Compact Wales

Before the coming of the railways the only method of moving cattle, sheep and even geese to distant markets was to walk them. The drovers were the men who undertook that task; an occupation which required toughness, considerable skill in handling people and animals, and a good business head. They also transmitted messages, news, ideas and folk tunes from one part of the country to another. It's difficult to perceive today the challenges of walking a drove of up to 200 cattle from Pembrokeshire to Kent or over a thousand sheep from Gwynedd to Essex. But that would not have been the end of the story. The drover, having sold his drove, would now have to bring the sales money home safely. There are some very dramatic accounts of encounters with thieves and highway robbers. The drovers, however, were professionals who were fully aware of the risks and knew how to take appropriate action to avoid danger.