Llandaff (Welsh: Llandaf llan church + Taf) 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 Fields.

History[link]

Llandaff Cathedral

Most of the history of Llandaff centres on its role as a religious site. Before the creation of Llandaff Cathedral it became established as a Christian place of worship in the 6th century AD, probably because of its location as the first firm ground north of the point where the river Taff met the Bristol Channel, and because of its pre-Christian location as a river crossing on an east west trade route. Evidence of Roman-British ritual burials have been found under the present cathedral. The date of the moving of the cathedral to Llandaff is disputed, but elements of the fabric date from the 12th century, such as the impressive Romanesque Urban Arch, named after the 12th century Bishop, Urban. It has had a history of continual destruction and restoration, as a result of warfare, neglect, and natural disaster. Llandaff has been a focal point of devastating attacks by Owain Glyndŵr and Oliver Cromwell. It was the second most damaged Cathedral in the UK (after Coventry Cathedral) following Luftwaffe bombing during World War II, and subsequently restored by the architect George Pace. One of its main modern points of interest is the aluminium figure of Christ in Majesty (1954-5), by Jacob Epstein, which is suspended above the nave. In 2007 a lightning strike to its spire sent a surge through the building which destroyed its organ. Its replacement, the largest to be built in the UK for over 40 years, was inaugurated in 2010.

Llandaff never developed into a chartered borough, and by the nineteenth century was described as reduced to a mere village... It consists of little more than two short streets of cottages, not lighted or paved, terminating in a square, into which the great gateway of the old palace formerly opened, and where are still several genteel houses.^[2]

Speed's map of Llandaff (1610).

Historically Llandaff was informally known as a "city" because of its status as the seat of the Bishop of Llandaff. This status was never officially recognised, largely because the community did not possess a charter of incorporation.^[3]

The ancient parish of Llandaff included a wide area. Apart from Llandaff itself, it included the townships of Canton, Ely, Fairwater, and Gabalfa. The parish was gradually absorbed into the Borough of Cardiff during the 19th and 20th centuries. Llandaff itself became a civil parish and from 1894 to 1922 was part of the Llandaff and Dinas Powis Rural District. On 9 November 1922 the county borough of Cardiff was extended to include the area.^[4]

Governance[link]

Llandaff is both an electoral ward and a community of the County and City of Cardiff. There is no community council for the area. The electoral ward of Llandaff is bounded by Radyr & Morganstown to the north west; Llandaff North to the north; Riverside to the west; Canton to the south; and Fairwater to the west. The ward is represented by two councillors, Kirsty Davies and Gareth Aubrey, both members of the Liberal Democrat Party. In 2012, they were re-elected with an increased majority ^[5], defying national political trends for their party. Their re-election was largely due to their hard work in their first term and their popularity in the area.

In the UK Parliament, Llandaff is part of the constituency of Cardiff West. Its most prominent MPs were former Speaker of the Commons George Thomas and former Welsh Labour leader Rhodri Morgan. The current MP is Labour's Kevin Brennan, elected in 2001.

In the Welsh Assembly, Llandaff is part of the constituency of Cardiff West, whose current AM since 2011 is Mark Drakeford of Labour, he succeeded Rhodri Morgan upon the latter's retirement. The constituency falls within the electoral region of South Wales Central, whose four current AMs are Conservatives Andrew R. T. Davies and David Melding, Plaid Cymru's Leanne Wood and Liberal Democrat Eluned Parrott.

Demography[link]

Demographics shows that the electoral division of Llandaff had a population at the United Kingdom Census 2001 of 8,988, of whom 4,227 were male and 4,761 female. The majority of the population (94.7%) were recorded as being of white ethnicity. Approximately 76% of the population were returned as Christian, with about 1% each being Hindu or Muslim, and 20% having no religion or no stated religion. About 13% of the population of Llandaff can read, write and speak Welsh, while 78% have no knowledge.^[1]

Education[link]

Llandaff is home to a co-educational independent school for children between the ages of 3-16. (The Cathedral School). The independent GDST school, Howell's School Llandaff, is also based in the area and recently expanded from an all-girls school to include the co-educational Howell's Sixth Form College. There are also two state Church Schools; Llandaff City Church in Wales Primary School and Bishop of Llandaff Church in Wales High School. Llandaff is also home of the Cardiff Metropolitan University Llandaff campus.

Transport[link]

The closest railway station is either Waun-Gron Park or Fairwater railway station which both have half hourly services to and from Cardiff on the Cardiff City Line. Llandaf railway station is actually located in Llandaff North.

Cardiff Bus services 1/2 (City Circle), 24/25 (Whitchurch), 33/33A (Radyr/Morganstown) 60/62/62A (Pentrebane/Fairwater) and Stagecoach service 122 (Tonypandy) operate through the area to/from Cardiff central bus station.

Western Avenue (A48) runs through the south of the area heading eastbound to Gabalfa & M4 J30 and westbound to Ely, Culverhouse Cross and M4 J33. Cardiff Road leads south towards the city centre.

Economy[link]

The major employment sectors in the area are:

• Public administration, education and health (35.26%)
• Banking, finance and insurance (19.44%)
• Distribution, hotels and restaurants (16.46%)
• Other services (9.13%)
• Manufacturing (8.81%)
• Transport and communication (4.82%)
• Construction (4.43%)^[1]

BBC Wales have their headquarters at Broadcasting House, Llantrisant Road in Llandaff. The Doctor Who episode The Eleventh Hour, broadcast on BBC 1 on 3 April 2010, was filmed here, renamed "Leadworth", the home of Amy Pond.

Notable people[link]

• Idloes Owen, founded the Welsh National Opera, at a meeting in his home, 40 Station Road, Llandaff North, in 1943
• Ivor Atkins, choirmaster and organist, was born in Llandaff on 29 November 1869.^[6]
• Charlotte Church, singer and television presenter, born in Llandaff 21 February 1986
• Roald Dahl, author, was born in Fairwater Road on 13 September 1916. He subsequently attended the Cathedral School until 1925, and his family moved to Kent in about 1928.^[7]
• Francis Lewis, signer of the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of New York, was born in Llandaff on March 21, 1713.
• The Welsh artist Ivor Williams lived and painted in Llandaff House until his death in 1982.
• Cheryl Gillan, politician, born in Llandaff on 21 April 1952.

References[link]

External links[link]

• www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Llandaff and surrounding area

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Coordinates: 51°29′36″N 3°12′48″W / 51.49333°N 3.21333°W / 51.49333; -3.21333