DISTANCE/DURATION: 2.2 miles (3.5 km) 1 hour.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Service bus T5, *Poppit Rocket 405 (*seasonal, hail & ride).
CHARACTER: Town. Mix of footpaths and quiet roads.
This web walk is based on the Town Taps leaflet produced by Carningli WI in 2000 as part of the Pathway to the 21st Century Project.
The 5 taps visited on this walk were refurbished in 2000 by members of the WI with the assistance of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.
In 1929 St Dogmaels Rural District Council laid water pipes from a covered reservoir on the northern slopes of Carningli above Castle Hill, leading to numerous taps around the town.
Prior to this, Newport residents obtained their water either from a number of wells, some of which can still be seen around the town, or directly from the two streams which flow down from the mountain, Afon Ysgolheigion and Afon Felin.
The elegant cast iron taps were supplied from an iron foundry called Glenfield and Kennedy in Kilmarnock, Scotland.
The taps were self closing. The knob turned a swivel inside, which opened the valve. As soon as the knob was released a heavy weight on the end of a chain would fall and close the valve.
There were around 12 taps placed around the town and they were popular places for meeting and having a gossip.
After about 50 years the mains supply was provided but some people still used the communal taps for watering their gardens.
One lady preferred to fetch her water in a bucket rather than pay the extra five shillings on her rent for the mains supply, whilst farm workers regularly used the taps to wash their boots on the way home from work.
By the late 1990s only 5 of the original taps remained, and these were all in a poor state of repair.
All 5 taps were removed and refurbished, which included the making of replacement parts as a number of the taps had pieces missing.
The taps were then replaced on new concrete bases and stand as a reminder of the history of the town.
Newport Taps
- Tap 1 – Caravan Park tap before refurbishment
- Tap 2 – Nant y Blodau
- Tap 3 – College Square
- Tap 4 – Top of Feidr Bentinck, where King Street joins Feidr Eglwys.
- Tap 5 – Goat Street, near the junction with Feidr Bentinck.
Find this walk
Grid ref: SN054396
SAFETY FIRST!
- Take great care when on the Coast Path
- Stay on the path and away from cliff edges
- Wear boots and warm, waterproof clothing
- Take extra care in windy and/or wet conditions
- Always supervise children and dogs
- Leave gates and property as you find them
