Cardiff Castle is an unusual blend of Roman fort, medieval castle and fanciful Victorian gothic mansion.
The Romans established a fort on the site in the 1st century AD, but the square 8 acre fort that remains today was built in the 4th century. When the Normans built their castle in the late 11th century what remained of the Roman walls was buried under earth ramparts. The walls were revealed during excavations in 1889, and were rebuilt on the original foundations - clearly visible in places - between 1922 and 1925.
The Norman motte had a stone shell keep added in the 12th century. Further reinforcements were added by the De Clare family in the 13th and early 14th centuries. The keep gained a gatehouse and fore-buildings linked by a massive ward wall to a new tower in the south - the Black Tower. The wall and the keep's fore-buildings were demolished by 'Capability' Brown in the 1770's during re-development of the site. The moat that surrounded the motte was also filled in, but has since been restored and modern stone now marks the position of the old wall and fore-buildings.
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