Castle Quarter
Encyclopedia
Castle Quarter is a commercial area in the north of the city centre
of Cardiff
, Wales
.
The Castle Quarter includes some of Cardiff's Victorian and Edwardian arcades: Castle Arcade, High Street Arcade and Duke Street Arcade, and principal shopping streets: St Mary Street, High Street
, Castle Street and Duke Street.
Development of the area began in February 2010 and is expected to be completed by July 2011. Cardiff Council
says that work to create the Castle Quarter as a pedestrian friendly environment for High Street and St Mary Street is designed to enhance the city centre.
have linked the castle grounds and Bute Park
directly to the city centre via a walkway with High Street, aiming to tie the leisure facilities with the business facilities. There are already signs that footfall is improving, according to Cardiff Council
.
Works temporarily ceased between 14 November 2010 and January 2011 for the Christmas period, and are expected to be completed by July 2011.
The development is part of the £30m Sustainable Travel City project jointly funded by Cardiff Council and the Welsh Assembly Government
Work to pedestrianise St Mary Street and High Street
in the city centre began in June/July 2010. Roadworks which took place outside Castle Street have caused traffic problems for motorists and commuters using the busy vein through the city centre. These roadworks ended on 31 October The Council will now concentrate work between Quay Street and Wood Street in order to turn St Mary Street into an area of pedestrian priority.
Guildhall Place will become one-way, with a taxi rank stationed on the north side. The lower end of Guildhall Place will be kept two-way to allow access to private car parks.
Business owners in the area's arcades are seeking compensation from Cardiff Council
due to the disruption of the roadworks. The council has offered each business a £300 reduction on rates as the work is short term.
where he first began his preaching of Methodism.
. Herbert’s servants were all arrested in the course of their fighting and how he was able to free them all because his brother was the town sheriff. The street may have been as bustling with activity as much back then as it is today, albeit with a very different kind of activity. There would have been market stalls, but also stocks, whipping posts and there was even a jail house on this street.
At the top end of High Street, before Duke Street and the Castle, used to stand the old Guildhall, demolished in 1860 for the construction of the larger one standing today.
Its tower was a gift from the Neville sisters, Anne and Isabel, in 1473 and is famous for having the most pinnacles of any church tower in Britain, except St Giles in Wrexham
. Anne Neville
was both Princess of Wales, after her marriage to Edward of Westminster, and later married Richard III
to become Queen of England.
Inside the church, two male stone effigies lie side by side to mark the burial place of Sir John Herbert
and his brother William, both famous in the area in the 16th and 17th centuries. Sir John, who lies on the right on a red cushion, was known to speak four languages, as he was the English Ambassador to France, Poland, Holland and Denmark and was Chief Secretary to both Elizabeth I and James I
.
forms the centrepoint of the Castle Quarter on Castle Street. It is a medieval castle
and Victorian architecture
Gothic revival mansion
, transformed from a Norman
keep erected over a Roman fort.
The Norman keep
was built on a high motte
on the site of a Roman castra
, first uncovered during the third Marquess of Bute's building campaign. The Norman keep
, of which the shell remains, was constructed about 1091 by Robert Fitzhamon
, lord of Gloucester and conqueror of Glamorgan
.
In the early 19th century the castle was enlarged and refashioned in an early Gothic Revival style for John Crichton-Stuart, 2nd Marquess of Bute
by Henry Holland
. But its transformation began in 1868 when John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute
commissioned William Burges
to undertake a massive rebuilding which turned the castle into a 19th century fantasy of a medieval palace, with a series of rooms that, perhaps, constitute the highest achievement of later Victorian Gothic Revival design.
is an extensive area of mature parkland accessible from Castle Street. Flanked by the River Taff
, Sophia Gardens
, Pontcanna Fields and Cardiff Castle
, Bute Park is a popular 'green lung' of historic and wildlife interest. The Taff Trail
can be accessed at the northern end of Blackweir Fields. A Cardiff Waterbus
stop is located adjacent to Canton Bridge at the southern end of the park offering trips to Cardiff Bay
, Penarth
and the barrage.
is a sculptured wall depicting 15 animals on Castle Street. It is a Grade I listed structure.
Designed by William Burges
in 1866, but it was not built until 1890, The work of the restoration of Cardiff Castle
and the building of the Animal Wall for the Marquess of Bute
, was continued by his former assistant William Frame. The original nine animal figures were sculptured by Thomas Nicholls, they were the hyena, wolf, apes, seal, bear, lioness, lynx, and 2 different lions. They were painted in naturalistic colours, although since then the paint work on the sculptures has been removed.
indoor market
on St Mary Street. The market was designed by the Borough Surveyor, William Harpur, and opened in May 1891. A farmers' market is known to have existed at the site since the 18th century.
is a rugby union
stadium
situated on Castle Street/Westgate Street. The first stands
appeared for spectators in the ground in 1881–1882, although the Arms Park had cricket
played on the site since 1848. Until the end of the 2008-09 season, the stadium was the home to both the Cardiff Blues
rugby union team and Cardiff Rugby Football Club
, however with the Blues moving out to the Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff RFC are now the only tenants.
can be found here
Cardiff central bus station
is situated south of the area, next to Central railway station.
stop is located in Bute Park, off Castle Street. Services run to Cardiff Bay
and Penarth
.
Once the Castle Quarter has been completed, there will be designated pathways for disabled access next to the building line, and a separate pathway for cyclists on St Mary Street and High Street. Cyclists are permitted in most city centre areas including around St David's and The Hayes
– but are restricted access to cycle down Queen Street.
and St. David's Hall.
The initial three-month trial ran from October to December 2010, during which 3,380 people were carried, and cost £40,000. This period has been extended to March 2011, due to the service's popularity, funded with a further £25,000 under the Cardiff Council and Welsh Assembly Government Sustainable Travel City initiative. The service is available 09:30 - 17:30 Monday to Friday.
for local and mainline services.
is the main road in the Castle Quarter, formed by Castle Street, Duke Street and Kingsway. It connects to the A48
at Ely Bridge
, leading to J33 of the M4 motorway
, and Llanedeyrn
, leading to J29A and J30. The A470
can be joined at Kingsway, leading to M4 J32.
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...
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...
, 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...
.
The Castle Quarter includes some of Cardiff's Victorian and Edwardian arcades: Castle Arcade, High Street Arcade and Duke Street Arcade, and principal shopping streets: St Mary Street, High 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,...
, Castle Street and Duke Street.
Development of the area began in February 2010 and is expected to be completed by July 2011. 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...
says that work to create the Castle Quarter as a pedestrian friendly environment for High Street and St Mary Street is designed to enhance the city centre.
Development
Developments outside Cardiff CastleCardiff 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:...
have linked the castle grounds and Bute Park
Bute Park
Bute Park in Cardiff, Wales, is an extensive area of mature parkland easily accessible from the city centre. Flanked by the River Taff, Sophia Gardens, Pontcanna Fields and Cardiff Castle, Bute Park is a very popular 'green lung' full of historic and wildlife interest. Few cities have such a...
directly to the city centre via a walkway with High Street, aiming to tie the leisure facilities with the business facilities. There are already signs that footfall is improving, according to 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...
.
Works temporarily ceased between 14 November 2010 and January 2011 for the Christmas period, and are expected to be completed by July 2011.
The development is part of the £30m Sustainable Travel City project jointly funded by Cardiff Council and the Welsh Assembly Government
Welsh Assembly Government
The Welsh Government is the devolved government of Wales. It is accountable to the National Assembly for Wales, the legislature which represents the interests of the people of Wales and makes laws for Wales...
Construction works
The £4 million project to change the street-scape of the city centre commenced in February 2010. Cardiff Council hope to provide an enhanced retail and pedestrian experience for residents, businesses and visitors to the city centre, to reduce traffic, air pollution and noise levels.Work to pedestrianise St Mary Street and High 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,...
in the city centre began in June/July 2010. Roadworks which took place outside Castle Street have caused traffic problems for motorists and commuters using the busy vein through the city centre. These roadworks ended on 31 October The Council will now concentrate work between Quay Street and Wood Street in order to turn St Mary Street into an area of pedestrian priority.
Guildhall Place will become one-way, with a taxi rank stationed on the north side. The lower end of Guildhall Place will be kept two-way to allow access to private car parks.
Disruption
The roadworks stretching from Boulevard de Nantes to Castle Street have caused severe congestion on one of the main routes of travel through the city centre between east and west Cardiff.Business owners in the area's arcades are seeking compensation from 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...
due to the disruption of the roadworks. The council has offered each business a £300 reduction on rates as the work is short term.
Church Street
The original first floor of Truffles tea room was once the residence of John WesleyJohn Wesley
John Wesley was a Church of England cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
where he first began his preaching of Methodism.
High Street
Riots took place during the 16th century between supporters of the rivalling Herberts family, who hailed from the Friary, and the Mathews family of RadyrRadyr
Radyr is an outer suburb of Cardiff, the capital of Wales. The suburb is situated in the west of the city, although it was originally a separate village, and is located around 5 miles north west of Cardiff city centre. According to 2009 estimates, the suburb has a population of 6,000...
. Herbert’s servants were all arrested in the course of their fighting and how he was able to free them all because his brother was the town sheriff. The street may have been as bustling with activity as much back then as it is today, albeit with a very different kind of activity. There would have been market stalls, but also stocks, whipping posts and there was even a jail house on this street.
At the top end of High Street, before Duke Street and the Castle, used to stand the old Guildhall, demolished in 1860 for the construction of the larger one standing today.
Trinity Street
Trinity Street is the location of St. John’s Church, built over 800 years ago and has been renovated and resized over the centuries.Its tower was a gift from the Neville sisters, Anne and Isabel, in 1473 and is famous for having the most pinnacles of any church tower in Britain, except St Giles in Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
. Anne Neville
Anne Neville
Lady Anne Neville was Princess of Wales as the wife of Edward of Westminster and Queen of England as the consort of King Richard III. She held the latter title for less than two years, from 26 June 1483 until her death in March 1485...
was both Princess of Wales, after her marriage to Edward of Westminster, and later married Richard III
Richard III of England
Richard III was King of England for two years, from 1483 until his death in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty...
to become Queen of England.
Inside the church, two male stone effigies lie side by side to mark the burial place of Sir John Herbert
John Herbert (Secretary of State)
Sir John Herbert was a Welsh lawyer, diplomat and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1586 and 1611. He was Secretary of State under Elizabeth I and James I.-Life:...
and his brother William, both famous in the area in the 16th and 17th centuries. Sir John, who lies on the right on a red cushion, was known to speak four languages, as he was the English Ambassador to France, Poland, Holland and Denmark and was Chief Secretary to both Elizabeth I and James I
James IV of Scotland
James IV was King of Scots from 11 June 1488 to his death. He is generally regarded as the most successful of the Stewart monarchs of Scotland, but his reign ended with the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Flodden Field, where he became the last monarch from not only Scotland, but also from all...
.
Victorian and Edwardian arcades
| Name | Image | Year opened | Entrances | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Market Cardiff Market Cardiff Market , also known as Cardiff Central Market , is a Victorian indoor market in the Castle Quarter of Cardiff city centre, capital city of Wales.Originally the site of Cardiff gaol, the gallows were located on the site of the current St... |
 |
1891 | St. Mary Street Trinity Street |
Central Market Cardiff Market Cardiff Market , also known as Cardiff Central Market , is a Victorian indoor market in the Castle Quarter of Cardiff city centre, capital city of Wales.Originally the site of Cardiff gaol, the gallows were located on the site of the current St... was designed by the county engineer William Harpur. 349 stalls were in the original layout. The market opened in 1891 and has entrances on St. Mary Street and Trinity Street Central Market is a Grade II* Listed building. The market consists of two shopping levels, a ground floor and a balcony level which wraps around the market exterior walls on the interior http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/338744. There is a large H. Samuel clock http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/341163 above the High Street entrance http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3368, which was presumably donated by the H. Samuel H. Samuel H. Samuel is a mass-market jewellery chain, operating in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. It is the number one middle mass-market jewellery store in the United Kingdom. There are 375 stores as at 23rd Feb 2008. An increasing number of the chain's stores trade in a new format known... jewellery chain, which once had a store just outside the High Street entrance. Traders in the market offer a variety of fresh produce, cooked food, various delicacies and more durable goods. A trader of note is Ashton's the fishmonger Fishmonger A fishmonger is someone who sells fish and seafood... s, who have traded in the market since 1866 at the Trinity Street entrance selling a wide range of fresh seafood Seafood Seafood is any form of marine life regarded as food by humans. Seafoods include fish, molluscs , crustaceans , echinoderms . Edible sea plants, such as some seaweeds and microalgae, are also seafood, and are widely eaten around the world, especially in Asia... . |
| Castle Arcade |  |
1887 | Castle Street High Street |
Castle Arcade opened in 1887 and is a Grade II* Listed building. The Castle arcade, as the name suggests, runs from opposite Cardiff Castle to High Street, north of St Mary St. The arcade hasa variety of small boutique shops as well as cafes and delicatessens, and fair-trade and organic shops. One of the longer of Cardiff's famous Victorian arcades, Castle Arcade is home to a variety of shops selling, among other things, crystals, air pistols, fancy dress, books and clothes. There are several shops on the gallery level. |
| Duke Street Arcade |  |
1902 | Duke Street High Street Arcade |
Duke Street Arcade opened in 1902 is a Grade II Listed building. Duke Street Arcade joins High Street arcade, and is just opposite Cardiff Castle. Duke Street Arcade is lined with stores including hairdressers, bridal shops and Welsh gift shops. |
| High Street Arcade |  |
1885 | High Street St John Street |
High Street Arcade opened in 1886 and is a Grade II Listed building. It has entrances on High Street and St John Street. High Street arcadeis known for its range fashion stores which include designer clothes, individual fashions, jewellery and vintage clothes. One will also find children's clothes and toys, gifts and a New York Deli in the arcade. |
Cardiff Castle
Cardiff CastleCardiff 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:...
forms the centrepoint of the Castle Quarter on Castle Street. It is a medieval castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
and Victorian architecture
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
Gothic revival mansion
Mansion
A mansion is a very large dwelling house. U.S. real estate brokers define a mansion as a dwelling of over . A traditional European mansion was defined as a house which contained a ballroom and tens of bedrooms...
, transformed from 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...
keep erected over a Roman fort.
The Norman keep
Keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
was built on a high motte
Motte-and-bailey
A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle, with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade...
on the site of a Roman castra
Castra
The Latin word castra, with its singular castrum, was used by the ancient Romans to mean buildings or plots of land reserved to or constructed for use as a military defensive position. The word appears in both Oscan and Umbrian as well as in Latin. It may have descended from Indo-European to Italic...
, first uncovered during the third Marquess of Bute's building campaign. The Norman keep
Keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
, of which the shell remains, was constructed about 1091 by Robert Fitzhamon
Robert Fitzhamon
Robert Fitzhamon , or Robert FitzHamon, Sieur de Creully in the Calvados region and Torigny in the Manche region of Normandy, was Lord of Gloucester and the Norman conqueror of Glamorgan, southern Wales...
, lord of Gloucester and conqueror of 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...
.
In the early 19th century the castle was enlarged and refashioned in an early Gothic Revival style for John Crichton-Stuart, 2nd Marquess of Bute
John Crichton-Stuart, 2nd Marquess of Bute
John Crichton-Stuart, 2nd Marquess of Bute, KT, FRS was the son of John, Lord Mount Stuart and the former Lady Elizabeth McDouall-Crichton...
by Henry Holland
Henry Holland (architect)
Henry Holland was an architect to the English nobility. Born in Fulham, London, his father also Henry ran a building firm and he built several of Capability Brown's buildings, although Henry would have learnt a lot from his father about the practicalities of construction it was under Brown that he...
. But its transformation began in 1868 when John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute
John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute
John Patrick Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute KT, KSG, KGCHS was a landed aristocrat, industrial magnate, antiquarian, scholar, philanthropist and architectural patron.-Early life:...
commissioned William Burges
William Burges (architect)
William Burges was an English architect and designer. Amongst the greatest of the Victorian art-architects, Burges sought in his work an escape from 19th century industrialisation and a return to the values, architectural and social, of an imagined mediaeval England...
to undertake a massive rebuilding which turned the castle into a 19th century fantasy of a medieval palace, with a series of rooms that, perhaps, constitute the highest achievement of later Victorian Gothic Revival design.
Bute Park
Bute ParkBute Park
Bute Park in Cardiff, Wales, is an extensive area of mature parkland easily accessible from the city centre. Flanked by the River Taff, Sophia Gardens, Pontcanna Fields and Cardiff Castle, Bute Park is a very popular 'green lung' full of historic and wildlife interest. Few cities have such a...
is an extensive area of mature parkland accessible from Castle Street. Flanked by the River Taff
River Taff
The River Taff is a large river in Wales. It rises as two rivers in the Brecon Beacons — the Taf Fechan and the Taf Fawr — before joining to form the Taff north of Merthyr Tydfil...
, Sophia Gardens
Sophia Gardens
Sophia Gardens , currently known as SWALEC Stadium under a naming rights deal, is a cricket stadium on the west bank of the River Taff in Cardiff, 1.6 kilometres north of Cardiff Arms Park. It was named after Lady Sophia Rawdon-Hastings...
, Pontcanna Fields and 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:...
, Bute Park is a popular 'green lung' of historic and wildlife interest. The Taff Trail
Taff Trail
The Taff Trail is a popular walking and cycle path that runs for between Cardiff Bay and Brecon in Wales. It is named so because it follows the course of the River Taff...
can be accessed at the northern end of Blackweir Fields. A Cardiff Waterbus
Cardiff Waterbus
The Cardiff Waterbus celebrated its 10 year anniversary in April 2010. The fleet have clocked up 50,000 miles since operating on the routes, carrying an estimated 1,000,000 passengers.-External links:**...
stop is located adjacent to Canton Bridge at the southern end of the park offering trips to Cardiff Bay
Cardiff Bay
Cardiff Bay is the area created by the Cardiff Barrage in South Cardiff, the capital of Wales. The regeneration of Cardiff Bay is now widely regarded as one of the most successful regeneration projects in the United Kingdom. The Bay is supplied by two rivers to form a freshwater lake round the...
, 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 barrage.
Animal Wall
The Animal WallAnimal Wall
The Animal Wall is a sculptured wall depicting 15 animals in the Castle Quarter of the city centre of Cardiff, Wales. It is a Grade I listed structure.-History:...
is a sculptured wall depicting 15 animals on Castle Street. It is a Grade I listed structure.
Designed by William Burges
William Burges
William Burges may refer to:* William Burges * William Burges...
in 1866, but it was not built until 1890, The work of the restoration of 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:...
and the building of the Animal Wall for the Marquess of Bute
John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute
John Patrick Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute KT, KSG, KGCHS was a landed aristocrat, industrial magnate, antiquarian, scholar, philanthropist and architectural patron.-Early life:...
, was continued by his former assistant William Frame. The original nine animal figures were sculptured by Thomas Nicholls, they were the hyena, wolf, apes, seal, bear, lioness, lynx, and 2 different lions. They were painted in naturalistic colours, although since then the paint work on the sculptures has been removed.
Central Market
Cardiff Central Market is a VictorianVictorian 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...
indoor market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
on St Mary Street. The market was designed by the Borough Surveyor, William Harpur, and opened in May 1891. A farmers' market is known to have existed at the site since the 18th century.
Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms ParkCardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green, and is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The Arms Park was host to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958, and hosted four games in the 1991 Rugby World...
is a 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...
stadium
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
situated on Castle Street/Westgate Street. The first stands
Bleacher
Bleachers is an American term used to describe the raised, tiered rows of seats found at sports fields or at other spectator events...
appeared for spectators in the ground in 1881–1882, although the Arms Park had cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
played on the site since 1848. Until the end of the 2008-09 season, the stadium was the home to both the Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, the team have played at Cardiff City Stadium since the start of the 2009/2010 season and are owned by Cardiff Rugby Football Club....
rugby union team and Cardiff Rugby Football Club
Cardiff RFC
Cardiff Rugby Football Club is a rugby union football club based in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The club was founded in 1876 and played their first few matches at Sophia Gardens, but soon relocated to Cardiff Arms Park where they have been based ever since...
, however with the Blues moving out to the Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff RFC are now the only tenants.
Events
The 2010 Christmas Market was located in the Castle Quarter. The market saw more than 40 stalls open up along High Street, St John's Street and Working Street.Bus
As most of the area is pedestrianised, bus stops hubs are located on peripheral road, principally on Westgate Street (to the west of the quarter) and Kingsway (in the north-east of the quarter). They form part of an anti-clockwise "bus box" around the city centre. A map and list of services in the area, operated by Cardiff BusCardiff 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...
can be found here
Cardiff central bus 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...
is situated south of the area, next to Central railway station.
Waterbus
A Cardiff WaterbusCardiff Waterbus
The Cardiff Waterbus celebrated its 10 year anniversary in April 2010. The fleet have clocked up 50,000 miles since operating on the routes, carrying an estimated 1,000,000 passengers.-External links:**...
stop is located in Bute Park, off Castle Street. Services run to Cardiff Bay
Cardiff Bay
Cardiff Bay is the area created by the Cardiff Barrage in South Cardiff, the capital of Wales. The regeneration of Cardiff Bay is now widely regarded as one of the most successful regeneration projects in the United Kingdom. The Bay is supplied by two rivers to form a freshwater lake round the...
and 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...
.
Cycle
Cardiff Council's chief traffic executive has said there will be designated cycle routes through new pedestrianised areas in the city centre.Once the Castle Quarter has been completed, there will be designated pathways for disabled access next to the building line, and a separate pathway for cyclists on St Mary Street and High Street. Cyclists are permitted in most city centre areas including around St David's and The Hayes
The Hayes
The Hayes is a commercial area in the southern city centre of the Welsh capital, Cardiff. Based around the road of that name leading south towards the east end of the city centre, the area is mostly pedestrianised....
– but are restricted access to cycle down Queen Street.
Buggy
Electric buggies designed to carry disabled and elderly passengers around the pedestrianised zones in the city centre operate in the Castle Quarter. The vehicles can hold up to three passengers and be flagged down anyway on the route. No ticket is needed and drivers only pick up the less mobile pedestrians. The buggies travel on a route which weaves through the pedestrianised areas of the city centre, include St Mary Street, Queen Street, Central MarketCardiff Market
Cardiff Market , also known as Cardiff Central Market , is a Victorian indoor market in the Castle Quarter of Cardiff city centre, capital city of Wales.Originally the site of Cardiff gaol, the gallows were located on the site of the current St...
and St. David's Hall.
The initial three-month trial ran from October to December 2010, during which 3,380 people were carried, and cost £40,000. This period has been extended to March 2011, due to the service's popularity, funded with a further £25,000 under the Cardiff Council and Welsh Assembly Government Sustainable Travel City initiative. The service is available 09:30 - 17:30 Monday to Friday.
Rail
Castle Quarter is located 0.4 mile (0.643736 km) from Cardiff Central railway stationCardiff Central railway station
Cardiff Central railway station is a major railway station on the South Wales Main Line in Cardiff, Wales.It is the largest and busiest station in Wales and one of the major stations of the British rail network, the tenth busiest station in the United Kingdom outside of London , based on 2007/08...
for local and mainline services.
Road
The A4161A4161 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...
is the main road in the Castle Quarter, formed by Castle Street, Duke Street and Kingsway. It connects to the A48
A48 road
The A48 is a major trunk road in Great Britain. It runs from the A40 at Highnam west of Gloucester to the A40 at Carmarthen. Before the construction of the M4 motorway and the first Severn Bridge in the mid 1960s it was the principal route into South Wales. For most of its journey through Wales,...
at Ely Bridge
Ely, Cardiff
Ely is a community primarily dominated by council housing in western Cardiff, capital of Wales.-The Roman era:In Roman times, Ely was the site of a Roman villa, near the old racecourse...
, leading to J33 of 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...
, and Llanedeyrn
Llanedeyrn
-Early history:The name "Llanedeyrn" is believed to be derived from a sixth century monk and a Celtic saint named St. Edeyrn. During the sixth century, St. Edeyrn and a fellow monk, St. Isan, were given the task of spreading the faith and establishing places of worship. The first location chosen by...
, leading to J29A and J30. 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...
can be joined at Kingsway, leading to M4 J32.