Castell Coch, or “Red Castle”, is well-known for its highly decorated interiors and rich furnishings.
It is a popular attraction, regularly voted by the public as their “favourite building in Wales”, according to Cadw.
Describing the South Wales castle, the Welsh Government service added: “Given free rein by the third Marquess of Bute, architect William Burges didn’t hold back.
“The highly decorated interiors and rich furnishings of Castell Coch make it a dazzling masterpiece of the High Victorian era.
“But it’s no exotic folly. Underneath the mock-medieval trappings you can still trace the impressive remains of a 13th-century castle, once used as a hunting lodge by the ruthless Marcher lord Gilbert de Clare.”
The history behind Castell Coch
Castell Coch, which is located above the village of Tongwynlais and can be seen from the M4, dates back to the 11th century.
You can see Castell Coch from the M4. (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto) A Norman castle was originally built on the site to protect Cardiff and the route along the River Taff.
The ruins of this castle were then acquired by John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute, in 1760, as part of a marriage settlement, BBC Countryfile explains.
“He commissioned the architect William Burges to rebuild the castle as a country residence – after having commissioned Burges to also design the reconstruction of Cardiff Castle,” the BBC experts added.
Burges then set about creating a “magnificent medieval fantasy” built around the two towers and a lofty hall from Gilbert de Clare’s 13th-century fortress.
Cadw explains: “He rebuilt the gatehouse, raised the height of the towers and equipped them with conical roofs topped with copper-gilt weathervanes.
“He installed a wall-walk and a timber fighting gallery.
“But this authentic recreation still came with all mod cons, including central heating. There was even a metal bell-pull for visitors to tug.”
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However, the Earl of Bute fell out of love with the project before its completion, and with Burges dying suddenly in 1881, some rooms were never finished.
The castle eventually fell into disuse until it was requisitioned for British and American troops during World War II.
In 1950, the 5th Marquess of Bute placed the castle in the care of the Ministry of Works, and gave Cardiff Castle to the city, according to BBC Countryfile.
The castle is now cared for by Cadw.
Which TV shows and movies have been filmed at Castell Coch?
Castell Coch recently featured on a list of “the 10 utterly breathtaking, real-life Disney castles from around the world”, released by BBC Countryfile.
And while it hasn’t featured in any Disney movies or TV shows, it has played host to various film crews.
The BBC used Castell Coch for the filming of Wolf Hall, starring Damian Lewis, while The Worst Witch was also filmed there.
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The South Wales castle has also featured in several episodes of Doctor Who, according to IMDb, including:
- Journey’s End
- The Vampires of Venice
- Nightmare in Silver
You can visit Castell Coch all year round, with ticket prices starting at £7.50 (free for Cadw members).
For more information, visit the Cadw website (a link to which can be found above).