The Dunns, with Fern Cottages and the second Methodist Church, built in 1860 and replaced by 1877 by the Third Methodist Church. The ruins of Dunns Mansion, demolished in 1855 is centre right and the, The Elms residence is further on the right

Prior to the 1890's a high tide would have reached the edge of the road opposite the Marine Hotel and the Methodist Church, but following the extension of the railway, below, the Horsepool 'Harbour' was gone forever and the tide only reaches the edge of today's promenade.

Mumbles Horsepool Harbour from Clements Quarry, c.1870.

Horsepool Harbour, Skiffs and The Antelope Public House, with the tide out, before 1883

The Horsepool, in the centre of the above left photograph, was a naturally formed 'harbour' in Mumbles' which by the mid 1800s, had been in use for at least 200 years.

Since 17C, many Mumbles fishermen would lay up their craft all along the shore as far out as Southend (called Outalong by locals) and in stormy weather, at the Horsepool, a natural haven.

Horsepool Harbour, Skiffs and The Antelope Public House, with the tide in.

Mumbles, when the tide reached the Methodist Church, before 1890. From Stuart Bishop.

Also a fine view of Clements Quarry.
There are some interesting fossils in Clement's Quarry (Quarry car-park) which are unique to the area, notably Spirifer oystermouthensis, a brachiopod and Zaphenta oystermouthensis, a cornet-shaped coral.

The third Methodist Church on the shoreline, in the centre, before 1890

The Marine Hotel, formerly Horsepool House, pre 1890

As to the origin of the name HORSEPOOL, no one knows for sure. One suggestion was 'Hawse Pole' i.e. a river marker or 'Hoecepol' the point of entry from where taxes could be levied. Another was a 'pool for horses'- very unlikely in this case, as for 100s of years it was a salt-water harbour.

Building the extension of the railway across the Horsepool 'Harbour'

The breakwater, or quay seen from The Dunns, Oystermouth.

A closer view of the breakwater, or quay, constructed next to Village Lane slipway, so as to shelter the Oyster Skiffs.

BEFORE

Oystermouth Tithe Map, with The Horsepool Harbour.

AFTER

The railway extension across The Horsepool Harbour, OS . WG Archive.

The extension to Mumbles Head is complete and the ballast bank is filled in, c.1900

The Mumbles Railway

Sale of Freehold Building Land
at Mumbles - Oystermouth 1898

Photo: R F Roberts, posted on Swansea Past and Present

REFERENCE

LOT 1 includes: all of:-
Lot A -Today this includes the site of Boots The Chemist (Oystermouth Square) along to the boundary between the site of the Bowling Green and the lane at the rear of Cornwall Place.
[Part of Lot A - the site of the Tennis Courts and Bowling Green, were reserved for public use and maintained by the City and County of Swansea.]

Lot B -Today this includes the site of Cornwall Place and Devon Place.

Lot C -Today is the site of the Catholic Church and Promenade Terrace.

LOT 2 -Today is the site of the Bristol Channel Yacht Club

Note: Correct as edited in December 2023.

The shoreline, altered by the extension of the railway to Southend and with buildings on the reclaimed land, post 1910.

Beginning at the lower right are: Tom Evans New Pavilion, Devon Place and Cornwall Place, Bowling Green, Figure Eight and Fairground, The Kursaal Entertainments Hall and Cinema.

The Bowling Green and 'New' Cinema well as All Saints' Church

This aerial view includes: All Saints' Church, bowling green, tennis courts, The New Cinema, The Royal British Legion Hut, The rear of 'Kemps' The Draper and opposite, Claremont Villas, Fern Cottages. Dated by The Mumbles Steam Railway, shown between 1922 & 1928.

The shoreline, altered by the extension of the railway to Southend, pre 1939.

Mumbles aerial, with All Saints' Church, Quarry, Castle and New Cinema: pre 1939 - Photo: Aerofilms

On the reclaimed land are The Kursaal Entertainment Hall, Fairground including Figure of Eight, Cornwall Place, part of Devon Terrace, Tom Owen's Promenade Pavilion and part of Promenade Terrace.

Mumbles and The Dunns, From Clement's Quarry, post 1915

View from Clement's Quarry, November 2006

New houses and shops have appeared in the foreground of today's view. The Shops on the seaward side of The Dunns were demolished in 1971. In 1960 the Mumbles Train ceased running after 156 years and the promenade which follows the track is now for walkers and cyclists. The Quarry is now a carpark and recycling centre.

The wooden breakwater or groyne, seen in the centre of this 1926 photo, is now gone.

The fishermen complained about the loss of their natural harbour, so the railway company offered to build them a wooden breakwater or groyne as protection for their boats. It soon fell into disrepair because the local council refused to maintain it and a large part was swept away in a gale in September 1904.

A modern view of Promenade Terrace, Patricks With Rooms and Rockhill House, Pond Steps, Southend. February 2016

Regatta day at Southend in the 1920s. The photo was taken from the bridge opposite The George Hotel.

Many of photos in our archive were taken from this bridge over the railway at Southend, which was demolished when the railway was closed

On 2 March 1929, a gleaming new fleet of brown & cream (later changing to red) electric trains superseded the steam locomotives.

The Mumbles Train passing the Bristol Chanel Yacht Club (BCYC) at Southend, from Ronal Studden, 1933.

The years leading up to the Great War were undoubtedly the hey-day of the line with immense numbers of holiday-makers and day-trippers visiting the village.

The open-top bus on route to Limeslade Bay, 1982

The new Knab Rock car park and slipway

Construction work underway on the Knab Rock slipway, photo: 1983

Construction work underway on the Knab Rock slipway, photo: August 1983

The new Knab Rock development, photo: 20 July 1984

Knab Rock slipway, between 1984 and 1993

Knab Rock slipway during yachting event, pre 1993

Verdi's Restaurant was opened in July 1993 at Knab Rock, photo: July 2006

Around 1860

A rare photo of quarrying and tramway showing this area in 1860, today this is on the roadside of The Knab Rock car park.

Around 1870

Quarried cliffs beyond Southend, with the remains of an earlier tramway, today this is in the area between the Knab rock car park and the inshore Lifeboat Station.

before 1883

In the 1880s, Oystermouth Local Board began ideas to extend the road from outside the Beaufort at Southend onwards towards Mumbles Head, thence to Bracelet and Limeslade and eventually around the cliffs to Langland. The proposed route caused much objection and argument and, as we know, there was not to be a 'road over the hill', 'a road around the cliff to Bracelet Bay' or 'a road around the cliffs to Langland.'

Eventually The Mumbles Road, as recorded in this pre 1883 photo, had already reached the site of the Old Lifeboat Station (opened in 1883) and was completed through to Bracelet Bay during 1888, opening, in the October of that year. It was built in celebration of Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee.

The road travels behind the Limekiln (much reduced in size) shown in the photo above. The road through the cutting was welcomed, as it made travel to Bracelet and beyond much easier. Comparing the photos shows that the quarrying has taken the coastline b ack a hundred yards or so over the years between time when theses two photos were taken.

There have also been many changes at Mumbles Pier since it opened in May 1898.

The remains of Oyster skiffs (boats)

The wrecked remains of several oyster skiffs (boats), which lie near the sea wall and are a small, but constant reminder of a proud and hard-working band of men, who once worked in this thriving centre of our past sea-going community.

A new Coastal Protection Scheme, was begun in 2023

The Swansea Council scheme will help protect homes, businesses and people from flooding and the risk of rising sea levels. Some of the existing defences are in a poor condition, with a risk of flooding. The flood risk level is expected to increase in the future due to predicted sea level rises. The project will see more than a kilometre of new sea defences built between Southend and Oystermouth Square, Mumbles.

Knights Brown was appointed as the contractor to undertake the work, which is commenced in January 2023 and is proposed to be completed over approximately 80 weeks. Project Overview, along with numerous photos and various plans concening the scheme, can be found on the Knights Brown website (this takes you away from this page).

The project will combine improved coastal defences with improvements to the Promenade right next to the main seawall.