HOW DID THE TRAMROAD AFFECT CAERLEON?

Many public houses were built, along the route and in the village, to serve the tramroad. It was thirsty work leading the horses and loading and unloading the trams. There must have been some considerable time spent waiting around too, as ships could only arrive and depart at high tide. To this day Caerleon retains more than its 'fair share' of pubs. It is noticeable that many of the inns, and houses that were inns, have large doorways. One knowledgeable local reckons the large doorways would permit owners to lead their horses through the buildings to yards at the backs where they would be safe while refreshment was taken.

The tramroad must have brought sorely needed money to the village, from:

· Those employed directly on it
· 'Ancilliary' workers keeping it going, blacksmiths farriers etc
· Workers involved in shipping (the tramroad must have prolonged the life of Caerleon's port)
· The Caerleon and Ponthir works. These could not have continued to function in an industrial age with such communications. They were employment for many villagers. Also, the owners of the Caerleon and Ponthir Works were very influential in the village. They owned what were arguably the finest houses (Caerleon House and Mynde House).

Without the tramroad Caerleon would have missed the industrial revolution and gone into severe decline - had this occurred it would be a very different place today. It is part of Caerleon's charm and character that it has been occupied continuosly from Roman times and retains something from most of the ages it has seen come and go. A very strong case can be made for the establishment of a museum, or heritage centre, to demonstrate this and widen the village's attraction for tourists. Among the exhibits should be a tram on a section of track. Until then, the photograph of a section the rail on this website is, as far as we are aware, the only picture available ANYWHERE of what remains of the track that helped make Caerleon the place it is today.