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OLD PENNARD - W.J.Harding
Housing . . .
Because of the difficulties experienced by members of the working classes to obtain housing, the Housing for Working Classes Act came into force in 1890. These houses became known as ‘council houses’. There was no shortage of houses in Pennard caused by industry, however, there was a demand for housing created by people wanting to live in the area and those who had to move out of the condemned properties in Sandy Lane and other sites containing temporary holiday bungalows.
In 1942 a survey, carried out by the Engineer, established that there were 151 temporary buildings located on 9 sites in the parish. By 1948, the majority had been condemned as uninhabitable. This survey also showed that there were 156 temporary buildings erected on Sandy Lane. In 1963 the Engineer reported that of the 69 bungalows surveyed at Sandy Lane, 22 were seasonally occupied and of these, 11 were in such a condition that he recommended immediate removal. With regard to the 47 permanently occupied bungalows, the Engineer reported that 18 were in a dilapidated state, but, in order for the occupants to find alternative accommodation, he recommended that an expiry period, in which the 47 bungalows were to be removed, was fixed at 31 December, 1964.
In 1951, after pressure from the Gower Rural District Council, the Glamorgan County Council eventually approved the layout plan for 150 proposed council houses at the “Sandy Lane” site. Having made the decision to commence the development with 28 houses, the next step was to acquire the land, which was part of the Great Highway farm, but, the owners refused to enter into negotiations for the sale of this land. As a result it was decided by the Rural District Council that the land was to be acquired by compulsory purchase. In 1962, the Rural District Council decided that the Compulsory Purchase Order should be rescinded and, in 1968, permission was granted for the erection of private housing, which became the development of Linkside Drive and Pennard Drive.
Kilvrough Manor . . .
In Kilvrough Manor, Thomas Penrice enjoyed a comfortable living. If we look at the Estate accounts for 1908, it details the shooting carried out on the estate. This included 3,961 rabbits bringing in £127 and 2,000, various game birds bringing in £240. These together with incidentals made a total income of £402. Set against this is an expenditure of £429, of which £200 was for 4 men, another item was milk for ferrets, £5.
Other income of Kilvrough Manor was the rents paid to the manor in 1926 which amounted to £6,100 (today worth £370,000), of which Pennard paid £1,698 (today worth £102,000).
Roads . . .
Roads have always played a
significant role in the history of the Parish. This means of access allowed people to trade, socialise and attend their place of worship.
In the records of Pennard Manor, it was noted that on 4 May, 1676, the jury of the Manor stated: “Wee present another causeway leading from Kittle to Pennard’s Church to the annoyance of His Majesties subjects passing that way which ought to be repaired by the parishioners of Pennard. To be mended within a month of paine of XX’s (20s)”.
The HIghways Act of 1555
transferred responsibility for the upkeep of the king’s highways to the parishes. Each parishioner owning a ploughland in tillage, or keeping a draught or plough was liable to supply a cart for four days a year for use in road repair. Each able-bodied householder or tenant was required to give four days labour a year.
A Local Government Act in 1894 made minor roads the responsibility of local authorities; this allowed the Kittle Hill improvements to be carried out. It was in 1910 that the Roads Board estimated it would cost £3,000 for a new road to bypass the ford at Barlands corner. In 1925, the tender of D.J.Thorne, Scurlage, for £9,500 was accepted and the work started in November 1925, having an estimated completion date of June 1926. The first and last major improvement in the parish did not go according to the programmed duration and cost. The estimated cost, including extras, was £10,620, but the final cost was £14,226, an increase of 34% and the completion date was extended from June 1926 to August 1928, almost two years later than programmed.
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