Our history
The hundred cries on the field
This area is steeped in history and Canllefaes has been recorded as part of it.
The name Canllefaes (pronounced KAN-KLEV-ICE) is derived from Cant Llevas or Cant Llevarvas which, we are told, is translated as “The hundred cries on the field” – a battle or war cry.
In 1136 The Welsh led by Gruffydd ap Rhys ap Tewdwr defeated the Normans at the battle of Crug Mawr here at Penparc, The Normans fled back to Pembrokeshire across the old wooden bridge at Cardigan in such numbers that they caused it to collapse.
In 1165
In 1165, Lord Rhys ap Gruffydd confirmed the lands north of the road to Blaenporth, including Canllefaes, as part of the estate of the Priory at Cardigan.
In 1538 the Priory estate was transferred to Sir William Cavendish and then became the home of Thomas Philipps and his heirs. We have not yet discovered when Canllefaes was sold from the estate.
In 1808 an historian called Merrick wrote that a druidical monument called Llech yr ast (Bitches Stone) stands in a field called Cant Llevas.
1834-1952
1952 - 1977 Dewi and Owena Jones
• Brenda used to ride the old Sow that used to live in Stable cottage – then fortunately a pig shed, not a holiday cottage
• She used to play football with her brothers but was only allowed to play in goal
• She had an artificial leg from a young age and once lost her very fancy shoe as it had fallen off (Clarkes don’t you know !)
• Morley used to do a lot of the milking, and carrying the urns up to the main road at the top of the drive.
• They had far more hens than we do today, and were a big supplier of eggs and chickens to Dewi James in Newcastle Emlyn
• Xmas was a particularly memorable point in the year when they would be a big supplier of Turkeys locally. They would bring in help from Penparc village to pluck them before the big day.

In this photo you can see the outbuildings that were eventually converted into the cottages. See how many of these you can spot !
• 1. Granary was the milling room for the grain and partial grain store alongside shippen
• 2. Shippen was the old cow / milking shed downstairs and part of the grain store at the top.
• 3. Byre was built as a milking shed to a very high standard for the day
• 4. Stable was the Pig sty (you can just see the pigs in this shot)
• 5. The swimming pool was a vegetable garden
• 6. The pool house was the chicken shed
• 7. Ty Coed was a tool shed and machinery store
• 8. There was a building between the pool house and Ty Coed, which was used as a workshop and a garage
• 9. Wheel cottage and Pen-y-bryn would be built much later….
• 10. There was a water well out the back of the main white house
• 11. There was a fancy custom built greenhouse in the orchard
• 12. The laundry in the main house was yet to be built, and the front door didn’t exist !
• 13. The extension on the main house would be built nearly 50 years later by Rob and Lynne.
It is interesting looking back at the similarities with their bed and breakfast offering and ours from the modern day. Glad to say that fishing is still permitted on the Teifi, that we do allow dogs now, and gladly that all toilets are “flush” style ! An extra 9 holes have been added to Cardigan’s fantastic golf course and the local beauty spots remain so. Our electricity has also recently been modernised to use solar panels ! We wonder what that might look like in another 70 years !

1977

1977 - 2006 John and Sue Leigh
John and Sue originally moved from London to Aberporth in 1971. They purchased Canllefaes Ganol in 1977 and moved into their Caravan on site with their 2 girls Amanda (5) and Phillipa (2). John was an electrical engineer but had never previously undertaken a building project. Armed with a “teach yourself DIY” manual, they set about renovating the outbuildings to become the “self catering site” you see today. Multiple cottage sites were rare at the time and John and Sue were the founding members of the Wales Association of Self Catering Operators, formed with the intention of having a combined voice when dealing with the various governing authorities.

1977 - 2006 John and Sue Leigh




• 1980 Granary and Shippen cottages were completed and appear much as they are today
• 1982 Byre was renovated

• 1980 Granary and Shippen cottages were completed and appear much as they are today
• 1982 Byre was renovated

1984

1994

2004
The Siege !
2006 - 2019 Rob and Lynne Mansfield
• Added an extension to the main house
• Converting Penybryn from a workshop into a cottage
• Modernising the electrics into the cottages
• Adding the hot tubs to Wheel, Penybryn and Ty Coed
2019 - Present Day - Jamie and Claire Cunningham


2021
2022
2023
