During the past 40 years whilst living in south Gower, I've always been fascinated by not only many of the features in the area, but also that the majority of the properties one sees whilst travelling through the Villages of Ilston, Kittle, Parkmill, Pennard and Southgate, as well as their surrounding lands etc, appear to be of a 'modern' construction.

Having been a Local (as well as a Family) Historian during the same period, with most of my Projects and Research having been outside Gower, I thought that it was about time that I finally settled on a Project which related directly to where I lived.

Several years ago my queries regarding the modern housing, coupled with realisation that local inhabitants who could help me to find out more were beginning to go to a 'greater Village in the sky' led me to chat to locals, look at Documents, read books, and gather photographs and other information so that one day that information could be used to highlight some of the unspoken, reveal some of the unknowns or forgottens, and so share such details with others.

For instance, did you know that before 1920, wherever you now live within the south-Gower Villages of Ilston, Kittle, Parkmill, Pennard and Southgate, was then part of the Kilvrough Estate?

or

that in the Village of Southgate as well as in parts of Pennard, the only source of water (for drinking, washing and watering livestock) was an old Well sited between Great Southgate farm and Pobbles beach, and that furthermore, despite those Villages' populations greatly increasing in the mid-1920s, that same Well was still the only source of water until the 1930s?

or

that in the 1930s there was a plan to create a very large estate on the lands of Great Southgate Farm, which would have stretched from the Golf Club end of Southgate right over to Westcliff, and on most fields in between?

or

that one resident used to have a boathouse on the beach at Pobbles and used to take her goats down to that beach every day to help clear the rubbish!

- and there's so much more to know, to discover, and yes, to share.

All residents in and around the Pennard area have something to share with their memories, with photographs (both old and new), with stories they've heard from their parents, as well as from past residents, with Documents, Diaries, Maps and so many other sources of information, and like so many other locals, I believe that such memories, and other information, should not only be recorded for posterity, but even more importantly, they should be shared so that the History of our Villages can never be forgotten.

Details regarding Kilvrough and its Estate, as well its history and how the Estate came to be sold in 1920 - together with details of publications and articles re Kilvrough and its owners etc will be gradually added to this website over a period of time, both from research already undertaken as well as from comments, memories and more, supplied by yourself and others. To take advantage of that opportunity to be part of a living History Project, please see below.

Please subscribe to the Pennard & Area Local History Project by entering your email address into the Google Groups box below and clicking on 'Subscribe'. Joining is absolutely free, and you will be able to read others' memories, and leave your own for others to read.

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