Morriston : Attractions of Swansea

Morriston (Welsh: Treforys) is the name of an electoral ward, a community and a town in the City and County of Swansea, South Wales.

The electoral ward consists of some or all of the following areas: Caemawr, Craigcefnparc, Cwmryhdyceirw, Morriston, Parc Gwernfadog, Pant-lasau, Vardre, Ynysforgan and Ynystawe, in the parliamentary constituency of Swansea East.

The town

The town of Morriston, originally separate and distinct, has now become a district of the expanded City of Swansea, which originally lay to its South West.

Morriston was constructed as a new town on a grid pattern and was named after its founder, Sir John Morris, baronet. He originally called it “Morris Town", but this was shortened and made as one word “Morriston". Morris also had a work house built called Morris Castle. A Welsh language translation of the name, Treforys, is sometimes encountered.

Morriston was initally constructed for the workers of the tinplate and copper industries that built up along the banks of the River Tawe in the 18th Century, and by the 19th Century it was the tinplate capital of the world. However, this industry went into decline with the invention of the strip mill, which required massive investment, and tinplating had almost vanished from the area by the end of the Second World War, modern works being situated further east in Port Talbot. Nevertheless, Morriston is now the most populated of all Swansea’s suburbs.

Morriston Hospital (Swansea’s largest hospital) is located in Cwmrhydyceirw about 1 mile north of Morriston Town. All British driver registration is handled by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency which is located near Morriston and is one of the biggest local employers.

The Morriston Orpheus Choir has an international reputation as a male voice choir.