View source for Rhossili

{{Short description|Village and community in Swansea, Wales}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox UK place
| country                     = Wales
| static_image_name           = Rhosilli village from the air.jpg
| static_image_caption        =
| welsh_name                  = Rhosili
| constituency_welsh_assembly = [[Gower (Senedd constituency)|Gower]]
| official_name               = Rhossili
| coordinates                 = {{coord|51.56856|-4.28690|display=inline,title}}
| unitary_wales               = [[Swansea]]
| lieutenancy_wales           = 
| community_wales             = Rhossili
| constituency_westminster    = [[Gower (UK Parliament constituency)|Gower]]
| post_town                   = Swansea
| postcode_district           = SA3
| postcode_area               = SA
| dial_code                   = 
| map_type                    = 
| os_grid_reference           = SS417881
| population                  = 278 
| module= [[File:2024 Wales Swansea Community Rhossili map.svg|240px]]<br />Map of the community
}}
{{Gower Peninsula|sidebar=yes}}
'''Rhossili''' ({{langx|cy|Rhosili}}; {{pronunciation|Rhosili.ogg|Welsh pronunciation|help=no}}) is a small village and [[community (Wales)|community]] on the southwestern tip of the [[Gower Peninsula]]<ref>''A Guide to Gower'', published by the Gower Society, {{ISBN|0-902767-23-2}}</ref> in [[Wales]]. It is within the first [[Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty]] in the [[United Kingdom]]. The village has a [[Local government in the United Kingdom#Parishes and communities|community council]] and is part of the [[Gower (UK Parliament constituency)|Gower parliamentary constituency]], and the [[Gower (electoral ward)|Gower]] electoral ward. At the 2011 census, the population was 278. The community includes the hamlet of Middleton.

The name derives from the [[Welsh language|Welsh word]] ''rhos'' meaning a moor and the personal name ''Sulein'', hence "Sulein's moorland promontory".{{clarify|date=October 2023|reason=Where did the word "promontory" come from? Wouldn't it just be "Sulein's moorland"?}}<ref>{{cite book |last1=Owen |first1=Hywel Wyn |last2=Morgan |first2=Richard |title=Dictionary of the Place-names of Wales |date=2007 |publisher=Gomer |location=Llandysul, Ceredigion |isbn=9781843239017 |page=415 |edition=First}}</ref>
Rhossili is a popular tourist destination: the views from the headland and the Down are panoramic; several pleasant walks begin, end, or pass through the village; [[Iron Age]] remains are found on Rhossili Down. The {{convert|2.8|mi|adj=on}} wide sandy beach is backed with [[sand dune]]s and attracts [[surfer]]s at the [[Llangennith]] end as well as along the entire stretch of beach.

==Church==
The present [[Norman architecture|Norman]] [[Church (building)|church]] is dedicated to [[Mary, mother of Jesus|St Mary the Virgin]]. Inside there is a memorial to [[Edgar Evans]], who was the first to perish on the [[Terra Nova Expedition|''Terra Nova'' Expedition]] with [[Robert Falcon Scott|Captain Scott]] on the return from the [[South Pole]].

==Rhossili Bay==
Rhossili Bay curves along an arc running northwards from the village. The {{convert|2.8|mi|adj=on}} wide sandy beach is backed with [[sand dune]]s. Behind the beach just north of the village is Rhossili Down with the highest point on the [[Gower Peninsula]], '''the Beacon''' (193 metres), and a number of [[prehistoric]] remains. It is between Rhossili Down and the beach that the Warren is found. In some of the fields on "The Vile" in Rhossili, the National Trust plant every year around 400,000 sunflowers. This is an extremely popular attraction for visitors to take selfies at during late July and early August, however there have been issues with some visitors picking the flowers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/sunflowers-back-rhossili-looking-stunning-16658442|title=The sunflowers are back at Rhossili and they are looking stunning|last=Williams|first=Nino|date=2019-07-29|website=walesonline|access-date=2019-08-26}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-49191820|title=Call for people to stop picking beauty spot flowers|date=2019-08-04|access-date=2019-08-26|language=en-GB}}</ref>

At the southern end of the Bay is [[Worm's Head]], consisting of two tidal islands: ''Outer Head'' {{convert|184|ft}} and ''Inner Head'' {{convert|154|ft}}. At the north is [[Burry Holms]]. These islands are accessible only at low tide.

Rhossili Bay featured in the [[2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony|Opening Ceremony]] of the [[2012 Summer Olympics|London 2012 Olympic Games]], a youth choir began a cappella performances of "[[Bread of Heaven]]" live on the beach which was broadcast at the Olympic Stadium.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://nationalpost.com/sports/olympics/london-2012-olympic-opening-ceremonies-live |title=London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony live|publisher=National Post |date=2012-07-27 |access-date=2020-06-24 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121209083431/http://sports.nationalpost.com/2012/07/27/london-2012-olympic-opening-ceremonies-live/ |archive-date=2012-12-09 }}</ref> The bay has been used as the setting of New Earth in the sci-fi show ''[[Doctor Who]]'' and the bay including the Old Rectory was used in ''[[Torchwood: Miracle Day]]''. In 2014, it was voted the UK's number one beach, third best in Europe, and 9th best in the world, by [[TripAdvisor]] users.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.travelmole.com/news_feature.php?c=setreg&region=2&m_id=nmmddn&w_id=8719&news_id=2005281 |title=Wales beats Hawaii and Caribbean in beach poll |publisher=Travelmole.com |date=2014-03-18 |access-date=2013-06-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-26625340 |title=BBC News - Rhossili Bay, Gower, third best in Europe says TripAdvisor survey |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=2014-03-18 |access-date=2014-03-18}}</ref>

==Fall Bay==
Fall Bay is one of the most remote and hardest to reach beaches on Gower. The beach is never crowded due to its remoteness. There is no beach visible at high tide. The beach is very popular with surfers. At very low tide, it is possible to walk over from the beach to [[Mewslade Bay]]. The beach is reachable via a path which passes Rhossili village hall. It continues over fields and many stiles and has a steep final descent. The cliff path leads east to [[Mewslade Bay]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.walescoastpath.gov.uk/explore-by-area/gower-swansea-bay/short-walks.aspx?lang=en|title=Rhossili to Mewslade Bay|access-date=28 August 2016|publisher=Wales Coast Path}}</ref> or westwards towards the Worm's Head and Rhossili Bay.{{Citation needed|date=August 2016}}

==Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed" heights="175">
File:Rhossili in Autumn, 2010.jpg|Rhossili beach in Autumn, 2010
File:St Mary's Church, Rhossili (5350).jpg|Church of St Mary the Virgin
Image:Worm's head looking through gap.jpg|The Devil's Bridge at Worm's Head
Image:Worm's head.jpg|Worm's Head
File:Road to Worm's Head Cottage, Gower (gcf02225).jpg| Road to Worms Head Cottage, by John Crawford (fl. 1885), picture in the art collection of the [[National Library of Wales]]
</gallery>

==Notable residents==
*[[Edgar Evans]],<ref>[http://www.archivesnetworkwales.info/cgi-bin/anw/fulldesc_nofr?inst_id=34&coll_id=11286&expand=Edgar Evans Collection]</ref> Antarctic explorer (a memorial tablet can be seen in the parish church)<ref>''Rhossili Parish Church and the old Church in the Warren'' by Robert Lucas, published by Rhossili Parochial Church Council, 2000.</ref>

==National Trust==
The [[National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty|National Trust]] owns and protects much land on the Gower Peninsula. The Trust operates a [[visitor centre]] in Rhossili near the Warren, Rhossili Down, Worm's Head, Rhossili beach and coastal cliffs. Scenes from ''[[Torchwood: Miracle Day]]'' were filmed at the [[National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty|National Trust's]] Old Rectory cottage in [[Rhossili Bay]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Wright|first=Ben|title=Swansea-born Torchwood writer 'can't wait' to show off hometown in new BBC series|url=http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/news/City-centre-stage-s-happy-return/article-3143267-detail/article.html|publisher=This Is South Wales|access-date=26 January 2011}}</ref><ref name="Week3">{{cite web|last=Foster|first=Chuck|title=Torchwood: Week Three Filming|url=http://www.doctorwhonews.net/2011/01/dwn3001112330-torchwood-week-three.html|publisher=The Doctor Who News Page|access-date=31 January 2011}}</ref>

==Skinny dipping==
On 19 June 2011, almost four hundred people attempted to break the world record for the largest number of people [[skinny dipping]] at one time in the sea at Rhossili.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Rhossili midsummer skinny dip organisers claim record |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-13838216 |date=19 June 2011 | publisher=BBC News}}</ref>

== Further reading ==
* ''Musings of a Middleton Boy, An Autobiography of One Youngster's Life in Post-World War II Rural Wales, Growing Up on the Gower Coast'' by Cyril Jones, 2007 ({{ISBN|9780595466580}})({{ISBN|9780595705153}})
* ''A Gower Family, The Lucases of Stouthall and Rhossili Rectory'', by Robert Lucas, 2005 ({{ISBN|1873295715}})
* ''Rhossili, A Village Background", by Robert Lucas, 2004 ({{ISBN|0905928938}})
* ''Rhossili: The Land, Landscape and People'', by Leonard Beynon, 2008 ({{ISBN|9780955170324}})
* ''Edgar Evans of Gower (1876-1912), From Rhossili to the South Pole'', by Gary Gregor, 2008  ({{ISBN|9780902767430}})

==See also==
*[[Villages in Gower]]

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru5QOwfgSwM Video showing the beauty of Rhossili]
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{{Gower Peninsula}}
{{Swansea}}

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[[Category:Communities in Swansea]]
[[Category:Populated places on the Gower Peninsula]]
[[Category:National Trust properties in Wales]]
[[Category:Sites of Special Scientific Interest in West Glamorgan]]
[[Category:Villages in Swansea]]
[[Category:Seaside resorts in Wales]]