Why Has Cardiff Castle Changed So Many Times Over 2,000 Years?

Cardiff Castle, known in Welsh as Castell Caerdydd, is a unique historical site that embodies a Roman fort, a Norman stronghold, a medieval castle, and a Victorian Gothic revival mansion. Located at the heart of Cardiff, Wales, this multifaceted castle has evolved over nearly 2,000 years, reflecting the architectural, cultural, and political transformations of its time. 

The history of Cardiff Castle begins around AD 55 with the construction of the first Roman fort, making the site approximately 1,967 years old. The Romans built a series of four separate forts on the site over a period of two hundred years. These forts were likely the first structures occupied by inhabitants, but after the Romans left in the 5th century, the site was largely abandoned until the 11th century.

Following the rediscovery of Roman remains in the 19th century, reconstructed Roman-style walls and a gatehouse were incorporated into the castle’s design.

Norman Motte and Bailey Castle

In the late 11th century, shortly after the Battle of Hastings in 1066, Norman invaders established a motte and bailey castle on the site of the Roman fort. This castle was commissioned either by William the Conqueror or Robert Fitzhamon and served as the heart of the medieval town of Cardiff and the Marcher Lord territory of Glamorgan. The motte, a man-made mound standing 10.67 meters (over 35 feet) high, initially supported a wooden structure.

Medieval Stone Castle Development

In the 12th century, the castle began to be rebuilt in stone, probably under Robert of Gloucester, with a stone shell keep and substantial defensive walls being erected. The stone shell keep replaced the original wooden structure on the motte in the mid-12th century.

Further enhancements were made in the second half of the 13th century by Richard de Clare, the 6th Earl of Gloucester. The castle was a focal point in conflicts between the Anglo-Normans and the Welsh, enduring multiple attacks in the 12th century and being stormed in 1404 during the revolt of Owain Glyndŵr.

15th to 17th Century Transformations

In 1423, Richard de Beauchamp acquired the castle and founded the main range on the west side, dominated by a tall octagonal tower. After the Wars of the Roses, the castle’s status as a Marcher territory was revoked, diminishing its military significance.

The Herbert family took ownership in 1550, remodelling parts of the main range and constructing buildings in the outer bailey, which housed Cardiff’s Shire Hall and other structures. During the English Civil War, the castle was initially seized by Parliamentary forces but regained by Royalist supporters in 1645.

In 1648, a Royalist army attacked Cardiff to reclaim the castle, leading to the Battle of St Fagans nearby. The castle avoided destruction by Parliament post-war and was garrisoned, likely to guard against a possible Scottish invasion.

Georgian and Victorian Reinventions

In the mid-18th century, the castle passed to the Marquesses of Bute, with John Stuart, the first Marquess, employing Capability Brown and Henry Holland to renovate the main range into a Georgian mansion and landscape the grounds, demolishing many older medieval structures.

The Bute family’s wealth surged in the first half of the 19th century due to the coal industry in Glamorgan. The third Marquess, John Crichton-Stuart, used this wealth to fund an extensive renovation led by William Burges, who remodelled the castle in a Gothic revival style, focusing on the main range.

The resulting interiors are considered among “the most magnificent that the gothic revival ever achieved.” The grounds were re-landscaped, and extensive parks were created around the castle. The iconic Clock Tower, built for the third Marquess in the late 1800s, rises to 132 feet (40 meters) with seven stories, housing notable rooms like the Summer Smoking Room.

20th Century and Modern Era

Construction continued into the 1920s under the fourth Marquess, but the Bute family’s lands and commercial interests around Cardiff were sold or nationalized, leaving only the castle by the Second World War. During the war, air raid shelters were built within the castle walls, capable of holding up to 1,800 people.

In 1947, after the death of the fifth Marquess, the castle was gifted to the city of Cardiff. The Bute family, who held the castle since 1776 but rarely resided there, were the last to use it as a private residence. Since 1947, Cardiff City Council has owned and operated the castle as a tourist attraction and public events venue. The castle grounds now house a regimental museum and an interpretation centre, and the site hosts musical performances and festivals.

The modern Visitor Centre, opened in 2008, is the most recent addition. The castle also briefly housed the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, where Anthony Hopkins studied, until the institution moved to the castle’s former stables in 1974.

Location and Cultural Significance

Cardiff Castle is situated in the city centre of Cardiff, near modern retail, leisure, transport, and business areas of the Welsh capital. Historically, the medieval town, nestled within defensive walls, was smaller and located immediately south of the castle, with monastic settlements Greyfriars to the east and Blackfriars to the west.

The castle is one of Wales’ most popular tourist attractions and a heritage site of international significance, offering visitors the chance to explore a Roman fort, a Norman stronghold, and a Victorian palace in one location. The Welsh name, Castell Caerdydd, likely derives from Caer-Taff, meaning “fort on the (river) Taff,” linking the castle’s name to the city of Cardiff.

Architectural Features

The Norman Keep’s stone shell keep sits atop a 10.67-meter motte, while the gatehouse tower stands at 17.02 meters (over 55 feet). The Clock Tower, the tallest structure at 132 feet, is a Victorian addition with seven stories. The castle’s grounds today include extensive landscaped parks, a regimental museum, an interpretation centre, and the modern Visitor Centre.

Conclusion

Cardiff Castle is a composite of architectural styles and historical functions: a Roman fort, a Norman motte and bailey castle, a medieval stone fortress, a Georgian mansion, and a Victorian Gothic revival palace. Its evolution reflects the influence of the Romans, Normans, medieval lords like Robert of Gloucester and Richard de Beauchamp, the Herbert family, and the Marquesses of Bute, particularly John Crichton-Stuart and William Burges. Today, owned by Cardiff City Council, it stands as a vibrant tourist attraction and cultural venue, encapsulating nearly 2,000 years of history in the heart of Cardiff.