Volume Six - Pre-Victorian to the Present Day - Select Aspects - A look at Cwtch-y-Cwm . . .

The maps provide clarity as Penarth Dock was built on a former saltmarsh indicated in the 1830 OS map as “Lower Marsh” and “Upper Marsh” at a creek named “Cwtch-y-Cwm” (literally to cuddle the valley). According to one of the popular Penarth town trails, it is now a dried-out watercourse, once a vigorous stream, which cascaded down the escarpment into Cwtch-y-Cwm.

The 1830 OS map superimposed onto the Google maps of 184 years later - is your home situated on Penarth Portway or in Lower Marsh?

Could it be that the Lower Marsh and pill became the inspiration for the wonderful 1864 lament (please excuse me repeating it here!) written just prior to the opening of the docks published within The Cardiff Times [019] of 9th September 1864:

“The Docks - What a powerful instrument is money! It can level hills and raise valleys, and remove soil which has been accumulating for ages, and distribute it to the four winds. Men fight for it, work for it, steal for it, lie for it, and die for it. Money is a good servant, but a dangerous master.

Some ten years, on the present site of the Penarth Docks, stood a solitary house on the green sward, the favourite haunt of the noisy sea-gull, and pleasure seekers on holidays, where they used to climb the greasy pole and race in sacks, &c. On the margin of the water the shipbuilding yard of Mr. Cooper was situated, in which he built his tiny barks (barques); but all this has disappeared as if by magic.

On this identical spot massive walls have now been erected, and layer after layer of the soil has been excavated. Instead of the noise of the sea-bird, we hear nothing but the puffing and snorting of the iron horse, from early morn until dewey eve, and the noise of the artisans’ tools. The work is fast drawing towards completion, and in a short time the ships of all nations will be seen floating within the enclosure.”