Cardiff Castle

What will students see and do?

Cardiff Castle is one of Wales’ leading heritage attractions and a site of international significance. The walls have seen it all, from the Roman occupation, the Norman conquest, the turbulence of civil war to a Victorian transformation and the terrors of World War II.

As a result, it contains a story 2,000 years in the making, which can be told through the following features:
• The Norman Keep: This 12-sided keep is known as a ‘shell’ keep because its outer walls provided a shell for smaller buildings within. From the top, you can see panoramic views of the city stretching as far as Castell Coch.
• The Replica Trebuchet: This 13th-century siege engine was one of the deadliest military machines of its time, developed to attack the solid walls of castles.
• The Castle Apartments: When times became less turbulent in the 1500s, priorities began to shift from defence to comfort. The Earl of Pembroke set about creating a luxurious home in the castle, resulting in a gothic feudal extravaganza that features fairytale rooms rich with murals, gilding and elaborate wood carvings, stained glass and marble.
• Firing Line: This world-class exhibition commemorates over 300 years of history, including the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, Rorke’s Drift against the Zulus in 1879, and the army’s recent service in Iraq and Afghanistan. There is a combination of information, exhibits, living history events and hands-on activities.
• Roman Chariot Corner: Hidden beneath the castle’s southeast tower is an impressive mural made out of cement and plaster, finished in metallic gold paint.
• The Roman Walls: Discovered in 1888, the remains of the first of four Roman forts can be seen today in the visitor centre.
• Wartime Shelters: Within the walls of the castle are tunnels that came into their own as air-raid shelters during World War II. There were dormitories with bunks, kitchens, toilets and first aid posts, all concealed within the historic castle.
• The Battlement Walk: Visitors can walk along three sides of the castle’s outer defences, starting from the south wall, continuing around the east and ending at the north gate.

Visitors can download the free Cardiff Castle app on their smartphone or tablet and follow the self-guided walking tour at their own pace, or listen to the castle’s fascinating history at the numbered information points, narrated by BBC newsreader, Huw Edwards.

How does the trip link to the curriculum?

Cardiff Castle is a unique site with 2,000 years of history. The original fort was constructed by the Romans, but it wasn’t until the 11th century that the Normans constructed the keep that still dominates the castle’s green.

Later, during the 15th century, the medieval Lords of Glamorgan began work on the house, and in the 19th century, the Bute family transformed the house into the opulent Victorian gothic home it is today.

During World War II, the tunnels inside the walls of the castle were used as air-raid shelters where almost 2,000 residents could take shelter under the layers of masonry and earth banks.

Finally, in 1974, the Bute family decided to give the castle and much of its parkland to the city of Cardiff, where it served as the home of the National College of Music and Drama, then the popular visitor attraction that it is today.

Due to this rich history, whether your students are studying the Romans, the Normans, castles in general, the Victorians or World War II, you will find plenty to keep them engrossed at Cardiff Castle.

Pupils will love discovering the mighty Norman Keep, the replica trebuchet, Battlement Walks and impressive mural in Chariot Corner.

For more recent history, they can then explore the military museum, experience the wartime shelters and marvel at the castle apartments created for one of the world’s richest men.

There are plenty of workshops for students to take part in, even if you are unable to visit the castle, as many of them are also available virtually and for outreach visits.

Subjects covered

Details of risk assessment

Contact Cardiff Castle directly to request details.

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