Conwy stood on an older Welsh political and religious site. A Cistercian monastery and buildings associated with the princes of Gwynedd occupied the area, while surviving fabric in the town walls preserves work linked to Llywelyn the Great and his grandson Llywelyn ap Gruffudd. The River Conwy crossing explains why Edward I valued the location during the 1282 campaign against the rebellion of Dafydd ap Gruffydd. Edward imposed a new town and castle on the site instead of relying on the earlier fortification at Deganwy. The abbey moved farther up the valley and Deganwy Castle was abandoned, making Conwy part of a political reordering as well as a military project.
Chapter · 5:15-7:51
Welsh site, Edwardian rebuild
The site history connects Welsh princely power, the River Conwy crossing, Edward I's 1282 campaign, abbey relocation, and the abandonment of Deganwy Castle.