Home > Cardiff Castle > The Normans

Founding of Site

• motte --> raised by the Normans around 1081
• Robert Fitzhamon --> 1st Norman Lord of Glamorgan, saw strategy in site of old Roman fort

Design of the Keep

• Originally a wooden keep
• Keep now made of stone built around 1140 by Robert the Consul, 2nd Lord of Glamorgan
• Possible reasons for stone keep: (1) Welsh Uprising of 1135 following Henry I's death, (2) Prison for Robert Curthose the Duke of Normandy and older brother of Henry I from 1126-1134 when he died
• 13th/Early 14th Centuries - De Clare family built the Black Tower and linked it to the keep with a wall, added a gatehouse and dore-buildings to the keep, and built a large hall inside
• 1420's - lodgings built; keep no longer housed lord
• 1530's - keep referred to as the "White Tower" and housed armoury

Attacks on the Keep

• 1158 - Ifor Bach, Lord of Senghenydd attacked keep and abducted Earl William and his family and held them hostage
• 1180s - Another Welsh attack
• 1400 - Last great Welsh uprising began (under Owain Glyndwr)
• 1404 - Town of Cardiff burned; Castle sacked

Ruin

• 1770's - Keep's forebuildings demolished by "Capability" Brown; keep isolated
• Moat around keep also filled in at this time

Reconstruction

• 1872-1873 --> 3rd Marquess of Bute repaired building and re-excavated moat, stone steps added
• 1920's --> stonework repaired, gatehouse had oak floors rennovated, turret added to the top