Mayals is an

electoral ward A ward is a local authority area, typically used for electoral purposes. In some countries, wards are usually named after neighbourhoods, thoroughfares, parishes, landmarks, geographical features and in some cases historical figures connected to t ...

and

suburb A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separate ...

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 ...

, Wales. It is located about 6 kilometers 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 ...

. Mayals is considered a part of the larger district of Mumbles, along with the nine other settlements within the community council region. In 2022, Mayals had a population of 2,600, compared with the 2011 census, at which point Mayals had a population of 2,676. Mayals borders the areas of

Sketty The suburban district of Sketty ( cy, Sgeti) is about 2 miles (3.2 km) west of the Swansea city centre on Gower Road. It falls within the Sketty council ward of Swansea. It is also a community. Description The area approximates to the Vivi ...

, Killay, Fairwood, Bishopston, and

West Cross West Cross is a suburban area of Swansea, Wales, located to the south of Swansea city centre, near Mumbles falling within the West Cross ward. Description A high majority of the homes are Council built, but many have been sold to the occupiers ...

. The majority of Mayals is situated within the

Gower 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 ...

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB; , AHNE) is an area of countryside in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, that has been designated for conservation due to its significant landscape value. Areas are designated in recognition of thei ...

, which was the first AONB to be established in 1956. The suburb of Mayals is a mostly residential area, containing

Clyne Gardens Clyne Gardens is a botanical garden located in Swansea, Wales, UK. The current park was formed from the landscaped gardens created by Glynn Vivian of the Vivian family who purchased Clyne Castle in 1860. The estate passed to his nephew Algernon ...

, Clyne Golf Club, and Mayals Primary School. Clyne Gardens is a 19-

hectare The hectare (; SI symbol: ha) is a non-SI metric unit of area equal to a square with 100-metre sides (1 hm2), or 10,000 m2, and is primarily used in the measurement of land. There are 100 hectares in one square kilometre. An acre is a ...

botanical garden A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens, an ...

, which has an 18th-century castle,

Clyne Castle Clyne Castle is a Grade II*-listed building situated on a hill overlooking Swansea Bay, adjacent to the Clyne valley, near Blackpill, Swansea. Originally built in 1791 by a wealthy landowner it passed into the hands of the Vivian family and saw m ...

, a Japanese-style bridge and adjoining pond, and a large gazebo. The gardens also contain an extensive plant collection, with over 2,000 different plants including over 800 rhododendrons for which the gardens are renowned. Clyne Gardens is popular with local dog owners, with many walking their dogs within the gardens daily. There is another park within the Mayals area, known locally as West Cross Woodland, despite being situated within the Mayals area. The park is next to Mayals Primary School, and across the street from the West Cross Co-op store, a former pub which was refitted in late 2019. This park contains a small play facility for children, and a small woodland. This park is considerably smaller than Clyne Gardens.

Education

Mayals houses its own

primary school A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary e ...

Mayals Primary School
which takes in students aged 4-11, or Nursery, Infants, and Juniors. There are 247 students as of 2022. The school was last inspected by

Estyn Estyn is the education and training inspectorate for Wales. Its name comes from the Welsh language verb ''estyn'' meaning "to reach (out), stretch or extend". Its function is to provide an independent inspection and advice service on quality ...

in 2022, and are currently under review. Mayals is located within the

Bishopston Comprehensive School Bishopston ( cy, Llandeilo Ferwallt, historically also ''Llanmerwallt'' and ''Llancyngur Trosgardi'') is a large village and community situated on the Gower Peninsula, west south west of the centre of Swansea in South Wales. It is partly wit ...

catchment area In human geography, a catchment area is the area from which a location, such as a city, service or institution, attracts a population that uses its services and economic opportunities. Catchment areas may be defined based on from where people are ...

. Students within the area are also given the option of post 16 education, with

Gower College Swansea Gower College Swansea ( cy, Coleg Gŵyr Abertawe) is a further education college in Swansea, Wales. It was formed in 2010 by the merger of Gorseinon College and Swansea College Mark Jones, previously principal of Bridgend College, became pri ...

being in close proximity, along with

Swansea University , former_names=University College of Swansea, University of Wales Swansea , motto= cy, Gweddw crefft heb ei dawn , mottoeng="Technical skill is bereft without culture" , established=1920 – University College of Swansea 1996 – University of Wa ...

for undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Demographics

The overall population in the Mayals ward according to the 2011 census was 2,676. They had the following ethnic breakdown in 2011

Local Election Results

Since 1997 Mayals has been a single-member ward for the purposes of City and County of Swansea Council elections.

2022

Chris Evans was the first Green Party candidate to gain a seat in the Swansea Council elections, winning the seat from the Conservatives by 125 votes.

2017

2012

2008

Originally elected as a Liberal Democrat in 2004, Rene Harwood Kinzett joined the Conservatives prior to the 2008 election.

Education

Demographics

Local Election Results

2022

2017

2012

2008

2004

1999

1995

References