The Grove

Dylan wrote about The Grove in ‘A Fine Beginning’ and in ‘Return Journey’

About fifty years along on the left is a single storey building now used as a church meeting house. In the thirties, this was used as a radio-recording studio and it was here that Dylan presented and chaired the radio programme ‘Swansea and the Arts’.

Thomas wrote jocularly to a friend that he had been “broadcasting from Swansea with Dan Jones and the boys”. The “boys” were his Kardomah pals, the immensely talented group of Dylan’s friends – Daniel Jones, musician, Vernon Watkins, poet, Alfred Janes, painter, and John Prichard, writer.

The broadcast featured them all explaining what it was about Swansea that fuelled their respective talents. Dylan begins his introduction, “We speak from the Grove of Swansea…” and goes on…

“Five of use then sit in this desecrated Grove, on chairs not hillocks; our little cloven feet are shoed; our shirt cuffs fray where flowery bangles once budded; some of us wear glasses; and the mead is off.”

It was around this quiet cul-de-sac that Dylan would play with the children of W.Grant Murray, who lived in nearby Richmond Road.

On to Cwmdonkin Park >>