Historic park wins prestigious heritage award

Nation.Cymru staff

One of Wales’ best-known Victorian parks has received a prestigious heritage accreditation for the first time, as the Welsh capital retained all 21 of its Green Flag Awards for parks and green spaces.

Roath Park has been awarded Green Heritage Site Accreditation, a status held by just 14 parks across Wales. The accolade, awarded alongside the internationally recognised Green Flag Award and supported by Cadw, recognises parks that not only meet high standards of management but also excel at protecting and interpreting their historic features.

The award means Roath Park joins nearby Bute Park as one of only two Cardiff Council-managed parks to hold the accreditation.

Opened in 1894, Roath Park is one of Cardiff’s best-known green spaces, featuring its Victorian lake, the Scott Memorial lighthouse, formal gardens and historic promenades. Visitors can now explore its history through a recently launched heritage trail.

The announcement comes as Cardiff retained all 21 of its Green Flag Awards for 2026, maintaining its record as one of the UK’s leading authorities for well-managed parks and green spaces.

The awards, administered in Wales by Keep Wales Tidy, recognise excellence in areas including environmental management, maintenance, visitor facilities and community involvement.

Councillor Jennifer Burke, Cardiff Council’s cabinet member for culture, leisure and tourism, said: “Roath Park is one of Cardiff’s most treasured green spaces, so achieving this special heritage recognition is a proud moment for the city.

“To also retain all 21 of our Green Flag Awards this year shows the consistent quality of Cardiff’s parks and green spaces and the huge amount of work that goes into looking after them every day. I’d like to thank all the council staff, as well as the volunteers and community groups whose efforts make this possible.”

Keep Wales Tidy chief executive Owen Derbyshire said the range of award-winning sites demonstrated the city’s commitment to high-quality public spaces.

He said: “We are delighted to see so many green spaces across Cardiff recognised in this year’s Green Flag Awards. From flagship parks and popular beauty spots to cemeteries, a wetlands area and community gardens, it is clear Cardiff prioritises ensuring all kinds of green spaces reach the highest standards so that they can be enjoyed by all.

“It is great to see three new Community Awards in Cardiff for Grange Medical Practice, Llandaff North Allotments and Trevithick Gardens, as well as the much-loved Roath Park being recognised for its commitment to protecting and promoting its unique heritage by being awarded the Green Heritage Site Accreditation for the first time.”

Among the council-managed sites to retain Green Flag status were Bute Park, Heath Park, Victoria Park, Llandaff Fields, Forest Farm, Flat Holm Island and Cardiff Bay Wetlands Reserve, as well as three cemeteries.

St Fagans

Separate Green Flag Awards were also retained by St Fagans National Museum of History and Dŵr Cymru’s Lisvane and Llanishen Reservoir site.

A further 24 community-managed sites across Cardiff received Green Flag Community Awards, recognising the work of volunteers and local groups in maintaining neighbourhood green spaces.

Councillor Ed Stubbs, the council’s cabinet member responsible for bereavement services, said: “It’s great to see three of Cardiff’s cemeteries once again recognised with Green Flag status. These green spaces are incredibly important to residents, and the awards reflect the care and professionalism of the teams who maintain them.”