The Secret Waterway

This broad sweep of water, sinuously curving its way into the heart of Pembrokeshire, has played a vital role in the history and fortunes of its people.  Invaders and pirates have sought shelter in its hidden bays and creeks; medieval castles and Victorian forts dominate its shores; ancient villages and modern ports play host to ferries, fishing craft, oil tankers and yachts.  The waterway also features landscapes of remarkable contrast.  To the east of the Cleddau Bridge run the waters of the Daugleddau, meaning two 'Cleddaus', because here the eastern and western branches of the river meet.  In the quiet, sheltered inlets the sense of tranquillity is profound.  To the west of the Bridge, as it approaches the sea, are busy townships and modern industries.  Yet even here, tiny villages nestle in wooded valleys.  In the winding tidal creeks, wildlife abounds.  No wonder then, that for the most of its length the waterway lies within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

The Protected Waterway

The waterway is characterised by steep banks of ancient woodlands and small sheltered inlets (known as pills).  The shoreline, with its saltmarsh vegetation and tidal mud flats, provides a rich habitat for plants and animals and important winter feeding for wading birds and waterfowl.  Goldeneye, red-breated merganser and curlew are all attracted here, as are shelduck, cormorants, herons, kingfishers and many other fascinating species.

The waterway also boasts some of the best deciduous woodland within the National Park.  Oak, ash and sycamore support a variety of woodland birds and animals - from woodpeckers and tawny owls to bats, badgers and elusive otters.

In spring and summer, roadside hedgerows become ablaze with a bouquet of wild flowers - primroses, early purple orchids, bluebells, red campion, honeysuckle and foxgloves.  In recognition of the Daugleddau's remarkable diversity of flora and fauna, 2189 sq hectares of the waterway have been designated as 'Sites of Special Scientific Interest'.

The Waterway at Work

The serenity of the Daugleddau belies a history coloured by centuries of maritime trade and the toil of coal miners and quarrymen.  In Tudor times Lawrenny was famous for its oysters.  By the 19th century sailing vessels of all shapes and sizes - brigantines, ketches, sloops, schooners and coasters - were busily importing and exporting coal, culm, grain, limestone, timber and general goods.

Quarrying

The poor acidic soils of west Wales made lime a valuable and highly saleable commodity.  Limestone was quarried at West Williamston, Garron Pill and Llangwm Ferry and burned in hundreds of kilns along the waterway and coastline.  The remains of many are still visible.

Coalmining

The band of carboniferous coal measures which runs across Pembrokeshire from Saundersfoot to St Brides cuts through the uppermost reaches of the Daugleddau, and mining around Landshipping was at its height in the first half of the 19th century - particularly after the introduction, around the 1800s, of the first steam engine to be used in the Pembrokeshire coalfield.  The high quality anthracite was in great demand, however, a tragic accident at the garden pit near Landshipping in 1844, and a series of insurmountable geological problems led to a rapid decline in this industry by the early 20th century.  Hook colliery was the last to close in 1949.

Shipbuilding

The waterway's rich oak woodlands helped encourage boat building: cutters, smacks and schooners were built at yards and quays along the Daugleddau.  At Lawrenny and Cosheston about 60 sailing vessels were built during the first half of the 19th century.  The Royal Naval Dockyard was established at Milford Haven in 1796 and moved to Paterchurch (Pembroke) in 1814.

Fishing

During the 19th century over 100 men earned their living compass-net fishing - a traditional method, which required considerable skill and courage and was suited to the fast-flowing tidal currents.  When Milford Haven Docks opened in 1888 the first boat to enter was the steam trawler 'Sybil'.  By 1908 over 300 fishing boats were using the port with 40,000 tons of fish sold in the fish market annually.  The Great Western Railway marketed Milford as 'the place where the fish comes from!'.

Military Fortifications

The impressive Victorian Forts dotted around the Haven include, Stack Rock, West Blockhouse, Dale, South Hook, Hubberston, Scoveston, Martello Towers, Popton, Chapel Bay and Thorn Island.  They were constructed or modernised to protect the Naval Dockyard from the percieved threat of a French Invasion.  However, they were virtually out of date in military terms by the time they were completed and became known as Palmerston's Follies after the Prime Minister Lord Palmerston.  Many were again adapted for military purposes during the First and Second World Wars.

The Riverside Communities of the Secret Waterway...