

ORA
DESCRIPTIVE AND HISTORICAL TOUR
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WITHIN AN EASY DISTANCE OF
THE SOUTH WALES RAILWAY.


BY
J. H. CLARK.


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HALIFAX :
MILNER AND SOWERBY.
Sold by all Booksellers and at Railway Stations,


PRICE 1s. ILLUSTRATED 2s.


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ORA
DESCRIPTIVE AND HISTORICAL TOUR


FROM
GLOUCESTER TO MILFORD,
EMBRACING THE
@uatlw, Qlhhmﬁ, ‘@HIHIIE 8< ﬁntnmting @hinta,
WITHIN AN EASY DISTANCE OF
“MERE S©Ulfl€1 WAILES RAIIIIAWAYQ

BY
J. H. C L A R K .
Gompiler of “UsK AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD,” ‘ ‘CARDIFF AND 11‘
NEIGHBOURHOOD,” “ GUIDE THROUGH MONMOI 'THSHIRE,” 6:0.

Belisarius—Whither bound.
Imogem—TO Milford Haven. 1/ _ " \
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LONDON. ‘if \ EIJL/
HOULSTON AND WRIGHT, PATERNOSTEB nowfww"
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PREFACE.
In laying this small volume before the public, but little is
required as an introduction. The inquiry so frequently made for
a Handbook of the journey through that part of South Wales
which is traversed by the rail, has induced its publication.
The notices of the present state of the towns and villages, and
the objects of interest in the journey from Gloucester to Milford
Haven are detailed from a personal inspection, and an intimate
connexion with the localities; and the historical portions are
gleaned from the most reliable authorities.
J. H. CLARK.
Woodbank House, Usk,
April, 1861.


PREFACE.
In laying this small volume before the public, but little is
required as an introduction. The inquiry so frequently made for
a Handbook of the journey through that part of South Wales
which is traversed by the rail, has induced its publication.
The notices of the present state of the towns and villages, and
the objects of interest in the journey from Gloucester to Milford
Haven are detailed from a personal inspection, and an intimate
connexion with the localities; and the historical portions are
gleaned from the most reliable authorities.
J. H. CLARK.
Woodbank House, Usk,
‘April, 1861.
@Inmraturitim
This County takes its name from the city of that name,
and the city derives its nan'ie from the zuipellation be»
stowed upon it by the Ancient Britons of Carer Glowe,
signifying the “ Fair City.”
From the fragments of ruins which have at various
times been dug up, it is evident that this county was eX~
tensively populated by the Romans or Romanized Bri-
tons.
Under the Saxons, the county formed part of the
Mercia-n kingdom, and the Anglo-Saxon monarchs are
said to have had residences at lVincheomb and King’s
Stanley. Tewliesbury is rendered famous in our mili~
tary annals, from the sanguinary battle fought in 1471,
between the houses of York and Lancaster, which ter—
minated in the defeat of the latter, and the capture of
young Prince Edward, who it is alleged was subsequently
murdered in the Tower by order of Richard, Duke of
Gloucester, afterwards {iehard Ill This is a stain
on Riehard’s fame, which has never been cleared away,
There is a probability, as asserted by some historians
that he had no hand in the prince-‘s death.
In the contest between Charles I. and his parliament,
this county was the scene of many battles.
The manufactures are prii'ieipally those of superﬁne
woollen broad cloths, fancy woollen cloths, and other
a
2 eroucnsrnn.
fabrics of a coarser kind. Rugs and blankets are made in
some parts, and pins are manufaeturedin Bristol and Glen-1
cester. There are some paper mills in the neighbourhood
of Gloucester, and ﬂax spinning is carried on to a limited
extent. The principal portion of the county may be
called agricultural.
PnonUe'rs—The chief exports consist of Woollen cloths,
cheese, bacon, cider, perry, and grain. Lead is found
in some parts of the county, and iron‘ ores are in great
abundance, particularly in the Forest of Dean.
RIvEns—There are several rivers connected with the
county, among which are the Severn, the “Tye, the
Frome, and the Avon. The Severn, which is the largest,
rises at Plinllymmon, in Montgomeryshire, and passes
through the counties of Salop, ‘Worcester, and Glouces-
ter, Where it divides into two channels, and gradually
Widens, until it receives the \Vye near Chepstow, and
the Avon from Somersetshire.
At the census of 1851, Gloucestershire contained
458,805 inhabitants being an increase of 27,810 on the
census of 1841.
GLOUCESTER.
On a bright and lovely morning in September, 1859
I emerged from the Ram Hotel, Where I had found a
comfortable temporary abode, and tool; a ramble through
the streets of the ancient city of Gloucester. There Was
a sort of fellowship existing between the city and my—
self, although many long years had passed since We
were known to each other ;—still We Were old friends—-
it was the place of my birth, and as such, the objects
GLOUCESTER. 3
that met my View were regarded with more than ordi-
nary interest; although I had often pictured in my
mind’s eye, the old city with its noble cathedral and its
chief streets in the direction of the four points of the com—
pass, yet now placed down among the ﬁne new stately
buildings and gay shops, my recollection failed me, and
I did not feel to know my whereabouts until I found
myself within the purlieu of the noble time-honored
cathedral, for the modern hand of time and the railways
had so altered the general appearance of the old city
during the last thirty years, that very few of the old
buildings in their new garb, bore any resemblance to
the original state.
From inquiries and books I learned, that the city has
vastly increased in trade during the last quarter of a
century, which may be attributed to the opening of the
Gloucester and Berkeley Canal, and the formation of
Railways branching in several directions.
The appearance of the city has been much changed
by recent improvements; the houses are no longer of
wood, nor the streets narrow. The buildings are now
principally of brick, and many of them very handsome,
the shops are modernized, and the four chief streets,
Eastgate, ‘Westgate, Northgate, and Southgate streets,
are eominodious, well paved and lighted, and being
on an easy descent each way, they are easily kept clean.
Gas works were erected here in 1819, and the city is
plentifully supplied with water from a reservoir about
a mile distant.
The principal places and buildings are the College
School, founded by Henry VIII. 5 the Crypt Grmlzmar
AJ“
4; GLOUCERTFR-WPUBLTC BUILDINGS.
Selzeel; the Blue Coat School, founded in 1666 ; in
Which 20 boys are instructed and maintained for three
years, With a bounty on leaving of £10 5 the Shire Hall,
in W'estgate street, is an elegant building, the exterior
is imposing, and the interior convenient; the Custom
House is a neat structure, built near the docks; the
Corn Exelzenge in Southgate street a ﬁne looking
building ; the New ll'arlset in Eastgate street is commo-
dious and Well arranged ; the ‘own Hell is situated in
the centre of the city, and on its basement is the Post
Qﬁiee; the Theatre in Westgate street is a nest and
convenient structure ; the County Gaol which was com-
pleted in 1791, stands on the banks of the Severn, and
is suited for the conﬁnement of 500 prisoners; the City
Gael in Southgate street, was built in 1782, and the
Brlzklewell adjoins it; the County Lzmalz‘e Asylum is
about a mile distant from the city; the Lgﬁrma/ry
and (Tilt-0% IIozese are Well suited for the purposes for
which they were designed, and the Ale/20 Cattle Market
is near the Railway station.
Tnn CATHEDRAL is the greatest ornament of the city,
and is considered one of the ﬁnest specimens of Gothic
architecture in the kingdom. The length of the build-
ing is 421 feet, and its breadth 144 feet. The tower one of the most magniﬁcent of its styie in the World; it
is 224 feet in height, and was completed in 1457, a few
years before the snl'qn'ession of the Abbey. The roof is
supported by 28 pillars in two rows. The interior of
the building inspires the Visitor with awe and admirai
tien. it includes every perllwtion of the QUllllif stylist“
in exact swmnctry, and its ornament»; are iudicieusly
Ur
GLOUCESTER—HISTORY.
arranged. A great bell, weighing 6,500lbs. is erected
on the ﬁrst ﬂoor, and the left over contains eight beau-
tifully toned bells. This noble edifice contains a very
beautiful painted window, a. whispering gallery, and a
number of monuments of great interest and antiquity,
amongst the number are the tombs of Edward II. who
was murdered in Berkeley Castle, and Robert, Duke of
Normandy, who suffered an imprisonment of twenty-six
years in Cardiff Castle.
Hrsronr.—-King Edgar in 964, resided at Gloucester,
and Edmund Ironside came here in 1016; Canute
the Dane followed him, and the two kings with their
respective armies met on the Isle of Arney, where a
conference was held between the two monarchs, and
they agreed to divide the kingdom between them.
In 1051, Edward the Confessor, took up his residence’
at Gloucester and in 1053 entertained his nobles there.
In 1068, he again visited the city, and on Harold suc—
cceding in capturing the lVelsh chief Gryti'yth and eut~
ting off his head, sent it on the stern of his vessel to the
king at Gloucester.
‘William the Conqueror often held his court here, as
did also Henry I. in 1123.
In 1268, it was the scene of the contest between
Henry III. and his barons.
In 1278~9, Edward I. assembled his Parliament here,
and a Parliament was likewise held here in 1378, by
Richard II ; in 1403 and 14.07, by Henry IV.; and in
M20, by Henry V.
In the 17th century during the Civil ‘War, the inha~
bitmts took part with the Parliament, and their eppw
6 GLOUCESTER—~SEVERN SALMON.
sition to their unfortunate monarch, is said to have ac-
celerated his downfall. The walls of the city were
demolished soon after the testoration.
TnAnn—The trade of Gloucester in corn, timber,
wine and spirits is large, and the increasing prosperity
of the place may be seen by the Custom House returns,
which have increased nearly twelve-fold since the year
1825. The Docks are convenient for loading and un~
leading vessels, and are surrounded with extensive ware-
houses for grain. A branch line of railway runs to the
docks, which greatly facilitates the conveyance of goods-
Tnn DUCKS form the terminus to the Gloucester and
Berkeley Canal, which oins the Severn at Sharpness
Point. This canal was commenced in 1799, but was
not completed until 182 7, at a cost of£500,0()0. It is
17 miles long, 70 to 90 feet wide, and 18 feet deep.
It has only two locks, one at each end.
THE RIVER Severn abounds with excellent Salmon
which being cooked fresh, has a delicious ﬂavour.
“Unlike the flabby fish in London sold,
A Severn Salnlon’s worth its weight in gold.”
In times by-gone, when the means of transit was at-
tended with difdculty and expense, the population not
one quarter so large, and the ﬁsh more plentiful, salmon
was so abundantly supplied to the inhabitants, that it
was the custom to enter a clause in indentures, in ac-
cordance with an act of Parliament, that apprentices
should not be obliged to dine off salmon, oftener than
a certain number of days in a week, but this stipulation
has been long rendered unnecessary, there being new
no fear of the apprentices being over-fed with the
“ dainty dish.”
*5
GLOI’CESTEB—ANTIQUITIES.
Arvrrorrrrns.——iiitttgel)elm, a place of COllSldQl‘tlblO
importance to the antiquarian and historian, is situated
on the north side of the city. At this place stone eoiiins,
urns, spears, daggers, and other military weapons, gold
rings, tessalated pavements, with a vast number of gold,
silver and copper coins of the reigns of Tiberius, Clau-
dius, Nero, and the early tonian Emperors, have been
found. The bones of elephants have been also found
deposited several feet below the surface of the soil, which
led some to suppose that those relicts were the bones of
the elephants, said to have been brought into Britain by
Claudius, a. 1). 48. This neighbourhood was frequently
the battle ground of the Britons and Saxons.
Porunirron—In 1841, Gloucester contained 14,152
inhabitants ; in 1851, 17,572 inhabitants and 2843
inhabited houses.
The Gloucester Journal, which is one of the oldest
provincial papers in the kingdom is published here. It
was started in 1722. There are two other weekly
newspapers,—the Mercury and the Chronicle.
BMLwiYs—The B istol and Birmingham, the Great
IVestern, the Cheltenham and Oxford, the Itlxetel‘, and
the South \Vales Railways run into Gloucester.
The general appearance of the city indicates com~
fort and wealth. The Assizes and Quarter Sessions
are held here. The city is supplied with water from
works on Robin Hood’s hill. Triennial Musical Festi-
vals are held in, the cathedral. 'There is a saline chaly-
beate Spa and I’unip room.
Inns—Albion, Southgate street; Bell, Southgate st. ; Booth
Hall ; I‘ leeee ; ltam; (:‘rreyhound; (Trloueester (family
and commercial) ; liing‘s llead; \Vellington ; Spread
Eagle.
8 owners or run scorn WALEs LINK
‘clilgc sea; watts Emitting.
This important line of railway connects the Metropo
lis with the whole of South ‘Vales. It was commenced
in August, 1850, and new extends from Gloucester to
Milford, in Pembrokeshire.
On the 19th of September, 1851, that portion of the
line between Gloucester and Chepstow was opened for
passenger traﬁic, but a break was oc<,:asioned on the
Gloucestershire side of the lVye at Chcpstow for nearly
twelvemonths afterwards, on account of the unique tu-
bular bridge being incomplete. The bridge was ﬁrst
opened with a single line of rails, and the journey was
then uninterrupted as far as Swansea.
This line is of abundent interest to the tourist, and
in its course takes in a number of castles, abbeys, towns,
(English, ‘Velsh, and Flemish) iron works, antiquities,
&c. Among the objects which will attract attention
may be enumerated the castle and town of Chepstow ;
llloinscourt, an ancient residence of the bishops of Llan-
daif ; the ﬁrst Roman encampment at Portscuct; the
castle of Caldicot; the once famous city of Caerwent, the
Vesta S'll’llttlm of the Romans; the six agrarian castles
of lllentwood, within a few miles of the Portscuett sta-
tion; the commercial towns of Newport and Cardiff;
Llandaff cathedral ; druidical antiquities at St. Nicholas;
the town and castle of Bridgcnd; Margam abbey; the
towh and abbey of Neath; the improving town of
Swansea; the thriving port of Llanelly; the antiquated
STATIONS on‘ THE s. w. RAILWAY. a
town of Iii dwell y ; the pretty village of Ilerryside; the
once important town of Carmarthen; the Flemish town
of Haverfordwcst ; and the noble haven of Milford.
The following are the names of the Stations on the
line and the distance of each from Gloucester.
GLOUCESTER. Miles. Miles.
Grange Court Junction 7 Briton Ferry . . . . . . . . 91%
(forRoss& Hereford) NEATII . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Nnwnimta . . . . . . . . . . 1013,; Idansamlet . . . . . . . . . . 07%
Gatcombc . . . . . . . . . . . . 16% Llandore Viaduct . . . . 100%
LYDNEY . . . . . . . . . . . . 19;, SWANSE A . . . . . . . . 102
Woolastmie . . . . . . . . . . ‘22 Gower Road . . . . . . . . 1057:;
CIIEPSTOW' . . . . . . 27% Loughor . . . . . . . . . . . . 107%
Portskewitt . . . . . . . . .. 32% LLANELLY . . . . . . .. 111
Magor . . . . . . . . . . . . . _ 37 (for LLANDILO Vawn}
Lanwerne . . . . . . . . . . . . 40% I’embray . , . . . . . . . . .. 115
NEIVPORT . . . . . . . . .. 44% KIDIVELLY . . . . . . . . 120
llIarshﬁeld . . . 40% Fcrrysidc , . . . _ . . . . . 124%
CARDIFF . . . . . . . . . . 56%, CARMARTIIEN . . . . 130‘;
Ely (for Llandaff) _ . . . St. Clears . . . . . . . . . . 139
St. Pagans . . . . . . . . . . 60% Ivhitland . . . . . . . . .. 144%
Lrin'rnissrxr . . . . . . . . 07% Narberth Road . . . . . . 150
{for Cowmunon 5%111.) (Coach for Tenby)
Pencoed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72% Clarbeston Road . . . . 156%
lllIIDGEND . . . . . o . _ 76% IlilvEItFUItD-IVEST 161%
Pyle , _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ , , _ , _ _ _ 82 Johnston, (for Milford) 166%
Port Talbot . . . . . . . . . . MILFORD HAVEN 171

The station at Gloucester is a commodious building
ﬁtted up with every convenience. After leaving
the city the ﬁrst station reached is the Gannon Counr
B
10 NEWNHAM—GATCOMBE STATION .
Junction (Hm). A. railway diverges from this spot
through a portion of the Royal Forest of Dean to
Mt'tcheldean, Rose, and Hereford. Proceeding onward
NEWN HAM
is reached, (105m. from Gloucester). This is a small
Market town. It once sent two members to Parlia-
ment, but that has long ceased, and the place has im-
proved but little of late years. In 1851, it contained
1288 inhabitants. The navigation of the river here is
rendered dangerous even at high water by the shoals.
The tide rises here apparently in one solid wave, and
rushes up the river with impetuous fury. The church,
dedicated to St. Peter, stands on a clitfsixty feet high,
rising from the banks of the Severn. It is built with
some curiously sculptured stones, which are reputed to
have been preserved from the ruins of an ancient ediﬁce
which formerly stood at a place called Nab’s-end. In
the interior is a very curious Anglo-Norman font, sur-
rounded with carved ﬁgures of the Twelve Apostles
The Town Hall is a neat building, in which the Savings’
Bank and County Courts are held. Tan yards are car—
ried on here. The market day is Friday. The line
from this place takes its course along the banks of the
Severn.
Inns—George, (commercial); Bear; Lower George.
GATcoMnE STATION is next reached (16%m.) which is
the halting place for BLAKENEY, a village in the parish
of Awre, and which lies nearly two miles distant. On
the opposite side of the Severn, is the entrance to the
Gloucester and Berkeley Canal.
LYDNEY—WOOLASTO'NE. 11
LYDNEY.
Is shipping port for timber, bark, coals, stone, and
iron mine, the products of the Forest of Dean, and a tin
plate manufactory and iron works are carried on here.
Theparish church of St. Mary is built in the early En-
glish style of architecture, with a square tower sur-
mounted by a lofty spire. An omnibus from the Fea-
thers Inn meets the trains. Population, 1800.
In the vicinity coal mines are worked, and a very
superior kind of stone is quarried. .
Lyclneg/ Perl: is seen from the line. In the park are
remains of a Roman villa and two camps, with altoman
bath. Fragments of tessalated pavement, urns, statues,
and coins have been discovered here.
Inns—The Feathers (commercial) ; Swan j. Royal Albert.
Conveyances—~A coach runs from the afternoon trains through
Bream and Newland to Coleford, and returns the following
morning.
Residenees—Lydney I‘ark, seat of Charles Bathurst. Esq. ;--
Highbury House, T. Allaway. Esq—Gianna, Hon. W. M
N oeL—Highﬁeld House, C. Greenham, Esq.
Woorasronn, (22 m.) is next passed, and the line
leaves the banks of the Severn at some distance to the
left. The Old Passage and Beachley can be discerned
on its rocky shore.
After passingthrough a deep cutting in the solid rock,
and across the river lVye, you enter

HISTORICAL REMARKS ON MONMOUTHSHIBE.
Zitnnmnuttttie.
“Wnnn Britain was invaded by the Romans, the coun-
ties of Monmouth and Hereford were inhabited by the
Se'lures, a race of great valour and military skill, and
although the Romans by scientiﬁc warfare generally
proved victorious, the Britons were uiulaunted by dc-
feats and would still engage their enemies. They were
led by Caractacus, a prince, whose courage they greatly
extolled, but who was at length taken prisoner and sent
to Rome, where his noble bearing and magnanimous
conduct whilst in chains, won the esteem of Lthe Empe-
ror of Rome, and he and his family were released from
bondage.
Although the Britons had lost their leader, they still
effectually opposed and harassed the Roman generals
sent to conquer then . At length Julius Frontinus
overcame all obstacles and subdued them.
The conquerors, however, found great difficulty in
retaining the country, and were obliged to form and
garrison a lOIi‘T line of military posts. The principal
of which military stations were in Monmouthshire, viz.;
Vesta Sllzmm, now Caerwent; Isea Sllarum, then the
metropolis of the Sllares, new Caerleon ;_ Burrlum, now
Ush; lilest/zmz, new Monmouth; and Gel/(lamina, now
Abergavcnny.
Julius Frontinus was succeeded by Agricola, who, by
placing eiiicers of pcaceable and generous dispositions
orer the Britons, worked a great iml'irovement in their
MONMOUTHSHIRE. 13
manners and gained their conﬁdence. He introduced
liberal arts and sciences among them, and taught them
to cultivate the soil: but after a time, imperial Rome
was compelled to recall her legions to defend her domi-
niens at home, and the Roman soldiers bade adieu to
this island. On their departure, the Picts, Scots, Saxons
and Danes invaded the country, and this part of the
kingdom became the scene of many heroic engagements.
Prior to the year 418 the Britons had several Kings,
and about this time, Vortigern had risen to the throne.
His reign was one of perﬁdy and villainy. The
Saxons were invited over to repel the Diets, and in their
turn committed ravages and massacres, slaughtering up-
wards of 800 persons of rank, at a meeting convened
under social and harmonious pretences on Salisbury
plain. Vortigern was suspected of being privy to this
treachery and was never more in favor with the Britons.
Ambrosius, who succeeded Vortigern, gained some
advantages over the Saxons, and after recovering a part
of the country, died by poison. Uther Pendragon then
ascended the throne, and after seventeen years of suc-
cessful enterprise, was also poisoned. His son, the fa-
mous Arthur, whose birthplace is said to be Cardiff,
now became the British monarch.
On the uniting of the Saxon heptarchy in the person
of Egbert, in 819, the Britons retired into the moun-
tains of \Vales, maintaining an inveterate hatred to the
Saxons, and were governed by princes of their own.
Harold, the last of the Saxon kings, built a palace at
Portscuet-t, near Chepstow, at which he entertained
Edward the Confesser, in 1005. The palace was de—
stroyed by a \Velsh Lillt‘f named Caradog ap Grutfyth.
1st nonnoornsnrnn.
The New Passage or Charston Rock, about smile and
a half distant from Portscuett, is aﬁ‘irmed to be the
precise spot where the Romans, headed by Julius Fron-
tinus, in the reign of Vespasian, ﬁrst landed in Men-
mouthshire, for the purpose of reducing the S/iZu/rcs to
subj ection.
The natives of the Principality maintain, that they
never were conquered, although they admit that the
Romans at different time obtained the ascendancy, and
that neither Saxons, Danes, nor Normans could subdue
them, but that in the reign of Henry II, in fulﬁlment
of an old prophecy of Merlin, they capitulated, in order
to enjoy certain rights and privileges.
The shrewd policy of Edward I. reconciled the TWelsh
to British rule. His queen being near her accoucizcment,
he sent her to Caernarvon castle, where she was safely
delivered of a prince, who was made the ﬁrst Prince of
Wales, and afterwards came to the throne, and went by
the name of Edward Caernarvon. From that time the
natives acknowledged the English King as their Lord.
wee/am
GHEPSTOW.
To those who travel for the recovery of health or the
enjoyment of the senses, this neighbourhood is equally
attractive. The town itself is happily situated on the
slope of a hill so that a brisk shower of rain completely
cleanses the street, and in a few minutes after the rain
has ceased, the invalid may walk abroad without dan-
ger of getting damp feet. It is built on a compact bed
of limestone, but the soil around is so diversiﬁed, that
CHEPSTOVV—HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS. 15
the geologist and the botanist may ﬁnd ample food for
their studies. The town is environed by scenery of
much beauty and grandeur, indeed, few places possess
so much of the picturesque. The assemblage of rocks,
woods, ruins, pastures and streams, are so prettily disposed
and so harmoniously united, that the greatest connoisseur
in landscapes must speak of the scenery in this neigh-
bourhood in the highest praise. The artist’s pencil and
palette need never be idle, or the antiqarian’s researches
cease for lack of monastic and eastellated ruins to ex-
plore.
IIISTORICAL AssoemrIoNs—It does not appear that
Chepstow flourished during the Roman sway, but that
it rose into importance on the decline of the ancient city
of Caerwem‘, which is about four miles distant, it being
better suited for the purposes of commerce. The name
of Clzleapanstow was bestowed upon it by the Saxons,
signifying a “place of traffic,” and it was probably oc_
eupied by Harold, when he took possession of this part
of Monmouthshire, and built a palace at Portscuitt,
about three miles distant. The Normans, however ap—
pear to have fortiﬁed the town, and surrounded it with
walls strengthened at intervals with round towers or
bastions, which extended from the banks of the river
near the railway bridge round the upper part of the
town to the castle, portions of the walls yet remain, and
the railway train, a few yards after leaving the station,
passes close to the remains of the wall. The town was
also known by the name of Car Gwcat by the ancient
Britons, and Sirz'gaz'l by the Romans. The Castle is a
prominent object in passing along the railway bridge,
16 (irnnrsrow,
and the scenery around it is strikingly picturesque.
It is built on. the edge ofa lofty perpendicular rock.
Whose base is Washed by the “rye. Its position is strong
and commanding from the river, and the great height
and strength of its Wall and outworlrs on the land side,
present the remains of all that ancient art could devise
to render it impregnable. The principal entrance bears
indications of strong defence ; the massive door covered
with iron bolts and clasps, is a genuine relic of the feu-
dal stronghold, it is guarded on each side by a circular
tower with oellit holes, and in the arch which extends
from one tower to the other, is the groove from
which the portcullis dropped, and two circular holes
used for pouring melted lead or boiling water on the
heads of the beseigers. The interior divided into four
courts; Within the first are the domestic offices, a cha-
pel or oratory, a subterraneous room excavated in the
rock and connected With the river, and sercral other
vaults and dungeons. The Walls are covered with a
luxuriant mantle of ivy, through which, the sculptured
masonry occasionally amicars. The Keep Tower on the
left of the entrance, is an object the visitor will regard
with interest, as being the place Where the inflexible
regieide, Henry Martin, was incarcerated for 20 years:
he died in the 78th year of his age, and Was buried in
Chepstow church. Here also the good Jeremy Taylor
suffered temporary imprisonment in 1656, on a charge
of being privy to an insurrection of the ltoyalists. This
baronial fortress was built by \Villiam Fitz Osborne,
Earl of Hereford, soon after the Conquest; he Was re~
latcd to the Conqueror and held high office, being Jus-
hp
ennrsrow. 1 1
tieiary of the North of England, and a joint Marshal
with Roger de Montgomery. It passed to the Earls of
Pembroke, and afterwards fell into the hands of the
great family of Clare. In the reign of Henry I. it was
in the possession of Gilbert, surnamed Strongbow, who,
at the coronation of Henry 11, held the office of Marshal
of England, Earl of Pembroke, and Earl of Striguil, it
passed to his son Richard, and descended to the Plan-
tagenets, the Hcrbcrts, and the Somersets, and is now
the property of the Duke of Beaufort.
During the sanguinary struggles of Charles I. and his
parliament, it successively became the property of mo-
narchial loyalty and zealous republicanisin; it echoed
with the thunder of Cromwell’s artillery,and drank the
blood of Sir Nicholas Kemeys with that of forty of his
brave companions, on the 25th of May, 16-18, as they
advanced to deliver up their swords, on the supplies
of food becoming exhausted.
“ Many a Vanished year and age,
And tempest’s breath, and battle’s rage,
Have swept o’er thy Castle; yet she stands
A fortress form’d to Freedom’s hands:
The whirlwind’s wrath—the earthquake’s shock,
Have left untoueh’d her hoary rock.”
Towards the close of the 18th century, Chepstow was
the principal port for South \Vales, and ship building
was extensively carried on. In 1797, the coasting trade
was considerably superior to that of Newport, but since
that period, the trade has dwindled to a mere shadow of
its former extent.
THE IRON BRIDGE which crosses the 'Wye near the
castle is a beautiul and elegant structure. It consists
0
18 cnnrsrow EnIneEs AND cnuncn.
of ﬁve arches, and its length is about 820 feet; 800 tons
of iron were used in its construction, and the eXpence
attending its erection amounted to nearly £20,000,
which was defrayed by the counties of Gloucester and
Monmouth.
THE RAILWAY BRIDGE is also formed of iron, from a
design of Brunel’s at a cost of about £70,000. It is
considered to be an ingenious and great mechanical un-
dertaking, and has been visited by many scientiﬁc men
from various parts of the kingdom and from foreign
countries. The stupendous proportions of the bridge
may be imagined from the following dimensions.--Tota1
length 628 feet; main span 300 feet, which is suspended
from a huge cylinder; the three side spans 100‘feet each,
supported on tubes 9ft. in diameter. The height of the
roadway above low Water is 94 feet, and above high
water 51 feet. The total weight of iron used was
2,340 tons 14 cwt.
THE PARISH Cnuncrr is dedicated to St. Mary. At the
west-front entrance is a magniﬁcent portal in a good
state of preservation. It has a semi—circular arch, rc-
posing on receding columns, and richly decorated with
divisions of diagonal and diamond mouldings, peculiar
to the Saxon and early Norman styles. The remains of
Henry Martin, with an acrostic to his memory, and the
Earl and Countess of Worcester, lie intered in the church.
THE CEMETERY is neatly laid out with shrubs at half
a mile distant from the town, in the hamlet of Hard-
Wick.
THE PUBLIC Burrnrnes are the Assembly Rooms, over
the Market House, and connected with the Beaufort
ennrsrew—PUBLIc surnames. 19
Arms; the Union Workhoase, at the upper end of the
town; the Bank Buildings, where the County Courts
Petty Sessions, and Public meetings are held; the
National School ; Powz's’ Almslzoase ; and the Dissenting
Places of Worship for Baptists, Independents, Roman
Catholics, Wesleyans, and Irvingites.
T HE Pnrvarn RESIDENCES, in the neighbourhood are
very pleasantly and romantically situated, among the
number may be mentioned, Mount House and Pz'erceﬁelal
House, on the road to St. Arvans; Hczartlwtok Home,
Hawlem'clo Lodge, Larleﬁelcl and Ike lVg/elamls on the
road to Pwlmeyric; Tutshe'll House, Tutslw'll Lodge,
East Clef, .Pemnoyle, and Wye Home, on the road to
Coleford; Seclba/ry Park, near Beachley, Itton Court and
St. Pierre.
The town is well lighted with gas, and Water Works
were established in 1887.
The accommodation for visitors is very good, com-
fortable private lodgings may be obtained at reasonable
rates, and there are several excellent inns.
Inns—Beaufort Arms, family and commercial; George, fa-
mily and commercial; Bell ; Horn ;
Conveyances—The Wye Steam Packet plies daily between
Bristol and Chepstow—I’leasure boats for the Wye tour
may be obtained by applying at the Lord N elson—-—Vehi-
cles at the Beaufort Arms, George, and other Inns—~—
Coach to Monmouth on arrival of the Packet.
Routes.
To proceed into South Wales by the most direct route,
continue along the rail to Newport, but as that course
will take the visitor along an uninteresting boundary of
20 nourris T0 Nnwronr.
the county, over the extensive moors of Caldicot level,
with but few objects to attract attention; it is recom~
mended, provided an extra day or two be at the disposal
of the tourist, to proceed from Ohepstow to Monmouth,
by a hired conveyance, if the 16 miles between the two
towns is to be traversed in one day, and travel from
thence on the Monmouth, Usk, and Pontypool Railway
through the centre of the county to Newport. If the
distance between Chepstow and Monmouth be accom-
plished on foot, the pedestrian will ﬁnd decent accom-
modation for the night at the Beaufort Arms, Tintern,
or at the Sleep Inn, Llandogo. A coach runs between
the two towns during the summer months, which may
be taken advantage of to reach Monmouth after walking
a part of the distance. By this route will be taken in
the far-famed 'Windclitf, the monastic ruins of Tintern
Abbey, the county town of Monmouth with its delight-
ful scenery, the magnificent ruins of Raglan Castle, the
town and castle of Usk, &o. The objects on both routes
will be given for the tourist to select which he pleases.
Journey from Chepstow to Newport by Rail.
On leaving the Station, the line follows the course of
the river for the first half mile, passing close to a por-
tion of the fortiﬁed walls of the town, and through the
Hardwick Cliff. The large masses of rock which rear
their majestic heads and overhang the Wye, on the left,
appear like the gigantic parapets of a huge fortress. On
emerging from the passage in the rock, you arrive on
the banks of the Severn, the \Vye having here termi-
nated its course and emptied itself into that noble river.
MATHERNE CHURCH AND OLD PALACE.
At the point where the two rivers unite before falling
into the Bristol channel, an isolated rock is seen at a
short distance from the land near Bcachley, surmounted
by the ruins of (lip Q9111 @ﬁapcl, dedicated to St.
Tecla, who is said to have suffered martyrdom An 47.
At two miles distance from Chcpstow, on the right,
stands {Hatteras ‘631mb and out leaders- The
church contains an epitaph on Thoodorick, King of
Glamorgan, who died on his way home, from wounds
he received at the battle of Tintern, in ﬁghting against
the Saxons, in the year 600. It is placed in the North
‘wall of tho Chancel on a large square stone, painted
black, and decorated with military emblems. He was
accounted a martyr because he was slain in battle
against the Pagan Saxons in defence of the Christian
leligion, and Matherne is said to have derived its name
from Merthyr Tewdrig (the martyrdom of Theodoric.)
Several Bishops were also buried in the church, among
the inscriptions on the tomb-stones in the Churchyard,
are the following very ludicrous lines, said to have been
composed by an aged spinster of the parish, who was
particularly interested in the welfare of the old man,
whose memory she handed down by invoking the muses.
The epitaph runs thus 2-—
“ John Lee is dead, that good old man,
“To ne’er shall see him more,
He used to wear an old drab coat,
All buttoned down before.”
watberneistﬂsrr and istciusruut Were formerly
ecclesiastical mansions, the residences of the Bishops of
Llandatf, they are now in a very ruinous state, and
appropriated at present to farming purposes.
b9
b0
ST. PIERRE~NEVV PASSAGE.
The mansion of iaint iﬂierre is situated within a
quarter of a mile of Mathernc. The family of Lewis
owns the estate, descended from the same great ancestor
as the Tredegar Family, “ Cadifor the Great.” The
mansion is very antique in appearance, and the situation
composed and tranquil. Close to the house is the parish
Church, which is principally used by the family, it has
a painted window, and within the porch are two tomb-
stones of an early date, the one to the memory of Vrian
de St. Pierre, who died 1298 (temp. Edward I.) and
the other is an hierogliphical stone with ten bezants or
plates, falcons, dragons, 8:0.
PonrsKEwEr STATION (4 miles from Chepstow) is
next reached. Nearly a mile to the left lies the NEW
PASSAGE INN or the BLACK Been. In 1713, Charles I.
was pursued by his enemies to this place. He embarked
in a boat at Qtbarstou Ennis, or BLACK Boon as it is
usually termed, and was ferried to the opposite shore.
About 60 of his pursuers, with drawn swords were close
upon his track, and compelled other boatmen to ferry
them in pursuit ; these mariners, who were loyal to their
king, landed Cromwell’s soldiers on a reef of rocks, near
the opposite shore, called the “English Stones” and
persuaded them to ford to land ; whilst attempting vto do
so, the tide ﬂowed in rapidly, and they were all drowned.
Cnansron' Boon is aﬁirmed to be the precise spot where
the Romans, headed by Julius Frontinus, in the reign
of Vespasian, ﬁrst landed in Monmouthshire, for the
purpose of reducing the Sal/Wes to subjection. Several
Roman coins have been found on the rock.
Across the ferry a ﬂoating railway is projected, by
PORTSKE‘VIT—CALDICOT CASTLE. 3
which means Bristol will be connected by the most
direct route with South ‘Vales, and thereby obviate
the necessity of going round through Gloucester. The
distance of Bristol from this spot will not be more than
14 miles. This ferry was formerly much used in keep-
ing up a communication with Bristol and the South
West Counties, but has been little used for that purpose
during the last twenty years. The breadth across at
high water is 3% miles.
On the rocky coast within a mile of the New Passage
Inn, is an ancient encampment called ganhmua or
tﬁunt’bhrnnk, It consists of three ramparts and two
ditches forming a semi-circle. It was evidently once
circular. On the cast are the remains of a Chapel once
attached to a Norman Mansion, probably swept away by
the encroachment of the sea.
At {J 0115 twill“ may be traced the remains of another
Roman encampment. Harold built a palace here, at
which he entertainment Edward the Confessor. It was
destroyed by Caradog ap Griﬂith a \Velsh Chieftain.
The Village now nearly a mile from the shore, was once
Washed by the sea.
Qtglljignt @agﬂt stands in a large tract of pasture
ground on the right of the line, within one mile of
Portskewit, the walls are from ﬁve to nine feet thick,
and some historians have supposed this castle to have
been built by Harold, who held his court here. The
ancestors of the Bohun family were very early possessors
of this castle, it afterwards came into the possession of
the Earl of Staﬁ'ord by marriage, and was retained by
Henry VI. It was granted by Edward IV. to Lord
£24 CAERW'ENT—MAGOR STATION.
Herbert of Raglan, afterwards Earl of Pembroke. It
reverted to Henry VI. and was again taken by Edward
IV. in the wars of the white and red roses. It was
returned to the Duke of Buckingham descendant of
the Earl of Stafford) by Richard the III, but when the
Duke and his son were executed for treason, it became
forfeited to Henry VII, it was afterwards held by the
Earls of Worcester during the reigns of Elizabeth,
James I. and Charles I.; and is now the property of
the Saint Pierre family.
The village of CALnIcor is within a few yards of the
castle, and contains about 660 inhabitants. The Church
is a ﬁne old building with square tower.
@HBI‘XUBIU, is about a mile and a half distant from
Caldicot, and miles to the right of the line. Al~
though it now has nothing inviting in its appearance,
yet it deserves the attention of the antiquarian. It was
once an important Roman city, and under the auspices
of Agricola, was renowned for its temples, theatres,
baths, and porticoes. Fortifications may still be traced,
and fragments of stately piles, and innumerable coins
and medals have been found, to prove the consequence
this place had borne among the Roman stations.
On the 16th of August 1855, the members of the
Caerleon Antiquarian Association held their annual
meeting here, in an orchard belonging to Mr. George
Dowle, where many interesting relics have been found.
On this occasion a beautiful tessalated pavement was
discovered in good preservation, forming the centre of a
room, other apartments of the house, and hot and cold
baths, were also found whilst digging.
ROGGIETT—LANWERNE. 25
At 2% miles distance from Portscuitt, the rail passes
Iknggiet @burd), and 2% miles further Macon STA-
TION is reached. The Church stands nearto the station
and is Very ancient in appearance. A neat school has
been recently erected close to it. The parish contains
about 430 inhabitants.
LLANWEBNE STATION is four miles from Magor. (7n an
eminence, prettily wooded, stands Quanhlm‘n £81158,
the seat of Sir Charles Salusbury. It was erected in
1760, by Charles Vanne, Esq, father-in-law to the late
Sir Robert Salusbury, Bart. Sir Robert was the inti—
mate friend and fellow collegian of Pitt, and he repre-
sented the county of Monmouth in one parliament, and
sat in the house many years as member for Brecon. Sir
Robert died at Canterbury, Nov. 18, 1817.
Four miles further, and Newport, the most important
town in Monmouthshire, is reached.
Before proceeding further, the indulgence of the
reader must be claimed, whilst the route to Newport
rz'a/ Monmouth, as before alluded to, is given, for the
information to those who have acted upon the suggestion
thrown out, of passing through the centre of this beau-
tiful county to reach Newport.
Route from Chepstow to Newport, by way of
Monmouth and Usk.
Since railroads have: so intersected the county, tourists,
unless they are good pedestrians have been put to some
D,
26 JouENEY FROM cnEPsrow re MONMOUTH.
inconvenience in reaching the County town from
Chepstow. There is no Line of the iron road to connect
the two towns, and the commercial portion of the
community ﬁnding it cheaper, if not more expeditous to
take the railway which runs round through Newport t0
Monmouth, a distance of about 47 miles, than to post
the 16 miles between Chepstow and Monmouth, or wait
for a coach once a day, or three times a week, have
generally adopted the rail. But a stranger will be
amply repaid for hiring a conveyance, or making a two
days journey of the 16 miles on foot.
On leaving Chepstow, pass under the T own Gate at
the top of High Street, and turn along the street to the
right, which will lead to Crossway Green Turnpike
Gate. About two hundred yards after passing the gate,
a road to the left leads to Usk 14 miles distant, keep
down the hill and you reach I’ierceﬁeld Lodge. The
walks ot‘l’iereeﬁeld were in former years open to the
public, and attracted considerable numbers to the beat-
tiful grounds and woods, from which delightful views
are obtained. The property of late years, however, has
been much neglected, and the walks are closed. It is
now in the occupation of John Russell, Esq. Keep the
boundary wall of the park on your right hand, and after
a walk of a mile you arrive at the pretty village of St.
Arvans, where there is a good Inn. Turn along the
road to the right, and opposite the Fish pond, pass
through a gateway on the left of the road. A
carriage way will lead you to the top of the far famed
winﬂtll'ff. On the summit of the rock, are some
seats, on which the traveller will ﬁnd it agreeable to
gavagﬁdkzlis'r‘zx. '
vr sws rnoM WIND CLIFF. 27
rest after his walk, and contemplate a most magniﬁcent
and extended prospect, beyond the power of language
to describe, or the pencil of the artist to portray. It is
a scene of enchantment ; luxuriant woods,-—-romantic
rocks,-—fertile valleys, and a winding stream blending
in harmony in the foreground, and melting into each
other in the distance.
“Who would not wander here P “The would not here
Grow old in song? the poet, soul refresh’d,
\Vith glowing cheek, and eye uplift to heaven,
Might look through nature here to nature’s God.
To recount the whole of the pleasing objects taken in
within range of the eye, would occupy more time and
space then can be allotted, it will be sutﬁcient to state,
that from the summit of the rock, which is nearly 900
feet above the river, parts of the counties of Monmouth,
Gloucester, Devon, Somerset, \Vilts, Glamorgan, Brecon,
Hereford and Worcester may be seen. Among the
more prominent objects forming the panorama may be
mentioned the Wye—taking its circuitous course for seve-
ral miles between rocky and woody banks, and embracing
the peninsula of Laneaut with its little church, its farm,
its green pastures and yellow corn ﬁelds ;-—-the frowning
Bannagor crags in front ;-—-the beautifully wooded walks
of l’ierceﬁeld, with the rocks called the Twelve apostles,
jutting out at intervals on the right ; —— and beyond
the noble ruins of the Castle of Chepstow,-—-the light
and airy iron bridges, —- the Tutshill rocks, and the
queenly Severn bounding the horizon, like a brightened
coronet to grace the magic scene ; with the historic castle
of Berkeley on its banks ;--further to the right stands the
28 WrNncLirr.
steeple of Thornbury Church, the isolated rocks, known
by the name of “ Flat” and “ Steep Holmes ” rising
out of the Waters of the Bristol Chamiel,--the headland
of Penarth, near Cardiff ;-—the hills of Somerset, and the
conspicous tower of Dundry, near Bristol.
Before quitting this “ﬁr topped cliff” it may be
mentioned, for those Who are interested in such matters,
that the lovers of science Will ﬁnd Within a short distance
amusements in several pursuits. The Geologist will
see that the cliff is formed of hard White limestone
on a bed of blue, that the soil around is formed of
diluvium conglomerate and sandstone, and that there
are some crinoids and other fossils imbedded in the seams
of the limestones.
The Ornithologist may chance to alight upon the rare
and beautifully crested Bohemian waxwing, (Bombycz'lla
gawula}, and may see hovering over the rocks and
Woods, the hawk, the harrier and the kite; Whilst the
Wary and suspicious raven, that “ evil boding crow,”
perches moodily upon the branches issuing from the cre-
vices of a rugged rock, and the blinking owl sits moping
in its retired haunt secure from the noon-tide sun; chat-
tering pies and jays their discord ring; blackbirds trill
from the ivy mantled banks and sepulchral yew, and
thrushes Whistle from the thorny brake ; the cooing note
of the ring dove is heard from the lofty trees, whilst
in the bushes around, linnets and ﬁnches pour out
their soft and melodious notes; and furtl'icr off, as the
shades of evening approach, the nightingale puts forth
its plaintive tale.
The Entomologist will be afforded amusement in
- 1
wINneLrrr. 29
watching the unsteady flight of some of the gayest but—
terflies of our land, among the number are the Pent/m
Cardanzz'nes, Vanessa urtz'ow, Vanessa [0, Cynthia car-
ried, and Gomyvtcryx R/mmnz', besides many commoner
kinds. Some beautiful moths flit about, and among
them the three spotted burnet, the buff tiger, the lac-
quey, the goat, the elephant, the priyet, the clouded
buff, the spotted Velvet, &c.
The Botanist may discover many rather rare plants,
among which may be enumerated the Learn/‘fa cymba-
Zerz'a, Valerz'ane more, Galzizmz zfernnz, Opkrg/s apt/fem,
Habenarz'a bzfolz'a, Pea, W'gz'da, Helz'anﬁzemum eulgare,
Genﬂana Anmrella, 17m syleatz'ca,
AHﬂZyZZL'S enZncrarz'a, Omit/2019258 perpnsz'lins, Viburnn-rn
Opalns, Poterz'wn sangm'sorba, Geranz'mn Zuc/z'dmn, Gem-
nz'zun sanyu/nemn, 0/1/07 a pmfeiz'az‘a,
Con-eallam'e nae/alts, and GaZant/zas nz'zfalz's.
The tourist will now begin to descend the cliff by the
serpentine path, which is rendered easy by stone steps
and rustic seats at intervals, the latter are mostly placed
in convenient spots for getting good views of the sur-
In the way lies a chasm in the rock,
Onebryc/u's sat‘z'm,
Gen'znz'mn jelzzz'zun,
rounding scenery.
called the Giant’s Care, through which is a passage.
At the bottom of the cliff is the Moss Cottage, a
fanciful little erection,——a cool and pleasant retreat. It
is a rustic building thatched with straw and lined with
moss. Here parties can be accommodated with tea and
refreshments at moderate charges.
The turnpike road is new regained and you proceed
on your way to Tintern, with a rocky wood on the left,
in which the “lady ash ” the “ fragrant birk ” and
30 TINTERN ABBEY.
the “ sombre yew” commingle their varied foliage, and
from which the wild clematis hangs its tangled tresses.
Beneath you on the right, the \Vye ﬂows on its
sinuous course.
After a two miles walk, on turning a point of the
road, the beautiful monastic ediﬁce of @intm‘n
suddenly meets the eye. Its pointed arches of fairy
lightness, covered with ivy, rising in the centre of a
sylvan valley, with the classic “lye wending its majestic
course by its side, is a sight which strikes the beholder
with amazement. It is seen with better effect from
this spot than from any other, for as you approach
nearer, a cluster of dilapidated cottages hides it partially
from view.
A person is in charge of this beautiful ruin, and
strangers are admitted to view the interior. On entering
the sacred ediﬁce, a sudden awe thrills through the mind
of the beholder, at the solemn stillness which pervades
the place.
“Relic of by-gone days and noble arts,
Dcspoil’d yet perfect, within thy circle spreads
A holiness appealing to all hearts.”
M onkish tombstones and mutilated ﬁgures are deposited
about the walls, and the floor is covered with a ﬁne
green sward.
Time has worn the sharp edges of the carved and
sculptured stones of the ornamental Gothic window
frames and arches. N ature has claimed the ruin as her
own, and mosses, lichens, pennyworts, antirrhinums,
wallﬁowers and spleenworts have settled themselves in
the oints of the elaboratly chisellcd stones.
TINT ERN ABBEY. 31
“ Lone monument of ages! sacred pile !
Sweetly the eye reposes o’er thy fane,
\Vhich in the moonlight wears the placid smile
Appealing to our pity, not in vain.
Shall Fancy swell the deep-tonal solemn strain,
‘Vhich ’erst the loud Hosannah’s wak’d in ﬁre,
Shall crowded visions of the past, again
F lit o’er thy fretted vaults, and Wake th’ harmonious choir.
Thy solitude looks lovely in the vale,
The mountain forest ﬂutters o’er thy wall—-
The \Vye winds round thee, and the snow white sail,
Comes glittering downwards on the river’s tall,
IVith life and light advancing—while the pall
Of mould’ring time, hangs 0’ er thee chill and wild,
Unwak’d by echoes, save by owlets eall,
Pealing thine anthem drear, in death still undeﬁl’d
The principal part of the ruin is the church, which is
a beautiful specimen of pure Gothic architecture. The
Abbey is said to have been founded for Cistercian monks
in 1181, by YValter E itz- Richard de Clare, and dedicated
to St. Mary. “falter dying without issue was succeeded
by his brother Gilbert de Clare, ale/es Strongbow, ﬁrst
Earl of Pembroke who died in 11418. Several of the
De Clares and ‘William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke, are
said to have been buried here. In this Abbey, Edward
II. took refuge for a time from the pursuit of his queen,
Isabella. Henry VIII. granted the Abbey and estates
to Henry, Earl of ‘Yorcester, from whom they descended
to His Grace the Duke of Beaufort the present pro-
prietor.
In the year 600 a battle was fought at Tintern,
between the Britons and Saxons, when Theodoric the
British leader was slain, and a tablet is erected to his.v
memory in Matherne Church.
’_._.~ ~__.,-_ _ -- A ., ~,, ,vwmaumw_w_.~tm-..~-. , i,
82 CHAPELHILL,———LLANDOGO.
Iron and wire works are carried on here. The works
are of very early date, and were probably erected in the
reign of Elizabeth, as the memoirs of l\Ionmouthshire,
printed in the sixteenth century makes mention ot‘them
and say, “ The ingenious invention of making wire
by water mills, was brought hereby Germans many yearS
since.”
In 1851, Tin tern contained 870 inhabitants. The
Church is small stone building.
Inns—Beaufort Arms, Rose and Crown, and Carpenters’ Arms.
CHAPEL HILL immediately adjoins Tintern Parva, and
contains 545 inhabitants. It has a church of which the
Duke of Beaufort is patron. About a mile further, on
the opposite side of the river lies Bree/swear. Ship
building is carried on here to a small extent.
LLANDOGO, a pretty village on the banks of the \Vye,
surrounded by ﬁne wooded scenery, is about two miles
further on the road to Monmouth. The village is backed
by a steep wooded hill, called “ Cleddon Shoots” from
which a delightful View of the village and river, with
St. Briavels Castle on an eminence on the opposite shore,
is obtained, in rainy seasons, when the springs are
overﬂowing, the Cascade which falls from this eminence
has a pleasing and romantic appearance. The tide of
the “rye ebbs and ﬂows up to thisfvillage. In 1851, it
contained 164 houses and 571 inhabitants. It has a
small neat church. Good accommodation may be ob—
tained a the “ Sloop Inn.”
About a mile and a half to the left, lies the parish of
Trailer/t, a neat village, having a stone built church with
PISLTONE—BIG SWEIR BRIDGE—TVHITEBROOK. 3 3
a spire. The old road to Monmouth passes through this
parish, but since the new one on the banks of the Wye
has been opened, the old road is but little traversed. In
the woody vale of Catbrook in this parish, is a fine
chalybeate spring, called the “ Virtuous Well” which
formerly was much frequented by invalids, for the
purpose of drinking the waters; but in the present
day more fashionable places are resorted to.
Pursuing the direct road to Monmouth, at a distance
of about a mile and a half, the ruins of the ancient
mansion of P-z'lston, lies on the left, backed by the
Pang/can hills, on which much merry-making comes off
on Whit-Monday. The Wye is here crossed by Bigsweir
Bridge, a single arch of 160 feet span, to the Glouceter-
shire side of the river. After passing Florence cottage
to the right, Whitebrook paper mills are seen on the
opposite bank of the river. When the manufacture of
iron wire was introduced into this kingdom, the artists
who came from Germany ﬁrst settled at this place, and
Tintern Abbey; on the decline of the wire works the
paper mills were erected, and at one time did a good
trade.
iliﬂﬂll‘ﬂﬂﬁ is next reached, at which place a road to
the right leads to Newland and Coleford. The Village
of Redbrook is divided into two parts, called Upper and
Lower Redbrook. There are some iron and tin works
here, which are new partially stopped, and it is stated
that in former days it was celebrated for “ a famous
copper works, managed by Swedes and other foreigners.”
A brook in the village divides the counties of Monmouth
and Gloucester.
34 nomuourn.
As Monmouth is approached, Dog House belonging
to the Duke of Beaufort is seen on the opposite side of
the river. In this mansion are deposited the cradle in
which Henry V. passed his infant slumbers, andﬂthe
sword and armour he fought with at the battle of
Agincourt.
Before crossing Wyebm'dge, a road will be observed on
the right hand, which leads to Mayhill, the Kymin, the
Buckstone, Staunton, N ewland and Coleford. Remarks
on these places will be hereafter made. Cross the bridge
and enter
MONMOUTH.
Distant from Miles Gloucester . . . . . . . . . . .. 19
London . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Hereford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Chepstow . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Raglan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Abergavenny . . . . . . . . . . 16 Usk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
It is a corporate borough, and in conjunction with
Newport and Usk sends one member to Parliament; the
present representative is Crawshay Bailey, Esq. of
N antyglo. The members for the County are Octavius
Morgan, Esq, brother to Lord Tredegar; and Colonel
Somerset, cousin to the Duke of Beaufort.
Three rivers enter this town, the Wye, the
Monnew, and the Trothy, the name of the town is derived
from the second mentioned stream. It is supposed to
have been the Bleszf'z'wn of Antoninus.
T726 Castle, of which very little remains, was supposed
to have been built by John of Monmouth. It was
annexed to the Earldom of Lancaster, and became a
favorite residence of John of Gaunt, to whom it de-
scended by his marriage with Blanche, daughter of

MoNMourH. 35
Henry of Monmouth. The castle, ‘however, is most
renowned for having been the birth place of Henry V.
whose 'name and glory are familiar to every reader of
national history or the drama. His dissipated habits
when Prince of \Vales, and his great military achieve-
ments at the siege of Harﬁeur, and at the battle on the
plains of Agincourt, have been so inimitably portrayed
by Shakspeare, that his name is “as familiar in our
mouths, as household words.”
Monaow Bridge surmounted by a Saxon gateway, was
erected by Edward I. in 1272.
Near St. \[ary’s Church are the remains of a Benedic-
tine Priory founded by Wihenoc de Monmouth, in the
reign of Henry I. A small chamber of the Ancient
Monastery is pointed out, as the study of the lying
chronicler, Geoffrey of Monmouth.
SAINT MmiY’s Cnuncn is a neat and handsome struc-
ture with a lofty spire, it has eight musical bells, and
contains many monumental tablets. SaTllcmas’ Church
an ancient structure, was repaired a few years since by
public subscription. The Free Grammar School was
founded in the reign of James I. by William Jones, Esq. ,
a native of Newland and haberdasher of London, who
left£9000 for the endowment of a School and Almshoases.
There are several dissenting chapels in the town, and
the other public buildings are the National School——the
Infant School-the Iowa Hall in Agincourt Square, in
which the County Assizes are held—the Union Work—
koase inWeirhead street—the Masonic Hall, north parade
--the Market Home in Priory street—and the County
Gaol on the outskirts of the town.
36 MONMOUTH.
At the time of the Norman conquest this town was
bestowed upon ‘Villiam Fitz Baderon, one of the follow-
ers of the Conqueror, who assumed the title of \Villiam
de Monmouth. John of Gaunt, Dukelof Lancaster resided
for some time in the castle. Charles I. frequently
visited this town, and took up his quarters at the King’s
Head Hotel, and ov er the ﬁre place of one of the rooms,
is a ﬁgure of the head of this unfortunate monarch,
formed of plaster of Paris in good preservation. The
borough ﬁrst exercised the elective franchise in the 27th
year of Henry VIII., it was a place of much importance
in the Saxon reigns, who to secure their conquests,
fortiﬁed the town with walls of great thickness. The
town gave the title of Duke, to James, natural son of
Charles II.
It is delightfully situated in a fertile valley,
environed by hills richly covered with woods, and dotted
with numerous handsome residences, and the town itself
contains some well built modern houses, is well supplied
with water, and lighted with gas.
The neighbourhood abounds with lovely walks and
views. The road towards Coleford, and the one in the
direction of Ross, by the side of the classic lVye, perhaps
command the choicest views.
To view the magniﬁcent scenery connected with the
former road, cross Wyebridge, and ascend the circuitous
path by Mag/hi”, and after an uphill walk of about a
mile and a half, the Jffz/mz'n is reached. On the summit
is a naval temple, to the memory of Lord Nelson and
other heroes, and a circular pavilion for the accommo-
dation of visitors. The view from this spot extends to a
MONMOUTE. 37
circumference of nearly 300 miles, and includes parts of
nine counties.
To the south east, about a mile distant, is seen a
famous Druidical rocking stone, known by the name of
Bnclcstone. It is a mass of silicious-grit on the edge of
a rock. It is 18 “feet high, circumference at the upper
part 54 feet, and at the point of contact with the ground
only 3 feet.
From the Ross road is seen “ the Lcys ” the seat of
the late \V. Booker Blakemore, Esq, and on the summit
of a heathy and rocky mountain on the estate, a light
looking iron observatory is erected.
There are several antique mansions in the neighbour-
hood of Monmouth, which deserve to be alluded to. A
mile from the town is Wonastow House which formerly
belonged to the Herberts, and is supposed to have been
built in the reign of Henry VI., it is situated on an
eminence and commands good views. Troy House
before spoken of is also within a mile of the town.
Treowen, once a splendid mansion, is about two miles
distant, to the north of the road to Raglan, and also
belonged to the Herberts. Dingestow Court, about 5
miles from Monmouth on the road to Raglan, is a
beautiful residence, and is seen to advantage from the
line.
Race Meetings are held here in September, and are
well attended.
Inns—~Beaufort Arms, family and commercial; King‘ s Head,
family and commercial; Swan; Angel.
Conyeyances—Coaehes from Beaufort Arms and King’ s Head,
for Ross; Packet Coach from Angel, to Chepstow. _
38 JOURNEY BY
ON THE LEFT
FROM MONMOUTH.
Troy House, seat
of the Duke of
Beaufort.
Mitelu‘ltroy (:hur.
and \dllage.
Tump farm
Treworgan house.
Gwernesney ch.
Llangeview ch.
Usk I’rison.
Usk Castle.
Plasnewydd house
Porthycarne house
Graig-yn-alt wood
Cefn Ila house.
Hill farm, Glascoed
Pontrhydyrun
iron works.
Pontnewydd works
Crossyceih lg vil.
Lanvreehva grange
residence of
C. Prothero, Esq.
River Usk.
Maindee.
Caerleon 8 miles

l
RAIL FROM MONMOUTII T0 NE'WPORT.
MILES.
\I
10
11
i MONMOUTH.
Tunnel.
Drivcrsrow
Station. 3 m.
RA c LAN
Footpath Station
RAGLAN Roan
Station. 8 111.
LLANDENNY
Station. 9 m.
Tunnel.
USK.
Station. 12 m.
River Usk. '
Lr'rrLE MILL
Junction with
N. A. H. Railw.
PONTYPOOL Rn.
Branch for
Pentypeol and
Crumlin.
I’oNTNnwYnn S.
CWMBRAN S.

NE\VPORT.
MILES .
167],
/\
lb
ON THE RIGHT
FROM MONMOUTH.
Gibralter House
A. Rolls, Esq.
‘Vonastow.
Dingestow Court,
residence of
S. R. Bosanquet,
Esq.
Raglan Castle
Raglan village.
Ilandenny village.
Cefntilla mansion,
seat of Ld.Raglan.
Lanolway farm.
Coedybrain farm.
New barn farm.
Beech Hill.
Lancayo house.
Rhadyr House
M aesderwen house
Pontypool Town
1 mile distant.
Pontypool Park,
residence of C. H.
Leigh, Esq, Lord
Lieutenant.
Pontymoile iron
W'orks.
Cwmbran works
Nail manufactory

RAGLAN CASTLE. 89
RAGLAN.
Distant from Miles. Distant from Miles.
Monmouth . . . . . . . . . . 8 i Usk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Abergavenny . . . . . . . . 9 Tintern Abbey . i . . . . 10
Chepstow . . . . . . . . . . 12 Newport . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Pontypool . . . . . . . . . . 12 4 Caerleen . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
On alighting at Raglan footpath station, awalk across
a few ﬁelds will bring you to the castle and village. The
village is large and neat, and contains some very good
shops and capital inns. The Church is built in the
' Norman Style, with a square embattled tower. It con-
tains monuments to the memory of \Villiam, 8rd Earl of
Worcester, KG. who died, 1588; his son Edward, 4th
Earl, KG. in 1628, and Edward, 6th Earl and second
Marquis of Worcester, in 1667, who had been created
Earl of Glamorgan during the life time of his father;
he was the author of “ The Names and Seantlings of
Inventions of a Century,” from the 58th article of
which it is supposed that Capt. Savery took the ﬁrst hint
of the Steam Engine.
imlglzm (Castle stands about a quarter of a mile
from the village, on a hill formerly called Twyn-y- Ceoz'os
or the ﬂurry Tamp. This once magniﬁcent abode of
the family of Worcester, stands on a tract of ground not
less than one third of a mile in circumference. The
earliest account we have of Raglan, is, that the powerful
family of Clare, possessed a castle at Raglan in the 12th
century. Richard Strongbow, Earl of Pembroke, and
Lord of Chepstow, who died 1177, gave the domains and
castle of Raglan to Sir Walter Bloet, whose descendant
Sir. John Bloet, gave his only daughter and heiress
40 RAGLAN CASTLE.
Isabel, in marriage to Sir James Berkeley; he disposed
of it to Sir William ap Thomas, who married Gwaladus,
daughter of Sir David Gam of Old Court, they both fell
at the battle of Agincourt, in defending the person of
Henry V. William Herbert. son of Sir William ap
Thomas, was created Earl of Pembroke, and Lord of
Chepstow and Raglan, and was entrusted by Edward
IV. with the custody of the Earl of Richmond, after-
wards Henry VIP, ‘who was detained for some time in
this castle. The Earl of Pembroke, owner of the castle
in 1469, raised an army of VVelshmen in favor of Edward
IV., against the Lancastrians, under the command of
the Earl of Warwick; he was taken prisoner at the
battle of Danes Moor, and was beheaded at Banbury;
Lord Herbert was succeeded in the Earldom of Pembroke
by his son, who exchanged it for the title of Huntingdon,
his only daughter, Elizabeth, conveyed the castles of
Raglan and Chepstow to Sir Charles Somerset, Earl of
“Torcester. At his death, his son Charles assumed the name
of Somerset, and attained to great wealth and honour,
Henry VIP, whose mother and Henry Duke of Somerset,
were brother’s children. Henry the 4th. Earl, and ﬁrst
Marquis of Worcester, born in 1562, brings us down to
the principal events connected with the castle. At the
commencement of the civil wars, he was a staunch sup-
porter of the royal cause, and raised for the unfortunate
Charles 1,500 feet and 500 horse, with these he conﬁned
himself within the walls and obstinately defended the
castle against Cromwell’s army. Charles I. visited this
castle several times and was entertained in a most
princely style. After the departure of the King it was
moms cAsrLr. 41
again besieged on the 3rd of June 1646, by CO], Morgan
at the head of a formidable army. At length Sir Thos.
Fairfax arrived to superintend the siege, and made his
head quarters at Uzi/)2. tz'ttaj'i‘ a farm house about 2 miles
distant. Continued losses without prospect of success or
relief, obliged the Marquis to eapitulate. Honourable
terms were promised but not fulfilled, he was taken
prisoner to London and conﬁned in the tower, where he
was treated with great severity. The castle was dis-
mantled, and the estates valued at £20,000 a year, were
confiscated, they were recovered at the Restoration, but
the castle has not been since inhabited. It now belongs
to the Duke of Beaufort, and is kept in a very neat
state.
On approaching the castle, the spots where the outer
meat and ﬁrst gate of brick formerly stood, is passed,
and at the distance of 180 feet, the ‘Vhite gate between
two towers is reached; on entering the second court
a ﬁne Lawn 150 feet long presents itself, and at the
extremity, the Grand Entrance, between two magnificent
barbacan towers. Passing under the archway you arrive
at what was once the Blosa'z'c pared Court, 60 feet by
1.20 feet, new neatly earpetted with green sward. A
passage at theend of the Bangnettmg Hall, leads to the
Fountain Court nearly 100 by 60 feet, where a White
Horse on a pedestal with a marble fountain, formerly
stood, and from this court is the entrance to the Terrace
or Tilt yard, 260 feet by 77 feet. Several rustic seats are

t This Estate has lately been purchased by the Country and
presented to Lord Raglan (son of the late Field Marshal) in com,
meinoration of the services of that general in the Crimean 'War,
against Nicholas, the Emperor of Russia. The house is rebuilt.
i‘
42 RAGLAN CASTLE.
placed in different parts of the terrace. The apartments
shewn, are the Closet Tower, the Library, the Ifz'z‘oken
tower, the WVozf Lardor, the Bmzquo ttz'rzg lid” and Battery
" ,! ‘-

Hatch, Parlour, Dining and Drawing rooms, the Bell
Tower, the Picture Gallery, the Chapel, and the Ifoop
Tower. About 30 Vaults and Collars of all sorts, and
three arched Bridges, besides the tower bridge, are still
standing. The castle is nicely kept and great civility
is displayed by the Warder. Sixpence each is charged
for admission, for parties not exceeding half a dozen in
number. Above that number fourpence each.
Innsu~The Beaufort Arms; Ship; Crown.
rsK CASTLE. 43
ESE.
Distant from Miles. % Distant from Miles.
Abergavenny . . . . . . . . . . 11 l Monmouth . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Chepstow . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 i Newport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ll
Caerleon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 | Pontypool . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
This town is situated very nearly in the centre of
l\’[onmouthshire, on the banks of the river from which
it derives its name. It is a corporate and market town.
It is undoubedly a place of great antiquity, and was the
Roman Station, called L’arrzy'am, and derived the name
from the ‘Velsh li’zor, meaning an entrenchment.
THE CASTLE--MI'. ‘Wakemen in giving his account of this
castle to the members of the Caerleon Archiological
society, said, there did not appear to have been any Castle
here at the conquest, at least no mention is made in
Doomsday, of Usk by name, but there is an entry in that
document, which, from the description given, can only
refer to Usk Castle. Twrstain Fitz Rolfe is described as
holding certain lands between the Usk and the Wye, and
certain other lands beyond the Usk. Twrstain Fitz
Rolfe, Lord of Usk, died without issue, and Usk appears
to have been granted to Richard de Clare. In 1314, when
the last Earl of Clare died, the Castle was conveyed by
Elizabeth, his sister, to John de Burgh, Earl of Ulster;
their grand-daughter Elizabeth, was married to the
Duke of Clarence, the third son of Edward III. ; whose
daughter Phillippi married and conveyed the Castle to
Mortimer, Earl of March and Ulster, Lord of ‘Vigmore,
Clare, and Connaught, and Marshal of England ; he
died in 1381 ; his son Roger was born in this castle in
1371. Rogers eldest son Edmund, was married to Anne,
44 USK CASTLE.
the daughter of the Earl of Stafford, but having no issue,
the castle was inherited by his nephew, Richard, Duke
of York, and became his favorite residence ; two of his
sons, the princely Edward and brave Richard, afterwards
kings of England, are said to have been born in the
castle. On the death of Richard, Henry VII. became
the proprietor, and it afterwards descended to William,
ﬁrst Earl of Pembroke. It was purchased of Herbert,
Viscount Windsor, by Valentine Morris of Pierceﬁcld,
near Chepstcw, who sold it to Lord Olive, of whom it
was purchased by Henry Somerset, 5th Duke of Beau-
fort, and descended to the present proprietor, Henry
Charles, eighth Duke of Beaufort. ,
The ruins of this castle stand opposite to the Railway
Station, on an eminence, and is approached by a ﬂight of
steps from the town. They consist of a shell, which
encloses an area or court, and some outworks to the west,
formed by two straight walls converging one to the other
and strengthened at their union by round towers.
Charter. -- The original charter granted by Roger
Mortimer, Earl of March, conferring privileges on the
Mayor and Burgesses, was burnt during the sacking
and conﬂagration of the town by Owen Glendowcr. It
was dated 26th July, 1398, in the 21st year of Richard
II. The ratiﬁcation of that charter, was made by
Edmund de Mortimer, on the ﬁrst of February, 1416.
The CORPORATION consists of a Portreeve, Recorder,
Alderman and Burgcsses, but their powers are very
limited.
The Priory—There was formerly a priory of ﬁve benc-
dietine nuns, founded about the year 1236, by Gilbert

USK—-PUBLIC BUILDINGS. 4 5
de Clare. An old building near the Gas Works,
called the Black Friar’s, was formerly in connexion
with the priory, and is supposed to have been granted
to Sir Roger Williams, in consideration of his martial
services in the Netherlands.
THE Cannon, which is dedicated to St. Mary, is
ancient. The tower, which once formed the centre, now
stands at the east end of the building. The church was
formerly attached to the Priory, being both a conventual
and parochial church. The arches which are shown,
are Norman, of the 12th century, but alterations and
additions were made in the 13th and 15th centuries.
There is an inscription on a brass plate, which has
puzzled antiquarians. The following is as near a copy
as can be given
1112 an in rtlnntr are time nbrnmtt lhntm bate
Ilaninrnfthnrnnnrlatrhauntumlrtmamiotq burnt
érliﬁnunnirrinnuautmnqalarnultnstr
.Urla ltIItHIIIHiIt hnrtnr linemen 11121111 Inrillumualmr
Dr. Owen Pugh, Mr. “Takeman, and many others have
given interpretations of it, but none have been altogether
satisfactory. The characters are said to be of Henry III.
reign, in the 18th century.
T he House of Correction is a very commodious building
erected on the pl an of the Model Prison at Pentonville.
The separate and silent systems are carried out herei
The cleanliness and capital arrangement of the whole
establishment reﬂect credit on those who superintend
the management of it.
46 USK —PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
The Ton/‘)2. Hill is situated in New Market street.
The building has recently been enlarged, and rendered
more airy. The General Quarter sessions for the county
are held here, at which S. It. Bosanquet, Esq., of Din-
gestow Court, presides.
T/ze Railway—The branch railway from Monmouth
to Little Mill was commenced on the 11th of April,
1854, and on the 2nd of June, 1856, the ﬁrst four miles
from its Junction with the Newport, Abergavenny
and Hereford Railway at Iiittl Mill to Usk, was
opened.
A Free Gramnmrhsbhool was founded here by Ml“.
Roger Edwards, for boys of the Parishes of Usk, Llan-
gwm Ucha, Llangeview, and Gwernesney, with an
exhibition at Oxford.
The Chapels in this town belong to the Wesleyan
Methodists, the Baptists, and the Independents. The
Roman Cat/wife Church was erected by Subscription
and opened in 1847, it is dedicated to StFrancis Xavier
and will accommodate 200 persons.
The ﬂfee/lam'es’ Imzfzlfufe was harmed in March 1850,
and the Gas W'orks were erected in 1851.
The town is well laid out, and stands on a large tract
of ground. The buildings are irregular and many of
them much dilapidated.
The scenery from the hills which encircle the town is
very pleasing and 1M1‘li—llli0, and the view from the
bridge is very beautiful, the combination ofhill and dale,
park-like woods, and grounds, intersected by the clear
waters of the river Usk, cannot fail to be admired.
ANTIQUITILS.-—Tl1€lf€ have been many vestiges dug
RAILWAY FROM USE TO TAFF VALE LINE.
up to prove, that in early times this town was
of some importance. Paved ways, several feet
below the surface, have been discovered in digging
foundations, toman coins have frequently been found,
and there are visible remains of several Roman encamp-
ments in the neighbourhood.
EXTENT AND POPULATION.—Tl1€ whole parish, which
includes the hamlets 0f Gwehelog and Glascoed, com-
prises 4,479 acres. The town contained at the last
census, 814 houses and 1452 inhabitants.
For a further description of this town and Raglan
Castle, refer to the Gil/(Z0 to Us]; and ‘its ﬁvezlqhbom'lrood,
which is sold in the town.
Commercial lnns.~—Three Salmons, and King’s Hea d.
Tnn RAILYVAY.
The westward course taken by the line from Usk. is
through a prettily wooded part of the V ale of Usk, to
Little Mill Jamction, from which, you proceed in the
Hereford train to l’cntg/pool road Station, a distance of
two miles. If it be your intention to go to Newport,
you will keep your seat, but if it be your wish to go
to Cardiff, over the Crumlin Viaduct, you must leave the
carriage, and go to the opposite platform, where a train
is ready to convey you in that direction. This train
passes to .POilZfj/POOZ Town Staéz'mz, and from thence to
Crumlin, where the famous viaduct crosses the ‘Western
Valleys line, which connects Newport with Blaina,
Ebbw Vale, and Tredegar Iron Works.
Before proceeding on the direct route to Newport, a
brief description of places of importance on the Taft“
Vale Extension and Tait Yale Lines, to Cardiff, and the
Vale of Neath Line, to Swansea, will be given.
48 PONTYPOOL—CRUHLIN runner.
PONTYPOOL
About one mile from l’ontypool Road Station, lies
'Pontypool, a market town in the extensive parish of
Trevethin. The town is very irregularly constructed,
a portion of it being built on the steep slope of a hill
and other parts ﬁxed in hollows. Of late years some
ﬁne buildings have been erected, among the number
may be mentioned the New Tozon ][all, the gift of
C. H. Leigh, Esq, Pontypool Park, erected in 1856.
The Bank, the W’oslog/an Chapel, and several private
residences.
The Town Hall was completed in January 1856.
The trade of the town entirely depends on the iron, tin
and coal works, which are carried on extensively within
a radius of ten miles, at Blaenavon, Golynos, Varteg,
Abersychan, Pontnewynydd, Pontymoile, Panteague,
Pontrhydyrun, Pontnewydd, Cwmbran, and several
other places.
The population of the parish has increased wonderfully
in half a century: in 1801, it contained only 1,472
inhabitants, in 1851, 16,864, and the population at
present is not much under 20,000.
From Pontypool the line traverses through a romantic
and mountainous district to the far famed
C RUMLIN VIADUCT,
ﬁve miles from Pontypool. This stupendous viaduct
crosses the valley at a height of 210 feet, and extends
from the summit of one mountain to that of another.
It is said to be the largest railway bridge in the world,
"and is composed wholly of iron. The centre piers eon-
CRUMLIN VIADUCT—RHYMNEY RAIL‘WA Y
sist of 140 cast iron columns, each 17 feet long, and 12
inches in diameter, placed in tiers of 14 columns each.
These 11 columns form an irregular decagon, and the
area of the base is 60 feet by 8/0 feet, the whole being
laterally and vertically stiffened and kept in position by
cross bracing, and some idea may be formed of the
completeness of the arrangement, when it is known that
there are no fewer than (HO wrought iron ties in one
pier. The viaduct consists of 10 spaces of 150 feet
each, which with the approaches, make its entire length,
just one third of a mile. The ﬁrst column of the via-
duct was cmnmenced in December 1853, by Lady
Isabella Iiitzmaurice, and the whole was completed in
1856. At the ﬁrst sight of this structure, the beholder
is impressed with wonder and admiration at its airy
lightness, combined with elegance and solidity, and at
ﬁnding such aspeeimen of architectural beauty springing
up in a wild and rugged mountain pass. To insure
safety in crossing the viaduct, lines of guard rails are
raised above the trafﬁc rgils.
Prom Crumlin, the line extends to Rhymizey Junction
where there is a handsome stone viaduct 640 feet in
length, 130 feet in height, and composed of 16 arches
of 30 feet span each. A train from Rhymney Iron
works waits here to take passengers to Cardiff.
The extension of the Hereford line proceeds as far as
Quakers’ Yard, where it joins the Taff Yale Railway,
which connects Cardiff with Aberdare and Merthyr.
Qt'iinnns’ YARD, derives its name from a burial place
in the village, belonging to a Society of Friends. The
Quakers’ Yard Junction is on the top of an incline on the
e
5O MEBTHYB TYDVIL men wonrcs.
Taﬂ" Vale line, up which the trains are drawn by a wire
rope, attached to a stationery engine. About 72,17 miles
from this spot is
MERTHYR TYDVIL,
A large market town and parliamentary Borough. It
is a most extensive and populous parish in the hundred
of Caerphilly, in the county of Glamorgan.
Its ancient name was lllerthg/r Judfyl, said to have
been derived from Tudvyl, the daughter of Brychan
Brycheiniog, a Christian Prince of a district called Garth
Mathrin, Breconshire, who with her father, and his son
Rhun, was murdered, or as it was then considered,
suﬁ‘ered martyrdom, at the hands of the Pagan Saxons
in the 6th century; and a well, called Tydvz'l’s Well in
the neighbourhood, is supposed to be the spot where the
murder was committed, and from the circumstance the
name of MM 63/?" Tydm'l arose.
The town is situated in the midst of bleak and barren
_ hills, on the banks of the river, Tali‘, which rises in the
Brecknockshire mountains, and falls into the sea at Cardiff.
The population of the place of late years has increased
with astonishing rapidity, a few years ago the town
consisted only of an unsightly cluster of wretched hovels,
but it is now one of the most populous districts in Gla-
morganshire, and contains some well built houses. The
borough includes the whole of the parish of Merthyr,
Aberdare, and Coed-y-Cwmmwr, and with the parish
has a population of nearly 80,000 inhabitants. In past
ages it was known as a place for the smelting of iron
ore, but the operations were not carried to any great
mnmrrn rrnvrr. IRON worms. 51
extent, until 1775, when Mr. Anthony Bacon, obtained
a long lease of a large tract of ground full of iron and
coal, and entered into contracts with government for
supplying cannon. He built large works in different
parts of the district, which called for a great number of
hands, and the population began to rapidly increase.
After accumulating an immense fortune, he leased out
tracts of land to various parties, and the largest portion
became possessed by Mr. Crawshay, whose energy and
intelligence raised the operations in iron to such magni-
tude, that Merthyr became one of the most celebrated
places in the kingdom for the manufacture of that arti-
cle. There are about 50 blast furnaces in operation,
each of which averages 80 tons of iron per week. Im-
mense heaps of cinders are formed from the refuse of the
mines and furnaces, which being deposited in a heated
state, causes it to smoulder until ignition takes place,
so that ﬂickering ﬂames of varied colours are seen at
night issuing from these mountains of cinders.
The principal works are the Cyfwrthfa, the Dowlaz's,
the Gadly’s and the Aberdare Compavny’s furnaces. The
ﬁrst mentioned has 13 furnaces going, each of which
employs 400 men, and the average quantity of coal used
in the Cyfarthfa and Dowlais works averages upwards
of 1000 tons per day. The productions of this district
are conveyed by rail and canal to Cardiff, to be
shipped.
Similar operations are carried on in every part of the
district, particularly at Hirwain and Aberdare, which
places are reached by rail or by taking a walk of about
four miles over the mountains to the west.
52 MERTHYR TYDVIL—BESIDENCES.
Merthyr has one principal street extending from near
the Taft‘ Vale railway station to Dowlais, with several
side streets branching to the right and left. lt has ﬁiur
Churches, about forty Chapels, several Public Schools,
a Court Hoar-so, and a good number of modern and res-
pectable shops. The illarlrl Liam? is very coinmculious,
occupying about two acres et'land.
The Mansions in the neighbourhood are Q/flirrtlfa
Castle, a noble lOﬁlilll building with extensive groumls
on the slope of a hill about a mile from the town, the
residence of TV. Crawshay, Esq, proprietor of Cyfarthta
and other works ; Doalaz's Lrozmo, Poaj/(larroa -Uoaso,
Daﬂry/a, Aliorammoa, Plymouth ﬂoaso, GaoallyaT-y-pazrtli
and Gaallg/s.
The only memorial of antiquity is the Castle of lilo)"—
la'zis, on a hill beyond Cyfartht'a castle, and about three
miles distant from the town, supposed to have been the
site of a British camp, and afterwards a Norman castle,
ﬁnally demolished by the Parliamentary army.
The Railway Stations are commodious and conveni-
ent, particularly the one belonging to the Vale ot‘Xeath
company, which is handsomely ﬁtted up, and the ear-
riages are undoubtedly the best in this part of the king-
dom.
Commercial Inns—Castle; Bush; Angel.
Conveyanees.-—Coach to Tredegar and Ebbw Yale, from the
Vale of Neath Railway, every afternoon at 3 30.--
ll‘lail Coach to Abergavenny, through _l)e\\ lais, llhyinney
and Tredegar, from the Castle every morning (Sundays
excepted) at 8.~——Coaeh to llrecon, from the Castle, every
afteriuion, at 4 lie leach to lleauﬁirt, every Monday
and Saturday, at 3 30 p. m.
ABERDARE.-—TAFF VALE RAILWAY. 58
ABERDARE
Is a market town in the hundred of Miskin, and may
be reached from Merthvr by a wall; of four miles over
the mountain, or by taking the rail to Abernant, which
lies within a mile of the place, and walking down the
hill into the ‘Yawn. lint as these arrangements will not
suit persons with lug-gags, the best mode is to go on to
Hirwain, where a train will be in waiting to convey
you to Aberdare. The population. of the parish, includ-
ing Cefn-l’emier, Cwmdare, Forchanian and Llwydeoed,
is about 18,000. It is situated in the midst ofrieh coal
and iron mines, which afford ample emplo‘vment to the
inhabitants. It has a neat church, with a tower and
finely pointed spire, and contains a fine peal of bells.
Commercial lnns.——Boot ; Queens.
rArr viiLn RAILWAY. "
This line of railway was partially opened in 1840,
and completed April 12, 18M. A single line of rails
was only laid down at that time, but the tratiio soon be-
came so enormous that the company was obliged to lay
down a second. It extends from Merthvr to the Bute
Docks at Cardilt, a distance of 21% miles, and from it
diverges several branch railways, including one to
Aberdare, and another up the Rhondda Talley.
Some portions of the line pass through scenery of a
romantic and magniﬁcent character, and the principal
objects on the ournev, are, the viaduct over the Tait at
Quakers’ Yard, 100 l'eet high and 000 long; the In-
cline Plane at Navigation House, the Bridge at Pent-y
pridd, Taif’s “Tell a tepid mineral spring, held in much
reputation. in the district, Castle Coeh, Tin \Yorlrs at
lilelyn Grittith and l’ei'ityreh, and Llandatf Cathedral.
54


JOURNEY BY RAIL FROM MEBTHYB. TO CABDIPF-
hi
on THE LEFT g FROM MERTHYR. i E
a
U
21
16
Llancaich Branch 15
Railway for 13%
minerals.
Pont-y-pridd or
Newbridge.
11?,
Glyn Taft‘ church.
10%
Iron works.
Maesmawr colliery 7
ToC aerphilly castle
nnlcs. 67;
Castcl Coch or Ited Castle.
Ruperra, 7 miles.
Capt. Godfrey
Morgan.
To Cofn Mably,
5 miles.
Yelindre. 3;};
‘Vhitehurch.
Roath cottage.
ltoath court.
‘- Taff’s Well sta.
MERTHYR
TYDVIL.
Collieries and
furnaces.
Troedrhiew sta.
Viaduct over the
Taft’.
Tunnel.
Incline top.
Quaker’ s Yard.
Navigation
house.
Bridge across
river Cynon.
Aberdare june,
Bridge over
Clydach.
Bridge over
river Ithondda.
Newbridge sta.
T reforcst station
Tunnel.
Pentyrch station
Llandaﬂ' station.
CARDIFF.
Bute Docks.
MERTHYR
ON THE RIGHT
FROM MERTHYR.

2
wh-I
\T
*Slr-l
é-n-I
181,
‘hr
20
IO 10
FF‘ co
‘MP—vi"
Aberdare Branch
Railway, 8% miles
Rhondda Branch
Railway for
minerals.
Tin works of
Messrs. Crawshay.
Demen Clawdd.
Garth hill.
1}, T aff ’s well, a tepid
mineral spring
successfully used
for the cure of
rheumatic pains.
Pentyrch furnaces.
Tin works.
Llandaﬁ', 1 mile.
Llystalybont soap
works.

PONT-Y-PRIIDD. 55
I’ONT-Y-PRIDD on NEWBRIDGE,
A station on the Taif Vale Railway, is 12 miles from
Cardiff and about 7 miles from Caerphilly. It is situ—
ated in a wild and picturesque valley, and has risen
from an obscure village in 1816, to a place of commer-
cial importance. Iron and chain cable works are car-
ried on here with great spirit, and the tin works at
Treforest, not far distant, are said to be the largest in
the kingdom. The Bridge, from which the town derives
its name, is the work of a self-taught mason and
architect, named William Edwards, of whose perse-
verence and ingenuity it is a striking memorial. It is
aptly named Pont-y-prz'dd, “The Bridge of Beauty.”
In 1746, having contracted to erect a bridge at this
place, Edwards ﬁrst constructed one with three arches,
but owing to the rapid swell of the river, and the
number of trees and other weighty things brought
down by the ﬂood, this bridge was quickly swept away.
He then constructed another in 1751, with one arch,
but it was scarcely completed, when the weight of the
masonry in the abutments caused the arch to spring in
the middle, and reduced it to ruins. The third attempt
proved successful, he reduced the weight, by introducing
three circular openings in each of the abutments. The
arch forms the perfect segment of a circle, with a chord
of 140 feet, and a height from the spring to the key
stone of 35ft. An inscription in the centre, ﬁxes the
date of its completion at 1756, so that Pont-y-pridd has
now stood for upwards of a century. Underneath the
bridge is an echo which is said to repeat a single sound
nine times.
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CAEBPHILLY casrmz. 57
indigenous to such places, as Hyperz'c/um Eloales,
Drosem rot'zu-zdzfolz'a, Aaagallzis tenella, C'armpanala
hcdemeea, Scuz‘dlarz'a minor, Em'ophommz polystaohion,
HyCZVOCOtZ/Ze vulgar/27.9, and Career palz'cairrlz'a.
On descending the mountain, re-cross the river, and
pursue your way between the line of hills to
CAERPHILLY CASTLE,
‘Which is about seven miles distant from Cardiff, six
from Llandaff, miles from Taff’s \Vell station,
and within a few minutes walk of Caerphilly station on
the New Rhymney railway. It is situated among the
range of bleak and barren hills which run through Gla-
morganshire and stretch northward into Breeknockshire.
The village is small and irregular, containing about 800
inhabitants; and the chief support of the inhabitants
arises from the manfacture of woollen shawls, ﬁannels,
8:0. It was formerly a borough, but lost its privileges
in the reign of Henry VIII. There are two decent inns
in the place, which derive their principal trade from
visitants to the castle.
Cadiior ab Cedrych obtained from Fitzhamon the
lordship of Senghenydd, which extends from Caerphilly
to Merthyr; he had two sons, named Griﬂith and Ivor,
who took an active part in the defeat of the Normans,
at Gellygaer, in 1095. Scott has celebrated this event
in the ballad of “ The Norman Horse Shoe.”—
“ From Chepstow’s towers ere dawn of day,
was heard afar the bugle horn;
And forth in banded pomp and pride,
Stout Clare and ﬁery Neville ride;
They swore their banners broad should gleam,
H
58 CAEBPHILLY CASTLE.
In crimson light on Rhymney’s stream;
And vowed Caerphilly’s sod should feel,
The Norman charger‘s spurring heel.

And sooth they swore—~the sun arose,
And Rhymney’s wave with crimson glows ;
For Clare’s red banner ﬂoating wide,
Rolled down the stream to Severn’s tide ;
And sooth they vowed—~the trampled green,
Showed where hot Neville’s charge had been ;
In every sable hoof tramp stood,
A Norman horseman’s curdling blood.”
The CASTLE occupies the centre of a plain, and pre-
sents the idea of a dilapidated town. Its magniﬁcent
ruins evince that it must have been one of the largest
and grandest castles in Britain. The ruin does not
present the architectural decorations of Carnarvon,
the 'commanding position of Chepstow or Conway,
nor the picturesque beauty of Raglan, but surpasses
all in its vast dimensions and assemblage of lofty walls
and towers.
Mr. Manby, who traversed this ground some sixty
years ago, says,“
“It is almost unaccountable, that a fortress, which for size,
strength and compactness, whose ruins even now discover it
to have had elegance united with utility, and no doubt can be
entertained but it has borne the brunt of many a storm, and a
great share in the broils and troubles of the Principality, as
well as the affairs of the kingdom in general, should have so few
records of its events, or who were its possessors ; in this we are
embarressed by dilhculty, and perplexed by uncertainty, and the in-
quisitive beholder cannot but be astonished at the little information
to be obtained of the remains of a pile he cannot look on without
surprise, nor contemplate without awe. It has been thought to
CAERPHILLY CASTLE. 59
have had its origin from the Britons, and afterwards to have been
used as a garrison by the Romans; founded by Beli Gwar, a king of
Britain, and brother to the Gaulish general Brennus, near 400 years
previous to the birth of Christ; but all this conjecture must be
vague and undeterminate, for no history can furnish any
real information of its founder and the time of its founda~
tion.
It has borne various turns of fortune, according to the success
or defeat of the parties engaged, and ere gunpowder was in-
vented, must have easily withstood the shocks of warfare for
ages, and, while provisions could be kept within, would render
abortive all attacks without. When possessed by the turbulent
Welsh, it was a considerable impediment to the British, and as
often as it could by them be obtained, was held as a check on the
Cambrians.
The whole building, and erections belonging, is said to have
been two miles in circumference, with thirteen draw-bridges,
where indications of them may be observed on the north and
west, and a wall with inverted arches is peculiarly attractive.
A round tower was at each angle, and the one at N. N. W.
point is singularly beautiful, and demands particular attention
for its deep incrustation of ivy, and being separated down the
middle, where it exhibits the four stories which communicated by
galleries.
The grand hall was 70 feet by 30, and 17 feet in height, sup-
ported by 20 arches ; two noble windows from the ground reached
the ceiling of the room, ornamented with leaves and husks, with
fruit like balls ; the ﬁre-place is near nine feet wide, and high in
proportion; on one side of this hall are seven clusters of round
pillars, and each cluster has three busts to support them; at the
east end are door-ways eight feet high, leadingto a yard of 70 yards
by 40, and nearly in the middle was a well. The whole of the
interior buildings was surrounded by a wall of considerable height,
and remarkable thickness, with buttresses and square towers, all
connected by a gallery, and above it was a walk, and a secret
communication contrived within a wall, where only one person
could go abreast; at the eastern end is the gateway, which con-
60 CAERPHILLY CASTLE.
tains three grooves for portoullises; the mill was between the
outer Wall and the meat, and on the west side of the stairs is a
low round place called the mint house, supported by three pointed
arches.
Of the whole ruins, extensive and cumbrous as they are, there
is no part so truly remarkably as the leaning tower; vﬁlen we
contemplate its wonderful situation, or by what means it became
so, it makes the mind lose itself in discussing, and ﬂuctuate in
conjecture, as the top reclines eleven feet and a half over the
base ; the apparent weakness of its support, and that so mutilated
with the attitude it assumes, threatening immediate destruction to
whoever should approach it, render it an object of inconceiveable
interest, and it is allowed nearly, if not equally, as great a
curiosity as the celebrated leaning tower of Pisa, in Italy; this
extraordinary object is divided into two separate parts from the
top nearly to the middle, in such manner that each side hangs
over, and the ﬁssure is so wide, that I walked easily through it.
Having been informed that the best mode of observing the effect
of this astonishing pile was to lie ﬂat on the back close to its
base, I was induced to try, and it surpassed my expectations in
grandeur and delight, until terror interrupted, and prompted me
to rise in much less time than was taken to place myself in the
position, nor did I recover the sensation, until I was well out of
its reach.
In the opinion of several persons of judgment, who have com-
pared it with other castles, this fortress is supposed to have been
the largest in the kingdom excepting \Vindsor, and from its vast
magnitude and admirable structure, has been aﬁrmed by many
to have been a Roman garrison: that there might have been a
castle on this spot is not unlikely, but there are no marks re-
maining, nor have coins or other articles been found to ascertain
the certainty; it may be remarked, that on all places known to
be Roman, numberless fragments of their labour were accustomed
to be stamped With some peculiar mark to denote the constructor,
nor were medals ever omitted to be strewed or deposited by them;
but nothing of this kind, nor even the smallest vestige of an im-
plements or utensil has been hitherto found, belonging to that
CAEBPH'ILLY CASTLE. 61
nation. I shall not enter so deeply into the subject as to centre--
vert the different opinions of others, or substitute ideas of my own,
the ruins themselves will declare an early time, whether considered
as the remains of the original, or the splendid addition to an older
fabric. The earliest accounts I could find, began with Gryffyth
ap Ivor ap Meurig, Lord of Senghennyth (the present Caerphilly);
he was one of the chiefs who attended Henry II. in council, to
restore peace in the Marches. In the reign of John, when
Llewellyn had caused a revolt, and was excommunicated by the
pope, he endeavoured to retain the interest of Reginald de Bruce,
by giving his daughter into the family, and assigning to her hus-
band the important fortress of Senghennyth, now Caerphilly.
“Then Henry III. ascended the throne, Reginald de Bruce re-
turned to his allegiance, and Llewellyn immediately assaulted
Brecknock, the principal town of his lordship, but by artful
contrivance and dissimulation, Reginald persuaded Llewellyn to
raise the siege cf Brecknock, and restore to his family Senghen-
myth, or Caerphilly.
Some historians relate that, when the barons and the king made
peace, the ‘Velsh princes were excluded, and afterwards perﬁ-
diously turned their arms against them. The Earl of Pembroke
violently acted in this underhand business, and made dreadful
devastation in the Marches ; but Rhys \‘ychan besieged, took, and
destroyed the important fortress of Caerphilly, which had an
English garrison, and also other fortresses; in ﬁne, he compelled
the enemy to retreat, and regulated the Cambrians so as to defend
their territories.
Caerphilly became, under the inﬂuence of the Earl of Clare, by
marrying his daughter to Rhys Gryg, a chicftain of great conse-
quence, who chiefly resided there as the principal barrier of
Cambri, since the destruction of Caerleon, and from the stations
of Red Castle, Thorn Hill, and T wyn Barlwn, was strongly
secured.
After the death of Llewellyn, and the conquest of Wales by
Edward 1., Rhys submitted to the English power; and Caer-
philly, or Senghennyth, with all the hill fortresses, were delivered
up to the Earl of Gloucester. Edward afterwards visited the
62 CAERPHILLY CASTLE.
various fortresses, and particularly ordered Cardiff’ and Caerphilly
to be repaired, strengthened, and beautiﬁed.
In the unfortunate rrdgn of Edward II., the Spensers having
become the favorites of the monarch, the king, the queen, and the
barons were at variance, and commotions were the consequence.
Hugolin Spenser was for a long time besieged in Caerphilly castle,
which at length surrendered to the infamous Mortimer.
In Glendwr’s rebellion, Henry IV. conﬁded the castle of Caer-
philly to Constantia, lady Despenser. This lady was afterwards
concerned in the plot of endeavouring to raise her brother, the
Duke of York, to the throne, and is said to have concerted mea-
sures with Glendwr, who was to have taken charge of the Earl of
March, and the duke, if she could effect their escape from capti-
’ vity at Windsor. She did procure their release, but, on their
way to Caerphilly, were, with herself, retaken. However, she
obtained a pardon, and was reinstated at this castle.”
This stupendous remain ‘has been well described by
Barber, as follows :—
“ We passed the barbiean, now built up into habitations, and,
proceeding between two dilapidated towers, entered the great area
of the castle. A range of buildings, beneath the rampart on our
right, once formed the barracks of the garrison. \Ve then ad-
vanced to that pile of superior buildings, i.e. of citadel, hall,
chapel, state and other apartments, which is generally considered
as the castle, in distinction from the circling arena and its wall.
Clambering over the fragments of another drawbridge, and its de-
fending towers, we entered the ﬁrst court, which appears to have
comprised the citadel. Thence we passed through a large gateway,
with several grooves for porteullises, to the principal court of the
castle. The area of this court is 70 yards by 40. On the south
side is that princely apartment, by some considered the hall, and
by others the chapel. But whichever it may have been, vestiges
of much original beauty appear in the elegant outline of its four
large windows, the grand proportions of the chimney-piece, and
the light triplet pillars, with arches, which go round the room.
The appearance of mortice-holcs in the walls, for the ends of
CAERPHILLY earns. 63
beams, at the height of about the middle of the windows, led
Camden to suppose that the ceiling was projected thence, and that
an apartment above was lighted by the upper portion of the win-
dows; but surely at a time when symmetry in building was so
well cultivated, and where it appears to have been so successfully
applied, such a ridiculous ccntrivance could not have taken place;
more likely from these mortices a support was derived for a lofty
arched roof, or a gallery. The external stair-case entrance to the
hall, spoken of by Camden—‘the roof whereof is vaulted, and
supported by twenty arches,’——-is now rendered nearly impassable
by rubbish. Eastward of the hall is a leaning tower. This bulky
fragment of the ruin is between 70 and 80 feet in height, and of a
prodigious thickness. It inclines nearly eleven feet from the per-
pendicular, and is only held together by the strength of its cement.
It has stood in this position for many centuries. The cause must
have arisen from a local failure in the foundation, or from the
perforation of a mine. A remarkable effect is said to be produced
by lying ﬂat upon the back, close to the base, on looking up‘
There is a similar tower at Pisa, 180 feet high, and 14 feet from
the perpendicular; it is constructed of marble, and contains eight
stories. Near this part of the ruin a place is shewn, called the
Mint, with the remains of two furnaces for melting metal. Others
say that, when Edward II. was besieged here,“ the furnaces were
used for smelting iron, which was cast upon the besiegers, and
the tower was rent in two by an explosion caused by throwing
water upon it. From this chamber we ascended a spiral stair-
case to the corridor, still in very good preservation, which, lighted
by small windows, and passing round the principal court, formed
a communication with the diﬂ‘erent apartments. The external
view of the west entrance of the ruin, with its ponderous circular
towers venerably shaded with ivy, is remarkably striking, and,
with the remains of its drawbridge and defending outwork, may
be considered as the most entire part of the ruin. An artiﬁcial
mound at some distance, but within the works of the castle, was,
most likely, used for exploratory purposes. From the general
plan of this castle, there being no direct evidence to the contrary,
its foundation has been attributed to the Romans; but it suffi-
64 cannrn ILLY cisrLa.
eiently appears that no considerable part of the present fortress
was built by them. as Lil?) predatory army of Rhys Fychan took
and razed Caerpl 3‘ v Castle, in 1221.”
It is supposed that Gilbert do Clare, the last but one
of that name, was the fowzder, circa 1270, The next
lord of Glamorgz'ui in succession fell at Bannockburn,
and, having no male issue, his immense estates were
divided amongst his three sisters, Caerphilly falling to
the portion of Eleanor, who married Hugh le Despenser,
the younger, the well-known favorite of Edward II.
About the year 1320, it was recorded that the younger
Despenser had been for some time governor of this
castle, which he greatly enlarged and strengthened.
Six years afterwards, the king and his two “ minions ”
ﬂed to Bristol, where the elder Spenser was barbarously
executed, and the king, accompanied by the other, em-
barked in a vessel on the Channel, with the intention of
taking refuge in the wild and almost inaccessible seclu-
sion of Lundy Island: but the elements were against
him, and, bailied by storms and opposing gales, he was
compelled to land near Neath, in Glamorganshire. His
subsequent movements, until his capture, are narrated
so variously that it is impossible to thread the maze.
These facts are certain : That he took refuge for a time
at Neath Abbey and at Margam, and that he was
captured owing to treachery, with his friend Spenser,
near Llantrissent. Whether the latter event occurred
after, or rather in the midst of, a siege of Caerphilly
Castle, seems a matter of uncertainty.
The siege is the most memorable episode in the history
of Caerphilly. Despenscr had a son, the second Hugh
Despenser, the younger, a youth of twenty, who, ac:-
CLERPHILLY CASTLE. 65
cording to the generally received accounts, seems to
have been old in judgment and resolution, although in
an eleborate essay on this Castle, which appeared in the
West of England Journal, a periodical published at Bris-
tol 1886, this view is controverted. It is there assert-
ed that Hugh Despenser, jun., did not act as military
governer of the castle during the siege, but resided there
supinely ; and it is certain that in 1827 a pardon was
issued in favour of John de Felton, “for holding out Ker-
ﬁlly against the Queen and Prince Edward. “ Malkin says
that before the siege, “of live cattle, there were lodged
within the Castle walls, two thousand fat oxen, twelve
thousand cows, twenty-ﬁve thousand calves, thirty thou-
sand fat sheep, two thousand fat hogs, six hundred
draughthorses, and a sufﬁcient number of carts for them,
of salt provision two hundred beeves, six hundred mut-
tons, one thousand hogs, two hundred tons of F reneh
wine, forty tons of cider and wine, the produce of their
own estates, with wheat enough to make bread for
two thousand men for four years.” This is a most
improbable statement; but no doubt can exist that the
castle was well victualled.
Roger Mortimer, who claimed Caerphilly Castle and
its estates, as heir at law, commanded the besieging
army, which is said to have consisted of 10,000 men.
The Despensers had rendered themselves exceedingly
unpopular in \Vales, a circumstance which favoured the
hesiegers. The accounts of the siege are contradictory
and obscure, like every other fact connected with the
place, but it is certain that the resistance was obstinate
and prolonged. At last a breach was made in a tower
I
66 CAEBPHILLY casrrn.
which had been ﬁlled with salt. There was a furnace
close at hand for smelting iron [lead ‘9] for the purpose
of pouring it on the besiegers, who “whether purposely
or accidently is not known, allowed the fused metal to
escape and poured water from the meat on it; the result
was a tremendous explosion, which forced the tower
into its present position.” This is Mr Malkins version
of the origin of the celebrated leaning tower, and Mr.
Harding, the author of the article on the Castles of
Glamorgan which appears in the Cymmrodom'on Trans-
act/ions, justly remarks, that “ its accuracy is strongly
corroborated by marks which, resemble those of metal
dashed against the wall with considerable violence,
when in a state of fusions which are still to be seen.”
Mr. Geo. V. Clarke, the able writer of the essay on
Caerphilly already alluded to, differs from this opinion,
and ascribes the inclination of the tower to the explo-
sion of a mine at its foot, during the civil war, when,
as it has been supposed, the castle was dismantled. Le-
land does not mention a leaning tower here.
The besieged, availing themselves of the confusion
which ensued at the time of the breach, drove back
the assailants with great loss; and ultimately the garri-
son capitulated on honourable terms. Hugh le Despen-
ser, the last of his name, was present at the coronation
of the new monarch, Edward III. and “ delivered up,”
says Kington, “the castle of Caerphilly, which he had
from his father, to the king, aad placed himself at his
disposal, who in return, granted him safety of life and
limb,” and a portion of his paternal estates, though not
the castle of Caerphilly, which appears to have withstood
CASTELL coon. 67
another long siege in 1829. Soon afterwards, however,
the castle was again granted to the Despensers, who de-
femhd it against Uwt-n (jlendower. Leland (temp
Henry YlIL} writes thus: “In lsaibac is Cairﬁlly
Castclle sette among the marishes, wher be ruinieus
walles cl" wondcrl'ull thickness and tower kept up for
prisoners as to the chief hold of Senghennith.” The
‘lastle was not repaired during the civil war. It is
now the property, of the Marquis of Bute.
On leaving Caerphilly for Cardiﬁ‘, pass along a moun—
tainous road for about 8 miles, until you reach Cas mor
Graig, where a bye road diverges to the right to
CASTELL coon,
which occupies the brow of a rocky height overlooking
the Yale of the Taft, 5 miles from Cardiﬁ“. This castle
is situated exceedingly favourable for commanding the
pass of the valley, for which purpose it was erected.
Some say the period of its erection is coeval with that
of Cardiff; and still further assert that there was a
subterraneous communication between the two castles.
That there were passages extending from Cardiff castle
to some place unknown, certain. Castell Coch was
long the residence of Her Bach, who gallantly headed
the inhabitants of Glamorgan for the purpose of
forcing Fitzhamon and his son-in-law, Robert Earl of
Gloucester, to restore to their country its ancient rights
and privileges. In the following century, however, it
was in the possession of the Norman s, by whom it was
enlarged and strengthened, if not entirely re-built. The
68 CASTELL eocm—rnonnnrrr.
darkening garb of ivy which new clothes its mouldering
and dilapidated walls, and the bushes and trees which
have now become the residents of its courts, render it
diflicult to trace its former magnificence. A view
from the large lll'oliull window of the tower, presents a
charming prospect, combining within its scope Cardiif,
Llandaﬁf, and a variety of interesting objects, and
extending across the Bristol channel. Shortly after
leaving the castle, in the direction of Cardiff, you
mount to the top of Thorn/it'll, from whence a beautiful
view of the country is obtained; the plains of Cardiff
for miles afford a gratifying and widely extended pros-
pect, interspersed with several villages, whose white-
washed houscs, breaking through the surrounding
foliage, add cheerfulncss to the scene; at the termina-
tion of the tract the noble Severn is descried, in which
the two islands, known as the Steep and Flat 1101/1208,
are seen with a numerous fleet lying in the roads, and a
forest of masts rising from the docks. On a ﬁne clear
morning, Cardiff appears to more advantage from this
spot than elsewhere; the castle forms an interesting
object, Llandaff also contributes to embellish the scene,
the houses exalted above the cathedral, are not only
observable, but form a pleasing contrast.

its
fcei
RAIL r0 NEWPORT. 69
{Having given the route from Pontyp'ool Road Statien
through l’eeitypoel, over the Yiamuzt at (,‘rumlin to
hitrtiiyi', and from thence to (Qui'tliili, the tl'tn‘ellei' is
referred to page #17,. to eentinue the jeurney from Pen-ty-
pool Road through Newport to ("ardittj
Soon after lt‘tt'dllg l’mtypocl lioad Station, on the
Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford line, a junction
with the Menniouthshire Railway and Canal Company’s
line, which extends from Blaenavon through Pontypool
to Newport, takes place, and the train proceeds on the
latter line to Newport, but is only allowed to call at one
of the Stations (l’ontncwydd).
About a mile further on the line, Pontrizydymm Iran
Wrorlt's and Chapel are seen on the left. Pontnezeydd
Station is next reached, and within a few hundred yards
of the station are the Iron “forks belonging to Conway
James, Esq , backed by the village of Cines-y- Ceﬂeg.
A mile further pass Creme/rm Static” and Iron
Her/rs on the right, and Llmztreclzra Grange, the resi-
dence of Charles Prothero, Esq., may be observed on the
top of a hill in the distance, on the left. After passing
LZGNUZWZGNZ swam, you arrive on the banks of the Usk
and reach Newport.
NEWPORT.
Distances (with the exception of London) by Turnpike Read.
Distant from Miles. Distant from Miles
London . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118 Cardiff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Chepstow . . . . . . . . . . . _ 16 Monmouth . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Caerleon . . . . .... . . . . . . 3 Pentypool . . . . . . . . . . .. 10
Caerphilly 12 Usk . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..11
Newport is a ﬂourishing port and market town, and
70 nnwronrw-rnanrl.
has rapidly risen into importance during the last half
century. In lStél. the town ctmtaincd but “221 houses
and 108? souls; in 1851 it had risen to 2008 houses,
and 19,323 inhabitants; and the number of inhabitants
at the present time cannot be far short of 25,000.
This town, called by Uiraldus, ﬁbres Barges, arose
out of the declining greatness of Caerleon, and was cal-
led by the “'elsh, Caste” ZWzrg/dd, or Newcastle.
It is situated on the Usk, near its conﬂuence with
the Bristol Channel, and is navigable for the largest
vessels. On the western or town side of the river, there
are a great number of wharves and jetties, extending
from near the bridge to a commodious ﬁoating dock at
Pilgwenlly, a distance of nearly two miles. The Fleet-
ing J)OC/J was formed at a cost of about £200,000, raised
by shares of £20 each and loans. It was opened on the
10th of October, 18112.
The rapid advancement of this place from a mean
and insigniﬁccnt village to that of a populous commer-
cial town, is attributable to the development of the in-
exhaustible mineral wealth of the mountains adjacent
to the town, aided by the facilities of transit by means
of railways, instead of the slow and limited means of
conveyance adopted sixty years ago, when mules were
used to carry the coal and iron to the port.
The formation of the MorzwzouZ/zs/zz're Canal in 1793,
gave an impetus to trade, by offering an improved mode
of transit for iron stone, iron, lime stone, timber, coal,
510., from Pontnewynydd, Pontypool, Cru'mlin, Risca,
Nantyglo, Ebbw Vale, Sirhowy, and other iron works
and quarries. This mode of transit, however, at the


snwronr—cnknrrsrs’ mors. 71
present day, has been superseded by the more expedi-
tious railroads, which new intersect the mountains in
every directitm.
Shipbuilding, brewing, tanning and other manufac-
tures are carried on, there are several large foundries,
and at the Des works the patent cut nails are manu-
faetured.
Cnknrrsrs’ RIOT.——Tl1€ town and neighbourhood ac-
quired considerable notoriety from the assembling of a
number of Chartists on the Hills, and their descent upon
Newport on the 4th of November, 1889, headed by Mr.
John Frost, who had been a magistrate for the borough,
Armed with guns, pikes, bars of iron and other wea-
pens, the band which numbered several thousand col-
liers and miners, after congregating among the Hills
during a most stormy and inclement night, marched in
a dispirited and tired state into the town, and suddenly
presented themselves in front of the “Testgate Hotel,
where a company of the 45th regiment, under the com-
mand of Lieut. Gray had been stationed to await their
arrival. The chartists foolishly commenced an attack
upon the inn, the soldiers opened fire upon them, and
about 20 of the rioters were killed. Mr. Thos. Phillips,
the mayor, whilst reading the riot act, was wounded in
the wrist, by a shot, and Mr. Morgan, draper, and Mr.
Thomas Walker, victualler, were severely hurt. John
Frost ﬂed at the commencement of the attack, but was
soon afterwards captured, and with his compatriots,
William J ones and Zephaniah Williams, were tried at
Monmouth assizes for high treason, found guilty, and
sentenced to be hung, drawn, and quartered, but the
7 2 Newman—RAILWAY STATIONS—CASTLE.
sentence was afterwards commuted to transportation for
life. In 1858, Frost was reprieved and returned to
this country. Mr. Phillips, soon after the event, as a.
reward for his bravery, received the order of knighthood.
and M r. Morgan and Mrlvalker had pensions awarded
to them.
The Town Hall, used for magisterial business, county
courts, and entertainments, was erected in 1842 ; the
Exchange and Reading Room in 1844.
The CATTLE Manner, a commodious inclosure, was
erected in 1844. iveekly markets are held, and the
place is also used for the annual exhibition of stock at
Lord Tredegar’s show.
THE RAILWAY STATIONS.——Th6 South Wales Station
is a commodious, convenient, and well arranged stone-
building in proximity to the principal street, and within
ﬁve minutes walk of the King’s Head, vWestgate, Tre-
degar Arms, and Bridge Commercial Inns. The New-
port Abergarcmzy and IIcrc/orrl Company, and the 111022-
mout/zsltz'ra Railway and Canal Company, make a mise-
rable wooden building in Mill street, answer the pur-
pose of a station for both these line. It is most discre-
ditable to the companies, that they have allowed their
customers to be so badly accommodated during several
years. The wretched hovel called the ladies’ waiting
room, is of very small dimensions, and devoid of every
comfort, and the platform is bleak and ill-contrived.
The I'Vestern VaZZoys Station is situated at theoi ther
extremity of the town, in Dock street.
THE CLSTLE.-——Th€ remains of this fortress stands on
the banks of the Usk between the stone turnpike-road
NEWPORT CASTLE 7 3
bridge, and the railway bridge. It appears to have been
erected for the defence of the passage over the river.
It is constructed with rubble, coigned with hewn stone.
Towards the north, in the centre, is a square tower
which formed the citadel. It was formerly ﬂanked with
small turrets, but is now covered with pantiles and used
as a brewery. Beneath is a sally post, facing the river,
having a pointed arch and grooves for a portcullis.
Robert, Earl of Gloucester, natural son of Henry 1., ob-
tained the lordship of Monmouth in right of his wife
Maud, daughter of Robert Eitzhamon, and is supposed
to have built this castle between 1130 and 1140. ‘Nil-
liam their son, garrisoned the castle in 1171. In 1173,
Henry II. had deprived Prince Jorworth ap Owen of a
considerable portion of his possessions, but while Henry
was engaged in the French war, the 'Welsh chieftain
repossessed himself of it, and Henry on his return found
him very formidable and proposed peace. For the sake
of negociation he offer ed a safe passage to Jorwerth and
his sons : but while his eldest son Owen ap Caradoc
was on the road to meet his father, some soldiers from
the garrison of Newport slew the young chieftain.
YVhen the news reached the ears of J orwerth, he broke
off the conference, and returned with his younger son
Howell. Housed by this perfidious act, the Welsh ral-
lied round his standard, and by ﬁre and sword carried
destruction upon the banks of the Severn and Wye, as far
as Hereford and Gloucester. Robert, Earl of Gloucester,
dying in 1173, without male issue, Richard de Clare,
who married Robert’s daughter, beame possessor of the
castle. On the death of their son Gilbert, in 1313, his
J
74 NEWPORT CASTLE.
great property was divided among his three sisters;
Eleanor, the wife of Hugh le Despenser, the younger;
Margaret, who married Hugh de Audley; and Eliza-
beth, who married John de Burgh. Margaret obtained
the castle and town of Newport, but was compelled to
cede it to Hugh le Despenser, who procured from the
king a charter of privileges for the burgesses and inha-
bitants of Newport. On the fall of Despenser, it was
restored to Hugh de Audley, and was conveyed by his
only daughter to her husband ltalph, Earl of Statlbrd,
who fought under the Black Prince, at Cressy. It con--
tinued in the possession of his family, until the execu-
tion of his descendant Edward, third Duke of Bucking-
ham, when the castle and lordship were seized by Henry
VIII. The castle was afterwards sold to the Herbcrts
of St. J ulians, and. formed part of the property of Lord
Herbert of Cherbury. It was afterwards possessed by
the Earl of Powis, and was sold to Charles Vann, Esq.
of Lanwerne, and was afterwards disposed of to the
Duke of Beaufort.
Trix Fauna—This building was a religious house
for VVhito Friars of the Carnielito order. It was pos-
sessed by Dr. Anthony Hawkins, at which time its
architecture was plainly indicated, but underwent great
alterations. It was afterwards the residence of Thomas
Prothero, Esop, and now belongs to and is occupied by
Octavius Morgan, Esq. M. P., and under his direction
it has been rebuilt, and presents a ﬁne Gothic
mansion.
CORPORATION.-——Tl1€ town is governed by a Mayor,
Aldermen and Councillors.
NEWPORT—PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
Gas “Tomas—In the year 1825, a company com-
menced erecting works for the manufacture of gas, which
have from time to time been extended to meet the demand.
WATER \Vonits were erected in 1846, at an estimated
expense of £20,000, in 2,000 shares at £10 each.
THE UNION YVonKHousE was erected in 1837, and is
situated within a few minutes walk of St. Wollos
church. The site was presented to the Guardians of the
Newport Poor Law Union, by the late Sir Charles Mor-
gan, bart., of Tredegar Park.
The BARRLCKS stand on the heights of Penylan, near
to the town, and was built in 1845.
CHCRCHES.——St. Welles Church on the summit
of Stow Hill, commands a ﬁne prospect. It was
erected in the Anglo-Gaxon or Norman era, but since
that period great additions and alterations have been
made to the structure. It has a massive square tower.
St. Paul’s church is situated in Commercial street, at
the south entrance into the town. The interior is of a
quadrangular shape without nave or aisles, and the roof
is boarded and grained. Galleries are raised on each
side, and it has a fine toned organ. Pi'llgwenllg/ Church
was built by the Pastoral-aid Society, for the accommo-
dation of the inhabitants in the neighbourhood of the
Docks. St. iUary’s Church, near the bottom of Stow
Hill, for Catholic Worship, was opened in November,
1840. The stained glass of the triple window, was pre-
sented by l\lrs. William Jones, of Clytha House.
THE CHAPILS are numerous, and include those for
English and Welsh Independents, English and Welsh
Baptists, Wesleyans, and Calvanistic Methodists, and
76 NEWPORT—PUBLIG BUILDINGS.
there are Sabbath Schools in connexion with every
place of worship.
T HE CEMETERY is on the town side of StTVollos church.
The necropolis is a handsome erection, with vaults be-
neath. It was opened for burials in 1842. 1 he ground
is nicely laid out and planted.
THE BRIDGE is a handsome structure of stone with ﬁve
arches; the centre arch has a span of 70 feet; the two
adjoining ones 62 feet, and the remaining two 65 each.
It was built by Mr. Edwards, son of the builder of
Pontypridd bridge in Glamorganshire, before spoken of,
at a cost of £10,165.
THE Posr OFFICE is a ﬁne building opposite the King’s
Head Hotel, and is the head ofﬁce of the district.
RnsInENcEs—There are several mansions and villas
in the neighbourhood, amongst which may be mentioned
T redeem’ Paris, 3 miles, the seat of Lord Tredegar,
Malpas Court, 15111., the residence of the Rev. Thomas
Prothero, Llam‘amzam Aobcy, 3 miles; and St Julzon’s,
now a farm house, besides a number of handsome mo-
dern residences, built on land contiguous to the town at
Maindee, which had been purchased by the Freehold
Land Society.
CONVE\’AN(‘ES.-—RUWNTZQJS.———SOHZ‘]2/ IVaZcs Line, to Chepstow,
Gloucester, Cardiﬂ', Neath, Swansea, Milford, Haverford-
West, the. ; illomnoazfhshz're Railway, to Pontypool,
Abersyehan and Blaenavon; W’esz‘mn Valleys Razéway
to Risca, Ebbw Vale, Blaina, and Tredegar; :\ ewxlort
and Hereford Rat/emu to Pontypool, Little Mill, Aber-
gavenny, and Hereford; change carriages at Little Mill
for Usk, Raglan and Monmouth. Steam lac/cuts to
and from Bristol daily.
IXNs.——King’s Head, IVestgate, Bridge and Tredegar Arms,
(Commercial Inns.)
“J
KI
CAERLEON—TIN worms.
CAE R LEON.
Is seated upon a slope rising from a deep bottom,
surrounded by lofty verdant hills. It is at present
an inconsiderable market town, with narrow and
irregular streets, and very few good houses, the principal
portion being in a dilapidated and ruinous condition, the
flourishing town of Newport, which is only three miles
distant, having completely robbed it of all its trade and
enterprise, and it now stands but a shadow of its former
magniﬁcence and grandeur. There is very little trade
done in the town, and most of the inhabitants depend
for support upon the Caerleon forge and tin works,
and the Pontheer tin works, carried on at a short distance
from the town. i
The market house has been pulled down, and there is
no weekly market held.
The Township of Caerleon in the year 1851, contained
288 houses and 1281 inhabitants. The annual value of
property assessed to the county rate in 1855 was £8,440
The portion of the town situated on the opposite side
of the river, under Christchurch hill, is termed Ultra
Pontem.
The church, a large old ediﬁce of the Norman era, is
dedicated to St Cadoc, and the living is in the gift of the
Dean of Llandaff. A small Baptist chapel was erected
here in 1764, and re-built in 1821. A Primitive Me-
thodist chapel was erected in1844; and a small one for
the Wesleyan Methodist persuasion, built in 1814,
stands in Backhall street.
78 SCHOOL—BRIDGE—VESTIGES OF THE ANCTENT CITY.
A Free School was founded here in the year 1724, by
Charles Williams, a native of the town, in which
30 boys and 80 girls are educated and clothed. An
unfortunate duel, in which his antagonist fell, obliged
this gentleman to quit his country : he went to Smyrna,
and having acquired an immense fortune by trade, re~
turned to England, and lived incognito in London, where
he died at the advanced age of 87, leaving the bulk of
his wealth to the family of Hanbury, and considerable
legacies for the improvement of his native town.
The old wooden bridge that formerly crossed the Usk
at this place was remarkable for its construction, being
similar to that erected by Caesar over the Rhine, as de-
scribed by him in his Commentaries. A substantial
stone bridge, erected in 1809,‘ crosses the river near the
site of the old bridge, which was swept away by the
current.
A museum erected in 1848, stands at the top of High
street, in which is deposited Roman antiquities, which
have been dug up at different periods in the locality, and
presented to the society.
Yestiges still remain of the ancient city; one of the
towers of its castle is left standing on the banks of the
river, at the back of the Hanbury Arms Inn, and some
of the old walls may be also traced near a lofty arti-
ﬁcial mound, called the castle tump. This mound is
now the property of Mr. Jenkins, and is inclosed in his
grounds.
By the entrance of a lane called the Broadway, near
the foot of the bridge, a footpath across a meadow leads
to the Round Table ﬁeld, where the most perfect part of
KING Anrnnn’s ROUND TABLE. 79
the original walls is to be seen. Thewall is about thirteen
feet in height and ten or twelve in breadth, inclosing a
great portion of two ﬁelds. Inclosed within the wall is
the campestrian amphitheatre, called “King Arthur’s
Round Table,” which is an oval concavity in the ground
with sloping banks, 75 yards by 64. Round this hollow,
stone seats and many interesting relic have been disco-
vered.
The name of this town in the ancient British language
according to Camden signiﬁes “ Zha T own ofthe Legion.”
it derived its name from having been the station of the
“ Logic triecunda Britannia,” or “ Second British Le-
gion.” It was once the metropolis of all ‘Vales, and
called by the Romans “ Isca Silurum.” The Britons
called it “ Caer Leon,” and Cater Leon ar Usk,” that is
“ the City of the Legion on the riser Ush,” from the
Legio Augusta or Second Augustan Legion, as appears
evident from the immense quantities of Itoman bricks
with the inscription “Lno II. ave,” which have been
dug up within the walls. Caerleon was the capital of
ﬁfteen important station in Siluria, and the suburbs on
both sides of the river, was supposed to have covered
a tract of country nine miles in circumference, extending
as far as Christchurch, on the 3., and St. Julian’s which
is about midway between this place and Newport, on
the W.
In this city the I’raetor resided and had his Palatium
or Domus Palatina—it was here the eagles were depo-
sited—here the principal seats of justice were held and
the imperial edicts promulgated.
Caerleon seems to have been in almost a ruinous state
80 ANCIENT GRLNDEUB. O!‘ CAERLEON.
as far back as the 14th century, for Giraldus remarks
that “ many remains of its former magniﬁcence are still
visible : splendid palaces which once emulated with their
gilded roots the grandeur of Rome, (for it was built by
Roman princes) and adorned with stately ediﬁces, a
gigantic tower, numerous baths, ruins of a temple and a
theatre, the walls of which are partly standing. Here
we still see within and without the walls, subterraneous
buildings, aqueducts, vaulted caverns, and stoves so ex-
cellently contrived as to convey their heat through secret
and imperceptible pores.”
Statues, altars, columnsfriezes, sarcophagi, intaglios,
ﬁhulae, rings, seals, vases, brass and silver coins of
Julia Augusta, Vespasian, Antonius Pius, Hadrian,
Nerva, Claudius, Constantine, Constantius, Valentinian.
Salustius, &c., fragments of lamps, and crosses, have
been discovered from time to time, and carried off by
collectors of antiquities.
(,‘aerleon is said to have been one of the three great
cities of Britain, and from the year 182 to 521, it was
an archbispopric and had three churches, one of which
was attached to a convent of religious virgins, and sacred
to Julius the martyr.
Caerleon is also celebrated as having been the court of
Caractacus or (Iaradoc the illustrious prince, who ruled
during the second Roman invasion under Claudius Cmsar
an. 52.
1NNs.~_IIanburyArms; Bull.
‘Eijl‘i51€l)HITb.——On crossing the bridge, a steep
road leads to Christchurch, which is about a mile dis-
tant. From the church is a delightful prospect. In
sr. Juuaiv’s—Ltiivrinmn ABBEY. 81
the Church is a sepulchral stone, to which the super-
stitious attach a miraculous power. On this stone are
carved two rude figures of a man and woman, standing,
with folded arms, on each side of a cross. The statuary
is the work of the 14th century. it was believed, that
if sick children were laid upon this stone on Ascension
Eve, they would instantaneously be cured of their
ailments.
ﬁtgulian’g is about a mile from Newport, towards
Caerleon, and near the banks of the Tsk. It was
originally the residence of the famous Lord Herbert of
Cherbury, who married the heiress of St. Julian’s, and
daughter of Sir ‘William Herbert, and direct descendant
from the Earl of Pembroke. He became possessed of
this seat in 1598. Lord l'lerbert has been thus de-
scribed :——“ The historical, the philosophical, the right
whimsical peer : a man at once and together the nego-
tiator, the scholar, statesman, soldier, the genius, and
absurdity of his time and nation.” He was the most
handsome man living in the days of Queen Elizabeth,
and was especially favored by that monarch; was parti-
cularly noticed by Anne of Austria, and was so regarded
by Anne of Denmark, that it excited the jealousy of her
husband, James the First.
itlantaruam ﬁtﬂaep lies between Newport and
Pontypool, about three miles from the former town. It
was founded for the monks of the Cistercian order, with
an annual revenue of £72 3s. 2d. All that‘ remain of
the original buildings are the stone cells (converted into"
stables), the garden walls, and the‘ gateway, with "at"?
K
8a.? . _ 'rnisnneaa BARK.
noble arch in the pointed style. Within is a perch, on
which is a shield in stone, bearing the arms of the
Morgan family in nine quarterings, with the date 1588.
The Abbey came into the possession of John Morgan,
Esquire, in the reign of Elizabeth, and, out of the old
pile, Mr. Morgan built the present edifice.
El’cﬂtgat @3311: —--'l his mansion is situated about
three miles from Newport, on the left side of the road
to Cardiff, and has been for generations the residence of
the Morgan family, one of the most ancient families in
Wales, whose history has been handed down to us by
the ancient bards, and from which it is shown, that the
family descended from Hydivor Yawr (x Jadifor the
Great), Lord of Blaen Cych, paternally descended from
Bely the Great, King of Britain, married to Eleni
daughter of Llewellyn Yawr (Llewellyn the Great).
The property came into possession of Sir Charles Gould
Morgan, in the right of his wife, Jane, sole heiress of
John Morgan, Esq. The present mansion was erected
in the reign of Charles II. The Oal; wBoar-‘n, so called,
from being ﬂoored and wainscotted with planks cut
from a single oak tree, is a fine apartment. It is forty;
two feet in length, and twenty-seven feet in breadth.
The park, which extends to Bassaleg village, is well
stocked with deer, and beautifully studded with groups
of chestnut and ﬁne oak trees. Sir Charles Morgan,
father to Lord Tredegar, the present proprietor, estab-
lished the annual Tredegar ‘Cattle Show, which has
been kept up with spirit and liberality to the present
time. A bronze statue, to his memory, was erected in
Newport, a few years since.
JOURNEY "BY RAIL FROM NEWPORT T0 CARDIFF.
l
u
1
_ .% ._.~O_,M,‘_ .._.. .___.n


g.
ON THE LEFT FROM g NEWPORT. i Newport Docks. 12 NEW’PORT.
Tunnel under St.
\Voollos church
Usk Light-house.
Bridge across
Ebbw River.
St. Brides Church. \Ventlooge Level
6% MARsHrIELn 5%,’
Station.
Peterstone Church, \Ventlooge Level
on the coast. a. fertile plain
The coast for many
miles is protected]

Nfswvoii'r
83
ON THE RIGHT
PROM NEW'POBT.

reclaimed from
the sea, extend-


The Gaer.
Bassaleg village.
Tredegar Park.
Hamlet of Duffryn.
Coedkernew.
Marshﬁeld.
Saint Mellons.

by sea walls and ing from the
earthen dykes. Rumney River
to the Usk.
Bridge across the Rumney.
River Rumney,
which divides
Monmouthshire
from Glamor-
, ganshire. Roath Court.
East Bute Docks. ‘ Cemetery.
Bute Docks. Newtown. Adamsdown.
Glamorgan canal. CARDIFF. 12 Cardiff Gaol.

THE RAIL from Newport to Cardiff passes over Wank
Zocge Level, With Tredegar Park, Castletown, Marskﬁeld,
and St. llelloas on the right, and the churches of St.
Brides and Peterstona are also Within the level, on the
left.
At about eight miles distance from Newport, the
line crosses the river Rummy, which stream forms the
boundary of Monmouthshire, and you enter
11*
8st eiancncxivinnmcxanrrr.
tt’lumngmntia.
This county is called “The Garden of South “Tales,”
although the title is perhaps more appropriate to Mon-
mouthshire. It is about forty-eight miles long from
east to west, and about twenty-seven miles in breadth
troni north to south, and embraces 547, 491 statute acres.
the mountainous pars on the north are bleak and barren,
_~the southern parts are temperate and fruittul, but the
land near the coast is, for many miles, covered with
sand-banks, and vegetation is bare. The county em-
braces a great portion ot the mineral valley of South
‘Vales. and the population has increased in greater ratio,
during ‘he last ‘fifteen years, than any county in England.
In 18%)1, it reckoned only 70,568 persons. At the
census of 1851, it numbered 231,819.
‘ CARDIFF.
Distances (with the exception of London) by Turnpike
Reads :—

nIsraNT FROM. MiLns. DISTANT FROM. MILES.
Bridgend . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Llantrissent . . . . . . . . 10¢;-
Cowbridge . . . . . . . . . 10 Merthyl‘ . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Caerphilly . . . . . . . . . . Newport . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Castell Coch . . . . . . . . 5i Newbridge . . . . . . . . . . 12
London . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 I’cnnarth Point _ _ , . , . 4
Llandaﬁ' . . . . . . . . . . . . 2% Tfiﬁi’s ‘Tell . . . . . . . . . . 6%
‘ CARDIFF was originals‘ known by INC name of
Rimmstabfas- Osttam; and on the Romans invading it,
cinnirr. 5;
Aulus Didius, their commander, who succeeded Ostorius
in command of the legions of Britain, raised a fort and
garrisoned it to keep the Silures in awe, and in conse-
quence of which the Cambro Britons gave it the name
of Caer-d'z'rlzi. It afterwards took its name from its situ-
ation on the Thy/fa or Tar, and was called Crier-(inf, or
Caer-dzjf, from whence originated Cardiff.
The Town is very ancient, and has undoubtedly been
of great importance to several monarchies, as its castles,
moat, and ramparts fully evince, and in former times
the Town was encompassed by a stone wall having ﬁve
entrance gates.
Mr. Donovon, in his descriptive excursions through
South ‘Vales, in 1804, speaks of the remains of a men-
astery, thus :—
As we advanced close to the town of Cardiff, an aged ruin of
Monastic character occurred to view upon the right. This stands
contiguous to the high road, behind a cluster of houses that form
one part of the outskirts of the place. Much of this edifice, which
appears never to have been very large, is destroyed, one side of
the shell alone remaining; but even that exhibits, with tolerable
ﬁdelity, the style of architecture which seems to have prevailed
throughout the whole fabric.-~I apprehend this to be the ruin
described by recent tourists as the fragment of a religious house
established here by one of the ancient lords of Cardiff, for the
reception of a company of white, or Cistertian friars; an idea that
may not be perfectly correct, since the authority of an early Writer
might be adduced to prove, (were it of any moment), that this
house belonged to the grey, and not the white friars-Thc passage
alluded to reads thus ; ‘ Porte Crockerton ﬁat est, so calluid of the
suburbs that joynith hard to it.’ — ‘The biggest Suberbg of the
town is called Crockerton, and there was a house'of gray
friars t’
~86 cranirr.
“ The fortiﬁcations on the east side of Cardiff town were once
to all appearance considerable. This conclusion, we are strongly
inclined to allow, after a very cursory view of that portion of the
wall which is still standing ; it is of great extent, and remarkable
for its thickness and substantial masonry. The meat by which
this wall was further strengthened, having been converted into a
navigable canal, the original lineaments of this defence are oblit-
erated, or at least cannot easily be perceived. A short, though
not unpleasant walk, presents itself upon the banks of this canal ;
one point of view we thought rather interesting; here the waters
of the canal glide gently beneath the umbrageous shadow of the
half-delapidated wall, reflecting upon their glassy surface the
mouldering battlements, ﬁnely overhung with trees of ivy. F or
the ZlﬁCOlllfIlOdiltlOIl of the foot-passenger. a kind of rustic bridge
(a stout plank with a few hand-rails) is suspended a considerably
height above the water, between the wall and the bank directly
opposite.”
Cardiff is a borough and market Town, in the parishes
of St. John and St. Mary, hundred of Kibbor, distant
about 160 miles from London, and is the capital of Gla-
morganshire.
The stranger on entering the Town will be agreeably
surprised at its interesting appearance—it combines
much that is ancient and venerable, with indications of
a high degree of commercial prosperity and modern re-
ﬁnement. The streets are regular, generally well paved
and well lighted with gas.
The admirers of art may ﬁnd ample materials for
contemplation in some of the public buildings, which
evince judgment and taste: the new Town Hall in Saint
Mary’s street, presents a noble and elaborate front,
and the architecture of St. Jblm’s Glam-eh, maybe justly
admired.
(manna ensue. - 8d"
The liberality and intelligence of the inhabitants
are pleasingly manifested by the support which is
given to charitable, literary, harmonic and scientiﬁc
institutions. '
The extension and improvement of the town have
been greatly promoted of late years. Not many years
ago it was a small, ill built \Velsh town. Its rise may
principally be attributed to the enterprising spirit of
the late much lamented Marquis of Bute. who at his
sole expense commenced and completed the docks which
bear his name. The, force of example is strikingly
manifested here; the spirit of the noble Marquis has
been caught by the people, and everything wears a
cheerful air. The census returns will perhaps give the
best idea of the commercial prosperity of the town.
In 1801 the population was about 2,000— in 1881,
6,187,-—in 1841, 10,079; and in 1851 above 17,000,
about nine times the number it contained sixty years
ago.
Since the opening of the South Wales Railway the
inﬂux of strangers and visitors during the summer
months is very great. Besides the attractions which
the town itself atliords in its rising commercial importance
and its venerable remains of ancient power and splendour,
it is visited, and must continue to be so, by numerous
parties of tourists, on account of its vicinity to the Cathe-
dral of Llandaif and castle of Caerphilly, both ranking
among the most celebrated specimens of ancient archi-
tecture in the kingdom.
CARDIFF CASTLE—Th8 founding of this castle is
ascribed by parties to diti‘erent dates ;. some consider it
88 (A nnrrr cksrrn.
to have been erected about the year 1080, by .Iestyn ap
Gurgan, Lord of Glarnorgan; others assert that it was
rebuilt as a Norman fortress, by "tobert, Earl of Glou-
cester, in the reign of Henry I.; and that in 1101,
When ‘the Montgomery family was in rebellion, headed
by the Earls of Shrewsbury and Pembroke, the territory
of Cardiff was given to Cadwgan, but subject to llobert
de Belmarsh, Bishop of London, who was \Varden of
the Nlarches. In 1110, Robert Eitzhamon, after con-
quering Glamorganshire, parcellcd out the county be-
tween his twelve Norman knights, as a reward for thei
services, but rtserved Carditf to himself; the castle he
enlarged, and fortiﬁed it for his residence, and holding
his courts of justice. It was shortly afterwards sur-
prised by a Briton, named Ivor Bach, who dwelt in the
mountains, and who privately marched against it with
his party, in the night, and carried off the Earl of
Gloucester (grandson to Eitzhamon), with his wife and
son, and detained them until he received satisfaction for
injuries he had sustained. In 1181, it was taken by
Llewellyn’s forces, and in 1288, by the Earl of Pem—
broke, for Henry III. If dependence can be placed on
the Liber Llandevensis in Llandaff Cathedral, the town
must have been founded long before the date assigned
to the castle, as it is there set down, that Meurick, King
of Glamorgan (the father of the famous Arthur) was a
native of Carditf.
In this castle, it is said, Robert Curthose, Duke of
Normandy, eldest son of the Conqueror, was conﬁned
for twenty-six years, by order of his brothers, \Villiam
Rufus and Henry I. Owen Glendower took the castle"
and destroyed the town.
cinnrrr. 89
In 1648, being garrisoned in favor of Charles I, it
was said to have been bcseigcd in person by Oliver
Cromwell. The bombardment was kept up with vigor
for three days, and possession was at length obtained
through the treachery of a dcscrtcr; and Cromwell,
with his usual sternness and decision, after he had taken
the castle, on the rascal applying for his reward, ordered
him to be immediately executed as a warning to his own
troops. The subterranean passage, by which entrance
into the castle was effected, went under the Tatf, and
in about the year 1800, when the proprietor of the
“ Cardiff Arms” was enlarging a celler, the workmen
fell into what was supposed to be a part of it.
The Marquis of Bute is the present proprietor of this
structure. The great body of the edifice was modernized
by the late Marquis, who built a castellated mansion on
the western side. He died suddenly, in 1848, and the
Marchioness died in December, 1859.
The mansion is still the country residence of the
young Marquis of Bute, Earl \Vindsor, Baron Cardiff,
&c., who was born the 12th of September, 184'].
The entrance to the castle is by a gateway in imme-
diate connexion with the principal streets of the town.
Access is liberally granted to the residents of Cardiff,
and to respectable strangers.
The rampart which surrounds the castle has been laid
down with turf and tastefully planted with shrubs. A
terrace walk leads round within the walls, which com-
mands extensive views of the surrounding country.
A considerable portion of the octagonal Keep now
stands at a short distance from the mansion, on an
L
'90 CARDIFF CASTLE.
earthen mound of considerable elevation, as a solitary
memorial of former strength and grandeur, and is care-
fully preserved from further delapidation.
‘On the left of the entrance is a high octagonal tower,
which has recently been rebuilt. In the dungeon of
this tower, Robert, Duke of Normandy, is said to have
been conﬁned, after having been eprived of his sight
and inheritance, by his inhuman younger brother,
Henry I. It goes by the name of Robert/ls jbZW'i’.
Every degree of severity, in addition to imprisonment,
is said to have been inﬂcted upon him, and in a room
barely ﬁfteen feet square, nearly ui'nlerground, and with
only a small crevice near the roof for air and light, he
had to endure the long term cf twenty-six years’ im-
prisonment. 1t is also called the BZac]; Zourer, a name
more consonant With the purposes to which it was
appropriated. Time can never Wear away this stain on
Henry’s character, and could the ghost of the unt'ortin
nate Robert revisit the earth, he like Hamlet, could
“ A tale unfold, \vhose lightest Word
\Vould harrow up the soul.”
Adjoining this tower Was the guard room, and above
were the apartments for attendants, store rooms and ob-
servations ; from this tower to the keep on the mound
was a strong and thick Wall, which, on being pulled
down, Was discovered to have a secret passage along the
middle of it, with flood hatches and drop gates; it is
Supposed to have been a Way for sallying, or procuring
forage.
Giraldus visited Cardiff in 1188; at that time, the
castle Was in perfect order, and it elicited from him the
CARDIFF CASTLE. 91
epithet of a “ noble castle.” The castle was surrounded
with high walls; it was guarded by one hundred and
twenty soldiers, a numerous body of archers, and a
strong watch; and the town also contained many sti-
pendiary soldiers.
In 1583, Henry VIII appointed the accomplished
scholar, John LClZtlItl, his antiquary : he was instructed
to search after England’s antiquities, and peruse the
libraries of all cathedrals, colleges, abbeys, and other
places, where records and secrets of antiquity were
deposited.
Ilis description of Cardiff and its castle ran thus :—
“ The town of Cairtaphe is the principale of al Glamorganshire,
is well waullid, and is by estimation a mile in cumpace. In the
waullc be ﬁve gates. First, lh'irtllongcy, in the Englisch, the
ship-gate ; then I’ort Douro, or the water-gate, by southe-weste ;
the Port Miskin, by northc-weste, so callid bycause it ledith the
way into the lordship of Miskin; then Port Singhenith, flat
northe, so caullid bycause that nicnne pass by it into Sing-henith ;
then Port Cockerton, ﬁat est, so caullid of the suburb that oynith
hard by it.”
The foregoing description of the town and castle was
written about the year 1540. In 1797, the habitable
part of the castle, a ﬁne suite of apartments in an ancient
style of grandeur, iormin g the western wing of the
building was repaired, and extensive alterations made ;
but the death of the proprietor, Lord Mount Stuart, M.P.,
arrested for a while the progress of the alteration.
From the keep a charming V16‘W of the surrounding
country may be obtained. To the northward can be
recognized, at the distance of four or ﬁve miles, the old
4'
L"
92 CARDIFF—ITS TRADE AND PROGRESS.
Castle Coch or Red Castle, rising under the brow of a
wide sweeping hill, amidst a cluster of trees.
TRADE AND PRoenEss—The prosperity of this town
may be entirely attributed to its geological site and
position, being backed by a district with an inexhausti-
ble supply of minerals, more valuable than the mines of
Potisi—more'preeious than gold.
Extensive iron works, giving employment and support.
to many thousands, have been erected, and spots seldom
trodden are new covered with populous towns and
villages, which have sprung up round the extensive
ranges of machinery, furnaces and forges.
Judging from what has already taken place, and
knowing the vast mineral resources this district pos-
sesses, we may reasonably anticipate a glorious future,
and safely predict to Cardiff still further advancement
in its enterprising career.
During the last twenty-ﬁve years its export trade has
enormously increased. The docks present forests of
masts, and flags of nearly every civilized nation may be
seen waving from them. Under the genial sway of
commerce, men of all countries may here be found to!
gether, in search of the products of the rich mines of the
Cambrian hills. Thirty years ago, the Canal Dock was
sufficient of its export trade; about twenty years since,
the Bute Dock was made; the two docks were found to
be insulﬁcient, and another, more capaeious than either
Of them (the East Bute Dock), was opened in 1858.
The limits of the port of Cardiff are—from the river
Rumney, on the east, to Nash point, on the west.
The anchorage off Penarth Head is excellent. The
roar or cnnmrr. 93
Cardiff and Penarth Flats and east and west mud are
composed of a thick stratum of soft alluvial clay and
mud, on which the largest vessels, loaded, may lie
aground with perfect safety. Pennarth Head, being
about two hundred feet above high water mark, not
only affords perfect shelter from the boisterous west
wind, but generally, as a place of shelter and anchorage,
offers a desideratum to owners of large and valuable
vessels who may send them to this port.
By means of the Glamorgan Canal, the extensive
Docks, the Taff Vale Railway and the South ‘Vales
Railway, this port has become the great outlet for the
vast mining districts, and the iron and tin works of the
eastern part of Glamorganshire, and possesses facilities
for communication with all parts of the kingdom.
Besides the extensive exports of iron, tin, coal, and
other minerals, Cardiff carries on a considerable trade
with Bristol, Bridgewater, Gloucester, and other ports,
in agricultural produce. '
THE GLAMOBGANSHIRE CANAL was opened in the year
1794, and was the connecting link between the great
iron works at and near llforthyr and Cardiff. It com-
mences at the Sea Lock, and passes the east entrance by
the old gateway, by means of a tunnel : leaves Llandaff
on the west, and pursues its course among the moun-
tains, sometimes on one side of the Tatf, and sometimes
on the other. After passing Newbridge (Pont-y-pridd),
a branch turns to the left to the iron works at Aberdare.
The fall from Merthyr Tydvil to Cardiff is upwards of
six hundred and eleven feet, requiring forty locks, and
as many bridges, in the distance of twenty-six miles.
94 GLAMORGANSHIRE CANAL.--~BUTE DUCKS.
The expenses attending the construction of this canal
exceeded £50, 000, the greater part of which was defrayed
by the ironmasters of Merthyr and Aberdare, whose
immediate interest this noble undertaking was so pecu-
liarly calculated to advance.
A commodious range of sheds and buildings was
afterwards erected on the wharf, on the southern side
of Cardiff, for the reception of the iron bars and rails
which were brought down, and many thousand tons of
iron, cast into pigs and bars of various dimensions, are
lying at all times on the quay for exportation.
THE Burn Doom—The extension and improvement of
the town was much promoted by the construction of the
Bute Docks, accomplished by the late Marquis of Bute,
at a cost of £800,000.
The works were commenced with the construction of
a feeder from the river Tart, in 1839 ; the ﬁrst stone of
the docks was laid on the 16th of March, 1887, and the
work ‘was completed and opened on the 9th of October,
1889.
Cnunonns AND CHArELs—There are two churches;
one dedicated to 8t. John and the other to St. Mary.
There are also chapels belonging to the Welsh and
English Baptists, Presbyterians, Independents, TWesleyan
'Methodists, Catholics, and other denominations of Chris-
‘dams, and, as usual in \Vales, the dissenters far exceed
the episcopalian part of the community.
ST. JoHN’s CnUnerL—This church has been altered
at various periods. It is a ﬁnely proportioned ediﬁce,
with a noble quadrangular tower, surmounted by pierced
battlements, and four open Gothic pinnacles. It is the
CHURCHES AND CHAPELS. 95
finest in ‘Wales, except that of ‘Wrexham, in Denbigh—
shire. It reminds one of the Somersetshire towers, in
the loftiness of its proportions, and in the elegance of
its battlements and airy pinnacles. This tower forms a
conspicuous feature in the distant views.
The chief features worthy of notice in the interior
are —the decorated west window, a statue of Edward
III, and a monument of Sir TWilliam Herbert and Sir
John Herbert, under a canopy of white marble, sup-
ported by four pillars.
In 1851, the interior of the church underwent consi-
derable repairs, and was re-pewed. It is now capable
of accommodating one thousand persons.
The belfry contains eight ﬁne toned bells, and chimes
are played every three hours.
The living is in the patronage of the Dean and
Chapter of Gloucester, and is of the value of £260, with
a glebe house.
SI. Manr’s Cannon was formerly situated near the
bottom of St. Mary’s-street, on the right hand to the
approach to the South \Vales Railway Station. It was
a large cruciform building, and was undermined by the
washing of the Taff in the year 1607, and fell, when
the living was united with St. J ohn’s.
Rows of houses, comprising what is called Temper-
ance Town, were built in 1858, on the site of St. Mary’s
church.
The present church is a modern erection, near the
head of the Bute Docks, opened in 1842, and has two
towers, in the Norman style of architecture. The
ground on which it stands was given by the Marquis
of Bute.
96 CHAPELS.—-SCHOOLS.—I’00R HOUSE.
THE WESLEYAN Mnrnonrsr CHAPEL is a commodious,
handsome, and richly decorated building. It was
erected in 1850, in Charles-street, and is a great orna-
ment to this rapidly improving part of the town.
Services, twice on Sundays, and on Monday evenings at
Seven.
THE Roman CATHOLIC CHAPEL is in the Anglo-Norman
style, well built, of graceful appearance and large dimen-
sions. It was erected in 1842, and contains a good
organ. It is situated in Whitmore-lane.
Other chapels are distributed throughout the town.
THE IRON CHAPEL, Bute Docks, was opened on the
16th of August, 1851, for the use of seamen. It was
erected at the expense of the Marquis of Bute, at a cost
of £200. It is ﬁfty feet long and twenty feet wide.
Service, twice on Sundays.
Senoora—There are some very respectable and well
conducted day and boarding Schools in the town, besides
Sunday Schools, the Free School, the British School,
St. Mary’s National School, the Roman Catholic School,
the Wesleyan Day School, and the Infant School.
THE UNION Peon House is situated on the side of the
road to Cowbridge, built in 1885, at an expense of
£7,500. Every attention is paid to the inmates, who
average 240. There is a small B'Iospital attached. The
Guardians meet every Saturday.
THE INFIBMARY was erected in 1846, at the sole
expense of Daniel Jones, Esq., of Beaupré, at a cost of
£4000. It is situated on the coach road to Newport.
The Staff consists of a chairman, treasurer, physician,
consulting surgeon, two surgeons in ordinary, and a
matron.
CARDIFF—PUBLIC BUILDINGS. 97
THE CEMETERY is situated near the County Gaol. It
contains a chapel for sepulchral purposes, and was
built at the sole expense of the late Marquis of Bute,
in 1849.
THE PoLIeE STATION, a substantial old building, is
situated in St. Mary’s-street.
THE SAyInes’ BANK, which has been established for
many years, stands in Duke-street.
THE Mannn'r HoUsE is commodious, and well ﬁtted
up. The principal entrance is from St. Mary’s-street,
nearly opposite the Town Hall. It was built by the
Corporation in 1835, at a cost of £5,700. The'markct
days are ‘Vednesdays and Saturdays.
Literary and Scientiﬁc Institutions are established
in the town, the Assizes and Quarter Sessions for the
county are held here, and all prisoners belonging to the
eastern part of the county are sent to Cardiff Gaol.
T HE (her. was erected in 1831, and the building
cost about £ 10,000. It comprises ﬁfty-three cells,
twelve wards, fourteen day and work rooms, three
inﬁrmaries, and two receiving cells, with twelve airing
courts.
THE CORPORATION consists of a Mayor, six Aldermen,
and eighteen Councilmen, and the town is divided into
two wards. Three councillors in each ward go out of
otﬁce annually, but are eligible for re-election. To
qualify persons to Vote, their names must have been on
the parish rate book for three years. The earliest
charter in the possession of the Corporation is dated
12 Edward Ill, an. 1338; but the governing charters
prior to the passing of the Municipal Reform Act, 1835,
M
98 CARDIFF—TOWN HALL—HOTELS.
were of 42 Eliz,. an. 1600, and of 6 James I, an. 1608.
THE New Town HALL is a very handsome structure,
erected in 1856, in St. Mary’s-street. The interior is
ﬁtted up with every convenience for transacting the
criminal and law business of the eastern division of the
county; and has a handsome Assembly and Reading
Room. The Old Town Hall, which stood in the centre
of High—street, was pulled down in 1860,
THE BRIDGE which crosses the Tait was completed in
1794, and is a ﬁne stone structure.
HoTELs, Era—Cardiff can boast of as good inns as any town in
South “Tales. The “ Cardiff Arms” (Family and Commer—
cial Hotel), conducted by Mrs. \Voods, and the “ Angel,” by
Mr. Cousins, both situated in a convenient part of the town
for business, are admirably conducted, and the “Queen’s”
Hotel, situated in St. Mary’s-street, is in a pleasant situation,
and provided with every accommodation. There are a num-
ber of other good commercial inns in the town.
CONVEYANCFS.~—T0f Vale Railway~$0uth Wrales Railway——
New Rhymneg/ Railway, Omnibuses and Flys to the Docks
and Railway Stations from the Cardiif Arms, Angel, and
Queen's Hotels. Steam Packets to Bristol.
NEwsrAI’ERS.~——Mcrthyr Guardian and Cara'zﬂ' Times‘.
ROATH.
The village of Roath or Rh'ath adjoins Cardiff on the
east side. Out of the ruins of this ancient place and
Roman Station, Cardiff was formed into a principal
town, by J estyn ap Gwrgan, in 1080.
PENARTH POINT.
A new road was made in 1.851, across Cardiff marshes
to Landough, Leckwith, Penarth, Sully, &c., which
considerably shortened the distance from Carditt' to
PENARTH—LLANDAFF CATHEDRAL. 99
those places. Penarth Point is distant about four
miles from Cardiff, and is a place of frequent resort for
the inhabitants of Cardiff during the summer and
autumn seasons. In 1851 it contained only twenty-four
houses, and 105 inhabitants. Since that year the place
has much improved; a number of handsome villas and
mansions have been erected, and the population has
vastly increased. There are also some good inns and
lodging houses. Penarth Point is a high headland,
composed of stone and marl, with stratas of alabaster.
The Roads afford a safe harbour for vessels when wind
bound.
LLANDAFF.
Llandatf, though formerly a city, is new but a small
re tired village, possessing some quaint old houses. It
is situated about two miles distant from Cardiff, and
may be reached by a footpath across the ﬁelds, or by
the coach road. The former is the most pleasant way
in ﬁne dry weather, and is somewhat shorter in distance.
Immediately after crossing the bridge, turn into the
ﬁelds on your right, and a well beaten track will
guide you to the “ City of Llandaff.” If you prefer the
high road, after crossing the bridge, continue your
course towards Cowbridge, until a road diverges to the
right, along which thevway to Llandaff lies.
The village, for such it must now be called, stands
on a gentle eminence. The houses are neat, and have
a general air of comfort about them. ‘
ZLIanIJaﬁ @Elﬂjwl‘al, or the “ Church upon Taﬁ‘,"
for from that the name of Llandaff is derived, stands in
a retired hollow, not far from the bank of tgg river’.
M“
1 00 LLANDAFF CATHEDRAL.
partly concealed by trees. There is a majestic, solemn,
and impressive aspect in the dilapidated pile, and this
venerable relic of ﬁne architectural beauty and excel-
lence, looks down, as it were, with conscious dignity
upon the gazer. The architecture of this ancient
building is partly Saxon and partly Gothic, with an
occasional mixture of Norman.
The western entrance is remarkably handsome, and
ornamented with ﬁne lancct windows. On the north
side is a rich Saxon doorway, and on the south is
another doorway, less ornamental, of the most exquisite
existing examples of Roman work. At the western
entrance were formerly two ﬁne square towers ; the one '
on the northern side alone remains. It was completed
by Jasper, Duke of Bedford, AD. 1485, and profusely
enriched with the best sculpture of the age. The cor-
responding tower, on the opposite side of the entrance,
is completely demolished.
The window over the western entrance is of ﬁne
workmanship, and above it is the statue of Henry I.,
and another not far distant is said to be that of Dubri—
cius. The length of the cathedral from east to west is
nearly 270 feet; there are no transepts, and the breadth
of the nave with its aisles is 65 feet. The dimensions of
the eastern chapel are 58 by 25 feet, and the height
from the ﬂoor to the centre of the roof 119 feet. In
the west end of the north aisle are several ancient and
curious monuments, chiefly of bishops; a remarkable
effigy, in a recumbent position, of William de Braose,
who died in 1287, is one of the most prominent; two
efﬁgies upon a raised pedestal, record the memories of
LLANDAFF CATHEDRAL. 101
St. Dubricius and Bishop Brumﬁeld ; in a gothic niche
is the efﬁgy of Bishop Davies, who was the founder of a
library here ; and beyond is the ﬁgure of an emaciated
female in a winding sheet, designed to perpetuate the
memory of an unfortunate person who fell a victim to
disappointed love; an armed knight, with his head
resting upon his helmet, is represented in ‘alabaster,
commemorating Christopher Matthews, who was 6 feet
2 inches in height, and who fell in the civil wars, after
distinguishing himself by several valorous acts; in an
opposite recess are two ﬁgures, supposed to be represen-
tations of David Matthews and his wife; and in an
adjoining part of the building is an eﬁigy of John,
Bishop of Monmouth, nominated to the See in 12911.
There are also monuments to Christiana Audley, who
made bequests to the poor of Llandaff, ltoath, and
\Vhitchurch, and Bishop Pascal, who died 1361, at his
episcopal palace at Bishton.
It is generally supposed that the principal monu-
ments were destroyed at the same time as the Bishop’s
palace, by Owen Glendower, but that rests merely on
tradition; although there is little doubt but that he
considerably injured the bishop’s residence, and it was
not afterwards repaired, for we hear of the next bishop
having his palace at Matherne, near Chepstow.
Llandaff is recorded to be the oldest episcopal see in
the kingdom. From the ﬁrst introduction of christianity
into Britain, a church is said to have existed here, but
Llandaff did not rise to the jurisdiction of a bishopric
until the beginning of the ﬁfth century, when Myric,
King of Glamorgan and Siluria, founded it, and c11~
102 LLANDAFF CATHEDRAL.
dowcd it with the lands between the rivers Taff and
Elwy. The celebrated Dyfrig or Dubricius presided
here in 486, and was consecrated the first bishop,
owing to his zeal in opposing the Pelagian heresy, and
was raised to the Archbishopric of Caerleon or Primacy
of vWales : he is reported to have lived to a great age,
to have been bishop for, eighty years, and to have died
Nov. 14, 522. He was succeeded by Teleian or Teilo,
and Oudoceus, who were also canoniscd. At the end
of the seventh century, being liberally endowed, it was
one of the wealthiest churches in Christendom, but it
suffered great depredations, and was destroyed at the
Norman conquest.
In 1108, Bishop Urban (the 80th bishop of the see)
found the church in ruins, and the revenues conﬁscated,
but, by great efforts, he obtained large sums, and, in the
year 1120, commenced the present cathedral, but the
various styles of architecture evince that it was a long
time in progress, and that a great number of years
must have elapsed before the nave and eastern chapel
were appended: he died on a journey to Home, in
1133. John de Monmouth was appointed bishop in
1296, and is supposed to have made considerable altera-
tions in the Church; and Bishop Marshall, in 1480,
added a new altar-piece, and otherwise embellished it.
The pinnacles and the south tower were considerably
injured by the great storm in 1708. Browne \li'illis
says: “The glorious structure has fallen into a most
deplorable state of decay within the last few years.”
The decayed tower afterwards fell, and towards the
middle of the 18th century (in 1751), the chapter
LLANDAFF CATHEDRAL. 103
obtained funds to the amount of £7,000, which was
expended in pulling down and easing the ancient struc-
ture. An unsightly elevation was raised in the centre
of this beautiful Gothic ediﬁce, the nave was left
roofless, and St. Mary’s Chapel abandoned, remaining
in this state of desolation until the year 1889, when
the very Rev. TVilliam Bruce Knight, the late Dean,
by an eloquent appeal to the clergy, obtained a suﬁieient
sum to enable the chapter to commence the work of
restoration.
The restoration of the cathedral is now in progress.
The Lady Chapel has been restored at an expense of
£1,165 12s; the open work parapets at the end of
the south aisle have been restored; a ﬁne and very
interesting arch of Bishop Urban’s work has been opened
out; a beautiful screen of Bishop Marshall’s work; a
sepulchral recess, with the capitals of the side shafts in
the style of 1200, and many other architectural beauties
have been again exposed.
During the civil wars, the library of the cathedral
(which contained some most valuable manuscripts) was
removed for security to Cardiff Castle, where it was
burnt, with a large heap of prayer books, by Cromwell’s
supporters.
Near the cathedral stood the bishop’s palace; the
gate house belonging to it, and a ruined tower, in
which formerly hung the great bell called “ Peter,” are
the sole remains. The bell is new in Exeter.
Around Cardiff the soil is varied, and produces a
great diversity of plants, among which may be enume-
rated Alopcczmrs buZboszr-s, Ant/Willis Valncrcw'ia, All/{um
104 LLANDAFF—nowELL’s CHARITY.
arsz'nam, Adey'antum Capz'ZZus Vemm's, Armam'a peploz'des,
Bate maritime, Butomus ambellatus, CizZom perfolz'azfa,
Carer arena/rm Campmzztla izcderaaea, Grit/imam mari-
tz'mam, Drosem r0 tundsfolz'a, Erz'ophorum angustifole'am,
Erodz'um cinema/alum, Erica Tez‘mlz'x, Eel/mam oulgare,
Glam: maritime, Geniz'ana Amarclla, Gallium serum,
Iledysarum Onobryolzz's, Hyperz'cam elodes, Hydrockars's
Horses-mum, HeZz'antkem-um eulgare, Iris fcetz'dz‘sséma,
Inala Helem'zmz, Lat/zyras Ali/19.90? z‘a, Latin/rue sylaesz‘rz's,
Lima/Sella agaatz'ca, Lathrcea sgaamarfa, Lt'nam usz'tetz's-
gamma, Lyzf/mmz Salz'cart'a, Mercurt'ah's armae, Nardas
stricter, Ophrys bz'folz'a, Oplzrg/s apq'fera, Pazom'a OOWIZZUZG,
Statics A/rmerz'a, Stazfz'ce Lz'moozz'um, Saponerz'a oﬁcinaizs,
Sagz'zfz‘iarza Sagz'z‘tzfolt'a, Same/Mus Ebulas, Trolle'us Euro-
pwas, Viola jarllztstrfs.
HowELL’s ScHoon—Thomas Howell, a native of
Monmouthshire, by his will, dated in 1540, during his
residence at Seville, bequeathed 12,000 ducats, to be
invested in land, the revenue from which was to be
disposed among four maidens, being orphans, next of
his kin and blood, on their marriage; but if they could
not be found, then to be given to other four orphan
maidens, every year, as their marriage portions. Of
the above sum, 8,720 ducats were delivered to the
Master and \Vardens of Drapers’ Hall, London, to carry
out the Testator’s intents. The family of Thomas
Howell was of Monmouthshirc. In 1598, the chief
descendants of the Howell family were to be found in
Monmouthshire, and the name is still frequent in that
county. The Company were charged in 1838 with a
misappropriation of the rents, and by the Decree of
LLANnArE—HowELL’s CHARITY. 105
Lord Langdale, Master of the Rolls, dated April 29,
1845, they were declared to have misappropriated them.
They claimed to apply as they should think ﬁt, nearly
the whole income of the Charity, and their claim was
set aside.
The Decree of April 29, 1845, declared that the
whole funds in the hands of the Defendants, and the
rents of the lands purchased under the will of Thomas
Howells were applicable to the charitable purposes of
the will. It was ordered, among other things, that the
Master should settle a scheme for the future adminis-
tration of the Charity and the future application of the
income, and he was to state, having regard to the
charitable objects contemplated by the Testator, whether
it would be ﬁt and proper any and what extension of
charitable objects and uses should be made of the said
Charity, so as to embrace other objects than those
immediately contemplated by the Testator; also, to
inquire if it were necessary an Act of Parliament should
be obtained to carry into effect such scheme as he might
approve of, and to settle the Draft of a Bill for an Act
of Parliament to extend the scheme, and to enable the
Defendants to purchase such part of the Charity Estates
whereon the Hall and Buildings occupied by them were
built, and the gardens thereto attached, discharged of
the Charitable Trusts to which they were subject, and
for the investment and disposition of the purchase-
money.
The Master reported, February 12, 1846, that it was
most beneﬁcial the Hall and Gardens should be sold,
subject to a lease at a ground rent of £120 a year. By
N
106 LLANDAFF—HOWELL’S CHARITY.
an Order of March 10, 1846, the Master was directed to
approve of such lease, and on the 16th of April, 1846,
a Lease was made by the Drapers’ Company to the
Trustees nominated by and on their behalf, of the Hall,
820., for twenty-eight years, from the 25th of December,
1848, at a rent of £120 a year.
Another Order was made by the Master of the Bells,
June 2, 1846, for the approval of the Draft of a Bill for
an Act of Parliament for the sale of the Hall, &c., and
the Act of the 9th and 10th Victoria, 0. 19 (an. 1846),
was passed, “to authorise the sale of part of the Charity
Estates vested in the Master, \Vardens, Brethren and
Sisters of the Guild or Fraternity of the Blessed Virgin
Mary of the Mystery of Drapers of the City of London
upon the Trusts to the will of Thomas Howell, deceased.”
Under the authority of that Act, the Hall, 810., were
sold to the Drapers’ Company. This was the ﬁrst Act
of Parliament passed relating to the Charity, and it may
be treated as the completion of the Decree of 1845, so
far as relates to the gathering together of the property
of the Company. The administration of the Charity
became the subject of a second Act of Parliament.
The Information was ﬁled in 1838 ; the hearing was
on May 3, 1843; and the judgment of Lord Langdale
appears to have been given immediately on the hearing.
It occupied nearly ﬁve years to obtain the interpretation
of the will and a declaration of the trusts. The account
against the Company having been ordered from the
ﬁling of the information, and an occupation rent being
charged on account of the Hall, &c., there was payable
on account of the Charity, on the accumulation of rents
LLANDAFF—HOWELL’S CHARITY. 10?
during the pendency of the litigation from the year
1838 to the year 1846 (when the ﬁrst Act of Parliament
was passed), a sum of about £16,000.
The Company were ordered in 1843 to pay the costs
of the iniormation—-“ having” said Lord Langdale,
“thought ﬁt to have this question tried in order that
they might have the application of this money accord-
ing to their own view of what was right.” Their view
of what was right was, that £100 a year only should be
applied to the purpose of the Charity.
The following is an extract of a published Letter of
the Bishop of Llandaff, dated December 20, 1859 :—
“Two schools, one at LLANDAFF and the other at DENBIGH,
have been built on a large scale.
“ On the 29th of November last, the school at Llandaﬁ‘ was
handed over by the Draper's’ Company to the local Governors:
who are ﬁfteen in number—the Bishop of the Diocese being
ex-oﬂieio a Governor and Chairman of the Board—and on the 1st
December, the same steps were taken at Denbigh.
“At the Llandatf school, THIRTY ORPHAN GInLs—the word
being interpreted in the scheme children who have lost one or
both of their parents—are to be instructed, clothed, and main-
tained ; and a Portion and Endowment Fund is to established by
the Drapers’ Company for their beneﬁt. In addition to these,
Pay Boarders not exceeding THIRTY in number, who are to pay
for their board, washing, and maintenance, such annual sum as
the Governors shall think ﬁt, are to be admitted, receiving gratui-
tously the same education as the orphans. Such number of girls
are also to be received for education, as DAY SCHOLARS, at a low
rate of payment, as the Governors from time to time shall ﬁx.
“ As it is desirable that the nature of the education prescribed
by the scheme should be generally known, for the guidance of
those who wish to make application for the admission of orphan
girls, I beg to subjoin the 114th and ‘16th Sections of the scheme.
N96
108 LLANDAFF—HOWELL’S CHARITY.
“‘Section 44. That there shall be taught in the schools the
principles of the Christian Religion, Reading, Writing, Arithmetic,
English Grammar, Geography, Biography, History, Elements of
Astronomy, Garden Botany, Music, French, and Drawing.
“ ‘ Section 46. That every girl shall be taught needlework, and
to cut out and make up her own clothes, and get up ﬁne linen,
either separately or in classes, as the chief matron may direct; and
such of the girls, on the foundation, as the chief matron shall
appoint shall be taught domestic cookery.’
“The orphans are to be nominated by the Drapers’ Company,
from candidates recommended by the local Governors. N 0 girl is
to be admitted before she shall be seven, nor admitted on the
foundation after twelve years of age.
The following description of the Buildings appeared
in the Building .News ;—
“ The buildings are each of considerable extent; in style and
character, Domestic Gothic. Accommodation is provided for
about Sixty resident scholars in each establishment, besides day
scholars, and suitable and separate apartments for a head matron
or governess, four assistant teachers, house steward, and servants.
Inﬁrmary, library, and board-room, porter’s lodge, and usual do~
mestic offices, occupying with the play-ground, gardens, &c., about
four acres of an estate of twenty acres, that has been purchased
for the use of each Institution in South and North ‘Vales.
“ The buildings have been erected most substantially of the
limestone of the neighbourhood, with sandstone dressings to doors,
Windows, chimney shafts, &c., all the external walls being lined
with brick, having a space of two inches between the stone and
brick, to prevent the possibility of damp. All the stone is laid in
regular course, ‘ the beds and face dressed.’ The roofs are covered
with green and blue slates in alternate courses, ﬁnished with
ornamental ridge tiles. The principal portion of the carpenters’
and joiners’ works are executed in ‘pitch pine’ of a superior
description, carefully cleaned off and varnished, instead of being
painted. The walls of all the rooms in general used by the
children are lined (four feet high) with ‘match boarding,’ which
LLANDAFF—HOW'ELL’S CHARITY. 109
together with the ﬁttings (many being of a novel and ingenious
description), are stained and varnished in like manner.
“The entrance halls, corridors, and day rooms are warmed with
hot water, the other rooms by open ﬁres, the ﬁre-places being
formed entirely of ﬁre-brick, (except the front bars and bottom
grating) which are ﬁtted so as to be easily removed and replaced
when necessary.
“ The windows, with very few exceptions, are ﬁtted with
sliding sashes, hung with lines and weights, and are made suitable
to ‘ mullion windows’ in place of the usual Gothic easements, by
which it is so diiﬁcult to keep out wind and weather in exposed
situations.
“The kitchens, laundries, and other domestic ofﬁces are ﬁtted up
with the best and latest improvements, but at the same time in
such a manner that the scholars can be readily instructed in all
branches of the usual household duties falling to the lot of those
who have their living to gain by the practice of domestic economy.
“The cost of the school at Llandaff has been about £18,000,
and that of the one at Denbigh £16,000. The furnishing of the
same was about £2600 each, in addition.”


BY RAIL FROM CARDIFF TO SWANSEA.

110 JOURNEY
<1
HI‘ Ed
0): THE LEFT 8 FROM CARDIFF. Bute Docks.
Glamergan canal 46 CARDIFF.
Pennarth 4 m. or. river Taft‘.
Cardiff marshes.
or. river Ely.
Wenvoe Castle,5m. 43% Ely Station.
Cadoxton, 6 m. (for Llandaﬁ‘)
Barry Island, 7m.
St. Fagans. 42 St. Fagansgta.
St. Nicholas. 39% Peterstone Sta.
Pendoylan.
Hensol Castle. 35;}; Ltantrtssaz'nt S.
Cowbridge, 5% m. 29% Pencoed Station.
Dunraven castle.
Southerndownﬁm. 25% Bridgend station
Merthyr Mawr.
Tythegston Court.
19}, Pyle Station.
Castle Kenﬁg.
13% Port Talbot St.
Aberavon bar.
Swansea bay.
Oystermouth.
Neath bar, 10% Briton Ferry S.
Neath Abbey.
8 .Neath Station.
cr. river Neath.
Neath Abbey. or. river Tawe.
Lensamlet Sta.
2 Landore Viaduct
branch for
Carmarthen.
Pottery. SIVAN SEA.

FROBI
CARDIFF.

[\9
OD b-P
élio
1
M
16
£41“
20%
46
ON THE RIGHT
FROM CARDIFF.

Cardiff Castle.
Canton, 1 mile.
Llandaff, 1 m.
Llantrissaint.
Llanharen house.
Coity Castle.
Newcastle.
M argam Abbey,
Aberavon.
Ba glan house.
Cwmavon.
Baglan hall.
Eagle’s Bush.
Gnoll Castle.
Morriston castle.


Temperance Town.
lion. C. M. Talbot.
Hated copper wks.
cAERAU—wENvoE CASTLE—BARRY SLAND. 111
On leaving Cardiff station, the line passes across the
marsh, with the village of Canton, (a suburb of Cardiﬁ"),
on the right. The ﬁrst station is that of Ely. A road
to the right leads to Llrmdrgﬂ. On the top of the hill on
the left is the Roman station of Cae‘rau. Beneath its
church are various fortiﬁcations, consisting of valla and
fossa which form the dccumana ports to the west, and the
praetorium, are still visible at the east end of the camp.
Several smaller works appear also in the vicinity. Near
this spot a road runs through the extensive and beauti-
ful grounds of County-Mlle, and not far distant is
Wmece Castle, the seat of R. F. Jenner, Esq. From
the high land of St. Lg/ﬂzrm’s Down, the views are ex-
ceedingly picturesque, and crossing it to the south, a
beautiful valley occurs called T he Dzzﬁrg/n, pass through
Cadoxtcny'uxta-L’arry, and at about a mile distant is the
Island of Barry, which according to Cressy, takes its
name from Barack, a hermit of noble birth, who resided
and was buried here A. n. 700. The island is about a
mile in circumference, and stands nearly opposite to
\Vatchet, 'Somersetshire. Rabbits constitute a great
portion of the proﬁts of the farm, which comprises
about 300 acres. A chapel dedicated to this saint was
standing inthe time of Leland ; there is now no erection
excepting a farm house. When visiting these parts I
was induced to explore the recesses of the rocks of this
island, which are approachable at low water from the
mainland, in search of the Adr'antam Capz'll'us Vmeris,
a fragile and rare fern, a habitat of moist rocks, and
which is said to grow in the interstices of these rocks;
whilst prosecuting my research, and unmindful of ought
112 sr. FAGAN's—s'r. NICHOLAS.
besides, the rapid return of the tide encircled the island,
and I was made prisoner in one of the ehasms of the
cliff. To scale the perpendicular rock to the top of the
island was out of the question, therefore the only alter-
native was to breast the foaming surge and swim to
the shore. I did not discover the object of my search,
but I afterwards found it lower down on the coast at
Southerndown.
Saint ﬂagging is 4 miles from Cardiff, and 2
miles to the N. w. of Llandaff. In 1648, this spot was
the scene of a decisive battle between a ‘Yelsh Royalist
army of 8,000 men, and a large force under Cromwell,
who narrowly escaped defeat. The castle has the ap-
pearance of a eastellated mansion. The parish contains
515 inhabitants.
531'!“ gairbnlae is about 2 miles further on the
road to Cowbridge, and contains some Druidical anti~
quities. Pass down the lane leading to Duffryn house,
and a Cromleak, considered by some to be the largest
in Britain, stands on the outskirts of a wood at two
ﬁelds distance from the lane. The superincumbent
stone is supported by ﬁve others of large size, inelos—
ing it on the east, west, and north sides, and forming
a low room open. to the south about 6 feet high in
the loftiest part, 16 feet in length, and 15 feet in breadth.
The horizontal stone overhangs two feet, and is partly
covered, it is 16ft. 10in. in the widest, and 10 feet in
the narrowest, 24 feet long and averages 2% feet thick.
It is computed to contain 324 square feet. A second
Cromlech is in an adjoining ﬁeld, and consists of four
stones, A great number of other Druidical antiquities
LLANTRISSENT—PENCOED—COWBRIDGE. 113
are to be found in the district, and the valley from St.
Nicholas to a place known by the name of Highlight
( YehaZ-olaj, is still called Daﬂryn Golych, or the Valley
of U'Torsh/zlp.
LLANTRISSAINT.
Is about 10% miles from Cardiff, and the meaning of
its name is “ The Church of Three Shanta”. It is plea-
santly situated on the summit of a hill, and when viewed
from a distance, has a respectable and imposing appear-
ance, but on entering the town, there is little to recom-
mend it, as it is comprised in one narrow irregular street
composed of antiquated buildings. The Castle is ahnost
all destroyed; the fragments of a tower, and the vestiges
of its eutworks nearly concealediby tangled bushes, being
the only remains. It has a Market House and Town-
Hall. T he church dedicated to St. Illtyd, Tyfodwg,
and Gwynne, is a large Norman ediﬁce, and from the
cemetery is a surprisingly extensive view. The cele-
brated Sir Iieolino Jenkins, Secretary of State to Charles
II, was, it is said, born here. In 1851, the population
amounted to 4181. At a short distance are the ruins of
an ancient Monastery, dedicated to St. Cawrdaf.
From LLANTRISSENT STATION a road leads to Cow-
bridge, which lies about 5 miles distant.
COWBRIDGE
Is a small market town, formed chieﬂy of one street,
and divided by the river Ddaw, which at a short dis-
tance falls into the sea at Aberthaw. In 1091, it was
encompassed with a stone wall by Robert St Quentin,
who afterwards built the Castle at Llahblcthz'an.
o
114 COWBBIDGE GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
The Eve Grammar Sclzool is well supported and in con-
siderable repute. Jesus College, Oxford, has built a ﬁrst
rate school, with a residence for the master, the Rev.
\Vm. Holt Beever, near the ancient south gate of this
town ; the gate with a portion of the wall which en-
closed the town is yet standing. Sir Leoline Jenkins,
of Doctors’ Commons, London, Knt., bequeathed to the
principal, fellows, and scholars of Jesus College, and
their successors, property in the parish of Llantrissent
and in other adjoining parishes, which he held in trust
for the college, and his manor of Moulton, and farms
called Sutton, alt'ac Southden; Lydmore, alias Lydmor-
ston, and Whitton, in the parishes of Lancarvan and
IVenvoe, with farms in the parishes of Eglwsyllan and
Caerphilly. Also a School and School House with gar-
den and orchard in the town of Cowbridge, and several
other properties in the parish of Lambeth, Surrey, and
in various parts of the counties of Northampton and
Gloucester, for the endowment this School, for an
exhibition at Oxford, for binding apprentices poor chil-
dren born in the parishes of Llantrissent, Llanblethian,
Cowbridge, and Ystradowcn, or for the clothing of poor
people dwelling in those parishes, and for other charita-
ble purposes.
Cewbridge is a corporate borough, and with Cardiff
and Llantrissent returns the M. P. for Cardiff. The
Marquis of Bute is Lord paramount, and appoints the
Mayor (who is such for life) the present one being B..C.
Nicholl Carne, Esq. of Nash Manor, 25m. distant. The
Mayor appoints annually the two Bailiffs, and are ma-
gistratrs within the borough to the exclusion of those of
he county.
cownmnev-sr. nonnrs—Lmnrwrr. 115
The town possesses agood Town Hall and Market
but being without any manufactures, its trade is local
and depends principally on agriculture. From the
top of an elevated common near the town, the village of
Peterstone is seen, and before you lies .H'ensel Castle.
There are three other castles in the neighbourhood, those
of Landougk, Fonmon, and Penllz'ne.
St. Donat’s Castle, a romantic pile, stands on the
coast, about 6 miles distant; it was founded by Sir Wm.
de Esterling, a Norman knight. Terraces lead to the
shore below. A watch tower 56 feet high, built to
descry wrecks, is in a dilapidated state. Beyond the
watch tower is the Nan Beacon and the lighthouses on
Nass point.
3141mm“ major, atown in decay, is near to St.
Donate. The Assizes for the county were until temp.
Henry VIII held here, then at Cowbridge, and in
the last century at Cardiff. The “Hall of Justice,”
built by Gilbert de Clare still exists. In the
year 448, St. Iltyd presided over a college for the
education of young men for the priesthood, and
is said to have been a teacher for 90 years. On
the Norman conquest, Fitzhamon transferred the
revenues to the abbey of Tewkesbury. St. Iltyd was
the inventor of the common plow in Wales, which still
bears his name. Flat stones in the churches record the
longevity of the inhabitants here, one covers the remains
of Matthew Voss, 1584, aged 129, and one at Lemmaes
church, records a man who died at upwards of 150 years
of age. Sea encroachments have been made on the
coast to a. great extent.
0*
116 COWBRIDGE—BRIDGEND.
Traces of a large British camp may now be found
on» the summit of the cliff at Colhugh, a mile
below Llantwit. Limestone abounds here, and the
shore at times is like a pavement. There are a great
many caves in the cliffs, no fewer than 20 from Ham
to Tresillian. In this latter cave the parents of the late
Sir Thomas Pieton are said to have been married.
REsInENeEs—Bonvilstone House, Rd. Bassett, Esq.-Landough
Castle, Robt. Boteler, Esq.-Dimland’s Castle, .1. W. Nicholl
Carne, Esq.—~N ash Manor, RC. Nieholl Carne, Esq.~—l’wll-y-
wraeh, D. Thomas, Esq.~—Penlline Castle, John Homfray,
Esq.——Llanharron House, Mrs. Jenkins.———Llanblethian, Capt.
Birt Jennen—l’eniine C1 mrt, \Vm. Salmon, Esq .——St.l)onat ’s
Castle, Thomas Tyrwhitt Drake, Esq.—~—The Ham, Iltyd
, Nieholl, Esq.
Population of Cowbridge, in 1851,—-1066.
INNs——Bear—~Duke of \Vellington (Commercial and Posting)
13 RIDGEND.
Distant from
MILES. MILES.
Cardiff, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Margam Abbey ..... . . . 8
Cowbridge . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Merthyr Mawr . . . . . . . . 5
Coity Castle . . . . . . . . . . . . l Neath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Dunraven Castle. . . . . . . . 6 Cgmore Castle . . . . . . . . . . Ewenny Priory , , , _ , , _ , 2 Porthcawl Harbour 6
Lantwit Major . . . . . . . . 8 Southerndown , . . . , , _ _ 5
Llantrissent . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Bridgend is a thriving market town in the parish of
Coity, and is situated on both sides of the river Ogmore,
in which salmon, trout, and other fish are plentiful. The
river is the boundary of the two divisions of the town,
called “ 06d Castle,” and “A7020 Castle,” which take
COI'I‘Y CASTLE—DUNRAVEN CASTLE. 117
their names from two fortresses which anciently stood
there. ave/w Castle is situated on a steep hill and has a
ehurclnwhich is dedicated to St. Illtyd. The manufac-
ture of ﬁannels and shawls was formerly carried on in the
town, and the neighbourhood is rich in iron and coal
mines, the produce of which is brought down by rail
through Bridgend and shipped at Perthcawl harbour,
which is about six miles distant, and much sent to London,
&c., by railway. There is a good Town Hall, and a
Saving’s Bank. A National School, in which upwards
of 100 boys and girls are instructed was founded here
by‘ the late Sir John Nicholl, of Merthyrmawr.
Coz'ty Castle is a ruin standing on level ground sur-
rounded with trees and underwood. It was built in
1091. Paganus dc Turberville, one of FitZ-Hamon’s
knights, became possessed of it as follows ;——Hav-
ing summoned Morgan, its ‘Welsh lord to surrender, the
latter came forth with his daughter, and offered her in
marriage to the Xorman, so that he might obtain the
castle by inheritance, or in case of refusal, that single
combat should decide its possession. Turberville pre-
sented his sword, and embraced the offered bride, and
thus obtained possession of the lordship. It now belongs
to the Earl of Dunravan.
Dzmraz‘m Castle stands on a rocky headland, close to
the Bristol channel, on the south from Bridgend, and
is the residence of the Earl of Dunravan. It is a cas-
tellated mansion, built on the sight of a very ancient
structure called Dzi'mlryfan». It enjoys an extensive
prospect, and in the adjoining cliffs are some large and
curious caves.
118 oeMoRE CASTLE—~EWENNY PRIORY, ETC.
Ogmore Castle is situated on the east bank of the river
of that name, its remains are inconsiderable, consisting
of the keep and some outer walls. It is said to have
been given to William de Londres by Fitz-Hamon, con-
sequently its foundation may be dated prior to the
Norman conquest.
Ewomty Abbey is about a mile distant from the eas-
tle. It was built by \Villiam de Londres or his son
John. Ewonng/ Priory was appended to Ogmore castle
by Maurice de Londres, about the year 1141. It stands
at two miles distance from the castle, and the same dis-
tance from St. Brides. The strong embattled walls and
towers, indicate that the priory was intended as a place
of security as well as of religious Observances. At the
dissolution its revenues were granted by Henry VIII t0
Sir Edward Carne, and the property descended by mar-
riage to the family of Turberville. It is'a good ﬁshing
station, and permission to angle is freely given by the
proprietor.
.Portlwawl Harbour possesses many natural advantages
and the shore is adapted for sea bathing. It is the ter-
minus of the Llynvi Valley Railway.
Ty Hawr or the Great House, once the residence of
the unfortunate Anne Boleyn, is not far distant.
Soutltermlown, a rural watering place, and very
healthy spot, is one mile from Dunravan.
POPULATION of Bridgend, 1779.
INNS—\Vyndham Arms—Castle.
NEwsPArEn—Bridgend Chronicle.
Rnsrnnnense—Merthyr M awr, John Cole Nieholl, Esq.--Ewenny
Abbey, Colonel Jervis Turberville.
PYLE—KENFIG—MARGAM. 119
PYLE.
MILES. MILES
Bridgend . . . . . . . . . . . . 5% Port Talbot . . . . . . . . . . Kenﬁg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Margam Abbey . . . . . . . . 6
I’yle Inn is a ﬁne large house, built by Mr. Talbot-
of Margam Abbey, in a retired and pleasant situation,
with good grounds attached. This inn was formerly
much resorted to, but since the formation of the Railway,
it is not so much frequented. In the churchyard is an
elegant cross.
33811111.} is a small borough town about two miles
distant. The Barrows, large tracks of hilly sand
banks, extend along the coast for several miles, and
abound with rabbits. The eneroachments of the sea are
in a great measure prevented, by the tenants being com-
polled to plant annually a certain quantity of reed grass
(Phalarz'a amndzinacea) whose roots bind the loose sand
together.
ﬁtargam, formerly called Pewdar,(the Oak Summit)
is a delightful spot, situated under a ﬁnely wooded
range of mountain, forming a charming picture. At a
short distance from the village stands Maryam Abbey,
the beautiful mansion of the Hon. C. B. M. Talbot. The
park is about 5 miles in circumference. Here is an
ancient Saxon church, restored at great cost, which con-
tains some costly monuments of the Mansell family.
About 1147, Robert, Earl of Gloucester, founded the
Abbey. He was married to the daughter and heiress of
the famous Fitz-Hamon, and they are reputed to have
been buried here. At the dissolution it was purchased by
120 roar TALBOT AND ABERAVON.
Sir Rice Mansell, ancestor of Mr. Talbot. In the plea-
sure grounds is a ﬁne conservatory in the Doric style,
880 by 82 feet, containing the ﬁnest orangcry in the
world, which was obtained as follows :—-A Spanish ves-
sel, bearing a cargo of orange trees, &c., sent by a.
Dutch merchant as a present to the consort of ‘Villiam
Ill, was wrecked here; the plants were preserved by
T. M. Talbot, Esq, who built the conservatory for their
reception. Some of the trees are 20 feet high, and up-
wards of2 feet in girth. Pomegranates, citrons, and
lemons, are also in the collection, and the soil is parti-
cularly adapted for evergreen and other shrubs, the
hollies are like timber trees, and the largest bay laurels
in England ﬂourish here. The mansion of Margam is
said to have cost £100,000 in its erection. It contains
Roman and other antiquities. The hills abound with
Roman stones, and an encampment may be traced at the
back of the house. The parish is extensive, including
the copper works at T az'back, with its long line of
white-washed cottages called “ Constantinople.”
PORT TALBOT AND ABERAYON.
Is about 2 m. distant from Margam, and near to Tai-
bach ; it is a rising port, being the outlet for the mineral
produce of the valley of Cwmavon, where copper, tin,
iron and other metal works are carried on. The har-
bour is commodious. Swansea and the Mumbles lie on
the opposite side of the bay. Gwmaeon is a populous
hamlet about lém. from Aberavon, and 2m. from Port
Talbot. The chimney stack of the copper works is
1200ft. above the level of the furnaces, and is easily
ABERAVON—BRITON FERRY. 121
seen for many miles. Its great height is for the purpose
of carrying away the noxious vapours arising from the
copper, which are very detrimental to the growth of
vegetation. Tm'haoh, is about lém. from Aberaven.
POPULATION—AbOI‘aVOn, 2380; Cwmavon, 7000.
EEsIDENeEs—Coed Park, Cwmavon, \Villiam Gilbertson, Esq;
Margam Abbey, Hon. Christopher Rice Mansell Talbot;
Glenafon, Taibach, Arthur P. Vivian, Esq; Cakwood, Cwm-
avon, Rev. Maurice \Villiams.
COMMERCIAL INN—\Valnut Tree.
BEITON FERRY
The next station on the line, is on the estuary of the
Neath, and 2%111. from that town. This navigable stream
here emerges in a ﬁne sweep under high well wooded
banks occasionally broken by naked cliffs, and unites
with the sea. The scenery around this little haven is
equal to any along the coast, and the village is pictu-
resque and neat. The climate is so mild, and the situ-
ation so sheltered, that myrtlcs, magnolias, and many
tender exotics ﬂourish and bloom in great perfection.
More than 200,000 tons of coal are annually shipped
from this port. There are very extensive ﬂoating docks
which are connected by railway with the great mining
districts of Glyncorwg and Maesteg. These great un-
dertakings were promoted by the Earl of Jersey and
other landed proprietors, under whose estates coal is
raised, which is identical with the celebrated Aberdare
Steam Coal. A British Free School has been established
at Giants’ cave by the coal proprietors, and a National
School stands in the village. The population is rapidly
increasing._ The Neath canal 14 miles in length termi-
P
122 BRITON FERRY—NEATH.
nates at Giants’ cave. By crossing the ferry and walk-
ing over the Burrows to Swansea, instead of going
through Neath, a distance of 6 miles may be saved.
Baglrm Hall is a ﬁne residence owned by the Earl of
Jersey. Near the mansion stands the neat village church,
celebrated in an elegy by the poet Mason, who with
Gray, occasionally visited at Baglan Hall, then the re-
sidence of the Rev. W. Thomas.
POPULATION—~11! 1841, 720; In 1851, 1740.
BEsmnNens—Eaglesbush, Mr. H. E. Evans; Baglan House, R.
Hall, Esq, ; Baglan Hall, Griffith Llewellyn, Esq.
NEATH.
MILES MILES
Bridgend . . . . . . . . . . .. 19 Mertliyr . . . . . . . . . . .. 24
Brecon . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 33 Pent Neath Yaughan . . 13
Margam . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Swansea . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Neath is situated on the margin of the river of that
name, which is navigable for vessels of 400 tons burthen.
It has secured considerable commercial importance on
account oi the inexhaustible supply of coal by which it
is surrounded. It does an immense trade in coal, iron,
tin, copper, and chemical tiles, with France, Ireland,
London, and several of the counties of England, and the
trade of the port is facilitated by the canal, and the Vale
of Neath and South Wales Railways. It is a corporate and
parliamentary borough, in the hundred of its name, con-
tains a substantial town-hall, with a commodious corn
market underneath, two large public schools, a public
library and museum, a mechanics’ institute, and a sub—
scription news and reading room.
CADOXTON-JUXTA~NEATH. 123
ATE/lath or lVedd is a place of great antiquity, and With-
out doubt was the NicZzmz of Antoninus. The Castle,
the remains of which is inconsiderable, and stands on
the east side of the river, belonged to the domains of
J estyn ap Gwrgan, Lord of Morganwg; and after the
conquest by Fitz-Eamon, it was allotted to his Kins-
man Richard de Granville, who repaired and enlarged
the fortress, and after founding a monastery, and sur—
rendering his estates to the church, returned to England.
In 1281 the castle Was burned by Llewellyn ap J orwerth.
Cqdorctony'uzcta-Necttk is a large parish, embracing the
Neath Abbey iron works, chemical works, and other
large establishments. Neath Abbey is ,' an object of in-
terest, it was called by Leland “ the fairest in all
\Vales,” but it is now a smoky ruin, surrounded by
forges, furnaces, chimnies, and iron sheds. In 1129,
the abbey was dedicated by Richard and Constance de
Granville to the Holy Trinity, and inhabited by a com-
munity of grey friars, the church is dedicated to St.
Catwg, and contains a pedigree of the family of Wil-
liams engraved in copper.
At a short distance from Neath, on the brow of ahill,
is the Gnoll, a eastellated mansion, the property of H.
Grant, Esq, It is a picturesque and noble residence,
backed by beautiful woods and plantations. The river
is the boundary of the track of land called GOWGI‘.
PoPULyrIoN—Neath, 577 8 ; CadoXton-juxta-Ncath, 7314.
REsIDENms—Dyfren’ HOWQH Gwyn; Glanbrane, Capt. “Tm.
J 01163; Clyn-y-bont House, George Pemose, Esq_
COMMERCIAL Inns—~Castlc ; Victoria.
19%
124
JOURNEY FROM
NEATH TO MERTHYR.
am at ifftraﬂg Elailmaig.

ON THE RIGHT
FROM NEATH.

To Briton Ferry 2
miles.
Knoll Castle.
Lantwit—j uxta-
Neath.
Cadoxton Lodge.
Ynys-y-gwern, be-
longing to J. l).
Llewellin, Esq.,
who is proprietor
of the woods for
several miles.
Melincourt “Tater-
fall, on the River
Clydaeh.
Capel Rcsolven
\Vaterfall.
Blaengwrach.
Aberpengwm
Mansion.
\Vaterfall.
To Aberdare four
miles.

’ FROM
I runn'rnvn
H
24
e!
[\‘3
t0
NJ
{er-I
21
18%
tab-I
16
15
145;-
NEATH .
Crss. river Neath
,1 Cadoxton-juxta
Neath.
Abemlulayis Sta.
Cross river Dulas
near its junction
with the Neath.
Messrs. Llewel-
lyn’s Tin \Vks.
Ab ergarwedd.
Resolven Station
Pentreclwyday.
Pontlaine.
Glyn Neat/L Sta.
From here visit
\Vaterfalls.
N oath Canal.
Hirwain Station
and Iron 1Works.
Ll'wydcoed Sta.
Abcmantstatz'on
for Aberdare.
MERTIIYR.
FROM
XEATH.
ON THE LEFT
FRUIT NEATH.


[O
é—i—J
8..1
.2
10
18
*Sb-l
24;
small Cascade
and Mill.
A
2' Sarn Helen, a Re-
man Causeway,
may be traced in
a K13. direction
for several miles.
Rheola.
M aesgwyn .
\Vaterl all.
Aberpengwm.
Pontnedd fychan
To Breeon twenty
miles.

ABERDULAIS—ABERPERGWM. 125
VALE OF NEATH.
Beautiful and calm was once this loveliest of Vales,
and although commerce has altered the aspect of many
of its secluded spots, still the main features of its de-
lightful scenery appear undisturbed by the blasts of the
furnaces—the clanking of iron—the snorting of the rail-
way engines—and the tourest has but to deviate a few
paces from the track of commerce, to ﬁnd secluded and
pastoral spots with romantic waterfalls in all their na-
tive wildness. As the eastern side of the valley is as—
eended, at Qé-m. distance from Neath, a small waterfall
occurs. Aberd'ulaz's on the opposite side, has also a
Waterfall, and its Mill is a picture which an artist would
be enraptured with. Between this spot and Glyn Neath,
is Vaughan (m Pmzllergacr, the property of Mr. Llewel-
lyn, whose ancestral seat of Ym'sgwern is almost con-
cealed by foliage. There is a magniﬁcent Cascade at
Melz'ncom‘t, 6m. from Neath. The stream, half inclosed
by rocks, is precipitated over one the ledges, from a
height of 80ft. Rheola, the seat of Mr. Vaughan, and
the mansion of Aberpergzmz, is situated near the line.
Oliver Cromwell, who was “in some way connected with
the Williams’s, is said to have halted here on his way
to Milford Haven, and to have despatehed messengers
to acquaint the family of his arrived. Receiving no
encouragement, he ﬁred a few shots over the house, by
way of intimidation, and departed. The railway here
passes through some of the most romantic scenery in
Wales. At Glyn Neath good accommodation may be
found at the Lamb and Flag. 2111. higher from this
126 VALE 0F NEATH.
point is a public house called the Angel, near the ‘Wa-
terﬁills of Ponf—nedrZ-ﬁw/mz, pronounced and usually
spelt Pent wealth Vaughan. This village with its bridges
clothed with ivy, is picturesquely situated at the con-
ﬂuence of ﬁve streams coming down from the Brecknoclr—
shire mountains though beautifully wooded glens, and
beyond Craig-y-Dinas, a lofty rock of a singular form
rears its head. It presents an object of grandeur, and
evertops the woods and plantations.
The point where the Upper and Lower H’epste and
the Jlfellzfe unite their waters at two miles distant, should
be ﬁrst visited, but it is desirable to procure a guide to
conduct you to the spot. Proceed by a rough track to
the Upper ZTepste cataract, and view from the summit
the magniﬁcent prospect here disclosed of the Vale of
N eath—the Swansea coast, including the Mumbles
point and lighthouse—the wide expanse of the Bristol
Channel—and the distant coast of Somerset and Devon.
The Upper Hepste is a large expanse of water, falling
over a broad ledge of rock, and is projected to such a
distance from the cliff as to leave a passage behind,
wide enough to allow of persons walking beneath the
watery arch. A descent, steep and diﬁicult, leads to
the cataract of the Lower Hepste, which consists of a
series of falls from the height of 300 feet. It is not so
much visited as other parts, on account of the difficulty
in reaching it. The falls of the Mellte, called the
CZmzgzryns, are three in number, and are truly beautiful
and grand. The surrounding scenery is less picturesque
than those previously visited, but excels in sublimity
and grandeur. In passing from the middle to the
VALE or NEATH. 127
highest of these three falls it is necessary to cross the
river by leaping from rock to rock, or to return to the
top of the bank and take a circuitous route of nearly a
mile. About a mile from the top of the upper Clun-
gwyn a View of the Village and church of I'stmcl feZZzfe
is obtained, and a short steep descent leads to the
entrance of Porth-yr—ogof, or the cavern of Cwm Perth.
This is an immense natural cavern, 48 ft. wide and 20 ft.
high, and half-a~mile in length, through which the
Mellte river ﬂows. To inspect the objects enumerated
a full day will be occupied, and by the time the tourist
has retraced his steps to the inn at Pontnedd-fychan, or
to the Lamb and Flag at Glyn Neath, he will find he
has completed a hard day’s work. On the next day he
may proceed on another route, as follows z—Pass over
the bridge which crosses the Neath, proceed for a short
distance along the tram-road to a mill erected for rolling
sand, and take a view of the rock Crazlq-y-Dz'aas, pass
on the right~hand side of the rock and reach Bram-mam,
or the stone bow, sometimes called the “ Chair of the
Witch.” Its height is about 90 feet and its breadth
about 70 feet. The falls of the Perrldg/n, called Ysgwd
Einon Gain, should be next visited, and return down
the river to Ysgwd Gwladis, or the Lady’s Fall. The
height of this fall is not more than 30 feet, but it is an
elegant and beautiful object, and the course of the river
I’erddyn is full of rich and beautiful scenery. In this
locality the angler will ﬁnd good sport, and in his
rambles will be delighted with the romantic objects in
his way.
l 28 LLANsAMLET—LANnoaE—momusToN.
NEATH T0 SWANSEA.
On leaving Neath the railway takes a curve, and
after crossing the rivers Neath and Clydach, a nearer
and different view of the abbey is obtained. The church
of CadoXton-juXta-Neath, dedicated to Cattwg Ddoeth
the ‘Vise, is a neat ediﬁce. The pleasant residences of
Wémgoch, Greer-n LZz/Jynohwz'th, and Birch Grove stand
on the right, before arriving at Lansamlet. Cross the
river Tawe, pass near the Jirarod Copper War/cs, and
reach the Landore Viaduct, where carriages are changed
for Swansea.
A stupendous steam engine is erected here, for the
drainage of a valuable mine, which machine raises
water at the rate of 80,000 gallons in an hour.
{*Eiﬂrrtﬁtan QB £15119, a square heavy building stands
on the summit of the mountain to the right. The surface
of the hills and plains around, almost entirely divested
of verdure, are rendered barren and unsightly by the
smoke of copper, sulphur, and arsenic, and the air is
beclouded and vitiatcd by the fumes which arise from
the works, giving the stranger a most unfavorable im-
pression of the neighbourhood of Swansea. Although the
smoke is very unpleasant, it is affirmed that the health
of the working people experiences no ill effects from it,
and that a full average number of them attain an old
age.


swansm BAY. 129

SWANSEA.
MILES MILES
Bristol, (by water) . . . . 66 Llanelly . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Briton Ferry . . . . . . . . . . 6 Mumbles . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Carmarthen . . . . . . . . . . 26 Margam . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Gower Inn . . . . . . . . . . 8 Neath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
London . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216 Pent ar Dulais . . . . . . . . 9
Loughor . . . . . . . . . . . . Rhosilly . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Called Abertaweg/ by the \Velsh, derives its name from
the conﬂuence of the river Tawe. This town is re-
garded as the most important one in South Wales. It
is an ancient borough‘town, governed by a mayor, al-
dermen, and 18 councillors. With Neath, Loughor,
Aberavon, and Kenﬁg, it returns a member to parlia-
ment. It has rapidly risen to commercial importance,
being indebted for its advancement and prosperity to
the mineral treasures which abound in the neighbour-
hood, and its advantageous maritime situation. Nine-
tenths of the copper ore manufactured in England
are said to be smelted in the district of Swansea.
There are also extensive manufactories of iron, tin-plate,
zinc, alkali, and patent fuel. The patent fuel is a com~
position of eulm or small coal and tar, compressed into
the form of bricks, and much used in steam vessels.
The nuisance of the smoke from the copper works has
prevented the town being so much frequented as a wa-
tering place as it would have been, although the pretty
excursions about the bay still attract a considerable
number of visitors in the summer season. If the visitor
ascends the eminences to the eastward of the town, ex-
tended beneath is one of the most beautiful bays to be
Q
130 SWANSEA eAs'rLE—rown HALL—CASTLE
conceived, sheltered from the north by a range of hills,
and sweeping from the town in a graceful curve, termi-
nated by the broken and picturesque headland of the
Mumbles with Oystermouth Castle on the brow of the
hill. The town is well planned, the streets are broad
and well paved, the private residences are numerous
and many of them handsome, the public buildings are
noble looking, and the shops are equal to those of most
"large towns in England.
The Castle is said to have been erected in 1113 by
the Beaumonts, who conquered Gower-land. The prin-
cipal feature is a massive quadrangular tower, with a
range of arches surrounding the top. It is the pro-
perty of the Duke of Beaufort, who is Lord of Gower.
The Post O‘ﬁice is a an ornamental and ﬁne locking
structure, built of red brick with Caen stone facings,
in Castle Bailey street. '
The Town Hall is a Grecian structure of Bath stone,
erected in 1823 and enlarged in 1848. The Rog/cl Ia-
stz'tut/zi'on of South Wales is a large and elegant building,
the principal front of which extends lOOft, having in
the centre a proselyte portico of four ﬂuted Ionic eo-
lumns; it contains a ﬁne library, museums of zoology,
‘antiquities and mineralogy. There are ﬁve Churches
and a great number of dissenting places of worship.
The churches are St. Mary’s, St. John’s, Trinity, Kilvy
among the copper works, and St. Paul’s at Sketty. The
other principal public buildings are the Inﬁrmary and
Dispensary, several Public Schools, including the Gram-
mar School founded in 1682, by Dr. Hugh Gore, and
restored on a new site at Mount Pleasant; the Guild-
SWANSEA—PUBLIC BUILDINGS. 131
hall, Somerset Place; a commodious Market Home in
Oxford street; a Theatre, Saez'ng’s Bank, Police Court,
Ciloanty Gaol, on Oystermouth road ; Union Worlskoase, on
Oystermouth road ; andfnslzy'tatlonfor the Deaf and Dumb.
Numerous handsome Villas have been built of late years
to overlook the bay, and a Cemetery of 13 acres of land
is nicely laid out.
The Spring Assizes and Quarter Sessions are held here.
Ship building is carried on and Floating Docks have
been constructed upon a large scale. Regattas take
place in the bay, and Races at Crumlyn Burrows.
At night a lurid glare for several miles is produced
by the ﬂames and vapours from the copper works, and a
blasted vegetation for a considerable distance round the
works, indicates the pernicious eﬁects of the smoke,
while horses and cattle which graze within the inﬂuence
of the vapour, exhibit immense swellings at the joints.
FAMILY "AND Comunncmr. Imvs—Mackworth Arms; Castle;
Cameron Arms; Bush.
POPULATION—Including suburban villages, about 36,000.
CoNvnYANeEs.-—Sonth Wales Railway; Swansea Vale Railway;
STEAM PACKETS to Belfast, Glasgow, ‘,Hayle, Ilfracombe,
Liverpool, Milford, Tenby, and Bristol. COACHES, &c. to
Morriston every morning; to the Mumbles several times in
the day; to Yniscedwin, Ystalyfera, Clydach, Pontardawe,
and Ystradgynlais.
Nnwsrarnns—Cambrian; Swansea Herald; Swansea Journal.
GOWER.
This peninsula is worth a visit, its circumference is
about 50111. It is inhabited principally by the descen-
dants of Flemings, and exhibits ﬁne sea scenery.
Qja
132 SWANSEA—THE MUMBLES.—GOWER-
Gower and the opposite coast of Pembrokeshire is
called “ Little England beyond Wales,” because the
manners and language of the inhabitants approach nearer
the English than the Welsh. Their employment con-
sists principally of cultivating the land and ﬁshing.
The peninsula is chieﬂy invested in. the Duke of Beau-
fort, Mr. Talbot, and two or three other large land-
owners. The Duke of Beaufort is lord paramount, ap-
points a coroner and bailiff‘, and is entitled to quit-rent
from the farms.
The road from Swansea to the Mumbles affords a
delightful drive. The rocky headland of the Mumbles
lies on the left, and in encircling the ()ystermouth bay,
some ﬁne wooded scenery is passed on the right, studded
with gentlemen’s seats, among which may be enume-
rated Singleton Atbey, the residence of Mrs. Vivian,
reliot of the late J'. H. Vivian, for many years M. P. for
Swansea, which is a beautiful Gothic structure. Park-
warn, the residence of Henry Hussey Vivian, M. P. for
the County of Glamorgan, and owner of the large cop-
per and other works in the neighbourhood ; Hendreffoz'lan,
the residence of L. Ll. Dillwyn, Esq., M. P. for Swansea,
Bryn lVewydd, and Skettg/ lTaZZ.
On approaching the Mumbles, Qystermoutk Castle
presents itself on the top of a hill, with cliffs and lime-
stone quarries in the back ground.
Large numbers of oysters are taken at the Mumbles
and forwarded to all parts of the kingdom. The oyster
dredging gives employment during the season, which
extends from September to April, to upwards of 250
persons.
EXCURSIONS IN eowna.-rouenoa. 133
Excursions may be made in Gower to Langlaml Bay,
Caswcll Bay, Orwz'ch Point, Blshopstone Valley, Pwlda
Point, and the Moors. The Gowar Inn, within a two
miles of Oxwich bay, affords excellent accommodation,
and during the summer season is completely ﬁlled with
visitors. From this place tours may be made Ito
.Penrz'ce Castle, the Tore, Pemzard Castle, the Bone
Caverns, &c., for a description of which, we refer our
readers to the local Guide Bookﬁ“
INNs.——l\Icrmaid, Mumbles; The Elms, Mumbles; Ship and
Castle, Mumbles; George, Mumbles; Gowcr Inn, Oxwich,
six miles from Oystermouth; Ship Inn, Rhosilly.
Journey from Swansea to Milford Haven.
On leaving Swansea the train returns to Landore
Viaduct, where carriages are changed. The ﬁrst sta-
tion reached is Gower Road, 4§m., from whence you
enter GOWGI‘. 2m. further along the line is
LOUGHOR,
Situated on the river of that name, which divides
Glamorgan from Carmarthen. The counties are con-
nected by means of a wooden bridge of considerable
length, and the railway viaduct is nearly parallel with
the same. Loughor is a contributary borough with
Swansea and other places in returning a member to par-
liament. The outward walls of a square castle fortiﬁed
by a treble trench, is standing ; the castle was destroyed
by Rhys Hp Gryffydd. Population, 1099.

*Guide to the Mumbles and adjacent Bays, 1s .; Pcarsc & Brown-
134 CARMARTHENSHIRE—WRECKING.
durmurtbrnrbia.
In this thoroughly Welsh county, the inhabitants still
use the Welsh dialect to a great extent, they adhere to
their old customs, and their manners are less pleasing
than in the counties where the Engish more prevails.
Agriculture has not progressed in the same ratio with
other parts, and there are vast tracts of waste and un-
drained land. The county forms part of the great coal
ﬁeld of South \Vales, and produces a variety of mineral
productions. The soils are principally poor, but there
are a great number of acres near the sea and along the
Valley of the Towy, which are of capital quality. It is
the largest of the Welsh counties, but its line of sea
coast is inferier to that of Glamorgan or Pembroke.
Carmarthen bay is the largest in the channel, it has
good anchorage and abounds with ﬁsh. Within the
sweep of the bay, are the ports of Tenby, Saundersfoot,
Carmarthen and Llanelly. The Bury river is an estuary
3m. wide when the tide is in. The wicked and disgrace-
ful practise of “ Wrechzl'ng” still prevails on its rocky
shores, but nothing like to the extent that it did in for—
mer days. The Cefyn Sidan (silky ridge) sands, are
very fatal to mariners. Several instances have occurred
of passengers bodies washed on the rocks, having been
plundered and the ﬁngers of some out off to secure rings,
and on some occasions when the bodies have come ashore
warm and almost breathing, have been left to die to
obtain plunder. Between Ferryside and Pembrey, and
from Llanstephan westward, prowlers are continually
in search of wreck, and false lights are exhibited on
CARMARTHENSHIRE—LLANELLY. 135
dark nights by these abandoned wretches, to lure vessels
towards the rocky shore, and after a wreck, when dead
bodies strew the sand, these monsters, if they have not
time to strip their victims, throw their bodies into apool
secured to a stake by a rope, until they have time to
complete the “ job.”
Carmarthenshire has been very little explored. The
ruins of 12 castles, 2 abbeys and 3 small religious houses
are still visible, and many traces of the Roman sway
remain.
LLANELLY.
MILES MILES
Carmarthen . . . . . . . . . . 15 Loughor . . . . . . . . . . . . 5%
Kidwelly . . . . . . . . . . .. 8 London ......217
Llandilo Vawr . . . . . . . . 20 Swansea . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Is a market town and borough, and a thriving sea-
port, eligibly situated on a creek of the Bristol Channel.
The neighbourhood has long been celebrated for its
bituminous coal, stone coal, culm, and ﬁre clay, of
which large quantities are exported. The copper
works employ about 500 persons, and the collieries up-
wards of 1000. There are several foundries, lead and
silver works, and a large pottery, and from these im-
portant establishments, the ﬂourishing state of the
town arises. There are four large docks, with conve-
nient landing stages, and each dock has a reservoir
for securing it, and there is a public reservoir for
cleansing the harbour and channel. By means of the
Llanelly railway, a communication is effected with the
anthracite coal districts. Upwards of 2000 vessels
136 LLANELLY—PEMBREY—CARMABTHEN BAY.
annually enter these docks for cargoes. The principal
exports are manufactured copper, lead ore, pig lead,
tinned iron plates, crockery, and coal. It has a
Chamber of Commerce, to which various measures for
the improvement of the town are submitted, and an
Athenzeum in Keell Street. Llanelly is a contributory
borough with Carmarthen, in returning one member
to parliament. The parish of Llanelly, comprises the
hamlets of Berwick, Borough Glyn, Hengoed, and
\Vestfa. F our miles from Llanelly, the road to Kid-
welly crosses a lofty ridge called Pembrey Hill, em-
bracing ﬁne views of Gower, Carmarthen bay, and
the Bristol channel.
Comrnncmr. lNNs—Stepney Arms, with park and pleasure
grounds; Station Hotel; Neptune, Falcon; Ship and Castle.
POI‘ITLATION of Parish, 16,000.
CoNvEYANens.——South ‘Wales Railway; Llanelly Railway t0
Pontardulais, Llandilo Vawr, Llangadock, and Landovery.
About midway between Llanelly and Kidwelly is
Paint/ray Station. A packet, during the summer months,
plies between Pembrey harbour and Tenby, which town
lies on the opposite side of Carmarthen bay. A short
distance from Pembrey harbour is Burry port, with a
large tract of sand banks, known as Pembrey Burrows,
which entend some miles into the bay, nearly opposite
to which is Worm’s H’ead, at the extremity of Gower
land. _
Carma/rthen Bay—The sands of this bay have been
fatal to a great number of ships. The bay being ex-
CARMARTHEN BAY—KIDWELLY. 137
posed to the full force of the south-westerly gales, and
there being a considerable trade at Llanelly and at the
different ports within it, wrecks frequently take place
in the bay. Life boats have been stationed for some
years past at Tenby, on the west side of the bay, and
at the floating light, near Llanelly, at its east side, and
on the 24th of January, 1860, the Royal National Life
Institution sent one of its best life boats to Ferryside,
which is in the neighbourhood of Cefn Sidan sands.
KIDWELLY.
Is a market town, 10,5 miles from Carmarthen, situ-
ated on the banks of the river Gwendraeth, which falls
into another called Gwendraeth Fawr, at about mile and
a half distant. From this junction, and the circum—
stance of their afterwards falling into Carmenthen bay,
the town derives its name, as the Welsh word Carl/walla
signiﬁes “ to go into one place. The town is divided
into Old and New by the river. The part distinguished
as Olcl Kzllzrelly, was formerly surrounded by strong
walls with three gates, one of which is yet standing.
Nearly the whole of the houses are in a very dilapi-
dated state, and the place has almost the appearance of
a deserted village, with the frowning walls of its an-
cient fortress towering above it, and looking noble
in decay.
drew Ift'rlwelly on the east side of the river, over which
is a stone bridge, has a small number of good houses,
among many of an inferior class.
The town was incorporated in the reign of Henry VI,
and is within the jurisdiction of the Duchy of Lancaster.
The port was much improved by the late Lord Cawdor,
R .
138 xrnwnLLY cannon AND CASTLE.
but is still a poor one, its chief trade being in coal raised
about 4 miles distant. The inhabitants are employed
in working coal, smelting iron, and making tin plate.
There is a communication by canal with Pembrey,
and a weekly market is held here.
The Church is an old cruciform ediﬁce, and contains
the sepulchral effigy of a priest, with an inscription new
illegible; and over the south entrance is a small ._ﬁgure
of the virgin. The transepts are in ruins and the centre
aisle is the only part which can be used for divine ser-
vice.
On a rocky eminence overlooking the town, stands the
Castle, said to have been built soon after the conquest
by \Villiam de Londres, a Norman adventurer, in 1094.
It is now a large and imposing ruin, with some of its
apartments entire. The western gateway is a noble
specimen of architecture, and the whole structure has
an aspect of solemn magniﬁcence. Leland says :-—-
“ The old town is prettily wauled, and hath hard by, the waul
of a castle; the old town is near al desolated, but the Castel is
meately and well kept up.”
Other authorities say :—
“ Three years after the Conquest of Glamorgan, ‘Villiam de
Londres invaded this district, built a castle of great strength, and
fortiﬁed the town with walls. At this time Ithys, Prince ofSouth
‘Vales, a youth, was in Ireland, and his mother Gwenllian, a true
heroine, accompanied by her two younger sons, marched on Kid—
welly, near which, at a spot still called “ The Field of the Grave
of Gwenllian,” a ﬁerce encounter took place between the ‘Welsh
and Norman troops. De Londres was victorious, his fair foe fell
with one of her sons, and the other was taken prisoner.”
KIDWELLY eAsrLn~rERRYs1nE CARMARTHEN. 189
It is said by Powell:—
“The Castle was re-built in 1190, by Rhys ap Griﬂith. In
the 13th century Kidwelly fell into the hands of Maurice de Lon-
dres, a descendant of the founder, by whom the chapel and the
greater part of the existing ruins were added. After undergoing
the usual vicissitudes Eof siege/s and partial demolition, it became
the property of the Duke of Lancaster by marriage, and was
granted by Henry VII, who was entertained here, to Sir Rhys ap
Thomas. On the forfeiture of Sir Bhys’s grandson, the Vaughans
of Golden Grove became possessors, and afterwards his son and
heir Lord Oawdor, whose son and successor the late Earl Cawdor
afterwards inherited it.”
POPULATION—“1560. Inns—Bridge House ; Castle.
FE RBYSIDE,
A pretty watering place, is an extension of Kidwelly
flat to the entrance of Carmarthen river ; about 45m.
distant from Kidwelly. Persons who require a retired
spot near the sea, with lodgings on reasonable terms,
will ﬁnd this a quiet and pleasant spot. On the opposite
side of the river is itanstepbzm @Hﬁﬂt, which over-
looks the sea from a promontery. The outer walls are
nearly entire, but the building is a mere shell; it has
been taken and re-taken on various occasions. It is
said to have been built by the sons of Uchtred, Prince
of Merioneth, A. n. 1138, but soon after fell into the
hands of the Normans and Flemings; in 1143, it was
rescued by Meredydd, Rhys, and Oadell sons of Gryffydd
f1P Rhys, Prince of South Wales. The village
lies in a graceful wooded hollow. Delightful and
extensive views are seen from the top of the hill. A
road leads across the peninsula to a ferry on the oppo-
SltG SldG at 25111, distance,
Rs
140 TOWN or CARMARTHEN.
CARMARTHEN.
MILES MILES
Bristol (by Steam) . . . . 138 Laugharne . . . . . . . . . . 13
Brecon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Milford Haven . . . . . . . . 40
Clarbeston road . . . . . . 26 Newcastle Emlyn . . .. 20
Cardigan . . . . . . .. . . . . 30 Narberth road for Tenby 20
Ferryside . . . . . . . . . . .. 6% Pembroke . . . . . . . . . . .. 33
Haverfordwest . . . . . . .. 31 Pater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 34$
Kidwelly . . . . . . . . . . .. 11 Pontdudarlas . . . . . . . . 18
Llandilo Yawr . . . . . . 15 Swansea . . . . . . . . . . .. 27
Llandovery . . . . . . . . .. 29 St. David’s . . . . . . . . . . 48
Lampeter . . . . . . . . . 24 St. Clears . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Llanstephen . . . . . . . . .. 8 Tenby (by Coach Road) 26

Carmarthen is a large, irregular, and ill built town,
but at the upper part of Lammas street, in Union street,
and at Picton terrace, there are many handsome modern
buildings. The town is picturesquely situated on the
west bank of the T owy, about 9 miles from its mouth.
Most of the streets are of moderate width, but hilly and
uneven. The favorite walk is in front of the town, on
a gravelled walk overlooking the Tow)‘. There is a
handsome monument erected in front of Picton terrace,
to the memory of that distinguished warrior Sir Thomas
Picton, who was a Welshman, having been born at
Poyston, in Pembrokeshire : the base of the monument
is broad and solid, surmounted at each corner by piles
of arms, and the names of “Badajoz,” “Waterloo,”
and “ Picton,” engraved on the squares, above is a lofty
column. Another monument stands in Nott Square to
the memory of Gen. Sir William Nott, whe is reputed
to have been a townsman, and who died here after his
return from the east. A third monument is raised is

CARMARTHEN—PUBLIC BUILDINGS. 141
Lammas street, in commemoration of the Officers and
Privates of the Welsh Fusiliers Who fell in the Crimea.
The shells of two Priorz'cs are visible, one in Priory
street and the other in Friars’ park. St. Peter’s Church
contains some ﬁne monuments. Eﬂigies of the great
Sir lihys ap Thomas and his lady lie recumbent, the
Warrior clad in plate armour, and at the feet of his Wife
is placed a dove. Sir Richard Steele, after dissipating
his fortune, retired to his Wife’s relations in Carmarthen,
Where she had some property, and died at Llangunnor,
near that town, in 1729, and Was buried in a vault
belonging to the Surlock family. He Wrote his comedy
of the “ Conscious Lovers,” and other dramatic pieces
and essays in a house afterwards converted into the
Ivy Bush Hotel. The British sage “Merlin,” Who
ﬂourished about the year 480, Was born here. It
is recorded of this mighty Wizard that he became
enamoured of awater nymph, known by the appellation
of the “ Lady of the Lake,” who rej ectcd his addresses,
and, to rid herself of his importunities, induced him to
descend a subterranean passage, about three miles from
the town, and whilst there she entombed her admirer
alive, by placing a stone over the entrance. It is called
Merlzbz’s Cave to this day,'andthe hill containing the
cave is called Efcrlz'n’s 112'”.
The principal buildings are the Gaol, the Market;
House, the Assembly #Rooms, the Barracks, the In»
ﬁrmary, the Union. Workhouse, the Gas ‘Vorks, the
Custom House, the Catholic Churches, the old and new
Churches, the Guildhall, andthe South Wales Training
College. Carmarthen was considered the capital of all
142 CARMARTHEN—CASTLE.
Wales, and recognised as such when the Principality
was annexed to England. It was the seat of the \Velsh
princes, previous to the seat of royalty being removed
to Dinevor.
The Castle, after sustaining several sieges by the
Normans and Welsh princes, was demolished by order
of Parliament, and new forms part of the county gaol.
The town has been twice burnt, so that all the ancient
vestiges are lost.
Carmarthen is governed by a mayor, six aldermen,
and eighteen councillors. The assizes for the county
are held here twice a year, and the quarter sessions are
held alternately here and at Llandilo. In conjunction
with Llanelly, the borough returns a member to par-
liament. In the vicinity of the town is an extensive
tin mill, and there are three iron foundries in the town.
The South Wales Railway Station is at Myrtle Hill,
about a mile distant, from which place a branch railway
leads through the town for Cardigan. Vessels of 300
tons burthen can float up to the harbour.
The view from Llangunnor Hill is one of the most
beautiful in the neighbourhood. Close on the north
side of the town is the site of a Roman camp of large
dimensions.
POPULATION.—-10,500.
COMMERCIAL INNs—Ivy Bush; Boar’s Head.
Nnwsrkrnns.—-“ Carmarthen Journal ; "’ “Welshman.”
CoNvEYANens—Steamer to Bristol weekly ; Boat to Llanstephan
occasionally; Coaches to Llampeter, Aberavon, Aberystruth,
Llandilo, and Llanstephan; Railway to Cardigan in progress.
ABERGWILI PALACE—VALE or TOWY. 143
VALE OF TOWY.
‘ﬁlltl‘gmill' is two miles from Carmarthen, on the
road to Llandilo Vawr, and seated on the banks of the
river Towy, Abarga'z'll Palace is the residence of the
Bishop of St. David’s, being the only one of the seven
residences formerly belonging to the bishopric, which
is habitable. It is a handsome Elizabethan mansion,
and its grounds, which are ornamental, overlook the
Towy. It is one of the most complete episcopal palaces
in the kingdom, At Abergwili the brave Llewellin
subdued his rebellious subjects, headed by Rhun, a
Scotsman. N car to this place is G/rongar Llz'll, the spot
which the poet Dyer has celebrated in his verse. Marks
of a Roman encampment can be traced from this
eminence. Golden Grove on the opposite side of the
river. On approaching Llandilo Vawr Dyna/tor Castle
is seen, seated upon a lofty hill clothed with venerable
oaks, once the regal seat of the Cambrian monarchs,
The last prince who inhabited it was Rhys a]; Tew
Dav“ Mawr, an ancestor of George Talbot Rice,
Baron Dynevor. It was besieged by the forces of
Henry I, in 1226, which were defeated by Llewellyn,
prince of North \Vales. .Nen‘ton Par/u, a picturesque
spot, and Middleton Hall, a beautiful mansion, are in
the vicinity.
ST. CLEARS,
A station on the South Wales Railway, is about eight
and a half miles from Carmarthen, and is a long strag-
gling village, situated at the junction of the rivers Afon
Gynin and Dewi-fawr with the T aff. The name of the

144 sr. CLEARS—REBECCA RIOTS.
place is derived from Lady Santa Clara, who is said to
have founded the town in the sixth century. There
are almshouses here, founded by Lady Drummond,
sister of James I., who was interred in the church, and
slight vestiges of a castle. In 1848, serious outrages
were committed in this district, arising from the heavy
imposts of turnpike gates, known by the name of
“ Rebecca Riots.” A mob of about 600 men assembled
at St. Clears, headed by a mysterious tall man, in
women’s garments, and made nightly attacks on the
turnpike gates throughout the county. On the leader
saying, in \Velsh—J‘ My daughters, this gate has no
business here, has it?” down went the gate and the
tollman’s dwelling. Rewards were offered in vain.
The military was called out, but were continually mis-
led by false alarms. Matters became more serious.
Dwelling-houses were set on ﬁre ; an old woman, gate~
keeper at Hendy, was killed, and the utmost agitation
was kept up ; Carmarthen was entered in broad day-
light, by horse and foot, with the intention to destroy
the workhouse, the new poor law being obnoxious to
the people ; but a detachment of dragoons galloped into
the town and captured some of the mob. “ tebecca
and her daughters” also destroyed a weir on the river
Tivy, which prevented the salmon from ascending the
stream. At length, ﬁnding it vain to resist the law,
and on a promise being made to redress the grievances,
this outbreak died away. Two of the ringleaders, who
were transported, made a full confession, implicating
many respectable persons.
Laagharae is three miles distant from St. Clears. It
LAUGHARNE—WHITLAND. 145
is a clean well built little town, situated in a seques-
tered spot on the sea shore, and may be reached by a
marine excursion from 'l‘enby. The tOWIl is suited to
those who wish to live in economic retirement. Its
British name was Aher Coran, from its site on the con-
ﬂuence of the river Coran with the Taf. By crossing a
ferry, Llanstephan, 3m. is reached. Towards the end of
the town, close on Carmarthen bay, is the ruin of a Castle,
which, although not extensive, has an imposing aspect
towards the town. It was built by the Princes of
Dynevor; occupied by the Normans and Flemings on
their conquest of these parts, and afterwards besieged
and destroyed by Llewelyn ap J orwerth in 1215. It
was rebuilt by Sir Guido de Brian in the reign of
Henry III. Roche Castle, another ruin, is about a
mile distant
I’orL'LATIoN-~2011. INN—Castle.
\VHITLAND,
The next station on the South \Vales Railway, is
5%1'11. from St. Clears. It has vestiges of an ancient
Abbey. A few miles from Whitland is C'il mach ZZwg/al,
an eminence on which coins of Caesar, Domitian, and
other Roman emperors have been found. Soon after
passing Whitland, you enter
yrmhrnkraljru.
The inhabitants of this county are composed of de-
scendants of the Dutch, of English, and of Welsh. In
the reign of William Rufus, William de Tours, a N or-
man knight made a conquest of this part of the country.
S
146 PEMBROKESHIRE.—NARBERTH.
Another Norman in 1092 settled in Pembroke, and
could not be driven out by the Welsh. In 1106, the
Flemings, in the reign of Henry I, having been scattered
from the low countries by inundations, were compelled
to seek new habitations, and were by that monarch, out
of respect to his queen, Maud, daughter of Baldwin,
earl of Flanders, admitted into England in such numbers,
that their presence became burdensome and dangerous
to the nation, and the king was induced to remove them
from the north of England, where they first settled, to
the parts of Pembrokeshire already possessed by the
Normans and Saxons, viz., Pembroke, Tenby, and the
opposite shores of Grower, for the purpose of harrassing
and subduing the WVelsh. By planting this hardy and
industrious race in these places to maintain their ground
by the sword, it contributed in a great measure to
keep the \Velsh in awe; and afterwards, in consequence
of the predominancy of the English language in these
parts,‘ the district gained the appellation of “ Little
England beyond \Vales.” It is no wonder then, that in
parts of a county so peopled, deep rooted prejudices
should exist even to the present day. In 1797, a
French banditti landed and invaded the country, but
were soon repulsed and captured. Pembrokeshire con-
tains many Druidical remains, and the great Roman
road runs through the county. The coast comprises
ﬁne natural harbours.
The next station reached is
NABBERTH ROAD,
At which place coaches await the arrival of the trains
to convey passengers through N arberth and Templeton
t0 Ttinliy.
NARBERTH—HAVERFORDWEST. ‘147
ﬁﬂfhtl‘tl] is miles distant from the station, 13m.
from Pembroke, and 10 miles from Tenby. It is a poor
and antiquated market town, situated on a branch of
the Milford river, and shares with Haverfordwcst and
other places in the elective franchise, with a population
of about 2,820, of which about 550 are included in the
borough. The ivied ruins of the Castle are prominent
and picturesque. On the ﬁrst introduction of the
Normans into Pembrokeshire under Arnulph de Mont-
gomery, this place became the possession of Sir Stephen
Perrott, and the castle was probably erected by his son,
Sir Andrew Perrott, who garrisoned it with Flemings,
who were new settlers. Its succeeding possessors were
the Lord Marchers in the time of Edward III, and
Richard, Duke of York, heir to the last Roger, Earl of
March. The duke granted it to the Bishop of St. Davids
and Griffith Nicholas, grandfather to Sir Rhys ap
Thomas. Leland calls it, “ a praty pile of old Sir
Reeses, given unto him by Henry VIII. There is a
poor village, and by it a little forest.” The manor,
castle, and all privileges annexed to them are the pro-
perty of the Baron de Eutzer, obtained by marriage
with the heiress of the late Nathaniel Phillipps, Esq.
A ride through a picturesque valley, watered by the
Cleddon, leads to Lanhuadain Castle.
INN.———D6 Rutzer Arms.
HAVERFORDWEST.
MILES MILES
Broadhaven . . . . . . . . 6 N arberth Road . . . . . . 11%’—
Cardigan . . . . , _ , . , , . , 26 Narberth , . , _ , , _ , _ _ . _ 143E
Carmarthen . . . . . . . . 31 I’icton Castle . . . . . . . . 5
Fishguard , . _ , _ , , _ _ , 14 Pembroke . . . . . . . . . . 11
London . . . . . . . . . . . . 27553,; St. Davids . . . . . . . . . . 16
Milford . . . . . . . . . . , _ . _ 9% Tcnby . . . . . . . - . - . . . . 24,3;
I48 HAVE BFORDWEST.
Haverfordwest, sometimes called Haverford, is said
to be a corruption of Aberfroth, signifying the junction
of two streams. It is a seaport, market town, and
borough, both parliamentary and corporate, and is the
county town. It is beautifully situated on an acclivity,
and the vale is watered by the Dew Cleddan. It was
formerly fortiﬁed, and said to have been dismantled by
the forces of Cromwell. The keep of its castle, said to
have been founded by Gilbert de Clare, new forms the
county gaol. The river is navigable for small craft up
to the bridge. The streets are well paved and lighted,
but very steep, and contain many good modern houses.
The town is governed by a mayor, sheriff, and sixteen
councilmen. The assizes are held here twice in the
year. The sheriff, by virtue of his oﬁlce, is lord of the
manor. The South Wales Railway Company have
extended their line through here to Neyland Ferry,
which is within three miles of Pembroke. There
are four churches, viz., St. Thomas’s St. Mary’s,
St. Martin’s, and Pendergast. The parade coni-
mands an extensive view of the country, with the
remains of the ancient abbey and priory of Black
Canons, supposed to have been founded by Robert de
Haverford, lord of the town, about the year 1200.
Cottons and woollens were fabricated here at a very
early period, by the Illemings, but are new extinct.
The neighbourhood carries on an extensive trade in
butter and corn with Bristol and Liverpool. It is a
thoroughly English town, and the locality is found to
be an agreeable and pleasant place of residence.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS-—Th6 Guildhall; New Corn Market; Bank;
MILFORD. 149
Free Grammar School; National School; Union \Vorkhouse;
Lunatic Asylum.
PoPULA'rIoN—~5949,
COMMERCIAL INNs—Castle; Mariners’ Hotel; Salutation.
Coxviziiiivens—~Yan to Fishguard; Omnibus to Milfbrd Haven;
Coach to Newport; Omnibus to St. David’s twice a week.
Nnwsrxrnns—Pembrokeshire Herald; Petter’s Electric News,
and the Haverfordwest aad Milford Haven Telegraph.
, MILFORD,
Eight miles distant from Haverfordwest, is a seaport
town, and, until the last two years, the trade of the
place was insignificant. It is now rapidly improving,
and plans are devised for erecting terraces on a magni-
cent scale, and forming extensive docks at New Milford.
It is anticipated that this place, being the terminus of
the South Wales Railway, and its being made a govern-
ment packet station, will rise to great importance. The
old town of Milford is situated on a slope overlooking the
haven. It formerly was noted for its docks and quays,
but government having removed the royal dock yard to
Pater, a distance of about six miles up the arm of the
haven, gave a blow to its prosperity. Milford haven
altogether comprises ﬁve bays, ten creeks, and thirteen
roadsteads. It may be entered day or night without a
pilot, taking the tide only, and vessels may run ashore
within it in complete safety on a bed of ooze. In the
year 17841, the Hon. Charles F raneis Greville, struck
with the extent and security of the haven, and with its
commercial advantages, conceived the plan of erecting a
new town, and proceeded to put it into execution. with
great spirit. These sanguine expectations were not
realised, and instead of rising to a ﬁne commercial city,
it remained a quiet little town.
150 MILFORD.
Milford Haven has been immortalized by the great
poet of the Avon. In Cymbeline he makes Imogen say,
on receiving the letter from her husband ;—
“ IIear’st thou Pisanio?
He is at Milford Haven : read, and tell me
How far tis thither. If one of mean affairs
May plod it in a week, why may not I
Glide thither in a day.”
Little could the great poet have supposed when he
composed this ﬁgure of speech, that what he said would
prove literally true, for the distance from London to
Milford is now accomplished in 9 hours. Again Imogen
says ;-
“ How far it is
To this same blessed Milford: and, by the way
Tell me how ‘Vales, was made so happy, as
To inherit such a harbour.”
It was here also, that the Earl of Richmond, after-
wards Henry VII, landed immediately before the battle
of Bosworth Field. H e embarked with about 2000 men,
at Harﬁeur, in Normandy, August 1st, 1485, and landed
at Milford Haven on the 7th. He was joined by Sir
Rhys ap Thomas with a large force. Richmond then
directed his course to Wales, hoping the inhabitants
would receive him cordially as their countryman.
According to Shakespeare, Sir \Villiam Catesby in
announcing this fact to Richard III, says :-~
“My liege, the Duke of Buckingham is taken,
That is the best news. That the Earl of Richmond
Is with a mighty power, landed at Milford,
Is colder news, but yet they must be told.”
and Lord Stanley in announcing to Sir Christopher
MILFORD. 151
Urswiek, that his son George Stanley, is held hostage
by King Richard, says :—
“ If I revolt, oﬂ“ goes young George’s head:
The fear of that withholds my present aid,
lint tell me Where is princely Richmond now.
Chris—At Pembroke or at Ha’rfordwest in ‘Vales.
Stanley—“That men of note resort to him.
C/zrisz‘.——§ir “falter Herbert, a renowned soldier;
Sir Gilbert Talbot, Sir William Stanley ;
Oxford, redoubted Pembroke, Sir James Blunt,
A‘nd Rhys ap Thomas, with a valiant crew ;
And many others of great fame and Worth,
And towards London do they bend their course,
If by the way they be not fought Withal.
StanZey.-‘Vell, hie thee to thy lord, commend me to him ;
Tell him the queen hath heartily ronsented
He shall espouse Elizabeth her daughter:
These letters Will resolve him of my mind,
Farewell.”
Milford is famed for oysters, they are much smaller
than those caught at Tenby or the Mumbles, but of
more delicate ﬂavor.
TNN——South \Vales Hotel.
CONVRYANCEB.——St€amers to and from \Yaterford daily, in con-
nexion With the Express Trains from Paddingtcn. Cabin,
12s. 6d. ; Deck, Ts. 6d. Steamer to and from Cork, twice a
Week, Cabin 15s., Deck 8s. Omnibuses from the trains to
Pembroke and Tenby.
PATER,
With its Dock Yards and Barracks stands on the oppo-
site side of the Ferry. The town is principally oom-
pose of miniature White-washed houses, the dwellings
of the workmen employed in the Royal Dock Yard.
PEMBROKE.
Is about 2111, distant. It consists of one long irregu-
152 TENBY.
lar street. The remains of a ﬁne Castle, the propertj,v of
the powerful Earls of Pembroke, and birthplace of
Henry VII, is built on a rock, on a creek of the Haven.
TENBY.
The Gem of South “Tales, is a much frequented Wa-
tering place. A description of the town Will be found
in the local Guide, published by Mr. Mason.
PLANTS FOUND IN NEIGHBoURHoon—Aquilegia vulgaris; Althaea
ofﬁeinalis; Asplenium marinum; Cranibe maritima; Coma—
rum palustre; Crithmum maritimum; Catabrosa aquatica;
Erodium mosehatum; Eryngium maritinlum; Erica tetralix;
Glaueium luteum; Genista Angliea; Gentiana Amarella;
Hutehinsia petraea; Helianthemum vulgare; Habenaria bi-
folia; Inula Helenium; Lavatera Arborea; Linum augusti—
folium; Lythrum salicaria; Lithospermum purpurea-eeru-
leum; Malva mosohata; Menyanthes trifoliata ; Myrica Gale;
Osmunda regalis; Ranuneulus Lingua; Reseda fruticulosa ;
Saponaria otficinalis; Seduin Telcphium; Serulata tinctoria;
Salvia Verbenaca; Samolus Valcrandi ; Statice spathulata;
Salsora Kali; Sagittaria. sagittifolia; Valeriana rubra; Ver-
baseum Blattaria, &e.
SHELLS ON THE SANDS.-~—S()l0n genus; spieies Vagina ; Siliqua;
Ensis; Legumen, 850. species of the Tellina, and Mactra
lutraria.
EXeUnsIoNs—l. Along the sands and coast road to Waterwineh;
Monkstone point, Trevaine, 3111.; Saundersfoot, 5m. ; Ainroth,
Newton, 8 m. and from thence to Laugharne, 16 m. from
Tenby. 2. Along the south sands t0 Giltar, Penally,
and Lydstep bay, and the coast road to Manorbeer Castle,
6111.; Stackpool Court, 12111.; Pembroke 15m.
POPULATION.——3220.
COMMERCIAL AND FAMILY INNS .—-Cobourg : \Vhite Lion.
CONVEYANCES.-——COBCllGS to N arberth Road, Pembroke, and Pater.
FINIS. i

PRINTED AT THE OBSERVER OFFICE, USK, MONMOUTHSHIRE.


ADVERTISEMENTS.
TEETH-
MEssRs. GABRIEL’S INVENTION.
' THE most extraordinary improvements of the day are those by
. which ARTIFICIAL MINERAL TEETH, with Flexible Coralite
Gums are rendered indestructible, and consequently everlasting, thus
l dispensing with the further services of the Dentist.
The workmanship is of the ﬁrst order, the materials of the best quality
{'5 only, and are guaranteed to remain sweet for any number of years.
When necessary, complete sets may be ﬁtted with the utmost accu-
racy with a visit of one hour, without springs, wires, or metals, and
without any operation; while an amount of suction and self-adhesion
‘isjgperfectly astonishing is obtained, rendering the Teeth immoveable
it except at pleasure. These Teeth are not affected by the ordinary
.ichanges of the mouth, or by the loss of teeth, while residents at a
Edistance can adjust them without the aid of a Dentist.
GABRIEL’S
PRACTICAL TREATISE 0N ARTIFICIAL TEETH,
AND THE ONLY EFFECTUAL MODE 0F SUPPLYING THEM,
Post Free, Three Stamps,
Explains their numerous Improvements.
MESSRS. GABRIEL,
THE OLD ESTABLISHED DENTISTS,
~ (See Diploma, 1815.)
LONDON, 27, HARLEY Sr, Oavnnnrsn 8a., 8a 34, LUDGATE HILL.
. LIVERPOOL, 134, DUKE STREET.
BIRMINGHAM, 65, NEW STREET.
AMERICAN MINERAL TEETH,
Best ciin Europe, from Four to Seven and Ten Guineas per set, warn
:ante .
' GABRIEL’S CHEMICALLY PREPARED WHITE eu'rm
PERCHA ENAMEL,
is the best Stopping extant for Decayed Teeth or Tooth-ache,


nd no matter how far decayed, renders the injured member again


und and useful, and prevents Toothache. This preparation is en-
11'el)’ free from any metallic substance, and as its name signiﬁes,


specially prepared for the purpose. Price 1s. 6d. per box, with
irections for use. Also the Royal Toot-h Powder, prepared from
recipe as used by her Majesty, 1s. 6d. and 2s. 6d.per box.
*1?‘ Regular and punctual attendance at Shrewsb'uryﬂevery Satur.
day; Hereford 1st and 3rd Friday; Worcester every other Wednesday


d hursday; also in North Wales-particulars on application.
it
ADVERTISEMENTS.
RAGLAN, MOIWMOUTHSHIRE.
BEAUFORT ARMS,
FAWMLY HCOJTEL also eosrme
Gentlemen Families boarded on. Board/mg House T arms.
\VINES AND SPIRITS or THE cHoieEs'r QUALITIES.
Neat Post Carriages of all descriptions, with able Horses and
careful Drivers.
WELL AIRED BEDS—GQOD STABLING—LOCK-UP eoAeH HOUSES.
Parties supplied in the ruins of the Castle, if required.
The above House affords ample Arieonimodation for Tourists
and Visitors to the celebrated Ruins of Raglan Castle. The situ-
ation is very healthy. A pack of Fox Hounds meet twice a week
in the neighbourhood. Rail to all parts of the Kingdom.
Raglan is situated from Abcrgavenny 9miles; Criekhowell, 15;
Eek, 6; Newport, 16; Pontypool, 12; hIonmouth, 8; Ross, 18;
Tintern Abbey, 12; Chepstow, 13; Crumlin Viaduct, 16; and Rag-
lan Station, i mile.
ELIZA EDWARDS, Proprietress.
tynmmruiul @1111 1111i lasting 315mm,
PRIORY STREET & CHURCH STREET,
MONMCUT H.


WILLIAM KING,
PRCPRIETOR.
Agent to the Great PVestern Railway,
OIHNIBUSES TO AND FROM EACH TRAIN.
Royal Mails and Coaches to and. from Ross Station daily.
FIXED CHARGES roe TOURISTS.
Posting in all its branches. Hearses and Mourning Coaches.


, ewe:
ADVERTISEMENTS
KING’S HEAD HOTEL,
,ifumilg, @nmnarriul 2< Tinting 16111152
SITUATED OPPOSITE THE
SOUTH WALES, HEREFORD, & PONTYPOOL Railway Stations,

AND \VITHIN A FEW DOORS OF
THE LANDING 0f the BRISTOL STEAM PACKETS,
NEWPORT,
Monmouthshire.
JOHN LLOYD, Proprietor.
1V. B. Hearses, Mourning Coaches, and Chariot.

USK, MONMOUTHSHIRE.
,1 D‘? 9 Q ‘if: ‘U 1. W
t s s ti a
Family and Commercial Hotel,
\YITHIN A FEW’ YARDS OF THE TO'WN HALL,
.HMMES JCNES,
Proprietor.
MONMOUTH.
sTEREosooPro REPOSITORY,
CHURCH STREET.
IR _ WAUGI—I,
STATIONER, MUSIC SELLER, 800-
Has now on sale a great variety of beautiful STEREOSCOPIC
VIEWS of the celebrated Ruins of TINTERN ABBEY, RAGLAN’,
CHEPSTOW, Goonnrerr CASTLE, &C. &c. One Shilling each.
* a * Piano Fortes and Harmoniums Sold, Tuned, and Let on Hire.


ADVERTISEMENTS.
JUST PUBLISHED,
PRICE ONE SHILLING.

TAYLOR’S
ILLUSTRATED GUIDE
TO THE
BANKS OF THE WYE,
INCLUDING
CHEPSTOW, MONMOUTH,
sees, merger-esters,
WINDCLIFF, TINTERN ABBEY,
RAGLAN CASTLE, GOODRICH CASTLE,
And many other parts of the Welsh Borders.
W'z'th Six 00Z0u/red Steel Engram'ngs and copious Map.
Published by
ROBERT TAYLOR, Beaufort Square, Chcpstow.

LITHOGRAPHIC and STEREOSCOPIC VIEWS of the
Neighbourhood in great variety.


ADVERTISEMENTS.
HIGH STREET, TENBY-
“SUN INN,”
OPPOSITE THE MARKET HOUSE.
~v~~vvwvvvvv \Jvwy
GEORGE STONE,
WINE, SPIRIT, ALE, PORTER MERCHANT,
IN BOTTLE AND DRAUGHT.
osoecs STONE,
ljIiqMBER AND GENERAL Uitnsilligsn.
LIST OF WORKS
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED
R. MASON, HIGH S'l‘REET, TENBY.
History and Antiquities of St. David’s, by the Rev, W. B. Jones and
E. A. Freeman, copiously illustrated, 1 vol. 4t0. £2.
Norrls's Architectural Antiquities of St. David's. Folio, containing
18 copper plates, giving an accurate representation of what St.
Davids was 50 years ago. 15s.
Williams ab Ithel’s, Rev. J., Dt'uidic Stones, 6d.
Freeman’s, E. A., Account of Llantlatf Cathedral. 8V0. cloth, 58.
Freeman’s, E. A., Arcliitectt ral Antiquities of Gower, 1s.
Clark's, G. T., Kitlwelly and t aerphilly Castles, 8V0. cloth, 5s.
Clurk’s, Gr. '1‘., History of Kidwelly Castle, Zs.
Conybeare, Very Rev. ‘W. 1)., History of Llandafi' Cathedral, 1!.
Purnell’s, T., The Englishry 0t‘ Pembrokeshire and its Dialect, 6d.
Stephens’s, T., Mic Dinbych. The Eulogy ot' Tenby, 8d.
S_vmons’s, Jelinger, Milford, Past, Present, and Future, 6d,
Hull’s, All‘. and lllrs. S. C., Tenby: its History, Antiquities, Scenery,
g‘faditions, and Customs. Illustrated with 50 woodcuts and 3
ap, 4s.
lMason’s, R., Guide to Tenby, Fourth Edition, with a Map, 25.
Tales and Traditions of Tenby, ‘2s.
Falconer’s. R. W., 1M.A., Catalogue of Tenhy Plants, 18.
Norris’s, The Late 0., Historical Sketch 0t’ Tenby, ls.
Smith's, the Rev. J. B., historical Sketch 0t Tenby, 6d.
A Week’s Walk in Grower. By the Author of M urray’s Hand-Book
7 to South Wales, 1s.
Tenby Bone Caves. By a Pemhrokeshire Rector, 1s.
Gwynne’s, Mrs, Sketches of Tenby and its Neighbourhood. Second
' Edition, 35,6(l,
Views of Tenby and its Neighbourhood. Books containing 6 views,
7 6d.; 16 ditto, 13,
Larg? Lithographic Views of Tenby, at 1s. 6d. and 5s. each.
Norris’s Etchings 0f the Architectural Antiquities of Tenby, com-
plete, 105. 6d.


A 1)‘? EH!‘ [SE H E X TS
KING’S EEAD MHOTEL,
MONMOUTH.
BARRETT 65 ‘WEBB
PROPRIETORS.
W
FAMILIES, TOURISTS/g COMMERCIAL
G E N T L E M E N
Will ﬁnd every Accommodation at the above old-established
Hotel.
It may not be generally known that KING CHARLES the
First was once accommodated here on one of his travels, and over
the ﬁre-place in the bar is the Head of His Majesty with the
letters CR, carved in oak, in compliment to the monarch from
WllOIll the Hotel takes its name.
POSTING IN ALL ITS BRANCHES.
Jfameral ('farnagvss.
AN ()MNIB US TO MEET EVERY TRAIN.
WILLIAM SAUNDERS,
NURSERYMAN


AND
AGRICULTURAL AND
' f HORTICULTURAL _
afﬁﬂj'SEEDSMANy-Vwy
N1‘ “I // " 'é'w ‘
ll


11, CROSS-STREET,
_ A B ER 0 AV E N N Y. ~ "f -- i ‘)1 ‘I: Every requisite for the Farm and. Garden on the most
Reasonable Terms.


A ])V ERTISEM 1'?! TS.
'—7~m—“>‘M ‘' “Au/mu.“ "WT

,ifumilq Huh tt’ummmiul ﬁle!
Is most delightfully situated, commanding an
extensive "iew of
VAT-£13379 & IBEAU’ZPIILF’UIL SSENERY,
And highly attractive to Tourists from its proximity to the
celebrated
@QBLDBE‘E‘ @QESE‘EJBEQ
Andthe
FAR-FAMED LLANDAFF CATHEDRAL.


MARINE HOUSE, THE MUMBLES,
NEAR SWANSEA.
entrants PRISKEE’L‘,
REsPEcTFULLr informs parties visiting the Seaside,
that they will meet with most comfortable accommoda-
tion at his house as above. The House contains 8 bed-
rooms and 3 sitting rooms, and is delightfully situated
at the extremity of the village, contiguous to the beach,
and commanding an extensive view of‘the Bay and
Town of Swansea.
A Cottage adjacent thereto, under the management
of Miss Priekett, will be found very convenient for
Smaller families or single persons.
TERMS MODERATE.

LDVERTISEMENTS.
CARMARTHEN.
J. H. SMITH & Co.
MEDICAL AND CHEMICAL HALL, KING STREET,
(ESTABLISHED IN 1806).
enemses ANZD) wane anti ipmt merrbants,
Genuine Drugs used and well eliﬁed Assistants employed to
‘ dispen them.
W'ines and Spirits of the best quality, 501d in quantities to suit
purchasers.

JOHN GWYTHER,
S W A N I N N,
OLD BRIDGE,
HAVER'FORDWEST.
wit glmh
eemnleeernt e ennui? newer...
CARMARTHEN.
E. EVANS.


Auctioneer and. Land Agent.

1s
‘A.
J, .
Protected Letters
101 .
Patent.


by
a" /
HE CHAMPION LIVER dc STOMACH PILLS.
These Pills are compounded from the recipe of
one of the most eminent Physicians of the day ; are pre-
pared by an able and experienced chemist, and are ac-
kowledgcd by the Faculty to be the most valuable medi-
dine for all disorders of the stomach and derangements
of the liver, ever prepared.
Try a box, numerous testimonials have been given of
their eﬁicacy.
Sold in boxes, 1s. ltd. each, by Messrs. Barclay and
Sons, wholesale agents, London; by J. H. Clark, Book-
seller, Usk; Thomas Roderick, Druggist,Pontypool; and
all Medicine vcnders.
TESTIMONIAL.
Gwehelog, December, 1859.
Sim—After suﬁ'ering for several years from acute pains
in my side, back, chest, and stomach, and after calling in
several medical men and trying every remedy, I still suf-
fered severely from the complaints. At length I was in-
duced to try the “ CHAMPION LIVER AND STOMACH PILLS,"
sold by you. The ﬁrst box gave me great relief. I then
purchased a second box, its contents completely eradicated
the disease, and I am now in perfect health. Having
received so much beneﬁt from these pills myself, I think
I am only doing a service to the public in recommending
em.
JOHN ROBERTS.
To Cunu, Bookseller, Usk.
Newport, March 11, 1861.
For a very long time I experienced Sickness of the
Stomach, Pains in the Back and Side, Giddiness in the
Head, and great Debility. Having heard the “ CHAMPION
PILLS” spoken of among my friends, I determined to try
them, and am happy to state, that they completely re-
moved my complaints. Whenever I am out of order, I
take a couple of doses of these pills, and am alllright again.
JOHN THOMAS.
"53 Sold in Boxes 1s. 1~§~d each, by J. H. CLARK, Usk;
(the sole proprietor). T. Roderick, Chemist, Pontypool;
W. E. Clark, Bookseller, Chepstow; and the Medicine
Vendors in Abergavenny, Monmouth, Tredegar, Cardiff,
Swansea, 8w. Wholesale Agents, Messrs.Barclay & Sons,
London. Sent by Post for 15 postage stamps.


\zk
v
ADVERTISEMENTS.
.AHMEMHODO‘FQ ﬁﬁmFﬁOﬁG Qwmm ~Z©w 0% MHQQMQHEW .O A.

.95 7:; 1.5 lziu. Tater/é; .5 :T: 7.7: :95; awn 2:75: ﬁe; Kr; .:$ .t. :ZEHTH
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ADVERTISEMEN TS.


CARDIFF.


MUSIC ROOMS,
74, CROCKHERBTOWN,

J.H.RIGHTON,
Invites attention to his well selected Stock of
PIANO PoR'rl-zs,
By Broader/‘coal, Collard, li’i'rkman, 0 the?" esteemed Makers.

ALEXANDRE’S HARMONIUMS
From Six Guineas.

TUNING PROMPTLY ATTENDED TO.
ADVERTISEMENTS.
CARDIFF-
"i,"‘e."'n"‘.I".v"~."'n"‘nn"‘.d'"."'n"‘~0"‘. I"¢."'u ‘~n ‘.0 s" , '- a" , "0


G. HOWELL,
flBunkmUrr, éiutinmr 25 itnnkhiuhrr.
21, ST. MARY STREET,

CIRCULATING LIBRARY,

Magazines and Books Regularly Supplied.
AN EXTENSIVE ASSORTMENT OF ILLUSTRATED
GIFT BOOKS AND HOLIDAY PRESENTS.
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LATELY PUBLISHED.

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PAPER COVERS, 01m BHILLING; CLOTH, GILT,28.
Sold by all the Booksellers in Monmouthshire.


“W "@652 THE CHEPSTOW GUIDE,
Q5 COMPRISING A DESCRIPTION OF THE
% TOWN AND NEIGHBOURHOOD,
INCLUDING THE FAR FAME!)
TINTERN ABBEY AND WINDCLIFF':
Sold by W. E. CLARK, Bookseller, Chepstow.