Pontcanna Fields

Pontcanna Fields, on the western bank of the River Taff, adjoins Llandaff Fields to the west and Sophia Gardens to the south. Like Sophia Gardens it was originally part of the Bute Estate, and open to the public although privately owned. Following the presentation in 1947 of Sophia Gardens and Cardiff Castle to the City of Cardiff by the 5th Marquis of Bute, the Council sought to acquire the Pontcanna land - some 157 acres - for public recreational space. In October 1948 the Parks Committee approved the purchase at a cost of £97,000.^[1]

The present day Pontcanna Fields is largely a flat open grassed area. Its characteristic feature is an avenue of lime trees running north-south the length of the park. These trees were planted in the winter of 1879-80 by Andrew Pettigrew, Head Gardener to the Marquis of Bute, and father of W.W. and A.A. Pettigrew. Another lime avenue runs roughly east-west from the River Taff to Western Avenue and this used to continue to Llandaff Cathedral cemetery before the construction of Western Avenue.

The high stone wall separating Pontcanna Fields from Llandaff Fields is another historic feature. This wall was built in the late nineteenth century and starts at the south as the western boundary of Sophia Gardens.