Contents Foreword 6 Preface 7 Introduction 9
I THE 1 st MARQUESS AND CAPABILITY BROWN 1 1 Arrival of the Butes 17 Capability Brown and Henry Holland 22
II GROWING FORTUNES, EMPTY CASTLE 33 Cathays House 38 The 2nd Marquess 40
III THE 3rd MARQUESS AND WILLIAM BURGES 51 The young Marquess 54 Bute, Burges and the Clock Tower 61 The Winter Smoking Room 72 The Summer Smoking Room 79 The Bachelor Bedroom 89
IV CARDIFF CASTLE TRANSFORMED 1872–78 95 Creating a gothic extravaganza 99 The Banqueting Hall 105 The Library 111 The Beauchamp Tower and the Octagon Staircase 118 The Chaucer Room 122 The Nursery and the Bute Tower 128 The Small Dining Room 131 Lord Bute’s Sitting Room 132 The Roof Garden 136 Lord Bute’s Bedroom 141 Castell Coch 146 The Arab Room 150 Bute without Burges 158
V THE BUTE LEGACY 167 The castle and the city 174 Sell or restore? 178 War and a new owner 194 Bibliography 205 Author’s Acknowledgements 205 Index 206
Contents Foreword 6 Preface 7 Introduction 9
I THE 1 st MARQUESS AND CAPABILITY BROWN 1 1 Arrival of the Butes 17 Capability Brown and Henry Holland 22
II GROWING FORTUNES, EMPTY CASTLE 33 Cathays House 38 The 2nd Marquess 40
III THE 3rd MARQUESS AND WILLIAM BURGES 51 The young Marquess 54 Bute, Burges and the Clock Tower 61 The Winter Smoking Room 72 The Summer Smoking Room 79 The Bachelor Bedroom 89
IV CARDIFF CASTLE TRANSFORMED 1872–78 95 Creating a gothic extravaganza 99 The Banqueting Hall 105 The Library 111 The Beauchamp Tower and the Octagon Staircase 118 The Chaucer Room 122 The Nursery and the Bute Tower 128 The Small Dining Room 131 Lord Bute’s Sitting Room 132 The Roof Garden 136 Lord Bute’s Bedroom 141 Castell Coch 146 The Arab Room 150 Bute without Burges 158
V THE BUTE LEGACY 167 The castle and the city 174 Sell or restore? 178 War and a new owner 194 Bibliography 205 Author’s Acknowledgements 205 Index 206
CARDIFF CASTLE AND THE MARQUESSES OF BUTE
MATTHEW WILLIAMS
2
CA R D I F F CA S T L E
CARDIFF CASTLE AND THE MARQUESSES OF BUTE
MATTHEW WILLIAMS
2
CA R D I F F CA S T L E
Foreword
Preface
by Jimmy Page OBE Honorary DMus, Berklee College of Music, Boston Honorary PhD, University of Surrey
by John, 7th Marquess of Bute
walking through the extraordinary rooms of cardiff castle
is, for me, a stranger experience than for most visitors, tinged as it is by a strong sense of déjà vu. A piece of coloured sculpture or section of stained glass seems oddly familiar. In the case of the Castle Nursery, the familiarity becomes overwhelming, and for a very sound reason. William Burges, the Victorian architect and designer who recreated Cardiff Castle for the 3rd Marquess of Bute, built for himself a smaller, miniature castle as his London home, decorated with all his customary exuberance. For the past 45 years I have had the pleasure of living in it and discovering its extraordinary detail. My dining room at Tower House, for example, is almost identical to the Nursery at Cardiff Castle, and built at the same time. Both rooms include a vividly coloured ceramic tile frieze, illustrating characters from children’s literature,
who process around the walls. Likewise, sets of stained glass and sculpture, including Burges’s beloved parrots, reappear in my rooms. William Burges seldom wasted a favourite design, and at Cardiff Castle his imagination flowed. Above Burges’s bed at Tower House once hung his watercolour painting of the castle’s amazing Clock Tower, illustrated in this book. Burges evidently wanted to savour the pleasure of this extraordinary achievement; as well as enjoying his house, in this I appreciate his passion. Once hugely unfashionable, Cardiff Castle has become one of Britain’s most visited, unusual and pleasurable buildings. Burges’s version of Gothic Revival is rare stuff. He had a limited number of clients and his buildings are few and far between. This is architecture to treasure. I am delighted that in this book, Matthew Williams brings its delights to a wider audience.
matthew williams’ encyclopaedic knowledge of the history
of one of Wales’s most intriguing ancient monuments is guaranteed to be a good read for anyone interested in the remarkable story of the transformation of the small fishing port of Cardiff into a powerhouse of the British industrial revolution. Cardiff Castle is part of that story, because of the link between the castle, the town, the port, and my ancestors the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Marquesses of Bute. This book spans over 250 years of the history of the castle, which was so spectacularly transformed from part ruin to Gothic fantasy. The prime movers in this undertaking were
the great architect William Burges and my great-great-grandfather, John Patrick Crichton-Stuart. The collaboration between these two eccentric Victorians brought together their collective obsessions: gothicism, romanticism, mysticism, religion, astrology, impeccable design and architectural perfection. The result speaks for itself; Cardiff Castle is one of Britain’s most fascinating heritage destinations. I would like to thank Matthew for all the help and support he has extended to the Mount Stuart Trust on the Isle of Bute. Here at Mount Stuart we continually strive to match the excellent standards achieved by Matthew and his colleagues at Cardiff Castle. JOHNNY BUTE
JIMMY PAGE
6
CA R D I F F CA S T L E
7
Foreword
Preface
by Jimmy Page OBE Honorary DMus, Berklee College of Music, Boston Honorary PhD, University of Surrey
by John, 7th Marquess of Bute
walking through the extraordinary rooms of cardiff castle
is, for me, a stranger experience than for most visitors, tinged as it is by a strong sense of déjà vu. A piece of coloured sculpture or section of stained glass seems oddly familiar. In the case of the Castle Nursery, the familiarity becomes overwhelming, and for a very sound reason. William Burges, the Victorian architect and designer who recreated Cardiff Castle for the 3rd Marquess of Bute, built for himself a smaller, miniature castle as his London home, decorated with all his customary exuberance. For the past 45 years I have had the pleasure of living in it and discovering its extraordinary detail. My dining room at Tower House, for example, is almost identical to the Nursery at Cardiff Castle, and built at the same time. Both rooms include a vividly coloured ceramic tile frieze, illustrating characters from children’s literature,
who process around the walls. Likewise, sets of stained glass and sculpture, including Burges’s beloved parrots, reappear in my rooms. William Burges seldom wasted a favourite design, and at Cardiff Castle his imagination flowed. Above Burges’s bed at Tower House once hung his watercolour painting of the castle’s amazing Clock Tower, illustrated in this book. Burges evidently wanted to savour the pleasure of this extraordinary achievement; as well as enjoying his house, in this I appreciate his passion. Once hugely unfashionable, Cardiff Castle has become one of Britain’s most visited, unusual and pleasurable buildings. Burges’s version of Gothic Revival is rare stuff. He had a limited number of clients and his buildings are few and far between. This is architecture to treasure. I am delighted that in this book, Matthew Williams brings its delights to a wider audience.
matthew williams’ encyclopaedic knowledge of the history
of one of Wales’s most intriguing ancient monuments is guaranteed to be a good read for anyone interested in the remarkable story of the transformation of the small fishing port of Cardiff into a powerhouse of the British industrial revolution. Cardiff Castle is part of that story, because of the link between the castle, the town, the port, and my ancestors the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Marquesses of Bute. This book spans over 250 years of the history of the castle, which was so spectacularly transformed from part ruin to Gothic fantasy. The prime movers in this undertaking were
the great architect William Burges and my great-great-grandfather, John Patrick Crichton-Stuart. The collaboration between these two eccentric Victorians brought together their collective obsessions: gothicism, romanticism, mysticism, religion, astrology, impeccable design and architectural perfection. The result speaks for itself; Cardiff Castle is one of Britain’s most fascinating heritage destinations. I would like to thank Matthew for all the help and support he has extended to the Mount Stuart Trust on the Isle of Bute. Here at Mount Stuart we continually strive to match the excellent standards achieved by Matthew and his colleagues at Cardiff Castle. JOHNNY BUTE
JIMMY PAGE
6
CA R D I F F CA S T L E
7
Introduction
the last book to be written about cardiff castle was published
in 1923. Its author J.P. Grant described Cardiff Castle then as a unique historical object lesson, and today his assertion is truer than ever. Few other historic sites offer 2000 years of history, including impressive and substantial survivals from the Roman, Norman and medieval periods. What sets Cardiff Castle apart, however, are the fairy-tale gothic revival extravagances of the late nineteenth century, when the castle was transformed by a dynamic combination of money, talent and a passion for the past. I make no apology for this book’s concentration on the past 250 years of the castle’s much longer history. Others would do greater justice to its more distant past, and for me it is the Butes’ contribution that makes Cardiff Castle one of the most fascinating historic buildings in Britain. Nearly a century has passed since Grant’s book appeared, written when he was architect to the 4th Marquess of Bute and engaged upon alterations to what was still a private house. Visiting Cardiff in 1944, the author and architectural historian James Lees-Milne wrote that it was extraordinary that one man could still own a castle and vast park in the heart of a modern city. Such feudalism was not to last; three years later the castle was presented to the city of Cardiff by the 5th Marquess. The tremendous social and economic changes that took place during the twentieth century saw Cardiff Castle develop from a private home into wartime
air-raid shelters, a college of music and drama, and finally into one of the most admired tourist attractions in Wales and a much-loved cultural asset. Lees-Milne famously remarked that the castle was, inside and out, the most hideous building he had ever seen. This may have resonated with a generation brought up to despise Victorian taste but posterity and scholarship have disagreed, and the castle attracts a growing number of visitors. Professor Mordaunt Crook’s masterly biography of William Burges, published in 1981 to coincide with the architect’s centenary, drew attention to the unique nature of the castle’s Victorian history, and tourists continue to marvel at the zestful and imaginative interiors created by Burges and Bute. Many of them forget that the vast wealth that made such opulence possible was derived from the nineteenth-century Welsh coal industry. Coal from Welsh pits put pure gold leaf onto the ceilings of Bute’s houses in an explosion of creativity and talent: a tribute to all those who made it possible and a tangible legacy from an otherwise harsh and dirty industrial past. In nearly 30 years as Castle Curator, I have retained my enthusiasm and love for this extraordinary place by constantly exploring its history and by sharing its pleasures with others, many of whom are discovering it for the first time. This long-overdue book on the castle’s more recent history brings its story up to date, as well as allowing me to share several new discoveries. MATTHEW WILLIAMS
Curator, Cardiff Castle
8
CA R D I F F CA S T L E
9
Introduction
the last book to be written about cardiff castle was published
in 1923. Its author J.P. Grant described Cardiff Castle then as a unique historical object lesson, and today his assertion is truer than ever. Few other historic sites offer 2000 years of history, including impressive and substantial survivals from the Roman, Norman and medieval periods. What sets Cardiff Castle apart, however, are the fairy-tale gothic revival extravagances of the late nineteenth century, when the castle was transformed by a dynamic combination of money, talent and a passion for the past. I make no apology for this book’s concentration on the past 250 years of the castle’s much longer history. Others would do greater justice to its more distant past, and for me it is the Butes’ contribution that makes Cardiff Castle one of the most fascinating historic buildings in Britain. Nearly a century has passed since Grant’s book appeared, written when he was architect to the 4th Marquess of Bute and engaged upon alterations to what was still a private house. Visiting Cardiff in 1944, the author and architectural historian James Lees-Milne wrote that it was extraordinary that one man could still own a castle and vast park in the heart of a modern city. Such feudalism was not to last; three years later the castle was presented to the city of Cardiff by the 5th Marquess. The tremendous social and economic changes that took place during the twentieth century saw Cardiff Castle develop from a private home into wartime
air-raid shelters, a college of music and drama, and finally into one of the most admired tourist attractions in Wales and a much-loved cultural asset. Lees-Milne famously remarked that the castle was, inside and out, the most hideous building he had ever seen. This may have resonated with a generation brought up to despise Victorian taste but posterity and scholarship have disagreed, and the castle attracts a growing number of visitors. Professor Mordaunt Crook’s masterly biography of William Burges, published in 1981 to coincide with the architect’s centenary, drew attention to the unique nature of the castle’s Victorian history, and tourists continue to marvel at the zestful and imaginative interiors created by Burges and Bute. Many of them forget that the vast wealth that made such opulence possible was derived from the nineteenth-century Welsh coal industry. Coal from Welsh pits put pure gold leaf onto the ceilings of Bute’s houses in an explosion of creativity and talent: a tribute to all those who made it possible and a tangible legacy from an otherwise harsh and dirty industrial past. In nearly 30 years as Castle Curator, I have retained my enthusiasm and love for this extraordinary place by constantly exploring its history and by sharing its pleasures with others, many of whom are discovering it for the first time. This long-overdue book on the castle’s more recent history brings its story up to date, as well as allowing me to share several new discoveries. MATTHEW WILLIAMS
Curator, Cardiff Castle
8
CA R D I F F CA S T L E
9
The signs of the zodiac in the Winter Smoking Room were painted by Burges’s favoured artist Fred Weekes, who also drew the cartoons for stained glass from Burges’s sketched designs.
THE 3RD MARQUESS AND WILLIAM BURGES
77
The signs of the zodiac in the Winter Smoking Room were painted by Burges’s favoured artist Fred Weekes, who also drew the cartoons for stained glass from Burges’s sketched designs.
THE 3RD MARQUESS AND WILLIAM BURGES
77
The dome, seen here through the gilded rays of the chandelier, illustrates the heavens with stars of gilded lead and mirrors.
above
Carved, painted and gilded stone figures, representing the winds, seem to surge out of the walls in the Summer Smoking Room, forming unusual column capitals.
opposite
THE 3RD MARQUESS AND WILLIAM BURGES
81
The dome, seen here through the gilded rays of the chandelier, illustrates the heavens with stars of gilded lead and mirrors.
above
Carved, painted and gilded stone figures, representing the winds, seem to surge out of the walls in the Summer Smoking Room, forming unusual column capitals.
opposite
THE 3RD MARQUESS AND WILLIAM BURGES
81
the bachelor bedroom
In the room between the two smoking rooms was the Bachelor Bedroom, intended for the Marquess himself. Here the theme of the decoration is mineral wealth, which is entirely appropriate considering that it was the minerals of the Taff valley, the source of Bute’s wealth, that enabled him to build the tower in the first place. The carved chimneypiece acknowledges this debt by including actual specimens of minerals found on the Bute estate. The walls of the bedroom were painted by Fred Weekes with legends from Herodotus and Homer, as well as other myths associated with the quest for gold and precious gems, ivory, corals and pearls. Each of the stained glass windows represents a faceted gem, with ruby, emerald, topaz and sapphire all appearing. The adjoining bathroom is lined with a patchwork of pink Penarth alabaster, creating an extremely chilly setting for Lord Bute’s marble bathtub. Burges enlivened this antique bath, converted from a Roman sarcophagus, by setting metal sea creatures into its surface, so that when the tub was filled with water, they appeared to be swimming. An unfortunate side effect of these delightful motifs was that they became extremely hot when the bath was in use, and unwary bathers risked being branded with the imprint of a Burges copper octopus or salamander. The furnishing scheme for the Bachelor Bedroom was one of the most comprehensive that Burges attempted to design at Cardiff Castle. His original suite of furniture for this room included a dressing table and washstand, a corner cupboard, writing table and sofa, as well as a chunky single bed, all of carved and inlaid teak. Textiles including bedcovers, hangings and a carpet were also especially designed by Burges.
The vaulted ceiling of the Bachelor Bedroom was intended to eliminate noise from the bell chamber above, but at night the steady tick of the clock may still be heard.
above
opposite
Burges’s original design for the chimneypiece.
above left
The Bachelor Bedroom photographed in c.1 900.
THE 3RD MARQUESS AND WILLIAM BURGES
89
the bachelor bedroom
In the room between the two smoking rooms was the Bachelor Bedroom, intended for the Marquess himself. Here the theme of the decoration is mineral wealth, which is entirely appropriate considering that it was the minerals of the Taff valley, the source of Bute’s wealth, that enabled him to build the tower in the first place. The carved chimneypiece acknowledges this debt by including actual specimens of minerals found on the Bute estate. The walls of the bedroom were painted by Fred Weekes with legends from Herodotus and Homer, as well as other myths associated with the quest for gold and precious gems, ivory, corals and pearls. Each of the stained glass windows represents a faceted gem, with ruby, emerald, topaz and sapphire all appearing. The adjoining bathroom is lined with a patchwork of pink Penarth alabaster, creating an extremely chilly setting for Lord Bute’s marble bathtub. Burges enlivened this antique bath, converted from a Roman sarcophagus, by setting metal sea creatures into its surface, so that when the tub was filled with water, they appeared to be swimming. An unfortunate side effect of these delightful motifs was that they became extremely hot when the bath was in use, and unwary bathers risked being branded with the imprint of a Burges copper octopus or salamander. The furnishing scheme for the Bachelor Bedroom was one of the most comprehensive that Burges attempted to design at Cardiff Castle. His original suite of furniture for this room included a dressing table and washstand, a corner cupboard, writing table and sofa, as well as a chunky single bed, all of carved and inlaid teak. Textiles including bedcovers, hangings and a carpet were also especially designed by Burges.
The vaulted ceiling of the Bachelor Bedroom was intended to eliminate noise from the bell chamber above, but at night the steady tick of the clock may still be heard.
above
opposite
Burges’s original design for the chimneypiece.
above left
The Bachelor Bedroom photographed in c.1 900.
THE 3RD MARQUESS AND WILLIAM BURGES
89
the small dining room
Burges’s designs for an interior usually revolved around an impressive chimneypiece or ceiling, and the Small Dining Room has both (opposite and above ). The painted hessian wall covering ( top right ) dates from 1890 and was a background for family portraits.
The additions inside the Bute Tower included a new bedroom for Lord Bute and a roof garden or peristyle, while the two existing Georgian rooms underwent a complete Burges makeover, with the old Back Drawing Room becoming the Small Dining Room. Burges gave the interior a new and elaborately coffered ceiling and replaced Holland’s sash windows with stone mullions set with stained glass. The theme of the room is the life of Abraham. The chimneypiece, sculpted by Thomas Nicholls, illustrates the story of the appearance of angels to Abraham and Sarah, foretelling the birth of a son. Scenes from the life of Abraham, culminating in the sacrifice of Isaac, also appear in Saunders’s 1873 stained glass windows. The choice of subject is interesting. Bute was a late child, born to older parents, and he may well have felt that it was appropriate in a room that was much favoured by his late mother. Her monogram appears several times in the decoration, and the Hastings and Stuart arms feature on the chimneypiece. The interior’s intended scheme of wall decoration was never carried out. Instead the oak panelling, made in 1874 by the Bute workshops, was chosen in reference to the mythical ‘Abraham’s oak’ under which Abraham was supposedly sitting when visited by angels. On the left of the door is a beautifully carved monkey bell-push, which once sported a collar engraved with the Bute arms and set with precious stones – stolen when the castle first opened to the public in 1949.
CARDIFF CASTLE TRANSFORMED 1872–78
131
the small dining room
Burges’s designs for an interior usually revolved around an impressive chimneypiece or ceiling, and the Small Dining Room has both (opposite and above ). The painted hessian wall covering ( top right ) dates from 1890 and was a background for family portraits.
The additions inside the Bute Tower included a new bedroom for Lord Bute and a roof garden or peristyle, while the two existing Georgian rooms underwent a complete Burges makeover, with the old Back Drawing Room becoming the Small Dining Room. Burges gave the interior a new and elaborately coffered ceiling and replaced Holland’s sash windows with stone mullions set with stained glass. The theme of the room is the life of Abraham. The chimneypiece, sculpted by Thomas Nicholls, illustrates the story of the appearance of angels to Abraham and Sarah, foretelling the birth of a son. Scenes from the life of Abraham, culminating in the sacrifice of Isaac, also appear in Saunders’s 1873 stained glass windows. The choice of subject is interesting. Bute was a late child, born to older parents, and he may well have felt that it was appropriate in a room that was much favoured by his late mother. Her monogram appears several times in the decoration, and the Hastings and Stuart arms feature on the chimneypiece. The interior’s intended scheme of wall decoration was never carried out. Instead the oak panelling, made in 1874 by the Bute workshops, was chosen in reference to the mythical ‘Abraham’s oak’ under which Abraham was supposedly sitting when visited by angels. On the left of the door is a beautifully carved monkey bell-push, which once sported a collar engraved with the Bute arms and set with precious stones – stolen when the castle first opened to the public in 1949.
CARDIFF CASTLE TRANSFORMED 1872–78
131
the roof garden
Lord Bute’s Bedroom and the Roof Garden above the Sitting Room also date from 1875–79, and both have religious themes. The Old Testament is represented on the walls of the Roof Garden, where tiled wall panels made by Maw & Co. are decorated by the Arts and Crafts designer W.B. Simpson with Lonsdale’s designs of scenes from the life of Elijah. Beneath each panel, Hebrew text makes reference to Bute’s learning Hebrew when the design was made. The Roof Garden is based on the idea of a Pompeiian peristyle, with Roman-style floor mosaics bordered by a Scottish pink granite pavement. In the centre of the court is a fountain by Burges; he had designed many earlier fountains but this was the first to be executed. A splendid version in bronze, it is set with beavers holding fish which spurt water into the basin below. At the top was once a large bronze beaver triumphantly brandishing the Crichton-Stuart shield, now sadly missing. The Roof Garden was designed to evoke the Mediterranean; it was open to the sky and intended as a place for quiet relaxation. In hot weather a yellow silk cover could be secured to the bronze columns that surround the sunken garden in the centre. Bronze flower boxes, modelled on Pompeiian charcoal burners, were filled with citrus trees, completing the languid effect. Another biblical feature appears on the east side: a bronze Madonna and Child, inspired by that above the entrance to the French medieval walled town of Carcassonne. This was made by the Italian sculptor Ceccardo Fucigna (1834–84) and is cleverly placed so as to be illuminated by the afternoon sun. Many of the tower-top rooms in the castle were private retreats for Lord Bute. The Roof Garden recalled his travels in the Mediterranean, with colour, movement, fragrance and the sound of water making this a sensory place.
136
CA R D I F F CA S T L E
the roof garden
Lord Bute’s Bedroom and the Roof Garden above the Sitting Room also date from 1875–79, and both have religious themes. The Old Testament is represented on the walls of the Roof Garden, where tiled wall panels made by Maw & Co. are decorated by the Arts and Crafts designer W.B. Simpson with Lonsdale’s designs of scenes from the life of Elijah. Beneath each panel, Hebrew text makes reference to Bute’s learning Hebrew when the design was made. The Roof Garden is based on the idea of a Pompeiian peristyle, with Roman-style floor mosaics bordered by a Scottish pink granite pavement. In the centre of the court is a fountain by Burges; he had designed many earlier fountains but this was the first to be executed. A splendid version in bronze, it is set with beavers holding fish which spurt water into the basin below. At the top was once a large bronze beaver triumphantly brandishing the Crichton-Stuart shield, now sadly missing. The Roof Garden was designed to evoke the Mediterranean; it was open to the sky and intended as a place for quiet relaxation. In hot weather a yellow silk cover could be secured to the bronze columns that surround the sunken garden in the centre. Bronze flower boxes, modelled on Pompeiian charcoal burners, were filled with citrus trees, completing the languid effect. Another biblical feature appears on the east side: a bronze Madonna and Child, inspired by that above the entrance to the French medieval walled town of Carcassonne. This was made by the Italian sculptor Ceccardo Fucigna (1834–84) and is cleverly placed so as to be illuminated by the afternoon sun. Many of the tower-top rooms in the castle were private retreats for Lord Bute. The Roof Garden recalled his travels in the Mediterranean, with colour, movement, fragrance and the sound of water making this a sensory place.
136
CA R D I F F CA S T L E
lord bute’s bedroom
Beneath the Roof Garden is Lord Bute’s Bedroom, which was generally used only as a dressing room as Bute preferred to share his wife’s bed in the Chintz Room. The room takes its theme from the New Testament, with a gilt-bronze statue of St John the Evangelist, designed by Burges and made by Fucigna, standing on the chimneypiece. The seven windows contain stained glass panels, made by the stained-glass firm of Lavers and Barraud, representing the seven churches of Asia. The coffered ceiling above contains 189 bevelled glass mirrors, reflecting silver and gold light into the room. Decorated with biblical inscriptions inscribed in Greek, the room is highly personal to Bute, John being his name-saint. Attached to the bedroom is a marble-lined bathroom. Bute wanted to ensure that this was more convenient than the one designed for the Bachelor Bedroom in the Clock Tower. The new fittings included a modern bath, a Burges-designed majolica basin with a poetic theme, and stained-glass lovebirds, complementing the painted versions in the bedroom. The original fretwork shutters contained engraved panels of alabaster and filtered light onto the onyx washstand. A door in the walnut panelling leads to what some Victorians, including Bute, called ‘Aunt’ – a Jennings patent water-closet.
The bedroom in the Bute Tower took several years to complete; Lord Bute disliked hurrying over design projects, which were, he wrote, his ‘chief pleasure’. above The bedroom photographed in c.1880. left
CARDIFF CASTLE TRANSFORMED 1872–78
141
lord bute’s bedroom
Beneath the Roof Garden is Lord Bute’s Bedroom, which was generally used only as a dressing room as Bute preferred to share his wife’s bed in the Chintz Room. The room takes its theme from the New Testament, with a gilt-bronze statue of St John the Evangelist, designed by Burges and made by Fucigna, standing on the chimneypiece. The seven windows contain stained glass panels, made by the stained-glass firm of Lavers and Barraud, representing the seven churches of Asia. The coffered ceiling above contains 189 bevelled glass mirrors, reflecting silver and gold light into the room. Decorated with biblical inscriptions inscribed in Greek, the room is highly personal to Bute, John being his name-saint. Attached to the bedroom is a marble-lined bathroom. Bute wanted to ensure that this was more convenient than the one designed for the Bachelor Bedroom in the Clock Tower. The new fittings included a modern bath, a Burges-designed majolica basin with a poetic theme, and stained-glass lovebirds, complementing the painted versions in the bedroom. The original fretwork shutters contained engraved panels of alabaster and filtered light onto the onyx washstand. A door in the walnut panelling leads to what some Victorians, including Bute, called ‘Aunt’ – a Jennings patent water-closet.
The bedroom in the Bute Tower took several years to complete; Lord Bute disliked hurrying over design projects, which were, he wrote, his ‘chief pleasure’. above The bedroom photographed in c.1880. left
CARDIFF CASTLE TRANSFORMED 1872–78
141
This edition © Scala Arts & Heritage Publishers Ltd, 2019 Text and photography © Cardiff Castle, 2019, except as listed below First published in 2019 by Scala Arts & Heritage Publishers Ltd 10 Lion Yard Tremadoc Road London SW4 7NQ, UK www.scalapublishers.com In association with Cardiff Castle Cardiff Street Cardiff CF10 3RB www.cardiffcastle.com ISBN 978-1-78551-234-6 (paperback) ISBN 978-1-78551-252-0 (hardback) Edited by Jessica Hodge Designed by Raymonde Watkins Printed in China 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the written permission of Cardiff Castle and Scala Arts & Heritage Publishers Ltd. Every effort has been made to acknowledge correct copyright of images where applicable. Any errors or omissions are unintentional and should be notified to the Publisher, who will arrange for corrections to appear in any reprints. Frontispiece: Winter Smoking Room Front cover: Dome of the Chaucer Room Back cover: Octagon Staircase
PHOTO CREDITS Ascend Productions: pp. 112/3, 118, 120/1, 122/3, 126/7 The Bute Collection at Mount Stuart, photographer Keith Hunter: pp. 13, 16, 18 top, 29, 31, 32, 35, 41 both, 47, 53, 92 right James O. Davies: back cover, pp. 1, 8, 12 top, 25, 34 top, 50, 52 top, 58 all, 59, 69, 70, 71 bottom, 72/3, 75, 77 all, 80, 81, 84, 90, 91 top & bottom left, 94, 96 top, 97, 98 top, 101, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108/9, 110, 111, 113 all, 115 right, 116 top, 118, 119, 122 left, 124 all, 125, 128 both, 129 bottom, 131 top right, 133 top, 134, 135, 138 both, 139 right, 140/1, 142, 143, 144, 145 both, 148, 149, 151, 152, 154/5, 148, 149, 151, 152, 154/5, 160 left, 161 right above and below,165, 166, 168 top, 181 top, 193 bottom right, 198 left, 202 top, 204, 208 Guernsey Museum and Galleries: pp. 24 bottom, 28 Ashley Hicks: pp. 4, 74, 78, 85, 89, 91 bottom right, 117, 131 top left, 147, 156, 157 Stephen Hyam: front cover, pp. 2/3, 76, 86/7, 93, 130, 136/7, 153, 184 Bob Hyett: p. 34 By permission of Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru/National Library of Wales: pp. 10, 19, 26 bottom National Museum and Galleries of Wales: pp. 43 top, 79 top The National Trust, Knighthayes Court: p. 72 left Timothy Rudge: p. 158 © Tate, London 2019: p. 37