| Cenarth
and the Falls on the River Teifi
Cenarth is a charming little community straddling
the river Teifi between Cardigan and Newcastle Emlyn. Here, the River
Teifi has made its way through the hard rocks to produce a spectacular
series of waterfalls. There has been a Mill at Cenarth at least since
the 13th century when Cenarth Mill came into the possession of Edward I
when he became Lord of the Manor of Cenarth. There is evidence of
another mill that was possibly destroyed during Glyndwr's campaigns in
the early 1400s.
The Teifi has always been famous for its Salmon,
and it is recorded that over one hundred Salmon have been taken in a
single morning as they attempted to leap the falls on their way up
river to spawn.
|
|
|
|
The Bridge |
Swan Family |
Under the Bridge |
The dominant
feature of the village is the bridge. Built in 1787 and designed by
William Edwards and his son David, the bridge features a series of
circular holes that serve to maintain strength while reducing the
weight of the structure. Edwards devised this architectural solution
after his original bridge at Pontypridd collapsed as its footing could
not support the weight of the bridge. He rebuilt the bridge at
Pontypridd with his trademark circular holes where it still stands
today. When it was built, the bridge at Pontypridd was the
longest single span bridge in the world.
|
|
|
|
Teifi Pool at Cenarth |
The Bridge |
Hole in the Bridge |
Coracles
were once used all over Britain, but their use only continues today in
a very few locations, of which Cenarth is one. They can be seen on the
Teifi, the Towy and the Taf where they are used for net fishing, the
net being held between two coracles which drift down with the current,
taking a Salmon or Sewin during the open season. The Coracle Museum at
Cenarth has a display showing how coracles are made and used with
examples of coracles from around the world.
The coracles
are traditionally made of strips or laths of Willow or Ash which are
then covered with calico or canvas which has been impregnated with
pitch and tar or, in recent years, bitumastic paint. Coracles weigh
between 25 and 40 pounds and can be carried on the shoulders of the
coracle man. Fishermen would commonly walk five or ten miles upstream
miles before drifting back down with the current.
|
|
|
|
|
Salmon Leap and Water Mill
|
Coracle men at Cenarth 1925
|
Teifi above the Falls
|
|
