23 Facts About Radyr

Radyr is part of Radyr and Morganstown Community, for which the 2011 Census recorded a population of 6,417.

Radyr developed after the Norman invasion of Wales at the start of the 12th century and formed part of the Welsh Lordship or cantref of Miskin under the Lordship of Glamorgan created by the Norman King, William Rufus, in 1093.

Hints about the derivation of the name Radyr can be found in Lifris's writings Life of St Cadog, written between 1081 and 1104 but relating to the earlier period around AD 530, which mentions a croft or tref on the site called Aradur Hen.

The early settlement that became Radyr developed around the Norman church and manor house in what is Danescourt.

Radyr's successor was his eldest son Sir George Mathew, who became MP for Glamorganshire and in 1545 Sheriff of Glamorgan.

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Captain George Mathew, the last of the family to live in Radyr, married Elizabeth Poyntz, and the couple left Radyr to live on her estates at Thurles in County Tipperary, Ireland in 1625.

Radyr's new owner was a wealthy landowner, Sir Edward Lewis, who was knighted by James I Sir Edward owned St Fagans Castle and its surrounding lands, scene of the Battle of St Fagans in the English Civil War.

Many residents of Radyr worked in the Melingriffith Tin Plate Works, on the other side of the River Taff in Whitchurch.

Until the mid 19th century Radyr was a collection of small farms, crofts and cottages, but after Radyr railway station opened in 1863, the population rose from 400 to more than 600 in 20 years.

Radyr is in the Cardiff West parliamentary constituency and the Cardiff West Senedd constituency.

Radyr Stone is a Triassic breccia used widely for decorative work in the Cardiff area, including Llandaff Cathedral, Cardiff Docks and in the bridges of the Taff Vale Railway.

Radyr Weir was built in 1774 to divert water into a leat to the Melingriffith Tin Plate Works.

River Taff through Radyr is flanked on both sides by an undeveloped greenway that passes uninterrupted through northern Cardiff all the way to Cardiff Castle in the centre of the city, before the river enters Cardiff Bay.

Radyr Woods is a Site of Nature Conservation Importance and the adjoining Hermit Woods is a Local Nature Reserve.

Radyr Woods provides habitats for a wide range of species.

At Bridgend, six possible plants of the Radyr genus were found on an old garden wall, but confirmation of identification is still awaited.

Seed samples of the Radyr hawkweed have been provided to the Millennium Seed Bank, the international conservation project coordinated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and plants are being carefully cultivated.

Radyr has a private pre-school, Park Road Nursery, and a Welsh-language nursery called Cylch Meithrin, both of which are based in the Old Church Rooms.

The parish church of St John the Baptist, beside Radyr Chain, is surrounded by the Danescourt housing estate.

Radyr is served by Radyr Baptist Church, which worships in the Old Church Rooms in Park Road.

Radyr currently plays in the first division of the South Wales Premier Cricket League.

Radyr called it an "imposing country mansion, surrounded by acres of farm and woodland" in his book Boy: Tales of Childhood.

Radyr is a Fellow of the Royal Society and a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences.