Going underground?

Is there an underground tunnel - possibly linked to either St Dogmaels Abbey or Cilgerran Castle?

The idea has been dismissed by many experts as totally unfeasible. But some locals are adamant there is such a tunnel.

The Tivy-Side's archives threw up an interesting article by Owen Williams, who penned a column entitled Reminiscences of an Octogenerian' in the Tivy-Side during the 1930s.

Over to you, Mr Williams.

Since my last contribution under this heading, I have been approached by dozens of interested Tivy-Side readers in various walks of life, who have asked for such varied and controversial items, that I am at my wits' end to know what to write about next.

Several have asked me to write my recollection of Castle Green of the 1870s and if it is true that one could walk a mile or so through a secret underground tunnel that connected up with some historical place etc etc at that time.

Well, really, there is not much I can say with reference to the matter, but I will try and give you the facts as I know them.

At that time there were all sorts of rumours about.

You see, the people of those days were far more intrested in historical matters, than are those of the present age.

This, of course, is quite understandable, for there were no counter-attractions then in the form of cinemas and theatres, etc, and so to us teenage boys of that time, Castle Green, Kilgerran Castle and the Abbey at St Dogmaels, with traditional subterranean passages, that only required some adventurous spirits to explore and discover immense treasure and, of course, ancient armour of the knights of old.

Well do I remember how these mysterious tales fired my imagination, and it all came to a head one Sunday afternoon.

It was just after Sunday School and I was talking it over with my uncle, the late Mr James Evans, and he too was as enthusiastic about it as myself and jsut as keen about the idea of seeing for ourselves what there really was to be seen at Castle Green. So we decided to explore.

We were very kindly received by the gentleman in residence at the time (he was Mr Davies, father of Mr Berrington Davies, Llangoedmore) but he was very reluctant to allow us to go down into the passages because of the danger of loose stones and earthworks being disturbed and blocking our return passage.

Anyway, we at last persuaded him, that although very eager, we would proceed with the utmost caution, and so we lit a small piece of candle which we had brought with us for the occasion, and slowly down we went, step by step, until there were no more steps - we had reached bottom.

I can still remember that the subterranean road that led on from there was well made and in good order.

Excitement by now was running very high for us, and, with our hearts in our mouth on and on we slowly went. Of course we had to proceed very slowly because of the dim and ghostly light the candle shed which only permitted us to see but a few yards ahead of us. Couple this with our strange and unfamiliar environment and you will understand our feelings at the time.

But alas, after going along for quite some time we were suddenly halted, for right in our path was a big fall of roof, making it impossible to go further. This disappointed us rather badly, there was nothing for it but to retrace our steps.

Before I finish with this subject, I may say that we both went down again sometime later, but of course with the same result.

I would very much like to know if any of the numerous readers of the Advertiser' are still acquainted with anyone still living who has shared my experience of having been down there. As near as I can make it, the year of this adventure would have been somewhere between 1874 and 1877.

During last summer a friend of mine investigated whether there was a tunnel at the castle, but there was no such record, unfortunately.

There I suppose these legendary mysteries will forever remain unsolved - unless some present or future antiquarian of high resolve, and blessed by Mammon so taht monetary restrictions will not bar his way, will take up this most enthralling investigation into the hidden past.

In passing may i venture to say that, judging by the skill and workmanship in the construction of the Castle Green tunnel, it was a very important factor in the military strategy of that ancient castle.

That's all I know of that traditional and mysterious passage and if asked in what direction it lead to, I'm afraid I could not answer with any degree of certainty; but this I can say, I do not recall any turning while down there, and as a guess, I would say that our farthest point reached - where fallen roof blocked our way - would be underneath the middle of the river Tivy. The fact that we faced in that direction when going down, and that there being no turning that would confuse our bearing after reaching bottom, plus the distance travelled straight on, makes my guess a very feasable one.