Bute Park destruction in pictures

Due to its location at the historic core of Cardiff, Bute Park contains a wealth of historic interest dating back to Roman and medieval times. Cardiff Castle, the famous Animal Wall, the Gorsedd stones and the Blackfriars site are just a sample of the park’s rich history. The Castle Green was landscaped in the late eighteenth century by Capability Brown , but the park itself was laid out from 1873 on by Andrew Pettigrew, Head Gardener to the 3rd Marquess of Bute^[1]. In 1947, the 5th Marquess of Bute presented the park to the Council. Today the park is still owned and managed by Cardiff Council.

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Nature 

The size of the park and its variety of habitats make Bute Park a haven for wildlife until the diggers and articulated lorries move in.

 It is possible to see a great variety of wildlife including woodpeckers, kingfishers, egrets, bats and grey squirrels. The woodlands adjoining the River Taff contain an excellent spring flora and there is an interesting range of wax cap fungi within sections of closely mown lawn in the arboretum. Salmon and sea trout can be viewed on Blackweir.

An interesting mix of rare and ornamental trees have been planted since 1947 to complement some excellent specimens that formed part of the original park design. Many of the trees are known to beChampion Trees, the biggest examples of their species anywhere in the UK.

Shame many trees have been felled including a very rare species of Holly Tree. Trees roots will be damaged by the building works. Champion trees have been lopped as you can see to allow for dumpers and lorries to go by! 


You would think that the Pliad cymru/Lib dems running Cardiff would protect our heritage! But you would be wrong...Join the facebook group for more information..http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=10999506173

The dock feeder canal forms a tranquil corridor along the eastern edge of the park. Its origins go back to medieval times when it was a millstream, constructed to feed the Lord's Mill, situated below the western walls of Cardiff Castle. This line is clearly seen on the Bute Estate Maps of 1824. ^[2] In 1833, the line of the mill stream was incorporated as a water source for the development of the Cardiff Docks by the 2nd Marquess of Bute and was reformed as the dock feeder when the docks were constructed 1836-1841. ^[3] The dock feeder is still the main water supply to the port of Cardiff.

The River Taff runs along the western edge of the park providing great visual and wildlife interest. Each autumn, salmon and sea trout can be seen jumping up the weir below the footbridge at Blackweir, and herons and cormorants have been observed fishing in this area.^[4]

1. ^ [1],[2]
2. ^ Bute Estate Maps of 1824
3. ^ Plan showing the route of the dock feeder, 1833. Glamorgan Records Office
4. ^ "BBC Wales Nature Q&A". Retrieved 2008-01-16.