Marking the beginning of the Gower Peninsula, Mumbles is much loved area situated at the western edge Swansea Bay on the south coast of Wales .
Mumbles is known for its unique place name. By some the headland was named by French sailors, due to the shape of the two anthropomorphic islands iy comprises of. The word “Mumbles” is possibly a corruption of the French term les mamelles meaning “the breasts”. The word Mamucium could also be another source of the name, which many think represents a Latinization of an original Brythonic Name, either from mamma (“mother”), in reference of a “breastlike hill” or mamma (“breast”), in reference of a local river goddess.
Mumbles Lighthouse was constructed in the 1790s and converted to solar power operation in 1995.
Mumbles Pier opened at the terminus the Swansea and Mumbles Railway in 1898. This was the first public horse-drawn passenger train service. It was opened on 2 March 1807, and it used horse power until 1877, then steam power till 1929. The line finally switched to overhead electric tram power in January 1960.
Mumbles Lifeboat Station was established in 1866. The entire lifeboat crew went down at sea in 1947 to save the crew from the SS Samtampa. This was known as the Mumbles Lifeboat Disaster. There are memorials at the nearest church, All saints’ Church, Oystermouth.