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4000 B.C. |
- Since prehistory, people have lived in the tiny settlement that grew up to become the city we know today.
- The first Neolithic migrants crossed southern Britain into South Wales at around 4000 B.C.
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1500 B.C. |
- Welsh was the dominant language of all of northern Europe.
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55 B.C. |
- The Roman Empire invaded Britain for the first time. The famous Roman general, Julius Caesar wanted revenge for the fact that Britons helped the French fight against the invasion. He was also looking to impress his Commanders, and thought that conquering Britain would be a way of earning respect.
- Caesar was unsuccessful in his attempt as most of his troops were lost in the crossing of the English Channel. Further attacks later in the year and in 56 B.C. were also fruitless.
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43 A.D. |
- The Roman general, Aulus Didius, was amongst the Roman invasion force that finally managed to overcome the Welsh tribes in South Wales. The name Cardiff is an Anglicisation of Welsh name "Caerdydd". It has not been clearly established where the name "Caerdydd" originates from.
- "Caer" means "fort" or "castle," but although "Dydd" means "Day" in modern Welsh, it is unclear what was meant in this context. Some believe that "Dydd" or "Diff" was a corruption of "Taff" the river on which Cardiff castle stands, in which case "Cardiff" would mean the fort on the river Taff.
- Aulus Didius arranged for the building of a small wooden fort where the Castle now stands and some people believe that this is where the City gets its name from -- "Fort of Didius" (Caer Didi). The Roman Empire, once in control of Britain, brought an era of peace and expansion to Wales.
- Many of the roads we drive on today, closely follow the original Roman trade routes (namely the A48 that runs from Gloucester to Carmarthen via Newport, Cardiff, Bridgend and Neath and the A470 which runs from Cardiff to Llandudno)
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45 - 300 A.D. |
- The era of peace led to the fort being reduced in size, however during the 3rd Century, Irish raiders were beginning to make frequent hits on South Wales. The fort was rebuilt and strengthened to help repel the attacks.
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445 A.D. |
- Apart from the first written reference of Cardiff in the Annates Cambriae (The Welsh Annals) there is not much mention of Cardiff between now and the 1st millennium, although we do know that the Romans started losing their grasp on Britain when they were overrun by Barbarians.
- Add to this the fact that the dreary climate was so different to where the Roman Soldiers were from (Romania, Spain and North Africa) that not only were the Romans finding it difficult to fight off the Barbarians, they were generally losing interest in this cold, isolated island.
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850 A.D. |
- The first recorded Viking attack is made on the Welsh coast.
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1081 - 1090 |
- Some 20 years after William, Duke of Normandy (AKA William the Conqueror) wins the Battle of Hastings in 1066, he marches on into Cardiff for his first and only visit after conquering Glamorgan. He commissioned the building of a wooden fortification very close to the River Taff, and used the original Roman defences as the base of the building.
- Robert FitzHamon, William's Kinsman and Earl of Gloucester, took charge of the area, and was responsible for the construction at this time. He built the motte (mound) with a wooden stockade within the site. In the 12th century his son-in-law, Robert the Consul, built the stone keep which is visible today.
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1100 |
- A small town had begun to establish itself outside the castle, and was primarily made up of settlers from England.
- St. Mary's Church (where the Prince of Wales pub now stands) was to become a Priory of Tewkesbury Abbey in Gloucestershire around this year.
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1107 |
- Robert FitzHamon was killed fighting in Normandy and his Daughter, Mabel, married Robert the Consul.
- Bishop Urban of Llandaff, was appointed to the position by the Normans, became the first bishop of a Welsh diocese to profess obedience to the Archbishop of Canterbury.
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1111 |
- The first town wall, a wooden palisade, is erected this year.
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1126 |
- Bishop Urban and Robert the Consul signed an agreement on settling disputes between them and the first record of a mayor of Cardiff, Ralph, dates from this year. Ralph is described as Prepositus de Kardi, Prevost of Cardiff. The title may have some German or French links, but I cannot confirm this for sure. Robert, Duke of Normandy was imprisoned in Cardiff Castle.
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1136 |
- The building of the Polygonal stone keep in Cardiff Castle was probably begun this year on the orders of Robert the Consul and at 35 feet was the highest ever built anywhere in Wales.
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1147 |
- Geoffrey of Monmouth, famous for his book 'History of the Kings of Britain' published in 1136 and which first popularised the stories of King Arthur and his knights, became Archdeacon of Llandaff until his death in 1154, and may have live there. Geoffrey had dedicated his book to Robert the Consul who died this year.
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1175 |
- Records of the time indicate that St. Mary's Church may have been rebuilt and enlarged at this time.
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1180 |
- St. John's Church was probably built about now, and was intended as a independent chapel within the town walls. It acted as a chapel of ease for St. Mary's, allowing parishioners a wider choice of places of worship.
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1185 |
- The borough of Cardiff was burnt, and the castle damaged during a widespread uprising of the Welsh under the formidable Lord Rhys (Rhys ap Gruffydd), ruler of Deheubarth.
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1188 |
- Accompanied by Gerald of Wales, Archbishop Baldwin of Canterbury on a tour of Wales called the volunteers for the third crusade at Llandaff, reputedly by the medieval Cross there. Gerald described Cardiff Castle as having high walls and 120 men-at-arms with a larger number of archers.
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1189 |
- Prince John was made lord of Glamorgan this year.
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1206 |
- John, now king, confirmed Cardiff's charters including the right to hold two weekly markets and two annual fairs.
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1211 |
- Cadwallon ab Ifor Bach raided the lands around Cardiff from his lordship of Senghenydd.
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1217 |
- Cardiff came into the hands of the powerful Clare family.
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1218 |
- The establishment of Llandaff Cathedral chapter has been completed by now.
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1211 |
- The monks of St Mary's Church were withdrawn to Tewksbury Abbey.
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1233 |
- Cardiff Castle was captured by Richard de Burgh, the earl marshal, during the course of a power struggle with Henry III.
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1242 |
- The Dominican Priory of the Black Friars was founded on the western side of the castle next to the present Cooper's Fields and outside the town walls.
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1266 |
- The rebuilt Llandaff Cathedral was dedicated this year.
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1267 |
- Gilbert de Clare, 'the Red Earl', captured Gruffydd ap Rhys, lord of Senghenydd and great-grandson of Ifor Bach, holding him in Cardiff Castle before exiling him to imprisonment in Kilkenny Castle, Ireland.
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1270 |
- The construction of Castell Coch by Gilbert de Clare may have begun this year following an attack on his Caerphilly Castle by Prince Llewellyn ap Gruffydd of Gwynedd. Gilbert probably also had the Black Tower at the South Gate of Cardiff Castle built about now as well as ordering the town wall to be rebuilt in stone.
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1284 |
- In or about this year, the Franciscan Friary of the Grey Friars, with the largest church in Cardiff 154 feet long, was founded on the eastern side of the castle outside the town walls on the side of the present Capital Tower. By about this date the bishop's palace or castle had been constructed at Llandaff by Bishop William de Braose.
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1316 |
- Cardiff was attacked and badly damaged by Llawelyn Bren, son of Gruffydd ap Rhys.
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1318 |
- Llewellyn Bren was executed in Cardiff Castle by Hugh Despenser after being captured in the Brecon Beacons and reputedly his body was buried in Grey Friars. Hugh Despenser had married Eleanor whose brother Gilbert de Clare - son of ' the Red Earl ' - had been killed at the battle of Bannockburn in Scotland in 1314.
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1324 |
- The earliest craft guilde in Cardiff, the Cordwainers and Glovers (workers in leather), had its privileges confirmed by Edward II.
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1326 |
- Cardiff was made a stable port for the export of wool and hides but, as it was not a royal borough, Carmarthen took over this role eight years later.
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1331 |
- About this year, the Town Hall was built in High Street for the administration of the borough and it was also used as Cardiff's first market hall. It continued in use for some 400 years and included a court room with a gaol beneath it and about this time the leper hospital of St Mary Magdalen was founded outside the town's East Gate.
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1340 |
- The oldest existing charter for Cardiff dates from this year when the town had a population of 2,000 - 3,000 making it the largest borough in Wales.
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1349 |
- The Black Death first appeared in the area at this time.
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1373 |
- The first reference to Flat Holm in Cardiff records stated it belonged to the lord of Glamorgan.
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1402 |
- Owain Glyndŵr attacked Cardiff during his Welsh rebellion.
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1404 |
- Owain Glyndŵr's troops attacked Cardiff again, capturing the castle and inflicted great damage on the town. The bishops palace or castle at Llandaff was destroyed at the same time and was afterwards abandoned.
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1425 |
- It was probably in this year that Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, built the Octagonal Tower in Cardiff Castle.
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1451 |
- Richard Nevill, Earl of Warwick, issued a charter in which he praised the burgesses for their efforts to fortify and defend Cardiff.
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1473 |
- The rebuilding of St John's Church with its 130-feet high tower was completed after about 20 years' work as Cardiff recovered from the Glyndŵr attack. The tower was paid for by Anne Nevill who was later to marry Richard III.
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1480 |
- About now the death occurred of the poet Deio ab leuan Du who wrote the words which appear on Cardiff's coat of arms: 'Y ddraig goch ddyry cychwyn' ('The red dragon will show the way').
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1486 |
- The marcher lordship of Glamorgan, including Cardiff, was confiscated by the crown after Henry Tudor's Lancastrian victory at the previous year's Battle of Bosworth in which Richard III of the House of York was killed. The triumphant Henry VII granted the lordship to his uncle, Jasper Tudor.
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1495 |
- Jasper Tudor died and Cardiff with the lordship of Glamorgan reverted to the crown.
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1536 |
- Wales was united with England from this year, the marcher lordship of Glamorgan was abolished and Cardiff became part of the new shire of Glamorgan and its county town. The Herbert family quickly became a powerful force in the town and, with the ending of the medieval restrictions on them, Welsh people now began making their homes and established businesses in Cardiff.
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1537 |
- Thomas Howell left money to found a girls' school in Llandaff, but a dispute over the will delayed its opening for three centuries.
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1538 |
- Cardiff's two friaries, with a total of 15 friars, were dissolved by Henry VIII. The Franciscan Grey Friars was converted to a mansion by the Herbert's but the Dominican Black Friars was left to deteriorate into ruins.
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1542 |
- Thomas Capper was burnt at the stake in Cardiff for heresy. A radical Protestant, he was the first religious martyr in Wales since Roman times. From this year Cardiff became represented by a Member of Parliament.
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1543 |
- The year saw the introduction of the English militia system with regular musters of all males aged 16 to 60.
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1551 |
- William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke, was created the first Baron Cardiff.
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1552 |
- On a visit to Cardiff, the antiquary John Leland described it as well-walled with five gates and a mile in circumference.
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1555 |
- The Protestant martyr and local fisherman, Rawlins White, was burnt at the stake for heresy during the reign of the Catholic Queen Mary.
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1564 |
- At Tongwynlais an iron foundry was established by the Sussex ironmaster Sir Henry Sidney.
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1570 |
- A congress of Welsh bards was held at Cardiff Castle at the invitation of William Herbert to order 'the bardic rules'
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1573 |
- Cardiff was made a head port for the collection of customs duties, one of four such ports in Wales.
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1574 |
- Henry Herbert carried out extensive restoration work on Cardiff Castle.
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1576 |
- The notorious local pirate, John Callice, brought a captured Spanish vessel into Cardiff and sold its contents.
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1577 |
- A successful campaign to stamp out piracy in the Bristol Channel based on Cardiff was started.
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1578 |
- The contemporary Glamorgan historian, Rice Merrick (Rhys Meurig), described Cardiff Castle as having been rebuilt by the Herberts, containing luxurious apartments and attractive gardens with many fair houses and large streets in the town.
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