Ely, Cardiff facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ely
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 Ely
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| Population | 14,603 (2011) |
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| Principal area | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | CARDIFF |
| Postcode district | CF5 |
| Dialling code | 029 |
| Police | South Wales |
| Fire | South Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| EU Parliament | Wales |
| UK Parliament |
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| Welsh Assembly |
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Ely (which is Trelái in Welsh) is a lively area and community in Cardiff, Wales. It is located just north of Cowbridge Road West. The area of Caerau forms its southern border, and the River Ely runs along parts of its eastern and northern edges.
Contents
Ely's Ancient Past
In Roman times, Ely was home to a Roman villa, which was a large country house. This villa was found near the old racecourse. People also think that iron was melted here, possibly using a special metal called manganese to make steel stronger. There was also likely a Roman road nearby that connected to the Cardiff Roman Fort and continued east towards Newport.
Ely in the 1800s
The first horse race at Ely Racecourse happened in 1855. This new racecourse took over from an older one called Great Heath.
Maps from the early 1880s show how far away the old Ely village was from the rest of Cardiff. People talked about how bad the main road over Ely Common was, with lots of potholes and no shelter. It was a very difficult journey to Cardiff on foot. Most of Ely was still farmland, growing food for Cardiff's people. A railway station had only recently been built, which opened up the area for more houses to be built.
The 'Ely Industrial School' on Cowbridge Road East was a home for children from Cardiff who had lost their parents. It was set up in 1863 to help "poor children." This school was a product of the Victorian age and the way people thought about workhouses. As society became more caring, the school closed in 1903. It was then turned into Ely Lodge, which was meant to be extra housing for adults from the workhouse, though it was never used for that. The children moved to what became known as Ely Homes. The school building was later knocked down, and a hospital for people with infectious diseases was built on the same spot.
Ely in Modern Times
Ely grew very quickly in the 1920s. Many new council houses were built to provide "homes fit for heroes" after World War I. These houses helped people move out of crowded inner-city slums in Cardiff.
The grandstand at Ely Racecourse was destroyed in a fire in 1937, and the racecourse closed completely in 1939.
Ely Hospital was a large hospital for mental health. In the 1960s, there were serious concerns about how patients were treated there. An official investigation into these concerns led to big changes in how mental healthcare was provided across the whole National Health Service. The hospital closed its doors in 1996.
Some people might have negative ideas about Ely, but the people who live there are proud of their community. They say it's a very large and friendly place where everyone looks out for each other.
Getting Around Ely
Cowbridge Road West (part of the A48) is the main road that goes through Ely. It connects to Canton and Cardiff city centre to the east. To the west, it leads to the Culverhouse Cross interchange, near the Western Cemetery. Another important road, Grand Avenue, runs parallel to Cowbridge Road West and connects to the northern parts of Ely.
Cardiff Bus services 17 and 18 serve Ely, running every 10 minutes from Wood Street in Cardiff city centre, through Canton and Caerau. North Ely also has service 13, which ends at the Cardiff Bus Interchange. Other bus services, like Cardiff Bus 96 to Barry and Adventure_Travel_(bus_company)'s C1 service, also pass through Ely.
The closest train station is Waun-gron Park in Fairwater. There used to be an Ely railway station on the South Wales Main Line, but it closed in 1962.
Ely's Local Government
Ely is both an electoral ward and a community within the City of Cardiff. This means it's an area used for local elections. There isn't a separate community council for Ely. The Ely electoral ward is part of the Cardiff West area for the UK Parliament. It shares borders with Fairwater to the northwest, Caerau to the south, Culverhouse Cross to the west, and the Vale of Glamorgan to the southwest.
The three council seats for Ely are usually won by the Labour Party. One well-known representative was Russell Goodway, who used to be the Council leader. In 2004, when Labour lost control of the Council to the Liberal Democrats, Goodway still managed to keep his seat, but only by a small number of votes.
The Ely electoral ward covers the area north of Cowbridge Road West. The Caerau electoral ward covers the area south of Cowbridge Road West. However, some people mistakenly think Caerau is just a small part of Ely.
Famous People from Ely
Many talented people have come from Ely, including:
- Steve Andrews, known as the "Bard of Ely," a singer, writer, and journalist.
- Rakie Ayola, an actress who grew up in Ely.
- Ryan Giggs, a famous footballer who played for Manchester United and the Wales team.
- Rosemary Joshua, an opera soprano (singer) known for her performances in operas by George Frideric Handel.
- Danielle Lineker, an actress and model.
- Mackenzie Martin, a rugby union player for Cardiff and Wales.
- Jason Mohammad, a radio and television presenter for the BBC.
- Eluned Morgan, Baroness Morgan of Ely, a Welsh Labour politician and a member of the Senedd (Welsh Parliament).
- Nicky Piper, a professional boxer.
- Steve Robinson, a WBO featherweight boxing champion.
- Shakin' Stevens, a popular pop singer from the 1980s.
- Noel Sullivan, a singer and actor who was part of the group Hear'say.
- Glen Webbe, a former rugby union player for Bridgend and Wales, known as "Wales' first black icon."
Places to Visit in Ely
Ely has several places to shop. There are two large supermarkets just off Cowbridge Road West on Treseder Way. You can also find many smaller shops and local businesses on Wilson Road and Grand Avenue. Other well-known chain stores are located in the Caerau ward.
Schools in Ely
Primary Schools in Ely:
- Windsor Clive Junior School on Grand Avenue
- Herbert Thompson Primary School on Plymouthwood Road
- Hywel Dda Primary School on Cambria Road
- Saint Fagans Church in Wales Primary School on Drope Road
- Saint Francis RC Primary School on Wilson Road
High Schools in Ely:
- Cardiff West Community High School on Penally Road
Youth Centres in Ely:
- North Ely YC on Pethybridge Road
- Dusty Forge Project on Cowbridge Road West
