Llandough
Encyclopedia
Llandough is a village
and southern suburb of Cardiff
, in the Vale of Glamorgan
, Wales
.
overlooking the capital city
of Cardiff
, Penarth
and the Bristol Channel
. Llandough Hospital, is one of largest hospitals in the Cardiff area.
was found between the church and the housing estate.
Llandough was long believed to be one of the main ecclesiastical centres in south east Wales, and was almost certainly the site of St. Dochwy's monastery
. Evidence to support this claim was found when the excavations of the Roman villa revealed post-Roman burials, and also during another excavation in 1994, when the remains of over 800 individual burials, all dating from the 4th century to the 12th century AD were revealed.
However, this monastery no longer exists. It was perhaps overshadowed by the ecclesiastical site at Llandaff
, and reduced to the importance of a parish church
. The current church, which was built in the middle of the 19th century by the Llandaff diocesan architects, Prichard
and Seddon
, replaced one built a few years earlier, which was apparently sold to the next village of Leckwith
, and moved piece-by-piece to be erected there. A 10th or 11th century stone cross, with the incised name Irbic, stands in the churchyard
at Llandough.
To the west of the church, are three fragmentary components of a well fortified house dating from the 1420s or 1430s, believed to have been built by John de Van.
Until the mid 1960s, Llandough was a small farming and quarrying village but experienced an expansion involving the building of a large number of houses, a primary school and a block of six shopping units. However, these shops have now been demolished.
There were around six thatched cottages in the village around 1960, but only one remained in 2006. Apart from the church and the old "Dame School" (at the junction of Penlan Road and Lewis Road), the only other building of any interest is the "Baron's Court," near the roundabout
on Penarth Road at the entrance to Penarth. It is the oldest building in the Llandough area, but - as of 2006 - is a Beefeater Restaurant
and much hemmed in by a flyover
.
This picture taken in 1963 shows the (derelict) thatched cottage on the main Cardiff-Leckwith road facing Lewis Road. It appears to have been built on much earlier foundation work
, the school was situated on Penlan Road. Another school was later built, but was bombed in World War II
. The current school was built in 1970. The school has approximately 180 pupils, and is one of the feeder schools for Penarth's largest secondary school
, St. Cyres.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and southern suburb of Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, in the Vale of Glamorgan
Vale of Glamorgan
The Vale of Glamorgan is a county borough in Wales; an exceptionally rich agricultural area, it lies in the southern part of Glamorgan, South Wales...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
Location
It lies to the northwest of PenarthPenarth
Penarth is a town and seaside resort in the Vale of Glamorgan , Wales, 5.2 miles south west from the city centre of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff and lying on the north shore of the Severn Estuary at the southern end of Cardiff Bay...
overlooking the capital city
Capital City
Capital City was a television show produced by Euston Films which focused on the lives of investment bankers in London living and working on the corporate trading floor for the fictional international bank Shane-Longman....
of Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, Penarth
Penarth
Penarth is a town and seaside resort in the Vale of Glamorgan , Wales, 5.2 miles south west from the city centre of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff and lying on the north shore of the Severn Estuary at the southern end of Cardiff Bay...
and the Bristol Channel
Bristol Channel
The Bristol Channel is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset in South West England. It extends from the lower estuary of the River Severn to the North Atlantic Ocean...
. Llandough Hospital, is one of largest hospitals in the Cardiff area.
History
Excavations have shown that the village's history goes back as far as the Roman occuapation of Wales. The site of a Roman villaRoman villa
A Roman villa is a villa that was built or lived in during the Roman republic and the Roman Empire. A villa was originally a Roman country house built for the upper class...
was found between the church and the housing estate.
Llandough was long believed to be one of the main ecclesiastical centres in south east Wales, and was almost certainly the site of St. Dochwy's monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
. Evidence to support this claim was found when the excavations of the Roman villa revealed post-Roman burials, and also during another excavation in 1994, when the remains of over 800 individual burials, all dating from the 4th century to the 12th century AD were revealed.
However, this monastery no longer exists. It was perhaps overshadowed by the ecclesiastical site at Llandaff
Llandaff
Llandaff is a district in the north of Cardiff, capital of Wales, having been incorporated into the city in 1922. It is the seat of the Church in Wales Bishop of Llandaff, whose diocese covers the most populous area of South Wales. Much of the district is covered by parkland known as Llandaff...
, and reduced to the importance of a parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
. The current church, which was built in the middle of the 19th century by the Llandaff diocesan architects, Prichard
John Prichard
John Prichard was a Welsh architect of the neo-Gothic style. John Prichard was the son of Richard Prichard a rector from Llangan, Glamorgan and was born on 6 May 1817. He established a practice in Llandaff, Cardiff where he became the diocesan architect. Between 1852 and 1863 he set up a...
and Seddon
John Pollard Seddon
John Pollard Seddon was an English architect.He was a pupil of Thomas Leverton Donaldson and C.F.A. Voysey trained under him....
, replaced one built a few years earlier, which was apparently sold to the next village of Leckwith
Leckwith
Leckwith is a district of western Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. It is home to Cardiff City F.C.'s and Cardiff Blues home ground Cardiff City Stadium, and to Fitzalan High School...
, and moved piece-by-piece to be erected there. A 10th or 11th century stone cross, with the incised name Irbic, stands in the churchyard
Churchyard
A churchyard is a patch of land adjoining or surrounding a church which is usually owned by the relevant church or local parish itself. In the Scots language or Northern English language this can also be known as a kirkyard or kirkyaird....
at Llandough.
To the west of the church, are three fragmentary components of a well fortified house dating from the 1420s or 1430s, believed to have been built by John de Van.
Until the mid 1960s, Llandough was a small farming and quarrying village but experienced an expansion involving the building of a large number of houses, a primary school and a block of six shopping units. However, these shops have now been demolished.
There were around six thatched cottages in the village around 1960, but only one remained in 2006. Apart from the church and the old "Dame School" (at the junction of Penlan Road and Lewis Road), the only other building of any interest is the "Baron's Court," near the roundabout
Roundabout
A roundabout is the name for a road junction in which traffic moves in one direction around a central island. The word dates from the early 20th century. Roundabouts are common in many countries around the world...
on Penarth Road at the entrance to Penarth. It is the oldest building in the Llandough area, but - as of 2006 - is a Beefeater Restaurant
Beefeater (restaurant)
Beefeater is a chain of pub restaurants in the United Kingdom, owned by Whitbread. There are currently 131 Beefeater restaurants in the UK.- History :...
and much hemmed in by a flyover
Overpass
An overpass is a bridge, road, railway or similar structure that crosses over another road or railway...
.
This picture taken in 1963 shows the (derelict) thatched cottage on the main Cardiff-Leckwith road facing Lewis Road. It appears to have been built on much earlier foundation work
Schools
Llandough currently has one primary school. All together there have been three. In the Victorian eraVictorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
, the school was situated on Penlan Road. Another school was later built, but was bombed in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The current school was built in 1970. The school has approximately 180 pupils, and is one of the feeder schools for Penarth's largest secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
, St. Cyres.