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Overview

Fairy-tale castle was a plaything for the rich and powerful

What happens when a patron of unlimited wealth meets an architect of boundless imagination? Here’s your answer.

Castell Coch, or the ‘Red Castle’, rises up from the ancient beech woods of Fforest Fawr like a vision from a fairy tale. Yet these great towers with their unmistakable conical roofs only hint at the splendour within.

Given free rein by the third Marquess of Bute, architect William Burges didn’t hold back. The highly decorated interiors and rich furnishings of Castell Coch make it a dazzling masterpiece of the High Victorian era.

But it’s no exotic folly. Underneath the mock-medieval trappings you can still trace the impressive remains of a 13th-century castle, once used as a hunting lodge by the ruthless Marcher lord Gilbert de Clare.

Castell Coch has been a plaything of the rich and powerful for over 700 years. Having lavished huge sums on it neither Gilbert de Clare nor the Marquess of Bute spent much time here.

But it remains a magnificent vision of an imaginary medieval world – regularly voted by the public as their favourite building in Wales.

More about Castell Coch


Opening times

Daily 9.30–5pm

Last admission 30 minutes before closing

Daily 9.30–6pm

Last admission 30 minutes before closing

Daily 9.30–5pm

Last admission 30 minutes before closing

Daily 10am–4pm*

Last admission 30 minutes before closing

*Closed 24, 25, 26 December and 1 January 2023

**Castell Coch will be closed from 8 January – 2 February 2024 for its annual deep clean.

Please note: during extreme weather conditions we may need to close monuments at short notice, please check our social media channels before visiting to ensure the site is open and safe to visit.

Facebook @CadwWales | Twitter @cadwwales


Prices & Tickets

Category Price
Member - Join now
Free
Adult
£8.70
Family*
£28.20
Disabled person and companion
Free
Juniors (Aged 5-17) / Students
£6.10
Seniors (Aged 65+)
£8.10

*Admits 2 adults and up to 3 children 

All children under 5 receive free entry

Blue Light Card holders receive 10% off admission (not available online)

Assistance dogs only at this site.

If you are booking 15+ tickets, please email our team before booking online: CastellCoch@gov.wales

Category Price
Member - Join now
Free
Adult
£9.50
Family*
£30.40
Disabled person and companion
Free
Juniors (Aged 5-17) / Students
£6.70
Seniors (Aged 65+)
£8.80

*Admits 2 adults and up to 3 children 

All children under 5 receive free entry

Blue Light Card holders and HM Armed Forces & Veterans receive 10% off admission (not available online).

Assistance dogs only at this site.

If you are booking 15+ tickets, please email our team before booking online: CastellCoch@gov.wales


Facilities

Access guide icon Baby changing icon Bikes access icon Car park icon Civil ceremony licence icon Exhibition icon Guidebook icon Gift shop icon Drone policy icon No smoking icon Portable hearing icon Refreshments icon School visits icon Toilets icon Audio tour icon Venue hire icon Wi-Fi icon

Please read our accessibility guidance for information on how to plan your visit.

(assistance dogs only at Castell Coch)

Castell Coch — Access Guide

Unisex toilet with baby changing facilities on 1st floor.
 

Bike storage area available in car park or close to site.

The castle car park is free and open during standard site opening hours.

There are three dedicated accessible parking bays at the top of the car park on the right hand side.

Castell Coch wedding bookings:

We are unable to accept any wedding bookings at Castell Coch from 1 October 2023– 1 October 2024 due to essential conservation works being carried out at the castle.

Please check our other civil ceremony venues available for hire:

On-site exhibition within monument.

Site guidebook available to purchase online and in selected visitor centres.

Gift shop at this site offering a range of products and guidebooks.

Please read our policy information about flying drones at Cadw monuments: read the guidance

Smoking is not permitted.

A portable induction loop is available.

On-site café open with light refreshments available.

To book your free self-led education visit to this site, go to our self-led education visits section.

While you're there, check out our free learning resources to help with your time travel adventure!

 

One unisex toilet on the ground floor, 25 metres from the visitor centre.

One ladies toilet on the ground floor of the Well Tower.

Twin toilet facilities on 1st floor.

Audio guide available detailing the history of the site.

This site is available to hire for events, filming and exhibitions.

View Venue Hire

 

Cadw free public WiFi available at this site.


Directions

Road
M4 (Jct. 32), A470 then signposted.
Rail
2.5km/1.5mls Taffs Well, Cardiff-Taffs Well/Merthyr Tydfil/Aberdare/Treherbert route.
Bus
1km/0.6mls Tongwynlais, route No 26, Cardiff-Tongwynlais /Tredegar or route No 132 Cardiff-Tongwynlais-Mardy.
Bike
NCN Route No.8, Taff Trail.

Postcode CF15 7JS

For further information, please contact: Traveline Cymru on 0800 464 0000 or National Rail Enquiries on 03457 48 49 50.


Contact us

Telephone 03000 252239

Email
CastellCoch@gov.wales

Address
Castell Coch
Cardiff CF15 7JS

For contractors, educational visits and deliveries please ring 02920 810101
Rydym yn croesawu galwadau’n Gymraeg / We welcome calls in Welsh.