Pleasure Garden

The Pleasure Garden border July 2015

The Pleasure Garden Ninian Road border July 2015

Looking south downstream of Nant Fawr March 2018

Looking south downstream of Nant Fawr March 2018

The surviving rose garden April 2016

The surviving rose garden April 2016

The easterly bowling green August 2015

The easterly bowling green August 2015

The Pleasure Garden is the section south of Fairoak Road as far as Alder Road, an area of approximately 11 acres laid out with flower beds, shrubs and saplings when the Park was created. It included the Fairoak (Y Dderwen deg) which was an ancient oak tree located alongside the stream very close to the junction of Ty Draw Road and Fairoak Road.

In the summer of 1906 a bowling green and a lawn tennis court were added. Both were officially opened on the 13th June 1906. A guide to Cardiff produced in 1908 stated with respect to Roath Park: "Within the last few years bowling greens and numerous tennis courts have been laid out in the pleasure garden, which are much appreciated by the public in the season."[1] The Parks Superintendent reported in June 1908 that more seats were required owing to the increased popularity of the park since the introduction of bowling and tennis. He recommended that a further 50 to 100 more seats be purchased for next season.[2]

The provision of refreshments also reflected the popularity of these activities. In April 1907 a tender was accepted from J.H.Merrett of 49, Salisbury Road, for selling refreshments at the Roath Park Bowling Greens and Tennis Courts. The Parks Superintendent was instructed to arrange for "the shed near the bowling greens and tennis courts to be painted for use by the caterer".[3] In February 1910, in his report to the Parks Committee, the Parks Superintendent W.W. Pettigrew made mention of "the Tea Gardens in the Pleasure Garden" which he recommended be let with the Refreshment Rooms at the Lake when the tenancy agreement for these was renewed.

The main path on the Ninian Road side of the Pleasure Garden was resurfaced with asphalt in 1908. Like all other paths in the Park it was originally formed from gravel, which became difficult to walk upon when wet. After the Embankment (Promenade) was successfully resurfaced with asphalt, it was agreed to do the same for the remaining paths in the Park. This began in April 1908.

In 1933 the Parks Committee decided to place "a plain iron standard drinking fountain" costing £15 on the grass plot adjoining the brook near the tennis courts and bowling green.[4] This was shown on the 1940s Ordnance Survey map, and was still present on the 1970s map.

Sources of Information

In general, the information in this section is taken from A. A. Pettigrew, The Public Parks and Recreation Grounds of Cardiff, Volumes 2 & 3.

Other sources are:

  1. Illustrated Guide of Cardiff: City & Port. Souvenir of the 25th Annual Conference 1908, United Kingdom Commercial Travellers' Association. page 54
  2. Cardiff Parks Superintendent's Report Bookpdf(pdf) A handwritten book covering the period January 1908 to October 1912 inclusive, currently in the care of the Cardiff Council's Parks Service.
  3. Meeting of the Parks, Open Spaces, and Burial Board Committee 22nd April 1907
  4. Parks, Open Spaces and Burial Board Committee 20th September 1933