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OLD PENNARD - W.J.Harding
A survey carried out by Oliver Cromwell in 1650 describes an area surrounding Pennard Castle as: (the original spelling and punctuation have been retained).
“There remayneth sciittuacon of the Castle of Pennard, Desolate and ruinous, and soe long time vnrepayred that scarsely there remayneth one whole wall. It standeth vppon a Rocke near adjoyneing the sea, and now compassed with much sand. And Demanes thereof we find in auncient paper, which is in the nature of a Survey, that the Demaynes thereof is between the ould Church besanded to the said Castle and from thence to Pennards Bridge, and from there to the Three Cleeves”.
(There remaineth situation of the castle of Pennard, desolate and ruinous and so long time unprepared that scarcely there remmaineth one whole wall. It standeth upon a rock near adjoining the sea and now compassed with much sand, and demesnes thereof we find in ancient paper which is in the nature of a survey that the demesnes thereof is between the old church besanded to the said castle and from thence to Pennard bridge, and from there to Three Cleeves).
The church referred to is the one whose ruins can be seen on the golf links and Three Cleeves is the old name for Three Cliffs. Demesnes is land retained by the Lord of the Manor for his own use upon which the tenants gave free service according to the custom of the manor.
This bridge is described by W.Ll.Morgan, President of South Wales in An Antiquarian Survey of East Glamorgan, published in 1899, wherein it states;
“The stepping stones across the Pill are remnants of a very old bridge, perhaps erected as far back as the Norman times and the one mentioned in Cromwell’s
survey. Judging from the stones left it must have been of the
clapper kind so common on Dartmoor”.
An Inn that was described in an advert that appeared in the Cambrian Newspaper on 8 May 1824 was; THE GOWER INN, GOWER. Within 8 miles of Swansea and within a quarter mile of the sea.
Thomas Morris respectfully informs his friends and the public generally that ‘he has taken to the above commodious house, which will be opened on Monday 10th May instant, genuine spirits sold at reasonable prices; and good home-brewed ale at 5d per quart’. Thomas Morris has also opened a shop in the grocery and general
country business in thee above house. He will procure his goods from the wholesale dealers in Bristol and therefore will be enabled to sell them at the Swansea prices. As the house contains a number of airy rooms Thomas Morris will be enabled to accommodate private families with board and lodgings.
In the Cambrian Newspaper, Swansea, the Gower Inn once more appeared on 16 December 1843 reporting that the police were not always right. Swansea Petty Sessions - A Gower constable named Tucker and a person called Williams were charged with assaulting a man called Eden. The complainant, evidently a young man of weak intellect, went to the Gower Inn about 10 o’clock at night and asked for beer which Fisk, the landlord, for reasons stated, declined to give him and ordered him out. On his refusal to leave Fisk requested Tucker to turn him out, which the latter did and some scuffling took place outside the house during which the
complainant repeatedly called out “Murder”. Several witnesses were examined but the details were of no interest. The Magistrates were divided in opinion. Dr Hewson, Mr Davies and Col. Jones thinking the constable guilty of assault had taken place. The majority being of the former opinion, the defendant was fined in the penalty of 6d with 15 shillings costs.
In the late 14th century the Vil (part of a parish) had only 9 tenants, in 1400 there were only 7 tenants and in 1503 there were only 3 tenants in Pennard. This desertion of the lands of Pennard were left uncultivated and the farms ‘tenantless’ as a result of the ‘Black Death’. In 1420 the pestilence was still raging and as a result robbery and violence were everywhere. Due to difficulties caused by the plague and the insurgence of Glyndwr rebellion of 1402-05 many tenants found it difficult to pay their rents. John Russel of Pennard who was imprisoned by the bishop of Exeter for non-payment of his rents escaped from the Bishop’s Palace with two others. Having broken out at night they killed the porter an the chaplain of the palace and left the wardrobe keeper for dead, they made their escape after plundering the Bishop’s chambers.
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