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About Montague Burton, Cardiff
Located on Queen Street (most recently home to a Starbucks), this striking Art Deco building was designed by architect Harry Wilson as part of Montague Burton’s ambitious 1930s expansion. Like its sister store in Swansea, the facade features two carved elephants above the upper floor. Of Burton’s 322 stores across the UK, only 11 featured elephant carvings, making South Wales host to two of these exclusive designs.
The Cardiff store’s Portland stone facade requires a thorough clean and has avoided the indignity of the blue paint seen on the Swansea store. Unfortunately, the original ground-floor shopfront was lost long ago. With historical records sparse, consisting of a single 1955 archival photograph where a passing bus inconveniently obscures the entire storefront, reconstructing the original entrance required a forensic approach. By cross-referencing period schematics, architraves, and mullions from contemporary Wilson-designed stores across the UK, the original fascia has been faithfully restored in this illustration.
Beyond its architectural significance, the building holds a place in modern Welsh screen culture, having served as a backdrop in local film and television productions including Twin Town and Doctor Who. Next time you walk down Queen Street, remember to look up; you may see elephants overhead.
Name: Montague Burton, Cardiff
Architect: Harry Wilson
Opened: 1932
Style: Art Deco, Modernist
I'd like to credit Laid by Monty and Historic England for their prior research and invaluable resources.
The Montague Burton building in 1969, occupied by Jackson the tailor
All prints are presented on Hahnemühle German etching Giclée paper. Frames are solid wood from sustainable sources, manufactured to high standards.
Sizes available:
A4 - 21×30cm, 8×12"
A3 - 30×42cm, 12×17"
A2 - 42×59cm, 17×23"
A1 - 59×84cm, 23×33"