St Fagans Castle () is an

Elizabethan The Elizabethan era is the epoch in the Tudor period of the history of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603). Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history. The Roman symbol of Britannia (a female per ...

mansion in

St Fagans St Fagans ( ; ) is a village and Community (Wales), community in the west of the city of Cardiff, capital of Wales. It is home to the St Fagans National History Museum. History The name of the area invokes Saint Fagan (Saint), Fagan, according ...

Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

, dating from the late 16th century. The house and remaining medieval fortifications are Grade I listed. The grounds of St Fagans Castle now contain

St Fagans National Museum of History St Fagans National Museum of History ( ; ), commonly referred to as St Fagans after the village where it is located, is an open-air museum in St Fagans, Cardiff, Wales, chronicling the historical lifestyle, culture, and architecture of the Wels ...

. The castle estate is designated Grade I on the

Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales The Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales is a heritage register of significant historic parks and gardens in Wales. It is maintained by Cadw, the historic environment service of the Welsh Government and ...

History

A medieval castle dating from the 13th century previously existed on the site. By 1536 it lay in ruins. By 1563 the site had been sold to a Dr John Gibbon. A new house was built on the site either by Gibbon or by Nicholas Herbert, who bought the site from Gibbon in 1586.St Fagans Castle
, Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales. Retrieved 2013-09-12. Part of the D-shaped medieval boundary fortifications remain, forming a wall around the current house. Sir Edward Lewis of The Van,

Caerphilly Caerphilly (, ; , ) is a town and community (Wales), community in Wales. It is situated at the southern end of the Rhymney Valley and separated from the Cardiff suburbs of Lisvane and Rhiwbina by Caerphilly Mountain. It is north of Cardiff an ...

, bought the house in 1616 from the

Herbert family The Herbert family is an Anglo-Welsh noble family founded by William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke (died 1469), William Herbert, known as "Black William", the son of William ap Thomas, founder of Raglan Castle, a follower of Edward IV of Englan ...

in trust under strict condition that it remain in the senior male line of the Lewis family forever. and the interior dates partly from then and partly from after 1850, when in the possession of the Windsor-Clive family. Their ownership began in 1833, when the estate was inherited by Lady Harriet Clive, wife of the 13th Lord Windsor. Lady Clive undertook many decades of restorations. The sequence of terraces in the gardens was created in 1865–6 and extended in the early 20th century. The house became a convalescent hospital for soldiers during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, with the banqueting hall containing a ward of 40 beds."St Fagans 'hidden' gems give World War I insight"
BBC News, 21 July 2013. Retrieved 2013-09-12. In 1947, by his will,

Ivor Windsor-Clive, 2nd Earl of Plymouth Ivor Miles Windsor-Clive, 2nd Earl of Plymouth, (4 February 1889 – 1 October 1943), was an English nobleman and Conservative Party politician. Early life Ivor Windsor-Clive was born on 4 February 1889. He was the second, and only surviving, ...

, gave the castle and estate to the

National Museum of Wales National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...

. In 1951, Iorwerth Peate, keeper-in-charge for the castle was allowed by the Hon. John Morgan to select thirty pieces of furniture from

Tredegar House Tredegar House (Welsh language, Welsh: ''Tŷ Tredegar'') is a 17th-century Charles II of England, Charles II-era mansion in Coedkernew, on the southwestern edge of Newport, Wales. For over five hundred years it was home to the Morgan family, late ...

for exhibition in the castle’s period rooms; Morgan was disposing of the contents of Tredegar House following its sale in lieu of death-duties. Buildings in the grounds accommodate the former Welsh Folk Museum, St Fagans National Museum of History.

Historic listing designations

The castle has been statutorily recognised and protected in the highest category (Grade I) since 1977. The gardens and grounds are designated Grade I on the

. A lead water cistern in the courtyard is Grade II* listed, and may have been brought from Van, a historic home of the Lewis family. Many garden structures have Grade II status.

Gallery

File:St Fagans Castle 2008.jpg, Courtyard and lead cistern File:St Fagans Castle - geograph.org.uk - 524416.jpg, North facade and gardens File:Western Walls of St Fagans Castle.jpg, Western wall File:Castle St Fagans 01.JPG, Part of west wall and old fortifications File:Stable Block, St Fagan's Castle - geograph.org.uk - 908517.jpg, Stable block File:Water garden, St Fagans castle - geograph.org.uk - 338746.jpg, Gardens and medieval ponds

References

External links

St Fagan's website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Fagans Castle Castles in Cardiff Castle ruins in Wales Historic house museums in Wales Country houses in Wales Grade I listed buildings in Cardiff St Fagans National Museum of History

castle A castle is a type of fortification, fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by Military order (monastic society), military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private ...

Registered historic parks and gardens in Cardiff