Cwmbwrla (English: Bwrla valley) is a residential area and community of Swansea in Wales, within the Cwmbwrla ward of the city.[1] Located on rising ground about 1 mile (1.6 km) north of the city centre, it takes its name from the valley of the Burlais Brook[2] (now culverted) which flows down from here to join the River Tawe immediately northeast of Swansea railway station. The neighbouring districts are Manselton, Greenhill, Mayhill, Townhill, and Cwmdu.
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Swansea_Wales_communities_-_Cwmbwrla_locator.png/250px-Swansea_Wales_communities_-_Cwmbwrla_locator.png)
The population of the community and ward was 7,972 in 2011.[3]
Local Housing and Amenities
editCwmbwrla is a predominantly residential area with just a few local convenience stores. Local amenities include Burlais Primary School, CREST- a day centre for mental health services, FOYD - Friends of the Young Disabled buildings (previously head offices of Cwmfelin Steel), a Work-Based Learning Provider - Swansea ITeC and Cwmbwrla Park which contains several playing fields including two football pitches.
History
editCwmbwrla was first known as Burlakesbrok in the 12th century, from a local stream. By 1641 the stream had been Cymricised to Bwrla and Cwm was added as a prefix.[4]
At the end of the 1950s and early 1960s, Cwmbwrla went through several changes. Before the decision to build a roundabout was made, the village was typical of many other Welsh villages. There were rows of shops on either side, with the Tivoli (the cinema ) which also served as a community center on the other side. There was a black and white police box there too, a car auctioneers, Cyril Price, and the Gate House pub which was named after the tollgate and was there during the meow raids.
There were also four Nonconformist Chapels:
- Capel-y-Gat (demolished)
- Y Babell ( demolished)
- the Gorse Mission (still standing)
- Libanus chapel. (demolished after being damaged by fire in 2012)[5]
Notable figures
editWales international footballers John and Mel Charles; Mel Nurse; Jackie Roberts; Ernie Jones;[6] and Ivor and Len Allchurch;were all born and raised in the area.
Census 2011
editIn the census of 2011 the situation is as follows:[7][8]
External links
edit- Friends of the Young Disabled, Cwmbwrla
References
edit- ^ "Cwmbwrla Ward Profile" (PDF).
- ^ Winstone, Marilyn; Rachel Hare (2001). "Rhagymadrodd". Before The Roundabout - A Swansea Childhood. Port Talbot, Gorllewin Morgannwg: M. Winstone. p. 7. ASIN B0019ZD65G.
- ^ "Custom report - Nomis - Official Labour Market Statistics".
- ^ Gwynedd O. Pierce (2002). Place names in Glamorgan. Merton Priory Press. pp. 57–58. ISBN 1898937575.
- ^ "Old Libanus chapel demolished after fire at Cwmbwrla, Swansea", BBC News, 21 January 2012
- ^ Prior, Neil (18 November 2024). "How Alice Street in Swansea gave Wales five internationals". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
- ^ "2011 Census - Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk.
- ^ "Statistics and research". GOV.WALES.