Images of Wales

Cardiff Castle
City of Cardiff
Glamorgan

Photography by John Ball - 19 March 1998
(with Agfa ePhoto307 digital camera)

The history of this site, in the very heart of the capital city of Wales, dates back nearly 2000 years to the Roman invasion.
The Welsh name for Cardiff is Caerdydd, which means the fort on the (river) Taff.

Right: This Victorian Gothic tower was a mid 19th century addition by the Marquess of Bute.

Above: At the centre of the castle grounds is the Keep, built after the Norman
Conquest of Britain.

Above left: Access to the highest tower in the Keep can be gained from the inside.
Above right: The view from one of the windows.

The work was funded by John, the 3rd Marquess of Bute, reputed at the time to be the richest man in the world. He inherited his fortune from his father, the 2nd Marquess of Bute, who made his money by turning Cardiff into the world's greatest coal exporting port.

Above: The Marquess's lodgings inside the castle are opulently decorated.
These pictures show some of the ornate decorations in the Marquess's bedroom.

Above: The mirrored ceiling above the Marquess's bed.

Above left: The walls of the Marquess's bathroom are decorated with
marble panels. Each panel is made from a different type of marble.
Above right: The roof garden with its fountain and colourful tiled murals.

Above left: A detail of one of the gothic towers.
Above right: Peacocks roam freely in the castle grounds.

For a detailed history of Cardiff Castle, visit Jeff Thomas's Castles of Wales website.