Highway robbers

Twm Sion Cati

They sought him here, they sought him there, Twm Sion Cati, the Welsh Robin Hood!

Twm Sion Cati is the popular name of Thomas Jones, a highwayman and practical joker who robbed the rich to give to the poor! Thomas or Twm, to use his Welsh name, was born in 1530, the son of Catherine Jones of Ffynnon Llidiad near Tregaron, Carmarthenshire and, reputedly, Sir John Wynne. When Twm was young he lived a boisterous life and his exploits as a robber and cattle and horse thief became legendary throughout Wales.

There are many amusing stories of his adventures and some of them have been told by George Borrow in his book "Wild Wales". One famous tale tells of Twm's visit to an ironmonger's in Llandovery to buy a porridge pot. The ironmonger brought out several pans and Twm on questioning the quality and costs of the pans was told that no better would be found in the kitchen of a king. Twm then held one of the pots up to the light and declared that he could see a hole in it. The ironmonger then held up the pot to examine it and Twm forced over his head and quipped that if there was not a hole in it how could such a large and stupid head have been caught inside!

Another well known story tells how Twm stole a bull and then sold it back to the owner at market, disguising the animal by fastening a lengthy, bushy tail to its real tail. Twm was so clever that he managed to persuade the real owner of the bull to buy it from him at a high price!

In later life Thomas Jones married the wealthy widow of the High Sheriff of Carmarthenshire who lived at Ystradffin and became a landowner of great importance. He received a Royal Pardon on 1st January, 1560.

Enlarge the map to

see Twm's stomping ground

They say if you visit the Rhandirmwyn and Cil-y-Cwm area of Twm Sion Cati's wild escapades, you might often catch sight of cloaked horseman galloping by. Some say it's the ghost of Twm Sion Cati. Others that it's a local farmer out for a ride! Whichever, it's worth visiting one of the most beautiful, wild and romantic areas in Wales. If you visit Dinas, you can follow trail alongside the River Tywi to find Twm Sion Cati's cave where he is said to have hidden to avoid capture.

In the 1970s a Welsh TV programme about Twm was made - read the script here