Caernarfon Castle is a medieval fortress in
Caernarfon,
Gwynedd, north-west
Wales cared for by
Cadw, the Welsh Government's historic environment service. There was a
motte-and-bailey castle in the town of
Caernarfon from the late 11th century until 1283 when King
Edward I of England began replacing it with the current stone structure. The Edwardian town and castle acted as the administrative centre of north Wales and as a result the defences were built on a grand scale. There was a deliberate link with Caernarfon's Roman past and the
Roman fort of
Segontium is nearby.