Caernavon is one of the most impressive castles in Wales. Located at the southern end of the Menai Strait between north Wales and Anglesey, it was strategically situated on the shoreline as a symbol of English Dominance over the Welch. Its construction was initiated by Edward I in 1283 and succeeded a Roman Fort and then a Norman motte and bailey. Within the strong walls of the site Edward incorporated a town and market destroying the original Welsh settlement. Despite Caernavon’s two lines of defence in the town and castle walls, it’s ostentatious architecture, lavish accommodation towers and great halls reveal its intended purpose as a palace for the dynasty of the new Prince of Wales.
In Piper’s Caernavon III the angular towers and crenellated gateways of Edward I’s castle are beautifully delineated yet barely shaded, giving the fortress a luminous glow. A masterly topographical draughtsman, Piper demonstrates his passion for architecture in this detailed yet impressionistic watercolour. Piper painted the magnificent ruins of Caernavon on several occasions during his time in Wales, where he kept a holiday home with his wife Myfanwy.
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