Local experts choose historic names for University’s Bay Campus

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Swansea University has unveiled a map of its new Bay Campus outlining buildings, roads and spaces available for the University and public.

A small group of experts were chosen to help decide on the new names. They were:

Campus map

  • Historian Prys Morgan, who is Emeritus Professor at the University and President of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion.
  • Geographer David Herbert, who is also an Emeritus Professor at Swansea and was Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University before his retirement in 2003.
  • Dr Gwenno Francon, Director of Academi Hywel Teifi, the University’s centre of excellence for studying the Welsh language.
  • Josh Hayman, an alumnus of the University who also served as the Students’ Union Society and Services Officer.

Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Iwan Davies, director of the University’s campus development project, said: “The Bay Campus is perfectly located right on the bay between the Afan and Tawe rivers which run into the sea; all have played a significant role in  enabling immense wealth to flow through the region.

“We wanted to embrace the importance of these local rivers and recognise them in the naming of our roads on the new Bay Campus, which we also envisage will bring tremendous economic benefits to the Swansea Bay region.”

In addition, there will be a number of squares (Gower, Tennant and Margam), a seafront promenade and a lookout point called Black Rock Point which Professor Prys Morgan identified from a map of the area in 1799 as being significant because “it is one of the most ancient boundaries in Wales distinguishing the Diocese of St David and Llandaff, therefore the Bay Campus stands at the point where West Wales meets East Wales.”

Professor David Herbert said: “Tennant Court has the virtue of combining three elements of the development of the Swansea Region. We have recognised the importance of George Tennant an industrialist that came to the area in 1814 and completed the Tennant canal, a key link in the 19th century navigation system; and Port Tennant, initially linked to the docks development and now a district of modern Swansea close to the Bay Campus.”

Construction is already underway at the 65-acre development located on Fabian Way and the Bay Campus will be open for students in September 2015. 

Picture: Alison Parker Business Marketing Manager, Professor Prys Morgan, Josh Hayman, Dr Gwenno Francon, Professor David Herbert