Townhill, Swansea facts for kids

Townhill is a place in Swansea, Wales, UK. It's a hill, a neighborhood where people live, and also a local area with its own council.

History of Townhill

Homes built in the 1920s on Pantycelyn Road, Swansea. They were part of the Townhill estate, designed like a "Garden City."

Long ago, in the Middle Ages, Townhill was a big area of woods and open land. People called it "the mountain." In Welsh, it was known as Graig Llwyd. The name Town Hill became common around the mid-1700s.

After a law in 1762, much of this land became farms. Only small parts of the original open land remain today.

Building the Townhill Estate

Townhill became a place for homes because the Swansea County Borough Council wanted to build good, affordable houses. This was for working families who needed better places to live. The Council started a special department for housing in 1902.

They were inspired by the "Garden City" idea. This idea was about building new towns or neighborhoods with lots of green spaces. These places would have good homes and a healthy environment.

In 1910, the Council showed off some model homes. This led to building new council houses in a nearby area called Mayhill. This project worked well and saved money. So, the Council decided to plan a much bigger estate on Townhill. By 1913, they had plans for 500 new houses.

Homes for Heroes

Building was put on hold because of the First World War. But after the war, the government wanted to provide "homes fit for heroes" for soldiers returning home. A new law in 1919 helped fund these houses. Swansea Council was ready with its plans.

So, in the 1920s, the Townhill estate was built. The nearby Mayhill area was also completed. In total, about 4,000 council homes were built in Swansea during this time.

The new streets in Townhill and Mayhill were named after important people from Welsh history and culture. Townhill Community School was also built in 1924.

The College on the Hill

In 1912, a college for teachers moved to Townhill. It was on the western side of the hill. Over the years, this college changed names several times. It became part of Swansea Metropolitan University. This university later joined with the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. The campus closed in 2018. The site is now planned for new homes, but the old college building will be kept.

Townhill District Today

The Townhill area is part of the Townhill electoral ward. In 2011, about 8,696 people lived here.

The Townhill district has council homes and some private houses. It's built on a steep hill. You can see it from Swansea city centre. From Townhill, you can look down over Swansea city centre, Swansea Docks, and Swansea Bay to the south. To the north, you can see areas like Cockett and Cwmbwrla.

At the top of the hill, there are local places like a public library and the Townhill Community primary school. There's also a nursery school and some playing fields.

Townhill Churches

Townhill Baptist Church started in the late 1920s. It still holds services today in its original building.

St Nicholas on the Hill is the main church for Townhill and Mayhill. It's located on the corner of Dyfed Avenue and Powys Avenue.

Townhill Landform

Behind Swansea city centre to the north is a large piece of rock called Townhill. The very top of Townhill is about 175 meters (574 feet) above sea level. [1]

The Townhill housing estate is at the top of the hill. It slopes down towards the northwest. The Mayhill area is on the northeast side of the hill. The steepest side of the hill is to the southeast. This part is covered by the Mount Pleasant district. The Uplands area is on the southwest side. It slopes gently down towards Singleton Park.

Rosehill Quarry Community Park

Around the hill, there's a band of rock that's too steep to build on. The City and County of Swansea council recognizes this area as a "wildlife corridor." This means it's a natural path for animals and plants.

On the south side of the hill, in this band, is the Rosehill Quarry Community Park. Rosehill Quarry is a natural green space in the city. It's not fully cultivated, meaning parts are left wild.

You can find a stream, a waterfall, and several ponds here. There are over a hundred types of plants, including oak trees, royal fern, and rowan trees. About thirty kinds of birds live in the park. These include sparrowhawks, kestrels, and tawny owls. You might also see frogs, newts, dragonflies, and damselflies. The blue-tailed damselfly is even a symbol for the quarry!

For fun, the park has picnic tables, play equipment, and a BMX bike track.

The Rosehill Quarry site is six acres big. Stone was taken from this quarry starting in the 1840s to build houses. This quarrying created the only flat ground in the area.

The area was left empty for a while. Then, in the early 1900s, it was used as a tennis court. But it later fell into disuse again. In the 1970s, there were plans to build apartments, but they were never built.

In the 1970s and 1980s, local people worked hard to save the land. They convinced the local council to buy it. The council then made it a "public open space." A group called the Rosehill Quarry Group was formed. With help from the council, they developed and now take care of the quarry. It became the first community park in Swansea!