Prior to the Norman invasion, the district was the commote of Gŵyr, a part of Cantref Eginawc, within the realm of Deheubarth.

However, King Henry instead granted Eginawc to Hywel ap Goronwy [de], a leading member of the army of Iorwerth's brother, Cadwgan.

Its caput and chief castle was Swansea, and it extended westward to the end of the Gower Peninsula and northward to Ystalyfera and Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen.

When Henry de Beaumont's grandson, Waleran, got heavily into debt, King John (1199–1216) took the Lordship away from him, in part settlement.

In 1203, John transferred the Lordship of Gower to William III de Braose (d.1211) for the service of one knight's fee.

287–8 as follows (Grant by King John of the whole land of Gower, with its boundaries, to William de Braose):[3] Johannes Dei gracia Rex Anglie Dominus Hibernie, Dux Normannie, Aquitannie et Comes Andegavie: Archiepiscopis, episcopis, abbatibus, comitibus, baronibus, justiciaribus, vicecomitibus, ballivis et omnibus ministris et fidelibus suis, salutem.

jure volumus et firmiter precipimus quod predictus Willelmus de Braoso et heredes sui post ipsum habeant et teneant totam predictam terram de Guher cum omnibus pertinenciis suis in Wallia de nobis et heredibus nostris per predictum servicium sicut predictum est bene et in pace libere et quiete integre plenarie et honorifice cum omnibus libertatibus et liberis consuetudinibus suis in omnibus locis et omnibus rebus ad predictam terram pertinentibus.

Tawy departe entre Gouher e la terre le coimte de Gloucestrie desques a Aber Gleys .

William de Braose decided to settle the inheritance while he still lived, dividing his lands between his daughters, Aline and Joan.

Already hugely wealthy and powerful, in 1468 the Duke was content to convert Herbert's custody of Gower into permanent possession, which the king confirmed the following year.

When Edward IV died, however, and his brother Richard III usurped Prince Edward's claim to the throne, the Earl of Huntingdon was one of Richard III's supporters, and was duly rewarded by regaining partial authority over his former lands, as Justiciar of South Wales.

The Lordship was formally extinguished by the son of Elizabeth and Henry - Henry VIII - by his first Laws in Wales Act (1535), which merged it with the Lordship of Glamorgan,[5] an area which similarly had been forfeit for allegiance to Richard III, and which, when previously held by the crown - in the time of Hugh Despencer - had been combined with Gower.

Though the rights of Marcher lords were abolished by the Laws in Wales Act, considerable claimed rights and privileges continued to be exercised de facto in Gower by the Earls of Worcester (who eventually became Dukes of Beaufort), who still remained substantial landlords in the Gower area for many centuries.