In a land of castles, it takes something a wee bit special to stand out from the crowd. This former 13th-century wreck, just west of Cardiff, was completely rebuilt by William Burges in the 1870s and the results embody the ultimate Victorian fairytale fantasy. Castell Coch’s Disney-style turrets poke mysteriously from a wooded hillside and the interiors are lavish, multicoloured and hopelessly romantic.
The fact that Burges was, as described by Simon Jenkins, ‘an opium-addicted bachelor Gothicist who dressed in medieval costume’ may have influenced his building style.
Rapunzel, Rapunzel...
The drawing room ceiling - not for minimalists
Picture 1 © Les Bessant
Picture 2 © Jam Roly-Poly
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It doesn’t look like much really but that ceiling makes it all worth while.
Ha yes. Really worth seeing. Nice blog by the way!