SwanseaCAM - 060901 A visit to Laugharne

Pictures of places in and around Swansea, Wales.
Thursday 6th September 2001.
A visit to Laugharne.

Weather: Cloudy with sunny intervals.

Image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Image reproduced with kind
permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland

This is my first visit to Laugharne and I am in the car park looking up at the castle. Laugharne Castle stands on a low cliff by the side of the Coran stream, overlooking the estuary of the River Taf. An earlier castle was probably built here by the early 12th century but the existing castle can only be traced to the de Brian family who then owned the lordship of Laugharne in the late 13th century. . J.M.W.Turner (1775-1851) visited Laugharne in 1795 to make sketches for his dramatic watercolour painting of the castle.

Laugharne is perhaps best known for its associations with Dylan Thomas and he is the main reason for my visit. I want to see the Boat House and also his grave in St Martin's Churchyard. Leaving the Square I follow the main street ....

.....past the Town Hall... .

....to the churchyard and the simple wooden cross which marks his grave. Dylan Marlais Thomas(1914-1953) Welsh poet, short-story writer, and playwright was born at 5 Cwmdonkin Drive, Uplands, Swansea on 27th October 1914. He was educated at the Swansea Grammar School where his father was the Senior English Master. His most famous work, "Under Milk Wood" was first performed in New York on 14th May 1953. Dylan died in New York at the tragically early age of 39 on 9th November 1953 whilst on a lecture tour of The United States of America.

Back at the Square, and after lunch at the pub I set off for the Boat House.

The Boat House where Dylan lived is now a museum dedicated to his works. I stood on the veranda and looked out over the estuary at the glorious views which must have been a source of inspiration for his work. .

Some of the rooms in the house have been kept as they were .... .

.... I wonder how many of you remember radios like the one in the corner?.

In the dining room a crockery laden welsh dresser.

Light refreshments are served from the kitchen, so I enjoy a coffee and a chat with other visitors. .

A little way from the house is Dylan's writing shed and that is my next stop. Apart from the front which had been replaced, it looked in need of repair.

The door was locked but there was a viewing window through which I managed to get a photo of the interior. It is here, inside this little shed, where Dylan did most of his writing while in Laugharne.

From just outside the shed I stop to admire the views.....

.... that Dylan would have seen many times..

The tide is out at present but you can see by the tidemark on the Boat House wall just how high the water can reach..

Just before leaving Laugharne I took this final picture of the castle. ....bye..

Thank you for visiting my website. All photos were taken using a Nikon 990 digital camera.
You are welcome to copy and use any of the photographs for non-commercial purposes. If you include any of these photographs on your own website, please credit Alex Thomas as the photographer and add a link to this website.