Members of Tenby Civic Society spent an enjoyable time at Kidwelly on Saturday. The day began with a guided tour of the ancient priory church of St. Mary's, conducted by the Rev. Hugh James, vicar of Kidwelly. The visitors were introduced to the history and major architectural features of this ancient former Benedictine priory. Now the parish church, St. Mary's was greatly extended in the 12th and 13th centuries by the Normans who, at the same time, were developing the nearby castle on the opposite bank of the Gwendraeth river. The magnificent castle was next on the itinerary. Now maintained by CADW, it is one of the best preserved of the nine major Carmarthenshire castles and the visitors were very impressed both with the on-going conservation work and the excellent informative and innovative interpretation and guiding systems. The castle, first built by Roger, Bishop of Salisbury, was to endure a period of violent history following the ascendancy of the House of Lord Rhys, but took on the splendid structure seen today during the late 13th century. Members learned that the town around the castle grew in importance, especially with the expansion of the cloth trade in the more peaceful late medieval period, the growth of the port and the emergence in the 18th and 19th centuries of the coal and tinplate industries. Following lunch, the Tenby visitors made a tour of Kidwelly Industrial Museum on the site of the former tinplate works on the outskirts of the town. Two leisurely hours were spent tracing the fascinating history of the tinplate manufacturing process, from the earliest times when machinery was driven by water power to the enormous and complex steam powered processes of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Well interpreted displays and the opportunity to view original machinery helped to bring the history of this industry to life. All the visitors agreed that the visit to Kidwelly had provided them with some memorable and varied experiences.