Beaumaris

Beaumaris is a seaside town and community on the eastern shore of the Isle of Anglesey, Wales, facing the Menai Strait and opposite the city of Bangor. It is renowned for its well-preserved medieval town plan and for Beaumaris Castle, a major fortress built by Edward I during his campaign to conquer Wales.

The town was established in the late 13th century as part of Edward I’s strategy to secure the Menai Strait and control over Anglesey. Its development was driven by the construction of Beaumaris Castle, designed by the master mason James of St. George. Construction began around 1295 and continued for several decades, but the castle was never completed. Architecturally, Beaumaris Castle is celebrated for its concentric defensive design and its high level of preservation, and it is considered one of the most technically sophisticated medieval fortresses in Britain. In 1986, it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd.

Beaumaris retains a largely intact medieval street grid, with timber-framed and stone houses that line its quays and lanes. The town also contains Beaumaris Gaol, a 19th-century prison now operated as a museum, and the parish church of St Mary, a local landmark. Today, Beaumaris is a popular tourist destination, drawing visitors with its castle, historic waterfront, shops, and access to Anglesey’s coastal scenery, while continuing to serve as a local service center for the surrounding area. The population of the town is in the low thousands.