Listed Buildings of Swansea

 Dylan Thomas said that Swansea was “an ugly, lovely town”, in the 1943 radio broadcast “Reminiscences of Childhood”. If we wander around the streets of Swansea, and not just look at the shop fronts but the upper floors there are some remarkable properties out there. Each and every one of them has an interesting history.

So, how many Listed Buildings are there in and around Swansea and Mumbles?

Swansea has 523 buildings listed on the British Listed Buildings website. This is broken down into different areas of Swansea, including: Birchgrove (2); Bishopston (8); Bonymaen (6); Castle (125); Clydach (10); Cockett  (3); Cwmbwrla (7); Dunvant (1); Gorseinon (3); Gowerton (3); Grovesend (1); Ilston (18); Killay (5); Landore (25); Llangennith, Llanmadoc and Cheriton (21); Llangyfelach (7); Llanrhidain Higher (5); Llanrhidian Lower (7); Llansamlet (10); Llwchwr (8); Mawr (8); Morriston (10); Mumbles (39); Mynyddbach (1); Penderry (1); Penllergaer (5); Pennard (12); Penrice (22); Pontardualis (5); Pontlliw and Tircoed (6); Port Eynon (6); Reynoldston (5); Rhossili (7); Sketty (22); St. Thomas (7); Three Crosses (5); Uplands (86) and Upper Killay(1). The register makes interesting reading. There are a variety of reasons why a building should be categorised as “listed”.

With a lot of the buildings mentioned in the list, you can see why they have been listed, however there are some surprising entries such as the H.M. Prison, Perimeter Walls (pic above left), running from Oystermouth Road, around the corner along Glamorgan and Paxton Street. The wall dates back to 1861, when the prison was rebuilt and enlarged at the cost of £30,000 (£24 million). Works lasted 16 years. The new prison replaced the prison accommodation at Swansea Castle and accommodated, until 1922, both men and women. Other buildings within the prison are also listed including A and B Wing Blocks and the Gatehouse.

Also mentioned on the list are two bollards (pic above right), which are situated on the tow path from the New Cut Bridge, on both the East and West banks. They are two 2-foot bollards and they date from the 19th century, both are inscribed “Ynyscedwyn Iron Works”. The ironworks were established in Ystradgynlais during the 17th century. David Thomas (right) was employed there and he devised and developed the process to produce anthracite iron from a hot blast, to smelt both iron ore and anthracite coal. In 1839, David, along with his family relocated to Pennsylvania. David was credited to having been influential in the birth of the Industrial Revolution in the United States.

So, was it here that on either side of the River Tawe, that Ynyscedwyn Iron Works could dock their ships using these bollards? Also, was it from here that David set sail to America?

Copywrite - The Bay Magazine, October 2023

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