Cymdeithas Parc Bannau Brycheiniog
Brecon Beacons Park Society
www.breconbeaconsparksociety.org

The article shown below is from the Spring 2002 edition of
 THE BEACON

MacNamara’s Road is not so marked on any map of the Hatterrall Hills, as the Black Mountains used to be known, but John MacNamara may have constructed this well-engineered route over the ridge of Pen Allt-mawr to Hermitage, in the upper Grwyne Fechan valley, where he is said to have kept a mistress.
In the late 18^th century, MacNamara is claimed to have won the castle and estate of Llangoed in a card game with Williams of Old Gwernyfed, promising he would sell it back when “no longer on the land”: it appears no one  expected him to stay. But he did, and the fact that his daughter, Frances, would marry the Prince of Wales’ friend and naval hero, Sir Edward Hamilton, is clear evidence of social acceptance.

Pen Trumau col, at 617 metres, still provides a resting place and panoramic views. Had John MacNamara walked or ridden along Pen Allt-mawr ridge, he would have crossed the prehistoric ditch aligning precisely on the Maen Llwyd standing stone a mile across the valley. Waun Fach (Little Common) and Pen y Gadair Fawr (Head of the Great Chair) rose eastwards, while behind him were the Rhiangoll valley, Mynydd Troed and the Beacons. He could not have known it, but northwards lay the country where Arthur Conan Doyle would gain inspiration for his “Hound of the Baskervilles”.
Perhaps, when the weather was suitable, Llangoed’s master made his journey on horseback along a route impossible for carriages. The original road from Talgarth crossed Pengenffordd (Head of the Old Track) east of Castell Dinas, a prehistoric fortification 450 metres above sea level where the highest medieval castle was built, and descended to Cwmfforest, where the Tyisha chambered tomb is to be found. The route, at SO 183 292, then begins to climb steeply across the flank of Rhiw Trumau to join MacNamara’s carriage road.
Human and animal sweat dries quickly at these heights, and the delights of Hermitage awaited. The track descends steadily from Pen Trumau col to Tal-y-maes Bridge, a single stone arched structure without parapets, requiring steady hands to negotiate its right angles. Just beyond, over a low rise, waited mansion and mistress.
What befell this lady when John MacNamara died is not known, although his widow was a determined individual. The Williams must have been pressing for fulfilment of his promise to sell back Llangoed, but Mrs MacNamara would have none of it. Instead she consecrated a new cemetery, near Llangoed, in which her husband would be laid to rest. No ordinary grave was this, but a stone vault above ground level: John MacNamara would remain “on the land” until Judgement Day.
To emphasis her ownership, the widow had MacNamara territory marked by stones inscribed with her name. Their grave-like appearance on remote hills has led some to assume they have discovered her burial place.
The route may be walked in full or in part and combined time to do this is on a clear winter’s day when with other tracks. Perhaps the best, as evening gathers, one might imagine the jingle of carriage harness, or the lights glowing in the Hermitage windows.