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Chepstow Castle (Monmouthshire, Wales)
by SWSt The castles of South Wales are often unfairly left in the shadow of their better-known North Welsh counterparts. Most people have heard of (and probably visited) castles like Conway, yet far fewer have been to Caerphilly or Chepstow. And that's a shame, because they are just as impressive as their northern counterparts; hidden gems are ... definitely worth a visit if you find yourself in the area. Getting There ------------------- Chepstow Castle is very easy to reach by car since it is close to the town centre. There is a car park right by the castle, but if you can't find your way to that, don't worry as there are plenty of others scattered throughout the town centre, all of which are less than 10 minutes' walk away. Town Centre car parks are pretty reasonably priced (around £1.50 for 2 hours parking), although some are quite small, so you might need to try a few before you find a space. If you're feeling particularly cheeky, you can do what Mrs SWSt and I did and park in the Tesco car park on the edge of the town where you can get up to three hours free parking and easy access to the town centre and castle. Reaching the castle on foot is not quite so simple. We left our car and followed the usual brown signs to the castle, only to find that these soon dried up, leaving us to have to guess the best way to reach it. Although the castle is always in view, the rounds around it are typical of small market towns and often wind around on themselves, so that we seemed to view the castle from almost every angle without ever quite being able to get to it! However, since Chepstow is such a pleasant little town, this is not exactly a great hardship. A Quick History Lesson ------------------------------- Chepstow Castle is one of the earliest stone built castles in the country, with some sections dating back to Norman times. It has enjoyed a long history as a castle and been rebuilt and developed substantially during the 1000 years or so it has been standing. This makes it really interesting to walk around, as you can see how it developed over the centuries, changing from a defensive fortress in its early years, through to a more luxurious dwelling place in Tudor times, before taking on a defensive role once more during the Civil War. The castle has been built in distinct phases, with each owner and era making their mark. The castle stands on a hill and follows the bend of the river, which it overlooks. As such, it has a more distinctive shape than many castles. Rather than the traditional square or circular floor plan, Chepstow is very long and narrow - an ideal shape for defensive purposes! Chepstow Today ---------------------- One of the first things that will strike you about Chepstow Castle is its size. From outside, it doesn't look terribly large, and you think it will probably only take around 30-45 minutes to walk around. Only once inside do you realise its true size. Whilst it is quite narrow, it seems to stretch on and on, with section after section climbing up the hill. Mrs SWSt and I spent around 2 hours in there and enjoyed every single minute of it. In fact, Chepstow quickly inserted itself into my list of favourite castles! The ruins of the main hall (the oldest surviving part of the castle) are very impressive and make you realise how stunning (and intimidating) it must have been when first built. There are towers to climb which offer stunning views across the town of Chepstow and the surrounding countryside and these help you appreciate how big the castle really is and the incredible feat of engineering it represents. It also does a very good job of telling you about its history. Information boards are placed in pretty much every part of the castle grounds and within some of the buildings, telling you when those particular areas were built and some of their history. These are accompanied by floor plans (which help you see how that room links up with the rest of the ruins) and artist's impressions (showing what the room might have looked like when it was fully functional). These boards are very interesting to read and contain just the right level of detail - enough to help you understand the function of those rooms without swamping you with too many facts and figures. Prices ------- Best of all is the price. The 2011 price for adult admission to the castle is just £4.00 (£3.60 for concessions). This is superb value for money. English Heritage members can get in for free if they have been members for more than 12 months, or for half price if not. As noted above, we easily spent around 2 hours in there and thoroughly enjoyed it. Accessibility ------------------ As with most castles, of course, there are some accessibility issues. The entranceway to the castle is quite steep and, since the whole site is build around the shape of a hill, there are further steep inclines inside, with the upper parts of the castle being significantly higher than the lower levels. The remaining towers and some of the surviving upper walls will also be inaccessible since they are reached via steep, narrow steps. Even if you are good on your feet, I'd recommend you wear a pair of sturdy shoes from your visit, as the stonework around the castle is uneven from centuries of use and can get be slippery when wet. Facilities at the site are fairly limited. There is a small gift shop, selling the standard fare offered at all castles in Wales. The only toilets are outside the castle, near the entrance to the car park, so you'd be advised to visit them before you visit the castle, otherwise you will need to come out of the site to use them. Other than this, that is pretty much it. However, this is not really an issue, since Chepstow town centre is very close to hand. Conclusion --------------- Chepstow Castle is a hidden gem amongst Welsh castles and deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as its more famous North Welsh counterparts. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that it is arguably better. A stunning castle giving a real insight into the way castles developed, offering fantastic views and with very reasonable admissions prices. If castles are your thing, then Chepstow should definitely be on your must-visit list. http://cadw.wales.gov.uk/daysout/chepstow-castle/?lang=en © Copyright SWSt 2011s Read the complete review |
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Castell Coch (Cardiff)
by SWSt Continuing the tour of castles and abbeys which I've been writing about recently, we come to the curiosity that is Castell Coch. Sitting on a hillside a couple of miles out of Cardiff, Castell Coch (or Red Castle) is a stunning looking fairy tale castle and a testament to what a combination of too much money and a romanticised view of ... the past can do! Getting There ------------------- Castell Coch is very easy to find. It's clearly signed from the A470, which is the main road linking Cardiff with the South Wales Valleys. Take the exit for Taffs Well and from here, the castle is very well signed and less than a five minute drive. The only thing to watch out for is that the entrance to the castle driveway can be quite easy to miss, since it's located on a corner and up a fairly steep hill. Let the Train Take the Strain ------------------------------------ Ironically, if you really want to appreciate the beauty of Castell Coch, I'd recommend getting the train from the Valleys into Cardiff first. Shortly after you pass thorough Taffs Well station, you get a magnificent view of the castle sitting proudly on top of its hill and looking out over Cardiff and the surrounding area. Viewing it in this way gives you a better chance to see the castle as a whole - something which you lose slightly, the closer to it you get. All History is Bunk ------------------------- Castell Coch is a fascinating (if odd) mix of the old and the (relatively) new. The site on which it is built is the site of a genuine medieval castle, although there is very little of that now. In the late 19th Century, however, the Marquis of Bute (reputedly the richest man in the world at that point) and the parrot obsessed architect/designer William Burges decided to rebuild it from scratch. Rather than using a template of the other famous castles in Wales, they decided to create a fairy tale castle based on those which can be found on the banks of the Rhine. They supplemented these using historical manuscripts to inform the layout and design of the castle, together with a healthy dose of imagination! In other words, in some ways the castle is an authentic German castle built on the banks of the River Taff. However, where historical fact didn't suit them (or where there was no evidence to the contrary) they built it on the lines of what they THOUGHT a medieval castle should look like, rather than on reality! The Castle Today ---------------------- Since it is actually a relatively modern structure, the castle is still pretty much complete and large parts of it - including several of the turreted towers - are accessible to visitors. Although a relatively small property, there is actually a lot to see - although some areas may be inaccessible to anyone with mobility problems, since many of the rooms are on upper levels, up a number of steps. The rooms themselves are fascinating, and whilst they are very over the top, it is unlikely you will ever have seen anything like it (unless you are familiar with Burges' style, in which case it is instantly recognisable). Burges and Bute drew their inspiration from every source imaginable and tried to cram all these themes into the castle decoration. As a result, every room has so much detail that it is incredible. Intricately drawn wall decorations feature animals by the dozen, walls and ceilings incorporate images from legends, fables and mythologies from across the world. One room, for example, contains several depictions of tales from Aesop's Fables and it's fascinating to look around you and see how many of the fables you can identify. Some rooms are dominated by massive, colourful statues of figures from Greek mythology, whilst another room contains a graphical portrayal of the supposed hierarchical nature of the universe, rising up to the ceiling. Every room is a riot of colour and there is so much detail and so many things for you to try and spot that you can easily find yourself losing a good 90 minutes inside the castle. Even if you think that the incredibly ornate decoration is rather vulgar and over-the-top (I do!), it's hard not to be impressed by the scale and grandeur of the vision, the riot of colour and competing architectural styles which make up this romanticised vision of life in a medieval castle. Mind you, the in-your-face nature of the decoration does mean that whilst Castell Coch is a nice place to visit, you wouldn't want to live there - at least not without a steady supply of migraine tablets! This is probably the one major criticism of the site. Impressive though the decoration is, after a while, it does become a little overwhelming. Even today, the castle has a "lived in" feel to it as though it was only vacated recently - which is ironic since Bute hardly every stayed there. Indeed, you wouldn't be at all surprised if you encountered some servants scurrying about their business as you look around or Bute and Burges themselves standing discussing architectural plans. One thing is for certain, Castell Coch is very different from the dusty, dry, ruined castles you normally see. I've visited the castle several times over the years, as I used to live in the area, and I've never failed to enjoy it. Since it is on a much smaller scale and essentially purpose built as a folly, I don't mind the elaborate decorations and pompous statues. Certainly, I find it much more enjoyable than Cardiff Castle (another Bute/Burges collaboration) which for me is a genuine medieval castle which has been ruined by the pair. There are also a number of excellent exhibitions scattered throughout the property which chart the development of the castle and how Bute and Burges (who died before the castle was completed) went about reconstructing it. They also point out some of the things you should look for as you walk around the castle and might otherwise miss. It is a shame that the rooms themselves don't contain some of this information (the castle is still decked out as though it is lived in, so there are no information boards in any of the rooms), as if you have missed something, it means backtracking if you want to see it properly. Since it sits on top of a large hill, many of the rooms also offer stunning views across Cardiff and the surrounding area and it's almost worth going just to look out of the windows. There are also some very pleasant woodland walks in the area immediately surrounding the castle, which makes it a very nice place to spend a warm, summer afternoon (not that we had many of those this year). A Costly Business? ------------------------- Not at all. Castell Coch may have cost a fortune to build and furnish, but today's visitor is in for a pleasant surprise. 2011 admission prices are £3.80 for adults and £3.40 concessions. There's easily an hour's worth of looking for that price, and if you want to, you could easily spend twice that taking in the detail in every room. Facilities ------------ Facilities at the site are quite limited. Essentially, there is a car park (usually adequate for the amount of visitors), a small gift shop (selling the usual CADW/historical site stuff), a tea room (which we didn't visit) and a couple of toilets. However, since Cardiff is so close by, you can always pop into there to get your fix of retail therapy! Castell Coch is a very different example of castle and a stunning example of what one man's money and one man's (slightly odd) vision can achieve. Ridiculous, over-the-top, exuberant and imposing, whether you like Burges' style or not, Castell Coch really has to be seen to be believed. Basic Information ----------------------- Castell Coch Cardiff South Glamorgan CF15 7JS 029 2081 0101 http://cadw.wales.gov.uk/daysout/castell-coch/?lang=en © Copyright SWSt 2011 Read the complete review |
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Llancaiach Fawr Manor House (Wales)
by SWSt It's funny isn't it? For over 8 years, I lived within about 10 minutes' drive of Llancaiach Fawr, but never actually went there, yet when I was on holiday last year, happily drove across around 50 miles to visit it. Getting There ------------------ Llancaiach Fawr is located just outside the village of Nelson, near ... Pontypridd in South Wales. The A470 provides the easiest point of access and the property is well-signed on the usual brown signs. There is a large, free car park at the site, so you should have no difficulty either finding it or parking. A Quick History Lesson ------------------------------- Llancaiach Fawr (pronounced Clan Ki Ak Faw Ur") is a fortified manor house dating from the mid 1600s, but which was still used a working farmhouse until the 20th century. During its heyday in the Civil War period, it was home to an important local family (the Pritchards) who played a key role in keeping South Wales neutral during that conflict, much to the dismay of Charles I who visited the Pritchards at Llancaiach to try and enlist their support. Don't Make Such An Exhibition --------------------------------------- Before entering the house, visitors pass through an exhibition area. The idea of this is to take you back in time through the house's history. It starts in the mid 20th century, when the property was semi-derelict and slowly takes you back into the 1640s, when the house was built. This exhibition gives you a sense of both the history of the house itself and wider events that happened during the past 400 years and which impacted on the house and its inhabitants. It particularly concentrates on the Civil War period, which is when the owners were at the height of their powers. Although the exhibition was well laid out and the winding path around it gave you a sense of moving back in time, I was actually a little disappointed with it. Much of the information was overly simplistic and seemed to be aimed primarily at children (something which is understandable, since it is a popular destination for local school trips.) However, it also lacked much by way of any real interaction and there was a lot of reading. I was left with the impression that the exhibition was too basic for most adults and too dull for children A Walk Back in Time ---------------------------- Although the exhibition is a little disappointing, Llancaiach Fawr has to be given top marks when it comes to creating a sense of time. This is something that starts from the moment you pay your entrance fee. Instead of a normal ticket, you are given a "letter of introduction" written by Colonel Pritchard (the owner during that turbulent Civil War period) asking his servants to let you into the house in his absence. As you go around, you may encounter several "servants", all dressed in period costume and speaking "olde English" who will be happy to act as your guide if wish. We overheard several of these speaking to some of the visiting school groups and they were very good. Their language was authentic sounding, without be so thick and colloquial as to be unintelligible. They also did a very good job of making the history of the house come to life, talking about it as if it were still a fully functioning 17th century manor house. Holding the attention of a bunch of 30 ten year-olds is not an easy job, but the "servants" had them enthralled. If you prefer, you can walk around the manor house unaccompanied, which is what Mrs SWSt and I chose to do. Since we are both historians by trade, we felt we did not need accompanying. We also found the little bit of interaction we had at the entrance with one of the servants made us feel uncomfortable - we just wanted to have a look around, not get involved in olde English. In fairness, the person who stamped our ticket recognised this and switched to "normal English" and it's clear that the staff are well-trained and don't force things on you. Although none of the original manor furnishings survive, each room has been furnished with period pieces. So, whilst none of the furniture has any actual connections to the house, each room has been sympathetically reconstructed to give a good idea of what they would probably have looked like. It was genuinely fascinating to walk around the house and it has all been very faithfully reconstructed. The fact that the house is so complete (its basic structure has barely changed since it was built) really does help you to feel as though you have stepped back in time. It was slightly disappointing to see that there was no extra information provided anywhere in the house - no information boards, no plaques or pictures, nothing. Obviously, this is because it is supposed to be a "history experience", a living museum and the idea is that the "servants" tell you the history. However, given that visitors do have a choice between a guided or non-guided tour, you would have thought there would have been the option to pick up a leaflet guide to each room, or have an audio tour available. Certainly, having chosen to look around by ourselves, we did feel that we probably missed out on some things that would normally have been talked about by the servants. Children Everywhere! ----------------------------- It's clear that at certain times of the year, one of Llancaiach's main activities is to provide "living history lessons" for school children. When we went around there were several school parties being taken around each room by "servants" and talked to at some length. This made it quite awkward for your ordinary visitor to get to some areas, as there were children sitting on every bit of floor space. Indeed, there were a couple of rooms that we didn't see, as they were simply too crowded for us to get in and we had no idea how long they would be in there. We didn't feel that this particularly spoiled our visit, but you do need to bear it in mind. The 21st Century Experience ------------------------------------ Sadly, the staff outside the manor house were not quite as good as the "servants" inside it. At the main ticket office, we had to wait for a good 5 minutes before anyone acknowledged our presence, despite several people walking past whilst we were waiting. A visit to the tea rooms proved similarly interesting. When we walked in we got the distinct impression we were a bit of a nuisance for daring to order some food and drinks (the place was deserted when we entered) and when it arrived, the waitress had managed to spill half of the coffee onto the tray and the cups she brought were not terribly clean. Entry to Llancaiach Fawr in 2011 costs £6.50 for adults (£5.50 for concessions and £5 for children). This is more expensive than some of the other places we have visited, but we felt that it offered reasonable value for money. It might not be the biggest place you will ever see, but it is very interesting and the faithful reconstruction of both the buildings and people of the Civil War period makes it well worth a visit. Basic Information ------------------------ Llancaiach Fawr Llancaiach Fawr Manor Gelligaer Road Nelson Treharris CF46 6ER http://www.caerphilly.gov.uk/llancaiachfawr/english/home.html © Copyright SWSt 2011 Read the complete review |
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