User:PotentPotables/Cyfarthfa Castle

Cyfarthfa Castle (Castell Cyfarthfa; ) is a castellated mansion in Park, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. The house was built in 1824 for William Crawshay II, the owner of the Cyfarthfa Ironworks, and designed by Robert Lugar. Now a museum and art gallery maintained by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, it forms part of Cyfarthfa Park alongside the site of the eponymous ironworks.

Background
Following the death of Cyfarthfa Ironworks owner Richard Crawshay in 1810, his son William Crawshay I (William Sr.) and grandson William Crawshay II (William Jr.) took over the company. While William Sr. managed the sales, his son managed the actual production of iron, eventually being nicknamed the "Iron King".

1824
William Jr.

The house was designed by the architect Robert Lugar, who had become known for his Gothic Revival houses in Scotland (namely Tullichewan and Balloch Castle).

In 1889, the Crawshay family moved to Caversham Park, leaving the castle unoccupied. By this time, the estates of the other ironworks owners had all been converted or sold. The Crawshays considered letting out the house and its accompanying farm, using the land for agricultural science. In November 1895, the house and estate were available for renting. Around 1,000 acres of land were still available in 1899 for the purpose of shooting.

Museum and art gallery (1908–present)
In 1908, Merthyr mayor D. W. Jones purchased Cyfarthfa Castle and 111 acres of parkland from William Thompson Crawshay for £14,500. An additional 47 acres of land were purchased from William Thompson for £4,000 and the Local Government Board sanctioned a £22,000 loan. Alongside this, he donated the family's carriage, paintings, and handmade furniture, as well as the music, instruments, and uniforms of the Cyfarthfa Brass Band, which became the Cyfarthfa and Merthyr Municipal Band. Plans were then made by the council to turn the castle into a museum and art gallery, as well as secondary schools for 200 boys and girls. The museum opened two years later and its first curator, Isaac John Williams, stayed in the position until 1914.

In 2000, a £11m regeneration scheme was launched to develop the castle and its grounds. Creating an estimated 200 jobs, the project aimed to restore the old blast furnaces, turn greenhouses into hydroponics centres, recreate the walled garden, and create a children's discovery centre.

The castle was reopened in April 2011 by Merthyr mayor Clive Tovey after a five month renovation: it was funded by a grant from the Heads of the Valleys Programme and cost £320,000. This renovation involved "much-needed repairs" to the site alongside the addition of new case displays and audio guides. The reopening exhibition was Made in Merthyr, showcasing dresses made by Laura Ashley and the world's oldest steam whistle. The Gentleman's Collection exhibition featured a range of items from around the world, collected by residents of the town.

In 2012, the castle received another £50,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund through the "Sharing Treasures" scheme to create a new gallery space. On 1 July 2013, the site's first exhibition A Life In Pictures showed the paintings of Kyffin Williams, with some being loaned by the National Library of Wales.

In 2014, the council launched a public consultation to gauge support over the castle being run by a private not-for-profit trust, in efforts to £330,000 a year. The trust, named Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Trust, took over the site on 1 April 2015.

In September 2019, the Welsh government announced a £6.6m development plan of natural and cultural heritage sites to be used between then and 2021, including £700,000 for Cyfarthfa Park.

The castle and park have been used as music and festival venues, for events like a Donny Osmond concert, Children in Need's "Pudsey in the Park" show, and the Merthyr Rock festival.

House
Like the other houses built by Robert Lugar, Cyfarthfa Castle was built in a Gothic Revival style. The external walls are constructed of limestone. There are fifteen towers, seventy-two rooms,  and battlements.

Grounds
Cyfarthfa Castle is situated in 65 acres of parkland, known as Cyfartha Park.

In 2011, the park received a £1.96m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund to repair its bandstand, walled garden, glasshouses, and bowls pavilion. The grant was also used to employ a heritage officer and warden, and to create apprenticeships for local people in skills like stone wall building.

Ecology
The grounds are home to several species of plants and animals, including:
 * Epilobium nerterioides – commonly found in the hills of Snowdonia, this flowering plant was established at the park in 1945.

Museum collection
The museum and art gallery holds a number of artworks from artists who were born or lived in Merthyr and Wales, including:
 * George Frederick Harris – several paintings and photographs by Harris are held by the museum, including an 1877 photograph of Merthyr and a portrait of his wife. He lived in Merthyr for most of his life and their grandson, Australian former entertainer Rolf Harris, was a special guest at the museum's 2011 reopening.
 * Laura Ashley – various dresses from the Dowlais-born designer are held by the museum, and formed part of the reopening exhibit.
 * Julien Macdonald – dresses made by the Cyfarthfa-born designer have also formed part of the museum's collection.
 * Kyffin Williams – three paintings by the Welsh painter are held by the museum.
 * Penry Williams – the museum owns around 20 paintings by the Merthyr-born artist, previously owned by the castle. Williams had been a decorator for the Crawshay family before William Crawshay II paid for him to attend the Royal Academy. He painted several paintings of Merthyr landmarks, including the Cyfarthfa Ironworks.
 * Sydney Curnow Vosper – the museum holds over 1,000 of the English painter's works, including a version of Salem and portraits of Breton saints. His wife, Constance James, was the daughter of a former mayor of Merthyr.

Other artefacts held by the museum include the oldest steam whistle, the first voting ballot box, a replica of Richard Trevithick's Penydarren locomotive, the "Miner's Window" from St John's Church in Dowlais,

The museum holds many of the instruments used by the Cyfarthfa Brass Band, including bugles, trumpets, side drums, bombardons, and a ophicleide. It also holds a large portrait of George Livsey, the band's long-lasting leader, commissioned by the public and painted by George Frederick Harris in 1905.

Notable exhibitions
The museum has held a variety of exhibitions, including:
 * Walter Waygood: Coming Home – a 2009 exhibition showcased the work of Blaenavon-born photographer Walter Waygood, exploring his portrayal of life in the South Wales Valleys during the 1970s until the 1990s.
 * A 2010 exhibition showcased the Penry Williams paintings owned by the museum alongside ten pieces by J. M. W. Turner, loaned from the Tate Gallery. Two of the Turner pieces were sketches of Merthyr made in the late 18th century.
 * Big Portrait Project – the March 2012 exhibition was a collection of paintings of Welsh celebrities like Shirley Bassey and Tom Jones, including a painting of Gary Speed by Merthyr resident Steven Samuel.