Welsh directory, 1800

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CUMBRIAN DIRECTORY,

Boards^ 4s, 6d.

1

[7fl/tf« the Title.

CS.

-^en and Neath rivers

pottage - Valle Crucis - Pillar of Elifeg -

-French, April I z» 1 782 - Virnwy river - Powis CafUe

fvn-hall - Walk to Monmouth Folly - Wye - t. and C. Llandogo - Tintern Abbey - Wine Cliff, a

Page.

I 3

9

9^195 10 - 13

18 19

22 23

140

M9 156 160 162

163 164

'74 .

»74 176

1 87 9 - 195

/

AO^ THE

CAMBRIAN DIRECTORY,

CURSORY SKETCHES

or THS

WELSH TERRITORIES. WITH 4 CHART,

Comprehending at one View^

Tbi adw/ahli Rwte^-'Btft Inns^-^Diftaneu^^and Object tntift njaerthy of Attention.

Authors, you know, of greateft fame. Thro* modefty fupprefs their name \ And, WOttM you wifh me to reyod What thefe fuperior Wits conceal?

AU my ambition is, I own.

To profit, and to pleafe, unknown.

Vtfioni in Vlerfi.

Printed and fold by J. Easton, High-Wet: Sold alfo by T. Hurst, Pater-Nofter-Row, London^ hi Boll, and J. Bar rat t, B4tb\ J. N0RTON9 and W. Brown, Brifioli and Q« Tudor, Monmoutk,

1800.

33920B

S'V

\

TO TBB

FRIENDLY AND TRULY HOSPITABLE

INHABITANTS

or THE

PRINCIPALITY OF WALES,

THESZ

ARE RESPECTFULLY AND GRATEFULLY DEDICATED, BY

^ne Ky€atnor.

(f^MuK^-^

\^ %io>CU^.vH\"]^

-'^^^^o^f^'^^^M

TO THE

INHABITANTS

OF THE

PRINCIPALITY OF WALES.

J\S Dedications and Prefaces are confidered proper avani couriers to a Work, the omiifion of either might be deemed an eflential breach of literary decorum : - I profefs myfelf an Old Bachelor, and am confequently anxious fiSSqf minutiae ftiould be properly attended to.

It is generally cuftomary in Dedications, to

folicit the patronage of an individual ; but, as

thefe Curfory Sketches will fully prove, I by no

means always purfue the common beaten track,

a 4 truft

Vlii DEDICATION.

truft it will not be thought too prefumptiousy addrcffing myfelf to Pluralities, and humbly requefting permiflion', that the Cambrian Di- rectory may be looked upon as a Ward of the Welfh in general: for I can with fafety affirm, in no country will the Tourift experi- ence more true hofpitality and friendly atten- tion, than in the Principality of Wales : I there- fore with true refpeft and gratitude, beg leave to fubfcribe myfelf,

Gentlsmek,

Your much obliged

And mod obedient Humble fcrvant.

The Author.

PRE-

PREFACE-

J; AULTS,in the following Work, I readily allow, there are many, many; but, flatter my- fclf, thofe who are beft able to difcover, will be moft ready to pardon them. Tours or Journals, are now hackneyed fubjefts; and though this may be confidered as a trite apology, and (if I may fo exprefs myfelf) an Author's toop-hole, yet I can nooft truly affert, the prefent Obfervations were by no means at firft, ever intended to be fcanned by the public eye ; but merely for my own private amufement, as a memento, to have accefs to^ when I wifhed to breathe delight from RecoUeftion^s power; my Remarks, therefore, were only fuch as any Traveller, an admirer of Nature, would with a pencil briefly put down ; and I muft beg leave again to repeat, I had net then the moA diftam

thought

PREFACE.

thought of appearing at the bar of the Public : on my return, I naturally placed my Obferva- tions in a more conne£led form s and fomt time afterwards^ accidentally converfing with my Bookfeller, on the romantic beauties of Wales, and fliewing him a few of my Notes, was per- fuaded to prepare them for the prefs; in confe- qucnce of which, I am now embarking on the lite- rary ocean ; and, as a candid behaviour ought to be preferred to all other coniiderations, before I fail on my cruize, beg leave to declare, that it is not the intention of the following Ihcets, cither to rival the lively and imprefEve de- fcriptions of a Wyndham or a Warner, - to contend with the literary and hiftorical anec- dotes of a Pennant, - or to equal the mine- ralogical ftudies of an Aikin: and here I can- didly acknowledge, when attempting a defcrip-r tion of Monmouthfhire, I found myfelf not a little intimidated, by the intended, and anxi- oufly expefted publication of that county, by ^, Gentleman,* highly claffed in the literary world,

- The Rev. William Coxe, re£lor of Bemerton, an4 domeiUo -ebaplain to the Lord Biihop of Saliibury.

for

PREFACE. XI

for many celebrated produftions ; confcious of my own inability to do ample juftice to that piclurefque county, iand particularly the rich fcenery of the Wye, when it is already in fuch able hands : I beg from true refpeft and efteem, to apply to him the following paflage:

Ohy while along the flream of time, thy name Expanded flies» and gathers all its fame, ' Say, (hall my little bark attendant fail, Purfae the triumph, and partake the gale ?

The Cambrian Directory, is therefore given to the Public, as a common Itinerary; nor does it prefume to have difcovered any thing unknown to the fage Antiquarian, - the deep Mineralogift, - and the buttling Traveller: ft ill, however, the Author flatters himfelf, it may be fo far ufeful to the Public, that the Traveller will find it a convenient Pocket Companion ; it will tell him the bejl InnSy and lay before him in one view, the dijlances ; the Mineralogift may occafionally learn, what Rocks will moft de- ferve his attention; and it will point out to the

Anti-

Xll FREFACE.

Antiquarian, every venerable Ruin, Atm feems to tell the religious or military hiftory of the country. Such is the " plain unvamilh'd tale:" in addition to which, I folicit permiflion to ad^ drefs my Readers widi a line from a favourite Author :

" I«augh where you it%?« be candid where you Can,**

THE

»»^»»-^0<3»'<^^ ^ ' g" "

THE

CAMBRIAN DIRECTORY,

THESE ARE THE HAUNTS OF MEDITATION, THESE

THE SCENES WHERE ANCIENT BARDS TH' INSPIRING BREATH

EXTATIC FELT I

Thomfon.

X wo Friends, equally admirers of Nature's land- fcapes, and attached to pedeftrian independence,.agreed to vifit the wild and impreflive fcenery of the Cambrian Mountains ; and the outlines of their Route being ar- ranged, fi^llied forth in the month of July, 1798, from

CHELTENHAM,

a place much reforted to during the fummer months, ^ and celebrated for its Mineral Waters,^ compofed of

B one

2 THE CAMBRIAN

one ilreet, in almoft a firaigbt line, nearly the length of a mile. Since it has become a place of fafhion, the lodging houfes have been confiderably improved, and rendered comfortable for the company, who make this place ilvjir fummer refidence. The feafon ufually commences about May, and frequently continues till the beginning of November. The majority of the company who frequent Cheltenham, refort here not fo much for the purpofe of water-drinkjng, as to enjoy the delightful walks and rides, and partake of the fociability of the neighbourhood.

The Walk at the Pump-room, well planned, and kept in excellent order, is planted on each fide with limes 'y at the end is a fmall fquare, where the Pump is iituate, with a room on the left for the accommodation of the company to promenade, meafuring fixty-fix feet by twenty-three i - on the of^ofite fide a reading- room, with a. billiard-table over, and a hoyfe, the refi^ dcnce of the attendant at the Sp^ ; beyond that, is a fimilar walk of three hundred and twelve feet, which leads to another Terpentine walk; frpm the end of this, the Spire of Cheltenham Church forms a beautiful objeft. Near thcfe walks, ftands, on an eminence, the Seat of the Earl of F^conberg : this was the Royal refidence during their Majeftie$ ftay.at this place^ front July iiith t9 AHgMftj6, 1788.

In

DIRECTORY.

In refpe^t to the rides, Cleave-hill, Dowdefwell, &c. Tewkefbury and Glo||Cefter, are moft admired, a9i

Speaking of the Hiftory of the place, we find Chel- tenham was a town in the reign of William the Con- queror : Edward likewife is fuppofed to have marched through It, before he encamped his army on the field of Tewkeibury, previous to the battle of the Houfes of York and Lancafter.

Of the efficacy of the Water, to which this town is indebted for its prefent celebrity, I refer my readers to a Treatife, publiihed by Dr. Fothergill> of Bath.

GLO\CESTER^ Jl^

The Pin Manufa£tory was eftablifhed here, by Joha Tifley, in. the year 16269 and the bufinefs is now bt* come (p extenfive^ that the returns from London alone are eftimated at near 20,000/. per ann. Before the in* trodudion of Pins into England (1543} ikewers of brafs, lilver, and gold, and likewife thorns curioufly fcrapcd, called by the Welch women pin-draeriy were ufed. Though the Pins themfelyes are apparently fimple, yet their manufafiure is not a little curious and complex- The wire in its moft rough ftate is brought B 2 from

THE CAMBRIAJT

from a wire company in the neighbourhood of Bxiftol : till the year 1563, Englifli iron wire was drawn out by manual (Irength. The firft operation attending this curious procefs, is the fixing the circular roll of wire to the circumference of a wheel, which in its rotation throwing the wire againft a board, with great violence, takes off the black external coat: vitriol is next applied to bring the brafs to its common colour* The brafs wire being too thick for the purpofe of being cut into Pins, is reduced to anydimenfion the workman pleafes, by forcibly drawing it through an orifice in a fteel plate, of a fmaller diameter. The wire, being thus reduced to its proper dimenfions, is next ftraightened : it is then cut into portions of fix inches in length, and afterwards to the fize of the Pin, and each piece refpec- tively fharpened on a grinding-fione, turned by a wheel. We now come to a diftinA.branch of the manufadory : the forming the heads, or, as the workmen term it, head /pinning : this is accomplifhed by means of a fpinning-wheel, which, with aflonifhing rapidity winds the wire round a fmall rod : this, when drawn out^ leaves a hollow tube between the circumvolutions; every two circumvolutions, or turns, being cut with iheers, form one head. The heads, thus formed, are diflributed to children, who, with great dexterity, by the affiflance of an anvil, or hammer, worked by the foot, fix the point and the head together. The Pins,

thus

DIRECTORY.

thus formed, are boiled in a copper, containing a folu* tion of block-tin pulverized, and the lees of Port; and by this laft procefs, it changes its yellow brafly colour, and aQumes the appearance of filver, or tin. The labourers ^r^ ^11 paid ac9ording to (hp weight of their ^ork.

Near Glol^cefter, at the fmall ifland of AIneyi a^ formed by the river Severn, hiflorians relate, that Ca- nute and Edmund, after many bloody engagements in Jp^lTex, determined to prevent a farther efFufion of blood hy a iingle combat. Neither, however, as the ftory relates, obtaining a vidtory, peace was concluded, and the kingdom divided between them. We paid, how- ever, litUc regard to the fuppofed place of this conteft, as it was not for us, puifne antiquarians, to difcufs points^ on which the gre^^teft hillorians' had fo matCr jrially differed.

I forbear to make any remarks qn the Cathedral and (\ Qaol of Glot^cefter, as much has already been done towards their illuftration; and as ample accounts qf them are given in the Gloucefter Guide, which the Tourift will meet with on the fpot.

TPhe Walk from hence to

9 3 WEST^

THE CAMBKIAN

WESTBURY,

IS by no means uninterefting ; the country Is ftudded with half-feen villas, and animated with churches, whilft the retrofpeiSl commands a fine view of Robin- ^ hood's Hill, with the dark Tower of Glotcefter Ca^

thedral, juft riiing in the perfpeAive,

At Weftbury is the Seat of Maynard Colchefter, Efq. The Church, with a detached Spire, ftands clofe to the houfe. Near this place mineralogifis will be highly gratified by vifiting a CliiF, called Garden^ or Golden Cliffe \ which is moft beautifully encrufled with mun- dic and cryftals. This rock, (landing clofe to the Severn, is only acceffible at the reflux of the tide ; and when illuminated by the fun wears a moft beautiful appearance.

Between Weftbury and Ncwnham, in an extremely delightful valley, bordering on the Foreft of Deane, is lituate

FLAXLEY ABBEY,

the Seat of Sir Thomas Crawley Bovey. This valley was formerly called Caftiard^ or iYiCHappy Valley i

and

BiRECtOllyk

and a Monaftery, f6r Cifterdan Monks, vrzs founded here by Roger, the fecond Earl of Hereford, and thte charter confirmed by Henry II. The Abbey was ftand- ing till the yfcat 1777, when part of it was unfor- tunately conium^d by fir6; fince that a ^nfiderable portion of building has been added, fand is hecotht a very defirable fummer rcfidence. The Views ftatn «he park, behind the houfe, are very extetifive, comniDfnding the Vale of Gloncefter, and the River Severn, gay with vcffels, whilft the extenfive Foreft of Dean, and Flaxley Abbey, form nearer objeds for admiration* 'Thfe Wood abounds with the mod charming walks ; and, while it affords refrefbing (belter from a fummer's fun, admits partial views of the adjacent cotinfery. Camden, in fpeaking of the Foreft of Dean, derives its name from i^rdene, a wood in the Gaulie ind Britifh langoTages. It lies between the two riVcfs Severn and Wye, and contains thirty thoufand acres. The foil is well adapted for the growth of oaks, and foreft timber j and the fituation particularly commodious for exporting it for fljip-building, and other purpofes. The immenfe quan- tities of wood annually felled for the ufe of the navy, have fo thinned this wood of its timber, that it is now prefcrved till a certain growth by aft of parliament. Camden obferves, that the oak 6f this Forefl was fo confiderable, that the Spaniih Armada had orders to B 4 deftroy

J.

The cambrxam

deftroy the timber of it in 1588 : it fufFered confident-* ^ly in the great rebellion,

The Iron ManufaSory has long been carried on in this Foreft; and to this day immenre beds of iron cin^ ders are found, the reliques of the Romans. Thefe cinders are not half exhaufted of their ore, and are con- fequently worked over again : a proof that the Romany knew only the weak power of the foot blaft.

As we drqw nwr

NEWNHAM,

the Severn became more confiderable. The* town^ iituated on the banks of the river, and backed by the Foreft of Dean, is very ancient, and in 1018 this ma- fior was granted by King Canute to the Benedidine Abbey of Perfliore, in Worceftcrlhire.*

The Church-yard affords a variety of objects worthy the attention of the paffing firanger, amongft which the Church of Weftbury forms the mod: cqnfpicuous fea* ^ure in the landfcape.

- Atkias*a Clo^cefterihire.

The

DIRECTORY. g

The View, previous to pur dcfcending the hill to

. tIDNEY,

is extenfive and beautifuK In this place Iron Works are carried on by a Mr, Pitchcoclc. - ^^About a mile from Lidney, the Old Paflage, - KingVroad, with the merchant Ihips lying ofFBriftol, - Glo^cefterfliire and Somerfetihire hills, ftudded with gentlemens* feats, churches, and half-feen cottages, formed a chearft^ landfcape.

CHEPSTOW.

The weather prevented our feeing the celebrMcd Walks of Piercefield, but we promifed ourfelves the pleafiire of vifiting them on our return down the Wye. The Caftle of Chepftow, called Kafwent, or Caftelfc Gwcnt, ftands on a rock waflied by the river Wye, near its influx into the Severn. Topographical writers differ in their accounts concerning the antiquity of the paftle, but it is generally fuppofed to have been built at the fame time with the town, appearing at that pe- jripd to have been a kind of citadel to Chepftow.* The

f Grofc^i Afltiquitles«

Caftle

10 THE CAMBRIAN

gas=a5=3 \mkimitikuAi\m^ ' aaessaBaaa - r

Cflftle was formerly of grieat extent, as, according to Leland's account, the << waulles began at the end of ** the great bridge over Wy," yet « in the caftcl ys one «< tower, as I heard fay, By the name of Langine," Little now remains of its former grandeur : but, im- pelled by an irrrefiftiblc curiofity, we afcended the de- cayed fteps of the tower, from whence the eye traced with pleafure the windings of the Wye, till it was at laft loft in its conjunftion with the Severn. With horror we examined the dark dungeon, where Henry Martin, one of the twelve judges, who fat to condemn Charles L was confined. feven and twenty years.

Grand views of the Briftol. Channel ftill continued to form interefting objedls from the road ; but about three miles from Chepftow, we turned into foine fields on the right, to examine the Ivy-mantled walls of

CALDECOT CASTLE.

On our firft entrance we gazed with that wrapt aftonifliment, that fears to difturb, or be diflurbed by the mutual communication of thought. - Mr. Warner^ in his furvey of this ruin, was much difappointed ; but I cannot help allowing, although the view from it was inferior to Chepftow, yet its antiquated walls wear a

nobler

OIRECroRY, It

nobler appearance; and the gloom that reigns around It, forces a figh, and evinces the tranikory nature of fublunary greatnefs. The antiquity of the building is very obfcure : it is fituate on a flat, and memorable for the birth of Henry VIL Faffing through the village of Caldecot, we foon entered

CAERWENT,

on the Weftern fide, through the brokea fragments of its walls, of which one immenfe mafs has recently fallen. This ancient town is now little more than a village, with a few fcattered cottages, but formerly ce- lebrated, under the aufpices of Agricola, for its temples, theatre, porticos, and baths; few veftiges of its for- mer fplendour are now extant. A few fragments of loofe ftones only remain to point out its former ex« tent* In an orchard, adjoining a farm-houfe be^ longing to Mr, Lewis, is the beautiful teflalated Ro- man Pavement, difcovered in the year 1777* The teilerale or dies, about an inch in breadth, and half in depth, are nearly cubical, ooniifting. of four colours, red, yellow, blue, and white,^ which are ftill in great prefervation ^ the whole is furrounded with a border, much refembling a Turkey carpet. The daily depre-

- Warner's Firft Walk through Walet.

dations

12 THB CAMBRIAH

dations on theFe curious remains of antiquity are greatljr to be lamented^

In the road from Caerwent, amongft other objects for admiration, the Klanfion of Sir Robert Salifbury, on the left, commanding an extenfive vieve, attraded pur notice. Faffing through the neat village of Chrift- church, animated with white-wa&ed cottages, and graced with its Ample Church, which ftands on an eminence, we left the turnpike road, at the 13th mile Hone ; and following a footpath through fome fields, near the banks of the Ufke, foon entered the ancien^ city of

CAERLEON,

over a wooden bridge, built on the fome plan as Chep- flow. This city was formerly a metropolitan fee, but St. David, the national faint of Wales, thinking the noify intercourfe of a populous city, like Caer-Lleon, ill adapted for contemplation, or the folitary caft of his mind, removed it to Menevia, which from that period has been called Ty Dewi by the Welch, and St. David by the Englifh.* The remains of its ancient grandeur

- He was huried in the CathcdrsU Church of St, David, and manj bundred yean after canonized by Pope Califtus the Second, - C?M/wiff*i Knf^P Bijbcps, p. 414.

arc

fiiKECTORV. 13

arc ftill difccrnible. WhUft tracing the extent of its amphitheatre^ fiirrounded by a circular entrenchment, and the grandeur of its porticoes, we took a retrofpeA on the exertions of man, the fate of kingdoms, and of rulers ; and, marking the grand deftrudion of ages, it feemed to convince us of the tranfientnefs of human worth and happinefs ! The (hips in the Briftol Chan* nel, with Flat and Steep Holmes rifing in the midft of the fea, formed pleating obje3s in the didant view, whilft the mellow green of nearer woods, and meadows watered by the Ufke, made a combination of hues gay and beautiful.

Near

NEWPORT

a new ftone bridge is ere£ling by contrail for 10,165/. by Mr. Edwards, fon to the Edwards, who built the famous Pont y Pridd. It is to coniift of five arches.

Newport Caftle, (landing on the bank of the river U(ke, is a fmall diftance from the bridge : it evidently appears to have been once a place of conliderable extent, and built for the defence of the paflage over the river; three ftrong towers commanded the Ufke, but towards the town a common wally without any flanks, feems to

have

S4 TltE CAMBRIANT

have been its (ble defence. Some of the windows ftili xemain, the relics of Gothic architedlure, and appear to have been elegantly decorated* From the tower is a fine view of the LJfke. Between Newport and

CARDIFF

we crofTed the little ftream of Ebwith, near the park of Tridegar Houfe, belonging to Sir Charles Morgan. The grounds are well planned, and command the hills of Machan and Tombaloe, with the church of Paflanefs riflng in the centre, on an eminence. The whole val- ley, indeed, is prettily fituated. PafSng through the villages of Pedifton and Caftletown, we foon reached the bridge of two arches, over the river Romney^ which divides England from Wales.

The fituation of Cardiff is on a low flat, near the mouth of the Taafe, over which has lately been thrown a new Bridge, built by Mr. Parry in 1796 : it confifts of three large and two fmaller ' arches. The tower of the church is very light, and of elegant Workmanihipi but. nothing ih the iniide is worthy of infp^dion.

The.Caftle derives its name from the river. Taff, Which waflies its wallsj Grirfisi^A fignifying the Town

or

PIRECTORY. 15

or Caftle upon TafF. Robert Fitzham having con« ^uered Glamorganfliire, divided the country into dtf* ferent portions, among the twelve Norman Knights, a9 a reward for their fervice, and took for his own fharo the Town of Cardiff; and erecled, in the year mo, this Caftle, in which he generally refided, and held his court of chancery and exchequer. In the beginning of May 1645, during the troubles under Charles I. i€ was in the pofleffion of the Royalifts, but it was fufr* rendered to Parliament before Auguft 1646*

We entered the Caflle by two ftrong gates^ which ftill remain in great prefervation, but we were difgufted with the modern architeSure of the new-built manfion, eredted by the late Marquis of Bute : the neat ihom grafs, the gravel walk, were circumftances that ill ac-> corded with the mutilated wails of an ancient ruin, which has braved the ftorms of fo many centuries. The circumftatice that tends to render this Caftle a melan- choly place in hiftory, is the unjuft confinement of Robert Duke of Normandy, brother to William Rufus and Henry I. The accounts, however, of his confine-*, ment have been greatly exaggerated by hiftortans; and a dark vaulted room, beneath the level of the ground^ meafuring nearly a fquare of fifteen feet and a half, is iftill pointed out as the place of his confinement; a fmall crevice in the top, about half a yard ia lengthy

and

j6 TH£ CAMBlllA!^

and three inches wide, was the only place to admit the air. He was buried in Gloucefter Cathedral, where his effigy as big as life, carved in Irifli oak, and painted, is yet (hewn. The Keep, which is ftill very perfed, of an o£iagon (hape, (lands on an eminence in the cen- tre of a large fquare. Having walked round the ram- parts, which command exteniive views of the adjacent country, we vifited the Caftle itfelf, which has, within thefe few years, been repaired, but ftill remains in an unfiniflied ftate. In the Dining-room are fome por- traits, in length, of the Windfor family: the moft firiking are,

I ft. Sir William, who iirft raifed forces for Queen Mary.

2d« Sir Edward, who firft entered the breach at the taking of St. Quintin, in Flanders, where the famous Conftable de Montmorency was taken prifoner.

In the Breakfaft-parlour is a family piece, confifting of feven figures : it was painted in the year 1568. Holbein, I rather imagine, was the painter: it coniifts of two Sifters playing at Cards, and two Brothers at Drafts, with Edward Earl of Windfor and his lady looking on. The fiyle is ftifF, with ruiFs, fmall black caps and feathers.

Andrew

DIRECTORY. XJ

Andrew Windfor, to the right of the fire-place ; General in the reign of Queen Ann, ferving in the 28th regiment of foot - - Kneller.

Thomas Windfor, to the left, who ferved in feveral wars of William and Queen Ann, and was Colonel of the 3d regiment of Dragoon Guards, in the reign of George I. - - - Kneller.

Lady Urfula Windfor - ibid.

Hon. Mafter Windfor - Painter unknown,

A good painting of Urfula Countefs of Windfor, with her grand-daughter Urfula Windfor, Kneller.

Thomas Lord Windfor, Governor of Jamaica - - - - Vandyke.

Hon. Charlotta Windfor - DahL

Hon. Urfula Windfor - Dahl.

Hon. Dixia Windfor, ftorekeeper of the ordnance, and for fix fucceiSve parliaments member for Cam- bridge.

This Caftle belongs to a grandfon of the Marquis of Bute.

In this place, Robert Earl of Gloucefter founded a Priory of White-friars, and another of Black, which continued till the reign of Henry VIIL Only the

C fl^eU

l8 THI CAMBRIAN

ihell of the White^-fritrs is now extant, and the ruins of the Black-friars are inhabited by fifhermen.

From hence we walked to infpe<Sl the remains of that once celebrated city

LANDAFF;

the ruins of the old Cathedral are very beautiful, the door cafes are all Norman archite£l:ure elegantly mould- ed; two of which, on the North and South fules, are fine fpecimens of that xrs^ All the other parts are Gothic: the nave is unroofed. Within thefe ruins we entered the Cathedral, which carries with it more the appearance of a modern theatre, than a place of divine worihip, fo erroneous was the tafte of the archite(5l, in combining with the facred Gothic, a fantaftical work of his own. Among feveral ancient monuments, are two very elegant ones of the Mathews family,* whofe defcendants own the fcite of the Bifhop's Cafile, of which only the gate remains : the reft, with the Arch- deacon's houfe, was deftroyed by Owen Glendour.f There are likewlfe the monuments of two bifhops, with another, and the figure of Lady Godiva, full length, carved in marble on it.

- WiUis's LandalF, p. 34. f Grofc, Willis.

Landaff

BIRECTORV. 19

irandaff ftands on a fmall "eminence, commanding a view of Cardiff*, and the furrounding country. - We returned again to Cardiff: and the iirft fix miles of our road to

CAERPHILY

were not very interefting, till afcending Thorn Hill, the beauties of the vale below, with Flat and Steep Holmes rifing in the diftant profpedl, the ruins of Cardiff CafUe, ancj the ivy-mantled walls of LandaiF Cathedra], amply compenfated for the trouble of climb- ing this eminence.. A little farther on, Caerphily Caille burft upon our fight, and

** feem'd to frown.

*' In awfal majefty on all around.'*

The founder, and the time of its ereSion are very uncertain ; but I refer my readers to the firft volume of the Jrchaologia i to an ingenious DifTertation, by Daines Barrington, where it is fatisfa£lorily proved to have been the work of Edward I. This Caftle is one of the nobleft ruins of ancient architecture now remain- ing in the kingdom, and exceeds all in bignefs, except that of Windfor. The Hall and the Chapel may flill be traced ; the former meafures about feventy feet in length, thirty-four in breadth, and feventeen in height. C 2 The

aO THE CAMBRIAN

The roof is vaulted about eight feet high, and fupported by twenty arches. On the North iide is a chimney, ten feet wide, with two windows on each fide, ex- tending down to the floor, and carried above the fup- pofed height of this room. At each angle was originally a round tower of four ftories, communicating with each other by a gallery. On the Weft fide of the Hall ftairs, is a low round tower, of one ftory, called the Mint-houfe, with three painted arches on the South fide, and a fquare well on the Weft. The leaning tower, towards the Eaft end, more particularly en- gaged our notice : it is divided into two feparate parts, by a large fiiTure, which runs from the top down almoft to the middle. Its lineal proje£lion is fuppofed to be on the outer fide, about eleven feet and a half. On the Weft and North are vifible veftiges of a draw- bridge. The Eaft wall, on the South fide of the prin- cipal entrance, is fluted between the buttreiTes, with battlements on their tops, to protect the intermediate walls.

At Caerphily we perceived a great change in the manners of the people j in the whole village, fcarcely one perfon was capable of fpeaking Englilh.

We now came to the celebrated vale of Glamorgan- Ihire, fo juftly ftylcd the Garden of South-Wales \ the

rapid

DIRECTORY. 21

rapid Taafe forms an almoft continued uproar for many miles ; on the oppofite fide the mountains rofe almoft perpendicularly in a mafTy wall, and fometimes to the water's edge, finely clothed with wood. Every circum- ftance confpired to heighten the folitary grandeur of the fcene, and to prolong the luxurious melancholy, which the views infpired. In this celebrated vale is found the famous Pont y Pridd, or New Bridge, ''about three quarters of a mile from the Duke of Bridgewater's Arms, a comfortable inn, and far furpaffing our mi- ferable quarters at Caerphily. This wonderful bridge, of one arch, is the fegment of a circle; the chord of it is one hundred and forty feet, and the heighth of the kcy-ftonc, from the fpring of the arch, thirty-two feet and a half* It was ere£^ed, in the year 1750, by William Edwards, a country mafon, who failed in his attempt three times, till, by lightening the abutments, it has refifted, for many years, the torrehts of the Taafe,

The intrufion of art in this romantic valley, where nature has been fo lavifli of her beauties, is much to be lamented : a canal, for the purpofe of conveying the iron from the Myther Works to Cardiff, renders it a place of frequent bufinefs and confufion; a place origin pally fo well adapted to retirement and reflection*

C3 MY-

32 THi CAMBRIAN

MYTHER TIDVIL,

is a mod miferable dirty place; the foil and the inhabU tants both partook of a dark dingy colour : the women deftitute of (hoes and ftockings, the men and boys the flaves of Vulcan. The Iron-works, under the diredion of Mr. Crai^fliaw, are the largeft in the kingdom; not lefs than one thoufand hands are employed by this gen«« tieman, who allows the perfon who infpeds the ma^ chinery one-eighth of the profits, to keep them in re- pair. Four large blaft furnaces, with a number of a fmaller iize, belides a row of forges^ are continually in ufe. An enormous wheel has lately been conftru£)ied» with feveral inferior ones, a£ting in contrary diredions, which pumps the air into a large fpace, from whence it is diftributed, through various tubes, to each feparatc furnace. This wheel is Afty feet one inch in diameter, and fix feet eight inches in width. The whole weight refts on gudgeons, of one hundred tons. The gudgeons of all the wheels, and of fuch parts of the machine where there is any fri£iion, have water continually run-< ning over them, to prevent their taking fire. It is the particular office of one man to greafe every part of the machine, whilfl: in motion; to accomplifh which, he is frequently obliged to ride on an iron bar, fimilar to the lever of a pump when in motion, a confiderable

way

DIRECTORY. 23

vny from the ground. The whole of this machinery is worked by water, not more than z foot deep, which 18 conveyed by a long fpout to the top of the wheel, where it dtfcharges itlelf. The ore^ flux^* and coals, which they ufe to promote the fufion of the ore, are all found on the fpot. The ore, previous to its being thrown into the furnace, is burnt in a common lime* pit, the goodnefs of it aftsrwards proved» by its adhefioa to the tongue : the coal is all charked« and continu^ly put in the furnace, with certain proportions of ore. From the pigs, the iron is rolled into Hat pl^te^ by a cylinder; this is performed with the greateft difpatcb. The gaunt figures of the workmen ea^eite both pity and terror, and the fallow countenances and mif<rrable air of the people, prove it is a labour very prejudicial to tfaeif health. From hence we travelled the foad t9

PONT NEATH VECHAN,

inacceffible for carriages, indiiFerent for pedeftrians, and affording nothing worthy our attention. It Ijay over a barren heath, with mountains on one fide, and a dreary wafte of land before us. About a mile and a half from Vechan, we unexpe£led]y defcended through it WPp4 ioto a rich romantic valley, watered by Neatb

* If «- lime-Acme.

C 4 River.

24 "^HE CAMBRIAN

River. In this retired fituation we found the Angel Inn, of Pont Neath Vechan. Defcription can fcarcely fuggeft the full grandeur and magnificence of this val- ley : woods, rocks, and waterfalls, all unite, to render it beautiful. Our Ciceroni firft conduced us to the fall of Scotenogam, on the river Purthen, about a mile and a half from the houfe : this fall we faw to great advantage, the river having gathered in its courfe the accumulation] of many torrents after the rain, preci- pitates itfelf in one majeftic expanfe of water, near feventy feet high; whilft the dark lowering rocks, on each fide, contrafled finely with the varied vegetation around us. The defcent is by no means eafy, but the grandeur of the fcene amply compenfated for all diffi«- culties. Our Ciceroni next conduced us to a very inferior one, called the Lady's Cafcade, on the river Neath ; but of this we caught a very indifferent prof- ped, the afcent of the mountain being inacceiBble, and the water too high to admit of our obtaining a due in* fpeclion of it. We then returned to our inn, and fct out a different road, in queft of nature's landfcapes.-^. Having walked about three miles, we heard the angry roar of fmall cafcades; this we confidered as preludes of fcenes, where the water-fall fwells into a torrent; and we foon found ourfelves near the fall of Lower Culhepfte. The charaSer of this cataraft differs very much from that of Scotenogam; being broken in its

defcent

DIRECTORY. 25

tdefcent from projedling rocks, of an immenfe fize. About a quarter of a mile from hence, we defcended a rugged and fteep rock to examine the fall of Upper- Culhepfte, about fifty feet high. The fingularity of this fall invites the curiofity of the traveller more than any other in Wales: the whole river precipitates itfelf with fuch violence, as to leave a fpace between the rock and the fall fufficiently. wide for a horfe path. Though in lefs than two minutes we were completely wet by the fpray, yet the e(Fe£l was awful and fublime; and it was neceflary to remember the fixed foundation of the rocks above our heads, to foften the awe they infpired. Near this fall is Porthogo Cavern, through which the river Vendre runs. The water was too high to admit our entrance ; our Conductor, however, informed us, he had penetrated about half a mile, but found the river wind (o many ways, he judged it fafer to return, left he fhould (hare the fate of a poor man, who loft himfelf in this Cavern for the fpace of three days. On our return, a very intelligent gentleman, ftaying in the neighbourhood, ftrenuoufly recommended us to defcend a fteep mountain, on our left, to furvey a curious quad^ rangular ftrata of marble in the rock below. With fome difficulty we efieded our purpofe, having waded twice through the river. This ftrata in Welch is called Bwr Maerty which fignifies a Stone Bow: it is fituated clofe to the river Dynnas, which, forcing its

way

t6 THE CAMBRIAM

way through fome broken fiagments of the rock, Uarm^ a cafcade a little above. The price oSatd for this grey marble, in London, is fifteen Ihiilingt a foot fquare.

About five miles from Vechan is the Seat of Mrt» Holbrow, on the right. We were prevented vifitiog the water-falls of Melincourt and Aperdulas, the river, owing to the late floods, being too deep to ford. Our route ftill continued through the valley we had fo much admired the evening before. As we drew near

NEATH,

the Tower of Knole Caftle had a pleafing ttkSt from a diftance : it vras built by Sir Herbert Mackwortfa, and is at prefent in the pofleffion of Lady Mack worth. The windows from the banqueting-room compre- hend a circle of many miles diameter, compofed of Neath Valley and River, with the fmoky Town of Neath, - the Mumbles Point - Swanfea, and the Chan- nel. The artificial cafcade is well contrived, but, after the foaming torrents of Scotenogam and CuU hepfie, appears very tame.

The fcite of the Refe^ory, the Chapel, the Hall,

and

DIRECTORY. 2J

aod fereral other rooms in the ruins of Neath Abbey, may ftill be traced. It ftands on the Eaft of the river, and was formerly, by Leland's account, the « faireft << abbay of all Wales;'' but in his ColU^eana^ he feem^ to give Margam the preference of all the Ciftcrcian houfes in thefe parts. It was founded for White Monks by Richard Granville. In this Abbey, the unfortunate Edward II. fecreted himfelf till he was taken. Near the ruins are the Copper-works. The ore is chiefly imported from Corawall, and Wicklow in Ireland; being calcined, and thereby lofing its fulphur, it is re- fined by the ilmple procefs of frequent melting, and taking ofF the drofs, which forms a fcum ; laftly, being moulded into fmall plates, or pigS) it is (hipped for the market. The method of reducing the metal, when melted into fmall particles, is by pouring it into water, and, when thus reduced, it is called Copper Shot, Brafs is a compound of copper thus reduced, and lapis cala-* minaris, pulverized in crucibles, and moulded or caft into plates. Lapis calaminaris is dug in great quanti-* ties near Holywell, in Fiintihire.

The Town of Neath is very unpleafantly iituated, and generally covered with the fmoke of the Copper- works | a circumftanoe which I (hottki imagine renders

- Vol, ii. p, 9«.

it

S8 THE CAMBRIAN

it an unhealthy fpot. On that account it is advifable, both for horfemen and pedeftrians, in their way to Swanfea, to take the road by Britton Ferry, in prefer- ence to the turnpike, which the fmoke always renders offeniive*

BRITTON FERRY.

This village is much reforted to, on account of its beautiful fituation ; and many a white-wa(hed cottage ilraggles through the hamlet. The plantations of Lord Vernon are well difpofed, and edge the water's brink : the river is conftantly filled with veiTels, whofe gay ftreamers glittering to the fun-b^am, prefent to the eye a conftant moving objeft. Having crofled the Ferry, we proceeded on the fands to

SWANSEA,

The whole of this walk commanded a boundlefs view of the ocean to the Weft, whilft to the South the faint hues of Somerfetihire coaft (kirted the horizon*

Swanfea is a well-built fea-port town, on the river Tawe, much reforted to during the fummer months. The machines for bathing are kept about half a mile

from

DIRECTORY.

«9

from the town, under the direSion of Mrs. Landey, who lik^wife keeps a lodging-houfe near the place: the charges are twenty-five (hillings a week, board and lodging, and ten {hillings and fix-pence a week for a private parlour. The Caftle is fuppofed to have beea eredlied by Henry Earl of Warwick, in the reign of Henry I. : the fmall arches round the top of it are ex- aAly fimilar to the building of Lantphey Caftle, and King John's Hall, St. David's, Pembrokefliice. This Caftle is now turned into a goal and workhoufe. The Market-place is faid to be covered with the lead oC St. David's Cathedral, given by Cromwell to a gen- tleman of Swanfea.

The clay ufed for the Pottery, long carried on in this place, is brought from Corfe, in Dorfetfhire; hav- ing been mixed with finely-ground flint, and difiblved in water, it is pafled through fieves, till it has loft all its coarfer particles, then expofed to heat, which eva- porates the water, and leaves the clay of a confiftency fufEcient for working. The veflel is firft rudely formed by the hand, the clay being ftuck to a circular board, which has an horizontal rotation. The other opera- tion confifts in the more perfedl forming of the work by various procefles,and the colouring, glazing, paint- ing, and ftamping, drying and baking kilns complete the work.

OYSTER-

-/^

30 THE CAMBRIAN

OYSTERMOUTH CASTLE,

about five miles from S\vanfea, is finely fituated on an eminence^ commanding a delightful profped: of the furrounding country, and the Mumbles' Bay. The ]vy*mantled walls of this Caftle are fufficiently perfed, to diftinguifh what the apartments were originally de* ligned for. It formerly belonged to the lords of Gower, but is now in the pofleffion of the Duke of Beaufort. Our curiofity being fatisfied, we haftened to the

MUMBLES,

celebrated far and near for the goodnefs and abundance of its oyfters. This village ftands at the extremity of Swanfea Bay, on a vaft mafs of fplinter'd rock : from this elevation, the wide expanfe of the ocean and Swan- fea Bay are viewed to great advantage. Thefe rocks are inacceffible at high-watery except in a boats ou the £irtheft is erected a light-houfe.

At Pennard,we defcended fome immenfe fand^banks^ which led us into Oxwich Bay : at the head of the iand«banks are the fmall remains of an old caftle^^

- Peonartb; eight miles South-weft of SwanfeSt

fcarcely

OIRECTOHY. 31

fcarceljr worthy of obiervatioo. The fands in this bay are extremely fine, and the bold projedions of the rock exhibit nature in her moft awful and impreffive attitudes. To the right of Oxwich Bay it fituate, ac Penrice, the Seat of Mr. Talbot : the grounds are well planned, and command extenfive views of the fea: the old Caftle rifing behind the faoufe gave the whole a fineefied.

Between Penrice and the neat village of

CHERITON,

Hve obferved to our right, on a hill, a large flat ftone^ feveral tons weight, refting on about fix fmaller ones^ placed perpendicularly, and ftanding about five feet high : this is vulgarly called King Arthur's Stone. It is here proper to forewarn both Tourifts and Tra- vellers, not to fix on Pennard, Penrice, or Cheriton, as places for a night's abode, as they cannot poffibly be comfortably accommodated. This advice I mention from experience, for at the latter place, we were under the neceffity of contenting ourfelves with tables or chairs, as fubflitutes for beds, and even deflitute of ne* ceflary provifions. On a hill, oppofite our inn, we difcovered evident veftiges of a Roman encampment;

from

3ft THE CAMBRIAN

firom this elevation the eye caught a fine view of Car* narthen Bay, and the bold promontory of Worm's Head) to the South-weft : this rock is only acceffible at low water.

The country through which, we traverfed for the four or five laft miles^ is inhabited by a colony of Fle- mings, who fettled here in the reign of Henry I. In the reign of this King's Father, a great number of Flemings, having been driven out of their habitations, by a very extraordinary inundation of the fea, fought protection in England, where they were cordially re- ceived. But fo many of thefe people being difperfed in different parts of the kingdom, began, by increafe of their numbers, to create fome uneafinefs; which Henry L removed, by fettling them as a colony in South Wales, and gave them the country adjoining to Tenby and Haverfordweft. By this wife policy, the King rid bis own dominions of an incumbrance, and curbed the infolence of the then rebellious Cambrians.* The little territory they inhabit is called Gwyr^ and by the En- glifh,Li///^ England beyond Wales^ becaufe their manners and language are ftill diftinguifhable from the Welfli, and, in point of fpeech, affimilate the Engliih. Thefe Flemings, to this day, feldom or never intermarry

- William of Malmibaryt p. 158.

with

With the WelOi : they Tpeak good Engllfli, and are very much aveffe to the manners and language of the country they inhabit; both fexes generally difi> ttnguifh themrelves by wdaring a fliort cloak, called Qowjr ff^ttk.

In preference to a long walk, of near thirty miles, we croiTed the River Bury, as the pleafanteft and itioft expeditious way to

LLANELLY,

a miferable, dirty place, filled with miners and Tailors, From hence to

KIDWELY,

the road leads ovct the Penbree Hills; and from this elevation, the Scenery is viewed to great advantage.

The Cattle of Kidwely, otherwife, Cathweti^ was formerly, I imagine, of great extent, and is ftill the moft perfed we had hitherto met with in Wales. The extent of the apartments are diftinguifhable ; fome of the ttaircafes acceffible ; and the four round towers,

D keep.

34 '^HE CAMBRIAN

keep, gateway, and yard, fpread an awful gloom around, whofe beauties time had juft fufficiently impaired, to heighten its grandeur and fublimity. Our Guide ex- patiated much on the Hiftory and Events of the Caftle, and told the ftory with as much agitation and intereft, as if it had happened yefterday.

The road to

CAERMARTHEN,

we found unpleafantly hilly, but occaiional Vallies to our left enlivened our walk. Near Caermarthen we croffed a Bridge ,of free-ftone oyer the Towy. This River, running through the middle of this ihire, falls into the Britifh Sea at Caermarthen Bay, and is navi- gable for fmall veflels as far as the Bridge. Imme- diately over it, upon a hanging rock, (land the re- mains of a once renowned Caftle. This Town, ac- cording to Giraldus's authority, was anciently a place of great ftrength, and fortified with brick walls, which are yet partly extant, near the river. This place, now confxdered as the Capital of the county, was formerly the refidence of the Prince of South-Wales j and the Ancient Britons here held their Parliaments. The Chancery likewife, and Exchequer for South- Wales,

were

Directory. 35

were kept here, when this territory was firft erefted into a Principality, by the crown of England. In the thirty-eighth year of Henry VIII. it was created a borough-town*

This place is famous for being the birth-place of Merlin, who is ftyled, by an ancient author, << the << fonne of a badde angell, or of an incubus fpirit, the << Britaine's great Apollo, whom GeoiFrey ap Arthur << would ranlce with the South-faying Seer, or rather << with the true Prophets themfelves; being none other <f than a meere feducer, and phantafticall vizard," He flourifhed in the year 480.

At the Inn (Old Ivy-Bufli) Sir Richard Steel com- pofed his celebrated Play, called the Confcious Lovers.

From Caermarthen, we were recommended to go to

LAUGHARNE,

in order to fee the Caftle, but it by no means anfwered our expectation : little part of it now remains ; and the neat gravel-walk, in the garden, but ill accords with the mutilated walls of an ancient ruin. From the garden walks, grand and extenfive Sea-profpeAs inte- Da reft

^

36 THE CAMBRIAN

reft the traveller. About five miles from Laughamey we pafled a fmall place, called

GREEN BRIDGE,

It derives its name from an excavation in the rocky through which a little rivulet runs for a mile and a half* This cavity is completely concealed from the road, and impoflible to be difcovered, unlefs pointed out . by fome neighbouring inhabitant. Let me, however, advife all Tourifts to be cautious in their excuriions to this natural curiollty, as it is a place evidently calcu* lated for plunder, ftratagems, and murder ; and is now rnfefted by an unawed banditti of fmugglers, who have frequently pra£lifed the barbarous fcheme of decoying veffels by falfe lights ; and by whom we ourfelves were infulted. Indeed, I would advife Travellers to alter their route from Swanfea, and purfue the ftraight road to Caermarthen, and fo to Tenby, by Narbeth. By thefe means they efcape the unpleafant roads, (and al- moft, indeed, inacceffible for carriages,) leading from Oyftermouth to Cheriton, and likewife from Llaug« harne to Tenby. But fliould the Tourift be led by an invincible curiofity to infpedl the Ruins of Kidwely Caftle, it may eafily be accompli(hed, by purfuing the Turnpike»road to Kidwely, and from thence to Caer«

marthen ;

DIHECTORY. 37

marthen : in this laft route you only omit vifiting the Seat of Mr, Talbot, of Penrice ; though an objedb highly worthy of infpe^ion.

At Saunders' Foot is a fmall Bay, formed on one jide by a rock called the Monkftone, and on the other by the Caermarthenihire coaft. Near this place if fituate the Seat of Capt. Ackland ; and fVom thence to Tenby, the dark lowering rocks rofe perpendicularly to a confiden^ble height, and then branched out into over* banging crags. It was now duik ; - ^and at this tranf« forming hour, the bold promontories became ihaded with unreal glooms,-«*the projeSing clifFs aflumed a more terrific afpeft^-^and the wild, overhanging un» derwoody

ff Wav'd to the gale in hoarfcr murmurs,"

TENBY,

t6 much reforted to, during the fummer months, for bathif:g. It ftands on a rock facing Caeroiarthen Bay : the bold Promontory of the Monkftone Head to the North, and St. Catherine's Point, to the South, fonH a fine Amphitheatre. The (bore is well adapted for bathing) the machines excellent, and a fingular rock,

D 3 fifing

38 THE CAMBRIAN

rlfing in the fea, clofe to the ihore, ihelters the bathing machines, even in the moft boifterous weather. On the South of Tenby, at the extremity of the fmall Ifland of St. Catherine's, attainable at low water, are the remains of a Roman Catholic Chapel. Entirely through this Ifland is a fingular perforation, which, without any difficulty, may be penetrated at the reflux of the tide. The Views from the South Sands are re- markably beautiful ; the charader of the rocks is here awfully wild, craggy, and impending; and the diftant iilhing-boats with their white fails, and the voices of the fifhermen, who confl:ant]y frequent this coaft, borne at intervals on the air, are circumftances which animate the fcene : whilft the iflands of Caldy and St. Marga- ret's opportunely rife, to render the terrific ocean beau« tiful. The retrofpe(9: is equally interefting ; the neat town of Tenby, with the mutilated walls of its Cattle, clofes this charming fcene.

The ancient walls of Tenby are ftill fufficiently per-? fed, to (hew its former ftrength and extent ; and the four round towers, ttanding on the extremity of the rock, point out the fituation of its Cattle. Near this is a ruinous building, fuppofed to be the remains of a Flemifh manufa£lory, probably woollen. On the North Sands is likewife another walk, equally beauti- ful, commanding the whole extent of Caermarthen

Bay,

DIRECTORY. gp

Bay. On the fummit of the rocks, over thefe fands, is the walk, called the Crop : on this eminence is iitua- ated the Hotel kept by Mr. Shaw; the accommodations are very good : the charges per week are eighteen {hil- lings board, finding your own tea, fugar^ wine, and porter; fix fhillings for a bed-room, and at the fame late a private parlour.

This place, from the vaft quantity of fifli caugh^ near the coaft is called Tenby-y-Pifcoid.

If the Tourift has leifure and opportunity, many ex- curfions may be made during his ftay at Tenby. The firft, and moft important is, to Pembroke and Milford- Haven. The road affords many grand and extenfive Sea Views, with a faint profpeA of Lundy Ifle. Abou^ four miles from Tenby, ftand the ruins of Mannorbeer Caftle, fuppofed to have been ere£led about the time of William Rufus. A little farther on, the ivy-mantled walls of Carew Caftle^ burft upon us ; and about three miles from Pembroke, the decayed and broken walls of IL^lanfeth, or Lantphey Caftle, attracted our notice, once the refidence of the Blfhops of St. David's, but now a inonument of defolation. The three buildings of Swan*

* The Pedeftrian will not poiTibly find time to examine the Ruins of Carew Caftle^ in this day*s route^ but will find it more convenient to vifit it in |iis way from Tenby to Haverfordweft.

D 4 fca

^Q THE CAU^JLIAV

fea Caftle, Lantphey Court, zni Kiog John's H^U St. David's, are very fioiiUr in tbfir workmanlbip* We now arriv^ at

PEMBROKE.

Mr. Wyndham has fo minutely delineated the Prefent State of this Caftie, that I cannot do better than tran- /cribe his account.

« The approach (fays this Author) to Pembroke << from the River, fhews the Town and Caftle to the ^ moft beautiful advantage. The Town is fituated '< upon the ridge of a long and narrow rock, gradually << afcending to the higheft point, on which (lands the ** Caftle, at the brink of the precipice. If I may com-> « pare fmall things with great, it much refembles the ** fituation of £dinburgh.

«< The Caftle is of Norman architecRurej mixed with -- early Gothic. The principal tower, which is un- << commonly high and perfedl, has even its ftone vaulted «' roof remaining. The walls of this tower are four- << teen feet in thicknefs, the diameter of the fpace <« within is twenty-five, and the beighth, from the <' g^QUod tQ th« crown of the dome^ t9 feventy-five

w feet I

DIRECTORY. 41

<< feet; but vifible marks appear within, that its <« heighth was originally divided by four floors.

*« Henry VII. was born in the prefent Caftle, The « natural Cavern, called the Wogan, lies immediately << under the Chapel, and opens with a wide mouth to* «* wards the river. A communication from the Cavera <* to the Caftle, was made by a ftair-cafe, on the outfide << of the rock ; the entrance was barricaded with a " ftrong wall, partly remaining, thtough which ther^ «^ is now a large door-way opened to the ihore of the << river. The Cavern appears nearly circular ; its dia^ <« meter is fifty-three feet; and its height is propor* ^< tionable to the diameter.

«« Jn the Civil War this Ctftle was a garrifon for the << Crown, and being befieged^ made a gallant defence."

At Pembroke we hired a boat,* intending to fail round the extenfive Haven of Milford ; and, as we re- tired from the ihore, we took a retrofpeft of the dilapi;. dated walls of the Caftle, once the terror, and even in ruins the pride of the fcene. It is moft advifable to make this excuriion at high water, as it adds much to thQ .pi£turefque fcenery of the tout enfemble.

* The price for two oars, feven ihillings and fix-pence ; and twelve ihiUiogs and fix-peace for four oars.

MILFORD

42 THE CAMBRIAN

MILFORD HAVEN,

is juftly compared to ** an immenfe lake; for the mouth <^ not being at any diftance vifible, the whole Haven «< feems land-locked. Though it is a mile and three *< quarters wide, it could not be defended againft an << enemy, nor is there a fufficiency of timber in the «« neighbourhood,.* This Haven is formed by a great ^< advance of the fea into the land, it being above ten *' miles from the Southermoft point at Nangle to Pem- << broke, beyond which the tide comes up to and be- ^< yond Carew Caftle. It is capable of holding the << whole navy of England, and the fame is faid of Cork *< Harbour.f The fpring tides rife thirty-fix feet, the «^ neap above twenty-fix. Ships may be out of this ^< Haven in an hour's time, and in eight or ten hours $( over at Ireland, or at the Land's End, and this with *' almoft any wind, by day or night," Our reception fit the miferable place of

HUBBERSTON,

did not induce us to ftay longer than was fuf&cient to recruit ourfelves. We found the dirty Inn pre-occu-

- Wyndl^aiD, p« yx, f PhUofophical Survey of Ireland.

pied

DIRECTORY, 43

pied by unfortunate Iriih refugees: their fituation was indeed melancholy ; - driven from their country, their friends, and all, moft dear to them! - And, wifhing to forget their paft fufferings, the following lines feem ap- plicable to their iituation :

*' Oh ! cou'd oblivion's friendly draught

** Sooth all oar forrows to repofe ; '' Nor that intruder, reftlefs tboughti

f * Renew our agonizing woes {

** Then all, unconfcious of the paft, " The prefent hour might calmly glide;

*' Keen retrofpcdl; no more be caft

** O'er life's tempeftuous, changeful tide :

'^ Yet Heaven, to all its creatures kind, <' With peace can gild the deepeil gloom ;

** And, mid misfortune's wrecks, the mind " May fweet ferenity ^iTume."

Having refreflied ourfelves, we walked to Milford^ a fmall Village, oppofite Hubberfton : feveral comfortable houfes are fituated on the Hill, commanding a delight- ful View of the Haven* Being fatisfied with our day^s (sxcurfion, we again returned to our comfortable quar- ters at

TENBY,

44 THE CAMBRIAN

TENBY.

which we left with regret a few days afterwards.-*- We again purfued the Pembroke road 5 and, about two miles from Tenby, the negle&ed walls of Carew Caftle invited curiofity; - and.

Deep ftruck with awe, we markM the dome o'erthrown^ Where once the Beaaty bloom'd^ the Warrior (hone : We faw the Caftle's mouldering tow'rs decay'd. The loofe flone tottVin^ o*er the trembling ihade»

This Caftle» I imagine, was intended more for a noble refidence, than a place of defence. The walls of this building are very thick, and conftrudcd with ftones, of a large iize, ftrongly cemented with mortar. It is fituated on a branch of Milford Haven, and con- fills of a range of apartments built round a quadrangle, with a circular tower at each corner. The South wall is entirely demolifhed ; but the North confifts of a fpacious hall, meafuring one hundred and two feet by twenty, fuppofed to have been built by Sir John Perrot : above and under this hall, are noble apart- ments, and extenfive offices. This Caftle appears to have been ereSed at different times, if we may judge from the archite£lure. Every ledge of the walls of the

towers.

filRSCTORY.

45

towers, denoting the different flories, were embolled with vegetation, which feemed to grow from the folid ftone. Over the gate-way, at the Weft fide, are the arms of England, DukeofLancafter, and Carew; and contiguous to this entrance, is another fpacious rooms meafuring eighty feet by thirty.

In the Farm-^yard, adjoining the Church, which has a lofty fquare Tower, is a dilapidated ftone-buildingy called the Parfonage.

Leaving Carew, we croifed a fmall Bridge over an arm of Milford Haven, and continued our route acrofs a barren and uninterefting heathy till, defcending to the Village of

CRESSELEY,

the luxuriant Plantation of Firs, belonging to Sir William Hamilton, attraded our attention. Small vef« fels conftantly frequent this quay, from whence a quan-^ tity of fmall coal is fhipped to different parts. From hence the road is extremely barren and unpi^urefque i but, aboQt three miles from

LAND-

4$ THE CAMBRIAN

LANDSHIPPING,

an arm of Milford Haven again burft upon out flght.-«^ Near it is fituated the uninhabited houfe of Sir William Owen. In croffing the Ferry, Pi£ton Caftle, the pro- perty of Lord Milford, formed a prominent feature in the gay fcene ; and Slebitch, the Seat of Mr. Philips, ftanding at the end of the Haven, contributes confider- ably to this pidurefque profped.

The grounds of

PICTON,

through which we palTed, about five miles in extent, feemed to be well planned, and kept in excellent order.

This Caftle has always been inhabited ; and having efcaped the fate of all other Caftles in Wales, during the civil wars, it retained, till very late, much of its original external form. It is now occupied by Lord Milford, and rendered a very comfortable fummer refi- dence. At the extremity of the Park, a good turnpike* road foon condu£ted us to

HAVER.

DIRECTORY. 47

HAVERFORD-WEST,

which is confidercd as one of the largeft Towns in South- Wales. It is very irregularly built, on the de- clivity of a hill, which is, in fome parts, fo very fteep, that the ground-rooms frequently overlook the neigh- bouring roofs ; yet there are fome good houfes. It is confidered as a County of itfelf, and fends one Member to Parliament. The Town was formerly fortified by a firong wall, or rampart, on the Weftern fummit : the ihell of a once-extenfive Caflle, is ftill remaining; this is now converted into a goal*

The Parade, commanding a cheerful View of the neighbouring Country, and the ruins of an ancient Ab- bey, extends for a confiderable way, by the fide of a hill. At the extremity of this Walk, ftand the ruins of an ancient Priory of Black Canons : the remains are now very inconfiderable, but we eafily traced the Chapel, over one end of which is an arch, ftill in good preferva- tion, and beautifully en wreathed with the rich drapery of ivy.

Haverford is called by the Welch, Hwlfordh* Hav- ing

- <' The Caftle (fays an eminent Author) is laid to have been built bj ** Gilbert £ari of Clare, who lived in the reign of King Stephen ; and

'^ Camden

48 THE CAMBRIAN

ing Hnifhed our furvey of Haverfordy we ftarted early the next morning, purporting to breakfaft at

NEWGIN BRIDGE,

where we undcrftood we (hould meet with every thing comfortable ; but, to our difappointment, we found a moft miferable, dirty pot-houfe, deftitute of even the common comforts of life. We were literally obliged to ftoop, in order to gain accefs to the Kitchen, which contained a fmall bed, and a few chairs ; through this an elderly woman conduced us to what (he diftinguiihed by the name of a Parlour: in this room the furniture confifted of two beds, a dirty table, and a few chairs* With difguft we left this miferable hovel, and con- tented ourfelves with a bafon of milk: we declined eat« ing the bread, or rather oatmeal cake, which was of the coarfeft and hardeft nature. I here recolleded Shen^ ftone's complimentary lines on an Inn, but could not apply them on the prefent occafion :

'< Camdeii reports, that Richard Earl of Clare made Richard Fitz-Tan- *' kred Governor thereof. It was one of thofe in the hands of the Fle- *' miogs, when they firft came into Djrvct, or Pembrokeihire/*

« Whoe'er

«« Whoe'er hat trav«iFdU&'i dall round, « Wbene'tr bis flaget may have been,

** May figh to think that he has found ** The warmeft wekonie at an loo.''^

The road from Haverfbrd to Newgin we found very unintereftiflg; and the flidl of

ROACH CASTLE

did not detain us long. It flands on a rocky eminence^ now completely in ruins, with only one tower remain- ing. << Roach Caftle (fays Leland) in Roufeland, ta «' the right of the road to St, David's, Ihews a round << and fome double out-works, vifible at a great diflanoe. << It belonged to the Lords Ferrars and old La|igevillc> «Knt. of Bucks."

In defcendingthe hill to Newgin, the d;irk lowering rocks, which form that fine Bay, called St Bride's^ exhibited a grand profpef9:. In the centre of this Bay is fituated Newgin, bounded on the South by the Ifland of Skomar, and on the North by Ramfay. The fields adjacent to this place have been frequently inundated,

* Thefe lines wen fit^ueatlj repeated by Dr, Johniboi whofe partia- lit/ to Inat k vdl kaowBt

E by

£0 rut CAMBRIAN

by extraordinaiy overflowings of tbe iea: at the reflux of the tide, the fands admit of moft excellent walking.

The iaunter from hence to the City of ST. DAVIDS,

now properly de&rving the nam^ of a Village, was ra- ther more captivating than our walk before breakfaft : it was occafionally enlivened by the profped of the wide ocean, boundlefs to our view on one fide, whilft before us the fantaftic ibapes of the rocks oflF St. David's Heady exhibited Nature, in her moft awful and ftriking attitudes. Above the re((, Caern Thydy lifted ,its bo)d promontory, as if to give effcSt to the rude landfcape. About half way between Newgin and St* Davids, the beautiful little Village of Solva unexpededly burft upon our view;, ftudded with neat wbite-wafhed cottages, and enclofed on each fide with lofty rocks, which here form a pifturefque and intereftingchafm. Thefe rocks, indeed, I could almofl: imagine, were torn afunder by fome convulfive rent of the earth* The Cathedral, and dilapidated riiins of the epifcopal Palace, are fituated at the bottom of a fteep hill, and fcarcely vifible in the town : thefe, and the prebendal houfes, were formerly enclofed by a ftrong ftone wall, with four gates, com«-

puted

DlREtTORY, 51

^puted at eleven hundred yards in circuit. David,* the national faint of Wales, with the confent of King Ar- thur, is (aid to have removed the Metropolitan See from Casr Lleon to Menevia, which has ever fince been called Ty Dewt\ by the Welch, and St. David, by the Englifli. What was the condition and extent of this town formerly, is difficult to fay, having been fo fre- quently deftroyed. At prefent it is a very fmall city, and has nothing to boaft, but its ruined palace, and old 'cathedral, dedicated to St. Andrew and St. David, ^ which has often been demolifhed, but rebuilt, in its prefent form, by fiifhop Peter, according to Giraldus, in the reign of Henry II. or as Willis, 1110, in Rhos -Vale, below the town. It is ftill efteemed a noble pile, - confifting of two iranfepts, meafuring in length, from Eaft to Weft, three hundred feet, and the body, wiA the aides, feventy-fix feet broad.

<« Behind the choir is a moft beautiful chapel, with << a rich roof of carved ftone, built by Vaughan, in the

^ ** This celebrated peribn was uncle to King Aitfanry and Ton of a '< Prince of Wales. After bein; feated in the (ee of St. David fiity-fife " yean, and having built twelve monafteries) after having been exem* " plary in the piety of thofe days, this holy perfon died, at a moft ad- " vanced period of human life} having attained, as it is (aid, to the age '* of one hundred and forty-fix years. He was buried in the Cathedral " Church of St. David j and many years after canonized by Pope Califtoa ti the Second." - «r#iTiii|W»'i BJoty of Ifkfo, vol, ii, p. 3S5.

E 2 " time

^a TH£ CAlfiRlAH

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^ time of Henry VIII. as a kind of prdbytery^ between «< the choir and Lady cbapeL In the laft^ whofe roof» << as well as thofe of the aiks of the choir and tran- ce fepts, have been down ever fince the civil war, aie << monuments for three biihq>s, and in the nave, &c. << four or five more. In the North wall of the choir «< is the ihrine of St. David, a kind of altar tomb, with <« a canopy of four pointed arches, and in front four « quatrefoil holes, into which the votaries put their «< offerings, which were taken out by the Monks at two << iroA doors behind. In the choir are alfo the monu- -< ments of Owen Tudor, fecond hiifband of Queen ^ Catharine, Rhys ap Tudor,* fiUhops Jorwerth and -« Anfelm, in the 13^1 century, and Edmund Earl of <( Richmond, father of Henry VII. This laft monu- -< m^at is faid to have prevented Henry VIII. fiora «< removing the fee to Caermartheo. Giraldus Cam- -< brenfis, who was Archdeacon of Brecon, cancm of -< Hereford, and ReAor of Chefierton, Oxfonl, was s« biiried here laij.f On the North fiderof the church <* are ibme walls of St. Mary's College, founded by << BUhop Houghton, and John of Gaun^ 13659 valued « at lobL ptr annum **X

f to whofc ion a MS* t» £lisal9t!^ «S9tc4 f)y WiUif, p« 69, ^m Owsm*c iD9iiwaitAt«

tTan.Bib.Briw tT«a»7ia^

It

DUtscronYt 53

Xt is much tx> be regretted, that fe little regard has been paid to the internal appearance of this noble pile; the whole of it has lately been wfatte-wafhed, which gives it too much the air of a modern building : the ex« ternal part, I am forry to add, has been equally ne* gleded; and the chapels and monuments expofed to the wanton mifchief of boys and idle people. The Weft front of the Cathedral has very lately been re- ipaired by a Mr. Na£h,* who has endeavoured, with bad fuccefs, to imitate the beautiful circular window r&- maining in the ruins of the 3ifl)op's Palace. The fione, likewife, with which it is built, is of fo foft a fubftance, that it even moulders with the touch of the fingeri but poffibly it may, by being expofed to the air, like the Bath ftone, become more folid ^ and, when by time it (hall have acquired a darker hue, may then better correfpond with the original building.

The Bi&op's Palace now ftands a monument of de« folations - and as we walked over the loofe fragments of ftone, which are fcattered through the immenfe area of the fabric, the images of former times rofe to reflec- tion,«-.when the fpacious hall flood proudly in dieir original fplendor^ when the long ailes of the chapel were only refponfive to the folemn, flow-bxeathed chaunt. In this Palace is a very long room, purpofely

- This ^entlemaoii believe, Is an mhabitaot df Worceflsr*

£ 3 ere£ted

54 TH£ CAMBRIAN

erefked for the reception of King Johs : at the extre- mity of it is a circular window, of very elegant and cur rious workmanlhip,

GIraldus gives us a true defcription of the counjty round St. Davids, reprefenting it « as a ftony, barren, << unimprovable territory, undecked with woods, undi- c( vided by rivers, unadorned with meadows, expofed << only to wind and ftorms.'* Such, indeed, is the ftate and fituation of St. Davids ; and, the environs having no hedges to divide the property of the farmers, the iheep, and even the geefe, are all tethered together.

The walk to St. David's Head, though barren, re- prefents a view ftriking and awful; fublimity gives place to elegance: yet what is it to view ?- - a bound- lefs wafte of ocean j-^not a glimpfe of fmiling nature, - - not a patch of vegetation, to relieve the aching fight, or vary the objeds of admiration. The rocks on this fhore, are (hook into every polSble fliape of horror ; and, in many parts, refemble the convulfions of an earthquake, fplintered, ibivered, and amafled^ On thefe rocks ftood the famous rocking ftone, or Tmean figl^ which, << though twenty yoke of ox^n could not <« move it, might be fliaken with the (lighteft touch.'* We underftood it was thrown off its balance, by order of the farmer, to prevent the curious from trampling on his grounds. « A mile ftrait Weft from St. Da-

«< vid's.

DIRECTORY. 55

<« vid's^hetwixt Portdais and Porthmaur,'"!^ is the ItieU of Capel Stinen^ St. Stinan's, or St. Juftinian's Chapel.

. From this fpot is an extenfive View of Whitfand 3ay, called by the Welih P^rth MaWy or the Great Bay; in which ftand the fix Rocks, called The Bijbip and bU CUrh. Half a lea|;ue from hence is

RAMSEY ISLE,

Haifa mile long, and three quarters broad, and divided into two confiderable farms. The whole ifland is well fiocked with rabbits \ and, during the Spring, the Ra- zorbill, Puffin, and Harry Birds, refort here in flocks*

Our walk} from St. Davids to

FISHGUARP,

aiForded us little room for obfervation; the eye, howe* ver, kept in view a wide range of the unbounded ocean, till, dim with exertion, it by degrees repofed on the dark lowering rocks, which, difregarding the angry roar of the waves, feemed to projed their broad fides, to augment the idle tumult. Quittting the turnpike

* Uaod, Yol. V. p. 25.

£ 4 road.

gfr TH£ CAMBRIAM

saasaaaaaaaaaaaaaBsa n ^sssBBsssBsssssesam

]Md» in fearch of the phce where the French elkQtd their landing in 17979 we pafled a neat houre, called Caergwent, belonging to Mrs. Harris. The kind at^ tentionsof a farmer, in the neighbourhood of this me^ morable fpot, claim our warmeft acknowledgments. Having finiflied a moft comfortable meal at Mr. Mor- timer's houfe, (which, during the confufion was conlU dered the head-quarters of the French, commanded by General Tate) he explained every minutiae refpeding this circumftance; and very obligingly pointed out the fituation of their camp, and related many entertaining and interefting anecdotes. Deeply imprefled with gra- titude towards Mr. M. for his civilities, we foon arrived at Goodric Sands. This fpot was very judicioufly fe^ UQnei by Lord Cawdor^i as a proper place for the French to lay down their armsi for, had they ztfifted, a can- nonade of grape-fliot, from a neighbouring fortrefs, would have inftantly played upon them. Fifliguard fiands on a fieep rock, with a convenient harbour, formed by the river G wain J though its fituation and Bay are interefting, it is by no means a defirable place to remain long at.

Several Druidical ^Monuments* engaged our atten* tion, as we drew near

- For a deioipdoAof tM:MonuaieotHfi» Wjmdlum.

NEW-

BIKBCTeftYt 57

NEWPORT,

called by Giraldus Llanhever, or The Town on the River Nevern. The fragments of the Caftle are too infignificant to invite the curiofity of the paffing tra<» veller : it was demolilhed by Llewellyn, Prince of South- Walei, when poflefled by the Flemings,

The country beyond Newport prefented a more pleafing countenance ; wood, water, hill, and vale^ all unite, even to induce the plodding citizen to paufe, and Vfittk to fpend the evening of his days in the vicinity of its enchantment. In this interefting fituation, we found the Village of Velindrc ; - we here particularly obferved the flaty quality of the bills, and could not avoid condemning the folly of the inhabitants of Velin* dre, in building their cottages of mud, and fparingly covering them with ftraw, when Nature herfelf feemed to place comforts, if not luxuries, before their view. But, perhaps, thefe reproaches were ill-grounded : for, thus veiled in obfcurity, they were happy, as they knew not enough of the world ferioufly to regret the want of thefe conveniencies: their fituation, indeed, feemed tn verify the pbilofophical fentiment of Gray:

«' Since ignorance is blila« «' 'Tis folly to be wife."

For

58 THB CAMBRIAN

For though they fufier the extremes of filth and penury ^ yet they enjoy the two ineftimable bleffings, health and felicity.

The broken towers of

KILGERRAN CASTLE,

foon attraded our notice. The relicks of this ruin ftand on a point of rock, impending oyer the river Tyvi, whofe beauty time had only impaired, to heighten its grandeur. Two imperfeft: circular towers, and the fragments of a wall, now only remdn. The river Tyvi, I imagine, abounds with fi(h, as we obferved at every door, in the village of Kilgerran, a coracle.* The conftruAion of this little water cofiveyance is remark- ably fimple, and intended folely for the ufe of fifhing: a thick fkin, or coarfe pitched canvas, is ftretched over wicker-work. This Angular fifting-boat only conveys one man, who manages it wifh the greateft adroitnefs imaginable; the right hand being employed in ufmg the paddle, the left in conducting the net, and the teeth in holding the line. Two coracles generally co- pperate, to affift each other in fifliing : they ufually

- It receives iu flame from C9r% a hide, or ikio*

meafure

DIRECTORY. $^

meafure about five ftet long, and four broad, and rounded at the corners ; and, after the labours of the /Jay, are conveyed, on the back, to the little cot of the iiflierman, which is looked upon as a neceflary appen^ dage to the cottage door.

Defcription can fcarcely fuggeft the full magnifi- cence and beauty of the faunter from hence to Cardi- gan : the valley, ^bout two miles in extent, feemed to poiTefs all that Nature inherits j floping hills, two hun- dred feet high, covered with wood, from the water's edge, to their higheft fummit, and at the moft accep- table diftances, and trujy happy iituations, interrupted by a bold, naked, and' projedling rock : whilft the broad and tranflucid ftream of the Tyvi refiecb, as in a mir- ror, the blacknefs of the impending fliades. The re« trofpe£t commands the romantic ruins of Kilgarraa Caftle, whofe mutilated walls clofe this delicious land* /cape. The whole valley bears a ftrong refemblancc to the iituation of ^he celebrated Piercefield« As this fpot is entirely loft, by keeping the turnpike road, it is advifable for travellers, in general, to hire a boat from Cardigan to Kilgarran : this, our humble and Iefs-en« cumbered mode of travelling rendered unneceflary*

At Llecbryd, not far from Kilgerran, extenfive Tin-works are carried on by Sir Benjamin Hamet.

Having

6o THB CAMBKIAH

issssssBSBSSSSSSssssssss==ssssssssss^ I aesB

Having already exatnioed works of this natulre at Neath, we preferred the romantic vale of Ktlgerran i at to accompli(h both, would have occupied too much time.

We entered the town of

CARDIGAN,

over a handfome ftooe*bridge^ built over the Tyvl^ which is here of confiderable width* In ftont of this ftands, on a fteep eminence, the CafHe, confifting chiefly of its outer walls, which prove it to have beeft once a confiderable buildmg* This place^confidered the principal town of the county, is called by the Britons jtbirtuvi} irfiich name it receives from ftandtng near the Jkhutb rftbi Riwr TyvL It was fortified, togedier with the Caftle, by Gilbert, fon of Richard Clare, and demoliihed by Rhees ap Gryftth.

The town is large, and regular; its chief trade oon^ lifting in lead, exported to Irdand. The Church is large, and well-built, with a handfame tower. The new gaol, finilhed in 1797, is conveniently fituated, and appears to be a welUplanoed building.

One

OtAECTORt. 61

One mile Weft from Cardigan is

ST. DOGMAEL's ABBEY,

called, by Leland,* a ^< Priory of Bonbommes/' The Monafticon places this boufe amongft the Benedidines; but it was that ftriA and reformed fort of fienedidines, called the order otTiron^ founded by Martin o/Tcurs^ who qoaquered the country of Cemmeis, about the time of King William the Conqueror. Part of the ruins h now converted into a chapel, for the convenience of Ae vicinity.

At die iecond mile ftpoe, in our road from Cardigan, Co the village of

LLANARTH,

we halted a ftort time, to take a retrofpefi of the country we had pa^. From Ais fpot, the Town and Caftle of Cardigan, ftanding on an eminence, in the centre of a broad valley, and encircled with hills, beau- tifully introduced themfelves to our view* From hence to

^ Ida* vol* 1. p« |4#

AB£«

€2 THE CAMBRfAN

ABERAERON,

grand Sea profpeds continued to enliven bur route ;« - whilft the faint and ftill fainter hues of the cpaft of Ireland appeared juft vifibly flcirting the diftant ho- rizon*

Aberaeron is fituated in a vale, near the conflux of the river Aeron with the fea : from whence it receives its name; Jier fignifying the mautb of any thing.

The entrenchment, mentioned by Sael, in his CaU U^ion of Tours ^ about a mile from Aberaeron, is now almoft waflied away, by the daily encroachments of the fea. We lamented, that the Druidical fepulchral mo- numents, mentioned by the fame Author, were inad- vertently pafled unnoticed by Us.

In this day's journey, we ftill continued to indulge the fttblime emotions, which an unconfined view of the ocean always infpires; a ferene day, with partial gleams of funihine, gave magical efFc&s to the fcenery; and the fea was enlivened with maay a vefiel^ whofe gay flream- ers, glittering to the fun-beams, prefented to the eye a conftant moving fcene, and rendered the terrific ocean beautiful. Before us, the towering mountains of Me-

rionethihirc

DIRECTORY. 63

rionethfhire glittered in all thofe colours of beauty, which conftitute the fublime ; and we appeared only to climb one hill) to view ftill others fifing in endlefs per- fpe^ve: over the whole was diflfufed the rich glow of even ; and the diftant mountains were variegated by the parting tinge of lingering day. A neat Church, backed by romlnntic hills, animated the village of Llan- ryfted* Three miles-from

ABERYSTWITH,

we paufed at Llanryan Bridge, to admire the rich banks rifing on each fide of the river Yftwith, over which this bridge is thrown ; it is built in the ftyle of the ce- lebrated Pont y Prydd, in the vale of Glamorganfhire. We entered the town of Aberyftwith, over a temporary wooden bridge.* In the year 1796, a ftone bridge ex- periehced th<s fime fate witH many others in Wales, -occafioned by a fiiddcn thaw: Mr. Edwards, from Dol- gelly is now engaged in ere^ing another, by contra£t, - confifting of fix arches,

Aberyftwith, partaking nuich of the dirt of fea« poits in general, is fituated at the termination of

Ofcr the river Rhydal,

the

€i THE CAMBRIAir

ssssassaBsssssssssssmSssssssss^^

the vale of Rhydol^ in the Bay of Cardigan, and open to St* George -s Channel, The environs are ftony and rugged s the coaft affords indifferent bath* iogy being much expofed; and the ihore rough and unpleafant. In fine, it is, in almoft all refpefte, the reverfe of Tenby, except it has the advantage in the number ofhoufes, and, confequently, more company. At the extremity of the town, upon an eminence, ftand the ruins of an ancient caftle, of which little now re- mains but a folitary tower, overlooking a wide expanfe of Tea. It was rendered famous, by being, at one timet the refidence of the great Cadwalader, and in all the Welch wars confidered as a fortrefs of great ftrength : it was built by Gilbert Strongbow, 1107, and rebuilt by Edward L in 1277, a few years before his complete conqueft of Wales. The ruin of the caftle now affords a pleafant walk.

But what formerly rendered this town more confi- derable, were the rich Lead Mines in its vicinity* Thefis mines are faid to have yielded near a hundred ounces of filver from a ton of lead, and to have produced a profit of two thoufand pounds a month* Sir Hugh Middleton here made the vaft fortune, vi^itcb he after- wards expended on the New River» ponftruAed fo^ the purpofe of fupplying the Northern fide of London with water. But Thomas BuOiell raiiied thefe mines to their

greateft

DIRECTORY. 65

greateft height : an indenture was granted to him by Charles I. for the coining of filver pieces, to be ftampcd with oftrieh feathers^ on both fides^ for the benefit of paying his workmen. This gentleman was afterwards appointed Governor of Liindy Ifle, The moft confi- derable lead mine was that of Bwlch-yr«£fkir-his, dif- covered in 1690. The ore was here fo near the fur- face, that the mofs and grafs in fome places juft co- vered it.

Clofe to the fcite of the old Cattle, Mr. Uvedale Price, of Foxley in Herefordfliire, has eredled a fantaftic houfe, in the caftellated form, intended^merely as a fum- mer refidence. Mr. Nafli, of Caermarthen, was the archite£t : it confifts of three oflagon towers, with a balcony towards the fea. The rooms are well con- trived, and elegantly furniflied: the windows command an unlimited View of St. George's Channel ; and the dilapidated fragments of the Caftle, are from hence viewed to great advantage.

We determined to purfue the Banks of the meander*- ing Rhyddol, in preference to the turnpike road, in our way to Havod.

This valley comprehends every thing that confti-

tutes the beautiful : it is ehclofed by high mountains on

F each

66 THE CAMBRIAN

'T

each fide, vegetating to their fummits j indeedi all the tints of verdure, and diverfity of foliage, here introduce themfelves in one views the Rhyddol ftruggling with the huge mafles of rocky-^itsnever-ceafing, tumultuous mo- tion,«*its fparkling foam ; - in fine, every thing that can be imagined, by the moil enthufiaftic admirer of nature k blended in this ihort excurfion : -

-** is not this *uale

-» More free from peril than the envious courts? ** Here feel we but the penalty of Adam, *' The feaibn's diiFercncc, as the icy fang -* And churlifli chiding of the Winter's wind."

Shaksfearb.

To the inquifitive pedeftrian, for this vale is inaccef- iible for carriages, the old Church of Llanbadem Vawr, which fignifks The Church of Great Patemus^ a native of Bretagne, is particularly intereftingj who, ad the writer of his Life expreflcs it, " by feeding go- « verned, and by governing fed the Church of Ccre- '< tica." To his memory this Church, and formerly an Epifcopal See was founded : but the Biihopric, as Roger Hovedan writes, << early declined, becaufe the *< parifhioners flew their ps^or.*

- The additfoas to Camden 1695, fuppoft this, Bi&op Jdaattt

As

blRECtORY. ^7

As wc drew near the

DEVIL'S BRIDGE,

a long chain of mountains excited our admiration, en- circled half way down with a thick mift, fimilar in ap- pearance to a girdle: this circumftance feems to juftify the bold imagery ) and beautiful defcription of a moun- tain given by the Poet :

** As feme tall cliff that lifts its awfol form ** Swells from the vale^ and midway leaves the florm ; " Though round its breaft the rolling clouds are fpread» ** Eternal funfhine fettles on its head." - Goldsmith.

The comfortable Inn, fituated near this romantic fpot, ftands in front of the river Rhyddol, and commanding the moft pidurefque view fancy can paint, is built by the refpefiable and truly hofpitable owner of Havod.

This celebrated Bridge, fo much the objeft of cu- riofity and admiration, is fo completely environed with trees, that many travellers, not intent upon deep invef- tigation, or in purfuit of nature's landfcapes, may pafs over it, without the lead fufpicion of the dreadful aper- ture, or the ancient ftru£ture, that conveys them over F2 the

6S THE CAMBRIAN

the guir. On the Eaftern fide we defcended a preci- pitous, and treacherous bank, confiding of flate rock, or laminae^ Ifhould imagine, near a hundred feet: this is the computed meafurement; but the eye, confufed by the awfulnefs of the fcene, lofes its faculty of judging. From this fpot, the vaft chine, or chafm, over which the bridge is thrown, is feen to great advantage: the whole of this fiffure was probably occafioned by fome convulfion of nature, as each indenture feems to corre- fpond with the oppofite protuberance. Under the bridge, the river Mynach, in its confined courfe, meet- ing with obftrudions of maify rock, and fragments of prodigious fize, ruflies through the chafm with irre- fiftible violence.

This bridge is called in Wellh Pont'-ar'Fynachj or Mynach Bridge: it confifts of two arches, one thrown over the other. The foundation of the under one is of great antiquity, and vulgarly attributed to the inven- tion of the Devil : it is fuppofed to have been eredied as far back as the year 1087, in the reign of Wil- liam II., by the Monks of Strata Florida Abbey, the ruins of which are ftill vifible, about ten miles from hence. Geraldt mentions his pafling over it, when he accompanied Baldwin^ Archbiihop of Cambray, at the time of the crufades, in the year 1 1889 ^nd in the reign of Richard I. The original arch being fufpe£ted to be

in

DIRECTORY. 69

in a ruinous condition, the prefent bridge was built over it, at theexpence of the county, in the year 1753. - ^The width of the chafm is eftimated at about thirty feet.

Our Ciceroni firft conducted us to a fall on the river Rhyddol, unobferved in Walker^s Defcription of the De- viPs Bridge^ and unnoticed by Warner. The chara£br of this fall is remarkably fingular :- a huge fragment of rock, projefting over the river for a gonfidcrabjc way> precipitates the water in a Angular, and almoft inex- preiEble dire£lion ; the rocks are occafionally variegated by the dark foliage of underwood, and fometimes bar- ren, rugged, and impending.

Defcription cannot fuggeft the full magnificence of the profpe£t which fpread before us, on our arrival at the grand fall of the Mynach; for though it may paint the grandeur of the elegance of outline, yet it cannot equal the archetypes in nature, or draw the minute features, that reward the aftual obferver, at every new choice of his pofition : reviewing this thundering catarafl, in the leifure of recolledlion, thefe nervous lines of Thomfon feem to defcribe much, of the fcene;

<* Smooth to the ihelving brink a copious flood

'* Rolls fair and placid, where colledted all

** In one impetuous torrent, down the ftecp

<* It thundering ihoots, and Ihakes the country round.

F 3 «* At

70 THE CAMBRIAN

''At fir ft an azure fheet^ it ruDies broad;

*' Then whitening by degrees, as prone it h\\^

'« And from the loud-refonnding rocks below

** Daih'd in a cloud of foam, it fends aloft

'< A hoary mift, and forms a ceafelefs fhower.

«* Nor can the tortur'd wave here find repofe :

-' But raging ftill amid the fhaggy rocks,

" Now flaflies o'er the fcatter*d fragments, now

'' Aflant the hollow channel rapid darts ;

-' And falling faft from gradual flope to flope,

« With wild infrafted courfe, and leffen'd roar,

" It gains a fafer bed, and fteals, at laft,

** Along the mazes of the quiet rale/'

The following Table, taken from Walker's Defcrip^ iion of the DeviPs Bridge, gives the exad height from the top of the bridge, to the water underneath, and the different falls from thence, till the Mynach delivers it* felf into the Rhyddol below:

FALLS, &c.

Feet.

From the Bridge to the Water -114

FirftFaU . - - 18

Second ditto . - - 60

Third ditto - - - 20

Grand Cataradl - - no

From the Bridge to the Rhyddol - 322

The

DIRECTORY* Jl

The rocks on each fide of the fall rife perpendicu- larly to the height of eight hundred feet, and finely clothed with the richeft vegetation, to its higheft fummit*

Near the bafon of the firft fall from the bridge we entered a dark cavern, formerly inhabited by a fet of robbers, two brothers and a fitter, called Plant Mat^ or Plant Fat^ fignifying Mai^thew's Children. Tradition reports, that they committed various depredations in the neighbourhood, and lived concealed in this ^^fpecus ** barrendum** for many years, from the keen refearch of -< day's gariih eye/' The entrance juft admits fuffi- cient light to make << darknefs vifible.'*

With regret we left this romantic fpot ( where, if Retirement ever had << local habitation," this was her " place of dearcft refidence." «« One excurfion (fays << Mr. Cumberland) to this place will not fuiEce com- <* mon obfervers ; nor indeed many, to the lovers of «* the grand fports of Nature." The Mynach (in << another place he defcribes) coming down from be- <« neath the Devil's Bridge, has no equal for height or << beauty that I know of; for although a ftreamlet, to <« the famous fall of Narni in Italy, yet it rivals it in (^ height, and furpalfes it in elegance.

F ^ « After

J2 THE CAMBRIAM

<< After paffing deep below the bridge, as through a ** narrow firth, with noifes loud and ruinous, into a <c confined chafm, the fleet waters pour headlong and *< impetuous, and leaping from rock to rock, with fury, *< literally la(b the mountain's fides; fometimes almoil << imbower'd among deep groves, and flaihing, at laft, <« into a fan-like form, they^fall rattling among the «( loofe flones of the Devil's Hole - where, to all ap- « pearance, it ihoots into a gulf beneath, and filently << fteals away: for fo much is carried off in fpray, << during the incefTant repercuifions it experiences, in « this long tortuous fhoot, that, in all probability, not «« half the water arrives at the bottom of its profound « and fullen grave."

Four miles from hence, on the Llandiloe's road, is lituated

HAVOD,

the celebrated Seat of Mr. Johnes. The former part of the road is barren and uninterefting : but on our firft entrance into the grounds, all our paft complaints were loft in exprcifions of admiration. The manfion is a very elegant piece of architedure built of Portland ftonc, and the plan entirely novel, being a mixture of

the

DIRECTORY. 73

the Moorifh and Gothic, with turrets and painted win- dows. The whole of it indeed does great credit to the architeA, Mr. Baldwyn of Bath. It is fituated near the banks of the river Yftwith, and beautifully envi- roned by lofty hills, clothed with oak. The interior of the houfe correfponds in elegance with the exterior. From the hall we were condu£):ed through a fuite of elegant apartments, very judicioufly fitted up with paintings, ftatues, and antiques ; but the Library more particularly engaged our notice, containing a choice and valuable colle<Stion of books : this odlagonal room is built in the form of a dome, with a gallery round it, fupported by a colonade of variegated marble pillars, of the ancient Doric order, with a circular window at top, for the admiffion of light. We entered through a hand^ fome door, inlaid with a large refleding mirror ; imme- diately oppofite is another door, of tranfparent plate- glafs, leading to the Confervatory, three hundred feet in length, and containing a number of curious, and rare exotics, with a walk down the centre of the build- ing. In fine, the efFecSl of the tout enfembk can better be imagined than defcribed. Amongft the other things worthy of admiration, a hand fome ftatue, in the Li- y y ^x/ brary, of Thetis dipping ^^MWIi^ m the river Styx -'^^^^^^'^^^ more particularly detains attention. We next pafled through the Billiard-room, and were conduced to the top of the ftair-cafe, to admire two elegant paintings,

the

J^ THE CAMBRIAN

the fubje£b taken from Capt Cook's Voyages: the painter is unknown. Many of the rooms are beauti- fully furniihed with rich Gobelin tapeflry*

To give my readers a juft conception of the beauties of Havod, I fliall beg leave to borrow the elegant de« fcription of it, drawn by the maiterly pen of Mr» Cum« berland.

<< Havod/' fays Mr. Cumberland, << is a place in it* ** felf fo pre-eminently beautiful, that it highly merits «« a particular defcription. It flands furrounded with «« fo many noble fcenes, divcrlificd with elegance, as <* well as with grandeur ; the country on the approach «^ to it is fo very wild and uncommon, and the place <^ itfelf is now fo embelliihed by art, that it will be dif- ** ficult, I believe, to point out a fpot that can be put -^ in competition with it, confidered either as the objeA ^^ of the Painter's eye, the Poet's mind, or as a defirable -« refidence for thofe who, admirers of the beautiful *« wildnefs of nature, love alfo to inhale the pure air *« of afpiring mountains, and enjoy that yiw^^p^rf (as «* the Italians expreffively term it,) which arifes from ^ folitudes made focial by a family circle.

«« From the portico, it commands a woody, narrow, M winding vale; the undulating forms of whofe afcend-

" ing.

DIRECTORY,

75

<< ing, ihaggy fides, are richly cloathed with varioas << foliage, broken with filver water-fails, and crowned << with climbing fheep-walks, reaching to the clouds.

" Neither are the luxuries of life abfent; for, on the <« margin of the Yftwith, where it flows broadeft ^< through this delicious vale, we fee hot-houfes, and t ^< confervatory ; beneath the rocks, a bath ; amid the ** receiTes of the woods, a flower-garden ; and within << the building, whofe decorations, though rich, are *< pure and Ample, we find a mafs of rare and valuable ** literature, whofe pages here feem doubly precious, << where meditation finds fcope to range unmolefted«

« In a word, fo many are the delights afforded by << the fcenery of this place, and its vicinity, to a mind << imbued with any tafle, that the impreflion on mine << was increafed, after an interval of ten years from the ** firfl vifit, employed chiefly in travelling among the *« Alps, the Appeninesj the Sabine Hills, and the Ty* <« rollefe; along the fhores of the Adriatic, over the << Glaciers of Switzerland, and up the Rhine; where^ *< though in fearch of beauty, I never, I feel, faw any << thing fo fine - never fo many pictures concentred ia <« one fpot ; fo that, warned by the renewal of my ac- f^ quaintance with them, I am irrefiflibly urged to at-

y6 THE CAMBRIAN

<< tempt a defcription of the hitherto almoft virgin- ^< haunts of thefe obfcure mountains.

« Wales, and its borders, both North and South, << abound, at intervals, with fine things : Piercefield « has grounds of great magnificence, and wonderfully « pidlurefque beauty. Down ton Caflle has a delicious « woody vale, moft taftefully managed ; Llangollen is «< brilliant; the banks of the Conway favagely grand ; << Barmouth romantically rural; the great Piilill Rhay- «< ader is horribly wild ; Rhayader Wennol, gay, and << glorioufly irregular - each of which merits a ftudied << defcription.

<< But, at Havod, and its neighbourhood, I find the « efFedls of all in one circle ; united with this pecu- *^ liarity, that the deep dingles, and mighty woody << flopes, which from a different fource, conduA the ** Rhyddol's never-failing waters from Plynlimmon, << and the Fynach, are of an unique chara£ter, as *< mountainous forefls, accompanying gigantic fize *< with, graceful forms ; and, taken altogether, I fee «« the « fweeteft interchange of hill and valley, rivers, << woods, and plains, and falls, with forefls crowned, <« rocks, dens, and caves j* infomuch, that it requires «< little enthufiafm there to feel forcibly vi^ith Milton, « with

--All

DIRECTORY, 77

*' All things that be« fend ap from earth's great altar ^« Silent pr^fe I"

«« There are four fine walks from the houfe, chiefly " through ways artificially made by the proprietor 5 << all dry, kept clean, and compofed of materials found «< on the fpot j which is chiefly a courfe ftone, of a << greyifli caft, friable in many places, and like flate^ ** but oftener confiding of immenfe mafles, that coft «< the miner, in making fome part of thefe walks, ex- *« ceffivc labour ; for there are places, where it was «« necefiary to perforate the rock many yards, in order *^ to pafs a promontory, that, jutting acrofs the way, << denied further accefs ; and to go round which, you <c mud have taken a great tour, and made a fatiguing «« defcent. As it is, the walks are fo conduced, that (< few are fteep ; the tranfitions eafy, the returns com- «< modious, and the branches diftind):. Neither are " they too many, for much is left for future projeftors ; << and if a man be ftout enough to range the under- << woods, and faftidious enough to reje£l all trodden *< paths, he may, almoft every where, ftroll from the «< ftudied line, till he be glad to regain the friendly con- « du£t of the well-known way.

*« Yet one muft be nice, not to be content at firft (< to vifit the beft points of view by the general rou-

« tine;

7^ THE CAMBRIAN

** tine J for all that is here done, has been to remove <« obftru6lions^ reduce the materials, and conceal the '< art ; and we are no where prefented with attempts * to force thefe untamed ftreams, or indeed to invent *^ any thing, where nature, the great miitrefS) has left " all art behind."

We now for many miles pafTed a barren, dreary country, completely encircled with hills, and we only climbed one, to obferve ftill others rifing in the diftant perfpefiive : not even a houfe or tree appeared to inter- rupt the awfujnefs of the mountains, which after the copious fall of rain in the night, teemed with innume^* rable cataradts. According to our dire£lions, we en- quired at the foot of Plinlimmon for Rhees Morgan, as a proper man to be our conductor over the heights of the «< fruitful father of rivers.'* This man being abfent, the whole family appeared thunderftruck at our ap- pearance, and run with all hafte imaginable into their miferable cot, or which might rather be dignified with the appellation of a pig-ftye; ?ls thzt filthy animal feemed to claim, with the wretched family, an equal right to a fhare of the hovel. One apartment ferved for the in- habitants of every defcription, with only one fmall hole to admit the light ; the entrance unproteded by a door, but with a blanket as a fubftitute, was expofed to the pitilcfs blaft of the winter's ftorm. Reviewing this de-

fpicable

DIRECTORY, yg

fpicable hovel, T recalled to my mind a very juft ob(er* ration of Goldfmith's, « That one half of die world << are ignorant bow the other half lives/'

«' Ah ! little think the gay licentiotts proud

" Whom plcafare, power, and affluence furround ;

-* They, who their though tlcfs hoars in giddy mirths

-' And wanton, often cruel, riot walte ;

-' Ah ! little think they, while they dance along,

'* how many drink the cup

«« Of baleful grief, or eat the bitter bread *' Of mifery. Sore picrc'd by wintry winds, *' How many flirink into the fordid hut " Of cheerlefs poverty." - - Thompson,

With fome difEculty we prevailed on the female part of the family to give us proper direAions to the fource of the meandering Wye,* and rapid Severn* The latter they only underftood by the name of Halfren^ its original Britifh name; it is likewlfe called in Latin Sabrina. From the top of Plinlimmon we, for the firft time, difcovered the ihaggy fummit of Cader Idris, and the fpiral head of Snowdon. There is nothing particularly engaging in the chara£ler of this moun- tain> except to its giving rife to no lefs than fix or eight

* Called ia Latin Vaga^

rivers.

80 THE CAMBRIAN

rivers, and on this account has frequently been cele- brated by the Poet. Though its fummit commands a circle of many miles diameter, yet the profped by no means anfwered our expeflations. We defcended into a fwampy bottom^ which afforded us unpleafant walk- ing* for two or three miles, when a moft delightful and well-cultivated valley unexpe6):edly enlivened our fpi- rits. The fun was making

-" a golden fet.

" And by the bright track of his fiery car «* Gave fignal of a goodly day to-morrow,"

juft as we entered this interefting vale : the hay-makers, in the coolnefs of the evening, were returning to their homes,

" Each by the lafs he loved.'*

In fliort, the whole valley breathed delicious fragrance : add to this, innumerable cataracts rulhed from the moun- tain's fummits, occafioned by the late copious rains.

From hence a good turnpike^road foon conducted us to the romantic town of

MACHYNLLETH,

confidered as the center of the woollen manu&dory in

this

DIRECTORY. 8l

this part of the country, principally of the Jlrong cUth^ or high country cloth.* The fituation of Machynlleth, (or as it is pronounced by the Welch, Mabunthleth) is extremely romantic, ftupendous mountains forming a natural rampart round the town* We here vifited the neglected Manfion, where Owen Glendwr aiiem- bled the States of the Principality, in 14029 and ac- cepted from their hands the crown of Wales. Part of the houfe is now allotted for the purpofe of a ftable, the remainder is turned into a butcher's Ihop : -

" Sic tranfit gloria mundiP*

In fine, the only evident remains of its ever having been celebrated in the annals of hiftory, is a fpacious door way» The town itfelf, in many parts, bears the appearance of antiquity; the ftreets are confiderably wider than Welch towns in general, and the market- place is well built.

As we entered Machynlleth, being the firft town in North Wales, we were in a manner inftinSively in- duced .to reflcft on the various incidents that had be- fallen us from our firft fallying forth on our pedeftrian excu);fion. We took a retrofpe£t on all our little trou-

- See an excellent account of the vroollen manufaAo27 in the feventh chapter of Aikin's Tour through North Wales.

G bles.

8s tHl CAMBftXAN

bkv vi^ eqttallj as nmcb del^ttt, as the fatlor, who, bj the bkffing of Providence, bis efcapcd At moSk inmianit dangers: all our poft imaginary dangers (fiot imaginary erils arc frequently worfe than real enes) were overbalanced with reflexions on the many hours of pleafiire that were flown unheeded by: thcfe lefleAions brought to my^ recolleftioci iboae inlerefUng lines in Bowles's Sonnets^ which I involnntarily ex- (boned aloud,

<' Fair fcenes ye lend a pleafare long unknown " To him who pafles weary on hk way ; «- The farewell tear, which now he turns to pay ** ShaR thank yon ; and whene'er of ^afores flown^ '* His heart ibme long-loft image weuld renew. *« DtUghtfol hannts I hewlU lememberyoa*'*

The fublimity of the walk from hence to Talyiyn^ literally «< beggars defcription.'' Having crofied a bridge of eight arches, thrown over the river Do- vey, high mountains clo&d us on every fide, fhook into every poffible form of horror; huge mafles of rock hung- over the road^ and it fi^emed neceflary to remember their firm bails, to foften the terror they in- fpired ; whilft other miibapen fragments lie (battered at the fide of the road. The tranfparent Dyflas, whofe clear furface refledled the tremulous picture iA all its colours, forms one continued cataraft for five or fix

miles.

Dikkttbiiy. S3

Ifilles, oftJfMoWing with the ihnumerable tributary tor- ntiUy whieh hur^y themfelves down from the higheft fuinmit of the furrouilding rocks ; whilft to give effeft to the Whok profpea, the Ihaggy head of Cader Idris towers the m^jeftic fentihel of the fcene, wbofe « cloud «< cap'd" fuiiimlt the eye aches in furveying. To bur gredt difbppdltitciient, the weathei- prevented our afcend- ihg this celebrated mountain giant. Cader Idris is tfteemed, in height, the fecond mountain in all Wales, rifing two thoufand eight hundred and fifty feet above the green of Dolgelly,*

If the weather proves favorable to afcend Cader Idris, travellers may be very comfortably accommo- dated with beds at

TALYLYN;

a fmall village, fituated at the foot of the mountain ; and where they will likewife meet with a conductor, in every refpea fuited for this Alpine excurfion* Mr. jfones, the landlord of the Blue Lion, ufed all his in«* fluence to perfuade us, by largely expatiating on the comforts of his accommodations, to detain us till the

- See Pennant^s Snowdonla> p. 89, and likewife Wilfoo*s ezceUent View of Cader Idris,

G 2 weather

8| THE CAMfiltlAN

weather wore a more favorable afpedl, but knowing the uncertainty of his conjedlures, we determined to make Barmouth our head quarters. Quitting therefore our officiouily polite landlord, we foon arrived at the Pool of Three Grains, which, though of inferior fize, yet is generally credited to be unfathomable ; it abounds in iiih, and derives its name from three immenfe ftones, or rather fragments of rock near it, which the common people confidently aflfert, and believe, the giant Idris took out of his {hoes as he palTed this pool*

Having afcended feveral hills, a quick defcent of three or four miles, foon brought us to

DOLGELLY;

furrounded with " a tempeftuous fea of mountains," and watered by the rapid current of the river Avon- vawr, over which is thrown a large and handfome ftone bridge, at the entrance of the town.

In the neighbourhood of this romantic fpot, and indeed in many parts of Merionethfliire, the manufac- ture of ftrong cloth has long been carried on.*

We

- Mr. Pennant, in hU Snowd«ni», p. 397, publiihed in 1781, " mca- *' tions, that there are brought annually to Salop 700,000 yards of web j

(^ and

DIRECTORY. 85

We were relu£bntly neceffitated to leave this in- terefting town of Dolgelly, much fooner than we wilhed, had we obeyed our own inclinations. No one can pidure to themfelves a more pidurefque fituation than that of Dolgelly: - an enclofed vale^ encircled with the craggy and fubjeA mountains of Cader Idris, forming an amphitheatre,- - watered by the Alpine tor- rent of the Maw, - and richly clothed with wood. But neceffity has no law ; the beft Inn was pre-occu- pied, and no comfortable accommodations could be found, and though drenched with rain, we were com- pelled to quicken our p^ce to the weIl*known bathing place of

BARMOUTH.

It is advifeable for all travellers, pedeftrians not ex- cepted, to leave Dolgelly at high water, as without that, the fcenery lofes much of its beauty j if conve- nient, it is certainly preferable to hire a boat, at the Stoves ; the charge is three (hillings and fixpence ; by this you will fave a walk of eight miles, and both from

'' and to Welch Pool, annually, between 7 and Soo,ooo yards of flannel | ^< but he does not ftate the particulars whence he reduces his general ** eftimate.** I have quoted this palfage from Aikin's excellent chapter (ii.) on the Woollen Manufactures of North Wales^ not having in my jpofleifioa Mr, P.'s Snowdonia.

G 3 your

$fi THi; C^MBKIAM

joqr fituation» s^nd from being more m your c^q, will better ad(nit of youv obfcrviag the furrpundiog fcencry^ Vitb which you cannot fail to be highly gratified.

This fliort pccuifiw of eight miles, is truly gnmd> a^ulf «nd fuhlimei aud thqqgh many parts of this firikiag valley ^re richly cultivated» yet, by the fide of the road, enormous iqoufits^ivs^ formed into the moft qa- gricious Ib^B^ ib^o^ i^tQ the, clouds^ and fipKaetiines fjif^pjediing fg^ f^ over the road^ as feeming l;o iiBipede our (ajcther progress : th,e wide expanfe of the ocea«^ ia front, w^h tjhe swm of (he fea running up the country in the centre of the valley; in fine, the tout ffi/mkk claimed our higheft admiration,

Barmouth, though confidered as a bathing-place, is ¥f«y tnfefiw t9 Tei\by, ym^ i|s f^uatio« foff gr9i¥^uv -f rocks, h^s been freqi«ei\tly coivpa^^ Uy vo^tKy Toucifts^to Gibraltar; and by others,, ei^e«ied qot luJike St. Kitts» in the Weft Infim. Tbe va(t fan4 ^f9x\)f^ fisdrmod by the tidea icomediately m im^K of th< tawn» are^thtf oaty barriers which protfcl >( frosn thft inundations of the fea. The fhore is extremely level, and aiibrds, for many miles, excellent ridiing. In re- fpeA to the bathing, little can be faid to recommend it I the macbioj^s are not drawn \n|q. ^ w^er, a^d by this palpable inconvenience, youi aie oadis th» dis- agreeable

ontscTonT. 87

agroeabie neceffity of walking a conTiderable way in, before the water is fufficiently 4eep for « ptunging << headlong in the briny 4ood.'' During our ftay here, two gentlemen perceiving that the water was very much alloyed by a frefli water ftieam dHcflnboguing it«- felf into the <ea, at Banaooth, perTuaded Mrs. Lewi«» the obliging landlady of the Cot^y-f<edol Arms, to re- move the machines farther from the town ; and from them we were informed^ that though Ae fait water was purer, yet' they found it impoffible to draw them fufficiently deep for good bathing : the machines bemg ilationary on the fands, the ladies Itkewife find it T9- maiinbly inconvenient, being equally compelled to walk in. The folly of this method feems to be move ftrikingy as the objedion mi^t be fo eafily obviated. The lower cMs here, as in many other parts of Wales, indifcrimiiiatdy drefs and undicTson the fluids, and pay ^ery little diftindion to their fex.

Tlie board and lodging is regulated on the fame ex- cellent plan here as at Tenby, with very little dif- ference in refpedl to the expenoe. The town itfeif Is very dirty, and fo irregularly built, on the declivity of a rock, that the windows of one houfe not uncom- monly look down on the neighbouring chimney. We could not avoid obferving the number of pigs, which ans efleemed in this part of the country far fuperior to G 4 any

88' ' THE CAMBRIAN

any in England, lying in every corner of the ftreet ; and thefe pigs, I rather imagine, tonfider themfelves, during the night, inmates of the peafant's cotts^: yet thefe hardfliips, if they may be diftinguiflied by that name, the inhabitants of the hovel fufler without com«- plaint^ and deem themfelves perfedly happy as long as they poflefs a pile of turf to keep off the inclemency of the winter's blaft, a fmall ftrip of ground, well ftocked with potatoes, fome poultry, and a fat pig ; though one hovel protedh them all. Though to appearance, their fituation is moft miferable, yet it has no tffe€t on their tempers and difpofttions ; their hofpitality, and indeed kindnefs, towards ftrangers in diftrefs, is an in- terefting trait in their chara£ter : to inftance tbis, I am induced to mention an anecdote, which took place at Hubberflone, not long ago. A lady anxioufly waiting the arrival of her hufband, from Ireland, at the mifer- able village of Hubberftone, foon interefted even the meaner inhabitants of the place in her behalf; who willing tQ render her fituation as comfortable as pof- lible, feemed to vie with each other in producing the moft delicious fruits, and the choiceft garlands of flowers, to prefent them to the unhappy confort ; tod not content alone with this, fhe was generally greeted in the ftreets, with the pbrafe, <« There goes poor

** Mrs. L ." The lady, at laft, impatient for the

arrival of her hufband, determi^ied to fail for Ireland.

The

OIRECTORY. S§

The faitbfulnefs of the little group that accompanied her to the fiiore, can better be imagined than defcribed; the laft farewell, with, tears of artlefs innocence, and the befeeching that Providence « who governs the << waves, and .ftills the raging of the fea," to grant her a profperous voyage ; all this feemed to come fo tho- j'oughly from this bottom of their hearts, that we cannot avoid feelin^ourfelves interefted in their behalf*

The road from hence to

HARLECH,

is ftony and uninterefting ; to the left an unbounded view of the wide ocean, and in front, the fteep moun* tains of North Wales rofe in endlefs perfpedive. About four miles from Barmouth, we paiTed the two lodges at Tal-y-bont, leading to Cors-y-gedoi, the feat of Sir Thomas Moftyn. It is pra£licabie to go by the fands, but we were given to underfland, by Mrs, Lewis, that the turnpike was, if any thing, fliorter, the fcenery more pleafing, and the guides necellary for croffing thofe dangerous iands, in general, moft com- plete villains.

Harlech, though formed by Edward I. intoabo^ rough, can now be efteemed little more than a dirty

village:

90 THE CAMBRIAK

village : the prefent caftle, one of the moft entire in Wales, is founded on a very high rock, projeding in the Irilh Sea, and defended by a deep fofs on the eaft fide \ below it is a marfli of confiderable extent, occa- iionally overflowed by the fea; from the top of the walls to this marfh the height is very confiderable, and from thence the Bay of "Cardigan is feen to givat ad- vantage; in addition to this, t)ie (bagged fammits of Cader Buchan and Snowdon, in Caernarvonlhire, being inveloped in cloads, appear fcarcely vifible.

At the public-houfe, we accidentally met with a well-informed man, who minutely delineated every part of the caftle; beginning with the founder, in th^ true charaderiftic ftyle of a Welchman, run through bis pedigree feveral generations: this, however, did not intereft us, curfory pedeftrians; and with little perfuafion we foon induced him to write down, in as concife a manner as poffible, any information he was acquainted with refpefting the caftle : ** The founder j(< of Harlech Caftle, a. d. 552, was Maclegwynn; >« Gwynead made Caer Dugoll (Shrewibury;) Caer "Gyflin (Aber Conway;) CaerGoIlwyn (Harlecfc) «* fuppofed to be buried in Cirefter, and reigned thirty- «« four years.*' Whether this information is corrcft, I will not take iipon me to aflert ; biit meeting with a Welchman, in this part of the country^ capable of

writing.

X>1]»SCT0RY. g%

writing, rather furprifed u$» and induced me to tran« fcribe thii (hort p^agraph«

The double gate-way, with four ftrong towers, is ftill very perfed^ and the whole in fufficient repair, to f^m a conJQ^lurf of its ancient extent and grandeur, It WA« originally fuppofed to have been a Roman town» a <;9nJQSme f^und^d on the great number of coins, and Other piece$ of antiquity, which have been found here» and in the neigbbpurhopd.

In 1408 it W2|$ taken by the Earl of Pembroke ; and forded Ukcwife fheltor to Margaret of Anjour, after ibf battle of Nortbampton, 1460, and was the laft in [(^orth- Wales, which held out for the King, being furi> rendered to General Mytton, 1647.

In a garden near thi$ caftle was dug up» in the year 1692, an antient golden torques, of a round form, an inch in circumference, and weighing eight ounces^ This cuiious relick of Britiib antiquity, exhibited in a drawing by Mr* Pennant, ftill continues in tb« poiTefl&on of the Mofl;yn family. As we had not an ofiportttnity of examiniiig the original, this account can only be gathered from the information of fomier authors, who reprefent it, as <' a wreathed bar, or ra- ^ ttm three or four rods twifted together, about four

« feet

THE CAMBRIAN

«< feet long, flexible, but bending naturally only one ^< way, in form of a hat-band : it originally had holes << at each end, not twifted or (harp, but plain, and cut « even,"

In 1694, the prodigious phenomenon of fire, or kindled exhalation, which diftt^rbed the inhabitants of this neighbourhood, is both fingular and extraordina- ry; fixteen ricks of hay, and two barns, were burnt by a kindled exhalation, or blue weak flame, proceedmg from the fea: this lafted about a fortnight or three weekSy poifoning thegrafs, and firing it for the fpace of a mile. It is extraordinary, that it had no elFeft on the men, who interpofed their endeavours to fave the ricks from deftrudion, even by running into it. For z more accurate account of this fingular phenomenon, I refer my readers to the Pbilofophical Tranfa£tions^ No. 208, and likewife to the Addenda, in Cambden : fuffice it to fay, that the air and grafs was fo infe^ed^ that it occafioned a great mortality of cattle, horfes, flieep, and goats. The various conjedures that have been formed, to account for this kindled exhalation, feem to be very unfatisfa£U>ry ; fomething fimilar to this, both in the appearance and in the eficd, happened in France in the year 1734*

A$> from the unfavourablenefs of the weather, we

bad

DIRECTORV* 93

bad not contemplated the rich fcenery between Bar- mouth and Dolgellyy with that nice inveftigatipn which it deferved, we determined, by again returning , to our obliging landlady at the Cors-y*gedol Arms, to feise the opportunity of again admiring its beauties ; and, by taking a more circuitous route to the Vale of Feftiniog, pay that attention to the Falls of Doll-y* mullin, Moddach, and Caen, which they fo deferredly require.

This fecond faunter we found by no means tedious : the fcene feemed perpetually changing at every unex« peded curvature of the road; and the rude features of the mountains appeared to aflume new forms, as the wind- ing prefented them to the eye in difierent attitudes, whilft the fliifting vapours, which partially concealed their minuter grandeur, affified the illuiions of the fight. Amidft new woods, rifing in the majefty of foliage, the fcattered cottage, with its bluifli fmoke curling high in the air, was frequently rendered inte- refting by its neat fimplicity : and ferved (o conftitute the romantic beauties of this pidurefque faunten

This pleafing fcenery varied little till we arrived within two miles of Dolgelly, when ieveral gentlemens' (eats burft upon our fight ; and leaving that enchanting fpoc to the left, at the Lafieltyd turnpike, a diffiurent ohjcSt

pre-

THE CAMBRIAN

prefented hfelf to our view, fot foUr miles we walked by the fide of a bill, the moft tranilucent ftream attend- ing us the whole wa/ ; for though the road Was fituated lb much above it, yet the fandy bottom, with the fifiJiy tribe« in confidcrable numbers, fporting' in this tnmfparent element, were eafily defcried. On each jide, the mountains rofe to a confiderable height, ^itb the craggy fummit of Cader Idris claiming the pre-eminence. We foon arrived at the fmall ale^houie (Traveller's Reft) wh^re we met the labourer of Mr. MadoX) whom we were recommended to encfuire for, as a proper ciceroni to the water-falls in his vicinity. Having finifhed our fcanty but wholefome repift, we repaired with an old woman, the labourer being con<" fined to the boufe by indifpdttion, to the fidl Of Doll- y«4iiuUiii. There appeared to be fomething fingular in the appearance of this << mountain elf;" deftitute of ihoes and fiockings, m the true Cambrian ftile, fht trip'd it, occafionally finging, and Ibmdtrm^s difcon- ttnted with the world, hcrfeif, and every thing, uttef^ ing a moft difmal groan. This excited our curiofity '; but to learn much of ber fifuation we foon found hn^ praAicable ; her knowledge of the Englifh language wsu very trivial ; dnd as flie ieemed not niiicll ifklined to give tts any inferAiatiofi refpeAing the adjacent country, we found it vMck to make enquiri^ con- ecirifing bet GOnditiom in lifi)«

Our

BIRECTORY, gg

Our furljr condudrefs iirft led us through Mr. Ma^ dox's grounds ; to the left of the Tan^y-bwicb road* by a moil delightful walk cut through the wood, we now foofl reached the falls of Doll-y-mulltn, the roaring of which bad a long time announced its vicinity. This catarafl, though confidered only as a prelude to the grand falls of the Cayne and Moddach, is ftill worthy the attention of the paiUng traveller ; for though the river precipitates itfelf not more than fifty feet, yet the proje&ion and fituation of the rocks, and the thick oak, carelefsly throwing its broad brown arms acrofs the troubled waters, is Angularly pleafing. We bad hitherto only contemplated this fcene from the foot of the fall ; but how noble the eiFed:, when we began to wind up the fieep afcent, and paufed at every bafon, which the water had formed in the excavated rock.

By a retrograde £uintcr we foon gained the Tan-y^* bwlch road, and paffing over the romantic bridge of Pont ar Garfa, beautifully entwined with the rich dra^^ pery of ivy, we aicended a fteep . path over the flaty momuain of Tylyn Gwladys, two miles in extent.-^ Sublimity, indeed, gave place to elegance; behind us, the huge fteeps of Cader Idris, lifting high above the rolling ckiudfl its fltaggy head, of which at ilitervals, we cai^ht a glance through the thick mift which envcr loped it i in front Siiowdon,confcioiis of pre-eminence,

xofc

96 THK CAMBRIAN

fofe in the diftant perfpedive ; thefe were the boundaries of our view. On the oppoiite fide a barren mountain, dignified by the name of Prince of Wales, appeared fcarcely acceffible, but to the fteps of the enthufiaft; this formerly afforded a vaft quantity of ore, but it has lately fo much failed, as not to produce even a fuffi- ciency to remunerate the miners* While traverfing thefe barren mountains, it is not lefs fingular than in- terefting, occafionally to meet the moft delicious vallies, watered by fome foaming river; thefe literally fur- charged

«« With weighted rains* and melted Alpine fnows/'

Such is the true chara^eriftic of the Welch fcenery : the fineft verdure, and the moft enchanting vallies are difcovered in the bofom of fterility, where natural caf- cades, precipitating themfdves from their rude pinna* cles, alone difturb the filence which reigns in that afylum, only to render it more enchanting to the inqui- fitive pedeftrians, for thefe landfcapes are only acceffible to their fteps : the diftant fwell of the cataraft had now long proclaimed our proximity to the objed in purfuit. The falls of the Cayne and the Moddach are at no great diftance from one another, being only feparatcd by a thick wood. Croffing a fmall bridge, above fifty feet from the water, formed only by the trunk of an oak, which has accidentally fallen acrofs the rapid torrent;

our

DIRECTORY* gj

t)i]r condudrefs very judictoufly kltSttd the Utter as th6 firff oh]e£t for our admiration. The computed mea« forement of this fall is eftimated between feventy and eighty feet, dividing itfelf into three diftindl parts, each iinely broken by the proje£ted rocks : the quantity of water is very inconfiderable; but the whole is admira- bly prefented to the eye in one view. The lirft fall^ about twenty feet, precipitates itfelf into a d^p pooU thirty feet diameter; from thence over a fecond ledge, thrrty feet high $ and, laftly, it difcharges itfelf into a pool of confiderable dimenfions. The declivities of the rocks are luxuriantly clothed with wood ; the oak more particularly fpreading its gigantic arms acrofs the foaming torrent : a variety of trees, indeed, profufely embellifli the whple of this glen, which are finely contrafted with the dark brown rocks ; conftituting fo finiihed a picture, and reprefenting fuch a variety of colours, that their beauties the imagination can better conceive, than the pen defcribe.

yVe now returned to the fall of the Cayne, infinitely fuperior to any in Wales, being two hundred feet per- pendicular, uninterrupted by rocks, and not intercepted by the thick wood which encircles it. For a jconfi- derable time we both of us gazed with that wrapt ad- miration, which loathes to be difturbed by the mutual exchange of our ideas 3 and ftunned with the continual H uproar,

^S THE CAMBRIAK

uproar, and never-^ceafing tumultous motion of the fparkling foam, we filently admired the grandeur of the landfcape. On «ach fide the horrific crags feemed to bid defiance to the goat's adivity. The Cayne, after this ftunning cataradt, throws its troubled waters over a rocky bed» till it unites itfelf with the Moddach below.

With reludance we left this romantic fituation; and, according to the dire£tions of our conduftrefs, foon found ourfelves in the turnpike road to Tan-y-bwlch» underftanding that Mr. Warner's route to Pen-ftreet afforded indifferent walking. Stupendous mountains at* tended us fome way; and, to borrow a defcription from a celebrated author, they «< looked like the rude mate- << rials of creation, forming the barrier of unwrought «« fpace." The fun was now making a « golden « feti'' the mountains were thrown together in noble maffes, appearing to fcale the heavens, to intercept its rays, and emulous to receive the parting tinge of lingering day. We were watching with admiration the mild fplendor of its light, fading from the diftant landfcape, when we perceived the rich vale of Feftiniog fuddenly open itfelf to our view : we obferved the bufy group of haymakers, who had compleatcd their day's labour, returning to their homes :

" While

DIRECTORY. 99

** While heard from dale to dale» ** Waking the breeze^ refounds the blended voice «* Of happy labour^ love and focial glee.'*

Pleafed with this ruftic fcene, we caught the cheerful fong, which was wafted on the gentle breeze. With pleafure we anticipated a faunter through this vale, early the enfuing morning; for one tint of fober gray had now covered its various coloured features, and the fun had now gleamed its laft light upon the rivulet which winds through the bottom.

TAN-Y-BWLCH.

The " rich-hair'd youth of morn" had not long left its falFron bed, and the very air was balmy as it frefli* ened into morn, when we hurried from our Inn to enjoy the luxuries of the Vale of Feftiniog» fo well celebrated by the pen of Lord Littleton. <« With the « woman one loves, with the friend of one's heart, « (fays his Lordfliip) and a good ftudy of books, one << may pafs an age there, and think it a day. If one « has a mind to live long, and renew his youth, let <' him come and fettle at Feftiniog.'' Thefe are the fenttments of Lord Littleton, in which feemed to be verified the fituation of Mr. Oakley, who has feleded this fpot for his refidence. Tan-y-bwich Hall» (for Ha by

100 THE CAMBRIAN

by that name is Mr. Oakley's Seat dignified) is en- vironed by a thick wood, which climbs the fteep mountains behind his manfion. We followed the meandering and tranflucent waters of the river Dryryd, till we arrived at the Village of Maentwrog, fituated about the middle of this Paradife. Faffing through the village, we obferved a fmall but neat cottage, which was rendered interefting to the way-farer by its neat fimplicity. Perceiving a ftand of fruit at the door, we were enticed to enter the cottage, where we found the interior of the houfe as comfortable, as the fi« tuation was interefting. A large old-fafliioned chim- ney corner, with benches to receive a focial party, formed a moft enviable retreat from the rude ftorms of winter, and defied alike the weather and the world : - with what pleafure did I pidlure,

*' A fmiling circle, emulous to pleafc,"

gathering round a blazing pile of wood on the hearth, free from all the viciffitudes and cares of the world, happy in thdr own home, bleifi^ is the fweet aiiec- tions of kindred amity, regardlefs of the winter blaft that ftruggled againft the window, and the fnow that pelted againft the roof. On our entering, the wife who poiTcfied « the home of happinefs, an honeft <« breaft," invited us << to take a feat" under the win* tlow> which overlooking the village^ and the dark

tower

DIRECTORY, lOt

tower of the church, offered th6 delights of other Tea* fons. The fwects of a little gardert, joined its fra- grance to the honeyfuckle, which enwreathed with rich drapery the windows ; and hefre too lay the old family Bible, which had been put afide on our iirft entrance : we regretted, not having an opportunity of feeing thd hufband, whotti^ I make no doubt

*' Envied not, and never thought of kings,.

'* Nor from thofe appetites faftain'd annoy,

" That chance may fruftrate, or indulgence cloy ;

*» Each feafbn looked delightful as it pail,

«« To the fond huftand, and the faithful wife."

Our intended route for this day being very fliort, w6 did not leave Tan-y-bwlch till after breakfaft, and evert then lingered through the valley, to take one laft adieu of this paradifiacal fpot; the Dryryd ferpentizing through the meadows, and the lively green of the fwelling de- divitics on each fide, beautifully contrafted with the ripening corn. From the vaft quantity of ore we dif- covered, I am inclined to believe, that any fpirited fpe- cuhtor would find it amply repay him for the expences and labour attending his fpeculations. The vale of Fcftiniog, not exceeding three miles long, and one in breadth, is a very rich traft of land.

An extremely rough, rocky, and unpleafant road, H 3 with

t04 "THE CAMBRIAM

tender melancholy^ yrhich exalts, rather than deprefies the mind 1 How delightful, to bid adieu to all the cares and occupatiops of the world, for the refledion of thofe fcenes of fublimity and grandeur, which forms fuch cpntraft to the tranfientnefs of fublunary greatnefs! With what anxiety have we watched the fetting fun, loitering juft below the horizon, and illuminating the higbeft fummit of Snow4on with s| golden tinge, and wefHllwatffh the paffing. clouds, of night, fearing left die inor^g Ihoi^d jroy^ unfavourable for our Alpine excurfion^ v, ;.^,.

SNOWDON.

We engaged the Minery as our QooduSor over the mountain, who entertained us much with difplaying, in ftrong colpursi the tricks and impofitions of bis hrp-; ther guides, and more particularly of the methodiftigs^ Landlord ofour;Inn,wbo is geAerallyempIpyedon tbefe occaf^pns* His pride too is npt a little elevated> ,hf having condudled The Great DoSior to its higheft fuip- mit; this feemingly ridiculous phrafe for fome time puTb^Jied.^Si but we have fiQce found out, that <|ur guidew^jtalkii>g;Of nolefs a fBS^» than t)ie prafeUt refpe^aM^ and l^^nfdv Peaii of. ChrlftchitfQb^ ivjbo

>afceod^

DIRECTORY, 105

afcended this mountain laft year. Though our guide* was pompous, and rather too partial to the marvellous^, yet I ftrenuoufly recommend him to all tourifts.

At half paft twelve, we ftarted from our Inn, deter <*( mined to fee the fun rife from its higheft fuitimit. The night was: J10W very dark^ and we could juft difcoir«r^ that the top of Snowdon was entirely envdpped ia ft* thick, impenetrable mift : this unpropitious omen flag* gered fHDr r^fc^utions^ and we for foolte titti^ heftuted re^ fpcfling our farther progreft; but out guide affurtng us» that his convertible cqttage was not ht diftant, we again plucked up refoIuiiQQi and<]uining the highway about two miles on the Caernarvon road, we turned to the right, tbrqugli.a boggy uopleafant land, and in danger of jofing 9Uft (hoes' every ftep ytt took* This foon brought u$ to the (qmfortahU €ot^ the filth and dirtinef& of which can better be imagined than defcribed; a worm-eaten bed, two ftnall ftools, and a table fixed to the wall, c^mpofed the whole of his furniture^ - *twa fighting codes were perched on a beam, which Thomas feemed to pride himfelf in the pofieffion of} the fmoke of the fire afcended through. a fmall hole in the roof of this ci^mfortMe mfinfi^p^ the door of which did not ap*

* £v^ Thomas, works ia the copper-works at AbeE-Gladyn, and lives at a plac^ called Dous Corcb, about a mile and an half beyond Beddgelert.

pear

1G$ THE CAMBRIAH

pear proof againft the << churlilh chiding of the winter ** Waft/'

Such, indeed, was the fituation of this Cambrian mountaineer; and though, in our own opinion, mifery, poverty, and dirt perfonified, feemed to be the real in- habitants of this cottage, yet there was fomething pre- poffeffing in his charader ; for frequently, with the greateft vehemence imaginable, and in the true ftile of an anchorite, he declared, that « though he boafted <( not riches, yet he boafted of independence^ and *^ though he poflefled not wealth, yet he poflefled the f < home of happinefs, an honeft breaft,"

The morning appearing to wear a more favourable afpefb, we again fallied forth ; the bogs, however, flill rendered it extremely unpleafant. But this inconveni- ence was only temporary : we foon came to a part of the mountain, entirely compofcd of loofe ftones, and frag- ments of rocic, which, by aflFording a very treacherous footings you are liable to perpetual falls. The moun* tain now became much fteeper, the path lefs rocky, and our mountaineer, the higher vre proceeded, more in- duced to exhibit feats of his agility, by occafionally running down a fliort precipice, and then, by a loud fhout or vociferation, (hewing us the obedience of the iheep, who inftantaneouily flocked round him^ at the

found

DIRECTORY.

t07

found of his voice : it is lingular, the caution implanted in this animal, by inftindt, for the mutual protedion of each other; from the liberty they enjoy, they feldom congregate in one flock, but are generally difcovered gracing in parties from fix to a dozen, one of which is regularly appointed centinel, to watch the motions of their Inveterate enemies (foxes and birds of prey), which infeft this mountain. A wider expanfe of the he« mifphere difclofed itfelf, and every objedl: below us gra- dually diminifhed, as we afcended. The freihnefs of the mountain whetted our appetites ; and our con- du3or, with very little perfuaiion^ foon influenced us to open our little baiket of provifions. The fun, the « rich-hair'd youth of morn," was juft peeping from its bed; and having refrefhed ourfelves, with eager impatience we again climbed the rugged precipice, for we had ftill a confiderable height to afcend. We now defcended feveral fteep declivities, by a narrow path, not more than three yards wide, with a dreadful per« pendicular on each fide, the fight of which almofl: turned us giddy. As we were pafldng this hazardous path, a thick mift enveloped us, and an impenetrable abyfs appeared on both fides ; the eiFed, indeed, can fcarcely be conceived ; our footing to us, puifne mountaineers, feemed very infecure ; and a total deftrudlion would have been the confequence of one falfe ftep. The air grew intenfely cold, and by our guide's recommenda-

tion.

108 TH£ CAMBRIAN

tFon, we a fecond time produced our piftol of rum, di« luted with milk ; but this cordial muft be ufed with caution, a^ a very fmall quantity of ftrong liquor zffcQs the head, owing to the rarification of the air. On our reaching the fummit, all our difficulties were forgotten^ iind our imaginary complaints overborne with exclama- tions of wonder, furprife, and admiration. The light thin mifty cloud, which had for fome time enveloped lis, as if by enchantment, fuddenly difperfed ; the whole ocean appeared illuminated by a fiery fubftance, and all the fubjef^ hills below us, for they refembled tnole'hillsy were gradually tinged by the rich glow of the fun ; whofe orb, becoming at length diflindly vifible, difplayed the whole ifland of Anglefeafodiftinftly, that (^ wc defcricd, as injnap, its flat and uncultivated plains, l»ounded by the rich and inexhauftible Paris Moun- tains, in the vicinity of Holyhead. The point on which we were ftanding, did not exceed a fquarc of five yards, and we fickened almoft at the fight of the Seep precipices which environed us; round it is a fmall parapet, formed by the customary tribute of all ftrangers, who vifit this fummit, and to which we Iike> wife contributed, by placing a large ftone on its top: this parapet, indeed, fheltered us from the chilly cold, and proteded us from the prereing wind, which this height muft naturally be cxpofcd to.

We

DIRECTORY. IO9

We remained in this fituation for a confiderable time, and endeavoured, without fuccefs, to enumerate the fe- veral lakes, foreft» woods, and counties, which were expofed to us in one view ; but, loft and confounded with the innumerable objeds worthy of admiration, and regardlefs of the chilling cold, we took a diftind furvey of the Ifle of Man, together with a faint profpefi: of the highlands in Ireland, which appeared juft vifibly fkirting the diftant horizon ; but another obje£): foon engroiTed all our attention ;

*' The wide, the unbounded profpe£ls lay before us ; ** But fhadows, clouds, and darknefs reft upon it :'*

For we unexpectedly obferved long billows of vapour toffing about, half way down the mountain, totally excluding the country below, and occafionally dif- perfing, and partially revealing, its features, while above, the azure expanfe of the heavens remained un- obfcured by the thinneft mift. This, however, was of no long continuance : a thick cloud prefently wet us through ; and the point on which we were ftanding could alone be diftinguiihed. As there appeared little or no chance of the clouds difperfing, we foon com- menced our defcent, - Refpefting this Alpine excur- flon, fttffice it to fay, that though our expedations were raifed exceedingly high, it infinitely furpaiTed all con* ception> and baffled all defcription 3 for no colour of

Ian-

110 THE CAMBRIAN

language can paint the grandeur of the rifing fun^ obrerved from this eminence, or defcribe the lakes, woods, and forefts, which are extended before pu; for defcription, though it enumerates their names, ytt it cannot draw the elegance of outline, cannot give the efFedl of precipices, or delineate the minute features, which reward the a6^ual obferver, at every new choice of his pofltion, and by changing their colour and form in his gradual afcent, till at laft every obje£l dwindles into atoms : in fhort, this interefiing excurfion, which comprehends every thing that is awful, grand, and fub- ]ime, producing the moft pleafing fenfations, has left traces in the memory, which the imagination will ever hold dear.

Various have been the conjeftures on the definition of this mountain ; fome authors affirm, that the Welch name of Snowdon fignifies the Eagle's Rocks^ deducing it from the number of thofe birds that formerly haunted thefe rocks ; but the moft fimple conjefture feems to be, that this name alludes to the frequency of the fnow on the higheft peaks. This monntainous trzGt was formerly celebrated for its fertility and woods; and Leland affirms, that all Crigereri was foreft. It now yields no corn ; and its produce coniifts in cattle and black flieep, with large flocks of goats. <« Its height « (fays Pennant) has been varioufly reported. Mr. Caf-

wcll.

DIRECTORY. Ill

c( welly who was employed by Mr* Adams, in a furvey <c of Wales, 1682, meafured it by inilruments, made << by the diredion of Mr. Flamftead, and afierts it to << have been one thoufand two hundred and forty. Mr. Lluyd fays, its perpendicular height is about one thou- <( fand three hundred yards above the fea level ; but <« later experiments have afcertained it at one thoufand <« one hundred and eighty-nine yards, reckoning from << the quay at Caernarvon, to the higheft peak/' The afcent is computed three miles; the extremity, or fum« mit, three quarters of a mile perpendicular. By the inha- bitants of the country it is called Moel-y-Wydva, 1. /- The Confpicuous Hill I and fometimes Krag £y reri ; and in the old Engliih maps it is always fpelt Snawdon. The lakes in this tra£l amount to a confiderable num- ber, and abound with trout, eels, gwyniadd, and fome of them well-ftored with char. The moft noted peaks of this mountain are diftinguifhed by the names Moel- y-Wydva, y-Glyder, Karmedh Dhavidh, and Kar- medh Llewelyn. - Thefe hills are, in a manner, heaped on one another, near the fummit ; and we only climbed one rock, to fee three or four more; between each is a cwm^ or valley, generally with a lake. We made par- ticular enquiries concerning y-Glyder-Bach, and found that the defcription of it is by no means exaggerated. Several columnar ftones, of enormous fize, formed into the moft fantaftical fhapes, and lying in feveral direc-

tionsy

Iia THE CAMBRIAN

tions, with many of their tops crowned with ftones^ placecl horizontally on them. One we obferved rocked with the flighted touch. In the fifTures of the rock^ aibicfyritgty are not uncommonly found ; the faxifraga mvaiisy and the fpeties called by Linnzus athmalj in great abundance.

The firft two miles of our defcent, we by no means found diflGicult, but wifliing to take a minute furvey of the pi&urefque pafs of Llanberris, we changed the route generally prefcribed to ftrangers, and defcended a rug- ged and almoft perpendicular path, in oppofition to the propofals of our guide, who ftrenuoufly endeavoured to difluade us from the attempt, alleging the difficulty of the fteep, and relating a melancholy ftory of a gentle- man, who many years back had broken his kg. This had no efied. We determined to proceed i and the vale of Llanberris amply rewarded us for the trouble. It is bounded by the fteep precipices of Snowdon, and two large lakes, communicating by a river. It was formerly a large foreft, but the woods are now entirely cut down. We here difmifled our Cambrian moun- taineer, and eafily found our way to Dolbadern (pro- nounced Dolhathern) Caftlc, fituated between the two lakes, and now reduced to one circular tower, thirty feet in diameter, with the foundations of the exterior buildings completely in ruins s in this, Owen Gough,

brother

brother to Llewellin, laft prince, was tonfined in pri- fon. From hence a rugged horfe-path brought ns to the Caernarvon turnpike-road, about fix miles diftant ; the hSgh towers of the caftle, the rery crown and paragon of the landfcape, at laft pointed out die fituation of

CAERNARVON;

and having crofied a haodfome modern ftone^bridg^t thrown over the river Rbydol, and bttilt by " Harry /< Parry, the modern loigo, Anm Domri l^^W* wc ibon entered thi^ antient town, very much fatigued with our long excurfion« The Hotel, newly built by Lord Uxbridge, for the convenience of ftrangers, at the end of the tpwU) commands a fine profpeA of the Strait pf Menai. The view was bounded by the flat lile of Angle&a \ while the light vefiels, ikimming be£are the wind, gave the whole a lively and pleafing variety.

The city of Caernavon, beautifully fituated, and re- gularly built, is in the form of a fquare, enclofed on three fides^ with thick ftone walls \ and on the fouth fide, defended by the caftle ^ - the old town-hall is now falling to ruin.

With lefpeA to the caffle, we by no means agree with Mr. Warner, that^« its high antiquity and an-

I <« tient

1J4 T^E CAMBRIAH

<< tieat fplendor is interrupted and deftrorfred bj the *< patch-work of modern reparation, and the littlenefs « of a cottager's domeftic ceconomy feen within its <c walls;'' as it is only repaired, where neceffity re- |

quired it, to prop up its crumbling ruins ; neither I

could we difcover any cottage within its walls. The towers are extremely elegant ; but not being entwined with ivy, do not Wear that pi&urefque appearance, which caftles generally pofTefs. Over the principal entrance, which leads into an oblong court, is feated, beneath a great tower, the ftatue of the founder, hold- ing in his left hand a dagger : this gate-way was origi- nally fortified with four portcullifes. At the weft end, the eagle tower, remarkably light and beautiful, in a polygon form ; three fmall hexagon turrets rifing from the middle, with eagles placed on their battle- ments ; from thence it derives its name. In a little dark room^ in this toWer, meafuring eleven feet by fe- ven, was born Edward the Second, April 25, 1204. The thicknefs of the wall is about ten feet. To the top of the tower we reckoned one hundred and fifty- eight fteps, from whence an extenfive view of the adja- cent country Is feen to great advantage. On the fouth are three odlagonal towers with fmall turrets, with

- Such IS t)ie received opinion ; but the place noted for this event, is only a thoroughfare to the grand apartments of the tower, the middle one of whith appears more probably to have been the foom.

fimilar

DIRECTORY, tig

fimilar ones on the north* All thefe towers commu- nicate with each other by a gallery, both on the ground, middle, and upper floor, formed within the im- menfe thicknefs of the walls, in which are cut narrow flips, at convenient diftances, for the difcharge of arrows.

This building founded on a rock. Is the work of Edward I. the conqueror of the principality; the form of it is a long irregular fquare, encloiing an area of about two acres and a half. From the information of the Sebright manufcript, Mr. Pennant fays, that by the united efforts of the peafants, it was ereded within the fpace of one year.

Having fpent near three hours furveying one of the nobleft caftles in Wales, we walked round the environs of the town : the terrace round the caflle walls is ex- ceedingly pleafing, being in front of the Menai, which is here upwards of a mile in breadth, forming a fafe har- bour for craft of five or fix tons, and generally crowded with veflels, exhibiting a pidlure of national induftry; whilft near it a commodious quay prefents an ever- buftling fcene, from whence a confiderable quantity of flate, and likewife copper from the Llanberris mine, is (hipped for different parts of the kingdom.

1 2 Caer*

tiS THE CAMBRIAN

Caemanron may certainly be confidered as one of the bandfomeft and largcft towns in North^Waks; and under the patronage of Lord Uxbridge pramifcs to be^ came fttll more populous and extenfive : his Lordfliip, vre were given to underftand by our landlord, intends to ered fea-baths ; and by this well-planned improve- ment, induce company to refort here during the fum- mer months.

Several excurftons may be made from Caernarvon with great fatisfaAion to the Tourift ; the principal of which is a vifit to

PLAS-NEWYDD,

the elegant feat of Lord Uxbridge, fltuated in the lile of Anglefey, and diftant about fix miles from Caernarvon : if the wind and tide prove fovorable, the pi^urefque fcenery of the Menai, will be viewed to great advantage, by hiring a boat at the quay.* But if this moft ad- vifeable plan Ihould not be approved of, the walk to the Mol-y-don Ferry, about five miles on the Bangor road, will prove highly gratifying : the Menai, whofe banks are fludded with gentlemens* feats, appearing fcarcely vifible between the rich foliage of the oak, which luxu-

- The hire of a boat from fcven ftilUD^t and fix-peace to balf-a-guinei*

riates

BIRECTORT.

117

riates to the water's brink, is filled with vefiels, whojfe g^ ftretmersy glittering to the iun«-beaai, prefent lo Che eye a conftant, moving objefl ; whilft the voice of the failors» exchanging fome falute with the paffing veflel, is gently wafted on the breeze.

Croffing the ferrjr, we Toon reached the antient refi« dence of the Arch*Druid of Britain, and whem was formerly ftationed the moft celebrated of the antient Bri-* tifli Academies ; from this circumftanoe^ many places in this ifland ftill retain their original appelhtion, as Myfy^ rim^ the Place of Studies ^ Cm- Edris^ the City of Aftronomyi drrig Beutfyn^ the Aftionomer's Circle. The ihore to the right foon brought us to the Planta- tions of Plis-Newydd, confifting chiefly of the moft ve« oerable oaks, and nobleft ab in this part of the country*

<* Superior to the pow'r ** Of all the warring winds of heaven they rift; " And from the ilormy promontory tower, '^ And tofs their giant arms amid the ikies ; '< While each aiTailing blail increafing ilrength fapplles/'

BSATTIX*8 MinfireU

Beneath their << broad brown" branches, we difco-

vered feveral orMikcbs^ the monuments of Druidical

fuperftitioR ; feveral flones of enormous fixe fupport

I3 two

il8 THE CAMBRIAN

two Others placed horizontally over them.* For what purpofe thefe antient relicks were originally ereded, it was not for us puifne antiquarians to difcufs, and with eager impatience we hurried to vifit the noble manfion, which has not yet received the finifliing ftroke of the architedl; fufficient however is accompHfhed to form a conje£lure of its intended fplendor and magnificence. The whole is built, ftables included, in a Gothic ca(^ tellated form, of a dark flate-coloured ftone j on enter- ing the veftibule, we> for a fliort time,* imagined our- felves in the chapel, a miftake, though foon difcovered, yet liable to happen to any vifitor; the ceiling having Gothic arches, with a gallery fuitable to it, and feveral niches cut in the fide walls : we were next .conduced through a long fuite of apartments^ the'd^figdbf them all equally convenient and elegant. The landfcape from the Gothic windows is both beautiful and fublime; a noble plantation of trees, the growth of ages - the winding ftrait of the Menai, gay with veflels pafiing and repaffing ; and beyond this tranquil fcene, the long range of the Snowdon mountains ihooting into the clouds, the various hues of whofe features appear as beautiful, as their magnitude is fublime. The houfe is prote£ted

* " The eaftern feems originally to have confifted of feven ftones, fix* *< uprights fupportifig an inunenfe fuperincumbent one, (with 'its- flat << face lying upon them) thirteen feet long, nearly as fflttch broad, and «' four feet thick," Warkir's Second JVM.

from

DIRECTORY. \ig

from the encroachment of the fea, by a ftrong parapet embattled wall ; in fine, this magnificent feat of Lord Uxbridge, feems to poflefs many conveniencies peculiar to its iituation : the warm and cold baths, conftantly filled by the Menai, are fequeftered and commodious, and every apartment of the houfe is abundantly fup- plied with water.*

Being unavoidably prevented vifiting the celebrated Paris mountain, the property of Lord Uxbridge and the Rev. Mr. Hughes, we again returned to the Hotel, at Caernarvon, purporting to ftay the following day, (Sunday) for the purpofe of making a ftriA en- quiry into the religious fe£t, fettled here, and in many parts of Wales, called Jumper s.\ The account we had received from our landlord^ we imagined was

* In the time of the Romans, this ifland was called, by the Britons, Mona} but becoming fabje£l to the Engliih, in the time of Egbert, it was afterwards termed JngU^ea^ or the £ngliihman*8 Iflaod. See Rowi. amdU Mon^ Ant* p. xys, 173*

"t* Before the Author of this Itinerary propofed publifliiDg this Tour through the Cambrian territories, he was induced to fend an account of this extraordinary (e£l to the Gentleman's Magazine, (July, 1799, p. 579*) This is, therefore, only to be confidered as a repetitipn ; with the addition of a brief extract from the two fubfequent letters, (September, 1799, p. 741, and November, p. 938,] given to the public by diftuent hands, through the medium of the Gentleman's Magazinet

1 4 exag-

180 THE CAMERlrAN

exaggerated^ and this more ftrongly induced us to vifit the chapeU that we might be enabled^ in future^ to contradift this ridiculous report.

At fix in the evening the congregation afiembled, and on our entrance into the chapel^ we obferved on the north fide, from a fort of ftage or pulpit, ereded on the occafion, a man^ in appearance, a common day- labpurer» holding forth to an ignorant and deluded multitade. Our entrance at firft, feemed to excite a general diflatisfadion ; and our near neighbours, as if confcious of their eccentricities, muttered bitter complaints againft the admittance of ftrangert^ The chapel, which was not divided into pews> and even deftitute of feats^ contained near an hundred people ; half way round was ereSed a gallery. The preacher continued raving, and, indeed, foaming at the mouth, in a manner too. (hocking to relate: - he allowed fainlirelf no time to breathe, but feemingly intoxicated, uttered the moft difoial howls and groans imaginable, which were anfwered by the congregation, fo loud, as oecaftonally to drown even the voice of the preacher. At laftf being nearly exhatifted by continual vocifera- tion, and fainting from exertion, he funk down in the pulpit: the meeting, however, did not difperfe; a pfalm was immediately fung by a num^ wbO| we imaN gine, officiated as clerk, accomptoied by the whole

congre-

DIRECTORY. 12t

congregation. The pfalm bad not continued long, before we obferved part of the afleoibly, to our great furprife, jumping in fmall parties of three^ four^ and fooietimes five in a fet, lifting up their hands, beat- ing their breads^ and making the moft horrid gefti- culations. Each individual feparately jumped, regu- larly fucceeding one another, while the reft genenlly alEfted the jumper by the help of their hands* The women always appeared more vehement than the mciit and infinitely furpafled them in numbers) feeming to endeavour to excel each other in jumping, fcream- ing, and howling. We obferved, indeed, that many of them loft their ihoes, hats, and bonnets, with the utmoft indifference, and never condefcended to fearoh after them; in this condition, it is not unufual to meet them jumping to their homes. Their meetings are twice a week, Wednefdays and Sundays* Having accidentally met with a gentleman, at the Hotel, a native of Siberia, we invited him to our party, And, induced by curiofity, he readily accompanied us to the chapel. On the commencement of the jumping^ he in- treated us to quit the congcegation, exclaiming^ «« Good '< God ! I for a moment forgot I was in a Chriftlaa « country; the dance of the Siberians, in the woffldp << of the Lama, with their ihouts and gefticulations, is << not more horrid V* This cbfervation fi> forcibly ftruck me, that I could not avoid Inierting it in my note-book.

With

122 THE CAMBRlAbT

With difguft we left the chapeU and were given to underftand, by our landlord, they celebrate a particu- lar day every year, when inftances have been known of women dying by too great an exertion ; and fainting is frequently the confequence of their cxceiEve jumping.

This fc€t is by no means confined to the town of Caernarvon, but in many villages, and in feveral mar- ket towns, both in North and South Wales,* they have eftabliflied regular chapels. <« They have" (fays a correfpondent to the Gentleman's Magazine,t} ** periodical meetings in many of the larger towns, to *< which they come from thirty to forty miles round. << At one, held in Denbigh, about laft April, there ^ were, I believe, upwards of four thoufand people, << from dilFerent parts. At another, held in Bala^ «< foon afterwards, nearly double that number were << fuppofed to be prefent.'' The laft number appears rather to be exaggerated, though the latter, being dated from Denbigh, ibould be confidered as authoritative.

Another correfpondent to the Gentleman's Maga- zine, gives the following information refpeding the fea : «« That they are not a diftina fcft, but Methodiftsy

- I have fince underftood, that they havp a chapd at Caennaxthen. f September, 1799, p. 7411

«of

DIRECTORY. I23

<<ofthe fame perfiiaiion as the late Mr. Whitfidd; << for though there are fevend congregations of Wif^ «< Uyan Mnbodijls^ in this country, there is no fuch ^< cuftom amongft them. But jumping during reli- ve gious worfliip is no new thing amongft the other << party, having (by what I can learn) been pradifed *< by them for many years paft. I have ieen fome of << their pamphlets, in the Welch language, in which << this cuftom is juftiiied by the example of David, «< who danced before the ark 3 and of the lame man, << reftored by our bleiled Saviour, at the gate of the <« Temple, who leaped for joy." How far this gentle- man's account may be accurate, I leave for others to decide \ it is certainly to be lamented, in a country where the Chriftian Religion is preached in a ftile of the greateft purity and fimplicity, that thofe poor igno- rant deluded wretches ihould be led to a form of wor- fliip fo difibnant to the Eflabliihed Church of England, and, indeed, by a poor ignorant fellow, devoid of edu"< cation, and devoid of fenfe.

The fame road we had fo much admired the pre-« ceding Saturday, foon brought us to

BANGOR,

the fuppofed fcite of the Bovium, or Bonium, a Roftian

ftation.

lft| THE CAMBRIAN

ftatioii) and celebrated for the moft antient Britiih monafleryi which contained two thoufand four hundred monks : it hat long retained its Britiih name» Bangor^ or Bmubir^ iignifying << a beautiful quire i** an appeU lation it juftly merits. The fituation is deeply fe^ eluded, << far from the buflle of a jarring world/' and muft hare accorded well with monaftic melancholy; for the Monks, emerging from their retired cells, might here indulge in that luxurious melancholy, which the profpe£k infpires, and which would (both the afperities which the fevere difcipline of fuperftition inflifted on them. The fituation of Banchorappears more like a fcene of airy enchantment, than reality, and the refidences of the canons are endeared to the votaries of landfcape by the profped they command. On the oppofite Ihore, the town of Beaumaris h ftrag- gling up the fteep declivity, with its quay crowded with veiTels, and all appeared buftle and confufion; the contraft which the nearer profpeA infpired, was too evident to efcape our notice, where the

Oak* whofe boughs were mofs'd with age. And high top bald with dry aadquity,

afforded a feat for the contemplation of the wide cx- panfe of the ocean, which is fccn beyond the little liland of Puflin, or Pricftholm; fo called, from the

quantity

DIKECTOllY. 1^5

quantity of birds of that fpecies, which refort here in the fuihiner-months.

The cathedral has been built at different times, but no part very antient ; it was made an epifcopal fee, about the time of the conqueft : the church was burnt down by Owen Glendwr, in the reign of Henry IV. the choir was afterwards built by Bifliop Henry Dene,^ between 1496 and 1500 ; the tower and nave by Bifll^ Skevington, 1532. The whole is Gothic trchitac*^ ture, with no other particular ornament to diftinguifli it from a common Eoglifh parifh churchy Tbcfe un^ however, feveral bilhopsf buried in the choir. I couU dwell with pleafure on the pi<^refque beauties of dlit little epifcopal fee ; but a repetition of the fame epithets granJy bedutifkl^ fuhlime^ fim^ with a long catalogue^ Which muft heceflarily occur, would appear tautolo** gous on paper, though their archetypes in nature wouU

- OrDeaae*

|* As fiom aegleft we did not tnnfcribe the names of the feiA»pi» it may not be deemed improper to infieit the foUowiof pafla^c from » veU« knowa Author: "Here tre moaumeats for Biihops Glynn, J550| <<Robinfon, 1584; Vaughan, 15975 Rowlands, 16165 Morgan, 1673; ** and one with a croTs iletiri in the fouth tranfept, aCcribed to Owe« ** Oleadwr 5 but as he was huried at Mooiogton, in Heirford&ire, wfaevt '< he died, I ibould rather aicribe it to iom^ of th« eartter biAopd| Ux. <' Pennant ^ives it to Owen Cwyaaed/*

aflume

It6 THE eAMBRtA!^

afltime new colours at every change of pofition of the beholder. From this retirement, a ferry-boat fooa conveyed us to

BEAUMARIS,

the largeft and beft built town in Anglefea^ where the fame bufy fcene occurred. Having taken a Ihorc furvey of Baron Hill, the feat of Lord Bulkley, com- manding a fine profped of the ocean, with the huge promontory of Pen-mawn-maur, we were ibon con- vinced, that there was nothing to require a longer ftay $ and returning to Bangor, we purfued the road to Con- way. About two miles on our left, we palTed the Park and Caftle of Penrhyn, the feat of Lord Penrhyn: this has lately been confiderably enlarged and repaired, un- der the judicious diredion of Mr. Wyat. The en-^ trance is remarkably elegant, refembling a triumphal arch* This manfion enjoys a boundlefs profpeA of the ocean on one fide, appearing but feebly reflrained by a long trad of fcarcely vifible coafl on the other ; in front, the flat Ifland of Anglefea, the lofty Pen- mawn-mawr, and the extenfive point of Caernarvon- Ihire: whilft the neat Church of Landegai forms a nearer object for admiration. We foon reached the dark lowering promontory of Pen-mawn-mawr, about

eight

DXRECTORY* i2J

eight miles from BaQgor, riling perpendicularly, in a mafly wall, to the height of one thoufand four hundred feet : huge fragments of ihattered rock are fcattered by the fide of the road, and a wall, fcarcely five feet high, alone protects a carriage from the fieep precipice; which, from the flightnefs of the foundation, has even fallen down in many parts. In this awfully fublime fituation we remained for fome time, afionifhed at the bold protuberance of the rocks, which Teemed to proje<% their dark fides, to augment the idle roar of the waves,

Purfuing a good turnpike-road, we foon came in fight of the hoary towers of

CONWAY CASTLE.

An air of proud fublimity, united with fingular wild« nefs, charadterifes the place. The evening was far ad- vanced s and part of its ruins were Ihining with the purple glow of the fetting fun, whofe remaining fea- tures fiood in darkened majefty, when we entered this monument of defolation. Faffing over a plank, origi- nally the fcite of the draw-bridge, we came into the outward court, ftrongly defended with battlements ; from thence w& examined the grand entrance of the caftle, with fcveral abutments projefting forward, fimi-

lar

Itt THS CAMBHIAN

kr in ftile to Ciemarvon, On die feotfa fide of the court if the grtnd hall, meAfuringan hundred and thirty feet bj thirty«-two» with eight light Gothic arches^ five of which are ftill in good condition* On one end is the chapel with a large window, a beautiful fpecimen of Gothic architedure. It is fiMinded on the folid rock, hj Edward I. in the year 1284: the walls are from eleven to fifteen feet thick : all the towers are defended by fmaller round ones, projefting two or three feet over^ with a regular communication round the whole cafUe by galleries, on the fame plan as at Caernarvon. The fleps are decayed and broken, and the loofenefs of the ftones rendered a footing very tnfecure ; but, im- pelled by an irrefiftible curiofity, we afcended the mod perfeft tower, and an extenfive profped prefented itfelf to our view. The foundation of one of the principal towers, looking towards a fmall river, which here joins the Conway, has lately given way, and torn down with it part of the building ; the remainder now hangs in an extraordinary manner. The whole town is inclofed within ftrong walls, and defended by a number of towers, which communicate with the caftle by a gal- lery; there are likewife feveral gate- ways, at certain fliftances.

The antient Church next attra^ed our attention ; but did not detain us long, as the monuments for

the

oiRECTORY.' > tzg

the Wynnes^ are the only things worthy of inffiedioii. From thcnee we furveyed the remains of the College^ which in the reign of Edward I. was intended, fof the * inftrudion of youth : it is now in complete ruins : the workmanfhip curious, with feveral fcu)pturei arms. In this town is an antient houfe^ bntlt ia the form of a quadrangle, by the Wynnes, in the time of Elizabeth) now inhabited by poor families. Thishoufe is adorned, after the fantaftical fafliioo of the times, in which it was ere^d 3 the roof is Angularly carved, and the front decorated with the arms of England, with feveral curious crefts, birds, and beafts : it bears the date of 1585. The arms of Elizabeth are carved over the door, fronting the ftreet.

The trade of Conway confifts in the exportation of flate, and copper from the Llandidno mines, from whence the fineft fpecimens of the Malachite copper is brought. The town and caftle of Conway are feen to great advantage in croffing the river, which .is here nearly a mile over, and at high water waflies the walls of that mafly ruin: in the middle of the channel is a fmall rocky ifland. We obferved, from this iituation, the two caftles, called Bodfcaleen and Dyganwy ; the fmall remains of the latter fland on a high rock above the river s the former is a beautiful feat of the Mof- tyns.

K We

IgO tHB CAMBRXAH

aggsaaeaaasaaaaggg aaaaaaaaasaaaa -

We were foon tranfported into Denbighlhire ; an extenft?e profped of the ocean prefented itfelf before us, and we difcovered the mountains of the Ifle of Man, which could fcarcely be diftinguiflied from the clouds of Heaven, and the waves of the fea* In defcending a hilli about two miles from the neat bathing-town of

ABERGELE,

we obferved, on our right, two immenfe caverns, about half way up the mountain ; they are called Cavern-ar- ogo,and run four or five hundred yards into the ground ; but their real extent has never yet been afcertained with accuracy. From thefe mountains, vaft quantities of lime are Slipped for Liverpool, and many parts of England i they are faid to be inexhauftible.

Abergele, fituated on the edge of Rhuddlan Marfh, is a fmall neat town, of one ftreet, reforted to in the fummer-feafon for bathing* The fands afford ex- cellent walking; in the evening we lingered on the beach for a confiderable time, enjoying the calm, but cheerful beauty of Nature, and inhaling the pure &a« bree2e-»fpr»

'*The

DIRECTORY. I3I

** The wind was ha(h'd» '' And to the beach each fiowly-lifted wave, *' Creeping with filver curl, juft kift the Ihore, - " And flcpt in filcncc/*

Ma80N*s Garden^

With pleafure, mixed with reverential awe, we trod Rhuddlan Marfli, fo celebrated in the annals of biftory. Here the ill-fated Richard the Second was betrayed into the hands of Bolinbroke, and taken prifoner to Flint : here the famous King^ of Mercia met his un- timely death : here the Welfh, under the command of Caradoc, in the year 795, were defeated in a conflif): with the Saxons, and their leader flain in the adlion. This memorable and tragical event is handed down to pofterity, by an ancient celebrated ballad, called Morva Rhuddlan^ or the Marfli of Rhuddlan, compofed by the bards on the death of Prince Caradoc.

The ground we trod, connected with fo many events, revived in our minds, the memory of paft ages, a feries of hiftorical events came to our recoIIe£tion ; events, that are now fo diftant, as almoft to be obliterated from the page of hiftory. PafEng over a bridge of two ar- ches, thrown over the river CI wyd, wc entered

- Offa.

K 2 RHUD-

13* THE CAMBRIAN

RHUDDLAN,

once the largeft and moft rcfpcStMt town in Morth- Wales. Walking over the ruins of the caftle, I lecurred, by a natural afibciatton of ideas, to the timet, when the Parliament-houfe, the halls, and courts echoed with the voices of thofe, who have long fince been fwept from the earth, by the unerring hand of death. One folitary Gothic window is now only remaining, to diftinguifh the old Parliament^houfe, where Edward the Firft inftituted that famous code of laws, under the title of the Statuti efRhuddiau^ from a neighbouring barn; andy what once contained the Parliament of England, now contains nothing but bark for the fupply of a tan-yard.

The old caftle is built of red done; it coniifts of a fquare arqa, ftroogly fortified with a wall : this court we entered through the grand gate-way, between two round towers : the oppoiifie . fide correiponds. The whole is encircled by a deep^entrenchment, iaced with ftone on the river fide, with two fquare towers^ one of which ftill remains.

The road from hence to

ST.

DIRECTORY. I33

I'l I - gsaaaasaaBasaeeaaga

ST. ASAPH,

affords a moft rich and bcaatiful walk^ extending along the celebrated vale of Clwyd. This rich tra£t of Iand» called, 7Jr Edm $/ North^ff^aks^ extends in length about twenty-five milest end in breadth about eightt The neighbourhood of Ruthin affords the beft view of this vale;, though it is by no means. fo interefting and romantic, as the vale of Glamorganfhire, yet its high Ctfltivationf »nd pi^iirefquet but moderate height of the hillSf rifing on each fide gf the river Clwyds renders the fcenery pleafing ; its chief produce is corn. 3oth the fe vales claim the attention of the traveller i and both have ^o boaft of particular beauties. One mile from St» Afaph, we pafled* on our rigbt> the elegant feat of Sir Edward Lloyd. We ftill followed the banks of the Clwyd, and at the fartheft extremity a light elegant bridge, of feven arches, with the darip Tpwer of St. Afaph's Cathedral, rifing on an eminence juft over it, gave a pidlurcfque effect to the whole fcenery.

The town itfelf is built on a hill, in one ftrait line, with a few neat houfes. The Cathedral naturally de»- mands attention; the infide is remarkably neat and elegant, entirely Gothic, with the ceiling of chefnut, and open ribs, like the ikeleton of a fliip : it has lately K 3 been

134 THE CAMBRIAN

been repaired by Mr. Turner, architeft of Whit-- church, at the great expence of two thoufand four hun-> dred pounds. The monument of David ap Owen, Bilhop of this dioccfe, was particularlyp ointed out to us. The Bilhop's Palace has been entirely rebuilt by the prefent diocefan. The Choir confifts of a Bifliop^ Dean, fix Canons, /even Prebends, and four Vicars. There are no monuments in the church-yard, and few of any importance within its venerable walls.

St. Afaph receives its derivation from its patron, who eftabliflied a Bilhop's fee here, in the year 590 : but in Britifh it is named Llan^Elwy^ on account of the con- flux of the Elwy with the Clywd, It is fmgular, that the Bifhop's jurifdi£lion extends over no entire county, but part of Flintfliire, Denbighfliire, Montgomeryfliircy Merionethfhire, and Shropfliire. j

The trafi of land extending from hence to

DENBIGH,

is extremely rich in wood, pafture, and corn, but very deficient in water; direSly contrary to the rugged fcenes of Caernarvonlhire; the fummits of whofe moun- tains appeared ftill vifible in the diftant retrofped,

mingling

DIRECTORY. 135

mingling with the clouds. About a mile irom St. Afaph) we were particularly pleafed with an old oak> whofe arms extending entirely aerofs the road, formed a moft elegantly fhaped arch*

Denbigh, fituated nearly in the centre of the vale of Clwyd^ is a well-built town, ftanding on the declivity of a hill. A large manufaftory of ihoes and gloves is here carried on, and annually fupplies London with a vaft quantity. The ruins of the caftle, ftill remaining on a rock« commanding the town, are too celebrated in hiftory, and too cruelly (battered by^the ravages of war, to be palled unnoticed. The principal entrance forms a fine Gothic arch, with the fiatue of King Edward the Firft its founder, above it, in an elegant nich, curioufly carved, encircled with a fcjuare f(one frame. No part of this caftle is perfed^ but the huge thick fragments, which are fcattered in the moft ex- traordinary and fantaftical manner, feem to tell its former magnificence ; and a prefent view of things, fuch as they are, with a retrofpe^l of what they origi- nally were, fpreads a gloom over the mind, and inter- rupts the pleafiire of contemplation ; yet ftill, the An- gular chara£ter of this ruin is particularly interefting. Mafies of wall ftill remain, the proud eiEgies of finking greatnefs; and the fliattered tower feems to nod at every murmur of tt^e blaft, and menace the obferver with im- K 4 m^-

236 THE CAMBRIA]^

mediate annihilation* Amongft tbcfe ruips we lingered till the whole was fil vered by the pale rays of the iiioon«i To form a conjedure, on the extent of its apartments, is now impoffible^ but it is thus defcribed by Ldandy

in his Itinerary :

^* The caftelle is a vtry large thingei and hath many << toures yn it 3 but the body of the workc was nty^ir « finilhed.

<< The gate-houfe is a marvellous ftrong and great '^ peace of work^ but the fafiigia of it were never <« finifhed. If they had beene, it might have beenc^ <^ countid among the moft memorable peaces of workya << in England. It hath diverle wardes and dyverfe port« << colicis. On the front of the gate is (et the image of <* Henry Lacy, earl of Lincoln, in his fiately long <* robes.

<< Th^r^ i^ another very high towrei and larg, in the « caftelle caiAllid the Redde Towre.

<< Som fay, that the erle of Lincoln's funne feUe into cc the caftelle welle, and ther dyed s whereupon he never M paffid to finifch the caftsUe.

<< King Edward the Fourth was befieged in Den-

« bigh

DIRECTORY. %^J

« ^i'gh caAelle, and ther it was paAid between king *< Henry's men and hym that he (hould with life de- (< parte the reaulme, never to returne. If they had << taken king Edwarde there debellatum fuiHet."

The parifli church (lands within the walls of the original town. Below the caftle are the fragments of an old churchy which for particular reaCons, that can-* not now be afcertained, was never iinifhed : it contains nine windows on two iides, with a large and handfomc one on the eail.

The vale of Clwyd ftill retains the charader of luxu- riant fertility s about two miles from hence, in our way to»

RUTHIN,

*< Denbigh, fair emprefs of the vale,'* with its totter- ing towers, formed a moft beautiful landfcape ; whitft the neat little hamlet of Whitchurch peeped from among the pomp of groves. At the fmall village of St. Fyn- pon St. Dyfnog, this curious infcription over a door,

«« Near this place, within a vaalt^

*« There is fuch liquor fix'd, '* Yoq'11 fay that water, hops, and malt,

*- Were never better »ix'd j"

invited

138 THE CAMBRIAN

invited the «« weary-way wanderer," to partake of the ^ood things within : this inclined us to be better ac? quainted with the author of this ixtraordinarj ftanza ; and we intreated the Landlord to be our diredor to the much-efteemed well of St. Dyfnog. Faffing through the cburch-yard, and from thence through the paflage of an alms^houfe, we reached a plantation of trees, with a broad gravel-walk, almoft concealed from day^ garifli light^ by the thick foliage: this brought us to the fountain, encloied in an angular wall, which forms a bath of confiderable fize 5 and fo

--' far rctir'4

'' Among the windings of a woody ysHe, <* By folitude and deep farrounding Ihades^^ *« fiat more by balhful modefty, conceal'd;"

that the «< lovely young Lavinia*' might here plunge into the flood, fecure from the intruflon of Palemon. Many wonderful qualities are attributed to this foun- tain ; but it is more particularly celebrated for the cure of the rheumatifm : the water has no peculiar tafie. We returned by a fubterraneous path under the road, which led to the pleafure-grounds, [adjoining the feat of Major Wylyn,

Several feats were beautifully difperfed on^each fide of the vale j atnong which. Lord Bagot's ^and Lord

Kirk*

DIRECTORY. 139

Ktrkwairs formecl the moft prominent features in the landfcape.

- Ruthin is a large neat town^ only divided from the parifh of Llanruth, by a ftrong ftone bridge : the fctte of the church is extremely pretty,, and is a handfome uiodern edifice : here is a monument to Dr. Ga- briel Goodman, Dean of Weftminfter, in the time of Elizabeth, and likewife a native of this place. A new gaol* has lately been built here by Mr. Turner. The remains of the caftle, at the fouthern extremity of the town, are fcarcely worthy a moment's obfervationi and the fcite of the old chapel is now converted into a bowling-green. Owen Glendwr demoliflied this town by fire, September 20, 1400. In the laft century, the loyalifts fortified the caftle, and fuftained a long fiege in 1646*

We ftill continued flcirting the rich vale of Clwyd; but winding up a fteep hill, overlooking the whole of it, from one extremity to the other, we were relu£bntly compelled to bid a final adieu to all its viftas, hamlets, fieeples; the whole profped, glowing with luxuriance, feemed to afiume frefh beauties, at this our farewell view: the cattle, which were grazing in the fhorii meadows, and beautifully contrafted with the ripening corn, appeared more animated ^ and we difcovered, or

thought

I40 THE CAMBRIAK

thought we difcovered, an additional number of ViU lages, peeping from the woody ikirts of the flopiog hills. From this point the vale is certainly feeq to great advantage. To give a fiill greater efie£l, a thUn* der-ftonn came rolling onj and the clouds were

** Sileot borne along, heavy and fIow>

<« With the big fbres of beaming oceans chargM."

This ftorm compelled us to feek for a ihelter, in a mi* ferable pot-houfe$ but the civility of the landlady fully compenfated for its want of accommodations. The cfieAs of the ftorm rendered the remainder of our jour* Bey much more agreeable, and the heat lefs opprefive : a dull, uninterefting road continued, till we arrived within four or five miles of

WREXHAM.

The oofltraft was too (Iriking to efcape our notice; but having climbed a fteep eminence, the eye com* landed an almoft boundleft range of land; and the faint colour of the bills, retiring in the diftance, wis jbeauiifuliy combined with the mellow green of nearer woods. The counties of Chefliire, Shropfliire, and a 490iifiderable part of Wales, wene extmdedy like a map, for (Our mffudiop-, the town of Witxtomt rifing in

the

DIRECTORY. 141

the bottom^ animated the fcene, with its noble tower,- overtopping the numberlefs little fteeples near it« Clofe to the road) we obfenred feverai coal and lead mineS) and a melting houre for forming lead into pigs; thefe works belong to Mr. Wilkinfon.

The dirty out-flcirts of Wrexham, by no means pre- poflefled us in favor of the town, but viewing it more leifurely, we can (afely affirm, that it' is not only the largeft, but the beft built town in Wales.

To the kind attentions of a clergyman in the neigh* bourhood of Wrexham, we are much indebted^ and under his diredions, we furveyed the lions with great advantage. Our friendly Ciceroni firft conduced us to the church, an elegant building of the reign of Henry VIL The tower is an hundred and forty feet high, and efteemed « a beautiful fpecimen of the « florid, or reformed Gothic, which prevailed about <« that time 3" all the figures and ornaments are well defigned, and ftill in high prefervation. The infide is not lefs elegant; it has lately been neatly repaired^ with a good gallery and organ : the painted altar piece is well executed. On the left, facing the altar, rs a very handfome. monument by Roubilliac, to the me- mory of Mrs. Mary Middleton ; both the defign, and execution, refleft the higheft credit on the fculptor ;

the

14t THE CAMBRIAN

'i i sa^saaas mssssssssssssssssk

the fubjcA is the laft day ; at the found q{ the trum- pet, a tomb of black marble burfts open, and a beautiful female figure, cloathed in white, appears rifing from it, juft awoke from the fleep of death; her form dignified ; candour, innocence, and celeftial joy. ihine in her countenance, and gives it the moft feel- ing and animated expreflion : in the back ground, an obelifk, fuppofed to be ereded to her memory, is rent afunder; above, an angel, enveloped in a doud, is pointing to brighter fcenes. In this church are two other monuments, executed by the fame ce- lebrated mafter, in memory of fome of the Middle- tons s their defigns, though ftriking, cannot be com- pared to his laft day. Our worthy condudor, perceiving we were great amateurs of paintings, and careful that nothing of confequence fhould be pafled unnoticed by us, particularly wi(hed us to examine the performance of a young artift, then at Wrexham: a copy amongft i>thers, of a painting of Rembrant*s, taken by Mr. Allen, from a celebrated picture, in the poifeffion of Lord Craven, was moft ingenuoufly ex-r ecuted ; the fubjeiSi is an old man, inftruding a young boy; the attention of the latter, moft admirably pre-r ferved; the head of the former, and the hand particu-r larly, moft highly finifbed. Without any exaggeration, this painting would do credit to the moft fcientific painter, and be efteemed invaluable s it is therefore to

be

DIRECTORY.

^43

be hoped, from the hands of fo young. an artift as Mr.- Allen, that this performance will be difpofed of, where' judges of painting may view it with a critic's eye^ and recommend its merits to thofe who can afFord to en- - courage induftry and ingenuity.

Our friend's invitation to his hofpitable parfonage, and agreeable family, was too kindly urged, poffibly to* be refufed^ and in our way to

MARCH WIEL,

we vifitcd the feat of P. York, Efq. The grounds' and plantations, are very extenfive; and the bowery walk, while they afFord refrefliing ihelter from a fum- mer's fuo, allow partial views of the counties of Chefhire and Shropihire; with the Weeakin and Brydyork hills : in fliort, through thefe groves ~ ^""^

«' How long fo e'er the wanderer roves, each ftep ^* Shall wake frefh beauties, each (hort point prefents *' A diiFerent pidiure; new, and yet the fame.

The tower of Wrexham, and the town itfelf, as occa- fion ofiers, is a nearer, and an additional charming obje£l. In an alteration of the walks a few yearsr ,/

fmce, were difcovered below the furvace of the ground, ^_

the

/y

144 THB CAMBRIAKT

thelhftttered walls of an antient caftk; there frag* mcnts Mr. Yorke has left unimpaired, and they re- iBaia a momgito of the viciffitudes of fortune. The ennenchmcnts round the caftle» and likewife the ori* ginal fcite of the keep, are ftill very apparent.

The faoufe itfelf is very indifierent : Watt's dyke runs through part of the grounds. In a parlour op« pofite the garden, we obferved fome fine paintings of the Hardwick family. Mr. Yorke has dedicated ano- ther room to the royal tribes of Wales,* where the arms and lines of the defcent, as far as they can be traced, are emblazoned and hung up.

In the coolnefs of the evening, our hofpitable hoft, conduAed us to the neat and elegant little country church of March Wiel, lately cafed with flone $ and in the year 1788, ornamented with a new painted window by Mr. Eginton, of Birmingham; the twenty-one compartments contain the arms and crefts of the Mid- dletons and Yorks, with rich tranfparent borders. This window is undoubtedly very elegant, but the fubjeA in my own opinion, more adapted to a hall,

- Siace ovr vifit to this fpot* Mr, Yorko hai pubU/M a moft eicel« kot and valitabU hook, uittled, j§n B'^ory of tbt Rtyal Trihcs of H^ale$^

than

DIRECTORY. 14g

than an ornament to a church window. The high tower appears not in proportion with the body of the church.

Deeply impreffed with fentiments of gratitude to- wards our Reverend friend, and fenfible of his hofpita- CP'i lity and kind in tentions , we took leave of him early-the next morning, and purfued our route to

RUABON,

purporting to vifit Wynftay Park, the much admired feat of Sir Watkin Williams Wynne. On leaving Marchwiel, a moft delightful profpe£^ fpread before us 5 in the retrofpeft, the tower of Wrexham Church brought to our recollection the views of Magdalen Col* lege Tower, in the vicinity of Oxford.

The park of Wynftay is well ftocked with red deer ; excellent plantations; and the houfe is an elegant modern ftrudlure, but nothing in the infide particularly deferving the attention of the traveller. In thegrounds, the chief obje£t, worthy of infpe£l;on, is a very elegant obeli£k) now ere^ng to the memory of the prefent Sir Watkin's father. The height is an hundred and one fcetj the bafe of it fixteen, and the top nine, built with

L ii^*

/ *

14^ THS CAMBHYAK

wmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmitmmmBammtfk

fre»-ftone, and fluted: rotindthctopisfiDnnedagalktyt with a handroiM urn in bronze^ after an elegant dc-> iign, caft in London ; round the bafe of the colunm^ are wreaths of oak leaves, in the beaks of four eagles, caft in the fame metal. On the fouth-weft fide is a door, with a flair-cafe within the obelifk leading to th« top: we regretted that the key could not be procured^ as the profpeA firo«a that eminence muft be extremriy fine. On the other three fides, an appropriate infcrip* tion, in Engliih, Welch, and Latin, is to be carved.

Through this park runs 0^*s Dyke, thrown up by the great King of Mercia, from whence it derives it9 name, to check the irruptions of the Welch, mark the confines of each country, and give greater fecurity to his own. It begins at fiafingwerk, in Flintfliire, and ends at Chepftow, in Monmouthfhire $ extending a line of not lefs than one hnndred and fifty miles, over rocks and mountains. Thisfgreat undertaking ftill retains the antient name of Clawdb Offa^ or 0£Fa's Dyke.

Faffing through the little village of Ruabon, fituated at the extremity of Sir Watkin's Park, avery inteieftiog and pidurefque country, compofed of rich vallies, and gently floping hills, prefented it&lf to our view ; and; at fome diftance^ we foon caught a glimpie oS Chirk

Caftlo

Caftld, a m)bK feat of fhe ftmfly of Ae Myddleton^s, ftanding On an eminence. Pour miles from Llangol- len', we enquired f6r the wonderful

POTfTCYSYLLTY,*

(pronounced Poftty Cafulu) of famous aqueduft, now creeling over the river Dee, and found ourfelves within half a mile of this great and aftonifliing undertaking. It is not yet finiflied ; eleven pillars are already corn- pleated, built of fand'y ()!one,.whichris dug on the fpot ; they are fifteen yards afunder,. and their height, from the bed of the river, one hundred and twenty feet : over the whole is to rtm an iron trough, fufficiently deep for barges of confiderable burthen* On the middle co- lumn is the following infcription :

-*' The nobility and gentry of

The adjacent counties^

Halving united thdr efibrts with

The great commepcial intereft* of this coantry.

In creating an interconvfcr aiid union between

£ng;)and and WaSes>

Ey a navigable communication of the three iSvers,

S^em, Deey and Mercey ;

* Eni^ufre the way to this aqtiedu^^ at the turnpikej about four milca Aom Lkngollth.

L2 For

14^ THB CAMBHIAM

For the mutaal benefit of tgricaltare and trade>

Caas'd the firft ftone of this aqaeduft of

PONTCYSYLLTY

To be laid on the ajth day of Jaly« lc.DCC.xcv*

When Richard Myddleton, of Chirk, Efq. M. ?.

One of the original patrons of the

EUefmcrc canal.

Was lord of this manor.

And in the reign of our Sovereign

George the Third;

When the equity of the kws, and

The fccurity of property.

Promoted the general welfare of the nation;

While the arts and fciences flonrilh'd

By his patronage, and

The Gondttdl of civil life was improved

By his example.**

This wonderful aquedudb refle£ls great honour to the undertakers of fo admirable^ as well as valuable enterprize j and, ihould their hazardous fcheme fuc- ceed, the whole nation muft indubitably reap great advantages : feveral columns muft ftill be ereded, be- fore the level can be accompliibed. It is forming over the moft beautiful and romantic part of the river Dee; a bridge likewife, not far from this fpot, adds confi- derably to the beauty of the fcene. Wood, water, and Hoping hills, all combine to render this vale interefling;

feveral

DIRECTORY. 149

feveral detached cottages, are fprinkled through its wooded declivities, and here and there a gentleman'9 feat^i ^< embofomed high in tufted trees/' makes a plea- ling feature, in the fafcinating landfcape. Returning to the turnpike-road, a fhort faunter foon brought us (9 the roQi^tically-fituated town of

LLANGOLLEN,

(pronounced LlangoihUn) completely environed with mountains, with a high hill to our right, bearing 00 its narrow peak the fmall remains of Caftcl Dinas Bran. The bridge, adjacent to the town, thrown over the rapid Dee, confifting of fix arches, and formerly efteemed One of the principal Wonders of Wale^^ by no fpeans anfwered our expedtations, Son^e difficulty, np doubt, attended its firft eredtion, as the foundation is built on the.folid rock : it is now repairing.

The elegant defcription of the valley in the kingdom of Amhara, by Dr. Johnfon, is very applicable to Llan- gollen } for «< all the bleffings of nature feemed here to «< be colleSed, and its evils extrafled and excluded.'* Without a figh of regret, not like the difcoiftented RafTelas, I could here pafs the remainder of my days, <^ in full convi£tion, that this vale contains within its L 3 « reach

150 TH» CAMBJIUIT

'« reapb iH tbn art or nature can heflow ; IcouU fitf «* thofe, wbom fale had excluded from this feat of ** tranquillitjr* as the fport of chance, and the flaves of «< miferjr/' Such is the enviable fituation of Lad|r Eleanor Sutler and Mi(s Ponfonby, who thus veiled ia cbfcurity have fitted up, in a true cbaraderifiic ftil^» an elegant little cottage, at the weft extremity of the town, fituated on a knolcj the two rooms, which are allotted for the tnfpeAion of ftrangers, are very hand* fomely furniflied ; the dining-room is ornamented with drawings, the moil favourite fpots in the vicinitjr being fele^ed as the fubje^s. The window commands a proiped of the mountains, which awfully rife in front. The ftudy, looking on the well-arranged plan- tations of the garden, was appropriately furniihied with a choice coUe&ion of books : we regretted, in the ab* lence of the gardener, that we could not gain admittance to the grounds. The vale of Llangollen, ^nd this enviable retreat, have been the fubjed of much admira- tion both in verfe and profe; and highly deferve the praifes, which have been laviihed upon it.

«« Say, ivyM Valle Crucis ; time'delay'd *f Dim on the brink of Deva'i wand'ring floods*

f« Yoof iv'd arch glitt'ring thro* the tangled (hade, ^' Your grey hills tow'ring o*er your night of woods;

9f Seep m the vale receifes as yoo ftand*

«« And| defblately great, the rifiog figh command ;

" Say,

DIRBCTORT. 15^

*^ Say, lovely ruin'd pile, when former yedrs << Saw yoor pale train at midnight altars bow ^ . *^ Saw fuperftition frown upon the tears

<< That moQm'd the raih, irrevocable vow $ *« Wore one young lip gay Eleanora*s* fmile I ^* Did Zara'sf look ferene one tedious hour beguile?"

The bridge of Llangollen is thus defcribed by the elegant pen of Mr. Pennant:

. i< The bridge, which was founded by the firft John €€ Trevor ^ bifliop of Su JfaphiX who died in i3fS7> is 5< one of the Tri Thlws Cymru^ or three beauties of ^^fVales: but more remarkable for its iituation ihaa <^ ftrudture. It confifts of five arches; whofe wideft << does not exceed twpnty-eight feet in diameter. The y river ufually runs under only one \ where it has << formed a black chafm of vaft depth, into which the ^< water pours with great fury, from a high broken (c ledge, formed in the imooth, and folid rock, which -' compofcs the whole bed of the river. The view <* through the arches, either upwards or downwards, is ** extremely pidturefque.''

Having fatisfied our curiofity, Dinas Bran, or Crow

- Lady Eleanor Butler. f Mifs Ponrooby«>

X WxMi»'» iu Afaph^ p, 5», *S5.

L 4 Caftle,

tgZ THE CAMBKIAM

Caftle, next invited our attention, and having attained the fummit of a fteep and craggy hill, commanding a pleafing view of Llangollen, we arrived at the ruins, which creft this precipice. The remains .of this caftle are now fo trifling, that it fcarcely repays even the en- thufiaft the trouble of afcending ; its appearance is by no means piAurefque, not a tree to give effcA to the crumbling walls i nor has time fpared one of the towers.

It was formerly the refidence of MyfanwyVechan, fo celebrated in verfe. The caftle is built of the ftone which compofes the hill, on which it is ere£ted. The profped is very pleafing. Chirk Caftle, Wynftay Park*, and many other feats of refpe£iability, more particularly confpicuous i great part of the vale, and the meandering courfe of the Dee, may here be traced ; whilft the oppofite hills are (helved oflfin an extraordi- nary and unufual manner, refembling fo many walls, or fortifications. Having defcended this fteep eminence, we continued our route to Valle Crucis Abbey, about two miles diftant from Llangollen. It would be ad- vifable for ftrangers firft to vifit Valle Crucis, and take pinas Bran Caftle in their way back to their inn. The

- From a fecond lUrvey of ray note-book, I perceive, when fpcsJcing of the houfe, I omitted mentioning that there are ieveral family pieces, both of the Wynne and Williams, worthy the infpcffion of the connoif- jeur« The houfe has been built at various times.

tranfmu-

DIRECTORY. I53

tranfmutations of time are frequently ridiculous : the long aifles of this n^onaftery, which were once only refponfive to the flow-breathed chaunt, now repeat the rudediflbnanceofduckSfCowSy and ail manner of poul- try. Inftead of thefe emblems of rufticity, the mind's eye is more accuftomed to appropriate thefe antique edifices to the midnight proceiSon of monks ilTuing from their cells, to perform the folemn fervice. Thefe neglected walls are too deeply-fhrouded in their melan- choly grove of aih- trees, to be feen to advantage; an axe, judicioufly ufed, would be of fervice to the ruin, as the elegant window of the chapel is completely con- cealed by the luxuriant vegetation around y ftill, how- ever, a pleafing melancholy pervades the whole fcene. The abbey is beautifully (kreened^ on all fides, by woody hills, which entirely protect it from the incle« mency of the winter.

This ancient ciftertian monaftery was founded by Madoc ap Griffith Maylor, in the year 1200, and is fometimes called Llan-Egwifte, or Llanegwaft. In this vale is the pillar of Eglwyfeg ; but the country people appeared quite ignorant of its fituation. Re« turning to Llangollen, we purfued the turnpike road t9 (he neat village of

CHIRK,

S54 '^"^ CAMBRIAM

mssssmssssBssssss=sssssssssssssssssssss^ CHIRK.

For fome wty we followed the ftrait and formal oourfii -f a canaly near this, communicating with the Px>nt«y« Cafulte; we again paufed to funrey this wonder-^ ful defign. The vale, on our lefty was indefcribably beautiful $ and over the whole was diffufed the porple glow of the c ven> The profpeA was compofed of the Viiniature parts of the immenie landfcape wte had viewed from Dinas Bran Hill, each of which we now contemn plated feparateljr as a fcene. The moon's checkered gleam befilvered the walls of Chirk Caftle, juft as we entered the Hand Inn, where, after the fatigues of a long walk, we met with excellent accommodations^ when cooiidered as a village.

After breakfaft the next morning, v^e endeavoured to obtain admifion to fee the iniide of Chirk Caftle, but without fucoefs, thou^ now only inhabited by fervants, who were peremptorily commanded to admit no ftran- gers. It is fituated on an eminence, furrounded by a park, and fine plantations, which are very judicioufly laid out ; this elegant manlion has been in the poKffion of the Myddleton family, ever fincc the year 1614. Having gratified ourfelves with a forvey of this noble park| wc returned to the Ofwellry road. Leaving the

village

village of Chirk, we crofled a new bridge, of one arch, elegantly conftruAed : near is another aquedu£l, of con- fiderable extent, nowcredling over this river and valley, which, though very inferior to the Pont-y-Cafulte, is ftilla great undertaidng : it is ieveral hundred yards ill length,^and the brick piers rife fifty or iixty feet above the level ot the water. Near this is a rich coal mine, lately difcovered. From hence to Ofweftry, we tra<- vcrfed a rich enciofed country, and enjoyed a fcene par** ticttlarly pkafing : all the inhabicancs were coHe<^ed^ to gather in the produce of the ripened field ; and

*« Thro* their cheerful band the rural talk

** The rural fcandal, and the rural jeft,

«* Fled harmlefs;"

./

To the traveller and the poet, fuch fcenes afford an ara« pie field for amufement i but waving corn is ill adapted to the canvafs of the painter. About two miles from Ofweftry, we pafied through the little town of

WHITTINGTON.

At Ais pUce was fought the battle between Ofwald, the Chriftian King of the Northumbrians, and Penda, the Pagan King of the Mercians, in which the former ioft his life. An eafy walk foon brought us to

OSWES*

t$€ THE CAMBRIAM

OSWESTRY.

Its only relicks now remaining iu:e the ruins of a cha- pel^ built over a remarkably fine fpring of watery to this was formerly attributed the cure of various difeaieSy jncident hoth^to man and beaft; and though its mi* jacles have long ceafed, yet it ftill bears the name of the faint. The remains of the caftle, fuppoied to have been built at the time of the conqueft, are now alipoft too trivial to be noticed. This town was garrifoned by the King, in the beginning of the civil wars,, but captured in June, 16449 by the Earl of Dentvgb anci General Mytton*

In paffing through the town of Ofweftry, we noticed the church, as being a very neat building ; but either from our own neglefi, or imagining it not to be an* tient, we did not infped the interior. Ofweftry fuf- fered greatly by fire, in the year 1542, and likewifo in 1567.

<« The chirk of St. Ofwalde (fays Leland) is a very << faire leddid chirch with a great tourrid fteple, but it « ftandith without the New Gate i fo that no chirch 5< is there within the towne. This chirch was fome

« time

BIRICTORY.

^57

<< time a monafterie, caullid the fyiiteMpifter. After <* turnid to a paroche chirch, and the perfonage iin«* <* propriate to the abbey of Shreufbyri. The cloifter «< ftoode in hominum memoria ubi monumenta mona- << Chorum. The! place and ftreate wer the cbirch «« ftandithe is caullid Stretllan."

From this place to

LLANYMYNACH,

a continuation of the rich enclofed country, (hewing to advantage the agriculture of thefe parts, attended us^ till we reached the foot of the hill of Llanymynach. From the fummit of this we enjoyed a moft beiutiful and boundlefs profpefl, commanding the whole dome of the fky: all individual dignity was overpowered by the immenfity of the whole view, which confifled more particularly of the rivers Virnwy and Tannad, joining their waters with the Severn ; the lofty water-fall of Piftyll Rhaiadr - the Brcddin hills - and the Ferwyn mountains. The geological obfervations on Llany-* mytiach hill, by Mr. Aikin, are fo accurate, that to attempt any further defcription would be deemed highly prefumptuous in me ; I fhall therefore avail myfelf of an account, fo ably delineated :

f - The

t^9 THZ CABTBItTAM

mmmmmmmamsBsssssssssssaasmamtBsmaxmmm-

^ The. bill of Llanymjnach, is not onljr remarkable '^'for cbe fine pt^fpeSt from its lop, tt k ftiH more -^worthy notice, as containing by far the moS cxten- <^five Umi^f09rh of any in this part oS dieoduntryw- <* The lime of Llai^nnynach fock it in higli mtgutlt << as a manure, and is fcnt by land carriage as fir a^ «< Montgomery^ New-town, and even Llanidloes : it «< fells at the kilns for feven-pence t buAel, and frdn ** thirty to thirty-fix bufhels, are reckoned a waggon- *< load i the coal with which it is burnt, is brought « partly from the neighbourhood of Offweftry, and «« partly from Sir Watkin Williams Wynne's pits, <- near Ruabeaw The lime lies in fltata,. paraUel to -^ the borioon, vavyhlg in thickbeib from- three iniche& ^ to five feet; ic is of an extraordinary Hardnaft^ with: <^ but linde calcarioas fpar, and few ibclla, or other ^ marine esiti^al; its colour reddifli bromi,. burtoingp. c^taalmoft white. Between the ftrata of lime, we M found a very tenacious fmootfa clay, orange coloured' ^ eehrs,* and green plumofe carbonate of copper, or <- malachite. It was in fearch of this copper, that the ** Romans carried on here fuch extenfive works,, of ^ which the remains are flill very vifible: they confift <r of a radge of fcom; twenty to thirty (hallow pits, the <^ hea^ of ni6bifli> from the mouths of which, abound^ «-with) fnall pieces of copper ore^ and' a cave of confi- ne derable dimenfions, ten&iiiattngin aflitf^gnlar wind-» *- «< ing

f^ ing pa&ge^ of unknown lengthy conneded wiAr ^ wbicbi> aie two air ihafts ftill remaining open, and M the appeannces of feveral others, now filled up : iir ^ fomc of thefe canerns are found, large and beautiful ^ fpeciniens of ftala£lite. One of the levds was ex- «< plored fome years ago, and in it was difcovered a ^ ikeleton^ with mining tods, and fame Roman cop-* V per coins. The whole mafs of the hill, feems more «c or lefs impregnated with copper : whenever the fur«» «< face is uncovered, there are evident marks of the << prefence of this metal, and the ftones compofing the «< rampart of OiFa's Dyfce, which encooipafles two fides « of the hill, are in many parts quite covered with ^^ cupTious efflorenfcencii. Between the village' and the ^< rock, pa^ a branch of the EUefmere canal, which, f<. when nav.ig^ble> will add much to the value of thefii << works, by rendering them more acceffible to the fur* «< rounding country, and may induce fbme fpirited ad« << venturer, to recommence a fearch: after copper, «< which, it is evident, was formerly proiccuted with «< confiderable fuccefs."

This description of Llanymynach. hill, ^ pro^ jounce from our own obfervation, to be ib very acM <curate, that the length of the quotation^ will be readilyt excufed. Leaving the pretty village of Llanyinynach^ fituacedQn the banks of tbaVimwy^we refund otie

journey

i60 THB CAMBRXAK

journey to Welch Pool ; the face of the country < pleafing, and we foon reached the Breddin hills, on whofe fummit a column is ereded to commemorate the vidory of Admiral Lord Rodney over the French, in the year 1782. Not far from hence, we pafled a handfome aquedud, admirably conftruded over the river Virnwy, of great ftrength and ftability. The vale of the Severn affords much pifturefque icenej^^', and we at length arrived at

WELCH POOL

Quay, about three miles from that place ; feveral vef- fels were lying here, which carry on a conftant traffic with Worcefter, and the towns fituated on the banks of this noble river. Before our entre into Pool, Powis Caftle appeared on an eminence, immediately riling behind the town, and beautifully backed with a large plantation of trees.

Welch Pool derives its name from a black pool in its neighbourhood } its Welch appellation fignifying, a quagmire or pool, and is one of the five boroughs in Montgomeryfhire, which jointly fend a member to parliament. The town is by no means neat ; it ftands on a low hill| and coafifts of one principal &rect; in

which

DIRECTORY* l^l

which are iituated the new county ball, and market- ^ places. The Severn is navigable within three quar- ters of a mile of this town, and computed not lefs than. two hundred miles from its jundure with the Briftol Channel. It is the great market for the Welch flan- nel, called gwarty or webb, prepared in many parts of Merionethfhire, and generally ufed for foldiers clothes. This trade, however, has of late been very inconfiderable.

Powis Caftle lies to the right, about one mile from Pool, on the ridge of a rock, retaining a mixture of caftle and maniion: it is built of red ftone, and origi- nally contained within its walls two caftles : the en- trance is between two round towers. There are fe- veral family portraits in a long gallery, meafuring one hundred and feventeen feet by twenty :^ it was formerly one hundred and fixty-feven feet long, but an apart- ment has been taken out of one end.f The gardens ftill retain that ftiiF formality, fo much in vogue many years ago ; but the curious water-works, in imitation of the wretched tafte of St. Germain's en Laye, are now

* The meaAirement of this gallery is copied from former tourifts, as fome MS. notes taken on the fpot, relative to this caftle^ and the placet coming under our infpedion^ the two following days> have heen acci- dentally loft.

t See Lord Uttkton't Accoant of Powis Caftle.

M dc.

iCg Tftl €ilMBIIlA<ir

deftroyedk The proTpeft fram the caftle it rerj exlcifr^ fire, comprebending a ricir of Welch Pocdy Vale^ aaA Freiddin Hills.

From hence to

MONTGOMERY,

the EUefmere Canal accompanied us part of the way s and at length, after a fttigning iralk, we reached die Green Dragon, a Anall and comfortable inn. The fctte of Monrgomery is ifcry pleafing, on a gentle afcenty and backed by a fteep hill, beautifuUy doatbed with the rich plantations belongiag to Lord Powttk The town itfidf is a ftraggling place, and little to re* commend it. The remains of the caftle are now too triling, to intereft the pafling trareller.

In the year X094, this cafile was gallantly ddended by the Normans ; but the Welch, at laft, finding meaas to undermine the walls, took it by ftorm ; «id, after putting the garrifon to the fword, levelled that fortrefs to the ground. It was afterwards rebuilt by Henry III. in the year X2ai, as a check to the incurfioos of the Welch ; but a fecond time razed to the ground by Llewellyn the Great, PHncs of Wales; it afterwards

became

mK£C70I^Y^ tfi^

became thp feat of the Lords Herbert of Cherbuiy, siod their anceftors^ till reduced to its prefcnt ruinous condition by the civil wars.

The road to

BISHOPS CASTLE,

brought tts through a very rich country; and on af- cending a hill, about five niiles from Montgomery* a retrofpeA of the far diftant mountainous coun« try of Wales, to which we were now bidding a laft adieu, irrefiftibly brought on a train of ferious re- teAions. In a retrofped like this, where the fubje& and the fcene muft infpire ferious thoughts, fuch traces are not unpleafing ; they tend to promote one general effcA - the love of contemplation* We enumerated the little incidents which bad taken place, Indulging reflexions on fcenfS for ever paft :-**we erefied, on the fpot which we efteemed moft adapted to retirement, the vifionary cottage: our fchemeswere inftantly arranged, - fancy fafliioned its ornaments, adapted its appen- dages ; - and fancy will ever exceed realities. But all our air-built plans of fiiture happine(s foon vaoiflied : ^»-afid alas ! wbea

M 2 *« fancy

l64 THE CAMBRIAtI

' fancy fcatten rafes all around.

** What blifsftti vifions rife ! In prcxTped bright ** Awhile they charm the (bill : bat fcarce attain'dg «* The gay delufion fades. Another comes, «' The foft enchantment is again rencwM, ** And youth again enjoys the airy dreams « Of fancied good.***

BiAops Caftle is fttuated in a bottoih : we found it a more extenfive place than we had any idea of ex* pefiing ; but being fhortly convinced, that there was nothing particular to require a long ftay, and having recruited ourfelves at the Caftle Inn, we haflened to leave the town. The road, for the firft feven miles, continually dipped into (hallow vallies, well wooded, affording curfory views, with many a fubftantial farmer's habitation lurking amongft the trees. At length, a rich and noble vale, with extenfive woods, on our right, animated with feveral gentlemen's feats, and watered by an overflowing ftream, running im- mediately clofe to the road, accompanied us to

LUDLOW;

fituated on an eminence, in the midft of this moft luxuriant country. After the many indilFerent Welch towns which we had pafled through, iince the com- mence-

DIRECTORY. '165

mencement of our pedcftrian excurfion, we felt our- felves not a little chagrined at our uncouth appearance, in entering fo gay a place. The ftreets are commodi- ous, and the houfes and public buildings extremely neat. The gravel walks round the caftle are extenfive^ and command, at occafional points, diftin(9 profpefts of the gentlemen^s feats, in the neighbourhood, with their grounds, and noble plantations. The river Teme gives additional beauty to this fafcinating fpot ; the new bridge, recently erected a little below the caftle, forms likewife, from this fpot, by no means an uninterefting objed; add to this, at fuitable diftances, the river, by means of dams, is formed into fmall arti- ficial cafcades. At the extremity of the town, is ano- ther bridge, feparating the counties of Shroplhire and Hereford. Thefe walks were laid out in the year X7729 by the Countefs of Powis, at a great expence. The overihadowing trees not only afford refreihing Ihelter from a fummer's fun, but are likewife a pro- teftion from the piercing winter's wind : indeed,

'» I cou'd rove

-^ At morn, at noon, at eve, by lunar ray,

-* In each returning feafon, through your ihadc,

«- Ye reverend woods ; cou'd vifit ev'ry dell,

** Each hill, each breezy lawn, each wand'ring brook,

«' And bid the world admire; each magic fpot again

^* Cou'd feek> and tell again of aU its charms.''

M 3 Towards

t66 THS CAMBRfi^N

Towards the North» the mz%y courfe of tbe Team - - Oikkjr Park, the degaat feat of the Dowager Lady Qive. - The Qee Hilb. - The celebrated Caer Cara- doCf with the odier emtnenoes near Stiettoo, teriai* oadi^ the view, prefent a moft fafctoating landfcape. Towards the Weft, a combinatioa of rock, wood, and ivater, gratifies tbe warmeft wi(h of fane/.

The Wh4tedifie,.opportte to the caftle, and Hack^ Ittyt's Clofe, near the Leominfler road, aie the two other moft favwite walks j but that roond the caftle is icforted to^ as the moft /aihiooable proeicBade.

Tbe tawa of Ludlow has bean calculated to con« lain feven hoodred and two houfes, and nearljr thioe thoufaad five hundred and fixty-^ve perfons.* Tiio public buildings are, the Marfeet-houfe, the Guild- hall, the Prifen, called Goalferd's Tower, and tbe Crofs: the rooms over the latter, are dedicated for the ioftruftion of thirty poor boys, aad fifteen poor girls I and the former, at a proper age, are appren*

* This cAimadon is taken Irool *' Tht Ludlow Guide |** from which I have taken iiicb extimdis, as, I Aatlo^ m^lf, vaXL not be uiMccept- able to tbe tourift. We dedicated two or three days to the invefii- g^on oP this intereiting towii» and oonfe^ently, in fta/U ]nats where tbeOotie is defefttiey we hafe made oenMenVte eddilieasj nd shore particularly, inhcB 4aalDin§«fshe chwch*

tioed

DIRECTOHY. xSf

ticfd oat. The town .enjoys no particulaii^ losmv- ^dpry, but its chief trade CQiififts in the article of gloves.

The cattle, the palace of the Prince of Wales, in right of his principality, is now entirely in ruins, except Mor- timer's tower, which was repaired by Sir Henry Sidney, during his prefidency: it is now inhabited by an old fervant of Lord Powis's, a very civil and intelligent man, who related, with the utmoft concern, the fad . viciffitudes this caftle had experienced ; he infilled on our cnterifig the tower of his hikbitation, »od afcending the crumbling fUirs, fw a fuU difplay of the various t«autm 10 the vicioUy of l4u41oW) he e^atiatei Attch on i valuable difmiood ring, which be had difr covered bm/clf^ when ^tt^impting . tQ drain a cellar ^ tbQ inferiptioA of Hebrew characters, round the gold, witbiii the ringt was interpreted by the larmdi V A good Iteart s" thist and (everid coiof of filver and gold, which .were found at the (ame timet are now in the poQiefliou of Lord Powis ; near the fame fpot* a number of ike- letoos were likewife dug up. He ne;(t conducted us to a fmall room in tbi$ tovi^r, to obferve an old ftone plaeed over the fire*place, with a croff; the letters W. St and the date 1575, engraven qo it.

Oyer the Soutb-eaft gateway 1^ leading into the into- ^ . M 4. rior

l68 THE CAMBRIAN

asaaaaaa "'" ' ' , saassaaassaaagssaaBa^^-

rior of the caftle, are the arms of Elizabeth, Queen of £ngland, and beneath, thofe of the Sydney hmily^ with the following infcription ;

HOMIKIBU8 INGRATIS LOQUIMINI tAPIDES. - * - ANKy REQNI REGIN^

lEUZABETHAE 23. THE 28 YEAR

COPLET OF THE RESIDENCE

or SYR HENRY SYDNEY KNIGHT

OP THE MOST NOBLE ORDER OF THE

PARTER, 1 58 1,

This caftle, founded by Roger de Montgomery, oa a rock^ j'n the North-eaft angle of the town, fuppofed to be in the year Iii2» was coniiderably enlarged by Sir Henry Sydney. Its anttent Britifh name, Dimm Lfys Tywyfogy figniiies the Princes PaUc^. The vicil^ fitudes of war have frequently been exemplified in this caftle ; it has had its Lords and its Princes; it has been plundered, captured, difmantled, and repaired, in thofe periods of civil warfare, which this unfortunate coun- try, in former times, continually experienced. Philips, in <« The Hiftory and Antiquities of Shrewfbury," during thofe melancholy troubles, gives fdme account of this caftle. Some hiftorians affirm, that Edward V. and his brother, were born in Ludlow Caftle $ but others, not crediting this aflertion, attribute their birth . to Wigmore: certain^ however, it is, that during their

minority^

- DIRECTORY.

169

minority, they here held their court, under the tuition of Lord Anthony Woodville, and Lord Scales, tiH they were removed to London, and foon after fmo- thered in the Tower, by the command of their crud and ambitious uncle, the Duke of Gloucefter. Here, likewife. Prince Arthur, the eldeft fon of Henry VIL celebrated his marriage with the virtuous Catharine of Arragon ; and in 1502, he here paid the debt of nature, and was buried in the cathedral church of Worcefter.

The account of the reprefentation, at Ludlow, of Milton's celebrated Mafk of Comus, is thus mentioned in the Life of that poet, prefixed to Newton's edition: *^ It was in the year 1634, that his Mafk was pre- <« fented at Ludlow Caftle. There was formerly a << prefident of Wales, and a fort of a court kept at << Ludlow, which has fince been abolifhed -, and the <« prefident, at that time, was the Earl of Bridgwater, *< before whom Milton's Mafk was prefented, on << Michaelmas night ; and the principal parts, thofe ^< of the Two Brothers, were performed by his Lord^ << (hip's fons, the Lord Brackly, and Mr. Thomas ** Egerton ; and that of the Lady, by his Lordfhip's ^* daughter, the Lady Alice Egerton."

Jn the firft year of William and Mary, the prefidency

was

tjO THS CAMBRIAK

was dtflblved by aA of parliament^ << bdog a great ^ grievance to the fubjed, and a means to introducsa <« an arbitrary power, efpecially in the late feign» vfhax ^ a nevr convert family were at the head of it»"

The church next demanded our attention^ the only one belonging to this town. The time of the founda^ tion of this antient and elegant ftrudure caniv>t nov be ikiAly afceruined : it is fituated on an emuicn€e» in the centre of the town. The fquare tower is lofty, and of very light architeflure, but the upper part fuffered much, by the all-deftjoying hand of Oliver CronvrelU The highly-finifhed flataes round the battlements, are much mutilated, and many entirdy deftroyed. On en* (ering the church, fix light Gothic fluted arches on each fide, with four itmilar ones of laiger dimenfions, Supporting the tower, are ftrikingly grand. Under the organ*lofty we pafled into the chancel, now only made ufe of, for the adminiftration of the facrament. This is a moft elegant building, with thirteen ftalls on each fide, fimilar, in ftile, to the generality of cafbo- drals ; the feats'of the ftalls, all of which turn back, ex- hibit fpecimens of curious workihanfliip, with ftrange devices, and ridiculous conceits. Some of the glafe painted windows are ftill in good prefervation; the large one, over the altar-piece, reprefents the Hiftory of Stt Lawrence, to whom this church is dedicated; in

fifty.

DIRECTORY.

171

BftfrfouT compartments. The other windows of the chancel are much mutilated, collected from difierent parts of the church, and feveral panes broken, by the unmeaning idFenefs of boys ;-^reganJlefs of theft valu« aUe relicks of antiquity,«--In the fide of the wall, near the altar, are two (lone ttalls, with'a.piicina oppofite.

In this chancel is a handfome monument, ereded to the memory of Robert Townfend, and hts wife, with feveral figures of their fons and daughters carved round the bottom : over them are the arms of their family and connexions: it bears the date of 15S1.

A mpdern monument to Theo{Shilus Solway, Efq,

An antient one to Ambrofia Sydney, who died .at Ludlow Caftle. This lady was xiaugbter to Sir Henry Sidney, who attained the important fituation of the PreCdency of Wales, in the year 1564- He died at Bewdley, 1584, and left this fingular injundbion to his executors : « that his heart fhould be buried at Shrewf- «< bury, his bowels at Bewdley, and his body at Ludlow, << in the tocnb of hts favourite daughter Ambrofia :** this order was panftually executed ; and the leaden urn, containing his heart, was fix inches deep, and five inches in diameter at the top, with this infcriptioa carved three times round it ;

Her

17s THE CAMBHTAK

gBaaaBaeaasaaaa= =sssssssBssi

HBfc LITH THE HaRTE OF SyR HeNRYE SyDNEY

L.P. Ann9 Domini^ 1586.

For an engraying of this urn, taken from a drawing of Mr* S, Nicholas, fee the Gentleman's Magazine for September, 1794*

Another monument* to Edward Wetfon, and ht$ wife, kneeling oppoftte to each other.

In a fmall chapel, to the left of the chancel, are three very handfome painted glafs-windows, containing the biflory of the Apoftles, in eighteen compartments; there is alfo a rofary.

In this chapel is an elegant marble tomb, to Sir Thomas Bridgeman, ferjeant at law. In this church is likewife buried Sir John Bridgeman, the laft prefident but one of Ludlow Caftle. He was extremely rigid in bis office ; and one Ralph Gittins, who had probably experienced his feverity, compofed the following epi- taph on him :

" Here lies Sir John Bridgeman, clad in his clay ; << God faid to the Devil, iirrah, take him away.^'f .

* No account of the infide of the church is given in the Ludlow Guide.

f PbiUip*s Hiftory of Shrewibury,

A chapel

DIRECTORY. 173

A chapel correfponditig on the oppofite fide, contains the royal arms of Charles, and feveral old iron armoury.

Should the tourift find time to make any ftay at Ludlow, feveral excurfions in the neighbourhood, will prove highly gratifying, Oakley Park, the elegant feat of the Dowager Lady Clive, claims the greateft at- tention ; it is fituated about two miles from Ludlow, on the banks of the Teme river; juft beyond this, is a feat of Walpole, Efq. About five miles is Downton Caftle; the noble manfion, and fine walks of Richard Payne Knight, Efq. one of the reprefenta- tives in Parliament for the borough of Ludlovir. Be- ing neceffitated to leave this charming country by a particular day, we had no opportunity of vifiting thele celebrated, and much admired feats.

With regret we left the fafcinating fituation of Lud- low, and croffing Lawford's Bridge, we afcended an eminence, along a fine beautiful terrace, commanding a moft charming, and pleafant country to our left, with the fertile county of Hereford, aboundant with orchards, which were all bending with the produce of the year. About two miles from Ludlow on the right, we paufed to admire the delightful feat of Theophilus Richard Solway, Efq. fituated on an emi« nence, and fkirted by a rich plantation of wood,

towards

174 THE CAMBRIAK

towards the Weft : it is called the Lodge* Defeend- iog into a bottooiy a rich country, ftadded with farm^ houfes, foon brought us to the tonlrn of

LEOMINSTER,

or Lemiflcr, confifting of one loog ftreet ; the Market- phoe in the centre, bearing a very old date, and like- wiie the church, are both deferving of the traveilju's notice. It is iituated in a flat, and the country round it not particularly interefting.

. From hence, a turnpike«road» Ibewiog to advantage, the rich culture of the country, foon brought us* vrithin light of the veneraUe cathedral of

HEREFORD,

backed by a Hoping eminence juft riling behind, and beautifully cloathed with wood. Being under a par- ticular engagement to meet a party at Rofs, to accooi* pany us down the Wye the following day, time would not allow us to inveftigate this refpe^ble city, fo mi- nutely, as it defcrves. Our obfervations therefore, were fo cucfiary, that <« The Hereford Guide," muft

fupply

;flIRECTORY.

^75

fupply the deiiciences in this part of our journal ; this neglefi, the tourift muft attribute to our delay at the engaging town of Ludlow,

At Hereford) we for fome time hefitated refpe&'ng the hire of a boat to convey us to Ro(s; but the exor* bitant demand of the boatmen Toon determined ua to purfue the turnpike-road, and follow, as near as pof^ fible, the courfe of the Wye. The orchards were overcharged with «< bendtng fruit»" and feened to prog^^ nofticatc a more favourable cyder ifeafon, than has of late been experienced* The rstiofpecl of the cityt- with its ancient cathedral, formed m moft attra£ting view; and about three miles, a moft lovely vale,, bounded by the hills of South Wales, arretted our at<* sention. A continuation of the fame fcenery of or- chards, in which Herefordfliire to peculiarly abounds, with the road continually dipping into ihallow valliea, attended us within five miles of Rofs, when, afcending a fleep hill, a view of that town, or, rather, of its fat confpicuous fpire, broke in upon the repofing charac«. ter of the fcene. This prefently conduded us to Wil- ton Bridge, thrown over the Wye, about half a mile from the town ; and, leaving the cafile of Wilton to the left, afcended the town of

ROSS,

tj6 THE CAMBRIAK

ROSS,

to the inn, fo celebrated as the original habitation of Mr. Kyrlej but more generally known by the name of « The Man of RoCs." The landlord leems rather to depend upon the cuftom of ilrangers^ from this cir- cumftance, than the accommodations the inn ofiers. On the bridge we paufed a Ihort time, to take a view of the meandering Vaga, which here confiderably widens} feveral pleafure-boats, of various conftruc- tion, were riding at anchor, and united to enliven the watry fcene, whilft its fmooth tranquil furface, reflefied and reverted every obgeft fituated on the bank.

The life and chara^r of Mr. Kyrle has too often been initfted on, and too frequently celebrated in verfe^ to be again repeated, unlefs to << point its moral to the ^ heart;'' teaching us, that felf-approbation can con- fer an inward happinefs, fuperior to all worldly ap« plaufe; for,

«- What nothing earthly gives, or can deflroy ; " The foal's calm funfhine, and the heart-felt joy, «- Is virtae's prize.**-

Such a buftle pervaded the whole town, of partks aflbmbling here, for an aquatic expedition to Mon- mouth,

' DlRECtORY^ 177

mouth, the following day, that with difficulty we ob- tained a fmall room : from this circumftance, it would be advifable for parties to fecure themfelves accommoda- tions during the fummer-months, a confiderable time beforehand, fuch is the continued affemblage of parties forming for the Wye : a boat likewife ihould be hired, and by mentioning the number of your party, the land- lord will be a proper judge, refpeding the iize. Stran- gers may pafs, with pleafure, the greateft part of a day, in furveying the views in the vicinity of Rofs j views, which muft gratify the ntbft fuperficial obferver j but more particularly from the church-yard. A walk through the latter place to « The Profpeft,*' fo called from the profufe variety of objects, in the beautiful, and the fublime, which are prefented from this fpot. The fudden burft of fuch a colledion of beauties, the eye, indeed, cannot contain without gratification. The river below bends itfelf, in the whimfical and fantaftical Ihape of a horfe-fhoe : this iingular wind of the river - the ruins of Wilton Caftle - the luxuriant counties of Hereford and Monmouth, and the beautiful Chafe Woods, all combine to promote one peculiarly grand and beautiful etk&. To enter into a minute defcrip- tion of obje£b, €0 various and extenfive, is impoffible : in fine, to delineate the beauties of the Vaga, with all its accompaniments, would be enumerating every obje£t that is intcrefting in Nature. Having fufficiently pottd N over

tj9 TBB CAMBHtAN

over the view from the ProfpeA» a ramble through the meadowa will next prove higjiil y pleaiing.

The fituation of Rofs, though exceedingly beavtifuli bat nothing in itfelf to detain attention : the ftreett narrow, dirty, and inconvenient* The caftle of WiU ton, fituated on the banks of the Wye, was founded in the reign of Henry L } it was formerly a nunnery, from whence the Greys de Wilton derive their title.

Early in the morning, we congratulated each other on the favourablenefs of the weather, and with good fphrits provided all the neceflaries requifite for our wa« ter expedition i the enjoyment of which depends much on the feafon. The hire of the boat to Monmouth, by water, is one pound eleven ibiUings and fix-pence, not including ten {hillings for provifions for the men, who likewife cxpcSt an additional fmall fum, after the fatigues of the day. The boat, navigated by three men, will contain ten or twelve people, without any inconvenience, and is properly prote^ed by an awning, from the heat of the fun. The diftance from Rofs to Chepftow, by watery is more than forty miles, which firangers occafionallyaccomplifh in one day } but this hurrying method will not allow them an opportunity of infpe^ling, with proper attention, the various objeds which deferve to be noticed i and they cannot poffibly

find

DtRECTORTf. ijQ

samoiaBBMBBBmmmmmmmammmt

find time to leave their boat, and climb the rugged, deep banks of the Wye, in fearch of views, whicfa^ though vifited by the difcerning few, yet merit the re- gard of every amateur of nature's landfcapes: and here it may not be improper to mention, the boat- men, from lazinefs, too frequently fuffer thefe moft interefting fpots to be^pafled unnoticed by ftcan- gers, merely to avoid the delay of a few minutes, Gilpin, in his excellent treatife, <^ The Qbfervations -* on the River Wye,'* thus analyses, ia the fecond fe£lion, the beauties of the *< echoing Vaga," and di- vides its conitituent parts into - t\ic Jieepmfs of its banks - its mazy courfe - the gnoundy w$oJs, and rocks^ which are its native ornaments - and, laftly, the buildings. To this he might with propriety have added, its echoes - >the variety cfvietvs from its banks - - the fi&ing coracles^ which are continually on the river; for all thefe contri- 1)ute to form one pleafing and interefting efleA.

^ We embarked on board our boat, a little below the town ; and the firft objed which drew our attention^ was the ivy-mantled walls of Wilton : the annual growth of the few trees which encircle it, will, in tine, render it a more ptdurefque object; it is at prefent fo fufficiently fecn from the water, as not to require the Granger to difembark for farther infpeAion. A few yards beloW) we pafled under Wilton Bridge, com* N 2 muni*

i80 THE CAIfBRIAK

tnunicating the roads from Hereford to Rofs: it is an elegant ftru&ure^ of fcveral arches. From hence, for four or five miles, the banks are tame and untntetefting^ and fo high above the river* as to prevent a profpeft of the adjacent country j but a groupe of cattle, fome ruminating on the brink, fome bxowzing on the afli* lings, which overhung the ftream, and others

-* from their fides»

^ The troobloiis infefts lalhing with their tailsi *- Returning «11,"* - -

formed a <« rural confuCon/' The trelocity of the fiream Ihortly brought us to that noble fcenery, about four miles from Rofs, which fo eminently diftinguilhes and conftitutes the beauty of the Wye ; before us, the noble remains of Goodrich Caftle, crefting a fteep emi- nence, enveloped with trees, prefented themfelves; be- hind, the thick foliage of Chafe Woods clofed the pic«- ture* The happieft gradation of tints, and the livelieft blending of colours, was here confpicuous. On the right hand we landed on the (bore, in order to make a minute inveftigation of the caftle: it is certainly a grand ruin, and ftands on an eminence, naturally fo fieep, as to render it, in former times, capable of fome refiftance againft a formidable enemy. On our firft en- trance into the ruin, we naturally indulged refledlions on paft fcenes, contemplated the traces of antient fplen-

dor;

DIRECTORY. 181

dor; and conne£ling what remains, with what is de« ftroyed ; we pondered on the vanity of human art, and the ravages of time, which exhibit, in this ruin, their compleateft triumph. The warrior, who ftrove to pre* ferve its original grandeur againft the attacks of Crom- well, is buried in Walford church, fituated on the op- pofite fide of the river, and ken from the caftle. The different parts of the building, bear evident marks of its having been erefied at various times ; from a feat in the caftle-yard is the moft advantageous fpot for furveying, in one view, the whole of this ruin : an o£tagon pillar, of light and elegant workmanfhip, is feen to great ad- vantage through the gate-way, and adds confiderably to the magnificence of this antient pile : it now belongs to Dr. Griffin, of Hadnuck, the lord of the manor. To return to our boat: we took a different and more cir- cuitous route, for the purpofe of infpedling the remains of Goodrich Priory, now converted into a farm. The chapel has experienced the fame viciflitude ; and thofe walls, which formerly re-echoed with the chaunting of voices, and the folemn peal, now repeat the continued firokes of the flail ; in many parts of the walls, the initials of names of perfons, who have long fince paid the debt of nature, and left behind no other memorial, are carved with chara£leriftic rudencfs, ihewing, to every paffing flranger, the prevalency of that univerfal paffion - the love of fi^me, The Gothic window$» and

N 3 the

l8t THE CAMBRIAN

thi crofsy ertOed on etch end of tht building, (hew Evident marks of its former purpofe* The boat ufually fldeets the pafieng^rs at another reach of the river } but it is a plan hf no means to be puf fued ; fince, by miffing a circuit round the caftle, its different trnts» and va* riety of attitudes^ occafioned by one of the boldeft fwteps of the Wye» are entirely loft. A ihoft time after wt had taken our laft retrofpeift of Goodrich CafUe, tht fpire of Ruredean church appeared in front, juft peeping from among the woody (kirrs of the Foreft of Dean : a little below, Courtfield Houfe, belonging to Mr. Vaughni was feen, in a very pi^hirefque point of view, with the ruins of the chapel, forming the back ground. lo Courtfield Houfe, tradition reports, the warlike Henry Y. was nurfed ( and in the church of Welch Buckner, fituated tt> the right, in a noble am- phitheatre, enclofed with rocks, firft embraced the Chriftian rdigion. A bufy fcene, of craft loading and unloading, and coals fliipping for various parts from the quay at Lidbroke, prdents a pidure of cheerful nativity, and forms a plealing contraft to the quiet, rich, and retired fpots, we had left behind us ; (wAl fpots^ as were well adapted to form the mind of Bri- tain's glory-^the virtuous Henry. The banks now became richly clothed with wood, from the fummits of the higheft rocks to the water's edge ; and a hiU in Ihmt, called Rofemary Topping, from the mdi^m^

lux-

DIRECTORY. £9^

luxuriance of its fides, clofed the profpe£fc. Almoft every fweep prefents a new objeStj to ftrike the admira- tion of the fpeAator': the tranittions are fudden, but never ib harfli as to difguft^ even the contraft between the embellifliinents of art we bad juft left, and the wild rocks, which here exhibit nature in her moft ftriking attitudes, give an additional impreffion to each other.

We now reached thofe fine mafs of rocks, called Coldwell, one of which, Symond's Yatch, to the left, it is cuftomary for company to afeend, in order to view the masy and circuitous courfe of the river, and the extenfive profpeA around. The Foreft of Dean, the counties of Monmouth, Hereford, and Gloucefter, were extended before us, ftudded with villages, direr- iified with clufters of half-vifible farm houfes j with many a grey Aeeple, ^< embofomed high in tufted " trees.'* In painting the feveral views from this fummit, the happieft description would fail ; the im- preffion can only be conveyed by the eye. The river here makes a moft extraordinary winding round the promontory, and having completed a circuit of more than five miles, flows a fecond time immediately under Symond*s Yatch. The whole of this ma?y courfe may be traced from this eminence. From hence wc difco- ' vered a very remarkable polyfyllabical articulate echo, and we reckoned twelve diftin<St reverberations fitHn the N 4 expio*

-184 THE CAMBRIAN

explofion of a gun, fired on this fpot. It is here agaia cuftomary for the boatmen to impofe on ftrangers, and if they can prevail on them, during their walk to Symond's Yatch, will take the boat round the circuit of five miles, and meet them at New Wier, in order that no time Ihould be loft; but this lazinefs we by no means encouraged, and the whole course of this ex- traordinary and romantic fweep proved highly grati- fying. Goodrich fpire, which we again wound round, prefented itfelf ; huge fragments of maiTy rocks which have rolled down from the precipices, oppofite Maouck Farm, here almoft choaked up the courfe of the ftream. The changing attitudes and various hues of Symond*s Yatch, lifting its almoft fpiral head high above the other rocks, as we receded and drew near it, fupplied a com- bination of tints furprifingly gay and beautiful ; and having accomplifhed a fweep of five miles, we reached, within a quarter of a mile, the fpot where we began our afcent to this fteep eminence.

The view, at New Wier, next unfolded itfelf; but a difagreeable fcene here generally occurs, and inter- rupts the pleafure of contemplation : a large afiem- blage of beggars, men, women, and children, on the banks, bare*footed, and fcarcely a rag to cover ihem% followed our boat, imploring charity; and feveral almoft throwing themfelves into the water, to catgh

your

DIRECTORY. 185

your money, which, every now and then, the big- ger feize from the lefs. This idle crew fubfift pn the trifles they obtain from ftrangers ; and as beggary is their profefied trade, if their wants are not fatisfied, they generally add infolence, with an oath, to their demands.

But I have omitted to mention, that before we leached the New Wier, the fpire of Haunton on Wye, crefting a hill at the extremity of a long reach, and a fant^ftic barren rock, jutting out from the green foli- age which encircles it, prefenting itfelf bold and con- fpicuous, formed prominent and intcrefting features in the landfcape: this is called <« Bearcroft," receiving its appellation from the very refpeftable and learned coun- fellor of that name. Several rocks indeed, particu- larly in this part of the river, are named by the Council, who have long made it a pradice of exploring the rich and bold fcenery of the Wye, on their aifize circuit. Gilpin, confidering New Wier as the fecond grand fcene on the Wye, thus defcribes it : « The << river is wider than ufual in this part, and takes a c« fweep round a towering promontory of rock, which << forms the fide fcreen on the left, and is the grand

« feature of the view. On the right fide of the

« river, the bank forms a woody amphitheatre, follow- ** ing the courfe of the ftream round the promontory:

«*its

t%6 ' THE CAMBRIAM

cBgaaB - BBaBsa

« its lower flcirts are adorned with a hamlet, in the ^ midft of which, rolames of thick fmoke, thrown up « at intervals, from an iron forge, as its fires receive «< frefli fuel, add double grandeur to the fcene. BMt << what peculiarly marks this view, is a circumftanoe « on the water : the whole river, at this place, makes <* a precipitate fall ; of no great height, indeed, but «« enough to merit the name of a cafcade, though to <* the eye, above the ftreana, it is an oVjcSt of no coti- <- fequence. In all the fcenes we had yet pafled, the << water moving with a flow and fdemn pace, the << objeds around kept time, as it were, with it ; and « every fteep, and every rock, which hung over the << river, was folemn, tranquil, and majeftic. But « here, the violence of the ftream, and tibe roaring of ^ the waters, imprefled a new charader on the foene : «< all was agitation and uproar ; and every fteep, and « every rock, ftared with wildnefs and terror," The accuracy and elegancy of this defcription, drawn by (o mafterly a pen, I hope, will amply compenfate for the length of this quotationa The extenfive iron-works, mentioned in this paflage, belong to Mr. Partridge. Below the New Wicr, a continuation of die fame^^ich fcenery fiili arrefted our attention, and rocks and wood ftemed to contend, which (hould be moft confpicuous ^ till the winding of the river, round Doward's Rock, on wbidi was formeriy a Roman fiation, brought us under

the

DIRECTORY. Hj

the houfe of Mr. Hatleyi which commands a' view of the river as far as Monmouth^ when it is terminated by the town, and bridge of fix arches* As we drew near

MONMOUTH,

the houfe of Dr. GriHins, fituated on an eminence, and a banqueting room^eredled by the inhabitants of the place, appeared above the town, on the left.

The town of Monmouth lies too low, to form « grand appearance from the water, but is, in itfel/^ neat and well-built, and pleafantly fituated on the banks of the Wye«

As we repaired to our inn, we were both involun* tarily led to take a retrofpe£i of the paft amufements of the day. The partial gleams of funihine had given additional tints to the rich and .bold fcenerjr, and every thing had conipired to render it a moft interefiing aquatic excuriioa« The variety of fcenes which Claude would have feled»d, had he now exifiedy for his canvas ; with rapture, too, would he have caught the tints; and, with the happieft efFedl, combined the plge^ into a pidure, kept up our attention, and. re- moved

t88 THE CAMBRIAN

moved that monotony which too often accompanies water excurfiont. Such has been the pleafure of our iirft day's water expedition } and, from the impreffion it made on us, we eagerly look forward to fome future period, when we may again retrace views, which memory will ever hold dear, and the pleafure be then redoubled, with the remembrance of paft op*^ curiences.

The evening we dedicated to the furvcy of Mon-* mouth.-- -Oppofite the Beaufort Arms, the moft con- venient inn in the town, is the town-houfe, hand- fbmely built, with a full length ftatue on the outfide, facing the ftreet, with this infcription under it: «< Henry the Fifth, born at Monmouth, Auguft the « ninth, 1387.'* On the birth of this warlike and virtuous prince, the charter was granted to the town of Monmouth : it is governed by a mayor, two bai- liffs, fifteen aldermen, nine conftables, two ferjeants, and two beadles. The caftle now bears few veftiges of its former grandeur ; and of the regal dome, fcarcely a wreck has efcaped, through the long lapfe of years, the ravages of time : where a mighty king once gave audience, and where vafials knelt, now aflemble the animate appendages of a farm-yard.

Near the caftle is a very antiquated houfe, now con- verted

DIRECTORY* 189

verted into a fchool, the property of the Duke of Beaufort. To this town Wihenoc de Menemuc, or Monmouth, in the reign of Henry L brought over a convent of black Monks from St. Florence, and placed them iirft in the church of St. Cadoc, near the caftle^ and after, in the church of St. Mary. It was among other antien^ priories, and feized by the crown, during the wars with France; but was reflored again, made denifon, and continued till the general fuppreffion, in the reign of Henry VIIL* From hence we walked to the church-yard ; clofe to which is the room where GeoiFry of Monmouth compofed his well-known Hiftory : this is now a day-fchool. Monmouth has likewife to boaft of a free-fchool, founded here, from the following curious circumftance: Mr. Jones, a native of Newland, being in diftrefs, left his parilh and went to London, where he engaged himfelf as fervant to a Hamburgh merchant, and proving trufty in his office, he was by degrees advanced, till at length he attained a fortune of his own ; willing to prove how far the charity of his native place would ex- tend towards him, in difguife, he applied for that re- lief, which he was enabled to (hew towards others, but his parifh taking no notice of him, referred him to Monmouth, and would not redreis his pretended com-

* Tanner*! Notitia Monaftics*

plaints:

190 TH£ eAMBRIAH

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plarntt : the Utter however, being raoie charitaU/ difpofed, relieved bim tccording to hi« wiihes. Huv^ iog thus proved their generofity, he acquainted them of hit real fituation, and promifed to- repay their kind-» nefSy by obliging them in any demand, they flioold lequeft. On this^ they folieited the foundation of A frce-fchool, which he immcdiskteJy buiif, liberally en<* dowed, and which from that time has been well fup^ ported. The walk to the Folly, we were iiifonned, would have afforded us fome beautiful and extenfive profpe£b; the whole of this information we ihould probably have found true, but the evening clofing, we were rery reludantly neceffitated to return to our inn.

Early in the morning we renewed our furvey of Monmouth : the church iirft demanded notice : it is a handfome ftruAure, but the infide offers nothing re- markable for the infpedion of the antiquarian. The gaol, built after the plan of the benevolent Howard^ is fituated jn a healthy fpot, and, in every refpeA, rendered as commodious and comfortable, as fuch a place will allow, for the unfortunate inhabiunts. Monmouth, indeed, contains feveral good houfes^and the neighbourhood is refpedhble. A bridge at the extremity of the town, with the antient gateway, bears every mark of antiquity.

The

DIRECTORY, I91

The hire o£ the boat, from Monmouth to Chepftov^ IS on the fame plan as from Rofs to Monmouth, the diftance being nearly equaU Nothing now remainedi but to recommence our water excurfion ; and we ac- cordingly embarked a quarter of a mile below die town, where the river Monnow joins itfelf with the Wye; from hence Monnow«mouth^ or Monmouth* The weather ftill continued favorable for our fchemes : the banks on the left, were, at firft, low; but as we receded from the town, the fpire of Monmouth in the retrorpe£l,.with the Kemmin woods, rifing from a rock of great height,. on our left, under which the river meanders, engaged our attention; and to our right, Pen-y-van hill, was the bold and rich fcenery V9C enjoyed, on our iirft re^mbarkation*

The fame fcenery of rock, wood, and water, which fo captivated us yefterday, ftill continued, occafionally diverfified by light vefiels (kimming by our boat, and increafing in number, as we approached nearer the fea. The rude hail of the boatmen, as they pafied, was re^ echoed by the rocks, and the dingy white fails of the veiTels, which foon difappeared round fome bold pro*- montory, were particularly pidurefque. Colemaa's Rocks appeared alternately, mantled with underwood, and pointed crags; large fragments fcattered in the river, here divide the counties of Monmouth and

Glou.

tg% THE CAMBRIAN

Glottccfter. At Redbrooke Hills, the curling fmoke ifliting from the iron-works, formed a pleafing-accom- paniment to the fcenery, and the whole exhibited a pifiure of induftrious labour. Thefe works belong to Mr. Turner : the wood and meadow land of White- brook Hills, were finely contrafted with the bufy fcene at Redbrooke. From hence a long reach, with Fiden- ham Chafe Hill rt&ng confpicuoufly in the front, brought us to the village of

LLANDOGO;

diverfified with cottages, from the bafe to the higheft fummit of the floptng eminence. This village is about nine miles from Monmouth, and arrefts particular ob- fervation; here veflels of confiderable burden were loading with iron, and other commodities, for various ports. The appearance of the river, here, changed ; the tranflucent ftream, which had hitherto alternately reflected, as in a mirror, the awful projection of the rocks, and the foft flowery verdure of its banks, was aileCied, by the influence of the tide, and rendered turbid and unpleafant to the fight.

A turn of the river foon brought us to the village of

TIN.

DIRECTORY. I93

TINTERN:

we here obferved the ruins of an old manfioni belong- ing to Mr. Farmer, of Monmouth ; this houfe appears of an old date, and might probably claim the attention of the curious antiquary^ was he not fo wrapt up in contemplating the venerable Abbey, which prefents its Gothic pile, in folemn majefty. This auguft building, great in ruins, and awfully grand in appearance, impels the ftranger, as it were, imperceptibly, to land and infpe£t its noble arches, its tottering pillars, and its highly finilhed windows; the fpecimens of antient architecture, which formerly were delicately wrought by the hand of art, are now finely decked by that of na- ture. On our firft entrance, our attention was too much engrofled, to exchange the mutual communica- tion of thought ; but the care which has been offici- oufly taken to remove every fragment, lying feat- tered through the immenfe area of the fabric, and the fmoothnefs of the (horn grafs, which no fcythe (hould have dared to clip, in a great meafure perverts the cha- racter of the ruin : thefe circumftances but ill accord with the mutilated walls of an antient ruin, which has braved the pitilefs ftorms of fo many centuries. In this refpeA, we by no means agreed with Gilpin, who O thus

1^4 '^^^ CAllBftlAtr

thus defcribes it : « Wt excuie - ^ptrhaps we approve « .-^he neatncrs that is introduced within. It may «< add to the beautf.o( the fcenei^to its novelty it un- <- doubtedly does** But when this difguft Was a little abated, we indulged thofe refle£Uons, which fcencs of antient grandeur naturallj recall.

Tlirs beautiful ruin is crucifonn, meafuring two hundred and thirty feet in length, and thiity-thfee in breadth j the tranfept ftretchea north and foath, one hundred and fixty feet.* This eifteitian abbey was founded by Walter de Clare, in the year 1231, omA dedicated to St. Mary, in the reign of Henry VIII. It experienced the fame fate with many other monafleries, and was granted, at its diffolutioD, to the £arl <rf Worcefter, in the year 1537-

As we receded from the banks, Tintern Abbey, with the Gothic fret-work of the eaftcrn window, feemingly bound together by the treillage of ivy, ap« peared in the moft pleafing point of view \ floping hills and rich woods forming a fine back-ground. As wc drew nearer

CHKP-

Biii£CTO!iy« 195

CHEPSTOW,

(cme moA noble rockty *^ nature's proud baftions,^ opened upon us, to the left, grander than any we had hitherto admired, and which, we had previoufly deter- mined, were inconceivably fine, and furpafied any idea we had formed of the channel of this romantic river : to add to the magnificence of the whole, the fetting fon tinged tiie rocks with the moft refplendent colours, and the dewy frefbnefa of the evening improved the charm of the fcene } the one enchanting the fenfe, the <Mher refrdhing it. The lofty Wine Cliff, to the light, and Piercefield, with the curious projecting rocks, called the Twelve ApcAles, and Peter's Thumb, brighten, to the very extent of beauty, this noble fcene, gratifying, beyond meafure, to the admirer of nature. Another reach brought us in fight of Chepftow Caftle, on a prominent rock, of which it feemed to form a part ; noble in fttuadion^ and grand in appearance. The fingttlar e«iflru£bd bridge, the rocks, and the ibarce vifibk town, here made a moft charming picture : this we enjoyed exceedingly, but regretted a few more minutes would fet us on ihore, and conclude our ex* curfiOQ on the Wye 1 in excuriion which, the farther we proceeded, the more we were interefted; and fo O 2 much

196 THE CAMBRIAN

much fo, as to determine a renewal of this pleafing tour, another fummer. The wooden bridge thrown over the Wye, at this place, is of very fingular con- ftrudion ; the boards forming the flooring are all de- fignedly loofe, but prevented, by pegs fattened at the extremity of them^ from being carried away by the tide, and by that ingenious contrivance gradually rife and fall with itt which is here frequently known to rife to the extraordinary height of feventy feet.

Not having vifited the church, in confequence of the bad weather, at the commencement of our tour, we determined now to infpe£l it. The entrance^ through the weftern door, is an elegant fpecimen of Saxon architedure, richly wrought, with three arches; in the infide is the monument of Sir Henry Martin^ one of the twelve judges, who prefided at the condem- nation of Charles I. and was confined in the caftle feven and twenty years.

A curious carved one to the Marquis of Worcefier and Lady, though not buried here ; and another, of the date i6ao, to the memory of Mrs. Clayton and her two hufbands, both kneeling.

This church originally belonged to the alien Bene-

didline

DIRECTORY.

^97

iiStine prioiy of Strigule, but converted, at the re- formation^ into the parilh church of Chepftow.

Admittance to the celebrated walks of Piercefield can only be obtained on Tuefdays and Fridays. To furvey thefe with that attention which they defer ve, occupy feveral hours 3 the livelieft defcription cannot do juftice to the rich and bold fcenery, with all its accompaniments } the eye can alone receive the im- preffion, for^

" lipw long fo e'er the wanderer rovei > each Hep <* Shall wake freih beauties^ each fliort point prefents <- A different pifture j new, and yet the fame.'*

<< The winding of the precipice, (fays Gilpin] is « the magical fecret, by which all thefe enchanting << fcenes are produced." At one point, both above and below, as far as the eye can reach, rolls in majeftic windings, the river Wye; at another, the Severn, haftening to meet « its filler river," is difcovercd, till at laft they are both loft in the Briftol Channel ; at another, thefe fcenes are concealed, and thick woods, apparently qoeval with time itfelf, and a long range of rock, burft upon <* the wanderer," with irrefiftible beauty and attradion. The occaflonal recurrence alfo of the rude bench, overfliadowed by fome umbrageous tree, and concealed from the fteep precipice below, by O 3 thick

t^9 THE CAM3RIAK

thick atidenrood^ tllow onlj glimp(es of the Airroond** ing fcenerjr*

The houfe has receifed great repairs, and elegantly furnilhed by the prefent pofiefibr. Colonel Wood, Every apartment, indeed, has its appropriate embet* liflunents.

I have thus brought my Tour to a conclufion; a^ Tour, which has been productive of much amufement, and, I hope, not entirely devoid of advantage: it only remains, therefore, for me to add, that the Two Friends, having completed a pedeftrian circuit of near eight hundred miles^ parted with mutual r^re^ jointly exclaiming,

«* Camhria» as thy romantic valct nuc leave,

** And bid farewell to each retiring hill,

** Where fond attention feems to linger ftill,

*« Tracing the broad bright landfcape; much nne grieve^

** That, mingled with the toiling croud, no more

f' Wi may return thy varied views to mark/'

AD-

DIRECTORY. 19^

ADDENDA.

Page 44. The church of Tenby is a large, hand- fome, and antique edifice, and feveral monuments^ bearing an antient date> worthy of notice.

On the left of the altar, is one to William Rif^m, with the following infcription :

Two hundred pounds

and 50 more He ga?e this towne

to help the poore.

The ufe of one on cloth

and coles beftowe For twelve decrepid mean

and lowe.

Let 50 pounds to five

be yearly lent The other's ufe on Burges'

ibnne's be fpent.

On the fame fide, is a monument to the memory of

John Moore, Efq. who, at the age of fifty-eight, and

having by his firft wife fix fons and ten daughters, fell

O 4 defpc-

aOO THE CAMBRIAN DIRECTORY.

defperately in love, which not being returned, he died of a confumption, at Tenb^ : the following epitaph is very alluiive to his unfortunate cataftrophe :

He that from home for love

was hither broaght* Js now brought home, this God

/or him hath wrought.

Another monument to Morgan Williams :

Igne probatur

En animofl rarfus dare in coipore

Morgan Williams

defcended from the heirefs of

Robert Ferrar, Bi(hop of St. Davids

Burnt alive by bigots under C^Maryi

was lately chief of Gargam

and fenior in coancil at

Madras.

Where Oft. 27, 1690, aged 49 years

He refign'd the Preiident's ^hair

and his breath together.

An employment of fall 30 years

chronicles the continual

approbation of his conduft

particularly as

chief commiffioner of the circuit.

SON-

ADVERTISEMENT,

I HE following Sonnets^ the joint prpduSion ef two Friends^ were fent to the Author, as con-^ Jidered applicable to his Tour; it is there/ore hoped, they may not be unacceptable to the Reader.

SONNETS.

203

SONNET h

TO FRIENDSHIP. ,

jUiriJJid U the Companion $fmy 7W«

\^ BALMY comfort thro' tlus varied maze Of life ! thou beft phyfician to the bread, Wich deep afflidioo's venom'd ffing oppred* A thoufand arts, a thoufand winning ways Are tluQe« to fmooth the ragged brow of care. And mitigate misfortune's keeneft hour :

Yes, A > partner of my Cambrian Tour,

Friend of my heart, how gladly do I (hare

Thy confidence ; whatever my part may be

Hereafter on this ihifcing ftage of lifet

This bufy theatre of jarring drife.

May health and happinefs attend both thee

And thine ! - on ONE, thy Heav'nly Guardian truft,

|*Ior doubt protcftion^all HIS ways are juft.

SON-

204 80NN&T5.

SONNET II.

Thi Contra/l ef Yefterdayf and To-day i fuppofed to hi writtiti 9n tbi Sumndt of Snowdom.

H<

Low gay was ^efterday ! - no ftorm was heard To mutter roand thy ileep ! yoa fan arofe With golden fplendor* and in fiill repofe Nature najeftic thro' her works appearM. To-day« how changed ! - ^loud howls the hollow blafl ! The thin mifts undulate 1 thy tow*riflg height Is vdl'd in tempeft» and eternal night \ So 'ds with man 1 contrafling profpedb paft With dreams of future happinefs - to-day In gallant trim his litde bark may glide« On the fmoodi current of the tranquil dde : To-morrow comes I - the gathering ftorms difplay A fad viciffitude - the whirlwind's fweep> Grafps at his prey, and whelms it in the deep.

SON-

SOKNETS. 205

SONNET III.

On leaving Wales.

W HY burfts the tear> as Cambriaj now I leave Thy wild variety of hill and dale» Where fancy> fond intruder, lingers (Hll ? Why do thefe parting fighs my bofom heave ? 'Tis> that alas! I ne'er may view again Thofe haunts, diofe folitary fcenes I love; Bat thro' this vale of tears forfaken rove. And tafte the fad viciffitude of psun ? 'Tis, that I fadly breathe a warm adiea. To long-loft fcenes of mutual amity; *Tis, that I turn, my abfent friend, to thee, «< Think on paft pleafures, and folicit new !'* For thee my fervent pray'rs to Heav*n afcendf And may we meet again as friend to friend*

SON-

9C6 SON HITS.

SONNET IV,

To the Wiljk Harp.

XjOV^DioAnuQcntl ugaiii fcpeat liioft lcNmd9# Tbofe plaintive airs, that tbr^' my ifofiis^ftsda With melancholy fwtft. Tteir pow^f I M Soothing my fi«4«tf|, hnlkis fcri^'a wMid«« Gently thoa lull'ft my foCfrilkgt !- f%f^m Indin'ft my heart, lo «v*ry mfliQ«i dtffd* Removing from i^y mini «tek 4«fk'»bg lhiiid« That doads my days, iDCt«aliag »U ay w<Mlu Now fwelling with, th« brieiet idtoag ihy valet* Romantic Cambria ! tl|c ftmin I hear^ Then dying foft away» coma o'w my ear In whifpers foft, ftUl wafted by |l\y galei I Lov'd inilrament ! again vvpeat; thoA fonndsn Soothing my faj^niftji hfatiiif f9ilow'» W9Wl^«

SON.

SOCKETS. fiO^

paBsaBBEBBaBEaEBSSBBsssasBSBaaas^^

SONNET V.

Suppofed to he written hy Moon-light^ on the Sea^ Jhore^ at Tenbigh,

A LOVE to nark the filver-eurHng fpray,

Juft kifs the |>ebbled Ihore ; the zephyr blows^

And ocean flamhers in ferene repofe }

While the moon's beama in qaiT'ring radiance play

Upon its furEioe : yet ere long> that tide

May heave its fbasung billows to the fhore>

And the Tea boil in one tempefhious roar.

See here thy pi^re, man I reafon> thy guxde»

Can lull each guft of paffion into reft;

Her aid divine, her energy once loft.

In what a fea of angry tmnults toft.

Raves the mad whirlwind of thy troubled breall !

Blind paffion then can reafon^s aid refiite.

And degradate the man«to worTe dian brute.

SON-

to8 MNNETS.

SONNET VI.

On feting Llangolleh Val£«

o

' THOU* too capdoos of each aiiy fcheme. Fancy! thoa dear delaiive traitor* iay« Are not thy charms the phantoms of a day. That mock poffeffion, Ske a fleeting dream f Here coald I fpend, if fach had been my lot. Quiet my life ; nor ihonld the Ihiv'ring poor Depart nnfed, unaided, from my door. ** Content is wealth,** the emblem of my cot. Herej by the brook» that gently babbles by. Should ftand my garden; there the blofhing rofe And woodbine (hould their fweeteft Icent difcloie. But ah ! farewell thefe dreams ; - my big fall eye Swells with the bnrfting tear - I think, how few The road to real hs|>pinefs purfttc !

SON-

sonnets; 209

SONNET VII.

ProfpcB 0/ Sun^rife from Snowdon.

JljLoW grand the fcene from this flapendous height ! How awfully fublime ! the king of day Flames in the eaft; old ocean's waves difplay One globe of fire ! one boundlefs flood of light ! With what uncloaded luftre blaze the ikies ! While * Mona's flats, ting'd with a golden hue, Burft with tranfcendent beauty on the view; Andj Man, thy fcarce feen mountains proudly rife. Nature, beneath, feems proflrate ! and my flght Can hardly grafp the vafl immenfity ! Can then the mufe attempt to fing of thee, Nature*s great God ! Father of tife and light ! Who bade the fun his annual circle roll. Who guides, direfis, and animates the whole.

* The Ifles of Anglefey and Mas, are difcovercd from Snowdon.

P SON*

ito tonuxTU

SONNET VIIL

Tomylkg.

JL ES9 tfaoa haft been companion of my Tour, And partner of mj cdh ! haft rov*d with me^ Thro* Cambria*! rode and w3d Tariecx* And often footh*d the foUtiry hoar With thy careAf ; yet /klfe man can claim Superior reafon, claim a mind endued With love, with faithfdneft, and gratitttde; Love» a mere foand^ and gratitade* a name. Yes, faitbAd cfeatttre ! and when chou arc gone^ With fond attention fhaO thy bonei be lud» And a fmall tribute to thy memory paid. In thele few words, engraren on thy ftone : -* Here let in peace the faithful SylvZo lie, " The trueft pifture of fidelity I**

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