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Nicholaston

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"NICHOLASTON, in the Cwmwd of Gwyr, Cantref of Eginog (now called thc Hundred of Swansea), County of GLAMORGAN, South Wales: a discharged Rectory, consolidated with the Rectory of Oxwich, and valued in the King's Books at £5..11..0 1/2: Patron, Thomas Mansel Talbot, Esq.: Church dedicated to St. Nicholas. The Resident Population of this Parish, in 1801, was 85. The Money raised by the Parish Rates, in 1803, was £15..4..5, at 4s. in the pound. It is 12 m. W. S. W. from Swansea. This Parish contains about 335 acres of inclosed and cultivated Land, and about 50 acres uncultivated and uninclosed. It is situate upon Oxwich Bay, in the Bristol Channel. Part of this Parish, about 70 acres, called the Hamlet of Manselfield, lies about three miles to the Eastward of the village of Nicholaston, between the Parishes of Bishopston and Oystermouth. One of the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor for the Parish, is chosen from this Hamlet. The Tythes of the Hamlet of Manselfield belong to the Rector. According to the Diocesan Report, in 1809, the yearly value of this Benefice, arising from Glebe, Tythes, and Surplice fees, was £43..14..4. " From: A Topographical Dictionary of The Dominion of Walesby Nicholas Carlisle, London, 1811.

"NICHOLASTON, a parish in the hundred of SWANSEA, county of GLAMORGAN, SOUTH WALES, 11 miles (W. S. W.) from Swansea, containing 92 inhabitants. This parish, which derives its name from the dedication of its church to St. Nicholas, is situated on the shore of Oxwich bay, by which it is bounded on the south, and comprises but a small tract of arable and pasture land, of which only a comparatively trifling portion is unenclosed and uncultivated. The surrounding scenery is pleasingly varied, and is enriched with thriving timber; and the views from the eminence called Cevn Bryn, over Penrice Castle and grounds, and from the cliffs which impend over the bay, are interesting and diversified. The hamlet of Manselfield, in this parish, from which place one of the churchwardens and one of the overseers of the poor are invariably chosen, derived its name from the Mansel family, one of whom, William Mansel, Esq., of Penrice Castle, was proprietor of it in the reign of Henry VI.: it is situated at a short distance from the village of Nicholaston, and comprises about seventy acres. The living is a discharged rectory, consolidated with that of Port-Eynon, in the archdeaconry of Carmarthen, and diocese of St. David's, rated in the king's books at £ 5. 11. 0 1/2., and in the patronage of C. R. M. Talbot, Esq., who is the principal proprietor of land in the parish. The church is a small plain edifice, possessing no architectural details of importance, and is situated near the summit of the cliffs which overhang the centre of Oxwich bay. The average annual expenditure for the support of the poor is £8. 7." ( A Topographical Dictionary of Wales by Samuel Lewis 1833)

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Bibliography

Here is a substantial reading list of books which relate to Glamorgan, either county or parish.

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Cemeteries

The Glamorgan Family History Society have produced a set of microfiche containing Monumental Inscriptions for the following burial grounds :-

  • Parish Church of St. Nicholas
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Churches

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Church History

Glamorgan Chapels Database- None found in this parish

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Church Records

For full and up-to-date details of their holdings see the sites of Glamorgan Record Office and/or West Glamorgan Archives

See Bap/Mar/Bur data on  FreeReg

The church is dedicated to St. Nicholas, is in the Benefice of Oxwich with Penmaen with Nicholaston, and diocese of Swansea and Brecon. Details of the present incumbent of this benefice can be found at the Church in Wales website. The church can be located at grid reference SS513884.

Anglican Parish Registers Held at the Glamorgan Record Office, Cardiff
BaptismsMarriagesBurialsBannsBishops Transcripts
1787-1811, 1813-19851797-1835, 1837-19691788-1811, 1815-1984-1671-1672, 1677-1679, 1681-1684, 1686-1687, 1690-1691, 1696-1697, 1701, 1707-1708, 1710, 1713, 1716, 1725, 1727-1754, 1756-1758, 1760-1775, 1777-1789, 1791-1800, 1802-1803, 1805-1846, 1849-1870, 1873, 1875-1879, 1882, 1885, 1887-1893, 1895-1896,1898
(At the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth)

Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;

  • Nicholaston Ecclesiastical Parish Records          " Registers (including service and banns registers) 1787-1985; papers relating to church property and fabric 1891-1971 and n.d.; Churchwardens' accounts and rates 1858-1893; miscellaneous 1814 and 1884"

The following Religious Institutions are covered in the Mormon International Genealogical Index (IGI) :-

  • Nicholaston, St. Nicholas - Christenings (BT's), 1815-1875
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Description & Travel

Nicholaston - on the GGAT site

You can see pictures of Nicholaston which are provided by:

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Directories

Transcript of complete name listing for the Gower parishes, from Slaters Directory for 1880.

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Gazetteers

The transcription of the section for Nicholaston from The National Gazetteer (1868) provided by Colin Hinson.

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Historical Geography

Some of the hamlets, towns and villages within this parish

  • Manselfield
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Maps

This diagram shows the position of this parish within the county of Glamorgan - click on this to see a full size diagram of the county

 

image

Map of Nicholaston parish in the County of Glamorgan - on the People's Collection Wales site

Parish map (Kain/Oliver)

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SS512881 (Lat/Lon: 51.572455, -4.14927), Nicholaston which are provided by:

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Names, Geographical

Places, villages, farms etc within Nicholaston parish as shown on the online parish map from the CD of Historic Parishes of England and Wales: an Electronic Map of Boundaries before 1850 with a Gazetteer and Metadata [computer file]. (Kain, R.J.P., Oliver, R.R.). (Extracted by Mary Greatorex)

  • Nicholaston (40): Nicholaston, Nicholaston Burrows, Nicholaston Hall, Nicholaston Wood.
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Newspapers

There are many references to this area in the 15 million Welsh and English language articles from Welsh newspapers transcribed by the NLW and viewable on Welsh Newspapers Online
Below are English language articles that have been re-transcribed and extracted randomly to illustrate what is available, there are many that are not extracted here that include names of local people

  •  From The Cardiff Times 3rd August 1895

SACRILEGE AT GOWER. Nicholaston Church, Gower, which the late Miss Olive Talbot recently restored at great cost, has been the object of a scandalous act of desecration. There are some handsome carved beads on the exterior of the building, and these have been destroyed. A large reward is to be offered for the exposure of the perpetrators of this outrage.

  • From  The Cambrian 20th July 1900

NICHOLASTON CHURCH, GOWER. AND ITS OLD FLEMISH BELL. Mr. George E. Halliday, F.R.LB.A., Llandaff, writes as follows in the July number of The Reliquary and Illustrated Archaeologist;

"Nicholaston Parish Church is picturesquely situated on Oxwich Bay, and is one ot the smallest, if not the smallest church in the Principality—measuring only 47 feet feet east to west. A few years since the church was partially rebuilt by the late Miss Olive Talbot, at a cost of between six and seven thousand pounds, with a result that, for its size, it is one of the most elaborate churches in the country. The little building contains two features of exceptional interest, viz., an early font composed of a single block of stalagmite, together with a very beautiful bell. The latter is about two feet in diameter. Round the dome is a delicate band of fleur-de-lys decoration, below which is the following inscription " Ic been chegoten int jaer ons Heeren 1518." (I am cast in the year of our Lord 1518.)    .....(part extract).....  "

  • From The Cambrian 11th May 1906

AN OLD GOWER BELL. FLEMING RELIC AT NICHOLASTON CHURCH. In these days of rapid road travelling (writes Mr. G. E. Halliday, F.R.I.B.A., to the "Mail"), few may have noticed the little wayside church of Nicholaston, on the high road from Swansea to Rhossilly, situate about half a mile east of Penrice Castle gates. It is well worth stopping for a few minutes at the little church, if even for the sake of the bell, which hangs within a few yards of the road, and may be seen without the trouble of finding the verger or getting the church key. .....(part extract)..... 

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Population

The Population of Nicholaston was as follows, and a more detailed breakdown is available.

1841 - 1191851 - 1321861 - 1091871 - 1051881 - 751891 - 100