The History of the Hafod Hotel

The Hafod Hotel (Hafod translates as ‘Summer Dwelling Place’) has been an idyllic retreat (not just during the summer!) originally for the aristocracy and then as time passed for all who wished for the peace, comfort and enjoyment of a wonderful healthy environment.

Nowadays we welcome families, honeymooners, University of Wales (Aberystwyth) Fresher and Graduates, Business Conference Delegates, Organised Holiday Groups and many others with outdoor interests such as Anglers, Cyclists, Walkers and Ornithologists who all enjoy staying here as a centre for their various activities.

The hotel was originally a small hunting lodge built in 1787 by Thomas Johnes, the then squire of The Hafod Mansion Estate, and it was enlarges and converted into a Swiss style chateau in 1839 by the third Duke of Newcastle (hence our Duke of Newcastle Suite) and Sir Henry Houghton. Over the years further modification was carried out, particularly by John Waddingham, during 1870 to 1892. Hafod House no longer exists and the Hafod Estate is now administered by Forest Enterprise and the Hafod Trust in partnership.

During Thomas Johnes’ time the Red Kite (with a 5 foot wing span) would have been quite common but over subsequent years it was virtually exterminated in Wales, Scotland and England. One Red Kite appeared at Devil’s Bridge in 1946 and news of re-colonisation came in 1947 from schoolboy John Hughes who spotted a nesting pair. Since then a slow recovery, accelerated though the 1980’s, brought the Red Kite colony to today’s level.

Over many years many famous people have visited The Hafod Hotel and it is rumoured that when Lloyd George visited he was very impressed and was anxious to view the Rheidol Valley even though he believed a fee was payable for walking there! It may be that he considered such a payment was not in keeping with his status because, it is said, he secretly climbed the fence to escape payment.

The roar of the nearby Mynach Falls is immortalised in Wordsworth’s sonnet…

To The Torrent At Devil’s Bridge September 1824

HOW art thou named? In search of what strange land
From what huge height, descending? Can such force
Of waters issue from a British source,
Or hath not Pindus fed thee, where the band
Of Patriots scoop their freedom out, with hand
Desperate as thine? Or come the incessant shocks
From that young Stream, that smites the throbbing rocks
Of Viamala? There I seem to stand,
As in life's morn; permitted to behold,
From the dread chasm, woods climbing above woods,
In pomp that fades not; everlasting snows;
And skies that ne'er relinquish their repose;
Such power possess the family of floods
Over the minds of Poets, young or old!

Of the three level Devil’s Bridge over the Mynach (Monk) Falls the lowest one is said to have been built over 800 years ago by the monks of Strata Florida Abbey. Legend, says however, of Pont-y-gwr-Drwg (Bridge of the Evil One) ‘no one except the Devil could have built such a bridge in such a place’. The middle bridge was built in the mind 1700’s and the top bridge was built in 1901 and strengthened in 1971/1972.

The Legend of the Building of Devil’s Bridge

Widow Megan lived by the stream at Devil’s Bridge with her cow Melon and her dog Smala. She lived from the sale of the butter she made from the plentiful supply of milk from Melan who was one day grazing on the opposite bank when she was cut off by torrential rain that swelled the stream.

Megan immediately thought of the need for a bridge as she saw her cows plight when she went out to milk her. At the same moment she saw a monk, with his face hidden, in the white robes of the Cistercian order from Strata Florida Abbey. He told her to go back into her cottage whilst he performed a miracle of building a bridge across the stream and in return she must promise to give him the first living soul to cross it when it was finished.

Later on he called her out and there was a stone bridge spanning the gorge-but he and Melan were on the opposite side from Megan. He shouted to her that she must cross to fetch the cow but as he did so a gust of wind blew his head cowl open and Megan saw two horns and knew he was not a monk but the Devil himself. Just in time Megan remembered her promise and realized it was she he wanted-the first living soul to cross the bridge – and she did not cross.

The Devil asked if she was afraid to cross so she said she was not sure the bridge would even take the weight of the crust of bread she was holding-to which the Devil said throw it over the bridge and see for yourself but she threw it over the bridge to the other side whereupon her dog Smala ran across to retrieve it. Now the Devil was enraged and shouted ‘what use is the dog to me’? and at that very moment he vanished into a cloud of smoked and flames.

Megan then gingerly crossed the bridge and returned with Melan and Smala.