Cardiff Arms Park

A view of the Cardiff Arms Park cricket ground during the early 1920s, with the rugby ground in the foreground. Photo Credit – David Allen. Cardiff RFC Museum.

Cardiff Cricket Club first played at the Arms Park in 1848, and in 1867 the Bute Estate, who owned the land, granted them the exclusive use of the area in the northern part of the park, as seen in the image above. Soon afterwards, a small wooden pavilion – known as “The Swiss Chalet” was provided by the Bute Estate and this was the building used by the cricketers of Glamorgan and Warwickshire when the first county match was staged at the ground in 1889.

The Arms Park pavilion as seen in 1880 with members of Cardiff CC standing in front. Photo Credit – Glamorgan Cricket Archives.

A larger pavilion was created at the Arms Park in 1904, as seen below, and this remained in existence at the ground until the mid 1930s.

The larger pavilion at the Arms Park, created in 1904. Photo Credit – Glamorgan Cricket Archives.

Glamorgan CCC and Cardiff CC played at the Arms Park until the summer of 1966 when the ground was demolished as part of the scheme to create the National Stadium. Both clubs subsequently moved to Sophia Gardens.

For a more detailed history of the Arms Park cricket ground, click here.

A view of the Arms Park cricket ground during the 1960s. Photo Credit – Glamorgan Cricket Archives.

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