Lilliput Hall and Cottage: Its Life and Times
by Carol Powell
Lilliput Hall
Lilliput Hall, circa 1914 - 20
A little way beyond Blackpill on the seaward side of the main road to the Mumbles, stood picturesque Lilliput Hall and Cottage, but all that remains now are one or two aspen trees from its garden.
Today, many of our older big houses-cum-hotels have disappeared to be replaced by luxury apartments, but the future of some smaller buildings was not assured over fifty years ago, as shortly after the demise of the Mumbles Railway in 1960, the Swansea Council introduced a road widening and landscaping scheme along the shore line between Blackpill and West Cross. Several properties between the Mumbles Road and the shore were purchased and demolished and this was the fate of some houses near the West Cross Hotel, as well as the far older Lilliput Hall and Cottage.
OS Map 1877.
by permission of the West Glamorgan Archive
Items marked in red are my additions
The Duke of Beaufort owned the 4 acres, 1 rod and 15 perches on which Lilliput Hall, its adjoining cottage on the Blackpill side and its gardens stood. Reputed to be some of the oldest buildings in the area, they witnessed many changes during their long life, not least in the number of tenants or owners who lived there.
One of the earliest references (although it is believed to be much older) is a notice in the Cambrian News on 14 March 1807, advertising ‘Lilliput cottage near Swansea for sale or let.’
Lilliput Cottage
This was possibly unsuccessful as another appeared on 11 July, which read, ‘To let: Lilliput Cottage about three miles from Swansea on the seashore.’
An advert in February 1810, refers to its ‘good water in the garden.’ (I remember their well, which was situated near what is now the bus stop) and another on 5 January 1866 which details its 'large garden, stable and coach house'.
Mathew’s Swansea Guide for 1830 describes Lilliput as follows:-
Near the beach is Lilliput Hall, the whimsical residence for many years of Thomas Deering, Esq., well known in the fashionable world and brother of Sir Edward Deering. The area of the whole house measuring twenty feet by sixteen, but its charming situation and good garden compensating to him for the confinement of the dwelling.
Another of its illustrious residents was Henry De La Beche, who moved to Swansea late in 1837 to begin his Ordnance Geological Survey of South Wales Coalfields before moving to The Rhyddings in Swansea.
Lilliput saw many children born under its roof — a little boy to Mr. and Mrs, Edward Duclos de Boussois in April 1839; ten years later ‘ a son to Mr. and Mrs. James Strick;’ in July 1856, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Thomas and, in August 1861 a baby girl to Major S. B. Gordon and his wife. Mrs Harrison Page gave birth to a daughter in 1862 and Mrs. Arthur Chichester Burnard to a daughter in 1889.
Inevitably there were deaths too. Henry Beavan, first Clerk at H.M. Customs at Swansea, died there suddenly on 20 January 1854, aged 38 years and on 5 July 1867, Joseph Owens died while in London, aged 46. Many years before, he had been involved in a robbery at Lilliput when one James Downing made off with a quantity of his clothing, some cheese and bacon and two shillings in cash, after breaking in through a window. (Cambrian News, 2 April 1847)
‘The well preserved household furniture and other effects’ of one of the inhabitants of Lilliput, the late Mrs. Morgan were to be sold by auction at the house, on Wednesday and Thursday, 19th and 20th March 1845.
Here, we gain a fascinating glimpse into the world of an early Victorian household, as the advert gives details of the items to be sold—mahogany four-post, French and tent bedsteads and a barrel organ amongst others.
John Morgan Jones seems to have been behind with the rent as is recorded here:
For Lilliput House and garden, John Morgan Jones is £42..4s..0d in arrears and £21..2s..0d due. Balance of £63..6s..0d still outstanding.
Rent due to Duke of Beaufort’ s estate 1872-
(NLW cat.no. BGA4/122)
Advert: By 1888, Mr. Barron opened a branch nursery at Lilliput
By 1891, the census shows that the owner was absent and that the Hall was occupied by Ann Jones, a Housekeeper aged 59, David Williams, 58, a Boarder who worked as a coal miner and Emmeline Phillips, a widow aged 25 who was visiting. In the adjacent cottage lived Thomas Arnold, 29, a coachman, his wife, Ann aged 27, and their two small sons John, 3 and George, 2.
Railway Timetable for September 1872
Lilliput also saw changes outside its grounds. At first, the Mumbles Railway ran alongside the road in front of the house (see map and timetable) but after 1890, a new line was opened on its seaward side and the old rails were used to reinforce the new sea wall. Lilliput witnessed the building of the Grange, Dan-y-coed and Llwynderw Houses and their lodges nearby. Dan-y-coed is the only one remaining today.
Mr. Edward Solomon remembers living at Lilliput Cottage in the 1920s and 30s. He recalls that, ‘It must have been built for a dwarf as the ceilings were so low. My mother who was all of five foot tall could dust the ceilings easily without resorting to a chair or ladder and we had to climb the stairs sideways as each step was so narrow.
One day, there was a fire in the Hall and Dad who was suffering from a cold at the time, was called to go quickly through to help extinguish it. The people there had installed a modern fire grate on top of a slab placed directly on the floorboards in a bedroom and the heat had set the boards smouldering. Dad lifted the slab, which was very hot and helped put out the flames. He had sweated so much that his cold had disappeared. For his help, He received a small payment and the thanks of the Insurance Company.
My bedroom looked out over the bay and being rather a loner, I preferred to spend my time gazing at the sea and drawing the many ships — and on one occasion, flying boats —which plied across the water.
Particular events, which stick in my memory were the annual tea parties given for the pensioners by Mr. Folland in the grounds of his home, Llwynderw House. In those days, the steam train stopped outside our cottage and I can still see the people alighting all dressed up in their best clothes and walking up Lilliput Lane and along the main road to the entrance of the long wooded drive to the House. There, they would have a grand day, returning later to pick up the train at Lilliput Halt.’
The Stables at Lilliput
Someone known as ‘The Major’ kept his horse at the stables there in the 1950s and he was often to be seen walking up the road with feed and sometimes riding out. Also, at that time, Mr. and Mrs. Payne and their grandson, Sidney Davies lived in the cottage and Mr. Payne, a keen gardener grew beautiful dahlias, which he would sell for 2/6d a bunch.
The site of the stables today
Today the site of Lilliput Hall Stables is now close to the pedestrian crossing, in an area of the Mumbles Road, now better known as Llwynderw . Of couse, the road is much wider now than when the earlier picture was taken.
Postscript from Sidney Davies
In November 2021, Sidney Davies contacted us online from his home in Belfast adding,
'I was born in Lilliput cottage on 13th March 1944 and was brought up there by my Grandparents Fredrick,and Mabel Payne who originated from St Thomas. I first started school in Blackpill Primary >. After my Grandmother past away I lived with my Grandfather in Lilliput cottage until it was demolished by Swansea Council in 1960.
I have such wonderful memories of Lilliput and the fantastic views from my bedroom window of Swansea Bay,and the Mumbles. as a lot of you out there will know Lilliput cottage was joined to Lilliput Hall as shown in the photograph.
I would lay on the lawn at Lilliput on summer nights just staring up at the stars they were incredible, no artificial light in those days to spoil the view just completely dark.'
Sidney Davies, around 1950
The wonderful view from near the site of Lilliput Hall, 2019
EDITOR: In another conversation with Sidney Davies, I discovered that we both sit on a bench on the site of Lilliput Hall, which we call 'sitting in Sidney's Garden' sometimes in company with our great-grandchildren.
I replied to Sidney: 'We all enjoy making dams on the beach, where the sand has risen over the last twenty years.'
Sidney replied: 'Happy Days... is that the water outlet from the watering hole at Lilliput Hall?
It looks like it because of the ramp in the background which was right outside Lilliput Hall/cottage.. the folk from West Cross would come down Sweetbriar/Lilliput lane too swim of the slope at high tides..! Looks like a lot more sand there now than when I was making Dams. unless the water outlet is broke.. Brilliant photo it brought a tear to my eye... thank you. [photos are below]
Editor, 'yes, the stream is the one outside your house . It passes through the park, West Cross Woodland, before being culverted and emerging on the beach at Lilliput. The shute shown in the photo was a little battered over the years, but has now been repaired.'
Sidney, 'ahh it's parkland nowadays..! it was all woods when I played in it, and that same stream ran at the back and down the side of Mrs Hood's house which was at the original entrance to Dan Y Coed, and opposite the stables,and work sheds of Lilliput Hall.'
Sidney concludes,'our great grandchildren like it there as well. Despite having reached the grand old age of 77 I have not retired I'm still working, it keeps me fit, and my mind ticking over. My wife Margaret, and myself sit on the same seat every time we come back home to Swansea. It was sad to see the tree had fallen down.'
Two of the the Editor's great grandchildren making Dams at Lilliput beach, August 2017
EDITOR:
I feel sure that if the landscaping project had commenced a few years later, then the diminutive and distinctive buildings at Lilliput would have been designated as ‘listed’ and these little treasures saved. As it is, they live on now only in my memory.
Acknowledgements
Mr. Sidney Davies
Mr. Edward Solomon
The Cambrian News, 14 March 1807, 11 March 1807, 24 February 1810, 2 April 1847, 27 January 1854, 5 January 1866
The Duke of Beaufort’s papers. NLW cat. no. BGA4/122
Mathew's Guide, 1830
A Journal of Sir Henry De La Beche, Pioneer Geologist (1796-1855) Edited by Richard Morris
Mumbles Railway timetable
1891 census
OS Map 1877
Some photographs from the Oystermouth Historical Association Archive.
