This second opening forms the second main opening to the town. The lower gate along the estuary forms the final main gate although a smaller gate also exists along the estuary wall - the Postern Gate. One of the towers has split almost apart.

Built in the 14th century, Aberconwy House is the only surviving medieval merchant's house in Conwy. It consists of two lower floors of stone which support a half-timbered upper storey that jetties out over the street. I did at one time confuse this with the 15th century Plas Mawr Elizabethan town house which is a much grander building.

The town and castle are built on a promontory. These are formed either from a hard ridge of rock that has resisted the erosive forces that have removed the softer rock to the sides of it, or are the high ground that remains between two river valleys where they form a confluence. This was to prevent undermining. The promontory at Conwy, which is about 15 meters high, was originally surrounded by the river on two sides but land reclamation isolated one side from the river.

This shot shows the length of the wall leading to the estuary. The bridge that can be seen is modern but enters the town just before the castle. Therefore, the size of the town can be guessed at from the photo.

This can be found on the quay wall. It is in the Guinness Book of Records with dimensions of 3.05 metres x 1.8 metres. It was lived in since the 1500s (it was even inhabited by a family at one point) and lived in until 1900 when the owner a (6ft fisherman – Robert Jones) was forced to move out on the grounds of hygiene. The rooms were too small for him to stand up in fully. The house is still owned by his descendants today.

Conwy Castle and the town walls were built on the instructions of Edward I between 1283 and 1289, as part of his conquest of the principality of Wales. English settlers were given incentives to move to the walled garrison town, which for decades the Welsh were forbidden from entering. The castle forms part of the town walls, part of which has been demolished to allow for the modern road which can be seen in the photo.

Conwy folk can sleep well at night knowing they are defended by a 1.2 km (0.75 mile) town wall that was built simultaneously with the castle. It boasts 22 towers and three original gateways. Most of it is walkable. The town walls and castle are amongst the best preserved in Europe and have been accorded World Heritage status.

Conwy's town walls were provided with around 480 arrow loops designed for defence with crossbows. This stretch of the wall overlooks one of the three gates, the Mill Gate.

The towers on the town wall were always open backed. The continuity of the wall walk was maintained by plank bridges, which could be easily removed if a section of wall looked in danger of being captured and would help to isolate the danger.

On the wall outside the Mill Gate can be seen a row of 12 latrine shoots. This example of medieval sanitation was built to serve the needs of 'The Kings Wardrobe' - a body of officials responsible for the administration and finance of the King's military and building activities in north Wales - whose quarters lay against the wall inside.

This is somewhere you wouldn't want to be standing 700 years ago.

This view from inside the Mill Gate shows how formidable the town walls appear.