Open Doors - St. Margaret's Church, Roath
St. Margaret’s Church was commissioned by the 3rd Marquess of Bute and built in 1870 to designs by John Prichard. It includes stonework and memorials from an ancient church on the same site, which was demolished in 1867. The tower was completed in 1927 to designs by John Coates Carter; the reredos by Ninian Comper in 1925.
Tombs of members of the Bute family, including the 1st Marquess, are located in a magnificent mausoleum built to designs by John Prichard, 1881-86. The mausoleum contains fine carvings, mosaic and stained glass.
It is a listed building Grade I.
There will be: guided tours of church and mausoleum;
access to the tower (weather permitting);
quiz trail for children;
copies of Roath Parish Registers of births, marriages and deaths dating from 1731 available for reference;
historical display panels;
copies of tombstone inscriptions (taken before the clearance of the churchyard) available for reference;
St. Margaret’s Church Guide Books available for sale.
Teas available throughout.
Address: St. Margaret's Church, Waterloo Road, Roath, Cardiff, CF23 5AD. Ref: NGR/ST 199 777.
The church is located in Waterloo Road, in the Cardiff suburb of Roath, at the roundabout junction with Albany Road and Marlborough Road. Visitors travelling from the centre of Cardiff should travel eastwards along Newport Road, past Queen Street Station and the Royal Infirmary, and turn left at Roath Court Funeral Home (a major road junction controlled by traffic lights where Newport Road curves to the right). Immediately after turning left, St. Margaret's Church will be seen on the right.
For safety, access to the tower will be subject to suitable weather conditions, and numbers will be
limited to parties of 20. Ascent of the tower is suitable only for able-bodied adults as this involves steep narrow steps.
Disabled access into the church is through the porch.
No booking required.