Castell Coch

A castle of fairy tale proportions, Castell Coch (Red Castle) was built in the 19th Century to be the epitome of romantic medieval legend.

The Conical Towers of Castell Coch

The conical towers of Castell Coch peer out from the densely wooded slope in the Taff Valley looking more like a dreamy Bavarian castle than the awesome fortresses of Wales . Indeed this was the desire of its designer William Burges and owner the Third Marquis of Bute.

The original castle stood here from the 13th Century built as a stronghold for the Norman lord Gilbert de Clare. By the 19th Century the castle walls were crumbled ruins before coal magnate and at the time one of the richest men in the world the Marquis of Bute bought it up and had it rebuilt by Burges as a country retreat to mirror their other creation Cardiff Castle .

At Castell Coch the penchant for medieval architectural splendour is arguably even more extravagant than at Cardiff Castle. The castle stands on the rocky foundations of the original castle and has a fully working portcullis and drawbridge, while above the entrance in its niche is a polychrome Virgin and Child. The courtyard with its steep steps and covered galleries has served as a fitting scene for a number of films set in the Middle Ages.

Inside Castell Coch is a rich feast of decoration, detail and allusion. Scenes from Aesop’s Fables can be found on the walls and the ceilings are dazzling. The Banqueting Room and Drawing Room are fabulously ornate with decorations from the Fates, Zodiac and Ages of Man, while the Lady Bute’s Bedroom is truly fit for a medieval Queen.


This attraction is included in the Great British Heritage Pass.