Bishopston
| Bishopston Welsh: Llandeilo Ferwallt | |
| Glamorgan | |
|---|---|
 Pwll-Du Bay | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SS5888 |
| Location: | 51°34’30"N, 4°3’4"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 3,251 (2011 (ward)[1]) |
| Post town: | Swansea |
| Postcode: | SA3 |
| Dialling code: | 01792 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Swansea |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Gower |
Bishopston is a village and parish situated on the Gower Peninsula of Glamorgan, some six miles west-south-west of the centre of Swansea. It is one of the largest villages on Gower. Bishopston has its own rugby club, South Gower RFC, and its own primary and comprehensive schools. Local beaches include Brandy Cove, Caswell Bay and Pwll Du. It is bounded by the Bristol Channel to the south; Oystermouth to the east; and Pennard to the west.
It is partly within the Gower Peninsula Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
The church, located at the head of Bishopston Valley, is dedicated to St Teilo who gives the village its Welsh name. Bishopston gives its name to the Bishopston Mudstone, a name used by geologists to refer to a rock formation with a widespread occurrence in south Wales.
Shops and services
Bishopston has several shops including a Co-Op and Post Office. Other local services include a hotel and cafe, three public houses, a petrol station, retirement homes, post office, church halls, sports hall, medical centre and children's play area.
Tourist attractions
Many people visiting Bishopston are attracted to its coastline, mainly Caswell Bay because of its easy accessibility, car parking, seasonal bus service, shops and cafes, public toilets, open-air showers, and seasonal lifeguarding. Other Bishopston beaches, such as Pwll Du and Brandy Cove, which can only be visited on foot, remain untouched by the majority of visitors.
Population and housing
The population of Bishopston has increased steadily from the beginning of the 19th century. In 1801, the first census reported that 303 people were living in 73 houses in the parish of Bishopston. By 1931 the population had increased to around 1,500 people living in 369 houses.[2] In 2001 the population of the village was 3,341. The village experienced significant growth between the First and Second World Wars and in the 1960s.
Bishopston's rural location has influenced the pattern of its development. Most dwellings are detached or semi-detached and benefit from generous gardens. As a result, property in Bishopston is expensive by the standards of most of South Wales and is beyond the reach of many first time buyers. Nearly all of the property in Bishopston is privately owned, with only 1% of homes rented from the local authority.
Bishopston and the Gower was named one of the best places to live in Wales in 2017. [3]
References
- ↑ "Ward population 2011". http://www.ukcensusdata.com/bishopston-w05000515#sthash.HLKMaAGw.dpbs. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
- ↑ Orrin, G. R (1982) A History of Bishopston, Gomer Press. ISBN 0-85088-507-8
- ↑ "These towns have been named as the best places to live in Wales". Wales Online. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/towns-named-best-places-wales-12719747.