Harlech Castle: Fortress of the Men of Stone

Harlech Castle seems to grow from the rock itself, its massive walls and towers commanding views across Cardigan Bay to Snowdonia. Built by Edward I between 1283 and 1289, it has witnessed some of the most dramatic sieges in British history—events immortalized in the stirring anthem “Men of Harlech.” The courage and suffering of those sieges echo through the castle to this day.

The History

The Iron Ring

Designed by Master James of St George, Harlech features the classic concentric castle design—walls within walls, each higher than the last. The castle could be supplied by sea via a fortified stairway cut into the cliff.

The Sieges

Harlech’s fame rests on its sieges:

• 1404: Owain Glyndŵr captured the castle after a long siege, making it his capital
• 1408: English forces recaptured it
• 1468: During the Wars of the Roses, Harlech held out for the Lancastrians for seven years—the longest siege in British history

The 1468 siege inspired “Men of Harlech,” still sung as an unofficial Welsh anthem.

The Hauntings

The Men of Harlech

Phantom soldiers from the great siege of 1468 are the most commonly reported apparitions:

• Gaunt men in medieval armor
• Moving purposefully along the walls
• Some appear wounded or dying
• They seem unaware of modern observers

Visitors report overwhelming feelings of determination and despair—emotions appropriate to men who held out for seven years.

Glyndŵr’s Shadow

The spirit of Owain Glyndŵr, the last Welsh Prince of Wales to be proclaimed by native Welsh people, has been reported:

• A regal figure in royal robes
• Standing in what was his great hall
• His presence brings pride and fierce independence
• He vanishes if anyone approaches

The Cliff Stairway Phantom

The 127-step stairway to the old seagate is haunted:

• Footsteps ascending when no one is there
• A figure in medieval dress climbing the stairs
• Some have felt invisible hands pushing them
• The sense of desperate urgency, as if bringing vital supplies

The Starving Children

During the long sieges, children as well as soldiers suffered:

• Small figures have been seen in the inner ward
• They appear emaciated and weak
• The sound of children crying has been heard
• Their presence brings overwhelming sadness

Modern Investigations

Paranormal researchers have recorded:

• Audio anomalies resembling medieval Welsh
• Temperature variations up to 15 degrees
• Electromagnetic spikes during significant dates
• Photographs showing armored figures on the battlements

Visiting

Harlech Castle is a UNESCO World Heritage Site managed by Cadw. The castle and its stunning clifftop setting remain one of Wales’s most impressive historic sites.

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The Men of Harlech held these walls for seven years, enduring hunger, disease, and constant attack rather than surrender. Their spirits, it seems, hold them still.