CAERNAR'VON (Caer-ya-ar-Fon, Fort opposite Mon or Anglesea), a parliamentary and municipal borough and seaport in North Wales, the capital of Caernarvonshire, situ ated near the s. end of the Menai strait, on the right bank of the Seiont, 245 in. n.w. of London. C. has a castle situated at the w. of the town, the building of which was commenced by Edward I. in 12S4. It is one of the noblest ruins in the king dom, the walls being still entire, and inclosing an oblong of three acres. The walls are '7 to 9 ft. thick, and are pierced by a covered gallery, with loop-holes to discharge arrows. There are thirteen embattled towers, with five, six, or eight sides, and sur mounted by turrets. The gateway under the great square tower has four portcullises. The town itself was once Surrounded by walls and round towers. These walls, with several of the gates, still exist, but are now within the town. The streets are narrow, but regular, and at right angles to each other. In the churches and chapels, the services are in Welsh and English. C. unites with Pwllheli, Nevin, Criccieth, Conway, and Bangor in returning one member to parliament. In 1876, 939 vessels, with a burden of 73,275 tons, entered, and 1900 vessels, with a burden of 144,584 tons, cleared the port, chiefly small-craft and steamers to and from Liverpool. The harbor admits of ships of
400 tons. The chief exports are copper ore, coal, and slates. There is also a great iron and brass foundry. C. is a bathing place, and is much frequented by tourists, on account of its vicinity to the grandest scenery in North Wales. Many families of the upper ranks reside in and around the town. Pop. '71, 9449. Half a mile from C. are the remains, 'covering seven acres, of Segontium, or Caer Seiont, a Roman station or city. Gold, silver, and copper coins and ornaments, and other Roman relics, have been found here. There is a Roman fort on the left bank of the Seiont, still almost coin plete, with walls 11 ft. high, and 6 ft. thick, and with parallel rows of holes 3 in. in diameter. C. was the seat of the native princes of North Wales down to 873. In 1284 was born here the first Anglo-Norman prince of Wales, afterwards the unhappy Edward II. In 1294, the town and castle were burned, and the English inhabitants massacred by the Welsh under Madoc, the illegitimate son of Llewelyn, a native prince of Wales. From a rocky height near Uxbridge hotel, there is a flue view of Snowdon and the island of Anglesea.