Wales' only remaining bascule bridge.

A Bascule bridge is a moveable bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances a span, or "leaf", throughout its upward swing to provide clearance for boat traffic. Once a fairly common feature, with the demise of high-masted ships the need for bascule bridges diminished and now there are only twenty remaining in the UK, the most famous being Tower Bridge in London.

Bascule Bridge at Carmarthen.

In Wales there is now only one remaining - it carries the Paddington to Fishguard railway across the river Tywi at Carmarthen. Also known as The White Bridge, it was built in 1903 and came down for the last time in 1956.

Although it can clearly be seen from the road bridge that carries the A40 across the Tywi, to allow you to get a closer look there is now a cycle way come pathway that will take you right up to it and from here you can really appreciate its grandeur as well as get an idea of the engineering that made it all work.

Dam and floodgates at old tinplate works, Kidwelly.

The dam and floodgates at old tinplate works, Kidwelly.

There has been a tinplate works on the banks of the Gwendraeth Fach at Kidwelly since 1737, and, after a long and chequered history, the mills finally rolled for the last time in 1941. Before the advent of steam engines, a large waterwheel was used to power the rolling mills,and to give a reliable water supply a dam was built across the river, which is still very much in evidence today.

Gearing for flood gates at tinplate works, Kidwelly.

The difficulty in maintaining this water supply is shown in the complexity of the dam and its flood-gate arrangements and a walk along the path at the top of the dam will still show you the gearing mechanisms that were needed to operate the gates. Historical records show a separate lease for an area of land upstream was needed to allow for the formation of a lake, yet even so their were times when the works were closed in summer for lack of water. The Gwendraeth Fach was also liable to flood and the river is still tidal at this point so a combination of high rainfall and a spring tide could possibly have flooded the works itself.  A few years later however, with the invention of the steam engine, all this engineering became unnecessary.

Today the pool in front of the dam has been re-named Gwenllian Pool, in keeping with the marketing of  present day  Kidwelly. It is a place noted on many angling websites and no doubt also provides an irresistible temptation to the local youngsters on hot days, despite the "No Swimming" signs put up nearby.

An excellent account of the tinplate history of Kidwelly is given here.

Amelia Ernhart memorial in Burry Port.

Burry Port memorial to commemorate Amelia Ernhatr's flight in 1928.

In a square at the centre of Burry Port is this grade II listed memorial, erected to commemorate the day that Amelia Ernhart landed here in June 1928, after her record-breaking, non stop  flight across the Atlantic. The memorial is in its own iron-fenced flower garden and the top is adorned with an iron-work portrayal the seaplane "Friendship" that had brought her safely across.

Amelia was already a world-wide celebrity and very soon the world's press descended on Burry Port to cover the story. For one advantageous moment in time, Burry Port was on the world stage and there were many around the town who wanted that moment to last for as long as possible. Even today the story is still part of Burry Port's folk law, and in 2003 to mark the 75th anniversary of Amelia's triumph, an engraved commemorative stone was erected in the newly-restored harbour area.

Commemorative plaque near Burry Port harbour.

With all the publicity and the memorials you could be forgiven for believing that Amelia Ernhart was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic and landed her plane here in 1928. She was however, only a passenger on the plane, or perhaps cabin crew serving drinks and selling the duty-free, or even to use her own description— “like a sack of potatoes.” The pilot was Wilmur Stultz and co-pilot was Louis Gordon and between them they did all the flying. But Burry Port and the press weren't interested in their exploits, it was Amelia who was the star of the show. Perhaps an example of that old adage: Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story.

We can take nothing away from Amelia Ernhart however, as she was an adventurer and a heroine in the truest sense of the word. A few years later she did become the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic but she landed in Ireland. She died in 1937 in an attempt to circumnavigate the globe. 

Pontnewydd bridges and Mining Heritage Trail, near Trimsaran.

Pntnewydd Raod Bridge, near Trimsarn.

Pontnewydd near Trimsaran is a tiny Welsh hamlet of just a few homes, yet there are so many bridges here that it seems like a miniature spaghetti junction. Coming from Trimsaran you first approach a road bridge crossing the Gwendraeth Fawr river, which although it is very low to the river it is long enough to have its own road bend.

Road bridge crossing the old Kidwelly and Llanelly Canal at Pontnewydd.

A few yards further on you will come to a brick and steel bridge, which would seem to be the road crossing the remains of the old Kidwelly & Llanelly Canal.



 

Old Burryport and Gwendraeth Valley railway Bridge.

You can park a car on the roadside after the bridge above, and walk eastwards along a footpath which was the route of the old Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley railway line. Shortly you will arrive at two more bridges. The one you are walking on would presumably be, (but I could be wrong), the old railway line crossing the Gwendraeth Fawr river.

Old Kidwelly and Llanelly canal aqueduct.

Looking right from this bridge you will see the other bridge, which you can get to if you have a mind to hack through a bit of undergrowth, this is an old aqueduct which would have taken the old Kidwelly & Llanelly Canal across the Gwendraeth Fawr as well. All in all very confusing but also a tribute to the entrepreneurial spirit of the early 19th century.

After you've worked everything out you can continue eastwards along the old railway route, the footpath is called the Miners Heritage Trail,  or you can follow the trail in the other direction where you will be able to walk alongside what is still left of the old canal. And when you get home you will still be confused about what is on what level.

The Pilgrims Graves at St Michael's Church.

The pilgrim trail though Carmarthenshire and on to St. David's passes an old farmhouse on the banks of the river Cywyn below St. Clears, appropriately known as "Pilgrim's Rest". Fording the river would lead to the graveyard of the now ruined church of St. Michael's and to six, twelfth  century graves, reputedly belonging to travelers whose pilgrimage ended here, perhaps trying to cross the flooded river, and these are now evocatively known as the Pilgrim's Graves.

The Pilgrims Graves at St Michael's Church, near St. Clears.

The ruined church of St. Michael.

 St. Michael's church, Llanfihangel abercywyn, was abandoned in 1848 when it became isolated by the new A40 trunk road to St. Clears. A new St. Michael's church was then built 2 miles further north, alongside the new road. The original church however, is very old and was associated with the twelfth century Motte and Bailey castle that once stood nearby. The graves are likewise very old and are covered with early christian carvings and motifs. Although very important in their own right, it is now generally believed that the graves belonged to the great and good of the Norman castle rather than the more romantic notion of a tragedy on the pilgrim trail.

As a footnote, according to local tradition, should the graveyard ever be neglected, the parish would be visited by a plague of snakes. On a recent visit the graveyard was nicely trimmed so the parish should be OK for a while yet.

Black Mountain Lime Quarry.

Lime was an important product in agricultural Carmarthenshire - primarily to spread over farmland in the absence of modern day chemicals and fertilizers. The importance of lime has now diminished along with the industry that produced it, but if you want an idea of how substantial that industry was in its day, then a visit to the Black Mountain Lime Quarries will enlighten you.

A lime kiln and part of the Black Mountain Quarry complex.

Part of quarry machinery, with a view over Carmarthenshire.

To visit the quarry, also known as Herbert's Quarry, there are convenient car-parks near the summit of the road across the Black Mountain from Llangadog to Brynamman, and from there a short walk will take you to the old quarry workings - the extent of which will take your breathe away, as will the stunning panoramic views over Carmarthenshire.


 

Restored Lime kiln.

There has recently been an historical restoration of the site under the auspices of the CALCH partnership with visitor trails, restored lime kilns and information boards. The project is a credit to them and leaves you wanting to find out more. What can't be restored however are the atrocious working conditions - the noise, chocking dust and acrid smells that would have been a part of daily life here at the quarry in those days gone by.

Strange concrete dome in Pembrey.

A first sighting of this strange, Grade II listed building, nestling in  fields near the Pembrey Racing Circuit, usually prompts the question:
 " What's that then?"  An answer is then usually followed by another question:
 "How do they work then?"




It is in fact a Dome Gunnery Trainer and was erected on the old wartime airfield at Pembrey around 1941. It was used as a simulator to train air gunners in shooting down enemy fighters. The interior was originally whitewashed and lights projected on to the domed roof simulated aircraft lights, while a 'gun' was used to fire a light beam. A fore-runner perhaps of today's computer games.

CADW states:  During World War 2, Pembrey was an active RAF station and was host to the RAF's No 1 Air Gunnery School, training in excess of 3000 air gunners. After the conclusion of the war, its activities relaxed a little and it became an air crew holding unit for crews being de-mobbed.  The Gunnery Dome is sited within the boundaries of the Pembrey Airfield – a World War 2 airfield built in 1937 and active until 1957. 

It is one of only five remaining in the whole country and the only one in Wales. Today it is used to store farm machinery and a place where cows can shelter in bad weather.

Pont Spwdwr or Spudder's Bridge.

Pont Spwdwr or Spudder's Bridge. A view from the new bridge alongside.

With its many parish churches and Norman castles, Carmarthenshire may be considered well blessed with examples of medieval architecture. Outside of these however there are few examples that remain that aren't ruinous. An example that does exist however, is Spudder's bridge on the road between Trimsaran and Kidwelly. It is considered late medieval and was described by Edward Jervoise (1936) as: "by far the most ancient bridge remaining in South Wales".

Spudder's bridge showing the wings added by Thomas Kymer in 1870.

 It is quite easy to miss Spudder's bridge, because, having been replaced by the new road bridge now running alongside, it is beginning to disappear into the undergrowth. But pull over and you will still be able to appreciate its spectacular construction. In all there are 6 pointed arches; 2 crossing the river and the others crossing what would be the flood plain. The "wings" on the bridge were added by Thomas Kymer, of canal building fame, around 1870 although the main part is believed to have been constructed in the 15th century.

Spudder's Bridge viewed from the west.

There is uncertainty over the origin of the name Pont Spwdwr; some believe it has its origin in the name Pant yr Ysbrid Gwyn, the bridge of the White Ghost, referring to a medieval Romeo and Juliet type legend or another explanation is that it is linked to the the Knights Hopitallers with their association with Kidwelly.  Ironically the best view of the bridge today can be had by standing on its replacement, where you can also ponder the question of whether the aesthetics of bridge architecture has made any progress in the last 600 years.

Raby's Furnace, Llanelli.

When the rest of Britain was celebrating Wellington's victory at Waterloo, Alexander Raby

Ruin of Raby's Furnace in Llanelli.

was probably none too pleased. Around 1796, at the start of the Napoleonic War, he moved down from London to purchase an iron foundry near Llanelli, and began a successful business supplying cannonballs, canons and colonnades for the war effort. In 1804 the Cambrian Newspaper stated:   'four furnaces were at work night and day solely confined to the service of the Board of Ordnance'. When the war ended in 1815 however, the orders dried up and the foundry was closed later on that year.

Even so, the foundry is considered to be the birthplace of industrial Llanelli, giving rise to the copper and tinplate industries of later years. The foundry was also responsible for the very first public railway in Britain. So all in all a very important landmark in the history of Llanelli and indeed Carmarthenshire.  It is odd therefore that this Grade II listed building doesn't even warrant a sign to say what it is. Especially as everyone and their granny seems to warrant a blue plaque outside their former homes these days.

The ruin can be visible from the main road if you know where to look, although to actually get to it you will have to clamber down a slippery bank through a gap in the fence, so a decent set of steps  would be welcome as well!