🖼️ Four Lions, One Remarkable History | Carew Castle, Wales

marcoteixeira (72)adminin Moments in Focus • last month

Four Lions, One Remarkable History

A flag. Four lions. A remarkable story.

I photographed this banner at the entrance to Carew Castle (Castell Caeriw), during my journey through Wales. The four lions immediately caught my attention, standing out in red and gold against the dramatic sky.

It was one of those images that made me want to discover the history behind what I was seeing.

_{📷 The banner of Owain Glyndŵr at the entrance to Carew Castle, Pembrokeshire, Wales.}

A Flag and a Remarkable History

In September 1400, Owain Glyndŵr led a revolt against English rule in Wales and proclaimed himself Prince of Wales.

His story is closely connected to the history of this country and its determination to preserve its identity.

Wales has always fascinated me for its distinctive character. Even its native language, Welsh, is unlike English and stands apart from the languages most visitors encounter elsewhere in Britain.

This sense of identity is something I remember from the atmosphere surrounding Carew Castle.

What Do the Four Lions Represent?

The banner is divided into four alternating red and gold quarters. Each contains a lion standing upright on its hind legs, a heraldic position known as lion rampant.

These symbols are not simply a modern invention associated with Glyndŵr.

His Great Seal, used between 1404 and 1406, depicts the four lions on his shield and on the trappings of his horse.

According to Museum Wales, the design is connected to the ancient arms of Gwynedd and Glyndŵr’s claim to the title of Prince of Wales.

However, the precise origin of the design is not entirely settled.

One interpretation connects it to the heraldry of the earlier Welsh princes, particularly Llywelyn ap Gruffudd. Another associates its colours and lions with the lineages of Powys Fadog and Deheubarth, both connected to Glyndŵr’s ancestry.

The banner therefore represents more than a rebellion. It also expresses a claim to historical legitimacy.

A Symbol That Endures

Centuries later, the four lions remain associated with the memory of Owain Glyndŵr and Welsh identity. His life is commemorated on 16 September, known as Owain Glyndŵr Day.

Seeing the banner flying at Carew Castle gave that history a tangible presence.

I particularly remember the Welsh atmosphere of the place, with the castle walls behind the flag and the four lions clearly visible against the sky.

If you visit Wales, Carew Castle is a place I would certainly recommend.

📷 Photo Notes

Location: Entrance to Carew Castle (Castell Caeriw), Pembrokeshire, Wales
Subject: Banner associated with Owain Glyndŵr
Photographic approach: Travel, history and cultural photography
What caught my eye: The four lions, the contrasting colours and the dramatic sky