The Little History of Swansea

David Gwynn

• Publisher: The History Press
• Year: 2021
• Print ISBN: 9780750993074
• eBook ISBN: 9780750995863
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: British History
• Index: History

Much has changed in Swansea over the years and this short but comprehensive history chronicles the development of the city from the earliest times to today. The Little History of Swansea traces the growth of the medieval town, the rise of the Port of Swansea, the industrial heritage of the area and the fate that befell the town during the Second World War. Here you can read about the odd and unusual happenings, as well as the more traditional history that has made the city what it is today.

1

EARLIEST TIMES TO THE COMING OF THE NORMANS

IN THE BEGINNING

Whilst the riverside site now occupied by Swansea was, it seems, largely ignored by early man, the same cannot be said of peninsular Gower. The first evidence of human activity in the area comes from Rhosili in the form of a 75,000-year-old hand axe. Elsewhere in Wales, there is evidence of human activity from 250,000 years ago, but it only suggests nomadic groups passing through rather than permanent settlements. At this time, there was no Bristol Channel, and a large plain linked Wales with the south-west of England, Ireland and mainland Europe. Human beings could walk to these parts and clearly did so at this time.

In order to make the understanding of history easier, the passage of time has been conveniently divided into ‘ages’. So, we have the Stone Age, itself divided into the Old Stone Age (Palaeolithic), the Middle Stone Age (Mesolithic) and the New Stone Age (Neolithic). These were followed by the Bronze Age and then the Iron Age.

In Gower, artefacts have been found at sites from all of these periods. From the Old Stone Age comes the skeleton of a young man found in Paviland Cave on the south Gower coast. Uncovered in the early nineteenth century and studied initially by William Buckland in 1823, it was originally thought to be that of a woman, ‘The Red Lady of Paviland’. Later research declared it to be a young man, who had been buried in the cave, it is thought, with some ritual, 26,000 years ago. This cave is one of the most important archaeological sites in Wales. So many items have been discovered there that it has to be considered to be of national importance.

The ending of the Ice Age brought dramatic climate change with rising temperatures and rising sea levels. As the sea inundated the lower lying-land, so Britain became a wooded island, and as the New Stone Age dawned the population of these islands grew and began to settle. Burial sites of importance from this long age and into the Bronze Age can be found at King Arthur’s Stone on Cefn Bryn in Gower; Giant’s Grave at Llethrid Cwm in south Gower and Swine Houses (or Sweyne’s Howes) on Rhosili Down. The number of Bronze Age cairns in the area indicate a growing population, but evidence of early domestic dwellings is scant. The most important comes from a site within the urban area of Swansea, at Coltshill, near Mumbles. An excavation of a Bronze Age cairn in 1969 produced pottery fragments, a hearth and the post holes of a dwelling.

The Iron Age was also, largely, the age of the Celts. Celtic peoples were on the move throughout Europe at this time, and where they settled they built enclosures, usually defended, that were fortresses in time of strife. In Gower, the most impressive of these is at Cil Ifor Top in Llanrhidian. Evidence has been found there for huts within the enclosure. Other Celtic enclosures have been identified at the Knave near Mewslade; Redley Cliff near Caswell; Pwll Ddu Head and in Bishopston Valley.

THE ROMAN OCCUPATION

From Roman sources, we learn that in South Wales there were two Celtic tribes at the end of the Iron Age. The Silures in the south-east, and the Demetae in the south-west. It seems that the border between them ran approximately through the Swansea and Gower area. This would not be a border in the sense that we would understand the term, but rather broad lands which would change hands from time to time, and where the two tribes mixed – either peaceably or in conflict. Roman sources suggest that the Silures were a warlike people whose warriors were determined and brave. It may well have taken the Romans some effort over a period of time to subdue them.

The Romans had subjugated the whole area by 74 CE. They quickly established forts at what, for them, were strategic points. Nidum, Leucarum and Maridunum – that is, Neath, Loughor and Carmarthen. These were all classed as auxiliary forts and would have been subject to the legionary fort that existed at Isca, which today is Caerleon. Both Isca and Maridunum had substantial urban centres, where the populations would have been drawn from local people. It has been suggested that the Loughor fort was constructed very early in the Roman occupation, probably around 74–75 CE. The Roman army left Wales around 393 CE.

Given 300 years of occupation, it is not surprising that many Roman artefacts have turned up throughout the area. Coins, both individually and in hoards, have been found. The remains of a Roman villa have been uncovered at Oystermouth, and pottery, weapons, jewellery and coins have been found in many of the caves of Gower, suggesting that they were occupied by the native Celts, either as residences or workshops. It has been suggested that there may have been several Roman or Romano-British estates in Gower, although there has been no evidence uncovered of buildings.

It seems that the native Celtic people carried on their lives much as before, tolerating the presence of the Roman occupiers. After initially resisting them, they eventually settled into their old ways, whilst enjoying the veneer of civilisation that contact with Rome brought. Trade could now be carried out with communities in most of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Those who became citizens of the Roman Empire were free to travel within the empire or, if not, also to fight and die for it if they joined Rome’s army. Some, unhappily, became slaves and were transported forcibly to other parts of the empire.

It is very likely that the Romans built a road to link Leucarum with Nidum and Isca. Today, we can trace the possible route of this road, by following the B4620 out of Loughor and through Garden Village and on to Middle Road in Gendros and down to the River Tawe. On Stafford Common there is evidence of temporary practice camps, thrown up during the training of soldiers and then abandoned once their job was done. This coastal road has been dubbed the Via Julia Maritima by modern commentators, but its Roman title is unknown.

The crossing of the Tawe is an interesting puzzle. At this time, the river would have been much less of a barrier than it might seem. However, it was necessary to have a crossing, and we can only speculate as to whether there was a bridge at this point. Evidence uncovered in 1846 whilst the North Dock was being constructed suggests that the crossing was in fact a ford. In 1877 the Rev. J.D. Davies wrote the following description of the discovery of the ford by Colonel Grant Francis, who had been at the site at the time:

In constructing the lock at the upper end of the North Dock … a regularly formed paved crossing was discovered. This work was carefully constructed of strong timber, wattled on its upper and lower sides, while the road within was packed with three horizontal layers of good sized boulders, upon which were laid, from bank to bank of the river, squared blocks of native sandstone. This roadway was in sound condition, and undoubtedly ancient, for it lay several feet below the then existing bed of the Tawey. From its systematic and excellent construction, the engineers were of the opinion that it was of Roman workmanship.

If, indeed, this was a Roman ford across the Tawe, then it would have enabled soldiers, either on horseback or on foot, to cross the river in relative safety. Although there have been odd finds in and around the centre of Swansea, including a piece of a cooking pot, there is currently insufficient evidence to suggest there was any kind of settlement near the ford. The Romans would not have needed a fort here, as the forts at Loughor and Neath were near enough to provide assistance should it be needed. It is possible that a tavern of some kind might have been sited here, to provide rest and refreshment for travellers, but there was no settled community here.

A ford also crossed the Loughor Estuary, and may have been of similar construction to this one across the Tawe. The road would then have continued to Maridunum. It is also thought that a side road left the main road somewhere to the west of the Tawe and headed down to Oystermouth, where an estate, possibly of some importance, was centred on a villa. The remains of this villa lie in the churchyard at Oystermouth and were discovered before 1697 when Isaac Hamon of Bishopston described the small coloured tiles, or tesserae. Local superstition identified this tiled floor as the ‘Saint’s Pavement’. It may have been that the first church in Oystermouth was built amid the ruins of a Roman villa, possibly because if the local folk believed in the Saint’s Pavement myth, it was thought a good idea to build the church on a site already felt to be holy.

All these discoveries and the discussions that have resulted lead to a picture of Roman South Wales that is quite bucolic. There are five forts at equal distances from each other (the fifth fort was called Bomium, but no one knows quite where that was sited, other than between Isca and Nidum). There were farming estates, each centred on a villa, although there is no evidence to show where these were. The local Celtic population continued to live in or near their hillforts, tolerating the presence of the Roman overlords and their army. The population could well have been quite cosmopolitan, as soldiers would come from anywhere in the empire, as would traders and craftsmen looking for opportunities to work.

Money, in the form of coins, was in general circulation, and was used by both the Roman community and the native population. The caves in the cliffs of South Gower were still being used for several purposes including homes, workshops and for burials. The sea would have provided fish and shellfish – and at Oystermouth, oysters were being picked from the beds that gave the village its name. Maybe the villa there was the home of an entrepreneur in the oyster industry? The oyster beds were certainly cared for, if not actually farmed in the modern sense. Society would have had a structure and generally, as a result, peace held sway.

Trouble, however, was brewing on the distant eastern borders of the Roman Empire. Incursions into the empire by Germanic tribes meant that military resources had to be allocated to those lands, and so the Roman army in Britain was gradually withdrawn to defend Rome herself. It seems that the entire military presence in Wales had gone by 393 CE.

THE DARK AGES

I make no apology for using the term ‘the Dark Ages’, although its use to describe the period between the end of Roman rule and the arrival of the Normans has declined in recent years. It is, however, a useful term to cover the period between 400 CE and about 1100 CE. Over the 700 years between these dates, very little archaeological evidence is to be found. The adoption of Christianity and the customs of that religion meant burials were not accompanied by grave goods. Very few coins have been found and very little pottery remains.

For the first 200 years or so after the Roman withdrawal, those who had enjoyed a degree of power and wealth during the latter days of empire continued to follow their established lifestyle. Some Roman settlements continued to be occupied, the roads laid out during the Roman period continued to be used, and indeed continue in use today. Latin remained in use until as late as 500 CE. Trade must have carried on, although probably at a lesser rate than previously. Evidence for this is to be found in the remains of pottery from Gaul and the eastern Mediterranean dating up to 650 CE.

This period, around the middle of the seventh century, saw the local population, who it seems were descended from the Demetae, beginning to establish a political and social order. Gower, including the area that became Swansea, straddled the border country between the land occupied by the Demetae and the land occupied by the Silures, the other South Walian tribe, and was often forced to shift allegiance. In around 650 CE it had its own king, named as Merchwyn ap Glywys. However, as time went on, Gower was absorbed into a larger kingdom which stretched from Gwent to the eastern edge of Dyfed. This was the kingdom of Glywysing, and was ruled over by Meurig ap Tewdrig and his descendants. Dyfed, to the west, comprised what is today Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and parts of Cardiganshire. This kingdom was influenced by Irish settlers and possibly settlers from France.

By the tenth century, the political landscape had changed, and Gower became a disputed land. Dyfed was now largely the kingdom of Deheubarth and Glywysing had become Morgannwg, named for Morgan Hen who ruled there from about 934 to 974. From 958, Gower endured frequent attacks from Dyfed, and in 984 Einon of Dyfed, the grandson of Hywel Dda, was killed whilst making an attempt to add Gower to his realm. At some point, though, the men of Dyfed were successful, and Gower, the largest commote in Wales, along with the commotes of Carnwyllion (Llanelli) and Cydweli (Kidwelly) were merged into the cantref of Ystrad Tywi, and became part of Deheubarth.

All of South Wales had to contend with further disruption from the tenth century onwards, as its coastline was a target for the Vikings, seaborne raiders who had already established settlements in Ireland, on the Isle of Man and in the Highlands and islands of Scotland. The accepted view is that the Vikings just wanted to plunder, and consequently were not too concerned about the death and destruction that they caused. The truth is that they were just as concerned with creating settlements, trading and working hard to create wealth for themselves. A sizeable chunk of northern France had already been colonised and become Normandy, and from there the Normans, as these French Vikings became known, established kingdoms in Sicily and Naples. Perhaps they hoped to achieve the same in South Wales, but found the opposition much tougher to overcome.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Viking names appear all along the South Wales coast, from Skokholm in Pembrokeshire to Steepholm off Barry. And so we come to perhaps the biggest South Wales mystery to involve the Vikings – is Swansea a Viking place name? We know that the Welsh name for the city, ‘Abertawe’, simply means the mouth of the River Tawe. An alternative Welsh name, which appears occasionally in early Welsh writing, is ‘Sein Henydd’, the origin of which is much less clear. However, many words and much ink has been expended discussing the origin of the name ‘Swansea’.

Before discussing the name of the town, we need to spend some time establishing whether there was any kind of settlement on the site before the arrival of the Normans. It has been argued that before the Normans arrived, the whole area was nothing more than ‘a stretch of sand, the haunt of sea-gull and plover’, to quote Sir John Lloyd. This, of course, begs the question, why would the Normans choose to build a castle on a desolate stretch of river bank with no obvious advantages?

The Romans had chosen to rule the area from a fort at Loughor and another at Neath. Apart from a ford across the lower part of the river, they largely ignored the Swansea area. The Normans, however, were attempting to conquer and subdue a much more sophisticated local population, with administrative structures and mores already well established. Also, they were aware that their castles had to be much more impregnable and using marshland and river as part of the defences made a great deal of sense. They were trying to conquer a Christian land, where the people worshipped the same god, in much the same way as they did. Perhaps a castle on a previously unoccupied site would have meant greater acceptance by local people.

The additional factor that we are only able to speculate about is whether or not there was a community – perhaps religious or maybe secular – on the site before the Normans arrived. Some evidence suggests that there was something there. Excavations in the early twentieth century found skeletons in quantity below Worcester Place, where the edge of the mound of Swansea’s first castle would have been. Could this suggest that a religious community of some kind existed there, or at least that there had been a church and a small settlement there?

An early Welsh name that has been associated with Swansea by scholars is ‘Lanngemei’ and Colonel Llewellyn Morgan suggested, having become convinced himself, that this was the nam...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Preface
• Introduction
• 1 Earliest Times to the Coming of the Normans
• 2 Normans to the End of the Stuarts
• 3 Swansea’s Alter Ego: The Town in the Late Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth Centuries
• 4 Industrial Development and the Lower Swansea Valley
• 5 Coal Mining
• 6 Swansea Docks
• 7 Canals
• 8 Railways
• 9 Tramways
• 10 Religion
• 11 Educating Jack (and Jill)
• 12 Postal Services in Swansea
• 13 Entertainment
• 14 The Great War
• 15 The Guildhall
• 16 The Second World War
• 17 Peacetime Progress
• 18 Famous Swansea Personalities
• Bibliography
• Acknowledgements