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Dist:0.1km<br/>A small stone bridge, almost invisible under its ivy cladding, spans the remnant of Sir Benjamin Hammet's canal that supplied water to his late-C18 tinplate works close by. The rest of the canal has long gone and the drive to Castell Malgwyn swings across at this point towards the front of the house. The little river Morgenau joins from the left and empties into the Teifi to the right.
©ceridwen
Dist:0.1km<br/>There is historical evidence of an important dwelling here as far back as C14, or even before, but the owner of a nearby tinplate works, Sir Benjamin Hammet, acquired the old estate in 1792 and built this three storey Georgian style house and the nearby mid 19th century stable block and service wing. The mansion is now a hotel and the stable buildings and service buildings converted to tourist accommodation. A small park, entered through mid 19th century gates with flanking lodges of similar date, lies immediately to the east of the house, and wooded pleasure grounds flank the Afon Teifi to the north and west.
©ceridwen
Dist:0.2km<br/>Lilias Gower (1877-1959) was an outstanding croquet player in an age when women rarely had the chance to demonstrate sporting prowess. She was brought up at Castell Malgwyn and learnt to play at the Newcastle Emlyn courts after reading a book on the game. Entering her first major tournament at Budleigh Salterton as a novice in 1898 she caused a sensation by sweeping the board, and beating male players! It is thought that her father, Erasmus Gower, had this full-size croquet lawn made for her after this success. Lily Gower became Lady Champion of England the following year and the next two (1899, 1900, 1901). She married another croquet player, Reginald Beaton, and had two sons but carried on playing top-level croquet all her life, even into her eighties. Read more about this remarkable sportswoman here http://www.mauicroquetclub.org/people/LilyGower/ChampionessOfEngland.htm and here http://www.croquetrecords.com/swfcroquet/SWAN/gower/index.html Incidentally, Lily is not the only major sporting figure to belong to the family - the cricketer David Gower is related.
©ceridwen
Dist:0.2km<br/>The stable block and service wing of Castell Malgwyn are of a later date than the mansion but both are built with local Teifi valley slate from the quarries nearby. The river runs directly behind this block and would have been used to deliver the building material.
©ceridwen
Dist:0.2km<br/>Almost submerged in vegetation at this time of year, this is what remains of the private short cut to Cilgerran church, hewn out of the rocky edge of the Morgenau ravine (left) for Elizabeth Gower, who, after becoming a widow in 1849 made many improvements to the Castell Malgwyn estate. There would have been no shortage of skilled quarrymen and stone workers in the locality to undertake the huge labour this whim involved.
©ceridwen
Dist:0.2km<br/>Georgian house by the Teifi near Llechryd.
©Jonathan Billinger
Dist:0.2km<br/>The approach to the house is along an avenue of mature trees: lime, oak and few others. It is likely that the oldest were planted 200 years ago when the Benjamin Hammet's tinplate works were closed down and the grounds remodelled. The drive follows the course of the canal that used to supply the tin works.
©ceridwen
Dist:0.2km<br/>The 'tunnel' was probably constructed around the turn of the C18 when Benjamin Hammet who bought the estate in 1791 initiated a major landscaping project under the direction of Charles Price of Llechryd, a professional landscaper about whom little is known. Belts and stands of trees were planted, woodland and riverside walkways created and pleasure gardens laid out, even the old highroad between Llechryd and Cilgerran, which ran along the ridge under which the tunnel passes, was moved some distance to the south for the convenience of the wealthy property-owners!
©ceridwen
Dist:0.2km<br/>Llechryd Bridge over the River Teifi and the entrance to Castell Malgwyn an 18th century manor house, situated off the A484.
©Cered
Dist:0.2km<br/>The 'tunnel' was probably constructed around the turn of the C18 when Benjamin Hammet who bought the estate in 1791 initiated a major landscaping project under the direction of Charles Price of Llechryd, a professional landscaper about whom little is known. Belts and stands of trees were planted, woodland and riverside walkways created and pleasure gardens laid out, even the old highroad between Llechryd and Cilgerran, which ran along the ridge under which the tunnel passes, was moved some distance to the south for the convenience of the wealthy property-owners! Further beautification of the grounds was carried out by the Gower family who owned the estate during the C19. A full description of the Castell Malgwyn property (with its several listed buildings) can be accessed via the Coflein website, see http://www.coflein.gov.uk/pdf/CPG151/
©ceridwen
Dist:0.2km<br/>Once part of the 'pleasure garden' this area is thick woodland now but a network of paths remains. Right, the way leads back to Castell Malgwyn house, straight on the course of the old carriage road runs parallel to the Teifi towards the village of Cilgerran, left, the route follows the Morgenau valley.
©ceridwen
Dist:0.2km<br/>On the Castell Malgwyn gatehouse, built in 1845 after the place was bought by the Gowers of Glandovan. The motto Frangas Non Flectes mean Break Not Bend and the coat of arms seems to include three ?wolves' heads.
©ceridwen
Dist:0.3km<br/>Very low water after a long spell of dry weather. Compare [[[71820]]] taken from the opposite direction. Across the river is the entrance and gatehouse of Castell Malgwyn.
©ceridwen
Dist:0.3km<br/>The thickness of the foliage and the dark shadows on a sunny day make it hard to gauge the depth but at some points the rivulet runs as much as 100 feet below the track, passing through a steep sided ravine which is difficult of access today. When the original landscaping took place the idea was to create a romantic dingle that could be followed and crossed in several places. The Morgenau, a mere trickle today after an unusually dry spring, is normally a fast-flowing stream whose noisy babble was intended to contrast the lazy flow of the Teifi on the opposite side of the grounds.
©ceridwen
Dist:0.3km<br/>A beautiful old bridge over the river here.
©Jeremy Bolwell

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