Uplands, Swansea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Uplands |
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 Uplands Square |
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 Uplands
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| Population | 15,665 |
| OS grid reference | SS641928 |
| Principal area | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | SWANSEA |
| Postcode district | SA1/SA2 |
| Dialling code | 01792 |
| Police | South Wales |
| Fire | Mid and West Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| EU Parliament | Wales |
| UK Parliament |
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| Welsh Assembly |
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Uplands is a lively area in Swansea, Wales. It's about one mile (2 km) west of Swansea city centre. Uplands is known as a "community" in Wales, which is like a local area with its own identity. The main road through Uplands is the A4118, connecting Swansea city centre to Sketty. Many parts of Uplands are quite hilly. In 2011, about 15,665 people lived here.
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Exploring Uplands: Shops and Fun
Uplands has a busy shopping area around Uplands Crescent. Here you can find small local shops mixed with bigger stores like Boots, Sainsbury's, and Tesco. There are also many places to grab a quick meal.
The western side of Bryn-y-Mor Road also has lots of shops. You can find convenience stores, hairdressers, and fashion boutiques. Uplands has become quite popular for its evening activities too. Many new bars and restaurants opened in the early 2010s.
The Uplands Tavern pub has been a popular spot for a long time. Famous writers like Sir Kingsley Amis and Dylan Thomas used to visit it. In 2017, Uplands was even named one of the top "Hip Hang-outs" in the UK by TravelSupermarket.
Every month, there's a local produce market in Gwydr Square. It's a great place to find fresh, local food.
Uplands and Its Homes
Uplands is considered a nice area to live in Swansea. The homes here are often quite large. Many have three floors or four or more bedrooms. Because of their size, some of the bigger houses have been turned into student homes. This makes Uplands a popular place for students from Swansea's two universities.
How Uplands is Governed
Uplands is a "community" in Swansea. However, it does not have its own separate local council, which is called a community council in Wales.
Instead, Uplands is part of an "electoral ward" for Swansea Council. An electoral ward is an area that elects councillors to represent its residents. In the 2022 Swansea Council election, the Uplands Party won all four councillor seats for the Uplands ward.
Famous Buildings and Landmarks
Uplands has several interesting buildings and landmarks.
Eaton Crescent
Eaton Crescent is a well-known residential area close to Swansea's city centre. The politician Michael Heseltine grew up here. The crescent mainly has large, three-story townhouses with many bedrooms.
Stella Maris is a convent on Eaton Crescent. It is home to the Sisters of Ursulines of Jesus. The sisters used to run a private primary school called Stella Maris Primary School, but it is now closed.
Churches and Religious Centres
St. James' Church on Walter Road opened in 1867. It became its own separate church parish in 1985. Pantygwydr Baptist Church opened in 1907. There is also a Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall and the Dharmavajra Kadampa Buddhist Centre in Uplands.
Important Public Buildings
The Mansion House, which is the official home of the Lord Mayor of Swansea, is on Ffynone Road.
Schools in Uplands
Gower College Swansea has its Llwyn-Y-Bryn campus just off Walter Road. There are also two private schools in the area. Oakleigh House offers primary education for younger children. Ffynone House provides senior education for students taking GCSE and A-Level exams.
Parks and Green Spaces
Uplands is home to several lovely parks. These include Cwmdonkin Park, Rosehill Quarry Community Park, and Brynmill Park.
Cwmdonkin Park was very important to the famous writer Dylan Thomas. He lived so close to the park as a child that he could hear other children playing from his bed. The park appears in many of his writings, including the poem 'The hunchback in the park'. A special memorial stone with lines from another of Thomas's poems, 'Fern Hill', was placed in the park in 1963.
Famous People from Uplands
Uplands has been home to several well-known individuals:
- Dylan Thomas was born at 5 Cwmdonkin Drive in 1914. He lived there until he was 19 years old.
- Michael Heseltine, a Conservative MP, lived on Eaton Crescent when he was a child.
- The writer Kingsley Amis and his children, Martin Amis and Sally Amis, lived in Uplands in the 1950s and early 1960s.
- Sir John Roper Wright, 1st Baronet, an important industrialist, had a home called Pant-y-gwydir House in the area. It was taken down before 1907 to make way for new homes.
