Regency Mumbles: a snapshot of our village 1811-1820

By Carol Powell MA

The north-facing locality was 'singularly situated,

not having the benefit of the sun for several months of the year.'

'A description of Swansea and its Environs', 1813

Historically, the Parish of Oystermouth encompassed the entire area from Caswell in the south-west to Blackpill in the north-east, including the village of Mumbles and the distinct hamlets of Newton, Norton and Blackpill, all surrounded by farms such as Coltshill.

Regency Mumbles and its surrounding area was tiny by today's standards, with a population of only 761 in 1811 rising by 1821 to 1008. There were a scattering of cottages and several public houses, such as the Old Mermaid, the Ship and Castle, the New Mermaid and the Nag's Head strung out along the shore, overlooking the Horsepool, a natural harbour which gave shelter to some oyster-skiffs. William Jones ran the Smithy at Southend, William Gubbins and Charles Wallis operated the Marble Works at the Washinglake and Luke Bell, the flour Mill at Blackpill.

John Purnell Oldisworth was Vicar at the small damp Parish church, where 'one can kneel unseen, free from distractions from without' plus two dissenting' chapels, the Methodists on the main road and Paraclete at Newton. The ruins of a castle, which back in 1650 was described as, 'an old decayed castle . . . near unto the sea side '. The Mumbles Railway, begun as a mineral line in 1804, was transporting limestone from the quarries at Mumbles to Swansea and, from 1807 carrying wealthy passengers in horse-drawn 'dandies.'

And of course, the lighthouse was a landmark even then, having been built in 1794 on the outer island to safeguard ships passing by the dangerous Cherrystone Rocks and the Mixen sand-bank. By 1811, it had become home to its third live-in Keeper, Benjamin Llewellyn, his wife Catherine and their four children. Benjamin's duties were round the clock, entailing the cleaning of lenses, wicks and lamps and keeping the light burning 'from one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise throughout the year . . . for the benefit of ships . . . passing the Mumbles Head.'

Several large houses were conspicuous in the area, including Sarah Angell's Dunns Mansion, dating at least from the seventeenth century, The Elms nearby and Georgian Duns Cottage, the final incarnation of which would in our time, be the Royal British Legion. Up on Mumbles hill was Thistleboon House, a large imposing three-storey house, which was home to Daniel and Jane Shewen and their family, until it was put on the market in 1819.

At Norton, three Georgian houses stood side by side - Norton House, built in 1790, its walls finished in Bath stone and included a passage, reputed to lead to the nearby Oystermouth Castle. A few yards away was Norton Lodge, containing 'three parlours, two kitchens, pantry, cellar and brewhouse, plus a drawing room and five bedrooms and stalling for five horses, a large kitchen-garden, a good pump of water and a 'neat cottage upon the premises'. Next door stood Norton Villa, which today, is the site of the Norton Doctors' surgery. Nearby was West Cross House, the home of Captain Henry Andrews, of the 24^th Regiment of Infantry, his wife, Harriet and their four children.

Norton Inn and Coffee House was opened on the shore-side and by the summer of 1811, its visitors were being invited to enjoy 'Sequestered sea-bathing and parties for pleasure, close under Oystermouth Castle and the romantic scenery of Caswell Bay'.

Between Norton and Blackpill was Dan-y-Coed, a large house built around 1810, near to the seventeenth-century diminutive Lilliput Hall and Cottage. At Blackpill, was Mayals Lodge and Woodlands, which had been purchased in 1800 for £1,800 by Colonel George Warde, who then proceeded to rebuild and extend it, renaming it grandly as 'Woodland Castle.' (Clyne Castle).

Now by 1820, the parish was on the threshold of momentous changes, which the future was destined to bring. The oyster and quarrying enterprises were expanding and a fledgling tourism industry was getting underway.