Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 7.djvu/337

CAERNARVON CASTLE. 237 CAERNARVON CASTLE. Immediately after the execution of Prince David at Shrewsbury in 1283, Edward I. began to take active mea- sures for securing the entire possession of the kingdom of Wales ; and amongst the dilTerent objects to which his attention was directed, the erection of fortresses claimed his first consideration. Without these, indeed, he could retain but a very shght and uncertain footing in his newly acquired territory. Within six weeks, therefore, after the death of this last Welsh Prince, he commenced building the Castle of Caernarvon. An entry on the Liberate Roll of this year authorises the allowance of fifty-four shilhngs and eight- pence to Roger Sprengehuse, Sheriff of Salop, for the expenses of 40 carpenters sent to Caernarvon, and also of nine pounds five shillings for 200 footmen, sent from the county of Shrop- shire to the same place, for their protection.* The Sheriff of Nottingham was also allowed three pounds two shillings and sixpence for an equal number of this class of w^orkmen sent for their assistance from Nottingham.^ The Sheriff of Rutland had previously received his expenses for twenty masons and their foreman whom he had sent by the King's command to Conway, wdiilst the monarch was there, in the nth year of his reign ; thus showing that Conway Castle preceded Caernarvon, though but a few" months, in the date of its commencement.^ At the same time that Edward was carrying on these plans for their coercion, he w^as not inattentive to the civil rights of the inhabitants ; for having in the 11th ^^ear of his reign granted a charter to the people of Caernarvon, in now confirming it, ho decreed that the Constable of his Castle, for the time being, should also be Mayor of the borough."* It is quite impossible, in the absence of any specific evidences, to ascertain what portion of the buildings was ' Liberate Roll, 12 Edw. I., m. 1. Teste Aprilis. Rege apud Lampader, x. die Novembris. ^ Liberate Roll, 1 1 Edw. L,m. 2. Teste Ibid. Teste Rege apud Eere, i. die No- Rege apud Acton Uimiel, xxviii. die Octo- vembris. bris. - Liberate Roll, 12 Edw. I., m. 4. Teste ^ Welsh Roll, 12 Edw. L, in. 3. No. 14. Rege apud Kaeron Arvan, xxviii. die TesteRegeapud Fiyut,viii.dieSeptembris.