CARDIFF, a municipal and parliamentary borough in the county of Glamorganshire, 170 miles west from London by South Wales railway. N. Lat. 51. 28. ; W. Long. 3. 10. It is situated on the river Taff, about 2 miles from its efflux in the Bristol Channel, and amongst the towns of South Wales ranks next in importance to Swansea. The general aspect of the town is ancient and venerable. The streets are regular, some of them spacious and handsome, — clean, and well paved. The extension and improvement of the town have been greatly promoted by the construction of the Bute Ship-Canal and Docks, accomplished by the late Marquis of Bute at the cost of not less than £1,300,000. On passing the dock-gates, which are 45 feet wide, and have a depth of water varying from 17 to 32 feet, vessels enter a capacious basin, which communicates by a lock, 36 feet wide, with an inner dock, extending in a conti-
Cardiff. nuous line 1450 yards long, with a uniform width of 200 feet. It has an area of about 200 acres of water, and is capable of accommodating, in perfect safety, 400 ships of all classes. Quays are built at the sides, comprising more than a mile of wharfs, with ample space for warehouses. To preserve the channel free from deposit, a feeder from the river Taff supplies a reservoir, 15 acres in extent, which can be discharged when necessary so as to deliver at the rate of 100,000 tons of water in an hour.
Immediately contiguous are the Glamorgan canal, the Taff Vale railway, and the South Wales railway, and thus the port of Cardiff becomes the great outlet for the vast mining districts and iron and tin works of the eastern part of Glamorganshire, and possesses facilities for communication with all parts of the kingdom. Besides the extensive exports of iron, tin, coal, and other minerals, Cardiff carries on a considerable trade with Bristol and other ports in the agricultural productions of South Wales. There is daily communication by steam-packets with Bristol, and once or twice in a week with Gloucester and with Swansea. The limits of the port of Cardiff are from the river Rumney on the east to Nash Point on the west. In 1852 there were registered as belonging to the port, 62 sailing and 9 steam vessels, with a burden of 6814 and 366 tons respectively. In the same year, in the coasting trade, there cleared and entered 7185 sailing, and 843 steam vessels, with a burden of 458,943 and 78,010 tons respectively. In the foreign and colonial trade there cleared and entered 2186 sailing vessels, with a burden of 425,500 tons.
Cardiff was in ancient times a place of considerable importance. It possessed a fortified castle, which was surrounded by embattled walls with five entrance gates, a moat, and ramparts. These are believed to have been commenced in 1080, by Jestyn ap Gwrgan, Lord of Glamorgan, and to have been completed on an extended plan by the Norman chief Robert Fitzhamon in 1110. The name is supposed to be derived from Caer-daff (fortress on the Taff), or Caer Didi (the fort of Aulus Didius). The Castle appears to have been long the residence of princes, the seat of judicature, and the scene of many important actions and events. Here, according to tradition, Robert Duke of Normandy, eldest son of the Conqueror, was confined for twenty-six years by order of his brothers William Rufus and Henry I. In 1648, being garrisoned by royalists, it was closely besieged by Oliver Cromwell in person. The bombardment was kept up with great vigour for three days, and possession was at length obtained through the treachery of a deserter from the garrison, who was afterwards hanged by the command of the Protector. Every part of the ancient castle, except an old octagonal keep, has given place to the modern mansion now occupied by the Marquis of Bute. It contains several portraits by Kneller, and one by Vandyck. The castle commands extensive views of the surrounding country.
Cardiff has two parish churches. St John's, about the middle of the town, is an ancient and finely-proportioned edifice, with a noble quadrangular tower, surmounted by pierced battlements and four open Gothic pinnacles. The body of the church may be referred to the thirteenth century, but the tower is obviously of later date. St Mary's is a modern erection, opened in 1843, near the Bute canal. It has two towers in the Norman style of architecture. In this parish a fine old church and many other buildings were destroyed by an inundation in the year 1607. Dissenters of various denominations have places of worship; and in all of them services are conducted both in English and Welsh.
The other public buildings are the town-hall, county gaol, law courts, theatre, infirmary, union poor-house, national, British, and infant schools, and custom-house. The corporation consists of a mayor, 6 aldermen, and 18 councillors. The autumn assizes are held here. Markets are
held on Wednesday and Saturday. In conjunction with Cowbridge and Llantrisant, Cardiff sends one member to the House of Commons. The population is increasing, from the opening of new collieries in the Aberdare Valley; and in 1851 amounted to 18,351.