Adamsdown
Encyclopedia
Adamsdown is an inner city
area and community
in the south
of Cardiff
, the capital city
of Wales
.
. The area may be named after an Adam Kygnot, a porter
at Cardiff Castle
around 1330 AD.
According to an 1824 map, Adamsdown was largely a 270 acres (1.1 km²) farm. A replacement for a prison which was located on St Mary Street
opened in the area in 1832, and a cemetery in 1848. In the following year, an outbreak of cholera
affected the area. As the cemetery became full, it was converted into a park. In 1883 the "South Wales and Mounmouthsire Infirmary" was opened at a cost of £23,000. Many were refused from the hospital, such as those with infectious diseases and women in the advanced stages of preganancy. In 1923, the hospital became the Cardiff Royal Infirmary.
The Newtown area of Adamsdown was the first area to be developed, where many Irish
immmigrants settled. Streets built in the period had their names drawm from astronomy (such as Star, Constellation, Planet and Eclipse Streets) or precious metals and stones (suc as Gold, Copper, Topaz and Diamond Streets). Cardiff's first municipal secondary school was established at Howard Gardens in 1884, which became a Grammar School in 1941 and was subsequently destroyed by bombing in World War II
, where a UWIC campus now stands.
Until the 1970s, Roath Cattle Market and Slaughterhouse were located in Adamsdown where one could obtain meats off the ration during World War II. Regeneration of Adamsdown in the 20th century saw Victorian buildings demolished for 1960s and 70s tower blocks, the highest of which is Brunel House, at the eastern gateway to Cardiff city centre
.
, Cardiff Prison
, Cardiff Royal Infirmary, the Cardiff School of Creative and Cultural Industries
of the University of Glamorgan
, the Howard Gardens campus of the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, a Reform Synagogue
, several Sikh
temples can be found in this district and a mosque which is under construction.
Adamsdown is one of the older, traditional, working class
suburb
s of Cardiff. It is about 10 minutes' walk from the commercial Cardiff city centre
. It is largely a residential area. There are leisure facilities such as the Rubicon dance centre, the Star Centre in nearby Splott
and an Esporta Health Club
. Adamsdown is undergoing regeneration, in particular the shopping area of Clifton Street, where the traditional stone buildings such as Roath Police station have been sandblasted and renovated, all of the shop fronts are being replaced and updated, the pavements are being widened and a new one-way traffic system has been introduced. The aim is to attract greater numbers of traders and shoppers to the area.
. It is bounded by the wards of Penylan
to the north east; Splott to the south east; Butetown
to the south; Cathays
to the west; and Plasnewydd
to the north. It is currently represented on Cardiff Council
by two Liberal Democrat councillors, John Dixon and Nigel Howells.
The candidates for the May 2008 local elections
with the party represented number of votes were: Nigel Howells (Lib Dem
, 925, Elected), John Dixon (Lib Dem, 891, Elected), Sarah Merry (Labour
, 431), Peter Payne (Labour, 383), Julie Jenkins (Con
, 160), Mary Newman (Con, 151), David Bartlett (Socialist, 98), and Fran Rawlings (Communist, 66). The turnout was 27.2%.
Lib Dem councillors Nigel Howells and John Dixon hold advice surgeries on the first and third Saturday of every month at 11am in Roath Library.
urban rail network.
The area is also served by Cardiff Bus
. Services stopping outside the Cardiff Royal Infirmary, which all go to Central Station
in the reverse direction are:
The 11/12/13 routes run through the heart of the area connecting it with Tremorfa/Splott to the east and Culverhouse Cross/Ely/Canton/City Centre to the west. The 1/2 Bay Circle route also serves some parts of the area.
The busy and commercial Newport Road (A4161
) runs through northern Adamsdown, leading towards the M4 motorway
to the east and the city centre
to the west. City Road leads to northern districts of Cardiff
.
Inner city
The inner city is the central area of a major city or metropolis. In the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland, the term is often applied to the lower-income residential districts in the city centre and nearby areas...
area and community
Community (Wales)
A community is a division of land in Wales that forms the lowest-tier of local government in Wales. Welsh communities are analogous to civil parishes in England....
in the south
Cardiff South
Cardiff South or South Cardiff can refer to the collection of communities in the south of Cardiff, Wales. Although the usage is unofficial and boundaries are only ambiguously defined, they generally share the postcodes CF10, CF11 or CF24 and the telephone code 029...
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...
, 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 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...
.
History
In mediaeval times, Adamsdown lay just outside the east walls of Cardiff and was owned by the lords of GlamorganGlamorgan
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...
. The area may be named after an Adam Kygnot, a porter
Porter (carrier)
A porter, also called a bearer, is a person who shifts objects for others.-Historical meaning:Human adaptability and flexibility early led to the use of humans for shifting gear...
at Cardiff Castle
Cardiff Castle
Cardiff Castle is a medieval castle and Victorian architecture Gothic revival mansion, transformed from a Norman keep erected over a Roman fort in the Castle Quarter of Cardiff, the capital of Wales. The Castle is a Grade I Listed Building.-The Roman fort:...
around 1330 AD.
According to an 1824 map, Adamsdown was largely a 270 acres (1.1 km²) farm. A replacement for a prison which was located on St Mary Street
St. Mary Street/High Street
St. Mary Street and High Street are major commercial streets in the Castle Quarter of Cardiff city centre, Wales, which form a major north–south thoroughfare in the centre. High Street begins at the junction of Castle Street on the A4161 and ends at the junction of Church Street and Quay Street,...
opened in the area in 1832, and a cemetery in 1848. In the following year, an outbreak of cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
affected the area. As the cemetery became full, it was converted into a park. In 1883 the "South Wales and Mounmouthsire Infirmary" was opened at a cost of £23,000. Many were refused from the hospital, such as those with infectious diseases and women in the advanced stages of preganancy. In 1923, the hospital became the Cardiff Royal Infirmary.
The Newtown area of Adamsdown was the first area to be developed, where many Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
immmigrants settled. Streets built in the period had their names drawm from astronomy (such as Star, Constellation, Planet and Eclipse Streets) or precious metals and stones (suc as Gold, Copper, Topaz and Diamond Streets). Cardiff's first municipal secondary school was established at Howard Gardens in 1884, which became a Grammar School in 1941 and was subsequently destroyed by bombing 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...
, where a UWIC campus now stands.
Until the 1970s, Roath Cattle Market and Slaughterhouse were located in Adamsdown where one could obtain meats off the ration during World War II. Regeneration of Adamsdown in the 20th century saw Victorian buildings demolished for 1960s and 70s tower blocks, the highest of which is Brunel House, at the eastern gateway to Cardiff city centre
Cardiff city centre
Cardiff city centre is the central business district of Cardiff, Wales. The area is tightly bounded by the River Taff to the west, the Civic centre to the north and railway lines and two railway stations - Central and Queen Street - to the south and east respectively...
.
Today
Cardiff Magistrates' CourtMagistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
, Cardiff Prison
Cardiff (HM Prison)
HM Prison Cardiff is a Category B men's prison, located in the Adamsdown area of Cardiff, Wales. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
, Cardiff Royal Infirmary, the Cardiff School of Creative and Cultural Industries
Atrium (Cardiff)
ATRiuM is a campus of the University of Glamorgan, in Cardiff, Wales.Opened on 29 November 2007, it is home to one of the University's five faculties, CCI...
of the University of Glamorgan
University of Glamorgan
The University of Glamorgan is a university based in Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales with campuses in Treforest, Glyntaff, Merthyr Tydfil, Tyn y Wern and Cardiff...
, the Howard Gardens campus of the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, a Reform Synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
, several Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
temples can be found in this district and a mosque which is under construction.
Adamsdown is one of the older, traditional, working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
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...
s of Cardiff. It is about 10 minutes' walk from the commercial Cardiff city centre
Cardiff city centre
Cardiff city centre is the central business district of Cardiff, Wales. The area is tightly bounded by the River Taff to the west, the Civic centre to the north and railway lines and two railway stations - Central and Queen Street - to the south and east respectively...
. It is largely a residential area. There are leisure facilities such as the Rubicon dance centre, the Star Centre in nearby Splott
Splott
Splott is a district in the south of the city of Cardiff, capital of Wales, just east of the city centre. It was built up in the late 19th century on the land of two farms of the same name: Upper Splott and Lower Splott Farms. Splott is characterised by its once vast steelworks and rows of tightly...
and an Esporta Health Club
Esporta Health Clubs
Esporta Health & Fitness Clubs is a chain of health clubs in the United Kingdom, which also once owned clubs in Spain. The clubs offer a wide variety of different fitness facilities, including gyms, swimming pools and courts for racquet sports...
. Adamsdown is undergoing regeneration, in particular the shopping area of Clifton Street, where the traditional stone buildings such as Roath Police station have been sandblasted and renovated, all of the shop fronts are being replaced and updated, the pavements are being widened and a new one-way traffic system has been introduced. The aim is to attract greater numbers of traders and shoppers to the area.
Adamsdown electoral ward
The Adamsdown electoral ward falls within the parliamentary constituency of Cardiff CentralCardiff Central (UK Parliament constituency)
Cardiff Central is a borough 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 system....
. It is bounded by the wards of Penylan
Penylan
Penylan is a district in the east of Cardiff, the capital city of Wales, known for its Victorian era period houses and spacious tree lined roads and avenues....
to the north east; Splott to the south east; Butetown
Butetown
Butetown is a community in the south of the city of Cardiff, the capital of Wales. It was originally a model housing estate built in the early nineteenth century by John Crichton-Stuart, 2nd Marquess of Bute, for whose title the area was named...
to the south; Cathays
Cathays (electoral ward)
The Cathays electoral ward of Cardiff consists of some or all of the following areas: Blackweir, Cardiff city centre, Cathays, Cathays Park and Maindy in the parliamentary constituency of Cardiff Central. It is bounded by Gabalfa and Birchgrove to the north; Plasnewydd and Adamsdown to the east;...
to the west; and Plasnewydd
Plasnewydd
Plasnewydd is an electoral ward of Cardiff, Wales. It falls within the parliamentary constituency of Cardiff Central. It is bounded by the wards of Cyncoed to the north; Penylan to the northeast; Adamsdown to the southwest; and Cathays to the west. It mainly covers the district of Roath.-External...
to the north. It is currently represented on Cardiff Council
Cardiff Council
The County Council of the City and County of Cardiff is the governing body for Cardiff, one of the Principal Areas of Wales. The council consists of 75 councillors, representing 29 electoral wards. The authority is properly styled as The County Council of the City and County of Cardiff or in...
by two Liberal Democrat councillors, John Dixon and Nigel Howells.
The candidates for the May 2008 local elections
Cardiff Council election, 2008
The Cardiff Council election in 2008 was held on 1 May, along with other local elections in the UK. All 75 seats of Cardiff Council were contested, with it remaining in no overall control.-Election result:...
with the party represented number of votes were: Nigel Howells (Lib Dem
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
, 925, Elected), John Dixon (Lib Dem, 891, Elected), Sarah Merry (Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
, 431), Peter Payne (Labour, 383), Julie Jenkins (Con
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...
, 160), Mary Newman (Con, 151), David Bartlett (Socialist, 98), and Fran Rawlings (Communist, 66). The turnout was 27.2%.
Lib Dem councillors Nigel Howells and John Dixon hold advice surgeries on the first and third Saturday of every month at 11am in Roath Library.
Transport
Cardiff Queen Street station is on the western fringe of Adamsdown. The station is on the Valley LinesValley Lines
Valleys & Cardiff Local Routes is the busy network of passenger suburban railway services radiating from Cardiff, Wales. It includes lines within the city itself, the Vale of Glamorgan and the South Wales Valleys....
urban rail network.
The area is also served by 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 stopping outside the Cardiff Royal Infirmary, which all go to Central Station
Cardiff Central bus station
Cardiff Central bus station is the main bus transport interchange in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. With 34 stands, it is the largest bus station in the city and in Wales. It is located adjacent to Cardiff Central railway station forming a major bus-rail-cycle-taxi interchange.The station used...
in the reverse direction are:
- 11/12/13 (Tremorfa or Cardiff Bay/Drope)
- 30 (Newport)
- 44/45 (St. Mellons via Rumney)
- 49/50 (Llanrumney)
The 11/12/13 routes run through the heart of the area connecting it with Tremorfa/Splott to the east and Culverhouse Cross/Ely/Canton/City Centre to the west. The 1/2 Bay Circle route also serves some parts of the area.
The busy and commercial Newport Road (A4161
A4161 road
The A4161 is a main road in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom.The road links Cardiff city centre with Ely and the M4 motorway via the A48 and the A4232 to the west and Cardiff city centre with Rumney and the A48 motorway via the A4232 and the A48 to the east.- History of the road number :The original...
) runs through northern Adamsdown, leading towards the M4 motorway
M4 motorway
The M4 motorway links London with South Wales. It is part of the unsigned European route E30. Other major places directly accessible from M4 junctions are Reading, Swindon, Bristol, Newport, Cardiff and Swansea...
to the east and the city centre
Cardiff city centre
Cardiff city centre is the central business district of Cardiff, Wales. The area is tightly bounded by the River Taff to the west, the Civic centre to the north and railway lines and two railway stations - Central and Queen Street - to the south and east respectively...
to the west. City Road leads to northern districts 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...
.
External links
| Cathays Cathays Cathays is a district in the north of Cardiff, capital of Wales. It is an old suburb of Cardiff established in 1875. It is very densely populated and contains many older terraced houses giving it a Victorian era atmosphere... |
Plasnewydd Plasnewydd Plasnewydd is an electoral ward of Cardiff, Wales. It falls within the parliamentary constituency of Cardiff Central. It is bounded by the wards of Cyncoed to the north; Penylan to the northeast; Adamsdown to the southwest; and Cathays to the west. It mainly covers the district of Roath.-External... |
Roath Roath Roath is a district in the east/north-east of the city of Cardiff, capital of Wales.It lies just east/north east of the city centre, stretching from Adamsdown in the south to Roath Park in the north. Roath contains the Plasnewydd electoral ward. The name is believed to originate from Irish ráth,... |
| City centre Cardiff city centre Cardiff city centre is the central business district of Cardiff, Wales. The area is tightly bounded by the River Taff to the west, the Civic centre to the north and railway lines and two railway stations - Central and Queen Street - to the south and east respectively... |
Adamsdown | Tremorfa Tremorfa Tremorfa is a district of the city of Cardiff, Wales. It falls into the Splott ward of Cardiff.-Transport:Tremorfa is the terminus of the 12/13 routes operating to Culverhouse Cross via Splott, Central Stn, Canton and Ely... |
| Grangetown Grangetown, Cardiff Grangetown 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... |
Butetown Butetown Butetown is a community in the south of the city of Cardiff, the capital of Wales. It was originally a model housing estate built in the early nineteenth century by John Crichton-Stuart, 2nd Marquess of Bute, for whose title the area was named... |
Splott Splott Splott is a district in the south of the city of Cardiff, capital of Wales, just east of the city centre. It was built up in the late 19th century on the land of two farms of the same name: Upper Splott and Lower Splott Farms. Splott is characterised by its once vast steelworks and rows of tightly... |