30 fascinating photos of Whitchurch that will take you right back to life in the Cardiff suburb
The city suburb was once a village of just 300 people
Dating as far back as the 12th Century, the Cardiff suburb of Whitchurch has a long and colourful history. And don't just take our word for it - check out some of the amazing photos we've found in our archive.
But before we get into the visuals, let us tell you a few facts about Whitchurch that you may not know. In 1719, Whitchurch had a population of only 300 people - but the area has certainly developed since then, becoming a parish in its own right in 1845.
On December 14, 1904, the Whitchurch Free Library was opened after a grand procession led by the Whitchurch Fire Service and the local band. The library, which stands on the junction of Penlline Road, Park Road and Velindre Road, cost £2,000 to build and was designed by R and S Williams of Cardiff. And in July 1923, a memorial was unveiled outside the library by the Earl of Plymouth, commemorating the men of Whitchurch who died in the First World War.
The Second World War also left its mark on the area. In 1944, a row of trees was planted along Whitchurch Common on behalf of the 2nd Evacuation Unit of the United States Army. They are a sign of the unit’s gratitude for the hospitality shown to them by the parishioners of Whitchurch. A plaque commemorating this was erected in 1980, and the trees have become a dominant feature of Whitchurch, lining the main road into the shopping precinct.
The suburb also boasts a beautiful nature reserve at Forest Farm. The farm has been worked on for at least a thousand years and has adapted to changing agricultural needs. From the 1790s, the farm was linked to the local iron and tinplate industry, but in the 1930s, it became a successful dairy farm and may have been the first to use an electric vehicle to deliver milk in Wales.
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Explore images from the past by visiting Memory Lane
This is how shopping looked like at Merthyr Road, Whitchurch, in October 1965
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Do you think Merthyr Road has changed much since December 1986?
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Mrs Olive Walsh, of Whitchurch, looks over her garden wall at the coal trucks and lorries, working yards from her home - June 1967
(Image: Mirrorpix)3 of 30![The junction of Old Church Road and Ty'n-Y-Pwll Road, a very sharp bend, in Whitchurch, Cardiff. 14th February 1958.]()
The junction of Old Church Road and Ty'n-Y-Pwll Road, a very sharp bend seen here in February 1958.
(Image: Mirrorpix)4 of 30![Shops at Merthyr Road, Whitchurch, Cardiff. October 1986.]()
Did you shop at Merthyr Road, Whitchurch, back in 1986?
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