Format: Paperback
Published: October 1st, 2011
Age: Adult
Genre: Non-Fiction – History
Rating: 5/5 Stars
I might be biased here, but I really do think Cardiff is a great city, though definitely not reaching its full protentional, which is often a huge shame. I’ve lived near/in Cardiff my whole life, growing up with the city as a backdrop and with many, many fond memories of shopping trips, visits to the museum, visits to Cardiff Bay and so on. Yet as for the history of the city, it’s not something greatly publicised unless you seek it out. Honestly, where other cities have attractions that make use of the history (such as the various ‘Dungeons’ across the country), we have a small museum and the castle which focus on the city itself.
The thing that surprised me the most in reading this book was how influential Cardiff has been on the UK as a whole, whether it’s the Cardiff rebellion that led to a king fleeing London, or the role the city played in the Industrial Revolution (and, by extension, the British Empire) or the way the city transformed during WWII to accommodate American soldiers.
The book takes you right through the city’s history, from its position as a Roman outpost up to the changes that took place in the early part of the 21st Century. Even at the time the book was released, the city was undergoing another big change, but crucially, Shepley also details the fact that Cardiff no longer really knows what it wants to be, and in the 14 years since this book was published, the city is still wrestling with that question.
I’ve seen Cardiff referred to as a ‘young’ city, due to it only gaining status as a capital in the mid-20th Century, but the fact is Cardiff has been here, in one form or another, for as long as many other UK cities have, and Shepley brilliantly reflects that in the way he writes about Cardiff, with all the changes the city has undergone and the remnants of its past which can still be felt around the centre.
It’s made me really appreciate the history right on my doorstep, and my love for the city has grown through Shepley’s excellent writing. If you’re interested in British or Welsh history, I highly recommend this book to find out more about Wales’ capital.
Reading Challenge
Musicals Reading Challenge 2025
Prompt: Sweeny Todd – No Place Like London – Set in OR about your hometown/city or a favourite place
Progress: 6/24
Unwrapping Words 