Ex 1. Read the following text, why is Cardiff known as the
‘city of arcades’?
Up until the 1790s there were only 25 retail shops in
Cardiff. Most shopping at that time was made from market stalls. Cardiff still
has an amazing indoor market which consists of two levels. One trader of note
is Ashton’s the fishmongers, who have been trading in the market since 1866.
The Cardiff Arcades Company was established in the mid-19th Century with the
idea to erect a shopping arcade to connect The Hayes to St Mary’s Street. In
1858 the Royal Arcade was built and is Cardiff’s oldest remaining shopping
arcade. 1885 saw High Street Arcade built and joins High Street to St John’s
Street. In 1887 the Castle Arcade was built, with its two tier walkways and an
overvaulting glazed roof. Today the Castle Arcade still has many of its original
features and has been spectacularly preserved. As its name suggests it is
opposite the castle. It is the longest of Cardiff’s Victorian arcades.
The Wyndham Arcade followed later in 1887 and was named after the
Wyndham-Quinn family who had been major landowners in Glamorgan since
the 17th Century. Just like all the arcades in Cardiff, you will find some fantastic
specialist shops there. Then in 1899 David Morgan opened the Morgan Arcade,
originally known as the New Central Arcade. It was built so that it would
connect his department store on St Mary’s Street to his other store on The
Hayes. Some of the original shop fronts are still visible. In 1902 Duke Street
Arcade opened, its entrance is opposite Cardiff Castle, in what is known as the
‘Castle Quarter ’this arcade joins High Street Arcade. The Dominions Arcade
was opened in 1921 and its entrance can be found on Queen Street. Known as
the ‘city of arcades’, Cardiff has the highest concentration of Victorian,
Edwardian and even contemporary indoor shopping arcades of any British city.
Ex 2. Read the text again and answer the following questions.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Which is the oldest arcade in Cardiff?
What is special about the Castle Arcade?
When was the Morgan Arcade opened?
Why was the Morgan Arcade built?
When was the Cardiff Arcades Company established?
Which family were major landowners, and which arcade was named after
them?
7. When was Duke Street Arcade built?
8. How many arcades does Cardiff have?
Ex 3. Vocabulary: Match the following words to their definitions
Tier Contemporary Spectacularly Arcade Specialist Fishmonger
Overvaulting Erect
A. a person or shop that sells fish for food
B. a covered passage with shops along one or both sides
C. put together or build, set upright
D. each in a series of rows or levels placed one above the other
E. ornamental work in a vaulted roof or ceiling
F. belonging to or occurring in the present
G. a person highly trained in a particular subject or field
H. beautiful in a dramatic, obvious and eye-catching way