Magical, Fairytale Castle (Castell Coch)

Member Name: cloudwood88

Product:	Castell Coch
Date:	26/01/09 (290 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Beautiful Interiors and Exteriors.

Disadvantages: Not Accessible for Everyone

Castell Coch is situated in the village of Tongwynlais, just outside Cardiff (About 10/15 mins). The Castle is situated on a wooded hillside overlooking the Taff River - and, less fortunately, the M4 Motorway (The M4 isn't very noticeable from the castle, but you can get a nice view of the castle peeking out of the trees from the road.)

HISTORY

The castle is very beautiful inside and out. It is like something from a fairytale. There is an element of make believe in the real history of the castle, as the castle as it currently stands is a Victorian Folly, and was only built in 1891.

The site of the castle does have a longer history - The current castle is built on medieval remains. The site was occupied and castle's built on it from at least the 13th century. A stone castle on the sight was seriously damaged in a 14th century battle, and by the 1800's the castle was a picturesque ruin.

In 1871 the 3rd Marquess of Bute and his architect William Burges undertook a massive rebuilding of the castle into a fantasy medieval castle. The Marquess of Bute had transformed Cardiff Castle (his main home) into a fantasy 19th century medieval palace with Burges in 1868. Both Cardiff Castle and Castell Coch are regarded as masterpieces of later Victorian Gothic Revival design. The castle is small, consisting of three towers.
The castle has drawbridge, and turreted, tall conical roofs. The name Castell Coch means red castle in Welsh, and originally referred to the colour of the roof, although it is now a grey/green colour. Some of the original medieval castle can be seen on the ground level.
The Victorian Gothic style interior décor is amazingly intrecate and detailed. The Drawing Room and Lady Bute's Bedroom have highly decorative ceilings and wall paintings.

Castell Coch was never intended to be a permanent residence, and was instead a summer, holiday residence for the Bute family, who lived mainly in Cardiff Castle. Castell Coch was occupied for a short time in 1900. The Castle was placed in the care of the Ministry of Works in 1950. It is now administered by Cadw - The official guardian of the built heritage of Wales.

VISITING

Castell Coch is a very popular visitor attraction, especially during the summer months. I recommend a visit in the autumn if possible, because of the beautiful autumn leaves in the surrounding forest.

Facilities at the castle include: parking, toilets, cafe, shop, and baby changing facilities. There is limited accessibility at the castle. There are narrow, steep, stone staircases in places, and visiting the inside is not suitable for people with mobility problems or children needing to stay in pushchairs. If you aren't very mobile you can go in and stay on the ground level - but this is the most basic area of the castle, and you might prefer to save the money and just admire the castle from outside.

Prices

Adult - £3.60
Concession - £3.20
Family - £10.40

OPENING TIMES

Currently - Monday - Saturday 9.30 - 16.00, Sunday 11.00 - 16.00.

(Opening Times are usually extended for an hour during the summer months to 17.00. The castle is closed for conservation/cleaning for six weeks each winter.)

I think this represents really good value - the castle is not large, so you won't visit for too long - about an hour - but you can also enjoy the woods if the weather is fine. Young children might not have much patience to really study the intricate rooms, but they will certainly enjoy the overall fairytale impression and aspects such as the drawbridge.

Many people walk and cycle along the Taff Trail to the Castle. The ground can be accessed and enjoyed by everyone without purchasing a ticket.

WEDDINGS

For the ultimate fantasy wedding you can get married in this fairytale castle. Guest numbers, however, are strictly limited during the ceremony - you can only have 30 people in the drawing room, including bride and groom and registrars. The timescale is also strictly limited to 90 minutes. Your other guests can hang out in the castle during the ceremony, but they will miss the actual wedding. If you want a small, intimate ceremony this is perfect. Absolutely magical.

SUMMARY

There are many castles in Wales, and most have a better historical pedigree than Castell Coch. In my opinion though Castell Coch has the most charm of any of them, and makes for the most fun and impressive day out. It's great for impressing International visitors with a fantastical, magical view of Wales.

Summary: Victorian folly at it's most excessive, and wonderful.