Chapter Nineteen - A Craft Beyond The Law

In this chapter, R.D. Blackmore turns his attention to the darker side of coastal life. Davy’s “craft beyond the law” plies its trade outside the reach of justice, reminding readers how the sea could shelter secrecy, smuggling, and crime.Smuggling was a widespread problem along the South Wales coast from the 17th to the early 19th century. The long, rugged shoreline — full of coves, inlets, and shifting sands — made it ideal for landing contraband under cover of darkness.The main goods were brandy, wine, rum, gin, tea, and tobacco — all heavily taxed by the government. Smuggling offered cheaper alternatives, and whole communities could benefit from turning a blind eye. The Glamorgan coast, including Porthcawl, Kenfig, and the Gower, was notorious for smuggling landings.Hidden cellars and secret passages in farmhouses and inns were often used to conceal goods.Kenfig Pool and the surrounding sandhills were sometimes rumoured to hide stashes.By Blackmore’s time in the mid-19th century, large-scale smuggling was in decline, but the tales and legends lived on. His “craft beyond the law” echoes a very real history along the South Wales coast.Smuggling wasn’t only the work of sailors. Local farmers, fishermen, and even clergy were occasionally implicated. Villagers might help carry kegs inland in return for a share. Silence was part of survival.For listeners in Porthcawl, Kenfig, and the surrounding area, this chapter resonates with the long history of smuggling and wrecking along the Glamorgan coast, where the line between survival and illegality was often thin.