With its grand Palladian front and magnificent parkland surrounds, Llanrumney Hall couldn’t look more out of place among the post-war council houses that shelter in its shadow. To the uninitiated, it looks as if the man who built the estate decided to give himself the lion’s share of the land and materials but the hall's story goes back long before the houses that surround it today, including a link to one of history's most famous pirate legends.
For those who grew up in the Cardiff suburb, the historic building no doubt has a special place in their hearts, particularly for those who work in the Llanrumney Hall Community Trust. Since spring 2019, the hall has been open for business as a multi-purpose community hub helping those from across the area.
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The Grade II-listed hall was built in 1450 and arguably its most famous occupants down the years were five generations of the Morgan family, whose ancestral home was Tredegar House, in Newport.
The most famous of the Llanrumney Morgans was undoubtedly Sir Henry Morgan who was said to have been born there in 1635, although there is not much information available to confirm this. For his capture of Panama, Henry Morgan was awarded a knighthood by King Charles II and was also made Deputy Governor of Jamaica. Morgan named one of the Jamaican properties after Llanrumney, which he left then left to his wife and it is still there to this day.
After his death, Morgan became increasingly romanticised for being a ruthless pirate on the back of accounts of his exploits plundering Spanish Caribbean colonies in the late 17th Century, and carved out a place in popular culture as such. As well as his name being used for the well-known rum brand, Captain Morgan, he is also believed to have been one of the inspirations behind the Hollywood blockbuster film series Pirates Of The Caribbean.
Of course, that's not all there is to Llanrumney Hall's intriguing history. According to legend, it was built on the resting place of the final Welsh Prince of Wales, Llywelyn the Last. He is believed to have been entombed in a stone coffin by monks in 1282 on the land where the building now stands.
The hall has also been a hotel, a remand home for children, and most recently, a public house. It is also said to be haunted by the ghosts of local people.
In 2012, the hall was bought by Cardiff City's Steve Borley, who wanted to turn it into a community hub. Speaking that year ahead of the purchase, Steve, who has become one of Cardiff's most successful businessmen after starting his own multi-million pound company with just £250 in the bank, said: "The response I have had from the local community, the sports groups, and the local councillors have been fantastic, so it gives me the influence to drive it on. I just can’t wait to get stuck into the project."
He told us earlier this year that he decided to buy the pub after being approached by members of the Llanrumney community as he wanted to “give something back” to the area where he grew up.
From there his venture at Llanrumney Hall took shape, which included giving it a £1m facelift. The entrepreneur took it on initially to help an old school friend, but with no intention of actually getting involved with the impressive former Elizabethan mansion steeped in pirate history. Initially Steve was hoping to swap it for more land next to the House of Sport site in Leckwith, but that deal fell through at the last minute. He was left holding the proverbial baby - a crumbling, dilapidated hall which was "weeks away from collapsing".
Steve said it gave him great pride and pleasure to see the place back in community use: “The place feels loved,” he said, as a trustee of the hall.
As well as its grandeur, Llanrumney Hall has been established as a key part of the community that surrounds it. Back in 2020, we visited Llanrumney Hall Pantry, a "respectful" alternative to the traditional food bank where those who sign up for £5 walk away with up to £25 worth of food that has been both donated or grown only metres away in the garden next door. Read more here.
While food banks may often be associated with those in crisis, the initiative is open to people from all walks of life, with a discrete free visit extended to those who need it most.
On top of all that, Llanrumney Hall is also the perfect place for a day out, complete with a stop to the popular community café in the historic building. Run by Karen and James Rees, the pair behind the Thackery Pub on Rumney Hill, the pair had been looking at opening a second venture when the perfect opportunity came along.
“We thought, it’s a local café, it’s in the community. There’s a real buzz about this place now, especially with the hall and what it’s bringing to the community. We thought ‘Right, we’ll give it a try,’" Karen said.
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