Mayhill: What is the history of the area?

The city of Swansea has changed a lot since Mayhill and Townhill were created more than 100 years ago

Mayhill has been brought to the nation's attention due to ugly scenes during a riot and public disorder.

Thursday's disturbances came at a time when recorded crime in the area is at its highest levels since 2018.

Gangs were seen setting fire to cars and rolling them down a hill, in scenes that brought condemnation from the first minister and a promise of robust action from the police.

But what is the history of the Swansea area?

• Shocking footage as Swansea 'yobs' set cars on fire

• Swansea rioters 'smashed through my windows and door'

The disorder in Waun-Wen Road is believed to have started following a vigil to a local person who recently died.

It comes at a time when recorded crime in the area is at its highest levels since 2018.

Where is Mayhill?

The hill above the city has panoramic views of the city, which made it the perfect location for the opening of cult 1990s film Twin Town.

After images of smiling locals and playing children, a theft scene then sees actor Rhys Ifans roaring through the streets in a stolen BMW.

The Twin Town car chase was filmed on the cobbled streets of Constitution Hill, which runs up through Mount Pleasant, with Mayhill above.

Opening scene of Twin Town was filmed around Mount Pleasant and the Mayhill area

Wales' tallest building - the Tower at Meridian Quay - is prominent below, while the bay development area continues to grow along the coast.

There are also the houses cascading down through Uplands and Brynmill to the cricket ground and Gower on one side, and the Brecon Beacons to the north.

Mayhill has a twin suburb - Townhill - and the two are joined in the same ward.

Brynmill Park in Swansea and the surrounding rural living areas of Brynmill, The Uplands and Townhill with the Brecon Beacons in the distance

In describing the inception of the area, the South Wales Cottage Exhibition at the city's Glynn Vivian Gallery, stated: "A hundred years ago, in an age when many of the poorest families lived in cramped, unsuitable slums, Swansea took an innovative approach to the design of affordable rented housing.

"The result was the building of a garden city estate on Townhill and Mayhill."

It is the ninth largest and fourth most densely populated area of Swansea, and has about 8,700 residents.

Who lives there?

There are a higher number of under-16s living in the area than the Swansea average, according to the ward description.

Of 8,714 residents, 4,100 are male and 4,614 female, with 3,883 houses occupied.

Most of the homes were built by the council in the inter-war years, with about 56% of residents renting from the local authority.

The entire Townhill ward has been designated a "Communities First" area by the Welsh Government, because of long-term social and economic disadvantage.

Among community projects is the Phoenix on the Hill, whose mantra is: "Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much."

It is run by a voluntary board of trustees and has a cafe, nursery and library, while it runs projects for local people.

What are the crime figures like?

According to South Wales Police figures, reported crimes in the Townhill area reached a high for the past three years between January and March 2021

During this three-month period, there were 365 crimes recorded, with 30 of these violence and sexual offences.

There were also 21 reports of criminal damage and arson, 17 incidents of anti-social behaviour, 14 public order offences, 10 involving drugs and seven robberies.

These are the highest figures for a three-month period over three years, dating back to September 2018.

The figure beat the 340 reported between April and June 2020.

Townhill and teaching

Pobl Group hopes to give the area around the old college a new lease of life

For many generations of teachers, Townhill will be synonymous with the former Training College.

It originally opened in the heart of the city as Wales' first teacher-training college with 38 female students in 1872.

In 1912, it moved to the Townhill campus where it remained a women's-only college until after World War II.

This later became University of Wales Trinity Saint David, which moved courses to the new bay campus in 2018.

When it closed, officials said hundreds of the nation's teachers had trained there and the college had had "an immeasurable impact on Welsh education".

The Pobl Group is now building 84 affordable houses at the site of the Edwardian building, with head of development Elfed Roberts saying they were being "designed to make the most of the views".

Flames lit the sky as smoke billowed from the old boys' club building

Developers had also proposed to transform the empty Swansea Boys' Club into 23 new modern residential flats that would have given panoramic views across the city.

However, this building was set alight last November, with flames lighting the night sky, according to eyewitnesses.