St. Mary's, Caerau (1970s)

Description

St Mary’s Church is situated in the north-east corner of Caerau hillfort. The church is a Grade II Listed building, but is now a ruin. The original structure probably dates to the 13th century, but local folklaw tell of an earlier church on the site possibly to the north of the current building. Some local residents claim that some of Oliver Cromwell’s troops hid in the building during the battle of St Fagans in 1648, only to be found and killed (despite the fact their side won)…a musket ball found during the recent hillfort excavations may suggest activity up on the hill around that time!

The church was temporarily closed in 1957 before being restored and reopened in 1961 by Father Victor Jones. However, after Father Jones left the diocese in the late 1960s, the church was allowed to fall into disrepair and was deconsecrated in the 1980s. Some local residents remember getting married there – but the structure is now slowly deteriorating although a passionate local group, the Friends of St Mary’s, are striving to protect it from further decay and destruction.

It is still the focal point for visitors on the hill and the source of many stories, including local folklaw about ghouls and ghosts!