Twenty members of the Deganwy History Group visited Segontium and then Caernarfon Castle on Tuesday 18th June led by Morgan Ditchburn, an historian and Committee Member who gave a detailed tour of both places.
Segontium lies on a hill on the outskirts of Caernarfon and was founded by Agricola in 77/78 AD after he had suppressed a rebellion by the Ordovices, a British tribe. It was designed to hold a thousand strong regiment of auxiliary infantrymen and was linked by Roman roads to other bases such as Chester, Caerhun and Caerleon.
It was occupied until about 394 AD and in a prime position to control access to fertile and mineral rich Anglesey. It later helped defend the Welsh coast against Irish pirates.
The original fort was built in timber but later in stone. The group explored the present site which was clearly visible in a large field but other parts of the site were covered by houses and a road.Morgan pointed out the barracks, a strong room beneath a shrine and a bathroom which would have had underfloor heating.
Excavations by Sir Mortimer Wheeler in 1921-23 identified four separate building phases. The soldiers’ diet could be deduced from animal bones at the site which ranged from wolf, pig, red deer, ox and boar and would have included seafood from the Menai Straits.
Roman coins found during the excavations helped date events and a sword was found in 1879 which dates from the first century AD. All finds were sent to the Museum in Cardiff and the members of the group expressed concern that items were not retained in North Wales.
When the Roman legions left the country in 394 AD Segontium was left empty until the Welsh Princes took over. Later Edward 1 took stones from the site to use in the building of Caernarfon Castle.
After a lunch break the group continued to the Castle where they had a conducted tour starting with the kitchen area next to the Well Tower and the remains of medieval plumbing where water was filtered through lead pipes pumped up from a 15metre deep well.
Morgan explained that Edward was building three castles at the same time, namely Conwy, Harlech and Caernarfon. Caernarfon Castle was unfinished and she pointed out interior walls which had not been completed.
The Castle was built around a motte and bailey castle and the mound on which this was situated still stands where Charles was invested as Prince of Wales in 1969.
In this area the group was shown an unusual feature in the walls where three separate archers could fire their arrows at the same time.
After visiting the balcony where the late Queen presented Prince Charles to the people of Caernarfon the group saw a short film then proceeded to the Eagle Tower which at present has an exhibition of the Welsh Princes. It was from this Tower that Edward 1 presented his son to the people of Wales and declared him to be the first Prince of Wales.
Morgan then pointed out the Queen’s Tower, originally called the Banner Tower, along with the Chamberlain Tower and Black Tower which were all accommodation and was possibly where the Royal Couple had their apartments. The Queen’s Tower is now home to the Regimental Museum of the Royal Welsh Regiment. The remains of the Great Hall can be seen on the ground.
Everyone wanted to know what the Castle was used for when it was no longer a garrison and were intrigued to find it had been used as a debtor’s prison and a town gaol.
Everyone agreed it had been a most interesting day and Morgan was thanked by the Chairman, Kevin Slatterly.
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