Singleton Park
Singleton Park (Welsh: Parc Singleton) is the largest urban park in the city of Swansea. It is located in Sketty.
The park comprises 250 acres of land. An ornamental garden is located to the south, near the entrance to Swansea University, and a walled botanical garden is located in the centre of the park. On the south-western corner, past the hospital and the university, there is a boating lake with pedalos available, as well as a Crazy Golf course.[1]
History
The park was originally part of the Vivian family estate, which was purchased by Swansea County Borough Council in 1919 for use as a public park. The park superintendent Daniel Bliss, who was trained at Kew Gardens was responsible for the conception of the Singleton Farm botanical gardens and Ornamental Gardens. He was also the main driver behind the purchase of the Vivian estate.[2]
There is an iconic Swiss cottage located inside the park. This was designed by architect P.F. Robinson, who designed Sketty Hall as well as a number of other lodges in the park.[3] The cottage was badly damaged in 2010 in an arson attack but has now been restored and there are plans to use the space as a cafe.[4]
The lakeside pub, Inn on the Lake, became so well known as The Pub On the Pond that the owner later gave in and changed the name. The park has hosted many entertainment and cultural events such as Party in the Park and Proms in the Park which were regular events by local stations The Wave & Swansea Sound and other music events held by the two stations and their partners are Escape into the Park and the former Stars in the Park.[5]
Amenities
Located in the grounds of Singleton Park are:
- Bishop Gore School
- Swansea University main campus
- Singleton Abbey
- The Taliesin Arts Centre (which houses a book shop, arts shop, gallery, theatre and Ancient Egyptian museum)
- Singleton Hospital
- Sketty Hall
- St. Paul's church with Vivian family graves
- Headquarters of 44th Swansea Scout Group
See also
Reference list
- ↑ "Singleton park: A must visit for families of all ages". Swansea Gov. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
- ↑ "Singleton park: A must visit for families of all ages". Swansea Gov. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
- ↑ "Singleton Abbey & Sketty Hall, Swansea, Wales". Parks And Gardens, UK. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
- ↑ "Swansea's Swiss Cottage restored after fire". BBC News. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
- ↑ "Escape Into the Park Official Facebook Page". Facebook. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
External links
Coordinates: 51°36′47″N 3°58′52″W / 51.6130°N 3.9811°W