Cyfarthfa Castle & Park

Welcoming over 500,000 people each year, Cyfarthfa Park in Merthyr Tydfil is a 160-acre, Grade II listed historic parkland featuring beautiful woodland walks, a picturesque lake, and stunning views of the Brecon Beacons. It is highly popular for family days out, offering a miniature railway, playground, a splash pad, and the spectacular and historically significant Cyfarthfa Castle.

The Castle, home to a gallery and museum overlooks the park and was visited by 59,000 visitors last year, is a Grade I listed building constructed in 1825 for the ironmaster William Crawshay II. More recently, it was known to locals as a school; it now holds extensive collections detailing Merthyr Tydfil’s pivotal place in industrial history, artefacts, art and more.

Working with the Cyfarthfa Foundation team, Limegreentangerine’s job was to unite the park and castle under one brand, following its bicentenary year celebrations.

A Castle. A Catalyst. A strategic vision built around a single statement. Driving possibilities to regenerate a historically significant site and act as a springboard to blossom, from green to black to green again. A project, ultimately, about rebirth: the recognition of a castle and park as a cultural centre and visitor attraction of national significance.

Working alongside the Cyfarthfa Foundation, a charity dedicated to protecting the Castle’s future, we created a destination brand that reimagines Cyfarthfa Castle as more than a historic landmark. Our ambition was to position it as a symbol of pride, possibility and renewal for Merthyr Tydfil, helping to reconnect local communities while inspiring new audiences to visit.

Rooted in the rich heritage whilst looking to the future, the identity combines distinctive typography, a bold colour palette and a rich library of illustrative textures inspired by the estate’s landscape and history. Together, they create a flexible brand that celebrates the unique character of Cyfarthfa and invites people to experience it as a place where history, nature and community come together.

The new Cyfarthfa brand will bring fresh energy to the castle and help more people connect and reconnect with its remarkable story. It shows the difference that thoughtful, heritage-led design can make in celebrating such an important place, finding new audiences and ensuring a storied history of this significance gets the recognition it deserves.

The park’s unique mix of natural beauty and industrial heritage shaped every aspect of the approach to a comprehensive wayfinding scheme. With a material palette of timber, Pennant stone and subtle metal detailing that feels rooted in the landscape, cues were taken from the surrounding woodland, the Cyfarthfa Castle architecture and the ironmaking heritage. The unified wayfinding strategy delivers simplified navigation; durable, environmentally sympathetic materials; improved accessibility; and a strengthened brand presence.

The bespoke family of sign types bring consistency across the park. A clear hierarchy, colour-coded walking routes, iconography and accessible design principles make it easy for visitors to find their way, encouraging ventures and discovery of everything from woodland trails to splash pads.