This web site is intended to be a collation of the historical information researched by the Rumney & District Local History Society for the welsh parishes of Rumney, St. Mellons, Llanrumney, Peterstone-Wentloog, Marshfield, Castleton, Coedkernew, Michaelston-Y-Fedw and Newton.

Rumney was formerly called Romney or Rompney and the river on which it stands is the Rhymney, which shares its name with the town at the top of the valley, but there are other variations. Remni, Remne and Rempney all appear in old documents and maps as far back as 1100.

 

All these studies suggest a connection with water, a boundary stream or marshes, which , of course, would be most appropriate, as the river used to form the boundary between Gwent and Morganwwg (Glamorgan) and Rumney includes the moors or marshes which are part of the low-lying Wentloog Level.

The welsh for St. Mellons is Llaneurwg, known after a 2nd Century Welsh chief. Apparently the 19th century annual St Mellons fair had a race to St Mellons church. A bell with a blue clapper was struck near the finishing line - hence the name of the Blue Bell pub. The race ceased in 1859.

 

St Mellons became a suburb of Cardiff in 1974. Eurwg lived on the hill at St Mellons where the church now stands. At that time Roman soldiers were constructing the Via Julia from Bath to Caerwent and on through St Mellons to West Wales. They had their camp on what was known as Quarry Hill.