Cardiff Town Hall

One of the crossroads at the town hall led down to the quay on what is now Westgate Street, another leading to St John's Church.

[2] The martyr Rawlins White (c. 1485 – c. 1555)[3] was commemorated by a plaque at the old town hall, but this was lost when the building was demolished in the 1740s.

In 1741, the town authorities conducted a feasibility study which concluded that it would be simpler and more economically viable to replace the building rather than to repair it.

This was done in spite of widespread public opposition, which increased when the council asked the town's wealthier residents to contribute financially.

After the death of John Crichton-Stuart, 2nd Marquess of Bute in 1848, a statue of him (in classical attire) was erected outside the town hall.

After its replacement, the old town hall continued to be used for council meetings, concerts and other entertainments until it was sold at the end of the 1850s.

[7] After demolition, the statue of the Marquess of Bute was moved to the southern end of St Mary Street.

On this occasion, the new town hall was not built in the centre of the thoroughfare, but on the western side of St Mary's Street (at 51°28′47″N 3°10′46″W / 51.47974°N 3.1795°W / 51.47974; -3.1795), opposite the later Cardiff Market.

At the time of construction, it was one of Cardiff's most impressive buildings, and was confidently predicted to last in use for many years, but was ultimately unable to meet the ever-growing needs of the expanding metropolis.