The South Gate:
Imaginary sketch of Cardiff's South Gate
(based on the blue-plaque at the Great Western Hotel)
In 1536, Leland referred to it as ‘Portllongey’, meaning ‘Shipsgate’, although Cardiff's inhabitants seem to have called it more aptly ‘Moor Gate’ because it led to the Soundry or South Town and the Great Meadow, a treacherous marshland. Nothing has remained of this gate except its illustration on Speed’s plan and the mention of its siting on later maps. The only other point of reference could be that the origin of the modern road leading to Atlantic Wharf can be traced to its medieval predecessor which proceeded from the South gate to the Dumballs (55). One interesting and probably important observation regarding its position is that it stood on slightly raised ground from which the roads, leading away, descend noticeably. The gate was thus positioned where today’s Great Western Hotel stands, i.e. well above a level that would have been affected by flooding. The final mention of the South Gate comes from the Council meeting of 1802 when it was decided to pull down the gate and remove parts of the wall. Pressure from the parishioners had led to this decision, even if it was at their expense.
One can only guess that the South Gate also consisted of a single-arched gate tower. However, in view of Speed’s contradictory illustration of the East Gate, his depiction of the South Gate is hardly a reliable source. It is known, however, that the gate was the centerpiece of a curious wall layout. The eastern wall, coming from the Cock’s Tower, swung towards the gate by digressing from its southwesterly course. The western section of the wall arched outward and swung back towards the river. At first sight, this seems a strange direction for a town wall to take and it would seem less complicated for the wall to have run straight to the riverbank along the churchyard. Yet, it cannot have had anything to do with St. Mary’s Church the grounds of which were not affected by the town wall. No doubt, there must have been a compelling reason for the wall builders to have chosen the route the wall took. One of the gate's later names suggests that it was used to gain access to the river and ships anchored there. In the 18th and 19th centuries, factories and shipyards were situated on the riverbank nearby. No doubt, South Gate stood the longest because it was furthest away from the built-up part of town. The artist’s impression on the historical blue-plaque on the wall of the Great Western Hotel suggests a much stronger and higher gate tower than any of the others were. It also shows an upper storey and two buttresses on the outside. Beside the main gate is a small pedestrian gate. However, in the absence of the published foundation for these depictions they remain no more than artists’ impressions.
