Cuisine of Swansea

Thecuisine ofSwansea(Welsh:Abertawe) is based on the city's long history and the influence of the surrounding regions ofGower, Carmarthenshire, andGlamorgan, Wales. The city has a long maritime, industrial, and academic tradition, and people from many different parts of the world have lived, studied, and worked in the city. The city's distinctive cuisine is based on the ingredients and foods that are associated with the city and the wider region.
During thePaleolithicandMesolithicperiods the area to the north of Swansea was covered in anice sheetfrom theLast Glacial Period. The ice-free areas were made up oftundraand the winters were severe. The sea level was approximately 80m lower than it is today.This meant thatSwansea Bayformed part of a broad valley together with what is now theBristol Channel, with thecoastlying approximately 100 km further to the west of its present location. People lived ashunter-gatherers, and the diet consisted of wild animals, plants, and fish. Animal remains from this period have been found in the caves ofGower, such as Goat's Hole Cave and Bacon Hole Cave (named after thered oxidestreaks on the cave walls). These includebison,hyena, elephant, and soft-nosed rhinoceros. Paleolithicstone toolsmade fromflint, were used for food preparation, and have been found in these caves. The incorrectly namedRed Lady of Pavilandwas a male hunter-gatherer from the Upper Paleolithic period who lived during this period and the remains of his skeleton were found in Goat's Hole Cave.
During theNeolithicperiod, the ice retreated and was replaced by forests ofoak,hazelandash. People sailed to Swansea directly from France in wooden-framed boats covered in animal skin, like acurrach. They brought domestic animals with them. These included cattle, pigs, goats, and possibly sheep.These people grew crops, including barley and varieties of wheat, such asemmerandeinkorn. However, they also took part in long hunting forays to the upland areas ofGlamorganwhere Neolithicarrowheadshave been found. Some of these people settled at a location nearMount Pleasant, Swanseawhile others settled in Gower. They cut down the forests to make open areas forgrazingand used the wood for heating. Analysis of thecharcoalfrom the Mount Pleasant settlement shows that it was made ofhawthornwith some ash, oak, and hazel.
During the earlyBronze Age, the climate was warm and dry and there was further immigration by sea, possibly directly from France or throughWessex. Evidence of settlement has been found atWest Crosswhere an early Bronze Age hut, 30m in diameter and made from brushwood, was excavated in 1969. Settlements during this period were on higher ground whereheathlandhad developed because the forest had been cleared. Examples of similar settlement locations includeRhossiliDown,Llanmadoc HillandCefn Bryn. During this period there is evidence ofpastoralismwith some wheat and barley cultivation.During the Iron Age, the climate got colder and thesoil pHbecame acidic. This led to settlements relocating from the uplands to coastalhillfortsand defendedfarmhouseswhich practiced pastoralism with some cultivation.
During the Roman era, which lasted for about 350 years, there is little evidence of Roman settlement in the area, although aRoman villawas built in the grounds of what is nowOystermouth Cemetery. This has the most westerlymosaicfound in Britain and suggests a high degree of sophistication and that the owners were thoroughly Roman in culture. However, the main Roman settlements were located around the forts atLoughor Castle(Leucarum) andNeath(Nidum), which lined the east–west route fromCardifftoCarmarthen.
The Romans introduced new foods into Britain, but grain remained the main component of the diet. Excavations at Loughor have revealed threegranariesand the grain that was discovered in them includes bread wheat,spelt, emmer and barley, with someryeandoats. Flour was made from the wheat to make bread which was baked in ovens within the fort. Spelt and emmer are not as good for making bread because thehuskis more difficult to remove and this makesthreshingharder. The granaries at Leucarum supplied Roman soldiers and the local population. During this period farms produced beef, mutton, and goat meat. Fish and seafood was popular, and they cultivated oysters, and made fish sauce, while olive oil, andred winewere imported from theRoman Empire.
After theFall of the Western Roman Empire, the region to the north and west of Swansea came under the control of theDeisi, who arrived from Ireland and during the sixth and seventh centuries theIrish languagewas spoken in this area. However, Swansea itself was settled by theVikingswho created a trading post at the mouth of theRiver Tawe. The name Swansea is believed to come from the personal name Svein, as a pre-fix, with the suffix '-ey' having been added and referring to an island that may have been located at the mouth of the river Tawe.However, the Welsh name ofAbertawerefers to the river mouth on which the settlement occurred, and the Celtic people from the pre-Roman period remained the main population group, with the Viking trading centre being relatively small.
After theNorman Conquest,Motte-and-bailey castlesprotected the fertile and valley areas which were subject tomanorialism, which developed from the Roman villa system of theLate Roman Empire, while the Welsh occupied the less productivehighlandareas, where sheep were raised, and oats and barley were grown. (Powell, 1584). The Welsh areas were subject to the Laws of Hywel Dda (Cyfraith Hywel), while Swansea was governed by Anglo-Norman overlords, who granted charters listing liberties and privileges. The Norman areas were subject to Welsh raids, most notably in 1136, 1151, 1189 and 1215. The manorial areas wereenclosedto make fields forarable land,pasture, andmeadows. The main crop wascorn, with other crops including wheat, barley, rye, white and grey oats, peas andvetches. Surplus produce was exported to theWest Country.
During theIndustrial Revolution, coal mining and non-ferrous metal industries developed around Swansea and substantial immigration occurred. During this period 45% of Swansea's population was born outside Glamorgan, with people coming from Gower andCarmarthenshire, and the trading areas of the West Country and Ireland.In 1850 theSouth Wales Main Linefrom Cardiff to Swansea was completed and this stimulated further population growth.Thehamletsand scattered farms associated withsubsistence agriculturemerged with the settlements that grew unplanned around the coal mines, road junctions and canals because of industrialization.By the twentieth century there were over fifty distinct communities in the Swansea region based on nucleated communities focused on collieries, metal works, chapels, and shopping on local high streets.
However, afterWorld War II, most of central Swansea was destroyed by bombing and rebuilt. With the increasing use of private transport the city functioned as a regional shopping center, leading to a decline in the distinctiveness of surrounding settlements. D. T. Herbert noted that by 1971 the business district of Wind Street and High Street had also declined, as the emphasis within Swansea shifted towards post-war rebuilt areas around Oxford Street and Kingsway. However, Wind Street has since become a popular location for eating and drinking.
Swansea Marketprobably originated as early as the twelfth century and was confirmed in 1306 in aChartergiven to the men of Gower byWilliam de Braose, 2nd Baron Braose. By the 1530s the Market was described byJohn Leland (antiquary)as follows: "Swansey...a market town and chief place of Gower lande".The main market day was on a Saturday, although under the 1655 Charter ofOliver Cromwellthe market could open two days a week.Evidence of the activities of the Market are shown in cases brought before theCourt leetfor the sale of goods outside the Market precincts in contravention of the 1306 Charter. The Charter controlled market activities to avoidprofiteering. The activity ofregratinginvolved an intermediary acting as a go-between in the sale of goods to make a profit. Although Swansea did not have a butcher in 1739, by 1810 one butcher was charged with forestalling and regrating in contravention of the Charter.
Forestalling referred to the practice of intercepting sellers on their way to a market, buying up their stock, then taking it to the market and selling it at a higher price. This was a type ofarbitrage. Another activity was ingrossing, which involved the creation of a monopoly in sales. This occurred during the corn shortage of the mid-1750s, and during this period the market was subject to a royalproclamationagainst the forestalling and ingrossing of corn and stipulated that between the hours of midday and two o'clock, corn was only to be sold for domestic consumption with bakers andmaltstersable to buy in the open market after these hours for commercial use.The problem of forestalling butter led to the creation, in 1765, of a butter market, which was a dedicated open space for the sale of salted butter located in front of Swansea's town hall so that the sale of butter could be controlled.
On market days thetown crierwould announce publicly to country people arriving in the town that they were not to sell corn, butter, or cheese except in the market and if any was sold before it came to the market the seller would be prosecuted as a forestaller.Additional precautions were taken to control quantities sold, with the 1655 Charter providing for regulation of the weights and measures based on theWinchester measure. The clerk of the market, known as aportreeve, was responsible for weights and measures and by 1785 had a "mawn" in which he put bread which was considered to be "short of weight".
The old market was held at Market Square (now called Castle Square), next toSwansea Castlewith the market stalls spread out around the square and down Wind Street, with one narrow street being called Potato Street because it was mainly occupied by potato dealers on market day.A market house had been completed by 1652, and this had ten, simple columns of theDoric orderwith a lead roof on timber beams.This remained the location of the market until, in 1829, when a new market was built in Oxford Street. This was mainly open-air but was surrounded by a perimeter wall and had a clock tower with a copper roof. The market tables were sheltered by a roof oncast ironpillars. From this time onwards, the market operated daily.
The strong relationship between Gower and Swansea Market is reflected in the views of Ernest Richards, a farmer from Horton, Gower, who was interviewed in 1948:
Thehorsebusesthat were in use in the 1890s were "in summer, the heaped baskets of flowers, and vegetables gave to the vehicle an almost festive air".
Harry Secomberecalls Swansea Market in the 20th century as follows:
In the 1920s Swansea Market had 670 stalls and many Gower farms sold meat, fruit, and vegetables.Reflecting the importance of Gower to the production of food, The Reverend J. D. Davies, in his "A History of West Gower" (Vol IV, 1894) writes as follows:
According to Keenan:
Keenan believes that "the Swansea food scene" evolved because local chefs and cooks moved away to London and Europe to develop their skills and gain "greater experience, knowledge and confidence", then returned home to cook "better than ever before."He comments that these chefs became "leading lights" in the Swansea restaurant scene and trained a younger generation of cooks, and "attracted new talent into the area."
Keenan comments that:
He comments that competition between restaurants is high with customers being "knowledgeable and demanding", and with local produce featuring on many menus. He comments that the Gower Peninsula andPembrokeshireare areas which supply local produce.
Since prehistory Swansea has been a place where people have settled and is now a cosmopolitan city due to the many people connected withSwansea University, industry, and tourism. Keenan comments:
Before World War II, Swansea was one of the leading British fishing ports, with fish being sent toBillingsgate Fish Market, and the other major cities, includingManchester, Liverpool andLeedsand with an export trade to France. Special fish wagons were hooked on to the rear ofexpress trainsleaving Swansea, and these were loaded with fish after the fish auction had ended.
Swansea employed up to 600 people in commercial fishing during its heyday, and the main fishing grounds were located off the south coast of Ireland around theShannon Estuary. However,overfishingdepleted thefish stocksand the Swanseafishing fleetwas relocated toGrimsbyby its owners, Consolidated Fisheries, who were from there.
Francis Green, from Coakley Green Fishmongers, of Swansea Market recalled the importance of Swansea as a fishing port as follows:
Green recalled the type of fish landed at Swansea during the twentieth century as follows:
Swansea now has smaller fishing vessels that catch plaice,skate, andwhitingandsea bass, which is considered "the finest fish of all",is available in the summer. In addition, Gower supplies Swansea Market with crab and lobster "which are always in demand".
There are two specialities associated with Swansea:LaverbreadandCockles. Mason & Brown comment that "The Welsh have the most persistent tradition of laver gathering and eating" and note that "it is associated with the food habits of South Wales and is eaten to a lesser extent in northDevonandScotland."Laverbread remains common along most shores of western Britain and in 1932Florence Whitewrote that it was well known in London "before the invasion of French chefs in 1848".In Swansea, thelaveris mixed withoatmealand fried inbaconfat for breakfast but Mason notes that laver heated with butter and the juice ofSeville orangeswas a classicVictorian erasauce for roastmutton.
Mason & Brown comment that laver is gathered from the rocks at lowtideat any time of the year but theharvestcan be made more difficult by storms and changes in the level of sand on the beach. It must then be washed in water up to 7 times to remove sand and grit, then it issteepedin fresh water to reduce saltiness, after that somebicarbonate of sodais added to counteract any bitterness. The seaweedfrondsare then stewed in their own moisture for up to 7 hours until they become a softpurée. The excess water is drained, and the final product is ready.
Cerys Matthews, whose family moved to Swansea when she was seven, recommends buying Laverbread in paste form, and preferably in glass jars, explaining the distinction between laver, which is seaweed, and Laverbread, which is boiled seaweed. Matthews goes on to explain:
Matthews has a recipe for Laverbread and Cockles, which includes the addition of oats and salted butter. The cockles are rinsed in cold water. Any that do not shut when tapped against a dish, or which have a broken shell are discarded and the remainder are then cooked in “a splash of water” in a covered pan until they open. Any closed cockles are then removed. The oats give body and the amount of oats added can be varied to alter the consistency.
A Swansea Breakfast is made up of laverbread and cockles, together with finely chopped onions, slices of back bacon,black pepper, and lemon juice.Vegetable oilis added to a largefrying panand then the chopped onions are added and fried for 3–4 minutes. The cockles are added and then the laverbread is mixed in. The black pepper and lemon juice are then added, and the mixture is cooked for fifteen minutes. The breakfast can be served on thick toast and is said to provide a "delicious and healthy breakfast"but can also be served at any time as a light snack. A Swansea Breakfast has been described as bringing "the essence of the Welsh coast directly to you, wherever you might be" and as "a trip to the seaside for your mouth".
TheWelsh pighas been a key component of the diet in Wales and pork can be found at butchers in Swansea.
Mason & Brown note the saltiness of Welsh pork and go on to explain its origins as follows:
Welsh back bacon can be grilled or fried and has a distinctive taste which complements the local cuisine. It adds flavour to cooked vegetables, such as leeks and potatoes, and can be added tocawl. Mason & Brown note that "Bacon fat is the customary medium for heating laverbread."The bacon of West Wales consists of "thin, dark red streaks of lean, in a white fat layer"and it can be compared to other types of bacon, such asWiltshirebacon which uses the more modern technique ofcuring, where less salt is added and, instead,brineis used to cure the meat.
Writing about Welsh beef,Colin Pressdeecomments:
Pressdee also writes about Welsh lamb and comments that:
Swansea market is known for its salt marsh lamb which is raised on thesalt marshof theBurry Inlet and Loughor Estuary. Pressdee comments:
However, the reputation of Welsh salt marsh lamb has grown in recent years. It has recently been awardedProtected designation of originstatus and can be found for sale at butchers in Swansea. Pressdee writes that "the finest local Welsh lamb and beef" can be found at Swansea Market.
Swansea also has distinctive varieties of meat pie. The Swansea pie has been described by the Great British Food Awards as follows:
Lewis Pies was established in Swansea in 1936 by the Lewis family. They use local ingredients to produce pies, pastries, and other products. In describing the challenges of running a family business, and developing a premium product, Wilf Lewis, the third generation of family pie makers described to a business magazine how his grandfather started making pies:
Lewis's father went on to expand the business in the "van age" when:
Another popular local pie is theCorned beefpie. As one commentator noted:
Swansea's Victoria Park has akioskand a small café run by Swansea Council which is known for its Corned beef pie. The café also provides supervised opportunities for adults to develop their employment skills and confidence.
Up until the early 20th century corn from Gower would be used by Swansea's bakeries to make bread. The Gowerflourmillsoperated from theMiddle Agesand most were located aroundLlanrhidian. They were owned by generations of families who milled corn, such as the Willis family who owned the Nether Mill,Llanrhidianfor six generations. The Nether Mill had two pairs ofmillstones, one for rough grain and one for fine flour.
Thomas John Willis commented in 1932:
Gower farmers would bring bags of wheat, corn, and barley to the Gower mills for milling and then collect the flour. Nether Mill had a waterwheel of 18 feet which was the largest in Gower. Willis goes on to recall the days when every farmer grew enough corn for home consumption and had a surplus for market.
In the 1890s it would take four hours to get to Swansea from Llanrhidian in a horse andgamboand corn would be cut with ascytheand tied intosheaves. However, by the 1940s thecombine harvesterwas used to cut the wheat, thrash it, and collect the grain. During World War II the Nether Mill worked 24 hours a day to satisfy the demand for flour. However, milling in Gower was discontinued during the 1950s when the Nether Mill, which was the last of the Gower mills, ceased to be profitable.
Swansea has its own variety of bread known as the Crusty Swansea. Mason & Brown describe its characteristics as follows:
Mason & Brown explain that:
They explain that the technique used to make a traditional Crusty Swansea is to "set" ayeastsponge, although conventional white breaddoughcan also be used. The loaves are then shaped into ovals afterfermentation, the joins of any folds are left on the underside and after final proof cuts are made in the top crust.
Laura Mason notes:
Another unusual feature [of Welsh cuisine] is theplanc, which was originally a flat piece of iron, like agriddle, balanced over an open fire. Electrically heated versions can be seen in action in Swansea Market, for baking Welsh cakes. Theplancwas also used for other things –pancakesandpikelets, relatively large loaves made from conventional bread dough, and pastryturnoversfilled with fruit, the sugar added after cooking to prevent the juices bubbling out.
Welsh cakescan be bought off theplancfrom the stalls in the central section of Swansea Market. Cerys Matthews has a recipe for vegan Welsh Cakes, where she replaces the butter with vegetable oil and egg and uses a binding agent of groundchia.
Until the gas or electricstovebecame common, most Welsh households would have owned aplanc. One of the traditional products to be produced on theplancwas a small bread known as theCrempog. As Mason notes:
S. Minwel Tibbotthas documented the change inWelsh cuisinethat accompanied the introduction of the electric stove and devotes a chapter to this phenomenon in her book. The Crempog is still made in Wales aroundShrove Tuesdayand is a Welsh alternative to the pancake, which gives it the alternative name of Welsh Pancake. Mason & Brown describe the Swansea Crempog as follows:
Mason & Brown comment that "the habit of rolling them up now found in Swansea is a revival of an old custom, other bakers leave pancakes flat." Crempogs are usually made from milk, althoughbuttermilkwas traditional and cream would be used for special occasions at home. If they are served as a savoury dish, they can be stacked in layers and filled with fish or cheese, heated, and then cut into quarters to give four servings. The crempog has become less common as a home baked item due to the change in domestic lifestyles. Tibbott notes that they were a luxury item eaten withafternoon teaand would be served warm with butter and homemade jam. Because they were easily made and could be produced quickly, they could be baked after the arrival of an unexpected guest.
Some other aspects of Welsh cuisine have also become less common; Mason notes that oats have suffered a decline in popularity:
Mason's view echoes the comments ofAugusta Hall, Baroness Llanovera century earlier (seeCuisine of Monmouthshire). Llanover lamented the loss of the oatkilnswhich were not maintained and had fallen into disrepair inMonmouthshire, unlike in Scotland.
Flummery, orLlymru, is almost unknown as a food in 21st century Wales. Matthews comments that it is:
Tibbott has collected a number of traditional recipes for oat-based foods and these are found in her book Welsh Fare, which can be found on the web site of theSt Fagans National Museum of History. However, there has been renewed academic interest in the dietary importance of oats during the 21st century. Between 2014 and 2020, Swansea University was a participant in the "Healthy Oats" project which was a joint Irish-WelshInterregproject to assess new climate-resilient varieties. According to the project, researchers aimed to: “... work with agricultural communities and stakeholders to promote the health, economic and environmental benefits of growing oats – a crop which is ideally suited to the climate of Wales and Ireland."The project brought together scientists from Swansea University,University College Dublinas lead organisations andTeagasc(Ireland's Agriculture and Food Development Authority) with theInstitute of Biological, Environmental and Rural SciencesofAberystwyth University. The Healthy Oats project was part of a European Territorial Co-operation (ETC) programme between 2014 and 2020 and identified that certain varieties of oats have a high nutritional value because of their high protein and oil content while thedietary fiberhelps to keep the heart healthy and improvescholesterollevels. The project confirms the importance of oats in the diet and affirms the views of Lady Llanover made a century earlier.
Cheese (caws), butter (menyn), and milk (llaeth) are produced in Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire which are the main dairy areas within the city of Swansea'ssphere of influence. There are no cheeses identified with Swansea and the only cheese named after a Welsh town isCaerphilly cheese. Mason notes thatcheesemaking"ceased to be a Welsh concern for part of the 20th century". The demise in cheese making during this period meant that even Caerphilly cheese was produced elsewhere, with the main production having moved toSomerset, which is a production centre forcheddar cheese. However, there has been a revival in Welsh cheese-making. Mason notes that "a number of new-wave cheese-makers work further west, especially in the Pembrokeshire area".Some of these cheeses are sold in Swansea Market, and in Swansea's food shops and street markets.
Welsh rarebitis a typical Welsh dish of cheese on toast and it can be found on the menus of Swansea restaurants, particularly those sourcing food locally. It is sometimes offered as acanapéor is accompanied by bacon, laverbread or mushrooms as amain course. The full range of this dish, which is popular worldwide, can be found at the International Welsh Rarebit Centre which is in an old Victorian school 34 miles from Swansea atDefynnogwhere Welsh Rarebit has become "something of an art form".
In relation to butter, Mason comments:
Salted butter reflects a Welsh preference in taste because it complements Welsh cuisine. Welsh butter brands include Sir Gâr, which is a salted butter from Carmarthenshire and is available at outlets in Swansea. Butter is also sold loose from local farm producers in Swansea Market.
Ice cream is produced by Italian families that came to Swansea in the twentieth century and established cafes in the city and notable producers include Joe's Ice Cream, produced by the descendants ofLuigi Cascarini.
In 1929, when he was 14 years old,Dylan Thomaspublished one of his earliest poems, called "A Ballad of Salad", in the Swansea Grammar School (nowBishop Gore School) magazine. The following verses show his acute observation of vegetables, which he probably encountered in the market and stalls of Swansea:
Dylan Thomas does not mention theleek, which is a vegetable strongly associated with Welsh history, and has recently received PGI status. However, Cerys Matthews provides a recap of its importance in her cookbook as follows:
However, the vegetable is something of an enigma because apart from its use incawl, there are few historical leek-based recipes. Matthews has a recipe for Leek and Potato Soup, and a recipe forcawl, but Mason comments:
This viewpoint may overlook the new wave of cuisine which is developing in Wales and uses traditional ingredients in innovative ways.
Watercresswas once grown in beds near Llanrhidian, the watercress beds were fed by the small streams running off Gower's northern slopes, but the beds appear to have fallen into disuse as this vegetable is no longer sold in Swansea Market. Watercress would have been a useful source ofVitamin Cfor people working at sea during the 19th century and who had a very bad diet on board ship. During this period Swansea was home to theCape Horners, they were seafarers who sailed ships aroundCape Hornto Chile and back to supply the demand in Swansea fororeto make copper with.
Swansea's ships and sailors became famous; the voyage to Chile and back could take a year or more and to be called a Cape Horner was "the highest accolade a seaman could earn."During the voyage, the food was made up ofsaltedmeat,hardtack, dried beans, potatoes, onions, and some fish. Foods were given nicknames, such as "Harriet Lane" which was a beef and beanhashwhich reminded sailors of the chopped-up body a murdered English woman of the same name, while rice and raisins was called "Strike me Blind".Hardtack often containedmaggotsorweevilsand there was little, if any, fresh food available during these long voyages; sailors were aware of the importance of fruit and vegetables in their diet.
Another vegetable that can be found in Swansea Market issamphirewhich is a good accompaniment to fish dishes. In making a hedgerow salad, Cerys Matthews uses watercress,sorrel,dandelion, andlimeand recalls using wildhazelnuts:
It wasWynford Vaughan-Thomaswho said that Swansea, his hometown, had as many layers as an onion and that each could reduce one to tears. The comparison echoes Dylan Thomas, who called Swansea "an ugly lovely town". According to the geographer W. G. V. Balchin the comment made by Vaughan-Thomas alludes to the "tenfold personality" of the city, which is:
The multifaceted nature of the city is described by Balchin as follows:
It is the role of Swansea as a flourishing trading port and market centre that led to its distinctive cuisine, based on the strategic and commercial activities of its citizens which led to it being a significant settlement. According to Balchin:
Consequently, the city draws into its sphere the produce of the region, particularly from the west, with Gower and Carmarthenshire being important suppliers of produce, and this is reflected in produce on sale in the market and shops that sell local produce. These foods find their way into the diverse culinary products of the city.
Henderson notes that in the Swansea Region there are three main types of land use that dictate the food that is produced. Using the classification of theMinistry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (United Kingdom)of 1968 he notes that the only area of Grade Iagricultural landlies on theCarboniferous Limestoneplateauof south Gower. Grade II land includes Gower, the western Vale of Glamorgan, and a small area nearLlangennechon the west bank of theRiver Loughor. He notes that this better land all lies below 100 metres and is the main area for arable farming forcash crops. The areas of north Gower and Carmarthenshire have Grade III land, although above 120m the land is Grade IV and can only support permanent grass. In the uplands of Glamorgan, the land is Grade V and can only be used for roughgrazing.
Henderson notes that the well-drained soils of south Gower provide Swansea with barley and wheat with coastal areas providing early potatoes.The quality of the land here means that cropping farms are dominant. However, the parish ofBishopston, with its proximity to Swansea, and its fragmented farms and small fields, reflecting a relicopen-field system, supplies the city with vegetables and horticultural produceHowever, closer to the city, dairy farming dominates the peri-urban region of Swansea, and this becomes more pronounced towards the west side of the city because Carmarthenshire is the chief supplier of dairy products to the Swansea Region. Carmarthenshire has been described by Henderson as: “effectively having a dairyingmonoculture, in which other agricultural enterprises are completely subordinate."To the north of Swansea there is access to common land and mountain grazing with sheep rearing being a ‘characteristic enterprise’.
In 1306, there is a record of fairs on The Feast of theAssumption of Mary(15 August), andSt. Martin's Day(11 November). In 1563 fairs are recorded onSt Elizabeth's Day(5 November),Lady Day(25 March) andMichaelmas. The 1655 Charter provided for four fairs to be held every year, on 8 May, 2 July, 15 August, and 8 October. Each fair could last two days and if the days fell on a Sunday the fair would be held on the following Monday. By 1781, theburgessesof Swansea advertised in theHereford,GloucesterandBristolnewspapers and printedhand billsin English and Welsh, to publicize a fair held on 14 September. The fairs were held in the marketplace ofSwansea Castle, and they helped the trade of the town and provided income. By 1851, fairs were being held on the second Saturday of May, 2 July, 15 August and on 8 or 29 October.
When the market at Swansea Castle was replaced by the market in Oxford Street, the traditional fairs continued as livestock fairs which were probably held at Danygraig,Port Tennantor at Greenhill or the Burrows. The Greenhill fair was held on the High Street at the location of a public house called the Full Moon. The Burrows fair was held on Tuesday and Wednesday of Easter week. It had temporary stalls selling cakes,gingerbread, fruits,lollipops, confectionery, and other goods. There were also fairground games. This fair was said to have been held sincetime immemorial. The sale of beers and spirits and the less regulated locations for these fairs away from the town centre led to them often being rowdy affairs and they were eventually abolished.
However, the importance of fairs and markets as a way of regenerating local economies has been recognised by theWelsh Governmentand local councils now support fairs across Wales. In Swansea local markets now take place inMumbles,Uplandsand Swansea Marina and they sell locally sourced products. Mason notes:
In Swansea, the recognition of the importance of locally sourced food has reflected this trend.
Mumbles became a popular drinking place after theSunday Closing (Wales) Act 1881which allowed people refreshment if they covered a distance of at least three miles and were on necessary business. This led to pubs on the edge of towns becoming very popular on Sundays.Day trips were also popular. In the diary ofFrancis Kilvertthere is an entry from October 1878 as follows:
In Wales, large-scale brewing began in the 19th century and grew up near the ironworks and coal mines which provided a ready market for beer consumption. In Swansea, the first large-scale brewery of the 18th century followed the development of copper smelting in theLower Swansea valley. In 1792, theSwansea Corporationgranted a site next to theRiver Taweto Phillips & Kendall and they built the Cambrian Porter Brewery on the Strand near Swansea Docks. By 1799 a second brewery had been established nearby. As land became more valuable in the centre of Swansea, the breweries moved further out, to the Mysydd Fields which was an area noted for itssprings. Here, the Swansea Brewery was established and is recorded as being in existence inPigot's Directoryof 1835. By 1858 it was known as Swansea Old Brewery. In 1893 this brewery was said to hold "a position of distinction" in the breweries of South Wales.The water for the brewery was drawn from the Singleton Well which was said to be famous for its "depth and the purity and sweetness of its water". The popularity of the Singleton Ale produced by Swansea Old Brewery was reported as follows:
Swansea Old Brewery won a prize medal and a diploma at the London Exhibition in 1888. During this time, the most popular drink in Swansea wasmild ale. Swansea Old Brewery sold three types of mild ale: a Crystal Bitter, two types of India Pale Ale, a light bitter and three types of stout. One stout was called the Invalid Stout and was said to be known for its "strengthening and nourishing properties".In 1896 the brewery had 50 pubs and a brewery at Singleton Street and it had 42 pubs in 1927, when it was taken over by Hancocks (now known asBrains Brewery). Hancocks was then the biggest brewer in Wales and, in 1937, in a review of their history, they wrote that the acquisition of Swansea Old Brewery was a milestone in their development. Hancocks subsequently opened their own brewery in Swansea, called West End Brewery which was located in Western Street and they sold the brewery at Singleton Street which became a bus station for United Welsh Services; the brewery clock was re-housed at Bishopston Church.
Swansea United Brewery was established in 1890 from the amalgamation of Orange Street and Glamorgan Breweries and had 58 tied houses. It was taken over by Truman's in 1926 and was closed. This was the first major takeover of a Welsh brewery by a leading English brewery and led to Hancock's acquisition of Swansea Old Brewery to protect their position.Hancock's had previously taken over the Swansea wine and spirit merchant called James Hall in 1889 as part of their growth to become the largest brewer and wine and spirit merchant in Wales and it became the official supplier toSwansea Guildhall.Hancock's closed their West End Brewery in 1969 and this ended large scale brewing in the city.
Some pubs have become notable because of their association withDylan Thomas. In his book "Dylan Thomas: The Pubs", Jeff Towns writes about the following pubs: The Uplands Hotel, The Bay View, The Three Lamps, The No Sign Wine Bar, The No. 10, The Queens, and The Bush Inn. Each of these pubs is referred to in the writings of Dylan Thomas although some of them no longer exist as pubs. John Ackerman, a biographer of Dylan Thomas notes how the local pubs contributed to the writer's artistic imagination:
Writing about having a beer at the Three Lamps, Thomas observes:
The Three Lamps was a bar not far from theDaily Postoffices where Thomas was a trainee journalist, and it was a favourite with Swansea'sprofessional people. In reflecting on his coming of age, Thomas wrote:
Breweries associated with Swansea today include Boss Brewing, Mumbles Brewery, Swansea Brewery,  and Tomos Watkin (seeBeer in Wales).Hurns Brewing Companyis a drinks company based in Swansea which produces soft drinks includingsoda water,ginger beer,lemonadeandcordials.Penderyn distilleryis a Welsh whiskey distillery producing whisky at its main site inPenderynand which established a site atHafod Copperworksin 2023. Au Vodka is a vodka which was originally produced in Swansea.
There are cafes and restaurants in Swansea that serve many different types of cuisine. Areas with a concentration of restaurants include theUplands,Mumbles,Swansea City Centre, including Wind Street and St Helen's Road. Many of Swansea's parks have cafes, which are open during the daytime. TheKardomah Cafein Swansea is associated withThe Kardomah Gang, a group of artists active during the mid-20th century. The café retains its original decor.
Indian cuisine,Bengali cuisineandBangladeshi cuisineis served at restaurants located along St Helen's Road, which developed into a restaurant hub from the 1970s onwards. This has led to the opening of international supermarkets which serve the restaurant trade and the Indian, African, and Chinese communities.
Indian and Chinese restaurants also provide places to eat for people working late in theevening economy.Bonnie Tylerwho sang in Swansea’snightclubsin the 1970s would often arrange to meet her husbandRobert Sullivan  (judoka)after work and writes in her autobiography:
There are numerous Chinese restaurants in Swansea and the city has had a long association with China due to the work ofGriffith Johnwho, in 1885, translated the New Testament intoClassical Chinese.
The Dylan Thomas Birthplaceis located in a house in the Uplands where Dylan Thomas was born and offers guided tours, afternoon tea, lunch and dinner by appointment. The house was visited byJohnny Deppin July 2023.
Swansea Botanical Gardensis located inSingleton Park. The  gardens were opened in 1926 as an educational garden containing a “collection of economic plants and British flora”. It was renamed as the Botanical Gardens in 1991 and contains a glasshouse with examples of exotic commercial plant species, such as coffee and banana. It has a wellbeing garden and a plant shop which is run by theFriends of Swansea Botanical Gardenwhich is a registered charity. Plant sales are used to fund the maintenance of the gardens.
Cae Felinis aCSA farmnearMorriston Hospitalwhich has a vegetable garden, and orchard. It follows aNo-dig gardeningsystem and works with schools, the general public and Morriston Hospital’s staff and outpatients. It sells veg boxes and teaches seed planting, harvesting, and cooking.
TheVetch Fieldis named after thevetchwhich used to grow in this location before it became the first football ground ofSwansea City A.F.C.The football ground has relocated and the site has become a community garden and allotments known as theVetch Veg Community Garden.