1884: ‘Cathays a few years ago consisted of three medium-sized streets, the whole population not numbering more than a thousand. Now the total population is probably not far short of 15,000. The religious wants of the people of the district have been fairly provided for – the Church of England, the Congregationalists, Baptists, Primitive Methodists, Bible Christians, Free Church of England and Wesleyan – having opened places of worship of a more or less pretentious character. But what has been done for the Civil government of the district? Very little indeed. If a row takes place and a policeman is wanted, it may be necessary to go to Roath Police Station before one can be found.’ (Cardiff Times)
The southern half of the 500 acre Cathays Estate had been acquired some time after 1832 by the second Marquis of Bute and released for building development by his son from 1880. To the north lay The Heath, common land enclosed by 1801, of which Heath Park is all that remains. (John Newman, The Buildings of Wales: Glamorgan, Penguin, 1995)