The history and making of Penarth will be recalled at an event next week.

Penarth Civic Society will host it at St Augustine's Hall on Albert Road on Thursday, 19 January at 7pm.

It will feature a talk by Chris Riley called 'Making Penarth possible'.

Mr Riley is a member of the society committee and will explain that the transformation of an isolated headland into a thriving seaside town was no accident. 

Shrewd businessmen realised that Penarth had huge potential – its headland, the river, its coastal views and its beach.   

The talk will look at how the physical barriers isolating the little village - hills, moor, rivers, and terrible roads - were overcome and the village landscape was systematically transformed. 

It required huge investment of money, time and muscle, moving tons of stone and earth and years of designing, digging, carting and construction. 

The talk will lay bare some of the challenges and the massive efforts required to allow the creation of the town we now see.

Among other things, it will note the forgotten significance of Cogan Pill House (once the Beefeater and Baron's Court, now Courts), features of the old village and town plan still visible, and how changing fortunes forced some visionary elements to be abandoned.

The event is free to members, £3 for non members.