Gowerton ( cy, Tregŵyr) is a large village and
community
A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as place, norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a country, village, tow ...
, about 4 miles north west of
Swansea city centre
Swansea city centre in Swansea, Wales, contains the main shopping, leisure and nightlife district in Swansea. The city centre covers much of the Castle ward including the area around Oxford Street, Castle Square, and the Quadrant Shopping Centr ...
, Wales. Gowerton is often known as the gateway to the
Gower Peninsula
Gower ( cy, Gŵyr) or the Gower Peninsula () in southwest Wales, projects towards the Bristol Channel. It is the most westerly part of the historic county of Glamorgan. In 1956, the majority of Gower became the first area in the United Kingdom ...
. Gowerton's original name was Ffosfelin. The village falls within the
Gowerton electoral ward of the
City and County of Swansea Council
, coa_pic =
, coa_res =
, coa_alt =
, logo_pic = Swansea City Council Logo.svg
, logo_res =
, logo_alt =
, house_type = Unitary authority
, jurisdiction =
, foundation = 1 April 1996
, preceded_by = West Glamorgan County Council S ...
, which elects one councillor. The
community
A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as place, norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a country, village, tow ...
had a population of 5,212. and the built-up area with
Waunarlwydd
Waunarlwydd ( en, The Lord's Meadow – ''arlwydd'' is a local variant of ''arglwydd'') is a village and community in Swansea, Wales, within the newly formed Waunarlwydd ward in 2021. Wendy Lewis Labour is the first elected councillor for the ...
8,183.
In 1980, the Welsh
National Eisteddfod
The National Eisteddfod of Wales (Welsh: ') is the largest of several eisteddfodau that are held annually, mostly in Wales. Its eight days of competitions and performances are considered the largest music and poetry festival in Europe. Competitors ...
(named after ''Dyffryn Lliw'', see below) was held at the Elba sports complex in the village. The Eisteddfod stone (
Gorsedd stones) is located on the roundabout (grid ref. 585966) on the B4295 road to Penclawdd.
Geography
Nearby villages/towns are
Penclawdd (west),
Three Crosses
Three Crosses ( lt, Trys kryžiai, pl, Góra Trzykrzyska) is a prominent monument in Vilnius, Lithuania, on the Hill of Three Crosses, originally known as the Bald Hill ( lt, Plikasis kalnas), in Kalnai Park. According to a legend, which find ...
and
Dunvant
Dunvant ( cy, Dyfnant) (Dyfn - deep; nant - stream or brook) is a suburban district and community (parish) in the City and County of Swansea, Wales, and falls within the Dunvant ward. It is situated in a valley some 4.5 miles west of Swansea cit ...
(south),
Waunarlwydd
Waunarlwydd ( en, The Lord's Meadow – ''arlwydd'' is a local variant of ''arglwydd'') is a village and community in Swansea, Wales, within the newly formed Waunarlwydd ward in 2021. Wendy Lewis Labour is the first elected councillor for the ...
(east, contiguous with Gowerton),
Gorseinon
Gorseinon is a town within the City and County of Swansea, Wales, near the Loughor estuary. It was a small village until the late 19th century when it grew around the coal mining and tinplate industries. It is situated in the north west of Swa ...
(north) and
Loughor
Loughor () ( cy, Casllwchwr) is a Welsh town in the City and County of Swansea, within the Historic counties of Wales, historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales. It lies on the estuary of the River Loughor. The town has a community (Wales), ...
(north-west).
From 1974 to 1966, Gowerton was part of the district of Lliw Valley (''Dyffryn Lliw'') within West Glamorgan.
People from Gowerton are often referred to as "starch". When the local area processed steel for export, the steel owners and white collar workers lived in the Gowerton area; hence the name "starch". On the other hand, many of the manual workers resided in neighbouring Penclawdd and are known by the affectionate term "donks".
Gowerton is twinned with
La Gacilly
La Gacilly (; ) is a commune in the Morbihan department of Brittany in north-western France. It is located on the right bank of the Aff River, about north of Redon, on the train line between Vannes and Rennes and about from both. It extended ...
in
Brittany
Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, Historical region, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
.
Politics
Gowerton elects a
community council
A community council is a public representative body in Great Britain.
In England they may be statutory parish councils by another name, under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, or they may be non-statutory bodies. In ...
of thirteen members in two wards: East and West.
Education
Gowerton has three schools:
Gowerton Primary school
Gowerton ( cy, Tregŵyr) is a large village and community, about 4 miles north west of Swansea city centre, Wales. Gowerton is often known as the gateway to the Gower Peninsula. Gowerton's original name was Ffosfelin. The village falls within the ...
,
Gowerton Comprehensive School
Gowerton School is a secondary school located in Gowerton, near Swansea, Wales.
History
Intermediate School
The school opened on 5 October 1896 in Talbot Street as a co-educational Intermediate school under the Welsh Intermediate Education A ...
and
Ysgol Gyfun Gŵyr
Ysgol Gyfun Gŵyr is a Welsh language medium secondary school in Gowerton, Swansea, Wales, with approximately 950 pupils as of 2016. It was established in 1984. Notable past students include footballer John Hartson, soprano Elin Manahan Thom ...
(Welsh medium comprehensive school).
Religion
Gowerton once had five church or chapel buildings: St John's Church (built 1882), Tabernacl (opened 1893) Temple United Reformed Church (opened 1888), Bethel (opened 1873) and Bethania (opened 1891). However, only two, St John's Church and Temple URC, still remain. Bethel has lain in ruins for two decades and both Tabernacl and Bethania have been demolished.
Transport
Bus services are provided by
First Cymru
First Cymru is an operator of bus services in South West Wales. It is a subsidiary of FirstGroup with its headquarters in Swansea.
History
In 1987, South Wales Transport was sold during the privatisation of the National Bus Company in a man ...
and NAT. These depart Gowerton from Hill Street or Sterry Road.
First Cymru
First Cymru is an operator of bus services in South West Wales. It is a subsidiary of FirstGroup with its headquarters in Swansea.
History
In 1987, South Wales Transport was sold during the privatisation of the National Bus Company in a man ...
provide a half-hourly service (no. 16) through the village to
Swansea
Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Swansea ( cy, links=no, Dinas a Sir Abertawe).
The city is the twenty-fifth largest in ...
and
Gorseinon
Gorseinon is a town within the City and County of Swansea, Wales, near the Loughor estuary. It was a small village until the late 19th century when it grew around the coal mining and tinplate industries. It is situated in the north west of Swa ...
.
Gowerton railway station
, symbol_location = gb
, symbol = rail
, image = Gowerton railway station - geograph.org.uk - 3673649.jpg
, borough = Gowerton, Swansea
, country = Wales
, coordinates =
, g ...
is on the
West Wales Line, between Swansea and Llanelli. Gowerton once had two railway stations, but today only one remains. This was made single-track in 1986. Work began in November 2012 to restore the double track to Gowerton by mid-2013, this has now been completed.
Sport
The local rugby club is
Gowerton RFC
Gowerton Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club based in Gowerton near Swansea, Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and w ...
.
Gowerton's Elba Sports Complex is home to Swansea Senior League Second Division, Gowerton FC.
Gowerton has a golf range and a nine-hole, par 3 golf course.
See also
*
Villages in Gower
The Gower Peninsula ( cy, Gŵyr) in the City and County of Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It contains over twenty villages and communities.
Villages
Bishopston
Bishopston (, or historically ''Llanme ...
References
External links
Gowerton local historyGowerton primary school
{{authority control
Communities in Swansea
Districts of Swansea
Villages in Swansea
Swansea Bay (region)