I went for a walk up to the castle this morning and just happened to witness the removal of the fairy-tale banner. The top corners had been unfastened and I waited for a while until the centre section was carefully lowered. Staff used ropes to pull the covering onto the grass in front of the …
After digging through my collection for 1980s memorabilia back in 2022, I’ve gone back to see what I have from the 1990s. I’m fascinated by the very early history of the castle but I also love more recent history (yes, I know the 90s were 30 years ago!) I have a selection of guidebooks, leaflets, …
The 40th anniversary of Cadw has already been covered in the news earlier this month. The BBC article, “From castles to loos – protecting Wales’ history” is well worth a read. Rather than repeat this information, I thought I’d look through my collection for items related to Cadw, share some stories I’ve published about them …
Cadw have announced an extensive conservation project to remove moisture from the Well Tower at Castell Coch. The damp is causing significant damage to the intricate decorations and fabric of the building. The work is scheduled to take two years, beginning in spring 2024. Cadw noted, “This phase of work in 2024 will not affect …
Cardiff illustrator Sue Shields produced a series of illustrations that were featured on Cadw gifts in the late 1980s and early 1990s. I purchased a beautiful plate recently and got in touch with Sue to find out how she got involved in this project. Tea Towel Sue sent me this image of a tea towel …
If you’ve visited Castell Coch recently, you may have seen the beautifully re-designed tea room. The transformation is part of a range of developments to enhance the visitor experience at Cardiff’s fairytale castle. Jane Ormsby Gore and Becky Wade of JR Design completed the work and Jane describes it as, “A balance of inspiration from the Victorian decoration of the …
Cadw, the Welsh Government’s historic environment service, have released a selection of iconic images to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the completion of Castell Coch. The images have been released in partnership with the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales and span multiple decades, from the castle’s completion in 1891 up to the present day. …
A collection of fantastical creatures have taken over the castle in a new exhibit at Castell Coch. The sculptures, by acclaimed artist Laura Ford, are presented by TEN. and Cadw. Dafydd Elis-Thomas AM, the Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism opened the exhibit last week at a special preview event. Cat Gardiner, the curator of TEN. described working …
