Swansea Bay provided the greatest catalyst to the city's historical success. First, the Bristol Channel allowed Swansea to develop as a trading post with England and the world at large. It was also the final incentive that pushed the city into becoming the single most important smelting centre of the world. Having been described as one of the three finest bays in the whole world by the 19th century poet Walter Savage Landore, it is little wonder that the bay also attracted great numbers to its sweeping shoreline and thus brought further wealth to the city by becoming a major tourist resort.
The local council realised the money spinning opportunities offered by Swansea Bay as far back as the 18th Century. Wanting to take advantage of this natural resource to help finance the further development of the burgeoning town, a grand assembly house, graced with many bathing machines, was built on the site of the present day County Hall to help attract wealthy summer visitors to the beach. In doing this, they even went so far as to drive away poorer visitors for fear that they might deter these more welcome patrons from visiting or returning to the bay.
These poorer folk could not be dissuaded from taking in the pleasures of Swansea Bay so easily though and, ushered away from the sands around the grand assembly house, they gathered instead further west along the stretch of bay known popularly as "the slip". By 1850, it was the turn of these poorer folk to feed money into the town as what they lacked in individual wealth they certainly made up for in number. Soon "the slip" had become like a mini modern-day Blackpool with stalls and fairground rides of infinite variety lining the coast here.
The bay's popularity faded however as the growing access to the motor car lead many to discover the finer glories of the beaches along the Gower Peninsula . Also, the area's heavy industrial pollution and poor drainage soon turned the bay into a major health hazard. This ultimately lead the beach into being numbered amongst Britain 's most polluted. The attractiveness of the bay faded fast and it is only in recent years that the area has become a favoured haunt once more.
Realising the financial losses this reputation of Swansea Bay made on the town's tourist industry, Swansea Council have recently plunged huge funds into cleaning the bay. Clearing much of the old disused parts of the city docklands and building an award-winning Maritime Quarter upon its skeleton structure has also enhanced the area's appeal greatly. Although still not yet quite suitable for swimming, Swansea Bay 's wide stretch of sand is once more becoming popular amongst sun-worshippers, day trippers and local families alike.
Amongst all local bays, Swansea stands alone in the fact that it can be enjoyed by motorist, cyclist and pedestrian alike. Between 1804 -1960, it could also be enjoyed by train as well. It's large 7 kilometre arc of sand stretches from Swansea Pier in the east to Mumbles Pier in the west, with each segment of the sands finding its own favour amongst visitors and locals alike.
A curious feature of the east end of Swansea Bay are the sea-worn stumps of ancient posts. These are remnants from the time when local fishermen set large net traps along this stretch of beach. This practice is believed to have originated in Norman times and continued until the First World War. During the 18th and early 19th centuries these nets prevented this part of Swansea Bay from being accessed for bathing. Today, however, this region fronting the city's new maritime quarter is by far the most popular area of the bay's large stretch of sand.
Skirting the bay from here to its dramatic conclusion in Mumbles is a well-maintained cycle and pedestrian track. Suitable for all the family to enjoy, it offers a unique opportunity to take in the full splendour of this historic coastline. It is also an excellent precursor to the further coastline delights awaiting once the headland of Mumbles has been turned and the whole of the Gower Peninsula opens up to exploration.
Swansea Bay also has a dark history, being the scene of three public hangings in the 19th century. The last of these hangings attracted over 15,000 spectators to the sands, making this one of the bay's busiest days in history.
Near the foreshore of Swansea Bay , on the area of beach not far from Singleton Hospital , lie the remains of Iron Age woodland. Over time, the gradual encroachment of sand and sea eventually overwhelmed the wood, but the position of it can still be clearly seen defined in the sands today as the flattened stumps and twisted roots of the ancient trees still protrude from the bay at certain low tides.
Another curio on the beach are the remains of a pill box - the only survivor of a series of such anti-aircraft defences which were positioned along the beach during World War 2. This is a Type 26 pill box, which was capable of supporting both rifles and light machine guns, and was designed to hold back any attempted enemy invasion of Swansea during the hostilities.
Gower Beaches
