Clyne River
Encyclopedia
The Clyne River is a river in Swansea
, south Wales
. It has a total length of 6.5 miles/10.5 kilometres, and flows through the Clyne Valley Country Park
for much of its length.
, between the towns of Three Crosses
and Dunvant
. It then flows in a south-easterly direction, less than a mile from the westernmost suburbs of Swansea. Although numerous strams join the river, the largest coming from Sketty
, they are all unnamed. The Clyne meets the sea at the seaside village of Blackpill. The river is often believed to be the "Black pill", or black stream, that gave its name to the settlement. In fact, it is ofen referred to as the Blackpill stream, but this is not so. The Black Pill itself is a small brook to the west.
Several old industrial relics from the past line the river in Clyne Valley. In the past, many watermills are believed to have been built along the river, but none remain.
times, the river was used to harness power via water mills. Being far from the industrial hub of Swansea, the river was not subject to much pollution from the docks and copper works in the city. Despite the river remaining an ideal habitat for them, fish that swam up the river to spawn were driven away by the pollution in Swansea Bay, once a famous spot for fishing. The vast oyster beds (which gave the area of Oystermouth its name) disappeared, and the variety of birds that once came to the rivermouth to feed were driven away. However, since the water quality in Swansea Bay has improved, the fish and birds are returning to the river in droves.
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
, south Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. It has a total length of 6.5 miles/10.5 kilometres, and flows through the Clyne Valley Country Park
Clyne Valley Country Park
The Clyne Valley Country Park is an area of parkland in Britain, at Swansea in south Wales. It lies on either side of the valley of the Clyne River and comprises an area of over 700 acres of land running from the sea at Blackpill, Swansea, inland to Gowerton...
for much of its length.
Course
The river rises from a series of springs on the northern fringe of Fairwood CommonFairwood Common
Fairwood Common is a large area of barely populated common land in the heart of the Gower Peninsula, south Wales. It forms part of the Gower Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.Swansea Airport is located in the middle of the common...
, between the towns of Three Crosses
Three Crosses
Three Crosses is a monument in Vilnius, Lithuania, designed by Polish–Lithuanian architect and sculptor Antoni Wiwulski in 1916. It was torn down in 1950 by order of the Soviet Union authorities...
and Dunvant
Dunvant
Dunvant is a suburban district in the City and County of Swansea, Wales, and falls within the Dunvant ward. It is situated in a valley some 4.5 miles west of Swansea city centre.-History:...
. It then flows in a south-easterly direction, less than a mile from the westernmost suburbs of Swansea. Although numerous strams join the river, the largest coming from Sketty
Sketty
Sketty is the name of an electoral ward, a community and a suburb in the City and County of Swansea, Wales, UK. The community is coterminous with the electoral ward....
, they are all unnamed. The Clyne meets the sea at the seaside village of Blackpill. The river is often believed to be the "Black pill", or black stream, that gave its name to the settlement. In fact, it is ofen referred to as the Blackpill stream, but this is not so. The Black Pill itself is a small brook to the west.
Several old industrial relics from the past line the river in Clyne Valley. In the past, many watermills are believed to have been built along the river, but none remain.
History
Until VictorianVictorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
times, the river was used to harness power via water mills. Being far from the industrial hub of Swansea, the river was not subject to much pollution from the docks and copper works in the city. Despite the river remaining an ideal habitat for them, fish that swam up the river to spawn were driven away by the pollution in Swansea Bay, once a famous spot for fishing. The vast oyster beds (which gave the area of Oystermouth its name) disappeared, and the variety of birds that once came to the rivermouth to feed were driven away. However, since the water quality in Swansea Bay has improved, the fish and birds are returning to the river in droves.