Tag: Castles

With more castles per square mile than anywhere else in Europe, Wales’ fascinating history throughout the ages is there for us all to see in the variety and extent of Welsh castles. Here we look at some of our favourite castles in South Wales.   Caerphilly Castle The largest castle in Wales, Caerphilly is surrounded by a series of moats and watery islands and is widely thought to be one of the greatest medieval castles in Western Europe. The castle is almost complete and is a stunning and fascinating place to visit, spanning a 30-acre site. Caerphilly is also popular as a film and TV location, featuring in the BBC series Merlin. One of our favourite facts about Caerphilly is that’s its leaning tower (its south east tower) leans even more than the famous leaning tower of Pisa. Caerphilly was a highpoint in medieval defensive architecture with its massive gatehouses and water features and was designed in 1268 by Gilbert de Clare, known as Red Gilbert on account of his red hair, who built it as part of his campaign to conquer Glamorgan. The castle was attacked several times during the 13th and 14th centuries, before falling into decline during the 15th and 16th centuries, including the stone being stolen from its walls. The Marquesses of Bute acquired the castle in 1776 and much restoration followed, giving us the impressive castle and popular attraction, we see today.   Castell Coch Known as the ‘Fairytale Castle’, Castell Coch is built on the ancient foundations of a thirteenth century castle but is itself relatively modern. Famed for his eccentricity, William Burges was given free rein for the design of the castle, by John Patrick Crichton-Stuart, the 3rd Marquess of Bute, to create a luxurious ‘medieval style’ getaway for him, to be used