Sophia Gardens was the first public park in Cardiff, and the earliest in Wales, built by the Marchioness of Bute and opened in 1858 to compensate for the closing of the castle grounds (nprn 301558). Together with Pontcanna and Llandaff Fields, which followed (301656), it forms a huge public open space in the heart of Cardiff, mirrored on the east bank of the river Taff by Bute Park. Although much of the original framework of Sophia Gardens has been lost, some original features remain. It was built mainly in the period 1858-1901.

Sophia Gardens is located on the west bank of the river Taff, directly opposite Bute Park. The widowed Marchioness instigated the making of the park in 1854, on the site of Plasturton Farm. It was designed by the London architect Alexander Roos (c.1810-1881) architect to the Bute estates. The 1879 Ordnance Survey map shows the layout of the park, dominated as it still is by a main north-south axis from an entrance, flanked by a double avenue, and a lodge at the south end. The current lodge was built in the 1950s and replaces the original lodge destroyed by bombing in the Second World War (419181). Along the west side of the park is a wide, grand entrance off Sophia Close (19979), the road flanked by trees. The axis continues with a wide tarmac circle flanked by semi-circles of iron railings on stone plinths. The railings end in piers similar to those at the entrance. This feature is shown on the 1879 map as a complete circle, but its east end is now open to allow a road to continue to the Sports Centre.

Much of the original layout has gone, to be overlain by modern buildings, sports facilities and car parks. The most important original elements that remain are the main axial walk, the western entrance (on Sophia Close), the boundary walls and private entrances, and some fine trees.

Sources:
Cadw 2000: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales, Glamorgan (ref: PGW(Gm)21(CDF))
Ordnance Survey 25-inch map of Glamorgan, sheet XLIII.10 (editions of 1879, 1901 & 1915).

RCAHMW, 7 July 2022