Cardiff, Friary Ruins, Cathays Park c.1955
Photo ref: C23077
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Photo ref: C23077
Photo of Cardiff, Friary Ruins, Cathays Park c.1955

More about this scene

Greyfriars House was built for William Herbert c1570 utilising the old Franciscan friary on the site as a quarry, the friary having been closed at the Dissolution. The mansion fell into ruin itself by the late 18th century. The endeavours of the third and fourth Marquesses saw the site excavated, footings laid out and eventually fenced in as a public space. Thus protected from the construction of Greyfriars Road Cardiffians believed that the site and its ruin were forever preserved.

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A Selection of Memories from Cardiff

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our website to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was, prompted by the photographs in our archive. Here are some from Cardiff

Sparked a Memory for you?

If this has sparked a memory, why not share it here?

My mother was from Newtown in Cardiff, near the docks. It was a community of very poor Irish immigrants. My great grandmother had a job cleaning the City Hall. She would walk through Cardiff in the early morning and do her work which included polishing the steps then walk all the way back home again, a good few miles. On the way she would stop at her friend's house and her friend would make her a cup of ...see more
Our great grandfather was a stone mason named William Jones. His daughter, our grandmother, told us many years ago that her father was killed in a fall while working on the construction of the City Hall. It had to be after January 1900 as he was present at Grans' wedding in Jan 1900. I have been unable to confirm the happening of this accident. Can anyone help me? I now live in Western Australia so it ...see more
My Great Grandfather James Miles died in the Infirmary, aged 40. He was a Labourer in the Cardiff Ironworks. I never knew any of my family, but when I read of where they lived, and worked and died, I feel so proud of them.
My Grandparents William Garside and Evelyn Bowden were married on 29th February 1896 in Cardiff and Grandad lived in Roath prior to his marriage. I imagine they may have also stood in this spot when courting, looking quite similar.