Our grant of £328,938 from the COVID-19 Response Fund has been vital to make urgent repairs and securing the structural integrity of Insole Court. A number of associated improvements will generate income and increase sustainability, ensuring this outstanding community resource continues to be available for years to come.
Insole Court is the creation of Victorian industrialists. It was built in 1856 by the Insoles, who were prominent entrepreneurs in the Rhondda Valleys coal industry. It comprises a Grade II* listed mansion, Grade II listed stables, and Grade II* listed gardens. Insole is the last surviving such urban estate in Cardiff with original buildings and gardens intact.
The site is owned by Cardiff Council and leased to the Insole Court Trust. The interior decoration includes gilded ceilings and alabaster stonework and is of exceptional importance. Insole is also used for a wide range of events and purposes including music, theatre, markets, lectures, fairs, exhibitions, tours and heritage research. Its historic, architectural, aesthetic and communal value are all exceptionally high.
COVID-19 forced the closure of Insole Court, and a necessary re-allocation of reserves meant that funds for planned developments were no longer available. Meanwhile, the rain started coming in, threatening the precious historic interior decoration and causing areas to be closed off, limiting income streams.