For centuries, this area of Wales was a crucible of conflict. In Roman times, the Celtic tribes were a perennial nuisance for the legions based at Chester Castle and their continued to harass their English neighbours for generations. Their resistance to English rule led Edward I in the 13th century to contruct his Iron Ring of fortresses along the Dee estuary and the North Wales coast. Each was built a day’s march from its neighbours with the first to be built at Flint in 1277. Beaumaris, Caernarfon, Denbigh, Rhuddlan and Chirk – these magnificent castles represented the cutting- edge military technology of its day. The remains of this massive project, the largest seen in Europe, are still mightily imposing.