Where
A 17th-century flour mill by Cenarth Falls, Newcastle Emlyn, Carmarthenshire.
What
A centre devoted to one of the world's earliest forms of water transport. In addition to its coracle collection, the centre has a small restoration centre, a photographic collection and other information about the history and building of the craft.
Opened
The mill was restored in 1982 and the National Coracle Centre opened in 1991.
Founders
Martin Fowler and his wife Melita. The two had previously worked in the theatre as a stage manager and actress respectively.
Collection
"Most visitors expect to find only Welsh coracles, of which we have nine different types," says Martin Fowler. "We also have coracles from India, Vietnam, Iraq, Scotland and Ireland, as well as a replica of a Native American one."
Help at hand
Just Martin and Melita Fowler.
Budget
"We keep things on a tight rein," says Fowler. The entrance fee of £3 is the centre's only income.
Visitors
On average, 7,000 a year. In its best year the centre had more than 12,500 visitors, but the numbers have been hit adversely by the downturn in ovreseas tourists.
Highlights
"The local Teifi is one of only three Welsh rivers on which coracles still work, so there's great interest in the local pear-shaped craft," says Fowler. "One of the most interesting items we have is a Vietnamese coracle, which was used to transport a family of refugees 500 miles across the China Seas to safety in Hong Kong. A friend found it there and took it to the local depot of the Welsh Guards, who shipped it over to Cenarth Falls for us."
Sticky moment
"A few years back, a BBC crew came to film this Vietnamese coracle in action. A friend (who had previously crossed the English Channel in a coracle) and I set off to cross the Teifi and promptly sank."
Current project
The centre is extending the back of the mill to create an extra room for an Irish curragh to be housed. The work should be finished by the end of this year. Fowler is also on the lookout for a Tibetan coracle. "If we get one of these, our collection will be complete," he says.
The National Coracle Centre is open from Easter to October
A 17th-century flour mill by Cenarth Falls, Newcastle Emlyn, Carmarthenshire.
What
A centre devoted to one of the world's earliest forms of water transport. In addition to its coracle collection, the centre has a small restoration centre, a photographic collection and other information about the history and building of the craft.
Opened
The mill was restored in 1982 and the National Coracle Centre opened in 1991.
Founders
Martin Fowler and his wife Melita. The two had previously worked in the theatre as a stage manager and actress respectively.
Collection
"Most visitors expect to find only Welsh coracles, of which we have nine different types," says Martin Fowler. "We also have coracles from India, Vietnam, Iraq, Scotland and Ireland, as well as a replica of a Native American one."
Help at hand
Just Martin and Melita Fowler.
Budget
"We keep things on a tight rein," says Fowler. The entrance fee of £3 is the centre's only income.
Visitors
On average, 7,000 a year. In its best year the centre had more than 12,500 visitors, but the numbers have been hit adversely by the downturn in ovreseas tourists.
Highlights
"The local Teifi is one of only three Welsh rivers on which coracles still work, so there's great interest in the local pear-shaped craft," says Fowler. "One of the most interesting items we have is a Vietnamese coracle, which was used to transport a family of refugees 500 miles across the China Seas to safety in Hong Kong. A friend found it there and took it to the local depot of the Welsh Guards, who shipped it over to Cenarth Falls for us."
Sticky moment
"A few years back, a BBC crew came to film this Vietnamese coracle in action. A friend (who had previously crossed the English Channel in a coracle) and I set off to cross the Teifi and promptly sank."
Current project
The centre is extending the back of the mill to create an extra room for an Irish curragh to be housed. The work should be finished by the end of this year. Fowler is also on the lookout for a Tibetan coracle. "If we get one of these, our collection will be complete," he says.
The National Coracle Centre is open from Easter to October