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Llandovery's Market Square
Love spoons anyone? Dinefwr Craft Centre
Historic Llandovery retains its colourful character
Llandovery's medieval castle & the martyr Lord Llywelyn ap Gruffydd-Fychan
The legend of the Lady of the Lake and the Physicians of MyddfaiLlandovery (Llanymddyfri)
Llandovery is a pretty market town that falls within Camarthenshire at the extreme west of the Brecon Beacons National Park. The town is a good base for exploring the western Beacons.
It's name Llanymddyfri means "church among the waters" and the town is surrounded by three rivers, the Towy, the Bran and the Gwydderig. The town has changed little for centuries and as the town lay at the junction of three droving routes it was an important assembly point for the drovers before they continued on to the border and London. The cobbled market square and clock tower at the town's centre, lined by brightly coloured buildings, cafes, craft and gift shops and B&Bs, is certainly evocative of a bygone era - so much so that film crews have been known to use it as a backdrop for period drama.
Llandovery Town Centre
Farmers and cattle markets still take place here. There are wholefood stores, bookshops, a charity-run independent theatre and Dinefwr Craft Centre, formerly the market hall dating from 1840, that sell a range of locally made items including oak furniture and love spoons. The town houses the Old Printing Shop that was once one of Wales' most important printing centres, and surprisingly, a public school, Llandovery College.
Llandovery Castle & History
On a grass covered rocky hillock overlooking the main car park are the remains of the 12th century Norman Llandovery Castle. A more recent addition is the striking stainless steel sculpture of local Lord Llywelyn ap Gruffydd-Fychan. He became a martyr for his country's freedom when he was publically executed in Llandovery in front of the English king Henry IV in 1401 for supporting the rebel prince Owain Glyndwr and Wales' struggle for independance.
Today this is a good vantage point for views over the town and the countryside beyond. The tourist information office which doubles as one of the National Park Information Centres, can also be found in the car park below the castle. The community-run Llandovery Heritage Centre is above it where you can learn about Twm Sion Cati (Thomas Jones, 1530 - 1609) the notorious Highwayman, and William Williams, Pantycelyn, (1717-91) the famous Welsh hymn-writer who wrote the words translated as 'Guide me O Thou Great Redeemer'.
Llandovery is also the place where one of the first independent Welsh banks, The Black Ox, was established by a wealthy drover (later to become part of Lloyds TSB bank). The building adjoining the King's Head was the home of The Bank of the Black Ox.
The Physicians of Myddfai
Eight miles (13 km) south of Llandovery is the pretty village of Myddfai where you can read about the charming legend, the Physicians of Myddfai, that centres around Llyn y Fan Fach, south east of Myddfai.
A beautiful fairy maiden is said to have risen from the lake's waters and as the son of a local farmer watched her comb her hair he immediately fell in love with her. He tried to tempt her to come to him with bread, twice she refused but the third time she accepted. The father came out of lake and granted the boy permission to marry his daughter on the condition that should the farmer strike his daughter three times she would return to the lake forever. He also promised them a herd of cattle as a wedding present. They lived happily for many years having three sons, but eventually he strikes her gently three times for different reasons and she and her cattle are returned to the lake. Although she is lost to her husband forever, she leaves the legacy to her sons and their descendants of the healing powers of her people which leads to a dynasty of doctors from Myddfai.
Although this starts as legend, there are records of Rhiwallon and his three sons who were well-known 13th century physicians and whose descendants continued the tradition of practising medicine. The "Physicians Valley" (Pan-y-Meddygon) is still rich in bog plants, herbs and lichens and is well worth visiting for its scenery.
Dolaucothi Gold Mines
North west of Llandovery at Pumsaint are the Dolaucothi Gold Mines now owned by the National Trust. This is the only place in Britain where it is certain that the Romans mined gold almost 2,000 years ago. The true age of the working weren't realised until the 1930's when wooden tools discovered while extraction was still going on were compared to finds from archaeological sites in Spain and Eastern Europe. It was confirmed in the 1960s that they were indeed of Roman origin when a section of a water-lifting wheel was securely dated. Further archaeological surveys have taken place from the late 1960s and similarities have been discovered to French mines. It is the discovery of the water-based technologies used that point to Roman expertise, although there is still some debate as to whether this was what the Romans would have used at Dolaucothi.
Today you can take an underground guided tour of the Roman gold mine and view what is left of their workings. There are also examples of later machinery used when mining resumed in the 19th century and through into the 20th century. Alternatively there is a self-guided trail, "The Miners' Trail" around the major features of interest that takes about 45 minutes to walk round. There is also an exhibition about the history of gold and gold mining. Once you've absorbed all that, you can have a go at gold panning yourself.
The mines are set in wooded hillsides overlooking the beautiful Cothi Valley. There are several waymarked walks through the estate and if you're lucky you might even see a red kite flying overhead. Fishing is also available.
Stout footwear is recommended for the underground tour. Younger children should not be carried on the tours. There is the "Long Adit Tour" for the less able and pushchairs can be taken on this tour, but children have to wear a correctly fitting hard hat. For more details try the link to the right of this page or contact the National Trust direct: Dolaucothi Gold Mines, Pumsaint, Llanwrda, Carmarthenshire SA19 8US. 01558 825146 (Infoline) 01558 650177 01558 650359 (Shop) Email: dolaucothi@nationaltrust.org.uk Entrance Fees range from £3.08 for adults, £1.54 for children and £7.71 for families (2 adults + 2 children). The Underground tour is an additional charge of £3.45, child £1.71, family £8.63.
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