One Mans Whitchurch
Product details
- ISBN 9781835841686
- Dimensions: 148 x 210mm
- Publication Date: 30 Nov 2025
- Publisher: Rowanvale Books
- Publication City/Country: GB
- Product Form: Paperback
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Of all the districts that now make up the City of Cardiff, none can match the history of Whitchurch. It was once the land of ancient Britons and tribal Welsh before being occupied by the Romans and later the Anglo-Normans. From battlefield savagery to heavy industry to elegant flower shows, One Man’s Whitchurch offers a unique take on the past, both ancient and modern, of this fascinating settlement.
Based on reliable sources, One Man’s Whitchurch overcomes the confusing and often misleading narrative of older material. It doesn’t rewrite history, but offers an alternative view, interpreting the past in order to home in on the truth.
A small number of influential people laid the foundations for this part of South Wales, but life was far from easy for our ancestors. One Man’s Whitchurch lays bare the difficulties faced by everyday working people, passing on the memories of generations now lost to time for the benefit of generations of today and the future.
If you have a fascination for history and heritage, or simply love your local area, you will find plenty to delight you in this treasure of a book.
Terry Chard is a local family man, Whitchurch born and bred at a time of open spaces and farms. He can trace his ancestry back over 200 years living in and around the area. Terry went to Eglwys Wen School, Whitchurch Grammar School and then University College Cardiff, gaining an honours degree in Mechanical Engineering. After pursuing a career in engineering, Terry became a Chartered Engineer and Member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers in the mid-1980s.
His interest in local history was sparked from living at an early age close to the old Glamorganshire Canal, the Melingriffith Tin Works and the Taff Vale Railway. His father and grandfathers between them worked in or on all of them. He was further inspired by work colleagues with an expert knowledge of the Glamorganshire Canal, and 40 years ago, he helped them to retrace its path from Cardiff Docks to Merthyr.
He has an interest in many sports having played local football for a number of years and he enjoys sketching and watercolour painting. Since retirement in 2011, he has become more active with local history. This started as a rainy-day or winter-time hobby, but Terry acknowledges that it is hard to put down once you start. And, of course, in Wales, there are a lot of rainy days. Over recent years, he has shared some of his research with local groups and given occasional talks to them.
