Volume Twelve - Pre-Victorian to the Present Day - further aspects - Report upon Penarth Dock - 1984 . . .

2.0 - Background history of the construction of Penarth Dock

This section is intended to give a brief outline of the history of Penarth Dock in terms of the major construction work undertaken. It is intended to provide information on the history of the site itself, the construction of the original dock, the subsequent extension of the dock and other important construction work carried out at the site.

2.1 - History of the Site

The site for Penarth Dock is on the south side of the mouth of the River Ely. This area and the land on the opposite side of the river were destined for a whole variety of dock and harbour schemes (see Appendix C for more details) but only two schemes, namely, the Ely Tidal Harbour (more correctly called the Penarth Tidal Harbour) and Penarth Dock were ever implemented.

Figure 1a - The site before Penarth Dock was built. The site chosen for Penarth Dock consisted of part of the river foreshore and part of the adjoining high ground to the south.

The main advantage of the site was that it was nearer deep water than the Bute Docks at Cardiff and that it was sheltered from heavy seas and high winds by Penarth Head. The disadvantage of the site was that it lacked potential for future extension although this was not fully realized at the time.

Before the site was developed the foreshore was crossed by two tidal inlets. One was near the mouth of the river and was called Cwtch-y-Cwm whilst the second was further inland and known as Cogan Pill. Both tidal inlets had boat-building yards situated on them and these probably produced small fishing vessels and coastal trading craft. In addition near the mouth of the river stood a small cottage known as 'Pilot's Cottage' together with an inn known as the 'Penarth Head Inn'. The later was the home of Edwards the Smuggler during the 18th Century.