- Type
- Castle
- Built
- 1875 · 19th century
- Location
- Wales, United Kingdom
- Style
- Gothic Revival
- Commissioned by
- John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute
- Architect
- William Burges
- Coordinates
- 51.5358°, -3.2547°
History
On a wooded hillside above the Taff valley stood a medieval castle, probably built in the 13th century by the de Clare family on the site of an earlier Norman earthwork, and most likely destroyed in the early 14th century. The ruins of red sandstone, which gave Castell Coch – the red castle – its name, belonged to the Bute family from the 18th century. In 1875 John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute, one of the richest men of his age, commissioned the architect William Burges to rebuild the castle as a summer retreat. Burges died in 1881, and his associate William Frame carried on with the interiors until 1891. The castle has been in state care since 1950.
What to see
The castle has three round towers with pointed roofs, a drawbridge and a portcullis, and its interiors are among the most lavish works of the Gothic Revival in Britain. In the drawing room the walls are painted with Aesop's fables and scenes of nature, and the vault is covered with stars and birds. Lady Bute's bedroom has a tall domed ceiling with rich painted decoration and a splendid bed.
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