Beaumaris — The £684 Secret

Your investigation begins at the main entrance of Beaumaris Castle, whose construction was ordered by Edward I of England in 1295. This Cadw monument, part of the UNESCO Edwardian Castles and Town Walls of North Wales listed in 1986, was meant to complete the conquest of Wales. As a master builder, you examine the ramparts, approximately 1 km in perimeter, and the towers reaching 18 meters in height. The architectural ambition is evident, but construction ceased abruptly, leaving the fortress unfinished, a mystery to historians for centuries. How much of the £684 is missing to complete this masterpiece of military architecture?

Moving slightly away from the castle, you cross the site of the former medieval village of Llanfaes, razed in 1295 to allow for the construction of Beaumaris. Archaeological excavations have revealed 13th-century artifacts, bearing witness to daily life before the Edwardian conquest. This now peaceful sandy beach hides the ghosts of a brutal past. Your mission then leads you to the historic town center of Beaumaris, ranked among the Most Beautiful Towns in Britain. The cobbled streets lined with half-timbered houses preserve Edwardian architecture, and the market square recalls royal fairs authorized by Edward I's charters as early as 1296. These places, though transformed, retain the imprint of royal decisions.

Your journey takes you to Beaumaris Gaol, built in 1829 and operating until 1878. Though more recent than the castle, it illustrates the continuity of royal power and justice in North Wales. Its original cells, with a historical capacity of about 40, preserve 19th-century prisoner graffiti, some with detailed drawings. These marks on the walls, vestiges of past lives, might hold unsuspected information about the Victorian judicial system and, who knows, about secrets related to the administration of crown funds. The exhibition on capital punishment adjacent to the courthouse reminds us of the era's severity.

St Mary and St Nicholas Church, founded in the 14th century and rebuilt in 1838 in a Victorian Gothic style, is another stop on your investigation in Beaumaris. It contains stained glass windows and funerary monuments of local noble families from the 17th-18th centuries, such as the Bulkeleys. Sheriff James de Bulkeley, a local landowner from 1685 to 1766, could have had connections to local administration and resource management. By studying these symbols of power and influence, you seek clues about the destination of the missing sums. Every stone in Beaumaris seems to whisper stories of families and fortunes.

Your quest concludes on Beaumaris Pier, a Victorian structure built in 1872 and 233 meters long. A historic departure point for cruises to Puffin Island and for observing seabirds and seals since the 19th century, it offers panoramic views of Beaumaris Bay and the Menai Strait. These waters have seen ships carrying materials for the castle, but also potential treasures or diverted funds. As Edward I's master builder, you leave Beaumaris with a clearer vision of the challenges and mysteries surrounding this unfinished fortress, having explored the streets and monuments that bear witness to the complex history of North Wales and its Cadw Historic Monument heritage. Your report to Edward I will be rich in revelations about those £684.