They can be found at the eastern end of the Swansea University Singleton Park campus.

The nucleus of the house is a neo-classical villa, octagonal in plan, erected in 1784 under the name of Marino by Edward King, a customs official.

In 1817 this was bought by the industrialist John Henry Vivian, who added rectangular one-bay extensions to either side.

Work started in 1827, and a decade later Robinson published Domestic Architecture in the Tudor Style, a monograph in all but name on Singleton Abbey.

In 1920 the Corporation rented and in 1923 sold the house and the nucleus of the estate to the University College of Swansea, which made the Abbey its headquarters.