ROATH (RHATH), a parish, in the union of CARDIFF, hundred of KIBBOR, county of GLAMORGAN, SOUTH WALES, 4 mile (N. E. by
E.) from Cardiff; containing 298 inhabitants. Rhfith, the original name of this place, is a common Welsh designation for
ancient earthworks, of which there are several in the immediate vicinity: the late Mr. Edward Williams, the
Glamorganshire antiquary, supposed the name to be derived from the station Ratostabius, which he fixes at Cardiff. The
parish is situated on the western hank of the river Romney, over which there is a bridge of one arch, and on the great
western road through the county. Its surface, forming an extent of about one thousand five hundred acres, is nearly a
perfect flat, except that to the north of the village there is. a gentle rise. The Romney, which here separates the
counties of Glamorgan and Monmouth, formerly inundated the moors to a great extent, but an embankment has been constructed
within the last few years, which has confined it to its proper channel. The quality of the soil is various, the upper
lands towards the north being a red stiff clay, and the flat ground being composed of sandy loam and gravel, which,
towards the moors, become covered with tenacious clay, fit for making bricks. The parish contains several Pod gentlemen's
houses, of which Plfis Newydd, in the castellated style, is the principal; and is divided into three lordships,
Tewkesbury, Dogfield, and KeYn" sham, the manorial rights of the two first of which belong to the Marquess of Bute, and
those of the last to Sir C. Morgan, Bart. The living is a vicarage not in charge, endowed with £800 royal bounty; net
income, £106: the tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of £307. 10., of which a sum of £160 is payable to the Dean
and Chapter of Gloucester, £72. 10. to the Marquess of Bute, who is also patron of the benefice, and £75 to the vicar, who
has 12 acres of land in the parish of Bedwas, and 10 in that of St. Woollos, Monmouthshire. The church, dedicated to St.
Margaret, is a small neat structure, with a chancel that was rebuilt by the late Marquess of Bute, who also erected, on
the northern side of it, a splendid mausoleum for his family, where he and the late Marchioness and Lord Mountstuart are
interred. A Sunday and day school, supported by C. C. Williams, Esq., is attended by about thirty males and females. Near
the centre of the rising ground to the north of the village is a spring of pure water, called Penylan Well, which has.been
inclosed, and is greatly resorted to by gll classes on Easter Monday, when it is supposed that charms are wrought,
fortunes foretold, and wishes registered at the mystic stream.