Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Dominican Friary
Castle, Cardiff, Wales
A scheduled monument in Castle, Cardiff, recorded as Friary (Medieval).
The record
- Designation
- Scheduled monument
- Site type
- Friary
- Period
- Medieval
- Community
- Castle
- Unitary authority
- Cardiff
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates (centre of the scheduled area)
- 51.48319, -3.18530
- SAM number
- GM173
- Cadw record number
- 224
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1636 map "Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ..." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1636 · Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ... (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1865 · England and Wales. England No. 6. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1895 · Sheet 11. Ordnance Survey of England and Wales. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1898 · 263 Cardiff (Hills) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1913 · Sheet 110. Cardiff & Mouth of the Severn. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
Cadw's description
Summary description and reason for designation
The monument consists of the remains of a friary, probably dating to the medieval period. A friary is a house specifically for men and of chiefly mendicant religious orders.
What remains are the foundations and footings of the church and some claustral buildings exposed by the 3rd Marquis of Bute at the end of the 19th century. These are now presented as a public garden. The friary was founded in 1256 by Richard de Clare, lord of Glamorgan. The building remains are late 13th to early 14th century. The curch had a large nave and narrow chancel and to the north were cloisters with buildings ranged around them laid out to the usual Dominican plan.
The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval ecclesiastical organisation. The structure itself may be expected to contain archaeological information in regard to chronology, building techniques and functional detail.
The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.
Nearby in the register
- Remains of Black Friars, Bute ParkReligious, Ritual and Funeraryunder 1 mi
- West Lodge to Cardiff Castle, including attached Walls & GatewayDomesticunder 1 mi
- Cardiff BridgeTransportunder 1 mi
- Stables to Cardiff Castle in Bute ParkDomesticunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.