Y Teras

Y Teras (the Terrace) is where you’ll find the most clues to what makes the Boathouse special.

Looking out across the Afon Taf (River Taf) and Bae Caerfyrddin (Carmarthen Bay), you’ll discover the landscapes and wildlife that inspired so many of Dylan’s works. Fern Hill lies the other side of the river, where Dylan spent many happy visits in his childhood with his aunt and uncle. The “heron priested shores” of the Taf are shared by oystercatchers, otters, water voles and more. In the distance, the wooded slopes of Sir John’s Hill stretch towards Bae Caerfyrddin.

Below Y Teras is a large patio. The Boathouse got its name from when this area was a small harbour in the later nineteenth century. Coal was brought along the coast from Llanelli and Kidwelly, stored in the Boathouse harbour, then distributed locally. 

Our sister site in Llanelli, Parc Howard Museum, tells the story of coal mining in that area. The museum also displays the last ever portrait of Dylan Thomas, painted by Gordon Stuart in 1953, less than two months before Dylan died. It was acquired by CofGâr in 2021.

The Boathouse harbour was fully enclosed by the early twentieth century. However, high tides and stormy weather still flood the patio from time to time, reminding visitors of Dylan’s description of his home: “…my seashaken house on a breakneck of rocks”.