St Peter's Church, Roath is the oldest surviving

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

church in

Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...

, the capital of Wales. It is administered by the

Rosminians The Rosminians, officially named the Institute of Charity (), abbreviated I.C., are a Catholic Church, Catholic clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men founded by Antonio Rosmini-Serbati, Antonio Rosmini and first organise ...

History

When the

(the Institute of Charity) first arrived in Cardiff in 1854, the town had a significant Roman Catholic population but only one place of worship, St David's chapel in the town centre (this building would be replaced in the 1880s by the church which became

Cardiff Metropolitan Cathedral The Metropolitan Cathedral Church of St David (Welsh language, Welsh: Eglwys Gadeiriol Fetropolitan Dewi Sant), also known as St David's Cathedral, Cardiff, is a Roman Catholic Church, Catholic cathedral in the Cardiff city centre, city centre ...

). In 1858, a site was secured near

City Road City Road or The City Road is a road that runs through central London. The northwestern extremity of the road is at Angel where it forms a continuation of Pentonville Road. Pentonville Road itself is the modern name for the eastern part of Lo ...

(then called Plwcca Lane) on a 999-year lease, and the necessary funds were raised. Owing to

anti-Catholicism Anti-Catholicism is hostility towards Catholics and opposition to the Catholic Church, its clergy, and its adherents. Scholars have identified four categories of anti-Catholicism: constitutional-national, theological, popular and socio-cul ...

in the area, plans to extend East Grove, forming a junction with Richmond Road, were scrapped because the objectors did not want a Catholic church fronting a main street. Charles Hansom designed the original church in 1860. The church was initially designed with a

tower A tower is a tall Nonbuilding structure, structure, taller than it is wide, often by a significant factor. Towers are distinguished from guyed mast, masts by their lack of guy-wires and are therefore, along with tall buildings, self-supporting ...

and

spire A spire is a tall, slender, pointed structure on top of a roof of a building or tower, especially at the summit of church steeples. A spire may have a square, circular, or polygonal plan, with a roughly conical or pyramidal shape. Spire ...

, but these designs proved over-ambitious, and when the church was opened in 1861, it was without either. The early days of St Peter's were not easy. The area was much-afflicted by poverty and drunkenness, and was far away from the Catholic districts, making work challenging for early priests, and low attendance figures were often a problem. After the conversion of

John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute John Patrick Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute, (12 September 1847 – 9 October 1900) was a Scottish landed aristocrat, industrial magnate, antiquarian, scholar, philanthropist, and architectural patron. When Bute succeeded to the marq ...

, to Catholicism in 1868, and a rigorous fundraising programme, the situation began to improve, with the founding of a school in 1872. The presbytery was also added, in

Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...

style, designed by W. P. James. In 1883, the tower was finally added at the expense of Lord Bute (the planned spire was never added). The stained glass in the sanctuary dates from 1882, each window costing £160. A statue of

Saint Peter Saint Peter (born Shimon Bar Yonah; 1 BC – AD 64/68), also known as Peter the Apostle, Simon Peter, Simeon, Simon, or Cephas, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus and one of the first leaders of the Jewish Christian#Jerusalem ekklēsia, e ...

over the church entrance was added in 1912, and additional dormer windows were installed in 1926. As the

Cathedral A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...

in the city centre had been very badly damaged during a 1941 air raid, episcopal functions moved into St Peter's between 1941 and 1945. St Peter's was also hit by an

incendiary bomb Incendiary weapons, incendiary devices, incendiary munitions, or incendiary bombs are weapons designed to start fires. They may destroy structures or sensitive equipment using fire, and sometimes operate as anti-personnel weaponry. Incendiarie ...

, seeing extensive damage to the roof of the

lady chapel A Lady chapel or lady chapel is a traditional British English, British term for a chapel dedicated to Mary, mother of Jesus, particularly those inside a cathedral or other large church (building), church. The chapels are also known as a Mary chape ...

. This damage was later repaired, and the church was finally consecrated in 1948 after clearing the last of its debts. A

parish hall A church hall or parish hall is a room or building associated with a church architecture, church, generally for community and Charitable organization, charitable use. In smaller and village communities, it is often a separate building near the ...

was built in 1955, and the church became a

Grade II* listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...

in 1975. The school was moved to a different location in 1977, and the old building was demolished in 1981. Between 1970 and 1987, the priest at St Peter's was Father Gil Jones, who welcomed the visiting

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...

to Cardiff on 2 April 1982. The church was extensively redecorated in 2001.

Organs

The first

organ Organ and organs may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a group of tissues organized to serve a common function * Organ system, a collection of organs that function together to carry out specific functions within the body. Musical instruments ...

at St Peter's was a two-manual English-style instrument built by Thompson and Shackell. It was completely rebuilt in 1963 by R.V. Gill. In 2004, a large donation in the will of Sir Julian Hodge allowed for a new organ to be installed, which was named in his honour. The three-manual Continental-style organ was built by the Swiss firm and was completed in 2006. The inaugural recital was given by Dame Gillian Weir on 4 November 2006.

Gallery

File:Statue of the Madonna in St Peters Church, Roath, August 2020 02.jpg, Statue of the Madonna File:Altar of St Peter's Church, Roath, October 2020 (3).jpg, The main altar File:Relics of Antonio Rosmini and Pope John Paul II at St Peter's Church in Roath, Cardiff, October 2020.jpg, Relics of

Antonio Rosmini Antonio Francesco Davide Ambrogio Rosmini-Serbati, IC (; 25 March 17971 July 1855) was an Italian Catholic priest and philosopher. He founded the Rosminians, officially the Institute of Charity, and pioneered the concept of social justice an ...

and

File:St Peters Cardiff Octo 202010964928-1549-4869-AB40-BFC3CE5963AD 11.jpg, A side chapel File:St Peters Cardiff Octo 202010964928-1549-4869-AB40-BFC3CE5963AD 12.jpg, Pulpit

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Roath, Saint Peter's Church Churches completed in 1883 Roman Catholic churches in Cardiff Grade II* listed churches in Cardiff

Roath Roath () is a district and Community (Wales), community to the north-east of the Cardiff city centre, city centre of Cardiff, capital of Wales. The area is mostly covered by the Plasnewydd electoral ward, and stretches from Adamsdown in the so ...

Rosminian churches in the United Kingdom