NEWCASTLE-EMLYN, a market-town and chapelry, and the head of a union, in the parish of KENARTH, higher division of the
hundred of ELVET, county of CARMARTHEN, SOUTH WALES, 19 miles (N. w. by N.) from Carmarthen, and 222 (W. by N.) from
London: the population is included in the return for the parish. The ancient name of this place, Dines Emlin, or " the
city of Einlin," thought by Mr. Liwyd to have been derived from Emilianus, a Roman settler in this part of the
principality, who probably made it his residence; but no traces of Roman occupation have been discovered in corroboration
of that opinion, nor have any vestiges of Roman antiquity been found in the immediate vicinity. Its modern name appears to
have originated in the erection of a new castle in the reign of Henry VII., by Sir RhSts ab Thomas, en the site of a
,fortress probably built by the Normans, though neither the name of the founder, nor the precise time of the erection, of
the original structure, is known. The ancient castle was besieged and taken, in 1215, by Llewelyn ab Iorwertb, who
resigned it in the following year, when he divided the principality of South Wales between its rival princes, on which
occasion the castle fell to the portion of Maelgwyn. In 1258, Llewelyn appointed a meeting of commissioners at this place,
to deliberate upon the terms of a treaty of peace with the English; but the negotiations were frustrated by the treachery
of Patrick de Canton, the lieutenant of Henry III, who, perceiving that the party by which he was attended was stronger
than that of Llewelyn, attacked the Welsh by surprise, and put many of them to the sword: the rest, who with difficulty
effected their retreat, raised the country in the rear of the enemy, and the English forces were soon overtaken, an
Patrick, with a large number of his adherents, was slain. In the reign of Edward I. the castle was besieged by RhSrs ah
Meredyd4; but a large reinforcer went being brought by Robert de Tibetot to the relief of the garrison, Rhks thought it
prudent to raise the siege, and to retire in haste into Ireland. The castle, which had been rebuilt in the time of Henry
VII., by Sir Rhts ab Thomas, descended to his grandson, Rh" rs ab Grufydd, on whose attainder, in the reign of Henry
VIII., it became forfeited to the crown, and was granted to the Vaughans of Golden Grove, of whom Richard Vaughan was by
Charles I., in the 19th of his reign, created Earl of Carberry in Ireland, and Baron &Allyn. During the civil war, the
castle was garrisoned for the king: it was besiege] by the parliamentarian forces mi 1645, but was relieved by a body of
royalists under the command of Colonel Gerard, who, attacking the besiegers, totally defeated them, killed two hundred,
and took five hundred prisoners, with all their arms, ordnance, and baggage, and with the loss on his own part of only
twenty-six  men killed, besides others wounded: the castle continued in the family of the Vaughans, by the last of whom
it was devised to the late Lord Cawdor, the father of Earl Cawdor, the present proprietor. The TOWN is beautifully
situated on the southern bank of the Teivy, which here rushes with great impetuosity through its rocky channel, and over
which is a handsome stone bridge of three arches, forming a communication between the counties of Cardigan and Carmarthen,
and connecting the ancient borough of Atpar, in the former county, with this town, which consists principally of one
irregular street, extending nearly a mile in length. The houses, of which several are handsome, are in general well built,
and the cottages have an appearance of comfort and neatness not usually found in this part of ohe country; the town,
though neither paved nor lighted, is well supplied with water; and the surrounding country, which is pleasingly varied,
abounds with interesting objects and with romantic and pieturesque scenery. The views are extensive, and from several
points the appearance of the town, with the capricious windings of the river and the beautiful remains of the ancient
castle rising from its banks, is strikingly beautiful. The Teivy is celebrated for its salmon and sewin fishery, which is
prosecuted with great success in small boats called coracles, peculiar to the principality. The market, which is amply
supplied with provisions, and is remarkable for the great number of pigs exposed in it for sale, is on Friday, and is well
attended; and fairs are held on March 23rd, May 10th, June 22nd, July 20th, August 20th, September 20th, October 19th,
and November 22nd. The town is a polling-place in the election of knights for the shire. The LIVING is a perpetual curacy,
endowed with £800 royal bounty, and £200 parliamentary grant; present net income, £71; patron, Vicar of Kenarth. The
chapel, which was built by public subscription about seventy years since, is a neat small edifice; but a spacious and
handsome church has just been erected, affording accommodation to a greater number of the inhabitants; of 500 sittings,
400 are free. There are places of worship for Baptists, Independents, and Calvinistic and Wesleyan Methodists. The poor
law union of which the town is the head was formed May 3Ist, 1837, and comprises the follow-in twenty-one parishes and
townships; namely, Penbryn, Llangranog, Troedyraur, BrongviSm, Llanvair- Trelygon, Llangunllo, Llanvair-Orllwyn,
Llandyvriog, 116n1lan, Bangor, Llandyssil, and BettwsIeuvan, in the county of Cardigan; Llanviliangelar-Arth, Llangeler,
Penboyr, and Kenarth, in the county of Carmarthen; Llanvyrnach, Clydey, CapelColman, and Penrith, in the county of
Pembroke; and Kilrliedyn, in the counties of Carmarthen and Pembroke. It is under the superintendence of 34 guardians, and
contains a population of 20,860. The remains of the castle occupy an elevated ridge to the east of the town, on a
peninsula formed by a bend in the river Teivy, which flows in a direct course till it nearly reaches the walls of that
structure, but, suddenly reverting in a direction nearly parallel with its former course for a considerable distance,
winds majestically in front, leaving before the castle a long and beautiful meadow, and returns on the opposite side, with
features of a new character, forcing its way over a rocky bed, and thus surrounding that ancient edifice with a
magnificent natural moat, which is double on that side where it first reaches the castle. The ruins consist chiefly of the
principal gateway entrance, about fourteen feet in height, flanked by two octagonal towers, and possessing, from its
situation immediately above the river, and its lightness and elegance, a peculiarly picturesque appearance. This place
gives the inferior title of Viscount Emlyn to Earl Cawdor.