Criccieth truly is a castle to capture the imagination. Sitting on its own rocky headland between two beaches it commands spectacular views over the town and across the broad sweep of Cardigan Bay. Llywelyn ap Iorwerth (Llywelyn the Great) was the first to create the immense gatehouse and D-shaped stone towers. A successor in the form of his grandson Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (Llywelyn the Last) added the outer ward, curtain walls and two new towers. This rocky fortress wasn’t enough to withstand the invasion of the great Edward I. The English king swiftly set about making a few improvements of his own, equipping a stone-throwing machine to the north tower to deter Welsh attacks. Until 1404, it was still in English hands, when the towers were burnt red by Owain Glyndŵr. Without a guardian, Criccieth and it’s castle became entirely Welsh once more.