Rhiwbina

Rhiwbina (Welsh: Rhiwbeina or Rhiwbeuno - "Rhiw" slope + "Beuno" Saint Beuno) is a prosperous northern suburb of Cardiff, Wales. It used to be a separate village, and its core is still locally called "the village" and given a Welsh village appearance by Beulah United Reformed Church on the village crossroads.

It is bordered by the suburbs of Whitchurch to the West, Llanishen to the East, and Birchgrove to the South. To the north is the Wenallt Hill, part of Cardiff's green belt. The area is served by Rhiwbina railway station on the Coryton Line.

Amenities and history

It has three schools within the ward - Rhiwbeina Primary School, Llanishen Fach Primary and Greenhill Special School.The area has large number of churches and chapels including St. Thomas Church in Wales, All Saints (CiW), Beulah (URC), Bethesda (Brethren), Rhiwbina Baptist Church, Bethany (Baptist), Bethel (Yr Eglwys Fethodistaidd) and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints or Mormons.

There is a Norman motte called the Twmpath situated near Rhiwbina's northernmost edge. To the north of Rhiwbina lies the steep, wooded Wenallt (229 metres) where Coed-y-Wenallt provides public open space. [http://www.railwaybridge.co.uk/twmpath/ Rhiwbina Twmpath]

Toward the end of the 11th century, the last native Welsh Prince of Morgannwg (Glamorgan), Iestyn ap Gwrgant, was killed in a battle north of Rhiwbina, reportedly near the present day Butchers Arms Pub. Much blood was shed at the battle, and to this day the nearby stream is called Rhyd Waedlyd (Bloody Ford). Rhydwaedlyd was the title given to housing developments to Rhiwbina's east in the latter half of the 20th century. This area has since come to be considered part of Rhiwbina itself and the name 'Rhydwaedlyd' has fallen out of use entirely.

In the 1910s some streets were developed according to the ideals of the Garden city movement, including Pen-y-Dre, a half-mile-long railwayside avenue, which has the rare distinction of having two successive railway stations opening onto it. This area is still known as the Garden Village.

One of the central focal points in Rhiwbina began in the first half of the twentieth century as Rhiwbina Tea Gardens. Owned by the Smart family, this became Rhiwbina Motor Garages once it became clear that motor cars were going to be big business. The garage was a landmark of the local area for decades, including the area's first video rental outlet from the early 1980s. The retirement of Cliff Smart in 1989 led to the closure of the family business and the buildings were demolished. On its site now stands the road called Clos Yr Ardd - which translates as Gardens Close in tribute to the Tea Gardens. There are no gardens, or even much greenery left.

Rhiwbina village is small compared to nearby Whitchurch, Cardiff and Birchgrove, Cardiff, and consequently suffers from a lack of trade. In recent years Barclays Bank, Midos Computers, Gills Travel, LTP Tool Hire, Pollen Florist and Gift Shop, ServoWarm Heating, The Design House, 2 newsagents, The Principality Building Society, Blockbuster Video, The Post Office, Janets Pantry Bakery, Dreamcatcher Quilts, Roxys and The Curtain Agency have all ceased trading, some after many years in the village, others having just started up. However in recent years some businesses, mainly in the service sector, have managed to buck the trend and establish themselves in the area.

To the north of Rhiwbina is a parade of shops on Heol Llanishen Fach. These were built in the 1950s to serve the vast amounts of new middle class housing built in the north of the village. Though there are fewer shops here than in the village, they have traded far longer than most shops in the village, and shop closures are very rare.

Rhiwbina also has its own colourful quarterly magazine- launched on 15th November 2007, called Rhiwbina Living. The magazine has a website at http://www.rhiwbinaliving.co.uk

Governance

The electoral ward of Rhiwbina falls within the parliamentary constituency of Cardiff North. It is bounded by the wards of Lisvane and Llanishen to the east; Heath to the southeast; and Whitchurch & Tongwynlais to the west.

It is represented in Parliament by Labour Party MP Julie Morgan, who has held the seat since 1997. However, following the loss of Cardiff North to the Conservatives in the 2007 Welsh Assembly election and the current resurgence of the Conservative Party, Cardiff North is a key target for the Tories in 2009/2010. Prior to the Labour landslide of 1997, Cardiff North was always a safe Conservative seat.

In the Welsh Assembly, Cardiff North is represented by Conservative Jonathan Morgan. He took the seat from Labour for the first time in the 2007 elections, overturning Labour's majority of 550 and creating a majority of over 5000 for himself.

Transport

The area is served by Rhiwbina railway station on the Cardiff Central to Coryton Line.

Cardiff Bus services 21 (Coryton-Whitchurch) and 23 (Birchgrove-Gabalfa-Cathays-Central Station) frequently run through the area. Heol-y-deri is the main road leading through the district.

Rhiwbina is siutated between the A470 (Cardiff City Centre to M4 J32) and A469 (Cardiff city centre to Caerphilly).

port and leisure

Rhiwbina RFC, the local rugby union team, have the biggest playing membership of any team in Wales and operate sides from Under 7 to Under 16 and a youth and three senior teams. The First XV were recently promoted to Division 4 East after an unbeaten League run in Season 2006/07. The club operate from the Rhiwbina Recreational Club. However plans are afoot to build a new clubhouse in nearby Caedelyn Park.

Current village shops

* Coral Bookmakers now part of Gala Coral Group
* Cartwright Travel
* SPAR including Tim Hortons concession
* Bay City Homes
* Victoria Fearn Gallery
* Lloyds Pharmacy
* Aquarius Unisex Hair Salon
* O'Brien James Lewis Solicitors
* Millfield Financial Consulting
* Zest Hair Design
* The Olive Branch Coffee & Bookshop
* G Raybould Butchers
* Serenade Cards & Gifts
* Juboraj of Rhiwbina (restaurant)
* Signor Barbers Shop
* Emyr Pierce & Co Solicitors
* Morgan Lloyd Williams estate agents
* Mansells estate agents
* Lloyd Taylor Simpson estate agents
* HSBC
* Z Jewellery
* Amore Bridal & Ladies Fashion
* Gateway of India
* NatWest
* Snails delicatessen
* Top Dog (grooming & doggie boutique)
* Cleaver & Howells Flooring
* Papillon Trois hairdressers
* The Flower Lodge
* Drainmatic
* Kayes
* Opticians
* Beulah Dress Agency
* Derek Fry dry cleaning
* New Roots Garden Supplies (previously known as That Garden Place)
* Muddybum Bikes
*LifeFirst Photography

Current Heol Llanishen Fach shops

* Footloose
* The Honey Pot newsagents
* Mandarin Chinese takeaway
* SPAR
* The Post Office
* Creative Kitchens
* butchers
* Timba Hair Company
* Co-op Pharmacy
* JMP Saddlery

External links

* [http://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=2774212 www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Rhiwbina and surrounding area]
* [http://www.railwaybridge.co.uk/twmpath www.railwaybridge.co.uk/twmpath : The Rhiwbina Twmpath]