Splott

infobox UK place
latitude = 51.48357
longitude = -3.15349
country = Wales
welsh_name=Y Sblot
constituency_welsh_assembly=
map_type= United Kingdom
official_name= Splott
unitary_wales= Cardiff
lieutenancy_wales= South Glamorgan
constituency_westminster= Cardiff South & Penarth
post_town= CARDIFF
postcode_district = CF24
postcode_area= CF
dial_code= 029
os_grid_reference= ST200767
population= 1,512

Splott ( _cy. Y Sblot) is a district of the city of Cardiff, Wales, east of the city centre. It was built up in the late 19th century on the land of two farms of the same name: Upper Splott and Lower Splott Farms. Fanciful suggestions for the origin of the name include a truncation of "God's Plot", as the land belonged to the Bishop of Llandaff in medieval times and a derivation of "Plat" meaning a grassy area of land. In fact, the name is based on the English noun "splot" ("a plot of land") which is also found in placenames in the Vale of Glamorgan, Gower and Pembrokeshire. Splott is characterised by its once vast steelworks and rows of tightly knit terraced houses. The suburb of Splott falls into the Splott electoral ward.

The population of Splott in the United Kingdom Census 2001cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=801840&c=CF24+2BU&d=16&e=15&g=422647&i=1001x1003x1004&o=1&m=0&r=0&s=1199910119265&enc=1&dsFamilyId=779|title=Neighbourhood Statistics - Area: Splott Community (Parish)|work=National Statistics|year=2001|accessdate=2008-01-09] was 12074, in 5101 households of which only 183 are detached homes. Of the 8221 adults in the area, 5000 have the lowest category of qualifications (Level 1 or below).

History

The early history of Splott is given in the Cardiff Records.cite book | last=Matthews | first=John Hobson | title=Cardiff Records, being Materials for a History of the County Borough from the Earliest Times (Vol 2) | origyear=1900 | url=http://www.btinternet.com/~pat.sewell/cr/manors/cr-splott.html | accessdate=2006-06-03] Splott was anciently held by the Bawdrips of Penmark. It consisted mainly of two farms, called the Upper and Lower Splott, situated between Roath Village and the sea.
* 1440 - the Splott is mentioned as bounding certain lands of Isabel, Countess of Warwick.
* 1596 - William Bawdrippe of Penmark built a fair house at the Splott and made it his chief residence.
* 1626 - William Bawdrip of Splott was Member of Parliament for Cardiff. He sold Penmark and Splott to Sir Edward Lewis of the Van.
* 1638 - Sir Edward Lewis of the Van died.
* 1740 - the Llandaff Survey of this year mentions a chief rent of four shillings as payable in respect of Splott Farm in Roath.

No residential or industrial development took place in the area, however, until the end of the 19th century. In 1880 the whole area between Cardiff and the Bristol Channel (known as East Moors) was marshland, apart from the farms of Pengam and Splott. Residential development started in the 1880s, constructing streets, houses, shops, taverns and Board Schools; subsequently, Churches were built by various denominations.cite web | url=http://www.stalbanssplott.co.uk/history.htm | title=History | work=St. Alban's Parish Cardiff | year=2006 | author=Fr. Graham Venn | accessdate=2006-06-04] Splott park opened in 1901.cite web | url=http://www.localhistories.org/Cardiff.html | title=A Short History of Cardiff, Wales | author=Tim Lambert | year=2001-6 | work=Local and National Histories | accessdate=2006-06-04]

Inevitably there have been many changes in the years since Splott was first developed. Portmanmoor Road is now an industrial estate and its former Victorian era housing was demolished along with adjoining Enid Street, Layard Street, and Menelaus Street which no longer exist.

Splott University Settlement was one the most successful British baseball teams, winning the Welsh League title several times.

People

*John Humphrys, British Radio and Television presenter was born in Splott on 17th August 1943.cite web | author=BBC Wales south east| year=2005/6| title=Hall of Fame - John Humphrys - journalist and broadcaster | work=BBC - South East Wales | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southeast/halloffame/public_life/john_humphrys.shtml | accessdate=2006-03-30]

*Shirley Bassey originated from nearby Tiger Bay, but moved to Splott at the age of two and went to Moorland Primary School in Splott.cite web | author=BBC Wales south east| year=2005/6| title=Hall of Fame - Shirley Bassey - superstar singer from Cardiff's Tiger Bay | work=BBC - South East Wales | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southeast/halloffame/showbiz/shirley_bassey.shtml | accessdate=2006-03-30]

*Clive Sullivan (Welsh rugby league player) grew up in Splott.cite web | author=Wales Rugby League| year=2004| title=Clive Sullivan [1961-1984] | work=Wales Rugby League Welsh Hall of Fame | url=http://wales.rleague.com/profiles/clive.php | accessdate=2006-04-15]

*Kirsten Offer (soprano) lives in Wilson Street, Splottcite web | author=Kirsten Offer| year=2006| title=Kirsten Offer - Soprano | format=PDF | work=Vivace Singers | url=http://www.vivacesingers.co.uk/ko_updatedcv23jan2006.pdf | accessdate=2006-04-15]

*Helen Raynor, writer of the Torchwood episode 'Ghost Machine', lives in Splott.

*Lynn Bowles, the morning traffic reporter on BBC Radio 2 was born in Splott.

Popular culture

Splott is featured in the third episode ("Ghost Machine") of the BBC science fiction drama and "Doctor Who" spin-off "Torchwood", which is set in Cardiff. It is also mentioned somewhat humorously in other episodes, due to its English pronunciation.

The "Torchwood" in-universe website features a [http://www.torchwood.org.uk/html/splott/ section on Splott] . Splott also features in the "Torchwood" novel "Another Life".

Splott and the neighbouring district of Tremorfa are the settings for several works by Welsh playwright Peter Gill.

As the morning Radio Two traffic reports are read by the Splott-born Lynn Bowles, many listener contributions to the Terry Wogan and Ken Bruce shows feature (primarily fictitious) anecdotes humorously referring to the district.

Cardiff districts

Splott is part of the STAR area of Cardiff (STAR stands for "Splott, Tremorfa, Adamsdown and Roath", four inner city suburbs born out of the industrial revolution).cite web | author=Jennie Savage | title=STAR radio | url=http://www.starradio.org.uk/intro.htm | accessdate=2006-04-15]

References

External links

Splott today
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southeast/sites/streetsofcardiff/splott.shtml Splott page] on BBC Wales south-east
* [http://www.freewebs.com/splottblacks/ Splott Albion Blacks]
* [http://moorlandprm.cardiff.sch.uk/ Moorland Primary School, Splott]
* [http://www.myspace.com/splott The Splott Community Workshop]
* [http://www.stsaviours-splott.co.uk/ St. Saviour's Church, Splott] History of Splott
* [http://www.genuki.org.uk:8080/big/wal/GLA/Roath/Splott/ Genuki]
* [http://www.btinternet.com/~pat.sewell/cr/manors/cr-splott.html Manor of Splott]
* [http://www.stalbanssplott.co.uk/history.htm Splott Mission and St Alban's, Splott]
* [http://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=2774395 www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Splott and surrounding area]