Singleton Park
# Singleton Park

Singleton Park (Welsh: Parc Singleton) is the largest urban park in the city of Swansea. It is located in Sketty and is listed on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales.

The park encompasses 250 acres. An ornamental garden is located in the south, near the entrance to Swansea University, while a walled botanical garden is located in the park centre. On the south-western corner, past the hospital and the university, is a boating lake, as well as a miniature golf course.

## History

The park was originally part of the Vivian family estate. It was purchased by Swansea County Borough Council in 1919 for use as a public park. Park superintendent Daniel Bliss, who was trained at Kew Gardens, was conceived of the Singleton Farm botanical gardens and Ornamental Gardens. He was the main driver behind the purchase of the estate.

During the Second World War, the park hosted the Armaments Research Department a detachment of the Woolwich Arsenal under Sir Robert Robertson (1869-1949). While in 1944 over 1500 American soldiers were billeted for training on the beaches prior to landing on Omaha Beach, Normandy.

A Gorsedd stone circle was erected in 1925 for the Eisteddfod held in Singleton Park, Swansea, and was enlarged in 1964.

The park hosts entertainment and cultural events such as Party in the Park and Proms in the Park The Wave and Swansea Sound and other music events held by local stations and their partners are Escape into the Park and the former Stars in the Park. The BBC hosted Proms on the Park and the Biggest Weekend. Artists who have performed in the park include Jess Glynne and the Stereophonics.

## Gardens

Singleton Park has several formal gardens in addition to the Botanical Garden, there is an Italianate Garden and ornamental garden.

### Botanical Gardens

Originally called the Educational Gardens the botanical gardens were opened on 25th May 1926 housing a collection of economic plants and British flora. During the second world war part of the gardens were used for growing vegetables as part of the Dig for Victory campaign.

The original wooden glasshouses were replaced in 1987 as they had become unsafe, and replaced by aluminium structures. Ty Blodau (English: Flower House) is a purpose-built education and visitors center opened in 2006, funded by the Friends of the City of Swansea Botanical Complex.

A Wildflower/Wellbeing Garden was created as an extension to the botanical gardens in 2017, creating a little slice of wild among the more formal settings of the traditional garden.

The Friends of the City of Swansea Botanical Complex commissioned the creation of a bi-lingual commemorative panel to celebrate the Centenary of Singleton Park being in public ownership. The panel will be displayed in the Botanical Gardens. This panel was unveiled by descendants of the Vivian family on Sunday 4 August 2019. In 2022 the park, including the former gardens of Sketty Hall, was listed at Grade I on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales.

## Structures

### Buildings

A Swiss cottage is located inside the park. It was designed by architect P.F. Robinson, who designed Sketty Hall as well as other lodges in the park. The cottage was badly damaged in 2010 in an arson attack, but was restored. 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.

| Building and structure | Architect | Year |
| - | - | - |
| Bishop Gore School | | 1952 |
| Mosque | | |
| Union House | | |
| Institute of Life Science 1 and 2 | | 2007 and 2009 |
| Digital Technium | | 2005 |
| Talbot Building | | |
| Faraday Building | | |
| Glyndwr Building | | c. 1960s |
| Vivian Tower | | c. 1960s |
| Kier Hardie Building | | |
| Callaghan Building | | |
| Wallace Building | Percy Thomas Partnership | 1956 |
| Grove Building | | 1961 |
| Fulton House, Swansea (originally College House) | Norman Thomas | 1961 |
| 1937 Library | Verner O. Rees | 1937 |
| Library and Information Building | Sir Percy Thomas & Son | 1963 |
| Singleton Abbey | | |
| Singleton Home Farm | | |
| Singleton Hospital | | |
| Sketty Hall | | 1852 |
| Taliesin Arts Center | The Peter Moro Partnership | 1984 |
| The Swiss Cottage | P.F. Robinson (1776-1858) | 1826 |
| Veranda House | Henry Woodyer | 1852 |

### Gate Houses

| Building and structure | Architect | Year |
| - | - | - |
| Gower Lodge(also known as Veranda Lodge or North Lodge) | possibly Haycock | mid-1800s |
| Brynmill Lodge | Henry Woodyer | 1854 |
| Sketty Green Lodge (also known as Sketty Lane Lodge) | P.F. Robinson (1776-1858) | |
| Ty Harry | P.F. Robinson (1776-1858) | |
