Cardiff Castle, Cardiff, United Kingdomcastles,

Cardiff Castle

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www.cardiffcastle.com

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> United Kingdom
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> Wales
> Cardiff

Contributed by:

Ali_JJ83

12-02-2018

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Ranked #23 of 105 in United Kingdom

Ranked #4 of 8 in Wales

Ranked #1 of 2 in Cardiff

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cardiff Castle

Cardiff Castle (Welsh: Castell Caerdydd) is a medieval castle and Victorian Gothic revival mansion located in the city centre of Cardiff, Wales. The original motte and bailey castle was built in the late 11th century by Norman invaders on top of a 3rd-century Roman fort. The castle was commissioned either by William the Conqueror or by Robert Fitzhamon, and formed the heart of the medieval town of Cardiff and the Marcher Lord territory of Glamorgan. In the 12th century the castle began to be rebuilt in stone, probably by Robert of Gloucester, with a shell keep and substantial defensive walls being erected. Further work was conducted by The 6th Earl of Gloucester in the second half of the 13th century. Cardiff Castle was repeatedly involved in the conflicts between the Anglo-Normans and the Welsh, being attacked several times in the 12th century, and stormed in 1404 during the revolt of Owain Glyndŵr.

After being held by the de Clare and Despenser families for several centuries, the castle was acquired by The 13th Earl of Warwick and Comte de Aumale in 1423. Lord Warwick conducted extensive work on the castle, founding the main range on the west side of the castle, dominated by a tall octagonal tower. Following the Wars of the Roses, the status of the castle as a Marcher territory was revoked and its military significance began to decline. The Herbert family took over the property in 1550, remodelling parts of the main range and carrying out construction work in the outer bailey, then occupied by Cardiff's Shire Hall and other buildings. During the English Civil War Cardiff Castle was initially taken by a...

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Reviews (1)

Ali_JJ83

User's rating:

12-06-2018

When I first walked into the grounds of Cardiff Castle, I was mesmerised. Somewhat strangely situated right in the centre of the capital of Wales, the city having sprung up around it, Cardiff Castle is an eclectic mix of medieval castle and Victorian mansion. Over the past 2000 years, it has undergone many a transformation. It began life as a Roman fort, the foundations of which are still incorporated into the castle's outer walls. It was then used as a Norman stronghold, with the Normans adding the keep for extra protection. During the Tudor period, it was inhabited by the Herbert family before finally being transformed into the castle we see today by the architect William Burges in the 1860s, and is one of the most extravagant examples of Gothic Revival in the UK. There are many parts to Cardiff Castle so you certainly will not be bored on a day out there. The grounds themselves are worthy of a stroll around, taking in the perfect views of the whole estate. Highlights of the castle include: the animal wall; the Norman keep; the Roman wall; the clock tower; the wartime shelters; the trebuchet and the castle apartments. The animal wall is one of the most photographed icons of Cardiff and has inspired many an author, most famously Dorothy Howard Rowlands. The clock tower is also a highly recognisable sight of the city; built during the renovation in the 1860s, it houses some of the most famous rooms of the castle. The trebuchet – a military weapon which uses a swinging arm to catapult objects – is a 13th century replica built specially for use in the film Ironclad by local carpenters. The wartime shelters are a series of tunnels within the castle walls themselves and acted as air-raid shelters during the Second World War. It is certainly worth taking a tour of the interior of the castle as there is so much beauty to see. The Third Marquess of Bute – the owner of the castle and the person who instructed Burges to renovate during the Victorian era – was an incredibly wealthy man, and this shows in every single room. Throughout the inside of the castle are elaborate wood carvings, stained glass and beautiful murals. Probably the most magnificent of all the rooms is the Arab Room, located in the Herbert tower; it is particularly famous for its Moorish-inspired ceiling. My personal favourite part of the castle was the wartime shelters. I have a great interest in the world wars and it was fascinating to see how they had built dormitories with kitchens, bunk beds and toilets into the walls, imagining all the people who would hurry there when the sirens sounded across the city. Cardiff Castle has a long and varied history, which is still continuing now: for a quarter of a decade in the 20th century, it acted as the home of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and now various musical events are performed in the grounds, including concerts by high-profile stars such as Tom Jones. It is definitely worth spending a whole day here to get under the skin of the building, be enchanted by its sumptuous interiors and enthralled by stories of days gone past.

Comment Comments (0)

There are many parts to Cardiff Castle so you certainly will not be bored on a day out there. The grounds themselves are worthy of a stroll around, taking in the perfect views of the whole estate. Highlights of the castle include: the animal wall; the Norman keep; the Roman wall; the clock tower; the wartime shelters; the trebuchet and the castle apartments.

The animal wall is one of the most photographed icons of Cardiff and has inspired many an author, most famously Dorothy Howard Rowlands. The clock tower is also a highly recognisable sight of the city; built during the renovation in the 1860s, it houses some of the most famous rooms of the castle. The trebuchet – a military weapon which uses a swinging arm to catapult objects – is a 13th century replica built specially for use in the film Ironclad by local carpenters. The wartime shelters are a series of tunnels within the castle walls themselves and acted as air-raid shelters during the Second World War.

It is certainly worth taking a tour of the interior of the castle as there is so much beauty to see. The Third Marquess of Bute – the owner of the castle and the person who instructed Burges to renovate during the Victorian era – was an incredibly wealthy man, and this shows in every single room. Throughout the inside of the castle are elaborate wood carvings, stained glass and beautiful murals. Probably the most magnificent of all the rooms is the Arab Room, located in the Herbert tower; it is particularly famous for its Moorish-inspired ceiling.

My personal favourite part of the castle was the wartime shelters. I have a great interest in the world wars and it was fascinating to see how they had built dormitories with kitchens, bunk beds and toilets into the walls, imagining all the people who would hurry there when the sirens sounded across the city.

Cardiff Castle has a long and varied history, which is still continuing now: for a quarter of a decade in the 20th century, it acted as the home of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and now various musical events are performed in the grounds, including concerts by high-profile stars such as Tom Jones. It is definitely worth spending a whole day here to get under the skin of the building, be enchanted by its sumptuous interiors and enthralled by stories of days gone past.