11. View to the North

Cardiff is situated in a basin. To the south are the docks and the sea. To the north – where we’re looking now – are the mountains.

The whole landscape is closely tied to the fortunes of the Bute family. They owned this Castle for almost two hundred years, and made an extraordinary impact on the town.

Matthew Williams, former curator of Cardiff Castle said:

“The name Bute is just inextricably linked to Cardiff. You see the name on street signs, on squares. Areas are described as being ‘Butetown’ for example, or the Bute Docks. They are known as the Makers of Modern Cardiff and to a huge extent that is absolutely true, because they made it the place it is today.”

It was the coal and mineral resources found in this landscape that generated the Bute family‘s great wealth, together with the mines in the Taff Valley to the north.

The 2nd Marquess of Bute had an exceptional eye for business: he developed the local coal fields, and built the docks that sparked off the city’s rapid growth.

When he died suddenly, in 1848, he left an only son, who became the 3rd Marquess of Bute at the tender age of 6 months. He was said to be the richest baby in Britain. It was this 3rd Marquess who was to take on the huge Victorian restoration of Cardiff Castle – paid for by the Bute family fortune.

Now look straight ahead.

See if you can spot the rounded towers topped in grey on the right hand mountain. This is Castell Coch, another Bute family property. It’s a medieval castle, which was rebuilt by William Burges, the 3rd Marquess’s favourite architect. There’s a photograph of it below.

Now take a look over to the east – that’s to your right. There are lots of grand Edwardian buildings here, made of white Portland stone, amidst wide, tree-lined avenues. This area is one of the finest Civic Centres in Europe. It includes the University of Wales and National Museum, City Hall, and the Law Courts. And the land on which they were built – Cathays Park – was sold to the city by the Bute family in 1898.

To the west – on your left – is Bute Park. This parkland was also given to the city in 1947 – along with Cardiff Castle itself.