St Mary the Virgin, Butetown, Cardiff

The Church of St Mary the Virgin on Bute Street in Cardiff was built in 1843, a response to the growing population as Cardiff grew on the back of steel and coal. The land and some funds were made available by the Marquess of Bute, and money raised by parishioners, including the sale of a poem by William Wordsworth.

The church continues to stand in the midst of a changing environment, telling the story not only of Cardiff's rise in the Industrial revolution but of a thousand years of history.

The church replaced the former Priory Church of St. Mary the Virgin (c1100) which stood at the turning of the River Taff and gave its name to the present St. Mary street in Cardiff. At this time, it already served as a Parish Church to the developing community which was to become Cardiff and by 1254 it had ceased to be a priory church and was in the care of a Vicar. By the 1700s, after damage caused by flood and the English Civil War, the church stood derelict with the congregation worshipping at the nearby St John's Church. All that remains of that church is a stone corbel head fixed into the wall at the present St Mary's Church.

St Mary's Church is part of one of the oldest multicultural communities in the country. It featured in the movie 'Tiger Bay' starring Hayley Mills, and is home to a thriving community of faith. In 2018, we celebrated the 175th anniversary of the church's opening.

The church is open daily for worship - however, it may be closed outside these times although we are exploring ways of making the church more accessible during the week. If you find the church closed please enquire at the Vicarage next door. We'll be happy to open the doors and show you around!


Entrance to the church is on North Church Street, through the car park. We look forward to seeing you!