The Day I found a Mini Downton Abbey! and a Castle!

On Day 2 in Cardiff, Katie went to go see a Doctor Who exhibit (about a popular British show she follows that has its studio in Wales) and I went to find a mini Downton Abbey.

I got to the museum about 15 mintues early so I wandered around where it was located. It was about a 20 minute bus ride from the center of town and everything there looked like it was scrapbooked out of a dream where you live in the British countryside. So much charm its really unbelievable.

'Let By' British for "For Sale"

Red mail boxes

I was the first one there, since it was rainy, but this is a map of what the Castle and gardens.

Mini Downton Abbey

Entrance: you could total see the 1920s cars pulling up here to drop off elegantly dressed lords and ladys for a party or a picnic.

Dining/reception room

Ladies room

Guest room and also the room where Queen Victoria stayed when she came for a visit.

The Lord's study

The Lord's room and one of his servants slept on that mat just in case he needed anything… what a life

The Lady's study

The Lady's room

The entrance to the hall where the Lord and Lady's rooms were and this is the door for the servants. Seen but not heard was very true in this house.

Daily running of the house

These bells are almost exactly like the ones they have in Downton Abbey!

Kitchen

Butler's room

Letter box

Garden

On the other side of the manor house, was a mini village like Greenfield Village except with British homes/buildings.

A mile marker with how far you were in 1841 from London.

Post office!

The General Store!! Part one - they had two sides to it. One where you could buy things and another which was set up from the 1900s.

Part two - the General store from the 1900s. It looks almost exactly like in Greenfield village except its about 20 years younger.

The Village was quite a big size and although I was rushed since I was meeting Katie for lunch, I did manage to see most of it.

Then they had this section where each house was set up too look like what it would've looked like in the 1900s, 1920s, 1940s, 1960s and then today. I took pictures of the 1940s and 1920s. They are out of order a bit.

The row of houses from different periods.

This was a library/school for the men who lived in the village it was originally from.

Hat shop!!

They had a mini carnival too

the church

After my outing and Katie's we meet here in Mermaid Quai for lunch and to do some more stuff together. This is their theater where they do plays like Wicked was in town for the week.

The channel between Britain and Ireland. No that is not Ireland on the other side, I though the same thing, but its actually islands off the coast that belong to Wales.

No idea what church this was but it was striking to see because it was so red and everything else was created white or grey.

We had lunch at this pub that looked more like someone's house than a restaurant.

Chicken burger and onion rings and of course 'chips' for lunch :)

Next we went to see Cardiff Castle. It was originally built in the 11th century by a Normanic tribe on top of an old Roman fort. Many of changes were made to over the centuries but what remains are what the third Marquess of Bute, John, who inherited the castle when he was one in 1848. We took a tour since we knew noting of the castle and learned a lot about John.

The clock tower room - you can tell John had a lot of money.

The kids room - John had three children with his wife and although the family only spent about three months in the castle, nothing was left untouched. John redid almost every room.

Banquet hall - the current queen of England has even had dinner in this hall

John's bath/wash room

His bedroom

Upper gardens - they were on the top of one of the towers with mosaics of Biblical stories. John was a big catholic unlike his fellow countrymen who were Anglican and he didn't hide it in his home.

So no more water damage happens the castle installed this 'bubble' that protects the space from the elements. It literally looks like a giant pillow.

Family dining area, you know for casual nights in…

The nut that the monkey is eating is actually a bell. So if the family needed anything they would just push it and the butler would arrive. After Katie and I found this we were looking all over the walls for hidden buttons!! Unfortunately we didn't get to see the servants quarters.

My favorite room - the library!

The librarians room - the family had a live in librarian and his job was to keep the books in order, clean and get new books when asked.

The Arab room ceiling. During the century (1880s), anything oriental was in style. So to keep up with it, John had this room build. A little over done but very very beautiful

Bottom half of the Arab room

Balcony in the banquet room

Found this fish… no idea what he's doing but he seems surprised lol

found another hidden button!!

The third Marquess of Bute, John

An archway in the library

the outside of the clock tower.

The castle was used as an air raid shelter during WW2 and they had some of the tanks and a mini walk through to give you an idea of what it was like for them during that time.

Pet peacock anyone? He was so funny. There was a girl peacock in his cage and he was trying to show off to her. So he'd stand in front of her and spray out his feathers and then make them rustle. I got a couple of videos because it was just so funny! Then when that didn't work he tried to seduce Katie because we were tying to give him advice on how to get the girl. It was the most enjoyable 20 minutes!

They also had hawks and owls which were once a tradition that the Marquess used to own. This guy's name was hector and Katie and I got to get really close to him since it was feeding time and they brought him out to show us how they feed him. Kinda gross cause he just swallowed a whole baby chick, feathers and everything, but he was so funny. The guardian gave him three since Hector was on a diet but Hector didn't know that. He knew that the food came from the guardians pocket so when he was done feeding him, Hector started squawking at the pocket for more food. He would look up at the guardian, squawk and then look at the pocket and squawk again. It was so funny!

We then climbed up to the middle part of the castle, which was the oldest part to see the view of the village.

View about half way up

Those are the steps to the tip tip top!

All the steps to the middle, not really that many

View from the top!

This was the building we climbed to the top

We then took a walk around the walls on the side and found something very surprising.

So I found this open door and I was like Katie lets go! (you know me always exploring) So we went down this hallway and nothing exciting happening until we suddenly hear this whistle like a bomb is coming and were like what the heck is going on! We came upon a reenactment of the bomb shelters from WW2 and didn't know it until the simulation was over. For a moment, Katie and I were freaking out. There are no windows so you cannot hear or see whats going on and you're hearing this whistle like a bomb is coming for you. They did a great job of that simulation. I really understand now how scared the British were during WW2.

Along the walls were this hilarious publicities for health from WW2.

The actual entrance to the simulation. We walked in through the exit so we had no idea what was going on. If we would've gone the right way then we would've passed a placard that said what was going on.