Day 23 12/7/19 Around Cardiff.

Decided to visit Cardiff Castle today. It took us a while to find somewhere to park which included some one way streets around the bus depot where it was difficult to decide if a road was for buses only (some are) or cars and buses. We could have possibly parked in the Rugby Stadium but it didn’t look inviting for an amateur. Eventually found somewhere not far from the castle but we didn’t know if it was a carpark or bicycle path at first, or which way to enter it.

High rise clothes line across the street.

Buildings in Cardiff

Cardiff Castle as we drove past

Floral road decorations

Parking area, yes its two way including bicycles and pedestrians, and when we where leaving one clever bunny parked in the middle whilst he checked the parking charges.

The castle site was originally occupied by a Roman Fort around 55 AD, then extended and rebuilt around 75AD. It was again re built around 300AD and served until the Romans left around the 5^th century.

A new castle was built around 1200AD by the Normans in the remains of the Roman Fort.

Impressive chain along the footpath around the castle

The property then passed through a number of Lords until it was extensively damaged in 1642 during the civil war and was abandoned as a residence.

The castle eventually became the property, through marriage, of Lord Mountstart, later 1^st Marquess of Bute in 1776.

In the 1770’s the grounds where extensively refurbished and the old Norman lodgings removed. Buildings where rebuilt and extended and the whole property improved.

In 1874, John Patrick Crichton-Stuart, 3^rd Marquess of Bute – destined to become one of the greatest private patrons of architecture the country has seen, inherited the property, he was 6 months old.

In 1865 Lord Bute , now the richest man in the UK, invited architect William Burgess to present a report on the state of the castle. It was to begin a momentous 16 year partnership which lead to the castle being rebuilt in the neo-gothic style, along with the refurbishment of a number of other important buildings.

During the 2^nd World War the castle largely escaped damage and in 1947 was gifted to the people of Cardiff by the then 5^th Marquess of Bute.

The castle also has displays of the many wars the Welsh have been involved in and we where very entertained by the two gentleman in the sword display area. They went to great length to explain about life during Roman and Norman times and show us how the sword has developed over the century. We could even hold some of them. Swords where still being used occasionally in cavalry charges in the early 20th century.