The rich history of Kings Road Yard dates back to 1870, as illustrated on historical maps. Before much of Pontcanna was developed, the Yard featured a small coach house with an adjacent courtyard for saddling horses and carts, a structure that still stands today. Additionally, there was the Walpole Brewery at the entrance, a relic captured in historical photographs. We speculate that the Yard may have been utilised by draymen and also served as the premises of an upholsterer named George Nation.

The expansive building that stands today was constructed at the turn of the century and operated as a laundry facility for St. David’s Hospital. On the ground floor, linen was washed before being hoisted via a wooden lift to the top floor, where it would hang on washing lines to dry. The notable large windows on the top floor reflect this era. Although the wooden lift remains within the building, it is no longer operational. It’s intriguing to note that in 1890, gazing out from the Yard, you would have seen orchards and fields stretching right up to the town centre.

In the post World Was II period, the Yard saw mainly light industrial usage and in the 1960’s and 1970’s, a section of it was transformed into an Antique Centre. Furthermore, the Yard once housed a garage for the repair of Gilbern Welsh sports cars. Surprisingly, the safe that held the questions for the iconic TV show Who wants to be a Millionaire? was kept here. This safe was used by a business called Cat and Mouse which was responsible for creating the on-screen graphics for the show and occupied offices at Kings Road Yard for many years.