Cardiff Castle

Cardiff Castle

This Grade I listed castle is entered from the south through the Black Tower, a polygonal turret at the rear, and the South Gate, which was rebuilt in the 1920s with flanking towers. The south walls to the west of the Black Tower were reconstructed in medieval style by William Burges, featuring battlements with flaps between the merlons and a slate roof. The curtain walls to the southeast, east and north were reconstructed in Roman style with crenellations, polygonal turrets, and an enclosed wall-walk with arched openings. The north wall has a central gate with a turret on each side, and a course of pink stone separates the Roman work from the later reconstruction. To the north of the north gate, a wooden bridge on concrete piers in Roman style spans the gap. On the west side of the enclosure, a stretch of medieval curtain wall survives with a 20th-century turret. The west front of the apartments features, from north to south, the Bute Tower, which Burges raised by two storeys, with statues in arcading and a tall square turret to its left. The polygonal Beauchamp Tower has machicolations and a wooden 19th-century fleche. Below this is the reconstructed West Gate of the 1920s. The square Herbert Tower was also raised by two storeys by Burges and has a steep slate roof. The Guest Tower presents a gable end of the tank tower. At the southwest corner stands the Clock Tower, machicolated with heraldic shields, polychrome statues, and gilt clock faces. It has a pyramidal lead roof of two stages with clerestorey windows serving the Smoking Room, and a stair turret to the north.

Within the bailey, the motte is surrounded by a moat that was re-excavated in the 19th century. The stone keep is dodecagonal in plan with lias stone and freestone angles. The south tower has a 20th-century turret, and stairs with the base of a turret enclose the well. The former curtain wall is marked with modern masonry. The rear of the south curtain has a wooden walkway and lead gargoyles, with the walkway continuing around the Clock Tower. The east front of the Western apartments features the tank tower with a steeply-pitched slate roof to a gallery, followed by a tall guest tower with a tall polygonal turret to its right. Steps lead up to the entrance to the left of the Beauchamp range, which has five polygonal turrets, though the south turret to the right of the doorway dates to 1927. The north block, known as Holland, has three windows plus one set back in Gothic fenestration of 20th-century date.

The interior contains seventeen rooms designed by William Burges, with others showing his guidance. Many of these rooms are of unrivalled sumptuousness and fantasy.

The Clock Tower contains a rib-vaulted Winter Smoking Room decorated with the theme of Time. Above this is the Bachelor Bedroom with a theme of mineral wealth, and a bathroom with Penarth alabaster. The elaborate Summer Smoking Room features a gallery, ribbed and painted dome, tiled floor, and painted wall tiles.

The Guest Tower houses a Nursery with painted tiles of fables and nursery rhymes, and an overmantle with figures of Fame and Aesop's fox fables. The Walnut Room has an overmantle depicting Jack and the Beanstalk.

The Arab Room features an Islamic vault, trellis work, and a multi-coloured marble floor, with marble walls and Arabic stained glass.

The Banqueting Hall has an open timber roof with fan vaulting and angels, and a wooden screen to the south. The chimneypiece takes the form of a castle with an equestrian figure of Robert, Earl of Gloucester, with wall-paintings of his exploits.

The Octagon Stair in the Beauchamp Tower has a stone newell and Mouchette balustrade with paintings of Aesop's fables. A small vaulted Oratory in French Gothic style is also present.

The Library has paired Gothic doorways with relief monkeys, Gothic bookcases, and a chimneypiece with five seated figures representing alphabets and the Third Marquess.

The Entrance Hall dates to 1930.

Lord Bute's Study has a lierne vault with foliage bosses and painted birds, with panelled walls. Nearby are the Office and Noah Room.

The Drawing Room is in a simple classical style.

The Dining Room uses scenes from the life of Abraham to illustrate hospitality. It has a heavy painted ceiling with cylindrical beams. The overmantel features sculpted figures of Abraham and Sarah flanking three angels over a Greek inscription. The stained glass shows scenes from the life of Abraham, with carved and inlaid shutters.

Lady Bute's Apartment includes a panelled bedroom and a bathroom with stained glass roundels.

The Chaucer Room is decorated with scenes from Chaucer and has an octagonal plan lit from above by the fleche of the Beauchamp Tower. The lantern has two levels of stained glass with figures from the Canterbury Tales and scenes with Chaucerian subjects in the tracery glass. Stencilled timbers decorate the lantern. Crocketed arches bear murals of the Legend of Good Women, with corbels of female figures. The room features walnut panelling inlaid with mother of pearl, a marble chimneypiece with female figures hanging a heraldic shield on a tree, and a tiled floor with a vine-leaf maze.

Above the Dining Room, Lord Bute's Sitting Room is decorated with scenes from the life of Saint Blane, patron saint of the Isle of Bute. A painting on the door depicts the Seven Deadly Sins overcome by Virtue. A brass overmantel features sculpted beavers on its lintel.

Lord Bute's Bedroom has a ceiling with heavy beams on stone corbels supported by green marble shafts, with three arches to each wall. Beyond the bedroom is a bathroom.

The Roof Garden has a marble-faced court with bronze columns supporting a tiled roof, and a mosaic floor combining medieval and Pompeian styles. It features wall tiles and Hebrew inscriptions, a bronze fountain, and a statue of the Virgin and Child.