Throughout 2025, Glandŵr Cymru, the Canal & River Trust in Wales, and its partner organisations and local community are celebrating the 225th anniversary of the Brecon Canal.

The Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal, known affectionately as the Mon & Brec, began life as two separate canals – the Monmouthshire Canal and the Brecknock & Abergavenny Canal. Although the two were joined in 1812 at Pontymoile, this year’s anniversary celebrates the completion of the more northern Brecon Canal 12 years earlier when the first cargo of coal reached Brecon Basin on Christmas Eve 1800.

David Viner, heritage consultant at Canal & River Trust, is telling the story of the canal.

Next on his journey along the canal is Llangynidr.

Construction of the canal under company engineer Thomas Dadford proceeded rapidly and by the end of 1797 eight and half miles had been completed from Gilwern to the village of Llangynidr.

This was excellent progress considering the difficult hilly terrain to be crossed on the way to Brecon. By routing the canal around the twisting contours of the hills Dadford managed to keep it on one level, an impressive engineering achievement giving some spectacular views across the Usk valley.

Llangynidr also provided a source of water for filling the canal, where it crossed the fast-flowing Afon Crawnon. Beyond this point the ground rose steeply and his only option was to install a series of five locks, lifting the canal a total of 55 feet.

Between the top two locks, he added a side pond ensuring an adequate reserve of water for their operation. Here was an opportunity for the village inn to cater for the labouring ‘navvies’ and later for the resting boatmen. It was a useful place as well to install a company depot, which is still there today alongside what is now Lock 65.