Cwmbwrla

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.

Location of Cwmbwrla within Swansea

The population of the community and ward was 7,972 in 2011.[3]

Local Housing and Amenities
Foyd Centre, Cwmbwrla, Swansea

Cwmbwrla 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

Cwmbwrla 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 nineteenth century.

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

Wales international footballers John and Mel Charles; Ivor and Len Allchurch; Mel Nurse; Jackie Roberts; and Ernie Jones were all born and raised in the area.

Census 2011

In the census of 2011 the situation is as follows:[6][7]

Census 2011
Cwmbwrla community population (all ages) (7,972)
 
 100%
People over age 3 who speak Welsh (Cwmbwrla) (517)
 
 6.7%
:The percentage through Wales
 
 19%
The number who have been born in Wales (Cwmbwrla) (7107)
 
 89.1%
:The percentage through Wales
 
 73%
The number in work between 16 and 74 years (Cwmbwrla) (1,272)
 
 36.9%
:The percentage through Wales
 
 67.1%

References
  1. "Cwmbwrla Ward Profile" (PDF).
  2. Winstone, Marilyn; Rachel Hare (2001). "Rhagymadrodd". Before The Roundabout - A Swansea Childhood. Port Talbot, Gorllewin Morgannwg: M. Winstone. p. 7. ASIN B0019ZD65G.
  3. https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/localarea?compare=W04000567
  4. Gwynedd O. Pierce (2002). Place names in Glamorgan. Merton Priory Press. pp. 57–58. ISBN 1898937575.
  5. "Old Libanus chapel demolished after fire at Cwmbwrla, Swansea", BBC News, 21 January 2012
  6. "2011 Census - Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk.
  7. "Statistics and research". GOV.WALES.

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