Page:Medieval Military Architecture in England (volume 1).djvu/338

314 MedicEval Military Architecture. Conway, Criccaeth, and Harlech, were in progress together, and nothing short of the hope of consoHdating his kingdom could have induced so economical a sovereign as Edward to incur expenses which, in one year, for Caernarvon alone, amounted to above ;£3,ooo. The king was here for the first time in 1284, in which year, April 25th, Edward of Caernarvon was born, probably in the town. By 1295 so little progress had been made that the Welsh, rising in local insurrection, succeeded in burning the town, and taking what was then executed of the castle. How much was then built, or how much they left standing is unknown, but from that time quicker progress was made, and at Edward's death the castle was certainly in a forward state. The work was continued and completed by his son. The Eagle Tower was covered in in 13 16, and the king's BaTTL EMENTS - £a GLE- rOWER , CAER NAR VQJK statue set up over the great gate in 1320, and by 1322 the castle was completed for defensive purposes. The chamberlain of North Wales seems to have resided here,, and the Exchequer Tower was so called because here were deposited the financial returns for the northern counties, but it may be doubted whether the grand accommodations designed by the original architect for the visits of the sovereign were ever actually executed. The castle fell into the hands of Owain Glendwr, and was held alternately by king and parliament during the Great Rebellion. One of the many valuable papers contributed by the late Mr. Harts- horne to the Journal of the Archceological Institute contains an excellent history of this castle ; had that gentleman bent himself also to the easier task of its description, this account would have been uncalled for.