The Royal Exchange or Coal Exchange was built between 1883 and 1886 to the designs of James, Seward and Thomas. It was here that Cardiff's leading businessmen - owners of shipping firms, coal mines and of allied businesses - met to fix their deals, some with far distant countries. By the end of the 19th century, Cardiff, which half a century before had been a market town of 10,000 people with a small coastal trade, had become a commercial centre of importance on the world's stage. It is said that the first recorded million-pound business deal was struck in the Coal Exchange. In 1911, the Coal and Shipping trading hall was magnificently reconstructed by Edwin Seward to include tiers of encircling balconies, paired Corinthian columns, wood panelling and carvings. Today, the Coal Exchange is an arts and entertainment centre. Sources: John B. Hilling, 'Cardiff and the Valleys' (London, 1973) http://www.coalexchange.co.uk/home.htm

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