Castell Coch, Fairytale Castle Near Cardiff
The Marquess of Bute's Romantic Folly in South Wales
It would be forgivable for a driver on the M4 to do a double take near Cardiff, the capital city of Wales.High on the steep, wooded hillside is a castle which looks as if it has come straight out of a fairytale by the Brothers Grimm.
The fact that the castle is surrounded by tall pines adds to the Bavarian feel, but this isn’t Germany’s Black Forest, this is still the Principality.
The Marquess of Bute and William Burgess
Castell Coch, Welsh for red castle, was built in the 1870’s for John Chrichton-Stuart, the 3rd Marquess of Bute. The Bute family had acquired huge estates in South Wales through marriage to local heiress Charlotte Windsor and Chrichton-Stuart was considered the richest man in the world in the latter half of the 19th century.
Whereas much of the family wealth had come from the industrialisation of Cardiff, the 3rd Marquess had a great interest in the Medieval, and he and his great friend, architect William Burgess collaborated on several projects, including Cardiff castle.
Burgess designed Castell Coch in the style of a medieval chieftain’s stronghold, and evidence shows that it was built on the ruins of an actual 13th Century fort. Initially it was designed as a summer residence for the Marquess, but it was never fully occupied.
Sadly, Burgess died in 1881 so never saw his vision completed, Castell Coch would not be finished until ten years after his death. The castle was, however, completed faithfully to the detailed diagrams and drawings he left behind.
Castell Coch
Visitors enter the castle via a drawbridge across a dry moat and move into the ‘D’ shaped courtyard through a tunnel guarded by a working portcullis. The three towers, the Keep, the Kitchen Tower and the Well tower each stand three stories high and are topped by conical roofs. A covered walkway links the towers and encircles the courtyard.
The towers hold the fantastically decorated bedroom suites designed by Burgess for the Marquess and his family. In style, they are a romantic vision of what Victorians perceived medieval rooms of this stature to look like. As with Burgess’ work at Cardiff Castle and also the family estate on the Isle of Bute in Scotland, they are considered amongst the finest examples of the Victorian Gothic style in the UK.
The castle, along with several other Bute properties in Cardiff was handed over to the Ministry of Works around 1950. Castell Coch is now maintained and run by Cadw, (Welsh for keep), who are the, ‘Historic Environment Division’, of the Welsh Assembly Government.
The castle has appeared in a number of films and television series, most recently in the climax to the fourth series of Doctor Who, (which is filmed in Cardiff), where it was used ironically as a Bavarian castle.
Castell Coch – Opening Times and Prices
April – October
Monday to Sunday 9:00am to 5:00pm
November – March
Monday to Thursday 9:30am to 4:00pm
Sunday 11:00am to 4:00pm
Last admittance to the castle is 30 minutes before closing time.
Adult - £3.60, Concession - £3.20, Family - £10.40
Free entry for Welsh residents over the age of 60 and under the age of 16 with a valid pass.
Accommodation in Cardiff
Accommodation in Cardiff at all prices is plentiful, with the usual range of chain hotels, independent properties and bed and breakfasts. Visitors to Cardiff should check for events in the city such as Millennium Stadium rugby matches or big concerts as hotels in Cardiff book up very early when these are on.
Castell Coch, Cardiff
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