Cardiff

History of Cardiff

Tradesmen Guide
9 min readMar 17, 2023

Cardiff is a city on the south coast of Wales and the capital of Wales. It’s located on the River Taff in the county of South Glamorgan. The name Cardiff was derived from Caerdydd, which means fort of the Taff.

Prehistory

Cardiff was founded as a Roman fort in 75 AD, and its original name was Caerdydd (which means “fort on the Taff”). The Romans were present in Wales for over 400 years. During this time, they built towns and roads throughout their empire; Cardiff is one of the few places where remains from this period are still visible today.

The next major historical event occurred during the Dark Ages: after Rome fell, Britain’s inhabitants reverted to tribal warfare — and by 700 AD most Welsh people had converted from Christianity to paganism!

Cardiff Roman fort
Photo by Brody Childs on Unsplash

Roman Cardiff

Cardiff’s Roman history is one of the most fascinating parts of its past. While you might think that the Welsh capital was always a bustling modern city, its first inhabitants were actually Romans.

In AD 75, after conquering Britain and establishing rule over much of southern England and Wales, Emperor Vespasian sent an army to build a fort in what is now Cardiff Bay’s Penarth Road area. The fort became known as Isca Silurum (Latin for “Waterfront City”) and was occupied until AD 280 when it was abandoned by order of Emperor Carausius who feared attacks from Picts living north of Hadrian’s Wall.

The Romans returned again around AD 350 but this time they built another fortress — Bridgend — to protect themselves against attacks from Celts living further west along what we now know as Offa’s Dyke Pathway (which runs through Cowbridge).

Medieval Cardiff

Cardiff was a busy port in the Middle Ages, with trade routes connecting it to other parts of Wales and Ireland. The town was also a major coal exporter, which helped make it one of Wales’ most important ports.

History of Cardiff
Photo by Jonny Gios on Unsplash

Industrial Cardiff

Cardiff has had a long and varied industrial past, which has shaped the city as it is today. The docks were built at the end of the 18th century when Cardiff was emerging as an important port for shipping coal from south Wales to London and beyond. In addition to this role in transporting goods across Britain, Cardiff became home to one of Britain’s first railways: The Taff Vale Railway opened in 1841 and was instrumental in transporting coal from Merthyr Tydfil all over South Wales.

These industries helped make Cardiff into one of Britain’s largest cities during its heyday — but they also led to its decline after World War II ended (and with it came a new age of mass transportation).

Cardiff has a rich history that dates back to the Dark Ages.

Cardiff has a rich history that dates back to the Dark Ages. The city was established in 1091 by Robert Fitzhamon, who built Cardiff Castle on top of a hill overlooking the River Taff. During this time, Cardiff Bay was also formed as a result of flooding from this river; it has since been reclaimed for commercial use and includes several attractions like Mermaid Quay (home to restaurants and bars), Pierhead Arcade (shopping centre), Wales Millennium Centre (performing arts venue) and Spillers Wharf (a historic warehouse converted into apartments).

Cardiff Docks was another important part of Cardiff’s development during its industrial period; it opened in 1839 with three berths that were able to accommodate ships up to 1,000 tons carrying coal from South Wales mines directly onto ocean-going vessels bound for ports around Europe and beyond.[1] Although most operations were shut down after World War II,[2] one section remains today: Cardiff International Sports Village where athletes train year-round before competing at major competitions such as the Olympics Games!

Cardiff Olympics Games
Photo by Bryan Turner on Unsplash

Sightseeing in Cardiff

Cardiff Castle: The castle was built by Robert Fitzhamon in 1091 and is one of Wales’ most famous landmarks. It’s situated on the south side of the city center, overlooking Cardiff Bay.

The National Museum: This museum tells the story of Wales from prehistoric times through modern day, with exhibits including Roman artifacts and an Egyptian mummy (the largest collection in Britain). It’s also home to two galleries dedicated solely to art from Wales — one historic, one contemporary — and several interactive exhibits that allow visitors to experience history first-hand through virtual reality technology or simply by touching objects on display like ancient weapons and clothing items worn by miners during their workday underground as they mined coal during Victorian times when Cardiff was a thriving industrial center whose economy relied heavily upon coal exports until World War II ended demand for these goods overseas which caused its decline since then there hasn’t been much growth until recently but now we’re seeing more young people moving here because it has become much safer than before thanks partly due its police force who patrol every street corner making sure nobody gets hurt while walking around town at night.”

Education in Cardiff

Cardiff University is a research-intensive university located in the city of Cardiff, Wales. It was chartered as University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire in 1883, admitting its first students in 1885. As of 2019, Cardiff University has over 34 thousand students from more than 100 countries worldwide and employs over 4 thousand academic staff members.

The Cardiff Metropolitan University (CMU) is based on two campuses: Llandaf Campus situated near Cardiff city centre; Cyncoed Campus located 12 km away from Llandaf; both campuses have libraries that provide access to electronic resources such as journals and ebooks through an online catalogue system called LibrarySearch Plus.

Cardiff School of Art offers undergraduate courses including BA (Hons) in Fine Art Practice, BA(Hons) in Graphic Design & Illustration, BA(Hons) Illustration Practice, BA(Hons) in Product Design & Innovation (Product Design), BSc(Hons) Product Design & Innovation (Product Development), MA Sculpture Studio Practice — Studio Based Coursework, MA Sculpture Studio Practice — Foundation Year Coursework, MFA Visual Arts Practice — Studio Based Coursework.

Cardiff School of Art
Photo by Alice Donovan Rouse on Unsplash

What Business was Cardiff built on

Cardiff was built on the coal industry. The first coal mine in Cardiff was opened in 1815, and by 1900 there were over 80 mines operating within the city limits. In its heyday, coal accounted for 40% of all Welsh exports and provided jobs for 25% of the workforce.

The slate industry also played an important role in the development of Cardiff’s economy during this period; between 1850 and 1875 many new quarries were opened around Penarth Headland (to exploit deposits found there) which had previously been inaccessible due to poor transportation links but now became accessible due to improvements made by Isambard Kingdom Brunel who was commissioned by Lord Bute (1792–1848) — owner of the land around Penarth Headland — to build a new railway line linking Merthyr Tydfil with Cardiff via Bridgend Town Station (opened 1st January 1850). This allowed mined slate products from Penarth Headland Quarries etc., transported cheaply via train rather than horse-drawn wagons over rough roads usually impassable after heavy rains had fallen causing landslides blocking narrow passageways through steep hillsides leading towards Swansea Bay at low tide levels only accessible when exposed sand flats appeared after high tides had receded away from shoreline areas leaving behind soft muddy surfaces unfit for safe passage without risking getting stuck halfway through each journey so costly expeditions could not be undertaken regularly throughout seasons when weather conditions prevented safe travel times needed daily operations at peak periods requiring workers’ wages paid regularly every week regardless whether funds were available within budget constraints caused financial hardship if not properly planned ahead since funds would run out quickly once expenditures exceeded income generated by sales revenue generated annually

Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Photo by Jarred Clapperton on Unsplash

SME Business in Cardiff

If you’re looking for a way to completely transform the exterior aesthetics of your home, you should consider house rendering in Cardiff. House rendering is a process that involves applying a coat of paint to the exterior of a home.

Exterior Rendering in Cardiff

There are many reasons why people choose to have their houses rendered. Some people choose to have their homes rendered because they want to protect the wood on their home’s exterior from damage caused by weather conditions like sun exposure and rain. Others choose to have their homes rendered because they want to change the colour of their home’s exterior. Others still choose to have their homes rendered because they want to make their homes look more modern or more traditional than what they already are.

Whatever your reason for wanting a house rendering in Cardiff, there are several options available for you. You can choose from different paint types (e.g., flat or semi-gloss), different shades, and different finishes (e.g., eggshell). You can also choose from several different types of textures, including textured ceilings; textured walls; textured doors; and textured windowsills (which provide extra protection against moisture).

Handyman Services in Cardiff

Handy Dylan is a Cardiff-based company that offers quality handyman services for all the small jobs you are desperate to have done. We do everything from bathroom and kitchen renovations to building decks and fences. No job is too small for us! Our team of highly skilled professionals will work with you to plan and execute your project so that you can relax and enjoy the results.

We aim to be the number one choice of homeowners, apartment complexes, property managers, and anyone who needs help around their house. If you want a reliable partner who will take care of all your home improvement needs, give us a call today!

Web Design Services in Cardiff

Web Design Cardiff is a specialist WordPress development company. We are experts in Elegant themes, DIVI all-in-one themes and Experts WordPress Themes & Visual Page builders. Web Design Wales is a competent and professional WordPress development company. We design websites that look great, convert well and meet your needs. Get in touch today to discuss your project and how we can work together. We help you create a striking design easily while meeting your requirements and budget.

We have been working with clients across Cardiff for over 10 years to create customised websites that meet their needs. Our team of dedicated web developers are experienced at building bespoke designs that suit any industry from large eCommerce stores to small business templates. Our aim is to build websites that look great on all devices whilst being easy for our clients to use themselves after launch.

Free Boiler Grants in Cardiff

If you receive benefits and live in Cardiff, you could qualify for a replacement boiler grant. Qualifying homeowners who claim the correct combination of means-tested benefits could have their old boiler replaced completely free of charge.

The scheme is open to people who are over 60 years old and receiving certain benefits including Universal Credit (income-related), Income Support; Working Tax Credit; Housing Benefit; Child Tax Credit; Pension Credit; Income-based Employment Support Allowance; Income-related Employment & Support Allowance; Income Support paid at the higher rate; Disability Living Allowance (with a care component); Carer’s Allowance or Personal Independence Payment at any rate; Armed Forces Independence Payment

The free boiler grant Cardiff is available to those with any of the following benefits:

  • Jobseekers Allowance
  • Income Support
  • Pension Credit
  • Working Tax Credits

Wills and Probate in Cardiff

We are a firm of wills and probate, providing a full range of legal services for Wills and probates in Cardiff.

Our team of lawyers and support staff have been helping individuals and families in the North of Wales for over 20 years. We pride ourselves on offering a personal service tailored to your needs.

We provide expert advice on all aspects of Wills and Probate including:

  • Making a Will
  • Probate
  • Dividing Your Estate after Death

Conclusion

Cardiff’s history is rich, with many interesting stories to tell. It was once an important trading port and has been home to many famous people over the years including Dylan Thomas and Roald Dahl. There are also plenty of places around Cardiff Bay where you can see some amazing sights such as the Millennium Stadium or Bute Park Gardens.

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