Rhiwbina
Encyclopedia
Rhiwbina is a prosperous northern
suburb
of Cardiff
, capital of Wales
. It used to be a separate village: its core is still locally called "the village" and is given a Welsh village appearance by Beulah United Reformed Church (originally Capel Beulah) at the village crossroads.
Capel Beulah/Beulah URC was a daughter chapel of Groeswen, Caerphilly
. While services have been held in English since around 1900, Beulah named its redeveloped Assembly Rooms "Canolfan Beulah" in honour of its foundation as a Welsh language congregation.
Rhiwbina is bordered by the suburbs of Whitchurch
(Yr Eglwys Newydd) to the west, Llanishen
to the east, and Birchgrove
(Llwynbedw) to the south. To the north is the steep, wooded Wenallt Hill
(Y Wenallt ), part of Cardiff's unofficial "green belt", where Coed-y-Wenallt provides public open space. The area is served by Rhiwbina railway station
on the Coryton Line
.
The area has a large number of churches and chapel
s including All Saints
(Church in Wales
), Beulah (URC), Bethesda (Independent), Rhiwbina Baptist
Church, Bethany (Baptist), Bethel (Methodist) and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon
).
Near the summit of the Wenallt
, to the north of Rhiwbina, are the remains of an oval encampment probably dating from the Iron Age, the earliest evidence of settlement in the area. At the base of the hill is a Norman
motte called the Twmpath.
The last native Welsh Prince of Morgannwg (Glamorgan
), Iestyn ap Gwrgant
, may have been killed in a battle north of Rhiwbina towards the end of the 11th century, near the present-day Butchers Arms public house. The stream nearby is still called Rhyd Waedlyd, which means 'Bloody Ford'. Rhydwaedlyd was the title given to housing developments to Rhiwbina's east in the latter half of the 20th century. This area has since come to be considered part of Rhiwbina itself and the name 'Rhydwaedlyd' has fallen out of use entirely.
Until the 20th century the area remained rural, with few houses. The railway station opened in 1911, and the following year development began of a new garden suburb, based on a masterplan by Sir Raymond Unwin, one of the leading architects of the Garden city movement
. The first 34 houses were built in 1913 and more were built from 1919 to 1923, occupying an area between Pen-y-dre and Lon Isa which became known as Rhiwbina Garden Village. It was designated as a Conservation Area in 1976.
A focal point in Rhiwbina in the early twentieth century was the "Rhiwbina Tea Gardens". Owned by the Smart family, this developed into a landmark local business, becoming "Rhiwbina Motor Garages" in response to the rise of the motor car, and the area's first video rental outlet in the early 1980s. The business was closed on the retirement of Cliff Smart in 1989 and the site is now occupied by the development of Clos Yr Ardd. This translates as Gardens Close, in memory of the Tea Gardens, but there is little greenery left.
Rhiwbina village centre is small compared to nearby Whitchurch and Birchgrove, and consequently suffers from a lack of trade. In recent years many businesses have ceased trading in the area. However some businesses, mainly in the service sector, have managed to buck the trend and establish themselves in the centre.
To the north of Rhiwbina is a parade of shops on Heol Llanishen Fach, built in the 1960s to serve an extensive area of new housing. Also to the north of Rhiwbina village is the Deri Stores, a family run shop on the corner of Wenallt Road and Rhiwbina Hill which used to be a post office, and before that a cafe. There is another parade of shops further north at Pantmawr.
Rhiwbina has been the home of many noted Welsh artists including the authors Jack Jones and Kate Roberts, dramatist Tom Richards and the actress Rachel Thomas, who worked together.
Since 1997 the 'Deri' community quarterly newsletter has been published by the Rhiwbina Civic Society. Rhiwbina also has a quarterly magazine launched on 15 November 2007, called Rhiwbina Living. A similar publication, "Wenallt", was published between 1972 and 1980 but failed due to a lack of local advertising.
. It is bounded by the wards of Lisvane
and Llanishen
to the east; Heath
to the southeast; and Whitchurch & Tongwynlais
to the west.
It is represented in Parliament
by The Conservative Party
MP Jonathan Evans, who has held the seat since 2010.
In the Welsh Assembly, Cardiff North is represented by Welsh Labour AM Julie Morgan
. She took the seat from the Conservatives in the 2011 elections, overturning a majority of 4,843 and creating a Labour majority of 1,782 votes.
In the 2008 Local Council elections Rhiwbina returned three Independent Councillors: Jayne Cowan, Brian Jones and Adrian Robson.
on the Cardiff Central to Coryton Line
. Services continue through West Cardiff to Radyr
.
Cardiff Bus
services 21 (Coryton-Whitchurch) and 23 (Birchgrove-Gabalfa-Cathays-Central Station) frequently run through the area. Veolia Transport Cymru
service 22 (Heath Hospital - Rhiwbina)
Heol-y-Deri is the main road leading through the district. Rhiwbina is situated between the A470
(Cardiff City Centre to M4 J32) and A469
(Cardiff city centre to Caerphilly).
, the local rugby union
club, has the biggest playing membership of any club in Wales and operates sides from Under 7 to Under 16 and a youth and three senior teams. The First XV was recently promoted to Division 4 East after an unbeaten League run in Season 2006/07. The club operates from the Rhiwbina Recreational Club. However plans are afoot to build a new clubhouse in nearby Caedelyn Park.
Rhiwbina Recreational Club is also home to both male and female Bowls teams, a Chess Club, Tennis and Squash Clubs and the Highfields Amateur Radio Club.
Rhiwbina Squash Club has six mens teams playing in the Premier, South Wales and South Glamorgan Leagues. The club also has a Junior and Ladies section. Rhiwbina Squash Club are the current South Wales Premier League Champions (2011).
Cardiff North
Cardiff North or North Cardiff can refer to the collections of mainly middle class suburban communities in the north of Cardiff, Wales. The population of the north of Cardiff is around 85,000 and is represented by the Conservative Party on most levels of government...
suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
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...
, capital of 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...
. It used to be a separate village: its core is still locally called "the village" and is given a Welsh village appearance by Beulah United Reformed Church (originally Capel Beulah) at the village crossroads.
Capel Beulah/Beulah URC was a daughter chapel of Groeswen, Caerphilly
Caerphilly
Caerphilly is a town in the county borough of Caerphilly, south Wales, located at the southern end of the Rhymney Valley, with a population of approximately 31,000. It is a commuter town of Cardiff and Newport, which are located some 7.5 miles and 12 miles away, respectively...
. While services have been held in English since around 1900, Beulah named its redeveloped Assembly Rooms "Canolfan Beulah" in honour of its foundation as a Welsh language congregation.
Rhiwbina is bordered by the suburbs of Whitchurch
Whitchurch, Cardiff
Whitchurch is a suburb in the north of Cardiff, capital of Wales. It is approximately 3 miles north of the centre of the city on the A470 road and A4054 road. Its estimated population as of 2004 was 15,649. It falls within the Whitchurch & Tongwynlais ward.-History:Whitchurch draws its name from...
(Yr Eglwys Newydd) to the west, Llanishen
Llanishen
Llanishen is a district in the north of Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. Llanishen is well-known as the home of the 'Tax Offices', the tallest buildings in north Cardiff and a landmark for miles around...
to the east, and Birchgrove
Birchgrove, Cardiff
Birchgrove is a district of the city of Cardiff stretching between Llanishen and the Gabalfa interchange, along the A469 Caerphilly road.It centres on a crossroads dominated by the Birchgrove Inn which also lies between Heath and Whitchurch...
(Llwynbedw) to the south. To the north is the steep, wooded Wenallt Hill
Wenallt Hill
Wenallt Hill is a hill located in Cardiff, Wales.The residents of Cardiff refer to it as a mountain, though its height restricts it from being declared a mountain...
(Y Wenallt ), part of Cardiff's unofficial "green belt", where Coed-y-Wenallt provides public open space. The area is served by Rhiwbina railway station
Rhiwbina railway station
Rhiwbina railway station is a railway station serving Rhiwbina, Cardiff. It is located on the Coryton Line north of Cardiff Central.Passenger services are provided by Arriva Trains Wales as part of the Valley Lines network....
on the Coryton Line
Coryton Line
The Coryton Line is a commuter railway line in Cardiff from the city centre to Heath, Birchgrove, Rhiwbina, Whitchurch and Coryton.The line is currently operated by Arriva Trains Wales as part of the Valley Lines network. ATW replaced the previous franchise, Wales & Borders Trains in December...
.
Amenities and history
There are three schools within the ward - Rhiwbeina Primary School, Llanishen Fach Primary and Greenhill School. Llanishen Fach is the only school in Cardiff which sends its Year 6 pupils to two main secondary schools, Whitchurch High, and Llanishen High. Despite local campaigning since the 1960s, Rhiwbina currently has no Welsh-medium school. As a result, some local children travel to Ysgol y Wern and Ysgol Melin Griffith to receive their education.The area has a large number of churches and chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
s including All Saints
All Saints Church, Rhiwbina
All Saints' Church, Rhiwbina, is part of the Church in Wales. It is situated on Heol Y Felin, Rhiwbina, Cardiff, CF14 1TE. It is in the parish of Rectorial Benefice of Whitchurch, in the Diocese of Llandaff.-External links:*...
(Church in Wales
Church in Wales
The Church in Wales is the Anglican church in Wales, composed of six dioceses.As with the primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Archbishop of Wales serves concurrently as one of the six diocesan bishops. The current archbishop is Barry Morgan, the Bishop of Llandaff.In contrast to the...
), Beulah (URC), Bethesda (Independent), Rhiwbina Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Church, Bethany (Baptist), Bethel (Methodist) and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
).
Near the summit of the Wenallt
Wenallt Hill
Wenallt Hill is a hill located in Cardiff, Wales.The residents of Cardiff refer to it as a mountain, though its height restricts it from being declared a mountain...
, to the north of Rhiwbina, are the remains of an oval encampment probably dating from the Iron Age, the earliest evidence of settlement in the area. At the base of the hill is a Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
motte called the Twmpath.
The last native Welsh Prince of Morgannwg (Glamorgan
Glamorgan
Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. It was originally an early medieval kingdom of varying boundaries known as Glywysing until taken over by the Normans as a lordship. Glamorgan is latterly represented by the three...
), Iestyn ap Gwrgant
Iestyn ap Gwrgant
Iestyn ap Gwrgant was the last ruler of the Welsh kingdom of Morgannwg, which encompassed the counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire .- Lineage :...
, may have been killed in a battle north of Rhiwbina towards the end of the 11th century, near the present-day Butchers Arms public house. The stream nearby is still called Rhyd Waedlyd, which means 'Bloody Ford'. Rhydwaedlyd was the title given to housing developments to Rhiwbina's east in the latter half of the 20th century. This area has since come to be considered part of Rhiwbina itself and the name 'Rhydwaedlyd' has fallen out of use entirely.
Until the 20th century the area remained rural, with few houses. The railway station opened in 1911, and the following year development began of a new garden suburb, based on a masterplan by Sir Raymond Unwin, one of the leading architects of the Garden city movement
Garden city movement
The garden city movement is a method of urban planning that was initiated in 1898 by Sir Ebenezer Howard in the United Kingdom. Garden cities were intended to be planned, self-contained communities surrounded by "greenbelts" , containing proportionate areas of residences, industry and...
. The first 34 houses were built in 1913 and more were built from 1919 to 1923, occupying an area between Pen-y-dre and Lon Isa which became known as Rhiwbina Garden Village. It was designated as a Conservation Area in 1976.
A focal point in Rhiwbina in the early twentieth century was the "Rhiwbina Tea Gardens". Owned by the Smart family, this developed into a landmark local business, becoming "Rhiwbina Motor Garages" in response to the rise of the motor car, and the area's first video rental outlet in the early 1980s. The business was closed on the retirement of Cliff Smart in 1989 and the site is now occupied by the development of Clos Yr Ardd. This translates as Gardens Close, in memory of the Tea Gardens, but there is little greenery left.
Rhiwbina village centre is small compared to nearby Whitchurch and Birchgrove, and consequently suffers from a lack of trade. In recent years many businesses have ceased trading in the area. However some businesses, mainly in the service sector, have managed to buck the trend and establish themselves in the centre.
To the north of Rhiwbina is a parade of shops on Heol Llanishen Fach, built in the 1960s to serve an extensive area of new housing. Also to the north of Rhiwbina village is the Deri Stores, a family run shop on the corner of Wenallt Road and Rhiwbina Hill which used to be a post office, and before that a cafe. There is another parade of shops further north at Pantmawr.
Rhiwbina has been the home of many noted Welsh artists including the authors Jack Jones and Kate Roberts, dramatist Tom Richards and the actress Rachel Thomas, who worked together.
Since 1997 the 'Deri' community quarterly newsletter has been published by the Rhiwbina Civic Society. Rhiwbina also has a quarterly magazine launched on 15 November 2007, called Rhiwbina Living. A similar publication, "Wenallt", was published between 1972 and 1980 but failed due to a lack of local advertising.
Governance
The electoral ward of Rhiwbina falls within the parliamentary constituency of Cardiff NorthCardiff North (UK Parliament constituency)
Cardiff North is aborough constituency in the city of Cardiff. It returns one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system....
. It is bounded by the wards of Lisvane
Lisvane
Lisvane is an affluent community in the north of Cardiff, the capital of Wales, located north of the city centre. Lisvane is one of the most desirable areas of both Cardiff and Wales, and as of 2011, has an average house price £410,000 with many properties worth in excess of £1 million...
and Llanishen
Llanishen
Llanishen is a district in the north of Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. Llanishen is well-known as the home of the 'Tax Offices', the tallest buildings in north Cardiff and a landmark for miles around...
to the east; Heath
Heath, Cardiff
Heath is a community in the north of Cardiff, capital of Wales, originally called the Great Heath and named as a result of the large park and woodland that it once contained. It should be distinguished from the Little Heath which lies to the south of the Great Heath, in the vicinity of Crwys Road...
to the southeast; and Whitchurch & Tongwynlais
Whitchurch & Tongwynlais
Whitchurch & Tongwynlais is an electoral ward of Cardiff, Wales. It covers some or all of the following areas: Coryton, Tongwynlais and Whitchurch in the parliamentary constituency of Cardiff North...
to the west.
It is represented in Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
by The Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
MP Jonathan Evans, who has held the seat since 2010.
In the Welsh Assembly, Cardiff North is represented by Welsh Labour AM Julie Morgan
Julie Morgan
Julie Morgan AM is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Cardiff North from 1997 until 2010; she is married to former First Minister of Wales, Rhodri Morgan. Julie Morgan won the Cardiff North seat in the Welsh Assembly in the 2011 elections.-Early life,...
. She took the seat from the Conservatives in the 2011 elections, overturning a majority of 4,843 and creating a Labour majority of 1,782 votes.
In the 2008 Local Council elections Rhiwbina returned three Independent Councillors: Jayne Cowan, Brian Jones and Adrian Robson.
Transport
The area is served by Rhiwbina railway stationRhiwbina railway station
Rhiwbina railway station is a railway station serving Rhiwbina, Cardiff. It is located on the Coryton Line north of Cardiff Central.Passenger services are provided by Arriva Trains Wales as part of the Valley Lines network....
on the Cardiff Central to Coryton Line
Coryton Line
The Coryton Line is a commuter railway line in Cardiff from the city centre to Heath, Birchgrove, Rhiwbina, Whitchurch and Coryton.The line is currently operated by Arriva Trains Wales as part of the Valley Lines network. ATW replaced the previous franchise, Wales & Borders Trains in December...
. Services continue through West Cardiff to Radyr
Radyr railway station
Radyr railway station is a railway station serving the Radyr area of Cardiff. It is located at the foot of the hill at the eastern edge of the village, alongside the River Taff and adjacent to the Taff Trail.-History:...
.
Cardiff Bus
Cardiff Bus
Cardiff Bus is the dominant operator of bus services in Cardiff, Wales and the surrounding area, including Barry and Penarth. Its hub is Cardiff central bus station...
services 21 (Coryton-Whitchurch) and 23 (Birchgrove-Gabalfa-Cathays-Central Station) frequently run through the area. Veolia Transport Cymru
Veolia Transport Cymru
Veolia Transport Cymru is a division of the Veolia Transport group , part of the French multinational Veolia Environnement. Formed by the purchase of a number of smaller independent coach and bus firms, the company has its headquarters in Parc Nantgarw, mid way between Cardiff and...
service 22 (Heath Hospital - Rhiwbina)
Heol-y-Deri is the main road leading through the district. Rhiwbina is situated between the A470
A470 road
The A470 is a major long-distance connective spine road in Wales, running from Cardiff on the south coast to Llandudno on the north coast. It covers approximately 186 miles , over a zig-zagging route through the entirety of the country's mountainous central region, including the Brecon Beacons and...
(Cardiff City Centre to M4 J32) and A469
A469 road
The A469 is a road in south Wales. It links Cardiff and Caerphilly with Rhymney and the Heads of the Valleys Road .-References:* Cardiff & Newport A-Z Street Atlas 2007 Edition...
(Cardiff city centre to Caerphilly).
Sport and leisure
Rhiwbina RFCRhiwbina RFC
Rhiwbina Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club based in Rhiwbina a suburb of Cardiff in Wales. Rhiwbina RFC is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Cardiff Blues....
, the local rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
club, has the biggest playing membership of any club in Wales and operates sides from Under 7 to Under 16 and a youth and three senior teams. The First XV was recently promoted to Division 4 East after an unbeaten League run in Season 2006/07. The club operates from the Rhiwbina Recreational Club. However plans are afoot to build a new clubhouse in nearby Caedelyn Park.
Rhiwbina Recreational Club is also home to both male and female Bowls teams, a Chess Club, Tennis and Squash Clubs and the Highfields Amateur Radio Club.
Rhiwbina Squash Club has six mens teams playing in the Premier, South Wales and South Glamorgan Leagues. The club also has a Junior and Ladies section. Rhiwbina Squash Club are the current South Wales Premier League Champions (2011).
Notable people
- Jack JonesJack Jones (novelist)Jack Jones was a Welsh novelist and playwright who began writing in the 1930s.-Early years:Jack Jones was born in 1884 at Tai-Harri-Blawdd in Merthyr Tydfil, the son of a coal miner. He joined his father to work in the mine aged 12. At the age of 17 he joined the army and was posted to South...
, (1884-1970), novelist, lived in Rhiwbina in the 1920s. - Kate Roberts, (1891-1985), novelist, lived in Rhiwbina for several years until 1931.
- Stan StennettStan StennettStan Stennett is a Welsh comedian, actor and jazz musician.Stennett was born in Cardiff. During World War II, he served in the army and also worked as an entertainer. He made his professional stage debut with a group called the Harmaniacs...
, (born 1925), entertainer, lives in Rhiwbina. - Andrew DaviesAndrew Davies (writer)Andrew Wynford Davies is a British author and screenwriter. He was made a Fellow of BAFTA in 2002.-Education and early career:...
, (born 1936), author and screenwriter, was born in Rhiwbina. - Andy Fairweather Low, (born 1948), pop musician, lived in Beulah Road, Rhiwbina.
- Howard JonesHoward Jones (musician)Howard Jones is a musician, singer and songwriter. According to the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums, "Jones is an accomplished singer-songwriter who was a regular chart visitor in the mid 1980s with his brand of synthpop. Jones, who was equally popular in the U.S., appeared at Live...
, (born 1955), pop musician, lived in Rhiwbina until the age of 13.