In the heart of Cardiff, where the Capitol Tower now stands as a brutal landmark, once stood the Greyfriars friary. This ancient structure endured looting, burning, and Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries before being replaced by the modern skyscraper. The origins of the Greyfriars friary date back to around 1280 when Franciscan friars established the site just outside the city walls. These monks, known as Greyfriars for the color of their habits, devoted themselves to serving the poor and needy.
Despite surviving Owain Glyndŵr’s torching of the town in 1404, the original monastery met its end around 1540 when Henry VIII ordered its destruction. The ruins were later purchased by the Herbert family in the late 16th century and transformed into Greyfriars House, utilizing stonework from the original friary. However, the mansion fell into disrepair by the 1740s when the family lineage ended.
In the 1880s, the Marquis of Bute excavated the site and considered building a Roman Catholic cathedral there. Nevertheless, financial constraints led to the abandonment of these plans. The Capitol Tower was eventually constructed on the historic site in 1967, erasing any trace of the past. Today, only slight nods to the former friary remain in place names like Greyfriars Road and The Friary.
The history of the Greyfriars friary is a reminder of Cardiff’s rich past, intertwined with religious upheavals and societal changes. While the physical structure may be gone, its legacy lives on through the remnants and stories that continue to shape the city’s landscape.