# Adamsdown

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Adamsdown
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Adamsdown.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adamsdown
> Source revision: 1342192422
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Area and community in Cardiff, Wales

Human settlement in Wales

Adamsdown Admiral House Adamsdown Location within Cardiff Population 10,371 (2011)[1] OS grid reference ST196769 Community Adamsdown Principal area Cardiff Preserved county South Glamorgan Country Wales Sovereign state United Kingdom Post town CARDIFF Postcode district CF24 Dialling code 029 Police South Wales Fire South Wales Ambulance Welsh UK Parliament Cardiff East Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament Cardiff Central List of places UK Wales Cardiff 51°29′07″N 3°09′33″W / 51.48531°N 3.15929°W / 51.48531; -3.15929 Map of the community

**Adamsdown** (sometimes [Welsh](/source/Welsh_language): *Waunadda* or *Y Sblot Uchaf*, 'Upper [Splott](/source/Splott)') is an [inner city](/source/Inner_city) area and [community](/source/Community_(Wales)) in the south of [Cardiff](/source/Cardiff), the capital city of [Wales](/source/Wales). Adamsdown is generally located between [Newport Road](/source/Newport_Road), to the north and the [mainline railway](/source/South_Wales_Main_Line) to the south. The area includes [Cardiff Prison](/source/Cardiff_(HM_Prison)), Cardiff Magistrates' Court, [Cardiff Royal Infirmary](/source/Cardiff_Royal_Infirmary), a [University of South Wales](/source/University_of_South_Wales) campus, and many streets of residential housing. There are two primary schools in the area, Adamsdown Primary School and Tredegarville Primary School.

## History

In mediaeval times, Adamsdown lay just outside the east walls of Cardiff and was owned by the lords of [Glamorgan](/source/Glamorgan). The area may be named after an Adam Kygnot, a [porter](/source/Porter_(carrier)) at [Cardiff Castle](/source/Cardiff_Castle) around 1330 AD. The Welsh name *Waunadda* derives from *(g)waun* (a heath or down) and the personal name *Adda* (Adam). This name appears to be a recent creation, and there is no evidence that Adam Kygnot was ever called 'Adda'. *Y Sblot Uchaf* is the Welsh name of Upper Splott, a farm that stood on the site of the later Great Eastern Hotel (demolished 2009) on the corner of Sun Street and Metal Street.[2]

According to an 1824 map, Adamsdown was largely a 270-acre (1.1 km2) farm. A replacement for a prison which was located on [St Mary Street](/source/St._Mary_Street%2FHigh_Street) opened in the area in 1832, and a cemetery in 1848. In the following year, an outbreak of [cholera](/source/Cholera) affected the area. As the cemetery became full, it was converted into a park. In 1883 the "South Wales and Monmouthshire Infirmary" was opened at a cost of £23,000. Many were refused from the hospital, such as those with infectious diseases and women in the advanced stages of pregnancy. In 1923, the hospital became the [Cardiff Royal Infirmary](/source/Cardiff_Royal_Infirmary).

The [Newtown](/source/Newtown%2C_Cardiff) area of Adamsdown was the first new area to be developed, where many Irish immigrants settled. Street names are drawn from astronomy (Star, Constellation, Planet, Eclipse etc.), metals (Gold, Copper, Tin, Zinc, etc.) or jewellery (Topaz, Pearl, Agate, Saphire etc.).

St German's Church

The [Church of St German of Auxerre](/source/St_German's_Church), Star Street, was designed by [Bodley](/source/George_Frederick_Bodley) & [Garner](/source/Thomas_Garner) and built 1881–84. It is described as "tall, spacious and elegant", also with a contemporary school house.[3] The church is Grade I [listed](/source/Listed_buildings).

Cardiff's first municipal secondary school was established at Howard Gardens in 1884, which became a Grammar School in 1941. It was destroyed by bombing in [World War II](/source/World_War_II), and a [Cardiff Metropolitan University](/source/Cardiff_Metropolitan_University) campus now stands on the site.

Until the 1970s, Roath Cattle Market and Slaughterhouse were located in Adamsdown. One could obtain meats illicitly off-ration during World War II. Regeneration of Adamsdown in the 20th century saw Victorian buildings demolished for 1960s and 70s tower blocks, the highest of which is [Brunel House](/source/Brunel_House%2C_Cardiff), at the eastern gateway to [Cardiff city centre](/source/Cardiff_city_centre).[4]

### Vulcan Hotel

Main article: [The Vulcan, Cardiff](/source/The_Vulcan%2C_Cardiff)

The Vulcan, April 2008, on its original site, looking towards high-rise private apartment and student housing of [Tŷ Pont Haearn](/source/T%C5%B7_Pont_Haearn)

The Vulcan Hotel was a hotel and [public house](/source/Public_house) built in 1853, located on the south side of [Adam Street](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Adam_Street&action=edit&redlink=1). It remained unchanged although adjoining Victorian buildings were demolished and redeveloped around it.

In 2012, [Brains Brewery](/source/Brains_Brewery) confirmed that they were to terminate their lease on the property. Marcol Asset Management agreed to donate the building to the [St Fagans National History Museum](/source/St_Fagans_National_History_Museum).[5] From July 2012, the building was taken down by contractors and preservationists, to allow brick-by-brick movement to St Fagans, styled as a "between the wars" 1920-1930s period exhibit.

## Today

Cardiff Magistrates' Court

Cardiff [Magistrates' Court](/source/Magistrate), [Cardiff Prison](/source/Cardiff_(HM_Prison)), [Cardiff Royal Infirmary](/source/Cardiff_and_Vale_University_Health_Board#Cardiff_Royal_Infirmary), the [Cardiff School of Creative and Cultural Industries](/source/Atrium_(Cardiff)) of the [University of South Wales](/source/University_of_South_Wales), [Cardiff Reform Synagogue](/source/Cardiff_Reform_Synagogue), and several [Sikh](/source/Sikh) temples can be found in this district and a mosque is under construction.

Adamsdown is one of the older working-class suburbs of Cardiff. It is about 10 minutes' walk from the commercial [Cardiff city centre](/source/Cardiff_city_centre). It is largely a residential area, but is also home to the [Rubicon Dance school](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rubicon_Dance&action=edit&redlink=1). Adamsdown has undergone regeneration, in particular the shopping area of Clifton Street, where the traditional stone buildings such as Roath Police station have been sandblasted and renovated, most of the shop fronts have been replaced and updated, the pavements have been widened and a new one-way traffic system has been introduced. The aim of this was to attract more traders and shoppers to the area.

## Adamsdown electoral ward

Adamsdown ward shown within Cardiff

Main article: [Adamsdown (electoral ward)](/source/Adamsdown_(electoral_ward))

Adamsdown is both an [electoral ward](/source/Ward_(politics)), and a [community](/source/Community_(Wales)) of the [City of Cardiff](/source/City_of_Cardiff_Council). There is no [community council](/source/Community_council) for the area. The Adamsdown [electoral ward](/source/Ward_(politics)) is within the [UK parliamentary constituency](/source/Constituencies_of_the_Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom) of [Cardiff East](/source/Cardiff_East) and [Senedd](/source/Senedd) constituency of [Cardiff Central](/source/Cardiff_Central_(Senedd_constituency)).. It is bounded by the wards of [Penylan](/source/Penylan) to the north east; [Splott](/source/Splott_(electoral_ward)) to the south east; [Butetown](/source/Butetown) to the south; [Cathays](/source/Cathays_(electoral_ward)) to the west; and [Plasnewydd](/source/Plasnewydd) to the north. In the 2016 local elections Nigel Howells (Lib Dem) and Owen Llewellyn Jones (Labour) were elected Councillors.[6]

## Transport

[Cardiff Queen Street](/source/Cardiff_Queen_Street) station is on the western fringe of Adamsdown. The station is on the [Valley Lines](/source/Valley_Lines) urban rail network.

The area is also served by [Cardiff Bus](/source/Cardiff_Bus). Services stopping outside the [Cardiff Royal Infirmary](/source/Cardiff_Royal_Infirmary), which all go to City Centre in the reverse direction are:

- 11 (Pengam Green via Splott and Tremorfa)

- 30 (Newport)

- 44/45 (St. Mellons via Rumney)

- 49/50 (Llanrumney)

The 11 route runs through the heart of the area connecting it with Tremorfa/Splott to the east and the City Centre to the west. The 1/2 *Bay Circle* route also serves some parts of the area.

The busy and commercial Newport Road ([A4161](/source/A4161_road)) runs through northern Adamsdown, leading towards the [M4 motorway](/source/M4_motorway) to the east and the [city centre](/source/Cardiff_city_centre) to the west. City Road leads to northern districts of [Cardiff](/source/Cardiff).[7]

## See also

- [Royal Oak, Cardiff](/source/Royal_Oak%2C_Cardiff)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Cardiff ward 2011. Retrieved 5 April 2015"](https://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=13696947&c=CF24+1DT&d=14&e=62&g=6497303&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=0&s=1428234099164&enc=1).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** John Hobson Matthews (ed.), 'Schedule of place names: S – Z', Cardiff Records: volume 5 (1905), pp. 413–437. URL: [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=48206](http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=48206) Date. Retrieved 27 June 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Newman, John (1995). [*Buildings of Wales: Glamorgan*](https://books.google.com/books?id=DpUMspCtpNIC&pg=PA95). Penguin Books. p. 95. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-14-071056-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-14-071056-6).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Morgan, Dennis (2003). *The Illustrated History of Cardiff's Suburbs*. [Derby](/source/Derby): Breedon Books Publishing. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-85983-354-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-85983-354-3).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Historic Cardiff pub to move to St Fagans National History Museum"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/waleshistory/2012/05/vulcan_pub_cardiff_st_fagans_museum.html). [BBC Wales](/source/BBC_Wales). 4 May 2012. Retrieved 15 July 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Your Councillors"](https://cardiff.moderngov.co.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx?FN=WARD&VW=LIST&PIC=0). *cardiff.moderngov.co.uk*. 18 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Your Councillors"](https://cardiff.moderngov.co.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx?FN=WARD&VW=LIST&PIC=0). *cardiff.moderngov.co.uk*. 20 July 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.

## External links

- Media related to [Adamsdown](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Adamsdown) at Wikimedia Commons

- [Adamsdown Community Forum](https://web.archive.org/web/20080116235419/http://www.adamsdown.co.uk/)

Cathays Plasnewydd Roath City centre Adamsdown Tremorfa Grangetown Butetown Splott

v t e City and County of Cardiff About Cardiff Architecture Arcades Listed buildings Tallest buildings Art Public art City centre Culture and recreation Economy and industry History (Timeline) Leisure centres Libraries Media People Places Politics Schools Sport Transport Bus Rail Cycle Water Air Neighbourhoods Adamsdown Birchgrove Butetown Caerau Canton Cardiff Bay Cardiff Gate Cathays Coryton Creigiau Cyncoed Danescourt Ely Fairwater Gabalfa Grangetown Heath Lisvane Llandaff Llandaff North Llanishen Llanrumney Pentrebane Pentwyn Pentyrch Penylan Plasdwr Pontcanna Pontprennau Radyr and Morganstown Rhiwbina Riverside Roath Rumney Splott St Fagans St Mellons Thornhill Tongwynlais Tremorfa Trowbridge Whitchurch

v t e Communities of Cardiff Adamsdown Butetown Caerau Canton Castle Cathays Cyncoed Ely Fairwater Gabalfa Grangetown Heath Lisvane Llandaff Llandaff North Llanedeyrn Llanishen Llanrumney Old St Mellons Pentwyn Pentyrch Penylan Pontcanna Pontprennau Radyr and Morganstown Rhiwbina Riverside Roath Rumney St Fagans Splott Thornhill Tongwynlais Tremorfa Trowbridge Whitchurch

v t e Politics and Government in Cardiff Local Government Cardiff Council County Hall Elections Local Government Electoral wards Adamsdown Butetown Caerau Canton Cathays Cyncoed Ely Fairwater Gabalfa Grangetown Heath Lisvane and Thornhill Llandaff Llandaff North Llanishen Llanrumney Pentwyn Pentyrch and St Fagans Penylan Plasnewydd Pontprennau and Old St Mellons Radyr Rhiwbina Riverside Rumney Splott Trowbridge Whitchurch & Tongwynlais List of electoral wards in Cardiff Senedd Constituencies and MSs Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf – Dafydd Trystan Davies (PC) Zaynub Akbar (PC) Nick Carter (PC) Cai Parry-Jones (Ref) Shav Taj (Lab) Paul Rock (Gr) Caerdydd Penarth – Anna Brychan (PC) Kiera Marshall (PC) Leticia Gonzalez (PC) Joe Martin (Ref) Anthony Slaughter (Gr) Huw Thomas (Lab) Devolved Administration in Wales Institutions and Venues Senedd (Senedd building Tŷ Hywel) Welsh Government Crown Building (Cathays Park)) House of Commons Constituencies and MPs Cardiff East – Jo Stevens (Lab) Cardiff North – Anna McMorrin (Lab) Cardiff West – Alex Barros-Curtis (Lab) Cardiff South and Penarth – Stephen Doughty (Lab) Police and crime commissioner South Wales (Emma Wools Lab) Headquarters Plaid Cymru Wales Green Party Welsh Conservatives Welsh Labour Welsh Liberal Democrats Propel

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Adamsdown](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adamsdown) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adamsdown?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.