To Iberia and beyond...: Discover Britain: Cardiff

Before I moved abroad, I lived in Cardiff. Well, sort of. I actually lived in the South Wales Valleys, a 20-minute train ride north of the city. And, with a train station right behind the house, Cardiff was an easy day trip. A relatively small city, Cardiff is jam-packed with sights, among them the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Castle and the love-it-or-hate-it Bay.

Located in the centre of city, Castell Caerdydd (Cardiff Castle) was built by Norman invaders in the late 11th century. Commissioned by either William the Conqueror or Robert Fitzhamon, it was erected on the site of an old Roman fort (circa 55 AD), the remains of which were used as a basis of the outer castle perimeter. Inside these walls, they constructed a wooden keep on a 40-foot (12m) tall earth motte, which was the largest in Wales. More medieval fortifications and dwellings followed. In the 12th century the then occupiers began rebuilding the castle in stone, and erecting substantial defensive walls.

Over the years the castle passed through the hands of many noble families in England, among them the de Clares, the Despensers, the Nevilles and the Tudors. Then, in 1766, it was passed through marriage to the Bute family, under whom the castle was restored and transformed. It remained in the Bute family until 1947 when it was given to the people of Cardiff by John Crichton-Stuart, the 5th Marquess of Bute (1907-1956). Today it is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city.

The outer wall and main entrance of Cardiff Castle

The 11th century Norman keep

One a pair of stone lions (dating from 1890) guarding the Castle Park Gate

A short walk from the castle is the St John the Baptist Church. Originally built in 1180, it was sacked in 1404 during the rebellion of Owain Glyndŵr, a Welsh ruler and the last native Welshman to hold the title 'Prince of Wales' (Tywysog Cymru). Glyndŵr instigated a fierce and long-running revolt against the English rule of Wales, but was ultimately unsuccessful.

The church was rebuilt in the second half of the 15th century and given a perpendicular tower with a peal of ten bells. Today it is the oldest church in the city and, after Cardiff Castle, the oldest medieval building in the city. In 1952, it was awarded Grade 1 listed status as a building of architectural and historical interest.

The 15th century church tower

The side entrance to the church

Flowers in the church garden

Once known as Tiger Bay, Cardiff's dockland district played a major role in the development of the city by being the means of exporting coal from the South Wales Valleys to the rest of world. As well as helping to power the industrial age, the coal mining industry contributed to the growth of Cardiff and made the then docks owner, John Crichton-Stuart, the 3rd Marquess of Bute (1847-1900), the richest man in the world at the time.

The docks continued to boom as a location for shipping companies until the early 1920s. The fall in demand for Welsh coal caused a dramatic fall in exports, and after WWII most of the industry closed down and the area became derelict.

In 1999, the building of the Cardiff Bay Barrage injected new life into the area, and Tiger Bay was rebranded as Cardiff Bay. Since then numerous buildings have sprung up all around the area, including the St David's Hotel, the Wales Millennium Centre and the Senedd (the Senate). Unfortunately, very little forethought has gone into the planning and the Bay now comprises a collection of mismatched architecture with modern monstrosities such as the Wales Millennium Centre standing alongside historic buildings like the Grade 1 listed Pierhead Building. Nonetheless, on a sunny day the views across the Bay are pretty nice.