[1] As far back as October 1888 Swansea Corporation and the rural sanitation authority had earmarked Cwmgelli as the site for a public cemetery.

The Swansea Journal and South Wales Liberal newspaper noted the land sloped "rather suddenly" from west to east and described the internal roads as a "series of curves, which have the double effect of minimising the gradient, and at the same time dividing the ground in a number of shapely parterres".

[4] The cemetery was apportioned between Nonconformists and Anglicans who had an equal share over three quarters of the area and the Roman Catholics with an eighth.

Permission for the cemetery was sought by the council Burial Board but was refused by the Home Office, who imposed the condition that part of the ground be consecrated.

The council circumvented the condition by making a second application as a sanitary authority and obtained authorisation from the Local Government Board under different legislation.