SwanseaCAM - 170901 A walk around Mumbles

ARCHIVE PICTURES.

Monday 17th September 2001.
A walk around Mumbles.

Weather: Mainly sunny.

Image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Image reproduced with kind
permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland

Newton Road, the main shopping street, is the starting point for my stroll around the village.

A little further down the road, a turning on the left leads to Oystermouth Castle.

Although I have visited the grounds many times before I've never been inside the castle. The gates are open so I decide to go in. The first castle was built in or about 1100 by the new lord of the manor William de Londres. It was raided and burnt down by the Welsh in 1116 and William fled. The lords of Gower rebuilt the castle but it was attacked and damaged again in 1216. In December 1224, King Edward 1 stayed at the castle for two days Later the castle was again destroyed. It was rebuilt in stone and over the next few centuries was extended and strengthened. By 1331, the lords of Gower no longer lived at the castle and a gradual decline set in. In 1650 it was described as "an old decayed castle"

A stone spiral stairway ascends to the upper part of the castle...... .

.... from where there is a good view across the bay to the east side of Swansea. Directly above the pigeons, in the docks, one can see the white hull and superstructure of the Swansea/Cork ferryboat. .

I move along to another part of the castle and look out over the rooftops of Oystermouth to the Mumbles Pier and the lighthouse.

Again, at a lower position on the castle walls, I point my camera in the same direction as before but this time I adjust the zoom lens to get a closer view of the lifeboat station and slipway at the end of the pier. .

I've had a good look around the castle, explored the narrow passageways and descended into dark rooms with stone vaulted ceilings, now it's time to resume my walk. I rejoin Newton Road, walk down to the seafront and turn right into Mumbles Road. The flag topped tower of All Saints Church stands below a tree covered hillside. Plans are being made to restore the early 12th Century tower and rehang the three famous bells from the Jesuit Cathedral of La Compania in Santiago, capital of Chile.

Further along I stop to admire the flower beds before crossing the road .....

..... to look at one of the older parts of the village.

From the top of these time worn steps I watch a couple of residents making their way up to their cottage.

Just off to the right of the steps is another row of similar cottages. At one time these properties would have been occupied by the families of the very many fishermen and others who earned their living from the sea.

There is no room for parking in these narrow lanes.

Returning to the seafront I walk along the promenade on my way back to the castle .

There are quite a lot of people here today enjoying the sunshine and sea air..

Mumbles is a boating centre and a large area of the seafront is used as a boat park..

Just a little way to go now before the end of my walk. Ahead of me, on the hillside, is the castle.....'bye. .

Thank you for visiting my website. All photos were taken using a Nikon 990 digital camera.
You are welcome to copy and use any of the photographs for non-commercial purposes. If you include any of these photographs on your own website, please credit Alex Thomas as the photographer and add a link to this website.