Know Before You Go: Guidance for travel in Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The mythical home of an extremely wealthy man, Castle Coch is relatively modern. The Middle Ages fascinated the Victorians and this immense castle was built with ‘High Gothic’ as the inspiration. Visitors will love the opulence and over-the-top interior decoration.
Heritage Cottage on the edge of the village of Cwmdare is a great example of a mid-19th-century miner’s cottage. Although the site isn’t yet open to the public, visitors are encouraged to use and enjoy the Medieval Village at Country Park, for a totally unique and historic experience.
To experience a touch of Celtic Wales take a trip to Europe’s leading open-air museum, which stands in the ground of the incredible St Fagans Castle. The late 16th century manor house comes alive with workshops that showcase traditional Welsh skill and craftsmanship and visitors can also see the livestock that lives on-site.
In the 19th century, Norwegian sailors brought Scandinavian timber to Wales so it could be used for the coal mines. To help the sailors feel at home when they were visiting, Norwegian churches popped up to provide religions and social care. Today visitors can enjoy the Norwegian church in Cardiff, which was once frequented regularly by children’s author, Roald Dahl.
From January through to November, Cardiff Castle hosts medieval Welsh banquets, which includes entertainment, food and traditional and contemporary Welsh songs. Enjoy the feast in the stone-vaulted and atmospheric 15th-century castle.