Brynmill Park is located on a south-facing slope in the Uplands area of Swansea, to the west of the city centre and immediately east of Singleton Park, from which it is divided by Brynmill Lane. It is a good example of a small but well-preserved Victorian urban public park dominated by an attractive tree-fringed lake.
The park was opened as a public amenity in 1872, created from the Brynmill Reservoir Property of the Swansea Water Works. By 1878 early mapping shows the area landscaped with walks and planting, the layout being more or less as it is now. There was no aviary or bowling green at this stage and the reservoir was surrounded by fields with the gardens of Parc-wern to the north-west (265680) and Singleton Park to the west (28736).

The park is triangular in shape (9 acres, long axis north-east by south-west) and centred on a rectangular lake, the former reservoir. It is bounded by iron railings on all but the west side, where there is a stone wall. There are four entrances, in the south, east and west corners and towards the east end of the north side. The park is laid out informally, dominated by the lake (stocked with wildfowl), with winding tarmac paths, lawns, plant beds, ornamental trees and shrubs, and several buildings. It also features a bowling green (added in 1907 and the first in Swansea) with pavilion, an aviary, and a gardener’s house. A children’s play area lies to the north-east. Plantings include wellingtonia, chestnuts, beech, laurels, lime, and pines. Trees also include an ancient oak. The lake is surrounded by ornamental trees and shrubs, giving it a semi-natural character. A small disused fountain lies towards its north-east end.

Sources:
Cadw 2000: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales, Glamorgan (ref: PGW(Gm)46(SWA).
Ordnance Survey second edition 25-inch map of Glamorgan, sheet XXIII.9 (1899).

RCAHMW, 8 July 2022