The
Romans built a fort at Cardiff in about 75 AD. The Normans later used
the same site to build Cardiff Castle in the 12th century.
Until the building of the Glamorgan Canal in 1794, Cardiff was a relative
small town. The canal linked the ironworks and coalmines of the Merthyr
Tydfil district with Cardiff on the coast. By 1821 Cardiff had
3,579 inhabitants, which made it the 27th largest town in Wales.
The first dock was built in 1839 and this increased the amount of
trade taking place in Cardiff. By this time Merthyr
Tydfil was the largest iron producing area in the world. Two of
the owners of these ironworks, Josiah Guest and Anthony Hill, joined
forces to form the Taff Vale Railway Company.
Isambard Brunel, a talented engineer from
Bristol, was recruited to build the railway.
The Taff Vale Railway was completed in 1841.
It was now possible to transport goods from Merthyr
Tydfil to Cardiff in less than an hour. Later, branches were built
to link the mining valleys with Welsh ports and England's fast growing
industrial towns and cities. The railway network reduced transport
costs so much that it was now profitable to export Welsh coal to countries
as far away as Argentina and India.
The East Dock was opened in 1859, and by 1861 the population had reached
33,000, making Cardiff the most important town in Wales.
The 20th century saw the emergence of several new buildings including
the City Hall (1906), the Law Courts (1906), the National Museum of
Wales (1927) and the Welsh Office (1938).
(1)
Daniel Defoe, A Tour Through the Whole
Island of Great Britain (1724)
Landaff
and Cardiff stand almost together. Landaff is the seat of the
episcopal see, and a city, but Cardiff which is lower on the river,
is the port and town of trade; and has a very good harbour opening
into the Severn Sea, about four miles below the town.
Available
from Amazon Books (order below)
|
