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Beaumaris in English, Biwmaris in Welsh, Beau Maryes in Norman French, meaning Beautiful Marsh, was the last of Edward I's great castles ringing the heartland of the troublesome Welsh. Situated on the north east coast of Anglesey it protects the northern entry to the Menai Straits, as Caernarfon a few miles away guards the southern entrance to the Straits.
Built between 1295 and 1330 it is the most symmetrical of Edward's castles and employs the most advanced designs of the time. A large inner ward is protected by two concentric curtain walls separated by a 60 foot wide outer ward controlled from the top of the inner walls. The whole is surrounded by a wide moat.

The castle was never completed, in particular the north gate, designed to mirrror the south gate where the multi-layered defensive features are still visible.

A dull day with featureless skies provided an ideal opportunity to practice substituting skies and HDR techniques. It is not so easy to get natural-looking results!