a county in South Wales, containing 926 square miles, or about 590,640 acres. The northern and eastern parts are mountainous. Near the sea the land is flat, but the general surface of the county is hilly. It is intersected in almost every direction by valleys, from the sides of which the hills rise abruptly. These valleys are, for the most part, very narrow. The most celebrated for fertility and picturesque beauty, as well as the most extensive, is the vale of Towy, which stretches thirty miles up the county, with a breadth of only two miles. From the celebrated Grongar Hill, and the ruins of the Castle of Dynevor, the picturesque beauties of this vale are seen to the greatest advantage.
The principal rivers in Caermarthenshire are the Towy, the Teivy or Tair, the Gothy, the Dulais, and the Gwilly. The Towy rises in Cardiganshire. It enters Caermarthenshire at its north-eastern corner, crossing towards the south-west, and passing Caermarthen, it empties itself into the large bay between the counties of Glamorgan Caermarthen and Pembroke, called Caermarthen Bay. Many rivulets thenshire join the Towy in its course, among which is the Cothy. This stream rises on the north side of the county, and, running mostly in a southern direction, unites with the Towy about six miles above Caermarthen. The Teivy rises in Cardiganshire, between which county and Caermarthenshire it afterwards forms the boundary: soon after receiving the Teivy, it enters the county of Pembroke.
The principal ports in this county are Llanelli, Kidwelly, Caermarthen, and Llauharn. Llanelli has a good port for vessels of ten feet draught, formed by an inlet of the sea called Burry River, which divides this county and Glamorganshire. Llanelli is the port of entry of Kidwelly and Caermarthen; its exports are coal and tinned iron plates. Kidwelly is situated on two small streams called Givandraeth, which form a little haven, but mostly choked with sand. From this town a canal has been cut, at the expense of a private gentleman, between three and four miles long, to his coal-mines and lime-quarries; and by means of this canal Kidwelly has been enabled to export a considerable quantity of coals. Vessels of 250 tons burden ascend to the bridge of the town of Caermarthen on the Towy, but the entrance of the river is rather difficult, in consequence of a bar across it. The principal exports of Caermarthen are tin plates and cast iron. Llauharn, on a creek, is chiefly remarkable for a considerable flat tract in the vicinity, embanked from the sea, and of singular fertility.
The climate of this county is soft and mild, but moist; the soil of the lower districts is fertile, being for the most part either a rich clay or a sharp or deep loam. Little wheat is grown; and, except on the lighter soils, barley is not a common crop; but oats are extensively cultivated, and, in respect both of produce and quality, are a very profitable crop. Great quantities are exported, chiefly to Bristol. The pasture lands, especially where the soil is suitable, support a heavy stock; they are applied either to the dairy or to the breeding of black-cattle and horses. The latter are reared in great numbers on the hills, and constitute the principal article of trade at the fairs of this and the adjacent counties. Much butter is exported. It is computed that 114,000 acres are in tillage, and about double that number in pasture; the rest is unfit for cultivation, though by no means unprofitable. According to the original agricultural report of this county, there are only about 170,000 acres of wastes and commons. This county was formerly extremely well wooded; but of late years great waste has been made of the timber. Its rivers and sea-coast abound in fish, especially salmon of excellent quality, and a species of trout, called *suin*, in high request with epicures.
Caermarthenshire is rich in mineral productions. Coals and lead are the most abundant and profitable. The greatest lead-mines are not far from Llandowry. Limestone also abounds, and there are considerable quantities of iron ore. The sands in the vicinity of Llauharn, according to Mr Donovan, abound in shells of great rarity and beauty. On the road from Caermarthen to Llandillo Vawr a medicinal spring has lately been discovered, containing carbonic acid gas, carbonate of iron and lime, muriate of soda and lime, and sulphate of lime. At Kastell-Karrig there is a fountain which ebbs and flows twice in twenty-four hours. There are several remains of antiquity, chiefly Roman, to be seen in Caermarthenshire.
The inhabitants who are not engaged in agriculture are principally employed in working the mines, in manufacturing the produce of these mines, and in making woollen stockings. The most extensive manufactures of tinned iron plates are carried on at Kidwelly, where are also other Caernarvon manufactures of iron, for which there are large and excellent furnaces, forges, fluting-mills, &c. Tinned plates and cast iron are also manufactured at Caernarvon, and the works in both branches are extensive. In the neighbourhood of Llandowry the woollen-stocking manufactory principally prevails.
The money raised for the maintenance of the poor in 1803 was £17,046, at the rate of 12s. 9d. in the pound. In the year ending the 25th of March 1815, there was paid, in parochial rates, the sum of £30,354. 6s. 9½d. Caernarvonshire from eighty-three parishes alone, the remaining forty-three not having made any return. By the population returns in the year 1800 there were 13,449 inhabited houses, 67,317 inhabitants, 31,439 males, and 35,878 females; of this number 32,862 were returned as employed in agriculture, and 4343 as employed in trade. The following are the results of the population returns in 1811, 1821, and 1831.
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