Dunvant

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**Dunvant Ward**

Ordnance Survey
OS grid reference:	Maps for SS5994
Geography
Principal locality	Dunvant
Total population	4,679 (2001 census)
Land area (km²)	2.41 (2001 census)
Administration
Local council:	City and County of Swansea
Number of councillors:	1
Nation:	Wales
Post office and telephone
PostCode(s):	SA2
Dialling code:	+44-1792
Politics
Welsh Assembly:	{{{AssemblyConstituency}}}
UK Parliament:	Swansea West
European Parliament:	Wales

Dunvant is the name of an electoral ward, a community and a village in the City and County of Swansea, South Wales.

The electoral ward consists of some or all of the following areas, Derlwyn, Dunvant, Killay, in the parliamentary constituency of Swansea West. It is bounded by Fairwood to the east; Gowerton to the north; Killay North to the east and Killay South to the south.

The village of Dunvant is situated in Gower Peninsula in a valley about 3.5 miles west of Swansea City Centre. Dunvant Rugby Club is based here as well as Dunvant Male Choir. The Clyne Valley Cycle Track part of National Cycle Network Route 4 runs through this village.

1 History
2 Famous People born in Dunvant
3 External links
- 3.1 Churches in Dunvant

[edit] History

Dunvant started out as a small village based around the coal industry. The area between Dunvant and Gowerton was once quite heavily industrialised. with four nearby collieries Killan, Bishwell, Bryn Mawr and Dunvant. Bishwell and Bryn Mawr to the south of Gowerton were short-lived and closed in the 1870s. However, the collieries in Dunvant have a longer history. Dunvant closed again in 1914. Killan ceased operations in 1925 following the disaster of 1924 in which 5 men were killed. At its peak it employed 900 men. Other industry included the Penlan (Dunvant) Brickworks and Quarry which although long since derelict is now an area of conservation and ecological diversity.

Development of this part of the South Wales Coalfield was due to the proximity of the Central Wales Line, which first opened to passengers in 1867 taking people from Swansea Victoria station via Blackpill through to Gowerton and beyond. At its peak, the railway carried up to 80 trains a day including express trains to Shrewsbury. Houses in the area sprung up in the form of ribbon development along the roads leading to the area in the early 1920s and 1930s. However, it was in the 1960s that larger housing estates appeared, creating the sub-urban area forming Dunvant today.

[edit] Famous People born in Dunvant

Ceri Richards (1903-1971), Artist, acknowledged as Wales’ most important artist of the mid-twentieth century. went to Dunvant infants and junior school.
John Ormond (1923-90), poet and film-maker.
Sir Granville Beynon (1914-1996), Internationally renown scientist