Culverhouse Cross ( cy, Croes Cwrlwys) is a district straddling the boundary between

Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a ...

and the

Vale of Glamorgan The Vale of Glamorgan ( cy, Bro Morgannwg ), often referred to as The Vale, is a county borough in the south-east of Wales. It borders Bridgend County Borough to the west, Cardiff to the east, Rhondda Cynon Taf to the north, and the Bristol ...

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...

, in the

community A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as place, norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a country, village, t ...

Wenvoe Wenvoe ( cy, Gwenfô) is a village, community and electoral ward between Barry and Cardiff in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. Nearby are the Wenvoe Transmitter near Twyn-yr-Odyn and the site of the former HTV Wales Television Centre at Culverhouse ...

. The district is centred on a major traffic roundabout that links West Cardiff to the

M4 motorway The M4, originally the London-South Wales Motorway, is a motorway in the United Kingdom running from west London to southwest Wales. The English section to the Severn Bridge was constructed between 1961 and 1971; the Welsh element was largely ...

and is home to a number of different retail outlets, and formerly

ITV Wales ITV Cymru Wales, previously known as Harlech Television and HTV Wales, is the ITV (TV network), ITV franchise for Wales. The new separate licence began on 1 January 2014, replacing the long-serving dual franchise region serving Wales and the Wes ...

's headquarters.

History

According to place-name etymologist Deric Meidrum John, there has been a crossroads at Culverhouse Cross for some centuries, originally at the intersection of the Cardiff to

Cowbridge Cowbridge ( cy, Y Bont-faen) is a market town in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, approximately west of the centre of Cardiff. The Cowbridge with Llanblethian community and civil parish elect a town council. A Cowbridge electoral ward exist ...

turnpike and the road between the parishes of

St Fagans St Fagans ( ; cy, Sain Ffagan) is a village and community in the west of the city of Cardiff, capital of Wales. It is home to the St Fagans National History Museum. History The name of the area invokes Saint Fagan, according to William of M ...

and

. He states that a farmhouse by the name Culverhouse existed nearby and that the word Culver refers to a pigeon. The Welsh equivalent name Cwrlwys was apparently recorded in 1776. Research at

British History Online ''British History Online'' is a digital library of primary and secondary sources on medieval and modern history of Great Britain and Ireland. It was created and is managed as a cooperative venture by the Institute of Historical Research, Uni ...

shows that the word Culverhouse may also refer to a dovecot. The

Coedarhydyglyn Coedarhydyglyn or Coedriglan, formerly Old Coedarhydyglyn (meaning 'the wood along the glen'), is a private Grade I listed neo-classical regency villa and estate on the western rim of Cardiff, less than half a mile from Culverhouse Cross, southeast ...

estate, seat of numerous local prominent men from 1767 onwards, is located at the top of the Tumble Hill above the crossroads. TV Centre Cardiff

Significant commercial and retail development of the area began in 1984 when HTV, the local commercial television contractor at that time, established television headquarters, studios and related facilities near the village of

. Renamed

, the company downsized and relocated to

Cardiff Bay Cardiff Bay ( cy, Bae Caerdydd; historically Tiger Bay; colloquially "The Bay") is an area and freshwater lake in Cardiff, Wales. The site of a former tidal bay and estuary, it serves as the river mouth of the River Taff and Ely. The body of ...

in 2014, and the entire Culverhouse Cross studio, technical and office complex was demolished in April 2015.

Tesco Tesco plc () is a British Multinational corporation, multinational groceries and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Welwyn Garden City, England. In 2011 it was the third-largest retailer in the world measured by gross revenues an ...

was the first store to be built in Culverhouse Cross in 1986, which preceded a decade of rapid development in the suburb because of its accessible location. Demolition of the old Tesco superstore began in March 2007 and operated out of a temporary structure while a new Tesco Extra was built in its place. This opened on 22 October 2007.

Retail parks

All retail parks are situated on or very close to the main roundabout. Valegate Retail Park forms around the A48 westbound exit of the roundabout towards

and

Bridgend Bridgend (; cy, Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr or just , meaning "the end of the bridge on the Ogmore") is a town in Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of Cardiff and east of Swansea. The town is named after the medieval bridge over the River Og ...

. Brooklands Retail Park is situated between the A4232 southbound and the A4050 exits of the roundabout. Wenvoe Retail Park forms around the A48 eastbound exit of the roundabout. There is a large B&Q store opposite.

Roundabout exits

* A4232(S):

Centre and

Penarth Penarth (, ) is a town and Community (Wales), community in the Vale of Glamorgan ( cy, Bro Morgannwg), Wales, exactly south of Cardiff city centre on the west shore of the Severn Estuary at the southern end of Cardiff Bay. Penarth is a weal ...

, Leckwith,

, Cardiff International Sports Village and

Cardiff City Stadium The Cardiff City Stadium ( cy, Stadiwm Dinas Caerdydd) is a stadium in the Leckwith area of Cardiff, Wales. It is the home of Cardiff City Football Club and the Wales national football team. Following expansion of the Ninian Stand in July 2 ...

* A4050 to

Barry Barry may refer to: People and fictional characters * Barry (name), including lists of people with the given name, nickname or surname, as well as fictional characters with the given name * Dancing Barry, stage name of Barry Richards (born c. 195 ...

Dinas Powys Dinas Powys (; also spelt "Dinas Powis" in English) is a small town and community in the Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales. Its name means "fort of the provincial place" and refers to the Iron Age hillfort which overlooks the village. Dinas Powys i ...

and

Cardiff International Airport Cardiff Airport ( cy, Maes Awyr Caerdydd) is the only airport offering commercial passenger services in Wales. It has been under the ownership of the Welsh Government since March 2013, operating at an arm's length as a commercial business. Pa ...

* A48(W)

St. Nicholas Saint Nicholas of Myra, ; la, Sanctus Nicolaus (traditionally 15 March 270 – 6 December 343), also known as Nicholas of Bari, was an early Christian bishop of Greek descent from the maritime city of Myra in Asia Minor (; modern-day Demre ...

Bonvilston Bonvilston ( cy, Tresimwn) is a village in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. The village is situated on the A48 about four miles east of Cowbridge and near the Welsh capital city of Cardiff. The population in 2011 was 392. History It is named af ...

- and

, Dyffryn Gardens and The Downs *A4232(N) M4 Junction 33 -

Port Talbot Port Talbot (, ) is a town and community in the county borough of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, situated on the east side of Swansea Bay, approximately from Swansea. The Port Talbot Steelworks covers a large area of land which dominates the south ...

Swansea Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the C ...

, Newport,

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, city, Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Glouces ...

and

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

*A48(E) Cardiff West, Ely, Canton, Caerau,

St. Fagans St Fagans ( ; cy, Sain Ffagan) is a village and community in the west of the city of Cardiff, capital of Wales. It is home to the St Fagans National History Museum. History The name of the area invokes Saint Fagan, according to William of Mal ...

Public transport

Culverhouse Cross is served by Cardiff Bus and

First Cymru First Cymru is an operator of bus services in South West Wales. It is a subsidiary of FirstGroup with its headquarters in Swansea. History In 1987, South Wales Transport was sold during the privatisation of the National Bus Company in a man ...

. *Service 96 (provided by the Vale of Glamorgan Council) serves Cardiff City Centre and Barry *Service X2 (FirstBus) goes to Cowbridge and Bridgend *The T9 express service between Cardiff city centre, Cardiff Bay and Cardiff Airport passes through Culverhouse Cross, but does not make scheduled stops. The nearest

railway station Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in Track (rail transport), tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the ...

, although not particularly close, is Waun-Gron Park in Fairwater. The bus services from Culverhouse Cross, however, provide a direct service to

Cardiff Central railway station , symbol_location = gb , symbol = rail , image = Cardiff Central station (26526139271).jpg , caption = 1930s frontage of Cardiff Central station (northern entrance) , borough = Cardiff, City and County of Cardiff , country = Wales , coordi ...

References

{{Vale of Glamorgan Economy of Cardiff Districts of Cardiff Shopping centres in Wales British television studios Television in Wales Shopping in Cardiff ITV offices, studios and buildings Retail parks in Wales