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The pontardawe inn ~ Y gwachel

123 Herbert Street, Pontardawe, Swansea SA8 4ed

Telephone 01792 830791 Email pontardaweinn@yahoo.co.uk

Family Run Pub, restaurant and live music venue

Hywel & Beth welcome you to the quaint Pontardawe Inn. For Generations, regulars at the Pontardawe Inn have known their favorite watering hole by its traditional name "Y Gwachel".

The word Gwachel has many meanings to many people ranging from a witches coven, place of secrecy to a house of ill repute! An entry in the National Dictionary of the Welsh Language published in 1831 shows "gwachel" to mean partly concealing or an avoidance! Other meanings are that the pub was called "Gwachel Dan" and had connections with the furnaces of the smithey's nearby translating to "fire pit or hole". Yet another description of the pub is "Gwachel Foddi" meaning "to avoid drowning".

We would gladly like to receive any further information on the history or meaning of the word "Gwachel".

The Inn occupies the site of an older ale-house which stood on the old drovers' road leadings to the stone bridge from which Pontardawe derives its name (Bridge on the River Tawe). The bridge completed in the 1760's was originally a stepped bridge suitable for people on foot and animals only. The bridge was then doubled in width and the steps were made into a smooth surface for wheeled carts and carriages. At the side of the bridge near the pub there is a strange engraving on one of the stones on the bridge of a witch.

Being over 250 years old the Pontardawe Inn has a lot of history. You can still see the old bread ovens in the cellar and a flight of

semi-circular stone steps. And not forgetting the ghost of Twm the cellar man!

The Inn was renovated in 1995 by the Pontardawe Festival Organisation (remember Bobs famous duck races?) and was then bought by Carol and Peter Clayton (remember Carol's Geese Henry and Gertie?). The pub is now owned by Marston's Pub Company.
The Gwachel has been a popular venue for musicians of many styles for many years. With live music every Friday and Saturday evenings also the venue of the Pontardawe Acoustic Music Club every Wednesday evening. There are also 3 Boules Courts (friendly competitions played on Sundays from 4pm)

Come along to the famous Gwachel and enjoy the music, good food, real ale....and a game of Boules and who knows, you might see oldTwm!

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