Singleton Abbey, Grade II listed manor house in Sketty, Wales
Singleton Abbey is a substantial manor house begun in the late 1700s and expanded with neo-Gothic features during the 1800s. The building displays thick stone walls, an unusual octagonal layout, and formal Italian gardens that enhance the grounds around it.
The house was founded in 1784 by a customs official, but its current form took shape when an industrialist purchased it in 1823 and undertook major renovations. This transformation marked the building's shift from modest beginnings to a showcase of industrial wealth in South Wales.
The building reflects how wealthy industrial families displayed their status through grand architecture and landscape design. Visitors can see how the rooms were arranged to showcase affluence and refined taste during the 1800s.
The building sits on the Swansea University campus and is not open for casual visits as it houses administrative offices. Visitors can appreciate the exterior architecture and surrounding gardens while walking the campus grounds.
The original layout from 1784 remains visible, particularly in the back staircase and ground-floor arrangement, surviving all the later transformations. These remnants of the earliest structure allow visitors to trace the building's evolution across two centuries of change.
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