Castell Coch
Visitor notice
Conservation Action
Over time, water has begun to creep through walls and down into chimneys of Castell Coch. During surveys of the castle, we discovered that this movement of water had begun to damage some of the intricate decoration inside.To ensure the castle is protected and safe for us to enjoy we've begun a large scale conservation project to prevent any more damage happening and to repair the parts of the castle that have been affected.
Follow our timeline as we work to restore Castell Coch's timeless splendour.
Castell Coch – Conservation action timeline
Castell Coch Café
The Castell Coch café will be closed from Monday 9 June until further notice. We’re very sorry for the inconvenience.
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.
How to visit
- purchase your admission tickets on arrival or book online to save 5%*
- view our opening times and prices below
- check Welsh Government health & safety advice before visiting.
*Booking online guarantees the best price for your visit.
You can book tickets up to 24 hours in advance.
Online ticket prices include a 5% discount and are non-refundable.
Gallery
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Opening times & prices
Opening times
| 1st March - 30th June | 9.30–5pm |
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| 1st July - 31st August | 9.30–6pm |
| 1st September - 31st October | 9.30–5pm |
| 1st November - 28th February | 10am–4pm |
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Last admission 30 minutes before closing *Closed 24, 25, 26 December and 1 January 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 | X (Twitter) @cadwwales
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Prices
| Category | Price | |
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| Members - Join now |
Free
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| Adult |
£10.00
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| Family* |
£32.00
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| Disabled person and companion |
Free
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| Juniors (Aged 5-17) / Students** |
£7.00
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| Seniors (Aged 65+) |
£9.00
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Cadw £1 ticket – for those on Universal Credit and other named benefits *Admits 2 adults and up to 3 children. All children under 5 receive free entry **Student photo ID card is required to be shown on entry Blue Light Card holders and HM Armed Forces & Veterans receive 10% off individual 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 |
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Visitor information
Access guide
Please read our accessibility guidance for information on how to plan your visit.
(assistance dogs only at Castell Coch)
Baby changing
Unisex toilet with baby changing facilities on 1st floor.
Car park
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.
The bike rack is temporarily unavailable whilst our teams carry out a large conservation project.
EV charging points
Four Type 2 (22kW) electric charge points available — charges for use apply.
Portable hearing
A portable induction loop is available.
Toilets
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.
Walking difficulty
Terrain: Level 3 — Moderate
Civil ceremony licence
We are currently unable to accept any wedding hire requests for Castell Coch due to essential conservation works being carried out at the castle.
Please check our other civil ceremony venues available for hire.
Exhibition
On-site exhibition within monument.
Gift shop
Gift shop at this site offering a range of products and guidebooks.
Audio tour
Audio guide available detailing the history of the site.
Wi-Fi
Cadw free public WiFi available at this site.
Drone policy
Please read our policy information about flying drones at Cadw monuments: read the guidance
No smoking
Smoking is not permitted.
School visits
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!
Health & Safety
The castle is situated on a hill, therefore the middle and lower parking spaces will involve an inclined walk to the castle.
There is a pedestrian path leading from the car park to the castle, there are steps along the route.
As the castle is situated within an ancient woodland there is possibility of falling branches during high winds. The castle may close during storm conditions for everyone’s safety.
There are limited rooms to view from the ground floor with most of the castle being located on the upper floors, there are several steps to reach these areas.
The upper tower rooms require the use of steep spiral internal stairwells some doorways are low.
Some historic steps are uneven and there may be variations on step height. Care and attention must be given when navigating through the towers and giving space to others approaching.
Adhere to any one-way systems in place during your visit.
There is a path surrounding the castle; however this can be muddy and uneven, the path contains two sets of steps.
As with all ancient monuments there is always a risk of stones being dislodged in bad weather, however, we manage this through extensive monitoring.
Climbing may result in serious injury.
There are several wild plants and flowers, although these are great pollinators, they may be poisonous to visitors and animals, we strongly advise you not to touch or allow dogs to eat any vegetation.
Please watch our health & safety film before visiting Cadw sites.
Iechyd a Diogelwch / Health and Safety
Please report any anti-social behaviour such as climbing, setting fires, graffiti etc. to CadwAccidentsReports@gov.wales
The following signs can be found around the site at key areas of risk, please pay attention where appropriate.
Steep and uneven steps
Slippery or uneven surfaces
Low ceilings
Falls from height
High winds
Directions
Address
Cardiff CF15 7JS
For contractors, educational visits and deliveries please ring 02920 810101
Rydym yn croesawu galwadau’n Gymraeg / We welcome calls in Welsh.
Telephone 03000 252239
Email CastellCoch@gov.wales
Postcode CF15 7JS
what3words: ///spend.risen.jumped
For further information, please contact: Traveline Cymru on 0800 464 0000 or National Rail Enquiries on 03457 48 49 50.
