Cardiff; Mount Herman Primitive Methodist Chapel, Pearl Street

The Tragic End of Mount Herman Primitive Methodist Chapel, Pearl Street, Cardiff (ST 199 767)

The following newspaper article from the South Wales Echo of 27^th August 1891 attests to the building of a Primitive Methodist Chapel on Pearl Street, Cardiff.

PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHAPEL AT CARDIFF.

Memorial Stone Laying. 

On Wednesday, in wretched weather, a large number of interested friends met in Pearl-street, Roath, where the foundation stones of the new chapel to be erected for the Primitive Methodists were laid. Addresses were delivered by Dr Keen, Rev. J. P. Bellingham, Alderman Cory, Councillor Ramsdale, Councillor Andrews, and Mr John Gardner. Five stones were laid by the following :—Miss Annie Ramsdale, who subscribed £10 Mr R. Cory, £10 “Mr Andrews, £25, Mr Gardner, :£10; and Mr Moone, on be- half of the congregation at Pearl-street, £10. A tea in Mount Tabor Schoolroom followed, and a public meeting was subsequently held, presided over by Alderman Lewis (Deputy-Mayor). Including Councillor Ramsdale’s subscription of £50, the fund amounts to £ 155 10s.

The chapel was located at the junction of Pearl Street and Splott Road on the north side of the main Cardiff to London railway line. The Architect was Habershon & Fawckner, which had an office in Pearl Street. Plans and elevations are available in Glamorgan Archives. The chapel opened in 1892. It closed in 1917 but was soon taken over by the Salvation Army which finally vacated the premises then known as “The Citadel” in 1977. The building was then used for a while as a retail outlet but was finally abandoned in 1980.

In 2016, when Network Rail needed to rebuild the adjacent Splott Road Railway bridge as part of the electrification of the main line, the structure was deemed to be unsafe. Cardiff Council then gave approval for it to be demolished and the site redeveloped. In 2017, during the course of the demolition works, the building collapsed inwards without warning, killing Jeffrey Plevey aged 55. Two other workmen escaped without serious injury.

¹ Glamorgan Archives Cat. No. BC/S/1/8098. New Primitive Methodist Chapel, Pearl Street

² https://dicmortimer.com/2017/08/20/hermons-inheritance/