THE HISTORY OF CARDIFF'S SUBURBS

WHITCHURCH AND TONGWYNLAIS
Incorporating Coryton

Tap or click to open / close

Roman Compound and Norman Invaders

It is understood that the white chapel of St. Mary's is the namesake for the prosperous suburb of Whitchurch.

The area has seen habitation since the arrival of the Romans in AD50, as indicated by the discovery of a Roman compound and various remains in the early 20th century.

In the late 11th century, the Normans invaded South Wales and a long drawn out battle between the invading French and the Welsh Silures began.

After 150 years of skirmishes, the Norman army, led by Gilbert de Clare, successfully took the land and built a wooden fort near to the original Roman Compound.

The motte was later fortified in stone at around 1266 but over the centuries, as the Normans eventually relinquished their grip on South Wales, the building fell into disrepair and in 1966 it was excavated for materials.

Clos Treoda flats and the Fox and Hounds pub now stand where the motte used to be.

MAGNIFY — Map of Whitchurch in 1922.
Source: OS

mapofwhitchurch1922 — Map of Whitchurch in 1922.
Source: OS

Parish of Llandaff

In 1126, the lands of Whitchurch, Rhiwbina, Llandaff North, Tongwynlais and Mellingriffith were given to Llandaff Cathedral, and St. Mary's chapel was built where Old Church Road now stands.

St Mary's was rebuilt in the 17th century and in 1845, Whitchurch became a Parish in it's own right, when the first Parish Council was formed.

In 1885, to meet the needs of the growing community, a larger, distinctly Gothic building in Penlline Road became the new parish church, and has been a significant landmark to this day.

Building of Castell Coch

Gilbert de Clare decided to build Castell Coch, the Red Castle, both to protect the river crossing at Tongwynlais and the northern approach to Cardiff.

A Castle was previously founded on the site and it is thought to have been built in the early thirteenth century by Ifor Bach.

The new castle was rebuilt in stone and consisted of a keep, towers, an enclosed courtyard and a gatehouse.

It is understood that the Owain Glyndwr was responsible for the Castle's demise and it was a ruin by the 16th century.

Melingriffith Mill

Following the Reformation, the lords of Cardiff, the first of whom was the Earl of Pembroke, inherited the manor of Whitchurch.

Peace finally came to the area and by the mid 18th century, there were about 300 people earning a living from both arable and pastoral farms.

The grain produced in the fields was milled at Melingriffith and by 1749 the Mill became a source of power for the manufacturing of iron and tinplate.

At the end of the 18th century, the opening of the Glamorganshire Canal (which flowed past the works) provided transport for the Iron Ore from Dowlais, in additional to providing transport for cattle and grain from Whitchurch and Llandaff North.

Education

The development of Melingriffith saw a steady rise in the population of Whitchurch, and by 1900 it was nearly 5,000.

The first school in Whitchurch was founded by Thomas Phillips, which he ran for 35 years until his retirement in the 1850s.

There were also a few private schools in the village but not all the Parents could afford the 2d a week to send their child.

It was not until Whitchurch High School was opened in 1937, that those children in Whitchurch and Tongwynlais who had previously missed out could now start school. Whitchurch High was for a while the largest school in the United Kingdom, with 2,400 pupils by 2014.

American Gift

By the 19th Century, the powerful and rich Bute family were now in control of the village of Whitchurch, and its surrounding land.

An exception was the grassland off Merthyr Road, which was owned by Lord Tredegar. In keeping with his renowned generosity, he donated the grassland to the Whitchurch parish.

After World War Two, the Bute family donated their lands to the Parish, some of which had been home to a temporary American hospital unit.

In gratitude to the folk of Whitchurch, the Americans planted trees on either side of Merthyr Road leading up to the village, and a dedication plaque commemorating this gesture can still be seen near the bus stop on the common.

Restoration of Castell Coch

Lord Bute was responsible for the restoration of Castell Coch which William Burges, also known for restoring Cardiff Castle, began in 1875.

William Burges carried out a reconstruction that externally is almost a replica of the mediaeval castle, however inside the building took on a more modern, Victorian appearance.

Although some of the butresses and conical towers are not historically accurate, Castell Coch, aka the Fairytale Castle, is a well maintained building, and popular tourist attraction.

It is unique in being so isolated from the rest of the City, but only 30 minutes drive from the centre of Cardiff.

As a result, it has featured in many television shows, including the BBC's 'Doctor Who' and ITV's 'The Worst Witch'.

Local Health Services

By the end of the 19th century, Whitchurch was receiving its water supply from the Cardiff reservoirs, gas from the Cardiff Gas Company and the district was also using the borough's bus and fire services.

The Cardiff Mental Hospital was opened in 1908 and it was equipped with the most modern facilities at the time to treat mental illness.

Whitchurch Hospital still cares for patients with psychiatric problems, while Velindre Hospital has become a centre for cancer research.

In 1967 Whitchurch became a suburb of the city and Tongwynlais was absorbed into Cardiff's boundaries just seven years later.

As with all suburbs of Cardiff, urbanisation took hold quickly, and soon most remains of Roman and Norman architecture were lost under new developments.

Forest Farm

In an effort to preserve some of the ancient woodland bordering Whitchurch and Tongwynlais, a nature reserve called Forest Farm was formed in 1967.

It is centred around the last remaining open stretch of the Glamorganshire canal, which still holds fresh water to a quality good enough to provide a good hunting ground for kingfishers, herons and many other species.

Forest Farm became a recognised Country park in 1992 and there are now over 150 acres of trees and grassland within a few minutes walk of Whitchurch Hospital to the East, or Radyr train station to the West.

At Tongwynlais, the thickly wooded green belt surrounding Castell Coch is another area of outstanding beauty.

The density of the trees provides a natural cover from the strong sun in the summer and effectively blocks out the noise from the M4 motorway at the bottom of the hill, allowing many cyclists and hill-walkers to enjoy the tranquility of the area.

Coryton

Coryton is a relatively new district of Cardiff, which falls within the Whitchurch and Tongwynlais electoral ward.

Although the area does not boast a rich and diverse history, Coryton and its interchange is well known for being one of the main Northern gateways into the County of Cardiff.

Named after John Cory, part owner of one of the biggest coal trading companies in the early 20th Century, the area has a mix of housing spanning from the 1960's to the present day.