George William Manby was an English inventor who toured south Wales in the early 1800s and documented his travels. He’s credited with inventing the “Manby Mortar” and an early type of fire extinguisher. George William Manby George William Manby (28 November 1765 – 18 November 1854) is most famous for his invention that was used …
If you’re a regular reader, you’ll know I love Lego! A few months ago I was inspired to illustrate a Lego Minifigure. I quickly got carried away and decided to see if I could design a Minifig based around Castell Coch. I started with Lady Bute. After finishing this first illustration, I knew I was …
Castell Coch is famous for its spectacular interiors. I’ve decided to illustrate the stencils, murals and patterns that decorate Cardiff’s iconic Gothic Revival landmark. Part 1 and Part 2 of this series have already featured some beautiful designs. Lady Bute’s Bedroom The first patterns I’ve recreated for this instalment are prominent in Lady Bute’s bedroom. …
I’ve been aware of Mary Traynor’s work for a number of years but only recently picked up a copy of her book about Cardiff. It includes a chapter dedicated to Castell Coch with a couple of paintings by Mary. “Mary Traynor was born in China in 1934 and studied at Goldsmith’s, Birmingham College of Art …
John Hassell was an English watercolour landscape painter, engraver, illustrator, writer and publisher. “The Beauties of Antiquity Or Remnants of Feudal Splendour and Monastic Times” was published in 1806 and contains a fantastic illustration of Castell Coch. There’s a short description of the castle and some of its history. The magnificence of its front is …
I’m really pleased to share the art of Gary Yeung after he recently posted a fantastic illustration of Castell Coch for the popular #inktober2023 drawing challenge. I’ve been following him online for a while and got in touch when I realised he’s produced quite a few pieces featuring the castle. I asked Gary to tell …
Paul Sharp created a beautiful sketch of Castell Coch for a 1960s motoring guide to castles in the UK. I picked up a copy and discovered a fantastic collection of artwork by the Yorkshire designer. National Benzole was a petrol brand in the UK from 1919 until the 1990s. Perhaps these books were produced to …
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 …
Castell Coch is famous for its spectacular interiors. I’ve decided to illustrate the stencils, murals and patterns that decorate Cardiff’s iconic Gothic Revival landmark. This tile can be found in the fireplace of the drawing room. This pattern is from the Castell Coch exhibit, which was designed by Glyn Parry-Jones. The exhibit was created in …
Cyfrinach Castell Coch is a children’s book written by Catrin Dafydd and illustrated by James Field.
“There is an old secret behind the walls of Castell Coch, and Chloe and Sam are under great pressure to ensure that the castle is not destroyed.”
