THE HISTORY OF CARDIFF'S SUBURBS

Farming Community

Creigiau is a hamlet in the Parish of Pentyrch, and is an area which contains evidence of Bronze Age activity.

Creigiau takes its name from a medieval farm or common. The word Creigiau is a mutation of the old Welsh word for 'Rocky' or 'Rocks'.

There is a cromlech (a Bretonion / Welsh word for prehistoric building, in this case a burial chamber) in Creigiau, located in the grounds of the garden of Cae-yr-arfau House, which is named after the ancient tomb.

[Click / tap image to enlarge]

For hundreds of years, the area was mainly used by farmers.  Even by the 1800's, as the population started to increase, most of the miners and iron workers lived in or around Gwaelod-y-Garth to the North East, whilst farming was still the main activity in the small community.

Arrival of the Railway

Apart from its limestone quarries, Creigiau had been almost forgotten about, that is until the Barry Railway Company built a station there.

The district became popular with ramblers and cyclists and soon Creigiau was being hailed as one of the healthiest places in Glamorgan to live in.

During the second World War, Creigiau Railway Station was used to transport many American military personnel from the Normandy Landings, to the Prince of Wales hospital at Rhydlafar a few miles away.

The hospital was converted into a specialist orthopaedic facility in 1953.

In order to raise funds, the local Health Authority sold the hospital in the year 2000, and it was demolished a few years later. A housing estate now occupies the site.

PAGE UPDATE HISTORY

31 March 2024 (Coding updates)
30 December 2014 (Page updated)
July 2009 (Page Created)