"Caersws stands on the banks of the River Severn. The river is also known by two other names, Hafren the Welsh name and Sabrina the Roman name. It is the longest river in Britain running some 240 miles to the sea in the Bristol Channel. It's source is on Plynlumon very close to the source of its sister the River Wye. They meander along the country to meet again in the Bristol Channel. The Wye of course has taken a much more direct route southwards to the sea and is only about half the length of the Severn.

At Caersws the Severn has dropped from 2,000 feet as a tiny rivulet at its source to 400feet at Caersws. It is joined in Caersws by Afon Trannon and Afon Carno on the Trefeglwys side of the village. Afon Trannon rises in the uplands above Llawryglyn and runs through the villages of Llawryglyn and Trefeglwys. Afon Carno rises in Waen Carno and runs down from Carno through Clatter and Pontdolgoch. Afon Manthrig joins the Severn in Caersws at the other end of the village. The Severn leaves Caersws and meanders along the level ground around the base of Penstrowed Hill, towards Newtown.

The Lakes

On the Northern side of the village of Caersws there is a line of mountains some 1,200 feet above sea level. This area is known as Bwlchygarreg. Here you will find three quite famous lakes. Llyn Mawr, Llyn Du and Llyn Tarw.

Llyn Mawr, you can view from the roadside as you head up past Slate House to Llyn Mawr. In and around Llyn Mawr are to be found forest remains, the timber being chiefly oak. In days gone by this lake was dammed up to feed the Montgomeryshire Canal.

Llyn Du is so named from the colour of the soil found near. Both Llyn Tarw and Llyn Du provide good trout fishing. Llyn Mawr has more coarse fish including pike and perch.

The Wells

Mid Wales seems to have an abundance of wells. Places like Llandrindod, Llanwrtyd, Llangammarch and Builth are known to have some interesting wells. There are a number of wells in the Caersws area too, most of them actually out of the immediate village, in Llanwnog and Pontdolgoch.

Firstly there is the St Gwynog's Well where all the villagers used to gather their drinking water on a daily basis. It was never known to have failed to provide water for the inhabitants even in the driest of summers. The purity of its waters attributed to the longevity of the local residents.

The most remarkable well in Llanwnog was probably Ffynnon y Corn which was situated just outside the village on the Aberhafesp, Newtown road. The waters of this well were allegedly good for purifying the blood. The well dried up around 1967 and in 1970 it was filled in as a safety precaution.

Sur Nant well was situated on the side of Allt Wnog. Its name translated is sour brook. On the other side of the Rallt above the village is Ffynnon Cae Cwm. It was well known but the nature of the mineral has not to my knowledge been determined.

There were another two wells beyond the station in Pontdolgoch. One was much frequented by people suffering from rheumatism. The other is near Ty Coch and its water used to be considered a good treatment for eye-troubles. There was also a sulphur well at Gwynfynydd Uchaf which was well known to the late Dr Rees of Caersws.

Back in 1925 a small holding by the name of Pwll Stink was sold. In spite of its unsavoury name (The Stinking Pool) it most likely had a pool or well of some importance. Coed y Corddi is another place that suggests that it could have had a well on its land. I'm sure that the older residents of Llanwnog can tell us of more wells in the area.

I'm grateful to have found a booklet about Llanwnog written by ap Gwynog in 1926 which provided a lot of this information."

Article written by Delma Thomas