We may have chosen the impoverished lifestyle of the writer, but that doesn’t mean we can’t visit magnificent Gothic mansions and dream of something else. Insole Court is one of the most impressive buildings in Cardiff (well, Llandaff to be exact), a mansion built specifically for the improbably wealthy James Harvey Insole. The house (which seems like a bit of an understatement) is open for visitors between 10am and 5pm every weekday, but try not to dribble on the floor. This is magnificently opulent.