His punishment for betraying the King was to be drawn, hanged and quartered.

King Edward I ordered reconstruction work at Aberystwyth Castle after it had been burnt and damaged in an earlier Welsh attack.

In the summer of 1287, Rhys ap Maredudd, the Lord of Dryslwyn rebelled against King Edward I. Although Rhys ap Maredudd had assisted the English King in the past, he accused Edward of treating him unfairly over taxes. The rebels burned several towns including Swansea and Carmarthen.

After Dryslwyn Castle fell to the English, Rhys ap Maredudd fled to Newcastle Emlyn Castle. The English took their siege engines to the castle and a siege began. The warfare continued over the winter period.

Eleanor of Castile, the wife of King Edward I died while travelling in the North with the King. Eleanor had been suffering with illness for some time and the cold and damp of the Winter months probably aggravated her condition.

King Edward I granted Lawrence of Ludlow a licence to fortify his manor house at Stokesay.

Madog ap Llywelyn, one of the Welsh rebels, attacked and burnt Caernarfon Castle.

King Edward I need money and men for his war with the French and sent tax collectors into Wales. In response the tax collectors were hung and a rebellion began in the north of Wales led by Morgan. Denbigh Castle and its town were attacked during the Welsh uprising. The rebellion spread to the south of the country,

Edward needed an army to fight in France and ordered the Welsh to provide men to meet at Shrewsbury. Unwilling to fight abroad, the Welsh took the opportunity to rise up against an English army reduced in numbers due to the problems in France. Edward once again had to fight the Welsh. One of the leaders of this revolt was Madog ap Llywelyn.

Bad weatther and unusually high tides prevented Edward advancing against the rebels and after spending Christmas at Conwy Castle Edward's attempts to defeat the Welsh were further hampered by losses of supplies to the Welsh. The king held his position at Conwy Castle waiting for improved weather and to receive supplies by sea.

Supplies reached Edward at Conwy castle and he was able to march against the Welsh. By April had occupied Anglesey.

Hugh Despenser began obtaining lands in South Wales. He did this by exchanging estates he held in England and by obtaining grants from the king. He even obtained the Isle of Lundy. When the last male heir of the Marcher Lord Braose family died, Despenser was able to obtain the land that the family owned in and around Swansea. This angered the other Marcher Lords as they had customs that allowed land to pass into the hands of one another. The Marcher Lords threatened to start a civil war and it was agreed that a Parliament should be called to settle the matter. It was also agreed that Despenser was to be held in custody by Lancaster until the meeting but Despenser refused.

Richard returned to England landing in Wales where he became a fugitive. He was captured at Conwy Castle and at a meeting with Bolingbroke at Flint Castle agreed to surrender himself and the throne of England. Richard was transferred to Pontefract Castle where he was imprisoned.

What started as a land dispute between Owain Glyndwr, a wealthy land owner in Wales and his rival Lord Grey of Rutin quickly escalated into a revolt when the English King Henry IV sided with Rutin and awarded him the land.

Owain Glyndwr's revolt spread and he proclaimed himself the Prince of Wales. He was joined by the Tudor brothers from Anglesey and began guerrilla warfare against the English in the North of Wales and the Marcher Lords in the centre.

King Henry IV moved into North Wales to try and stop the rebellion of Owain Glyndwr, but he was not able to deal with the Welsh rebels, who were more skilled at fighting in the terrain.

King Henry IV gave his son Prince Henry, the future Henry V, the task of defeating Owain Glyndwr in North Wales. As the boy was only 13 years old, Hotspur a knight and jouster of importance was given the role of guardian over the Prince. Hotspur was the son of Henry Percy the Earl of Northumberland.

After accusing the king of not paying his army, Hotspur resigned his guardianship of the king's son in North Wales and he left to resume fighting the Scots.

The king assembled an army at Shrewsbury Castle in preparation to fight Owain Glyndwr.

Edmund Mortimer's army met Owain Glyndwr at Pilleth near Whitton in central Wales. Mortimer's army was badly defeated and Mortimer was captured. Glyndwr offered to release Mortimer for a large ransom, but Henry IV refused to pay.

The castle at Abergavenny was attacked and burnt by Owain Glyndwr.

The Norman Llansteffan Castle was attacked by Owain Glyndwr. Glyndwr may have held the castle for a short time until it was retaken by Sir John Penress (Pennes).

Owain Glyndwr's forces attacked Kidwelly Castle managing to set fire to the unfinished gatehouse but did not capture the castle.

Owain Glyndwr attacked and badly damaged Weobley Castle.

Prince Henry, now sixteen, took control of this army in Wales. He took his troops looking for Owain Owain Glyndwr but could not find him and so burnt villages and killed any prisoners that were taken. Henry's main problem, like Hotspur's before him was that the King was not providing enough money to pay the English troops.

The Welsh captured Harlech Castle and the fortress became the base for Owain Glyndwr's revolt.

Owain Glyndwr attacked and captured the town of Cardiff and its castle.

Owain Glyndwr captured the town of Aberystwyth and its castle after a lengthy blockade.

Bangor Cathedral was captured by Owain Glyndwr after a siege and destroyed by fire.

Owain Glyndwr called a Parliament where he declared himself to be the true 'Prince of Wales'. Embassies from France and Scotland attended the meeting and gave promises to support Glyndwr's plans to overthrow Henry IV.

Owain Glyndwr, Edmund Mortimer and the Earl of Northumberland combine forces and share the same goal of removing Henry IV. They agreed to divide England and Wales in three, Owain taking Wales and the west of England, the Earl to take the north of England and the north Midlands. Mortimer could have the rest.

English forces fought and defeated Welsh forces in two battles at Grosmont and Usk. Sir John Talbot defeated Owain Glyndwr at Grosmont and Prince Henry forced the Welsh to flee at Usk. Glyndwr's eldest son was captured at Usk and sent to the Tower of London where he died.

Prince Henry laid siege to the castle at Aberystwyth in an attempt to remove the Welsh who had captured it in 1404.

The English besiege the Welsh in Harlech Castle.

The Welsh surrender the castle at Aberyswyth. They had held out for a year. Prince Henry had tried destroying the castle with canons but had no success.

The Welsh in Harlech Castle surrender to the English and the revolt of Welsh comes to an end. Edmund Mortimer was killed.

Carreg Cennen Castle was captured from the Lancastrians by the Yorkists. To prevent it from being used as a castle again 500 men were employed to take it apart. The castle has remained a ruin ever since.

William Herbert was given the title of Constable of Harlech Castle by Edward IV and told to capture the castle from the Lancatrians. But the castle was strongly fortified and a lengthy siege began.

King Louis XI of France provided Jasper Tudor, the Earl of Pembroke, with three ships and fifty soldiers to invade Wales. The small invasion force planned to gain support against Edward IV and help the Lancastrian garrison trapped at Harlech Castle. The castle was surrounded by the English so Pembroke attacked and occupied Denbigh gaining many supporters. Lord Herbert was dispatched to deal with the threat and defeated Pembroke who managed to escape.

Since 1642 Caernarfon Castle had been held by Royalist forces for Charles I, but Parliamentarian forces attacked and captured the castle.

Parliamentary forces led by Colonel Laugharne captured Pill Fort and the Royalists garrisoned at Haverfordwest Castle panicked and fled leaving the castle open for Laugharne's men to take.

Cromwell ordered that the castle at Haverfordwest should be demolished.