Ghosts, Witches & Legends of Clydach Gorge
In the south-east of Wales can be found an area of outstanding natural beauty: a steep-sided, wooded valley called Clydach Gorge, or Cwm Clydach, which runs for about three and a half miles. The entire area falls within the Brecon Beacons National Park and is definitely worth a visit, particularly for those adventurous souls seeking to immerse themselves in a wonderful landscape. This valley is also steeped in folklore and legend.
There is evidence of human occupation in the gorge from the Iron Age right through to the Industrial Revolution, when it became the site of an iron furnace and numerous limeworks. There has therefore been ample time for stories of the strange and mysterious to gather in the area. It is a few of these tales, dear reader, that I would like to share with you now.
There are a total of seventeen waterfalls within the gorge. The tallest is a dramatic sixty-foot cascade at a place called Devil's Bridge, so named because it is claimed that the waters of the River Clydach wore away the rock to form an image of Old Nick's face. This area is whispered to be the home of a Pwca, a Welsh shape-shifting goblin, so I would not advise lingering there after darkness falls.
Witches were thought to concoct evil brews in the gorge, stirring their cauldrons on certain special nights. Local farmers tell the story of an old woman who supposedly cursed some farmhands attempting to bring a cartload of straw through the gorge. The curse caused their workhorse to halt in its tracks and refuse to go any further.
The story claims that the men were forced to beat the old woman with switches until she bled, as it was believed that the only way to break a witch's curse was to draw her blood. Beating vulnerable old women does not seem a particularly pleasant way to spend an afternoon, and fortunately this practice has long since fallen out of favour.
Another witch said to have made the gorge her home was Old Magw, a woman employed at the ironworks school in Clydach who was reputed to dish out the most extreme punishments to her young charges. She was also said to curse the plants in local gardens. Witches seem to have been a real nuisance in the area, for it was believed that they would steal horses and ride them wildly through the night, and even make pigs stand on their heads. (I cannot fathom why they would do this. Poor pigs.)
Problems with teachers were almost as rife as those with witches. According to legend, John Dawson was a schoolmaster reputed to be harsh and unpopular, feared by his pupils and neighbours because of his bad temper and strict discipline. He was rarely seen without his three beloved companions: a black jackdaw, a cat, and a Welsh terrier.
Each day he walked across the mountain from Twyn Wenallt to the school. Then, one day, he vanished without a trace. When local people searched for him, they discovered a sack in a nearby pond containing the bodies of his three pets. Dawson himself, however, was never found. The grim discovery led many to suspect foul play.
In the years that followed, stories began to spread of a strange apparition seen high on Gilwern Hill, particularly near the old quarry workings known as the Tyla. Witnesses spoke of a solitary figure dressed in old-fashioned clothing and wearing a broad-brimmed hat. Tradition held that this was the spectre of John Dawson, forever wandering the hills in search of justice for his unsolved disappearance.
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. I do hope these tales have not put you off visiting this wonderful gorge. If you are worried, simply make sure to go during daylight hours, and try to avoid angering any strange old ladies in pointed hats or stern-looking schoolmasters.
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Stay Spooky.
