The winter smoking room is my favourite room at Cardiff Castle, the beautifully painted walls with birds painted around the door are just beautiful.The inlay within the wood in the door is amazing.

William Burges had a team of exceptional craftsmen who worked on Cardiff Castle, as well as his usual team he employed local craftsmen, some had previously worked on Llandaff Cathedral.

William Burges visited William Morris in his new home Red House. Both men were passionate about Medieval architecture, design and craftsmanship.

The ceiling design is guilded and has signs of the zodiac within the design. Both Lord Bute and William Burges were very interested in the zodiac.

In the bottom right hand corner of the photo above you can see the sun being held

We were told by our tour guide that the devil was in the ceiling outside the smoking room to keep the ladies out!!