In medieval times, the tidal River Tawe reached almost to the walls of Swansea Castle, before centuries of land reclamation and river engineering pushed the water hundreds of metres away. The wide estuary once formed part of the castle’s natural defences and gave it commanding views across Swansea Bay, until the shoreline was gradually filled in during the 18th and 19th centuries. (Sources: Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales; Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust) |