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John Northall
Historian and contributing editor to the
Castles of Wales Web Site
e-mail: jdnorthall@gmail.com
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The Castles of Wales web site is pleased to feature John Northall as a principal contributing editor. Mr Northall was born in Bangor, Caernarfonshire, north Wales, and grew up in Mochdre near Colwyn Bay. His home was close to a hill that is topped by a hillfort and the remains of a fortified hall called Llys Euryn, home of the Welsh Chieftain Ednyfed Fychan (1240) and Edward Conway, the sheriff of the county (1565). His interest in ancient monuments was stirred at the age of 10 by a teacher who ran field trips to local historical sites, including Llys Euryn. In his late teens he joined the Royal Air Force. He is currently a software development consultant and has previously worked as a lecturer in computer programming at Bedford College. Mr Northall's wife, Carolyn, is originally from Hayscastle, and they have two children - Bethan & Martyn.
He began a serious study of the ancient monuments of Wales after his marriage at age 24, and over the years has amassed a large collection of guidebooks historical texts, and photographs, particularly for the castles of Wales.
The drawing below by John Northall depicts Hays Castle as it may have appeared in the year 1150. The sketch is based on Mr Northall's observations at the site.
Mr Northall's interest in the castles of the Welsh princes became strong after reading "Castles of the Princes of Gwynedd" by Richard Avent (ISBN 0 11 671134 5), from which he gained a greater appreciation for the fascinating history and design of these often overlooked castles. Since then he has devoted more of his time to the study of these and other lesser known Welsh castles. The Castles of Wales web site is grateful for Mr Northall's contributions, a listing of which can be found below. Persons wishing to discuss any aspect of these articles are encouraged to contact (e-mail) the author directly at: jdnorthall@gmail.com.
Mr. Northall's contributions to the Castles of Wales web site include
Cardigan Castle Uncovered, by John Northall. John gives us an insider's view of this seldom-seen but important Welsh Castle, covering the history of the castles at Cardigan, along with rarely seen photographs.
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