Grangetown, Cardiff
| Grangetown | |
| Welsh: Trelluest | |
 View from Grangemoor Park (author: Mick Lobb) |
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| Population | 14,367 (2001) |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | ST1774 |
| Community | Grangetown |
| Principal area | Cardiff |
| Ceremonial county | Cardiff |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | CARDIFF |
| Postcode district | CF11 |
| Dialling code | 029 |
| Police | South Wales |
| Fire | South Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| EU Parliament | Wales |
| UK Parliament | Cardiff South & Penarth |
| Welsh Assembly | Cardiff South & Penarth |
| List of places: UK • Wales • Cardiff | |
Grangetown (Welsh: Trelluest) is a community in the south of Cardiff, capital of Wales. It is one of the largest districts in the south of the city and is bordered by Riverside, Canton and Butetown. The River Taff winds its way through the area. Adjacent to the city's Cardiff Bay area, Grangetown is benefitting from the nearby developments and is experiencing a period of gentrification and improvements in its infrastructure. Its population as of 2001 was 14,367 in 6,230 households.
Grangetown is a diverse and multiracial district and has a significant population of Somali, Asian and mixed-race residents. It is home to a Swaminarayan Temple and various mosques including the newly built Abu Bakkar mosque.
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[edit] History
In 1218, Grangetown was known by different names, La Grange de Mora, Mor Grange and Abbots' Grange.[1] Until the mid-19th century Grangetown was an area of marshy land used for farming. Grange Farm is believed to date back to the 13th century, when it was recorded as being owned by Margam Abbey (RCAHMW conflicts this, dating the house to the C16th[2]). The area’s name derives from this association with the abbey. Grange Farm still exists today but is now surrounded by streets of terraced brick houses, which were built to house the many workers who moved to Cardiff to work in the industrial boom of the 19th century, particularly centred on the docks.
Grangetown developed after 1850, the year Penarth Road and the bridges over the River Taff and River Ely were constructed, linking Cardiff with Penarth. It became a suburb of Cardiff in 1875.[3] The area was low lying and subject to flooding. In 1883 the sea flooded parts of Grangetown to a depth of five feet.[3]
Local brewing legend, Samuel Arthur Brain, was elected to Cardiff Council in 1885 to represent Grangetown[4]. The church of St Paul, Paget Street, was built between 1889 and 1902, largely at the expense of Lord Windsor. It uses an "eccentric" palette of materials including pennant rubble, pink sandstone and portland cement.[5] St Dyfrig and St Sampson, Pentre Gardens, dates from 1911.[5] Grangetown's original public library on Redlaver Street was built 1900-1901 in the Tudor Gothic style.[5] It has now been sold to developers and converted into flats.
Cardiff's popular pastries, Clark's Pies, arrived in Grangetown in 1955 when Dennis Dutch (great-grandson of Mary & Arthur Clark) opened a shop in Bromsgrove Street[6]. The shop still trades today.
[edit] Recent changes
In North Grangetown Renewal Area, Cardiff Council is investing in the future of Grangetown by improving the area. This includes repairs to the roads and pavements, planting of trees and the creation of a new public open space, Gerddi Courtmead Gardens, parallel to Hereford Street.[7]
[edit] Government
The Grangetown electoral ward returns three local councillors to Cardiff Council. Grangetown is part of the Cardiff South and Penarth constituency which returns one MP to the UK Parliament and one AM to the National Assembly for Wales.
[edit] Amenities
[edit] Library
The new Grangetown Library opened in 2007 on Havelock Place.
[edit] Leisure centres
- The Channel View Leisure Centre can be found in the south of Grangetown off Avondale Road. Its facilities include a gym, bookable sports halls, an outdoor astro pitch, an internet cafe and a climbing wall.
- The Cardiff International Sports Village is located in the far south of the area, on the south side of the junction with the A 4232 and features the Cardiff International Pool and Cardiff Arena.
[edit] Parks and gardens
There are a total of four public parks in the district: Grange Gardens, Sevenoaks Park, the Marl, and Grangemoor Park. Grangemoor Park was created on top of a rubbish tip and opened in 2000.[8]
[edit] Places of worship
Grangetown has at least ten Christian places of worship: Grangetown Baptist Church and the Salvation Army citadel, a Hindu temple on Merches Place, and a newly built mosque on Clydach Street.
[edit] Public houses and clubs
There are three public houses in the district and a number of licensed social clubs.
[edit] Shopping
The district has three post offices. A reasonable number of small local shops are centred on Penarth Road and Corporation Road. In addition, the Cardiff Bay Retail Park is home to a number of superstores.
[edit] Education
- Grangetown Nursery is a nursery school for children aged around 3. It is located in Avondale Road.
- Grangetown Junior School is an old Victorian school, built in 1884. Grangetown Primary School currently has the biggest primary school playground in Wales.[9][not in citation given]
- St Patrick's School is a Roman Catholic primary school with around 250 pupils and 13 teachers.
- Ninian Park School has over 400 pupils and 25 teachers. It was built in 1899-1900, at which time is was the most expensive boarding school in Cardiff.[5]
- St Paul's School is a Church in Wales primary school
- Tan Yr Eos is located next to Ninian Park School and is a Welsh medium primary school.
[edit] Festivals and events
Grangetown Festival take place for a week in June each year. It began in 1978 and is organised by Grangetown Community Concern. The festival culminates in a parade through the streets, ending in Grange Gardens where a carnival takes place.[10]
The 'Roxe Jam' hip-hop and graffiti festival takes place annually in Sevenoaks Park, Grangetown, on the last weekend of July. The first festival was in July 2008. The event was set up in memory of a young graffiti writer, Bill Lockwood aka Roxe, who was killed in a road accident. The main highlight of the event is the legal painting of a 140 m long wall which runs parallel to the Cardiff to Penarth railway line.[11]
[edit] Sport and leisure
It is home of Grange Albion and Grange Catholics, two of British baseball's most successful teams. Both play their home games at Sevenoaks Park. Grange Albion celebrated its centenary in 2007.
[edit] Sportsmen from Grangetown
- Frank Whitcombe - Bradford Northern, Wales & Great Britain national rugby league team International .
- George Whitcombe - Grange Albion & Wales Baseball Captain , Cardiff City Footballer.
- Dai Westacott - Wales Rugby Union International.
[edit] Transport
Grangetown railway station is located on the Vale of Glamorgan Line from Cardiff Central to Bridgend via Barry, Rhoose Cardiff International Airport and Llantwit Major, with branch lines serving Penarth and Barry Island.
Cardiff Bus operates the following services in the area:
- 1 City Circle towards Canton
- 2 City Circle towards Cardiff Bay
- 8 (Central Stn-Roath-Heath-University Hospital Wales) or (Cardiff Bay)
- 9/9A (Central Stn-Roath-Heath-University Hospital Wales) or (Cardiff International Sports Village) / (Channel View)
- 92 from Penarth Road (Penarth)
- 93/94 from Penarth Road (Penarth-Barry)
Penarth Road (A4160) is the main road running through the area northeastbound to Cardiff city centre and southwest bound to Llandough, Dinas Powys, Penarth and Barry. The Ferry Road Interchange on the Grangetown Link Road (A4232) links to the M4 J33 (Cardiff West).
[edit] TV and Film
The parish church of St Paul, Paget Street, was used as the location for the BBC's 'Doctor Who' series entitled Father's Day. In the story the church is attacked by monsters called 'Reapers' while a wedding is about to commence. Filming took place on location in November 2004.[12]
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southeast/sites/cardiff_clivestreet/pages/eileen_breslin.shtml
- ^ GRANGE FARM, GRANGETOWN, Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
- ^ a b Morgan, Dennis 'The Illustrated History of Cardiff's Suburbs' Breedon Books (2003)
- ^ Glover, Brian 'Cardiff Pubs and Breweries' Tempus Publishing Ltd (2005), p.29
- ^ a b c d Newman, J. The Buildings of Wales: Glamorgan University of Wales Press, 1995, pp 291-292
- ^ Grangetown Local History Society 'Old Grangetown: Shops & Memories' (2009), p.37
- ^ Cardiff Council website North Grangetown Renewal Area, last update 7 July 2011 (retrieved 2011-11-08).
- ^ Cardiff Council website This page helps you find out more about Grangemoor Park (Retrieved 2011-09-26)
- ^ http://www.grangetownprm.cardiff.sch.uk/index.php?&MMN_position=1:1
- ^ Ed Walker Grangetown Festival returns for 33rd year, Wales Online, 10 June 2011 (retrieved 2011-07-31).
- ^ Roxejam.co.uk About (retrieved 2011-07-31).
- ^ Dr Who Locations Guide http://www.doctorwholocations.net/locations/parishofstpauls (retrieved 2011-09-28)
[edit] External links
- Shree Swaminarayan Temple
- Grangetown Community Website
- Grangetown History
- CCSP Grangetown information
- 2001 Census key statistics
- Grangetown Liberal Democrat Councillor's Blog
- blitzandblight.com / Grangetown
- St Paul's Church
- Cornwall Street Baptist Church
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