Welcome to Swanland

Swanland is today regarded as a prime residential area. The first private housing estate of any size was started in 1958 and known as Queensbury Way. It was, however, in the Sixties that the housing boom really began in Swanland with private estates being built in Chantry Way East, Manor Road, Dower Rise, Priory Close, The Paddock and Grange Park.

Developments in the Seventies included Humber View, West Leys Park, Mere Way, Crowther Way and Northfield.

The Congregational chapel was built in Swanland in 1803 on the site of an earlier Independent Chapel which opened in 1694. According to a directory published in 1892: "Tradition has it, that for many years antecedent to the erection of a chapel the worshippers had met in a ruined chantry or monastic building all trace of which is now lost except a small mound covering part of the foundations in a paddock at the west end of the village."

People once had to pay for the privilege of using Tranby Lane. It formed part of the main route from Hull to Ferriby. The road was diverted to its present route when the occupiers of Swanland Hall decided they did not like the village people passing too close to their property.

Electricity came to Swanland in the late 1920s with just two buildings - The Manor and the Independent Chapel - being the only ones to have a power supply. Other properties were connected up in May 1929, the source of power being the Hull Corporation power station at Sculcoates.But street lighting took a lot longer to arrive. It was not until 1954 that the streets were lit. Gas came to Swanland 10 years later.

Swanland's first Post Office was opened in the mid 19th Century in a Dale Road cottage. It was then moved to another cottage in West End.

The Swan and Cygnet has replaced Priory Farmhouse which previously occupied the site. Work on the house was completed as war broke out in 1939.

Swanland's famous pond has been cleaned out twice - first in 1902 and secondly in 1973.

Swanland has only ever had two public houses.In 1855 the "local" was in a house at the corner of Dale Road and was known as The Fleece Inn. Between 1855 and 1971 the name was changed to the White Horse Inn.Then came the drama on Christmas 1897.A young local labourer got into the festive spirit too well and downed considerably more whiskey, than he should, having to be taken to a stable to sleep it off. Three hours later, though, he died.For the Fleece it was the beginning of the end, the landlord being summoned for "having on Christmas Day permitted drunkenness in his house and for having sold intoxicating liquor to drunken persons therein". He was fined £10.At the time probably the most prominent resident of the village was Sir James Reckitt, well known as a devout Quaker.And it was he who ensured that the days of drinking in Swanland were over - right until Easter 1980, in fact, when the Swan and Cygnet opened its doors for the first time.

Swanland now has links abroad. On July 9, 2000 the village officially became twinned with Lestrem in France.

Written by The Editor - 06/05/2001 18:02:31

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