Museums & Galleries · Cardiff
Cockpit
📍 CF5 6DP
Photo: museum.wales
- 17th-century circular thatched cockpit building
- Reconstructed fighting stage and tiered amphitheatre seating
- Learn the history of cockfighting in Wales
- Photograph of a 1726 cockfighting silver tankard held in archive
- Originally stood at the Hawk and Buckle Inn, Denbigh
The Cockpit is a 17th-century circular thatched building, originally standing in the yard of the Hawk and Buckle Inn in Denbigh before being moved to St Fagans in 1965 and opened to the public in 1970. Inside, you'll find a reconstructed fighting stage and tiered, amphitheatre-style seating, giving a sense of how cockfighting bouts once played out before the sport was banned in 1849. The museum's archive even holds a photograph of a silver tankard presented for cockfighting at Denbigh in 1726. It's a fascinating stop for anyone curious about Welsh social history. Set within St Fagans, Cardiff, this Museums & Galleries attraction sits near Fairwater station, with 48 bookable places to stay within 5 miles if you fancy making a longer visit of it.
Practical details
- Open
- Opened to the public in 1970
- Best for
- Visitors interested in historic buildings and social history
From the attraction's own website on 16 Oct 2026 — check before you travel.
Facilities
- ✓ Gift Shop
- ✓ Indoor Areas
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Make a proper break of it — these stays are all within 25 miles.
0.4 mi
0.5 mi
1.6 mi
1.6 mi
1.9 mi
2.4 mi
🎪 What's on near Cockpit
Events from
Skiddle
Fri 13 Nov · 10:00
Cardiff Victorian Christmas Market
Cardiff City Centre, Cardiff · 4.2 mi
Tickets on Skiddle ↗
Fri 13 Nov · 17:30
Basement Jazz with the Jack Mac Quartet
Jacobs Basement, Cardiff · 4.4 mi
Tickets on Skiddle ↗
Fri 4 Dec · 18:45
Christmas Party Bookings - Buzz Bingo Weston Super Mare
Buzz Bingo Weston Super Mare, Weston Super Mare · 17.1 mi
Tickets on Skiddle ↗
Sat 5 Dec · 18:45
Christmas Party Bookings - Buzz Bingo Weston Super Mare
Buzz Bingo Weston Super Mare, Weston Super Mare · 17.1 mi
Tickets on Skiddle ↗
🗓️ Make a break of it
Turn a visit to Cockpit into a proper getaway — ready-made plans, and the drive worked out with fuel, EV charging and the best stops.
🚆 Or come by train
- Fairwater 1.9 miles
- Danescourt 2.1 miles
- Waun-Gron Park 2.1 miles
Straight-line distances · live departures on each station page