Culverhouse Cross
| |
---|---|
View of Culverhouse Cross from the A4050 coming from Barry | |
Location within the Vale of Glamorgan | |
OS grid reference | ST118748 |
Principal area | |
Preserved county | |
Country | Wales |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | Vale of Glamorgan |
Postcode district | CF5 |
Dialling code | 029 |
Police | South Wales |
Fire | South Wales |
Ambulance | Welsh |
UK Parliament | |
Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament | |
Culverhouse Cross (Welsh : Croes Cwrlwys) is a district straddling the boundary between Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, in the community of Wenvoe.
The district is centred on a major traffic roundabout that links West Cardiff to the M4 motorway and is home to a number of different retail outlets, and formerly ITV Wales's headquarters.
According to place-name etymologist Deric Meidrum John, [1] there has been a crossroads at Culverhouse Cross for some centuries, originally at the intersection of the Cardiff to Cowbridge turnpike and the road between the parishes of St Fagans and Wenvoe. He states that a farmhouse by the name Culverhouse existed nearby and that the word Culver refers to a pigeon. The Welsh equivalent name Cwrlwys was apparently recorded in 1776. Research at British History Online shows that the word Culverhouse may also refer to a dovecot.
The Coedarhydyglyn estate, seat of numerous local prominent men from 1767 onwards, is located at the top of Tumble Hill above the crossroads.
Significant commercial and retail development of the area began in 1984 when HTV, the local commercial television contractor at that time, established television headquarters, studios and related facilities near the village of Wenvoe. Renamed ITV Wales, the company downsized and relocated to Cardiff Bay in 2014, and the entire Culverhouse Cross studio, technical and office complex was demolished in April 2015. [2]
Tesco was the first store to be built in Culverhouse Cross in 1986, preceding a decade of rapid development in the suburb because of its accessible location. Demolition of the old Tesco superstore began in March 2007 and operated out of a temporary structure while a new Tesco Extra was built in its place. This opened on 22 October 2007.
All of the district's retail parks are situated on or very close to the main roundabout.
Valegate Retail Park forms around the A48 westbound exit of the roundabout towards Cowbridge and Bridgend.
Brooklands Retail Park is situated between the A4232 southbound and the A4050 exits of the roundabout.
Wenvoe Retail Park forms around the A48 eastbound exit of the roundabout. There is a large B&Q store opposite.
Culverhouse Cross is served by Cardiff Bus and First Cymru.
The nearest railway station, although not particularly close, is Waun-Gron Park in Fairwater. The bus services from Culverhouse Cross, however, provide a direct service to Cardiff Central railway station.
The Vale of Glamorgan, locally referred to as The Vale, is a county borough in the south-east of Wales. It borders Bridgend County Borough to the west, Cardiff to the east, Rhondda Cynon Taf to the north, and the Bristol Channel to the south. With an economy based largely on agriculture and chemicals, it is the southernmost unitary authority in Wales. Attractions include Barry Island Pleasure Park, the Barry Tourist Railway, Medieval wall paintings in St Cadoc's Church, Llancarfan, Porthkerry Park, St Donat's Castle, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park and Cosmeston Medieval Village. The largest town is Barry. Other towns include Penarth, Llantwit Major, and Cowbridge. There are many villages in the county borough.
The A48 is a trunk road in Great Britain running from the A40 at Highnam, 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Gloucester, England, to the A40 at Carmarthen, Wales. Before the Severn Bridge opened on 8 September 1966, it was a major route between England and South Wales. For most of its route, it runs almost parallel to the M4 motorway. During times of high winds at the Severn Bridge, the A48 is used as part of the diversion route and is still marked as a Holiday Route.
Cardiff Airport is an airport in Rhoose, Wales. It is the only airport offering commercial passenger services in Wales. The airport is owned by the Welsh Government, operating it at arm's length as a commercial business.
Ely is a district and community in Cardiff, Wales. It is to the north of Cowbridge Road West. Caerau defines the boundary to the south as does River Ely to the east and in part to the north.
Canton is an inner-city district and community in the west of Cardiff, capital of Wales, lying 2 miles (3.2 km) west of the city's civic centre. It is located adjacent to Pontcanna. Canton is one of the most ethnically diverse of Cardiff's suburbs, with a significant Pakistani and Indian population. The total population of Canton increased to 14,304 at the 2011 census. It is also the most Welsh-speaking district of central Cardiff, with 19.1% of the population speaking Welsh.
Caerau is a community in the west of Cardiff, capital city of Wales. Often considered part of Wenvoe by gully, Heol Trelai is the main road or avenue, lined with large trees. Dominated mostly by private housing, it has the Western Leisure Centre, supermarkets, schools and churches.
Cowbridge Road West is a major road in western Cardiff, the capital of Wales and forms part of the A48 road.
Talbot Green is a town just north of the M4 motorway, in the County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales in the United Kingdom. The town is part of Llantrisant Community Council.
Transport in Cardiff, capital and most populous city in Wales involves road, rail, bus, water and air. It is a major city of the United Kingdom and a centre of employment, government, retail, business, culture, media, sport and higher education.
The A4232, which is also known either as the Peripheral Distributor Road (PDR) (Welsh: Ffordd Ddosbarthu Ymylol) or the Cardiff Link Road (Welsh: Ffordd Gyswllt Caerdydd), is a distributor road in Cardiff, the capital of Wales.
The A4119 links Tonypandy with Cardiff in South Wales.
The A4050 road connects Barry, Vale of Glamorgan with Culverhouse Cross on the outskirts of Cardiff, Wales. It is approximately 10 miles (16 km) long, and is the key link road between the M4 motorway and Cardiff International Airport.
The A4161 is a main road in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. The main purpose of the road is to link the city centre with the M4 motorway in the west at junction 33, and in the east with the A48(M) motorway at St Mellons.
The A4226 is a main road linking Bonvilston to Barry and Cardiff International Airport (CIA) in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales.
St Nicholas is a village situated in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. It lies 2 miles west of Cardiff and 6 miles east of Cowbridge. According to the 2021 census, the village had a population of 654 residents. St Nicholas forms part of the larger community of St Nicholas and Bonvilston.
Rail transport in Cardiff has developed to provide connections to many other major cities in the United Kingdom, and to provide an urban rail network for the city and its commuter towns in southeast Wales. Today, there are three train operating companies in Cardiff: Great Western Railway, CrossCountry and Transport for Wales.
Copthorne Hotel Cardiff—Caerdydd is a four star hotel in Culverhouse Cross, a western suburb of Cardiff, capital of Wales.
Western Cemetery is a major cemetery located in the western suburb of Ely, Cardiff, Wales. It is located near the Culverhouse Cross roundabout on the A48 road west of the city and provides burial facilities for people of all faiths.
Wenvoe Tunnel is a disused tunnel on the defunct Barry Railway that runs under Culverhouse Cross in the Vale of Glamorgan in south Wales, on the western outskirts of Cardiff. It was opened in 1889 on a line used to carry coal to Barry Docks. The line also had a sparse passenger service and closed after March 1963.