Gazetteer of
British Place Names

Swansea is a coastal city in Glamorgan. Swansea Castle was founded by Henry de Beaumont in 1107 as the caput of the lordship of Gower. Swansea was designated chief town of the lordship and received its first borough charter sometime between 1158 and 1184. From the early 1700s to the late 1800s, Swansea was the world's leading copper-smelting area. The port of Swansea initially traded in wine, hides, wool, cloth and later in coal. The city expanded rapidly in the 18th and 19th centuries, and was termed "Copperopolis". In the Second World War, Swansea's industrial importance made it a target of German bombing, and much of the town centre was destroyed during the Swansea Blitz on the 19, 20 and 21 February 1941. In 1969, Swansea was granted city status to mark Prince Charles's investiture as the Prince of Wales. The Welsh name, Abertawe, translates as "mouth/estuary of the Tawe" and it is likely this name was used for the area before a settlement was established. The city is within the council area of Swansea.

Place Type: City
Alternative name(s): Abertawe
Historic County: Glamorgan
Lat, Long: 51.62011,-3.9414177
Grid Reference: SS656930
Police Area: South Wales
Council Area: Swansea
Country: Wales

GBPNID: 43480
Entry Type: Main listing (P)
URL: https://gazetteer.org.uk/place/Swansea,_Glamorgan_43480

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