Cyncoed

Cyncoed
Welsh: Cyncoed
Cyncoed
 Cyncoed shown within Cardiff
Population 11,148 (2011)[1]
OS grid referenceST183809
Principal areaCardiff
Ceremonial countySouth Glamorgan
CountryWales
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post town CARDIFF
Postcode district CF23
Dialling code 029
Police South Wales
Fire South Wales
Ambulance Welsh
EU Parliament Wales
UK ParliamentCardiff Central
Welsh AssemblyCardiff Central
List of places
UK
Wales
Cardiff

Coordinates: 51°31′08″N 3°09′47″W / 51.519°N 3.163°W / 51.519; -3.163

Cyncoed is a community in the north of the city of Cardiff, capital of Wales. Located to the north east of the city, Cyncoed is one of the most affluent suburbs of Cardiff. It has some of the highest property prices in Wales.

Background

Main article: Roath Park

In 1887 John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute offered 121 acres (49 ha) of marshland to Cardiff Council, for use as a public park. In 1894, Roath Park was officially opened to the public. Work initially focused on creating the lake from an area of marshland. In 1915 a lighthouse was constructed in the lake containing a scale model of the 'Terra Nova' ship to commemorate Captain Scott's ill-fated voyage to the Antarctic from Cardiff in 1910. The park's atmosphere today still retains the Victorian elegance and its status as a Conservation Area ensures these qualities will be conserved.

Development

The leafy suburbs of Cyncoed

In 1914, the council built Cefn Coed Road, which ran past the original (18th century, and still standing to this day), farmhouse, which allowed small builders to develop houses for coal merchants and exports who worked at the Coal Exchange.

Post World War I developers bought the farmland as Cardiff expanded rapidly, with high quality detached housing being built to access Cardiff Golf Club, which occupied land to the north, and The Cyncoed Tennis Club.

During World War II there was a US Army in the area. Post the war, in the 1950s this area was redeveloped as housing demand grew, and the rural nature of Cyncoed vanished forever, including the development of the Lakeside estate, centered on Celyn Avenue.

Today

Part of the small conglomeration of shops in Cyncoed

Today a leafy suburb, some of the older and larger properties have been demolished and replaced by smaller homes, and supplemented with smaller semi-detached infill. Modern housing estates now surround the area.

Features include a small shopping village, a number of churches, and a synagogue, because there is a sizable Jewish community living in Cyncoed. Cyncoed Medical Centre is actually just within neighbouring Pontprennau, on the road junction Cyncoed, Pontprennau and Pentwyn, to enable it to serve all three communities.

Between Cyncoed and Llanishen lie two defunct reservoirs. The company which owned this site, Western Power Distribution, intended to build houses there but the plan was opposed by many residents of the two districts. Eventually the reservoirs were sold to the steelworks and put back to their intended purpose of steelmaking.

The Poet Gillian Clarke lived there for many years.

Education

The students union of the Cycoed campus of Cardiff Metropolitan University

Primary schools and secondary schools provide local education. Rhydypenau Primary School serves most of Cyncoed and is considered one of the best Primary Schools in Cardiff. There is also Lakeside Primary School which was built on Ontario Way, and Cardiff High School (used to be called 'Ty Celyn') which serves a large proportion of Cardiff's teenagers. It was built on the site of Celyn Farm, located towards Roath Park. There are campuses of Cardiff Metropolitan University and a Cardiff University hall of residence also in the vicinity.

As well as a modern hall of residence for Cardiff University, in 1961 the Cardiff College of Education providing teacher training opened. Various courses are now taught on the Cyncoed campus of Cardiff Metropolitan University, but it is most famous for its physical education department which has produced various sports people from its students, including: Dai Davies; Lynn Davies; Gareth Edwards; Clive Griffiths; Greg Thomas; Steve Watkin.

Rhydypennau library

Rhydypennau Library

Rhydypennau Library (Welsh: Llyfrgell Rhydypennau) is situated near Cardiff High School. Refurbished in 2006-2007, modifications to the entrance included installing automatic doors and replacing existing ramps. New windows were also fitted and fascia boards were replaced. Accessible facilities for disabled people were introduced.[2]

There are 4 PCs with free public Internet access and 1 PC in the children's section. Storytime for pre-school children followed by craft activities, and rhymetime for babies and toddlers are organised by the library.[3]

The is served by Cardiff Bus services 28, 29(B), 52 and 52A to and from the city centre.[4] Heath High Level and Heath Low Level railway stations are a 10-minute walk southwest.

Electoral ward

Cyncoed electoral ward of Cardiff

The electoral ward of Cyncoed falls within the parliamentary constituency of Cardiff Central. It is bounded by Llanishen to the northwest; Lisvane to the north; Pentwyn to the east; Penylan and Plasnewydd to the south; and Heath to the west. It is represented by 3 Liberal Democrat councillors on Cardiff Council.

Thornhill Lisvane Pentwyn
Llanishen Cyncoed Llanedeyrn
Heath Roath Park Penylan

Transport

Cyncoed Road runs through the Cyncoed region, connecting outer suburbs to the inner city.

Cyncoed is served by Cardiff Bus route 54 linking it to Lakeside, Roath and Cardiff central bus station. The 52A continues to Llanishen. Some western parts of the area have access to Heath Low Level railway station, with services northbound to Coryton on the City Line. Heath High Level station is also nearby, on the Rhymney Line with services northbound to Rhymney via Lisvane & Thornhill and Caerphily. Both lines have services southbound to Cardiff Queen Street and Cardiff Central.

Celyn Avenue leads west out of the area to Heath and Cyncoed Road leads north to Pontprennau and south to Cathays, the city centre, Roath and Penylan.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cyncoed.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 12/4/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.