15th March 2019 · By the Conference Team · 8 min read

Tagged: Cardiff, Victorian Architecture, William Burges

Among the many architectural treasures of Wales, Cardiff Castle stands as one of the finest examples of Victorian Gothic Revival design anywhere in Britain. The castle's extraordinary interiors, created by the architect William Burges between 1868 and 1881, remain a powerful testament to the ambition and artistry of the Victorian period, and provided a memorable setting for the BAVS 2016 conference.

Burges was commissioned to transform the castle by John Crichton-Stuart, the 3rd Marquess of Bute, who was at the time one of the wealthiest men in the world. The Marquess had inherited the castle as an infant, and as he grew up he developed a passionate interest in the medieval world. In Burges, he found an architect whose vision matched his own: a designer who sought to recreate the grandeur of the Middle Ages using the finest materials and craftsmanship available in the nineteenth century.

A Medieval Dream in Victorian Cardiff

The work at Cardiff Castle began in earnest when Bute came of age in 1868. Burges built upward, adding a series of towers of varying shapes and sizes that gave the castle a dramatically varied skyline. The 150-foot Clock Tower, completed in the early 1870s, became the most prominent feature of the castle's exterior. Inside, Burges created a sequence of rooms that scholars have described as some of the most magnificent interiors produced by the Gothic Revival.

Each room in the castle was conceived as an autonomous artistic unit, unified by a single theme but richly varied in its decorative detail. The Winter Smoking Room, for example, takes its theme from Time: stained glass windows depict the days of the week, wall murals represent the seasons, and sculptured corbels show the times of the day. The Bachelor Bedroom above draws on themes of mineral wealth and astrology, a discreet acknowledgment of the coal industry that funded the entire project.

Craftsmanship and Collaboration

Burges worked with a long-standing team of craftsmen and artists to realise his designs. The sculptor Thomas Nicholls was responsible for much of the carved stonework, while the painted decoration was executed by a number of skilled artists working to Burges's detailed instructions. Every surface in the principal rooms is covered with painting, gilding, stained glass, or carved timber and stone, creating an environment of extraordinary richness and complexity.

The Library, which Burges designed in 1879, is often cited as one of the most satisfying rooms in the castle. Its warm tones and rich decoration create a space that feels both opulent and welcoming. Burges included characteristic touches of humour: around one doorway, a group of carved monkeys is shown stealing the Book of Truth, a sly reference to the debates surrounding Darwin's theories that were convulsing Victorian intellectual life.

The Arab Room and Moorish Influences

Perhaps the most striking interior in the castle is the Arab Room, located in the Herbert Tower. Burges's early travels in Sicily and Constantinople had convinced him of the Moorish origins of much medieval art, and in the Arab Room he created a space that reflects those influences. The room was intended as a drawing room, and its intricate geometric patterns, gilded surfaces, and warm colours create an atmosphere quite unlike anything else in the castle.

The Arab Room was the last major interior on which Burges worked. He was still developing the designs when he fell seriously ill in 1881, and he died before the room was completed. His assistant William Frame oversaw the final stages of the project, working from Burges's drawings and notes to bring the architect's vision to completion.

Burges's Legacy

The interiors of Cardiff Castle have been widely praised by architectural historians. They represent not only the pinnacle of Burges's career but also one of the high points of the entire Gothic Revival movement. The castle's role as a venue for cultural and scholarly events, including the BAVS 2016 conference, ensures that Burges's work continues to reach new audiences and inspire fresh appreciation for the artistic achievements of the Victorian age.

For scholars of Victorian material culture and consumption, Cardiff Castle offers a vivid case study. The castle's interiors are themselves acts of conspicuous consumption, expressions of wealth, taste, and cultural ambition that illuminate many of the themes central to the study of the period. The BAVS 2016 conference made full use of this remarkable setting. Visitors to Cardiff today can explore these spaces and experience first-hand the extraordinary creativity of the Victorian imagination.