The oratory was built by Maynard Mathews in memory of his son Llandaff Mathews who died while saving the lives of eight colleagues at the Burnside Colliery mine on 19 March 1925.

Initially, Maynard Mathews wanted to erect a plaque in honour of his son at the Roman Catholic Church in Ladysmith, but could not secure permission to do so.

[1] The oratory seats just eight people, apparently the same number of people Llandaff saved in the mine accident, and is architecturally based on a wing of Cardiff Cathedral in Wales.

The Oratory is a Heritage Landmark (formerly called a National Monument).

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