History

Tongwynlais has a rich and fascinating history for such a small part of Cardiff. Explore the people, places and events that have shaped our village.

Thanks to Carol Spackman, Steve Nicholas and John Bulpin for kindly sharing their photos. (See caption for credit)

Village

Castell Coch

Walnut Tree Viaduct

Blog posts

• Tongwynlais Village Then and Now – Part 4June 22, 2022
  Welcome back to this series where I compare old photos of Tongwynlais with a modern view. Thanks to Carol Spackman for letting me use this lovely view of children playing in Pantgwynlais. … more…
• 120 Years of Electric Transport in CardiffMay 19, 2022
  I picked up this booklet at a postcard fair a few years ago as it looked quite interesting. I don’t have a particular interest in transport history but I found the story … more…
• Rebuilding the TollhouseApril 27, 2022
  The Tongwynlais Historical Society was formed in March 2020 with my fellow co-founder Rob Wiseman. The initial aim was to create a self-guided audio trail along the historic sites in the village from the Ironbridge, through the village to Castell Coch and loop back passed Ivy Cottage and back to the Ironbridge. We wanted to research interesting historical snippets from different aspects of the life and times of the people who once lived in the village. From the long forgotten railway station, the vineyard, the mill, lime quarry, local shops etc. with an aim to bring local history back to life for visitors and residents alike.