Transcribed from the 1854 E. Pearse edition ,
COMPRISING
AN ALPHABETICAL AND CLASSIFIEDLIST
OF PROFESSIONAL, COMMERCIAL, AND PRIVATE RESIDENTS;
WITH
A COMPLETE
LIST OF PUBLIC OFFICERS, POSTAL ARRANGEMENTS,
&c., &c.
SWANSEA:
PUBLISHED BY E. PEARSE, PRINTER,BOOKSELLER, AND STATIONER.
1854.
Swansea is most delightfullysituated in the centre of the Bay to which it gives its name,near the junction of the river Tawe with the sea. The townis protected from the chilling influence of the north-west andnorth-easterly winds by two hills lying on either side, butfreely receives those of the south, where it is open to the sea;and the soil being light and gravelly to a considerable depth,the air is both salubrious and agreeable.
Swansea justly claims to be the first and most important townin the Principality. It is the centre of commercialtransactions of very great magnitude, and its status is proved byits having been selected for the Meeting of the BritishAssociation for the advancement of Science, in 1848. Fewcommercial towns have so admirable a sea-side available to theinhabitants, as that which extends from Swansea to the Mumbles,round the western margin of the bay.
The town is in general well planned and built, particularly inthe newer portions, and the shops in the principal streets are inthe most modern style. There are three churches andnumerous chapels belonging to the various denominations ofdissenters. The Castle is an object of principal interestto the antiquary; it is a fine old ruin, built in 1330, and isremarkable for the range of light arches surrounding the top ofthe massive quadrangular tower, and supporting the parapet whichforms p. 4aconnection with the turret at each angle. The Guildhall isa beautiful Grecian structure of Bath stone, and was greatlyenlarged in 1848. The Royal Institution of South Wales,erected for literary and scientific purposes, is a most elegantstructure, the museum and library of which are well worth a visitby strangers, who may obtain ready access by a note from anymember. The Market Buildings are large and commodious, andwell supplied with every kind of provisions, especially butter,poultry, fish and meat, besides other articles of almost everydescription. In the centre is a tower with a two-dialilluminated clock. Principal Market days—Wednesdayand Saturday. The Grammar School founded by Bishop Gore in1682, has been recently restored, and a new building in the TudorGothic style erected on a site at Mount Pleasant, commanding amost beautiful prospect of the Bay and surrounding Country.
There are also other Public Buildings of less importance, ofwhich the following may be especially named,—Custom House,Theatre, Assembly Rooms, Police Court, House of Correction, UnionPoor House Infirmary, National and British Schools, RailwayStation, Docks, Piers, the Deaf and Dumb Asylum, and BeauNash’s Birth-place.
Next to the raising of coal, the most important trade carriedon here is that of copper smelting. The circumstances thatoriginally determined the settlement of cooper smelting in andaround Swansea, are that it is possessed of an excellent andwell-