February 2006
More Welsh castles

Following the successful completion of the project at Beaumaris last year (see news item for February 2005) Photarc was awarded the survey of Harlech castle in west Wales by CADW.

Harlech has one of the most spectacular positions of any castle in the country perched as it is on the edge of a 50m high crag with commanding views over Cardigan Bay and Snowdonia. Harlech formed one of the ring of north Wales castles built by Master James of St George for Edward I and was completed in 1289. It was occupied for five years in the early 15th century by Owen Glyn Dwr and after further sieges fell into Yorkist hands in 1468 and surrendered to Parliamentarian forces in 1647. At this point it was to be demolished but, fortunately, the order was never carried out. In 1987 along with Beaumaris, Caernarfon and Conwy castles it was placed on the World Heritage List.

The project consisted of the photogrammetric survey of the elevations of the inner ward and of the outer wall of the castle. It required the judicious use of ropes and harnesses to be able to cover the west facing outer wall and not a single surveyor was lost. This was another significant project of over 250 stereo pairs and was completed by the very tight deadline imposed.
For other examples of architectural projects undertaken by Photarc click here.