A town on the most western edge of the South Wales Valleys, Kidwelly (Cydweli) has a different feel to the valleys ex-mining towns such as Abertillery and Ebbw Vale.
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| Industrial Museum |
The Industrial Museum covers a large area, with a variety of old machines and equipment, including those for cold rolling and tinplate. An interesting DVD shows the old steelworks in operation. The job of a "Doubler" was really dangerous. A red hot sheet of metal would be tossed across the floor from another worker and the doubler would stop it, fold it over and then stamp on it to flatten it. Apparently many "ex-doublers" were easily recognised walking through the town by their apparent limp, caused by injuries incurred at work.
The earliest castle in Kidwelly was built of earth and timber by the Normans, and the town was established around 1115AD. By the 13th century the castle consisted of a stone building with the half-moon floor plan you see today.
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| Kidwelly Castle |
In the 12th Century when South Wales was under Norman rule, Gruffudd ap Rhys, the rightful Prince of South Wales had been trying to reassert his claim. While he was away raising funds for his cause, his wife, Gwenllian led their army and marched on the King's forces. After a long and bloody battle her army was defeated and Gwenllian was put to death. Gwenllian and Boudicca are the only women in history to have led a British army into battle.
Thomas Kymer built the canal and quay between 1766 and 1768. It allowed good to be transported along the canal and transferred across to sea-going vessels without having to wait for high tides.
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| Kymer Canal basin (Wonderful picnic area with sea views) |
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