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CARDIFF CASTLE
Glamorganshire, Wales
The ruins of the Norman keep at Cardiff Castle.
This image has been (or is hereby) released into the public domain by its author,
Roman fort and fancy Victorian gothic blend together for the design of Cardiff Castle. In the 1st century, the Romans established a fort on the site of the castle. The 8 acre square fort that remains today was built in the 4th century.
The Normans built their castle and what remained of the Romans walls, which were mostly timber, but buried under earth ramparts. It was built in the 1091 for Robert Fitzhamon who married Sybil De Montgomery. There was a stone shell keep added in the 12th century. The De Clare family added reinforcements in the 13th & 14th century. A gatehouse was added to the keep and the Black Tower on the south was linked by a massive ward wall which led to it from the fore-buildings.
King Henry I held his brother, Robert Curthose, the Duke of Normandy, a prisoner in Cardiff Castle. He died here, while a prisoner for over 20 years, an old man in his early 80's.
The Earl of Warwick, Richard Beauchamp, built a new tower and hall block on the western wall site in 1423. The Herbert family improved it 2 centuries later. The converted it into a very luxurious house. The next two centuries left the house empy and in disrepair. Lord Mountstuart, future 1st Marquess of Bute, began to demolish and rebuild the place. His grandson continued to rebuild. He was the 2nd Marquess of Bute and gained great wealth from mineral resources on his Glamorgan estates. Cardiff became the centre for industrail trade.
In the 1770's the wall and keep's fore-buildings were tore down. The moat was filled in but has now been restored. The position of the old wall and fore-building are marked with modern stone.
In 1848 he died suddenly leaving his baby son, John Patrick Crishton Stuart the "richest baby in Britain" and became one of the richest men in the world as the 3rd Marquess.
William Burges revived the Gothic designes and remodeled Cardiff Castle. He had the freedom to design and build his most fanciful schemes as the Lord Bute was wealthy and could afford the cost.
Clock Tower of Cardiff Castle
Photo taken by Zureks
Wikipedia.com - Cardiff Castle
Castles of Wales - Cardiff Castle
Great Castles of Wales - Cardiff Castle
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