Carew Tidal Mill

While Carew is probably best known for its castle the village also boasts something unique in Wales: the only remaining tidal mill.

Carew Mill

Though the Mill is no longer in operation, the machinery, exhibition and interactive displays show how tidal water from the Carew Estuary has been used as a source of sustainable energy through the ages.

The present building probably dates from the early 19^th century and indeed one of the two Mill wheels carries the date 1801. The Mill is often referred to as the ‘French Mill’ which may be a reference to the use of French burr stones.

The precise origin of Carew Mill is uncertain. It’s possible that a Mill worked by a Mill leat running from the Carew River pre-dated the building of the causeway on which the current building stands and documentary evidence indicates a Mill of some kind in existence as early as 1542. Records show that in 1558 John Bartlett leased the Mill for the sum of ten sovereigns per annum.

Carew Mill and the Causeway at low tide

The first reference to a causeway comes in a commission of 1630 which indicates that Sir John Carew had restored the floodgates and causeway walls some 15 years earlier.

The fortunes of the Mill were restored by the revival in agriculture in the late 18^th century and from that time the Mill was constantly in use. Activity finally ceased in 1937 and from that time onwards the building lay derelict.

Enhance your language skills with Y Gudel

Unless you live locally to Solva or St Davids in West Wales you may never have come across the Welsh language term Y Gudel.

As you will see from the signage above a Gudel translates as a Narrow Passageway and in Solva that passageway led to the river, originally giving residents access to the water for drinking, clothes washing, slops disposal, etc. (note: no mention of drinking water in the sign, but in the days before mains water was piped in, drinking water was either pumped or collected in buckets).

These are two examples of Gudels in Solva... steep stepped and narrow, not much fun on an icy winter's morning I'd guess.

The river water wouldn't always look this dirty (heavy rain washing down a lot of silt), though it would still have been full of all kinds of nasty stuff...

Solva Pump

Drawing water from the village pump wouldn't have made it any cleaner unfortunately since the water came from the same source. Oh well... Another glass of cholera anyone?

Doggy Paddle? Not Likely!

Tilly finds behaviour like this very disturbing...

The whole concept of water seems alien to her...

She is convinced all dogs are at risk where water is concerned...

Although she can swim, Tilly prefers keeping dry and worrying about doggies who go paddling.

No! It's water... get out quick before it hurts you!