Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales
History of Swansea

Swansea was once called Sweins eg or ey, which means Swein’s Island. The island stood at the mouth of the River Tawe. Who Swein was is not known for sure but he may have been a Norseman who built a fort on the island about 1000 AD and used it as a base for raiding the Welsh coast.

The town of Swansea was founded in the early 12th century when the Normans conquered the area. The Norman lord built a wooden castle on the site of Worcester Place. (It was rebuilt in stone in the early 13th century). A town soon grew up by the castle. The garrison of Swansea castle provided a market for the townspeople’s goods. Many of the townspeople were English immigrants.

At some time between 1158-84, Swansea was given a charter (a document granting the townspeople certain rights). King John gave Swansea another charter in 1215.

In Medieval Swansea, the main industries were leather and wool. Leather and wool from Swansea were exported to England so were hides, butter, cheese, and grain.

Like all towns Swansea was devastated by the Black Death of 1348-49 which may have killed half the population.

The port of Swansea grew busier and busier as coal mining in South Wales boomed. Increasing amounts of coal were exported from Swansea. By the 17th century, iron was also exported from Swansea. Shipbuilding continued in Swansea. So did the wool weaving industry. Swansea was also noted for making gloves.

In the late 18th century Swansea began to boom. From 1716 copper was smelted in Swansea. In 1755 a lead works opened. In 1764 a pottery plant was founded. Pottery became an important industry during the 19th century. From 1777 zinc was made in Swansea.

In the 19th century, Swansea became a centre of the metalworking industry. Vast amounts of zinc and copper were made there and then exported through the port. After 1845 tinplate was made in Swansea. (Steel covered in tin). By the late 19th century the tinplate industry was booming.

Like all 19th-century towns, Swansea was overcrowded, dirty, and unsanitary. There were epidemics of cholera in Swansea in 1832 and 1849.

Swansea suffered severely in the bombing raids of the Second World War. In all 387 people were killed in Swansea and the heart of the city was destroyed. It was rebuilt in the 1960s.

The economy of Swansea boomed again during the Second World War but after it ended the traditional metalworking industries nosedived. Coal mining in the Swansea area disappeared by the end of the 20th century.

In 1969 Swansea was made a city.

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