Driving past Cardiff on the M4, Castell Coch appears like a mirage of a fairytale castle, a scene taken straight from the pages of a Brothers Grimm story.
The castle, a folly built for the 3rd Marquess of Bute in the 1870s, sits on the ruins of a genuine 13th-century fortification on a steep, wooded hillside above the village of Tongwynlais. But while many see it from a distance, few make the 15-minute drive from the capital to enjoy its conical towers and turrets up close.
The original Castell Coch
The first castle on the site of Castell Coch was built by the Normans after 1081, to protect the newly conquered town of Cardiff and control the route along the Taff Gorge.
It was abandoned shortly afterwards, but the motte was reused as the basis for a new stone fortification. This was built by Gilbert de Clare between 1267 and 1277 to control the nearby lands. This castle was then destroyed, likely in the Welsh rebellion of 1314.
When (and why) was Castell Coch built? And by whom?
In 1760, the castle ruins were acquired by John Stuart, the 1st Marquess of Bute, as part of his marriage settlement to Lady Charlotte Windsor. The castle and family estates were passed down to the 2nd Marquess, who carried out exploration for iron ore at Castell Coch, and then onto the 3rd Marquess of Bute, John Crichton-Stuart.
A scholar, antiquarian and philanthropist, the marquess indulged in a range of interests, from architecture to the occult. His inheritance made him one of the wealthiest men in the world.
Together with William Burges, an architect with a fantastical imagination, the pair embarked on projects that resulted in two of the finest examples of late Victorian Gothic Revival: Castell Coch and Cardiff Castle. Both buildings ironically represent the potential of industrial wealth, coupled with a wish to escape the scene of that wealth’s creation.
The work at Cardiff Castle was prioritised, and then focus was shifted to the reconstruction of Castell Coch, which began in 1875.
Why is it called Castell Coch?
In Welsh, 'Castell Coch' means 'Red Castle', so called because of the red sandstone used in the original 13th-century castle construction.
Features of Castell Coch
Castell Coch rises out of a forest of ancient trees and wildflowers, with conical roofs peeking above the beech trees. A drawbridge sits above a dry moat, giving views over local hills Craig yr Allt and the Garth.
Inside, the bedroom suites are spectacularly decorated and show the marquess’s fancy for opulent interiors, stained glass and marble.
How to get to Castell Coch
By car: From Cardiff Castle follow the A470 north-west for 12 miles, until you see signs for Castell Coch. Turn almost back on yourself at a roundabout, then keep right (rather than rejoining the A470) and follow signs to a free car park.
By public transport: Taff’s Well train station is 1½ miles walk, or catch a number 26 bus from Cardiff to Tongwynlais.
Find Castell Coch on a map
Ordnance Survey Explorer Map 151.
Grid Ref: ST 131 826
Contact Castell Coch
Castell Coch
Tongwynlais, Cardiff
CF15 7JS
☎ 029 2081 0101
www.cadw.wales.gov.uk
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