New Quay, a charming seaside village on Cardigan Bay, is famous for its dolphins, which can often be seen without even getting in a boat. Another claim to fame is the fact that the notorious Welsh poet Dylan Thomas and his wife Caitlin spent a short time living there from 1944-1945 in a bungalow called Majoda, and that he based some of the characters in Under Milk Wood on people from New Quay. While he no doubt visited most if not all the hostelries in the area, the Black Lion Hotel was a favourite of his. The hotel featured in ‘Quite Early One Morning’, in which it was described as a pink-washed pub “waiting for Saturday night as an over-jolly girl waits for sailors”.
The incident which led up to Dylan and his wife Caitlin moving out of New Quay started in the Black Lion. William Killick, the husband of Dylan and Caitlin's neighbour and friend Vera, and a Captain fresh from a mission behind enemy lines in Greece, had a violent encounter with Dylan Thomas in the Black Lion and later attacked Majoda. Dylan and Caitlin, no doubt unnerved by the incident, moved out of New Quay shortly afterwards.
The Black Lion still operates as a hotel, and serves decent meals to both residents and non-residents. It is blessed with a large garden with lovely views over the bay. Inside there is an array of photos and Dylan Thomas memorabilia. Visitors to New Quay can follow a Dylan Thomas Trail which includes both the Black Lion and Majoda. In 2008 a film was released called The Edge of Love about Dylan and Caitlin and the Killicks starring Matthew Rhys, Cillian Murphy, Keira Knightley and Sienna Miller. Many of the scenes from the film were shot in New Quay.
The Black Lion - geograph.org.uk - 3521553. Photo by Chris Whitehouse, via Wikimedia Commons.
Map of the area.
