It was the Plantagenets who built the wall of castles, not the so called Anglo-Normans. What is an Anglo-Norman? There were Angles & Saxons who shared the crown of Britain before England became a part of the Danish empire, consolidating themselves as English before being defeated by the Normans. Our king Gruffudd ap Llywelyn was killed by his own men in 1063, who knows what could have happened if he'd held on for another 3 years. England lost to the Normans in 1066. William didn't bother us (The Cymry (Welsh) that is, a third of his army was Breton, Welsh speakers 'returning home' whom he settled on the borders of Cymru (Wales). William Rufus, his son' opened the floodgates allowing his barons to cross the border beginning at Chepstow creating the Marcher Lordships, they kept their own laws independent of the king, yet allowed Welsh autonomy. The Normans intermarried with the Plantagenets thereby creating the Angevin empire. Not only is there no such thing as Anglo-Normans but the north Walian ring of castles was not built by the 'Anglo-Normans', but rather by the Plantagenet Edward I, king of a European empire based in Aquitaine, speaking neither English nor Norman but Occitan. The Plantagenets were eventually overthrown in 1485 by the Welshman Henry Tudor. Bynn Walters There were the Cymry (Britons, or in the Germanic languages of the time 'Welsh) who ruled the land from the borders of Caledonia (Strathclyde or Ystrad Clud) to 'Lands End' before for historical reasons crossing to Armorica renaming the land 'Llydaw/Breizh/Brittany. The Northumbrian Angles (Germans) fought many battles against the Strathclyde 'Welsh' & the Gwynedd 'Welsh, sometimes winning, sometimes losing. At the same time the Irish of Dalreada expanded into Welsh territory pushing us against the Germanic invaders creating a Brythonic exile to the north of our present Cymru (Wales). Towards the end of the 7th century we lost our crown but have fought back ever since to hold on to a semblance of a country and a semblance of pride. Taliesin's 6th c. prophecy was that we would lose our land (except Wild Wales) but not our language, yet there are people in Wales today who want to see us losing our language and with it an ancient heritage? I say shame on them.