Situated by the foreshore of Swansea Bay, Victoria Park is notable for its historic interest as a small, Victorian public park opened on Jubilee Day, 1887.

In 1872 the privately owned site of the park was used as an open space, with a cricket club and football pitch on it. It was secured for the city largely through the efforts of Alderman William Thomas, whose statue stands in the park. The park originally extended north-eastwards to St Helen’s Crescent, over the site of the present Guildhall (built in 1932-36), and was further reduced along its south side by the creation of Guildhall Road South. Although reduced to its western half the park was developed further in the 1920s and 1930s.

The park is laid out formally, divided into sections by straight, tarmacked paths. The main axis is a wide central walk running north-east/south-west, with the Patti Pavilion (31848; re-located from Craig-y-nos Castle, 86037) at its west end. The park is bounded by iron railings with entrances on the east and south; at the west end are two entrances, flanked by square stone piers, on either side of the Pavilion. Either side of the axis path are bowling greens (with pavilion), tennis courts, and lawns. A range of geometrical plant beds and planted herbaceous areas are set around the park. Next to the boundary on the south is a lawn with a central ornate fountain in a rectangular pool.Trees include evergreen oaks, poplars, fastigiate conifers, cypress and prunus; shrubs include pittosporums, cotoneasters and crataegus.

Sources:
Cadw 2000: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales, Glamorgan (ref: PGW(Gm)61(SWA)).
Cadw Parks and Gardens photographs and details from the 'Green Flag Award' - The National Standard for Parks and Green Spaces.
Ordnance Survey second edition 25-inch map of Glamorgan, XXIII.12 (1899).

RCAHMW, 7 July 2022

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