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Castell Coach (meaning Red Castle), Wales, has its origins in the eleventh century, when the Normans built a castle to protect the newly conquered town of Cardiff. In 1760, John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute, acquired the castle ruins as part of a marriage settlement when he married Lady Charlotte Windsor. John Stuart, who was reportedly one of the richest men in the world at the time, had gained his wealth through the mineral resources of his Glamorgan estates. In 1848, the Earl’s grandson, John Crichton-Stuart, the 3rd Marques of Bute, inherited the castle and estates when he was a child. Between 1875-9 he reconstructed the castle, giving his architect William Burges free reign to create a rural and opulent retreat. Burges did not disappoint, constructing dazzling ceilings and rooms with lavish furnishings. Burges died in 1881, and the work on the castle was continued and finished by his brother-in-law Richard Pullman and his team ten years later, in 1891. The Marquess died in 1900 and his widow was given a life interest in Castell Coch. She occupied the Castle together with her daughter, Lady Margaret Crichton-Stuart, and made occasional visits. John, the 4th Marques of Bute, acquired the Castle in 1932, but had little use for it. Eventually he reduced the family’s investments in Wales, selling off the coal-mines and most of their investments there. The 5th Marques of Bute, eventually placed the Castle into the care of the Ministry of Works. The paintings were removed from Castell Coch and sent to the Cardiff National Museum of Wales. Since 1984 it has been managed and taken care of by the Welsh Heritage Agency, CADW, who also opened it up to the public. . . . . #castellcoch #castell #castle #castles #castles_oftheworld #history #heritage #cadw #countryhouse #gothicrevival #gothicstyle #gothicrevivalarchitecture #neogothic #19thcentury #19thcenturyarchitecture #welshheritage #architecture #archidaily