https://archive.org/details/blackspicturesqu00adam_1 The person charging this material is re- sponsible for its return to the library from which it was withdrawn on or before the Latest Date stamped below. Theft, mutilation, and underlining of books are reasons for disciplinary action and may result in dismissal from the University. To renew call Telephone Center, 333-8400 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN from Gap el Ctj ; BLACK’S PICTUEESQUE GUIDE TO WALES NOKTH, SOUTH, & SF THE ILLUSTRATED BY MAPS, CHARTS, AND VIEWS EDINBURGH : ADAM AND CHARLES BLACK CHESTER : CATHERALL AND PRICHARD 1871 [Entered at Stationery HalliX TO TOURISTS. The Editor of this Guide will be glad to receive any Notes or CaV‘* rections that 7nay be sent to hint by Tourists makhig use of the Work. Address, 6 North Bridge, Edmburgh. f/t 2-f CONTENTS. Welsli Alphabet x Glossary ..... . xii Welsh Vocabulary for Tourists . xiv Distance and Mountain Tables • . xvi 3SrORTH WALES. General Description of Wales . . 1 Chester and Neighbourhood . 5 Eailways at Chester .... . 11 Chester to Mold .... . 12 Chester to Holyhead, via Conway, Llandudno, and Bangor 17 JFlmtsl}ire ..... . 22 Bangor and Vicinity .... . 61 Bangor to Holyhead — route continued . 73 Holyhead and Anglesey . 77 ^arnarbonsljire, and Town of Carnarvon 81-83 Carnarvon to Pwllheli .... . 87 Carnarvon to Llanberis and Beddgelert . 93 Llanberis ..... . 95 Snowdon ..... . 98 Llandudno to Bettws-y-Coed and Capel Curig . 107 Vale of Conway .... . 109 Carnarvon to Beddgelert by Llyn Cwellyn . 122 Beddgelert and Vicinity . 127 Tremadoc and Portmadoc . 131 IV CONTENTS. PAGE . . . . . . .133 Yale of Olwyd. (Rhuddlan— Dyserth— St. Asaph— Denbigh — and Ruthin) ...... 134-151 iWlen 0 mtl)sl)ire . . . . . . .152 Chester and Ruabon to Dolgelly, vid Gresford, Wrexham, etc., 157 Llangollen and Vicinity . . . . .166 Corwen ....... 170 Bala ........ 173 Dolgelly . . . . . . ,178 Cader Idris . . . . . . . *181 Dolgelly to Barmouth . . . . . .188 Harlech — Tan-y - Bwlch — Maentwrog — Festiniog — and Towyn ...... 190-199 ilHontgomerssijirc . . . . . .200 Oswestry ....... 202 Shrewsbury . . .... 206 Shrewsbury or Oswestry to Machynlleth, vid Welshpool, Newtown, and Llanidloes .... 209-224 SOUTH WALES. CarhigansljirE ...... 225 Aberystwith and Vicinity .... 227-234 Borth ....... 235 Aberystwith to Aberayron ..... 236 The Devil’s Bridge and Falls of the Rheidol . 240-243 Hafod ....... 244 Plinlimmon . . . . . . .246 Aberystwith to Cardigan by Strata Florida Abbey, Tregaron, and Lampeter (Newcastle Emlyn) . . . 251 Cardigan ....... 256 CONTENTS. V PAGE Shrewsbury or Craven Arms to Carmarthen, ma Central Wales Eailway ...... 259 Knighton and Presteign ..... 260 i^atinorsljire, Kew and Old Kadnor . . . 261, 262 Llandrindod and Builth .... 264, 265 Rhayader, Hay, etc. .... 266-268 Breconsfjire ....... 269 Brecon — Llandovery — Llandilo . . . 270-274 Carmarthen . . . . . . .277 (I^armartfjEnsfjire ...... 282 01amotgans]^tre . . . . . .284 South Wales Railway ..... 286 Newport— Cardiff — Landaff — Neath — Merthyr Tydfil 287-305 Swansea ....... 307 Gower ....... 311 Lloughor — Llanelly and Kidwelly — Llanstephan and St. Clear’s — Narberth . . . . 314-319 Tenby ....... 320 Pembroke ....... 324 Milford ....... 328 Haverfordwest ...... 330 Pembrckesl^ire ...... 333 St. David’s ....... 334 Newport and Fishguard . . . . 337-339 Hereford ...... 340 fHonmoutljsi^ire ...... 342 Llanfihangel — Llanthony Abbey, etc. . . , 344 Abergavenny . . . . . .346 Pontypool ....... 347 Usk ........ 351 Raglan Castle . . , . . .352 Tour of the Wye ..... 354-360 VI CONTENTS. PAGE Ross ........ 364 Lower Wye ....... 366 Monmoutli ....... 371 Monmouth to Chepstow . . . . .374 Tintern Abbey . . . . . .374^ Chepstow ....... 379 ITINERARIES. 1. Carnarvon to Aberystwith, coast road .... 383 2. Shrewsbury to Aberystwith by Welshpool .... 387 3. Shrewsbury to Aberystwith by Newtown and Llanidloes . . 390 4. Shrewsbury to Bala by Llanfyllin, etc. .... 395 5. Hereford to Aberystwith by Kington and Rhayader . . . 397 6. Aberystwith to Haverfordwest by Cardigan .... 400 7. Haverfordwest to Tenby ....... 407 8. Tenby to Carmarthen ....... 409 9. Swansea to Cardiff by turnpike ...... 410 10. Cardiff to Merthyi- by Taff Vale Railway . . . 413 11. Swansea to Merthyr by Vale of Neath ... . 415 12. Carmarthen to Swansea, old mail road ..... 417 13. Monmouth to Carmarthen, old mail road . . . 419 Index ^^25 BEIEF INDEX TO PEINCIPAL PLACES. - 4 - Abee, 49 Aberayron, 238 Abergavenny, 346 Aberystwith, 227 Bala, 173 Bangor, 51 Barmontb, 189 Borth, 235 Beaumaris, 68 Beddgelert, 127 Bettws-y-Coed, 115 Brecon, 270 Builtb, 265 Capel Curig, 117 Cardiff, 289 Cardigan, 256 Carmarthen, 277 Carnarvon, 83 Chepstow, 379 Chester, 5 Conway, 42 Corwen, 170 Denbigh, 144 Devil’s Bridge, 240 Dolgelly, 178 Festiniog, 194 Flint, 25 Harlech, 190 Haverfordwest, 330 Hay, 286 Hereford, 340 Holyhead, 78 Knighton, 260 Llanberis, 95 Llandaff, 292 Llandudno, 39 LlangoUen, 166 Llanidloes, 218 Llanrwst, 112 Machynlleth, 222 Merthyr, 305 Milford, 328 Mold, 13 Monmonth, 471 Montgomery, 215 Narberth, 319 Neath, 300 Newport, 287 Newtown, 217 Oswestry, 202 Pembroke, 324 Penmaen-mawr, 46 Pontypool, 347 Portmadoc, 131 Presteign, 360 PwUheli, 90 Radnor, 262 Rhayader, 266 Rhuddlan, 137 Rhyl, 34 Ross, 364 Ruabon, 163 Ruthin, 150 St. Asaph, 140 St. David’s, 334 Shrewsbury, 206 Snowdon, 98 Swansea, 307 Tenby, 320 Tintern Abbey, 347 Towyn, 198 Tremadoc, 131 USK, 351 Welshpool, 212 Wrexham, 159 Wye River, 360 LIST OF ILLUSTEATIONS. Map of North Wales Map of South Wales Snowdon, from near Capel Curig The Rows, Chester . Palace of the Stanleys of Alderley, Chester Plan of Llandudno Plan of Conway . Conway Castle . . . Chart of Railways in North Wales View of Bangor Penrhyn Castle Menai Tubular and Suspension Bridges Carnarvon Castle Llanberis Lake Waterfall of the Great Chasm, Llanberis Chart of Snowdon Devil’s Kitchen and Fall of the Ogwen Craig Cwm Bychan (Llyn Cwellyn) . Beddgelert .... Gelert’s Grave Pont Aberglaslyn Denbigh Castle Chart of Cader Idris View of Cader Idris from Tal-y-Llyn Fall of the Cain Herlech Castle . . . Vale of Festiniog from Road to Harlech Beginning of Vol. End of Volume. Frontispiece. . . Page 5 9 41 43 44 48 51 54 58 85 95 97 98 121 125 128 129 130 • . 146 181 182 . . 184 191 194 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. IX PAGE Powis Castle . . . . ... 214 Montgomery Castle . . . . . . 216 Chart of Plinlimmon . . . . .246 Chart of South Wales Eailway .... 286 The Crumlin Viaduct near Pontypool . . .349 Church and Elm Trees, Ross . . . .364 The River Wye from Ross . . . . .364 Chart of the River Wye — Ross to Monmouth . . 366 Tintern Abbey, from the Wye . . . .374 Do. Interior . . . . .376 Chart of the River Wye — Monmouth to Chepstow . - 378 Chepstow Castle ...... 380 WELSH ALPHABET. Characters. Names. Sounds, or Powers, A a A B b C c Ch ch ah eb ek uch As the English a in ran ; never as in stable. As a in hard^ hard, glass. As in English. Always like the English h, or as c in can, come ; never like s, as in citg, cistern. Has no similar character in English ; but is like D d Dd dd E e F f Ff ff ^ g Ng ng H h 1 i i L 1 LI n, M m N n O 0 d P P VI ph ed nth ay uv ef eg ung aitch ee el elth em en o ep uph the Greek x, or the German The sound ig produced by the contact of the tongue and palate a little farther back than when k is expressed. As in English. As th in thus, that, neither ; never as in thick, throw. As the English e in men, bed. As a in dame, came ; thus ced, advantage, is pro- nounced as if written hade. As the English v, or like yin of; thus gof, a smith, is pronounced gove. As the English yin fetch, fat. | As the English g in go, give, leg ; never soft, as in gem, genial. In composition an initial g is dropped, as gwr, a man ; yr hen wr, the old man; glan, the bank of a river; ary Ian, upon the bank. As the English ng in long. As in English, an aspiration, or breathing. As the English i in rich, king; never as in fire, bind. As the English ee in fieet, keep ; thus ctl, a retreat, is pronounced keel. As in English. L aspirated, a sound peculiar to the Welsh language ; but the Italian gl, and the Spanish ll are nearly similar. It is uttered by placing the tip of the tongue against the roof of the mouth a little farther back than for I, and breathing through the teeth on both sides. Llangollen is pronounced nearly as if written Khlangothlen. i As in English. j As in English. i As the English o in go, no, lot. As the English o in bone, note ; thus mbdd, a mods or form, is pronounced mdthe, or mo^othc. As in English. As in English. V7E1SH ALPHABET. XI Characters. Names. Sounds, or Powers. R r er As in English. S s es As in English. T t et As in English Th th uth As the English th in tha/rik, both, throw, never as in them, this. It is thus distinguished from dd. U u eu As the English u in busy, and as i in him, sin, bliss, but rather more open. As the English double e in queen, green; thus du, black, is pronounced as if written dee ; sul, the sun, as seal. As the English o in do, who. As the English double o in fool, spoon. Thus mwg, smoke, is pronounced moog. W w 00 Y y i ur In any other syllable than the last, like the English u in but, hunt, churn. In the last syllable the sound is more like that of i in din, sin. It is the same in monosyllables, with a few excep- tions. In these exceptions, namely, dy,fy, y, ydd, ym, yn, yr, ys, myn, the sound is that of u, in but, &c., as above. These two sounds are exemplified in the two syllables of the word sundry. Is exactly the same as viz. as ee in green. Thus byd, the world, is pronounced heed. The following six letters are not found in the Welsh language: — J, K, Q, V, X, and Z. J is supplied by si, or *. K is supplied by c or ch. Q, in words taken from other languages, is expressed by cw, as cwestiwn, question. V is supplied by f. X, in foreign words having this letter, is indicated by cs, as Ecsodus, i.e. Exodus. Z is supplied by s. Every character represents uniformly but one appropriate sound, which it retains in every variety of combination ; with the single exception of y, as above stated. No letter is ever mute. The accentuation is governed by one general rule, which is this. All words of more than one syllable have the accent on the penultima, or last syllable but one ; excepting only a few instances, in which the last syllable, being either aspirated or circumflexed, takes the accent. It is. never removed farther from the termination than the penultima. It is believed that an acquaintance with the alphabet, and with these few simple rules, is all that is requisite for enabling any person to read the Welsh language ; and in this respect it has an advantage found in few other tonguea GLOSSAEY OR EXPLANATION OF WORDS AND PARTICLES FREQUENTLY OCCUR- RING IN THE WELSH NAMES OF PLACES, ETC. Ah (or Ap), prefixed to names of per- sons, signifies, the son of. Aher, the fall of one water into an- other, a confluence. Acron, fruits, brightness. Afon, a stream, a river. Al, power, very, most. Allt, the side of a hiU, a woody cliff. Am, about, around. Anial, wild, uncultivated. Annedd, dwelling-place. Ar, upon, bordering upon. Aran, a high place, an alp. Ardal, region, province. Ardud, bordering land. Bach, and By chan, (masc.) little, small, (fern,) Fach and Fechan. Bala, budding, an outlet. Ban, high, tall, lofty, (pi.) Banau, eminences. Banc, platform, table-land. Bds, shallow, a shoal. Bcdd, a grave, a sepulchre. Bettws, a station, a place between hill and vale, a chapel of ease. Blaen, a point, end, extremity. Bod, an abode, dwelling, residence. Bon, the base. Braenar, fallow land. Braich, an arm, a branch. Brig, top, summit. Brith, mixed, motley. Bron, the breast, a swell or slope of a hill. Bryn, a mount or hill. Bu, an ox. Bwlch, or Bylch, a hollow, break, gap, pass, or defile. Cad, battle, tumult, war. Cader,a hiU-fort, a fortress or strong- hold, a chair. Cae, a hedge, field, enclosure. Caer, a wall or mound for defence, a fort, a city. Cantref, a district, a division, or hundred of a county, a canton. Capel, a chapel, an oratory. Careg, a stone, (pi.) Ceryg. Cam, a heap, a prominence. Carnedd, a heap of stones, a cairn. Castell, a castle, a fortress. Ceulan, side of a river, bank. Cefn, the back, upper side, ridge. Cil, a retreat, a recess (pi.) Ciliau. Clasdir, glebe land. Clawdd, a hedge, dyke, ditch, or trench. Clogwyn, a precipice. Coch, red. Coed, a wood, trees. Cor, or Gor, a choir. Corlan, a sheep-pen or fold. Cors, a bog, a fen. Craig, a rock, a crag, (pi.) Creigiau. Croes, a cross, a turn. Crug, a mound or hillock, a crag or rock. Cwm, a valley, dale, glen, or dingle. Cymmer, a confluence. Dan, under. Dau, two, (fern.) Dwy. Di, the south, right side. Din, or Dinas, a fort, a fortified place generally on a hill, a city. Hence the donum, dinum, or dinium of the Romans, also the don, ton, and town of the English. D61, a holm, a meadow. Drws, a doorway, a pass. DU, black, dark. Dwfr, or Dwr, fluid, water. Dyffryn, a valley or plain, the course of waters. Eglwys, a church. Epynt, an ascent, a slope. Erw, an acre, a space of arable land. Esgair, a long ridge. Fach and Fechan, see Back. Fawr, mutation of Mdwr. Ffald, a fold or pen for sheep. Ffin, boundary, limit. GLOSSARY. Xlll rjluTf bright hue, bloom. Fforddy a passage, road, or way. Ffynnon, a well, spring, or source. GaeVy mutation of Caer. Gallty mutable into AlU. Garddy a garden, a close. Garth, a hill bending round or en- closing, a butress, a cape. GelUy a grove, bower, hazel coppice. Gian, the brink, a side or shore. Glds, blue, grey, green, verdant. Glyn, a glen, a deep vale. Gorsafy a station, a stand. Grug, a heath. Gwaelod, the bottom, a low part. Gwaen, a plain, a level meadow. Gwern,a. s wamp,bog, watery meadow Gvjydd, wood, woody or wild. Gwyn, white, fair, clear. Gwyrdd, green. Hafod, a summer dwelling. Hen, old, ancient. Hendref, an old residence. Heoly a street, road, or course. Hir, long, tedious. Idly an open space, a region. Is, or 7Sy lower, inferior. Isaf, lowest, humblest ; Isel, low. Llain, a long patch, a slip. Llan, a smooth area, an enclosure, a place of meeting, the church- place or village, and hence, figu- ratively, the church. Llawr, the floor, a ground plot. LUchy a flat stone, or slate, a smooth cliff. Lluest, an encampment. Llwyd, grey, hoary, brown. Llwyn, a wood, grove, bush, or copse Llyn, a lake, pool, pond. Llyr, a duct, brink, or shore, the sea, water. Llys, a palace, hall, or court. Mach, a place of security. Maen, a stone. Maenor, a manor. Maes, a plain, an open field. Mall, bad, rotten, blasted. Mawnog, a peat-pit, a turbary. Mawr, great, large. Melin, a mill. Melyn, yellow. Merthyr, a martyr. Mod, fair, bald, naked, a smooth co- nical hilL Monad, an isolated situation. Morfa, a sea marsh. Mynach, a monk. Mynydd, a mountain. Nant, a brook, river, ravine, glen. Neuaddy a hall, a large room Newydd, new, fresh. Or, or Ochr, side, edge, rim, border. Faith, a prospect, a scene. Pant, a low place, a hollow, a valley. Parth, a part, or division. Pen, a head, top, or end. Penmaen, the stone end. Penrhyn (or Penryn), a headland, a cape. Pentref, a village, hamlet, suburb. Perth, a thorn bush, a brake. Pistyll, a spout or cataract. Plas, a hall, mansion, or palace. Plwyf, a parish, a community. Pont, a bridge. Forth, a gate, a port, a ferry. Pwll, a ditch, a pit, a pool. Rhayadr, a waterfall or cataract. Rhiw, a slope, an ascent. Rhos, a moist plain or meadow, moor RhUdd, purple, red, crimson, ruddy. R?i^d, a ford, a passage. Sarn, a causeway, a pavement Serth, steep, abrupt. Swydd, shire or county, also an office. Tal (subs.), the head, the front. Tal (adj.), tall or towering. Tcm, spreading, under. Tavarn, a tavern. Terfyn, limit, extremity. Tir, the earth, land. Tomen, a mound, a hillock, dunghill. Traeth, sand, a sandy beach, an estuary. Tref, or Tre, a house, a home, a small town. Tri, three, (fern.) Tair. Troed, a foot, the base of a hill. Trwyn, a point, the nose. Twl, rounded. Twlch, a knoll. Tibr, a tower, a heap, a pile. Ty, a house, a mansion. Tyddyn, a farm. Tywyn, a strand. Uchel, high ; Uchaf, highest. Uwch, or ach, or uch, upper, above Y, or Yr, the. Ym, in. Yn, in, into, at. Ynys, an island. Yspytty, an almshouse, or hospital a place for refreshment, or rest Ystlys, the side, the flank. Ystrad, a flat, a vale. Ystum, a bend, a curve. Ystwyth, flexible, pliant. XIV WELSH VOCABULARY Words not contained in this very limited vocabulary may often r Questions and Ohders. | 1 English. Welsh. Good morning ; Good night How do you do ? Boreu da ; Hosdawch Sut yr ydych ? If you please Os byddwch gystal. Bring me De’wch I want Mae arnaf eisiau Have you any ... ? Oes genych ddim ... ? Where is the ... ? Pa le mae y ... ? "Which is the way to . . . ? Pa un yw y flfordd ... ? How far is it to . . . ? Pa cyn belled ydyw i ... ? What is the name of this place ? Pa beth yw enw y ? Who lives there ? Pwy sydd yn byw yna ? Who is the minister here ? Pwy yw y gweinidog yma ? Pa faint o’r dydd ydyw ? What time is it ? Shall we have rain ? A gawn ni wlaw ? Can I have a bed here to-night ? A allaf fi gael gwely yma heno ? Can you get me a bed in your A ellwch gael gwely i mi yn y gym- neighbourhood ? dogaeth ? Dry my clothes Sychwch fy nillad Can you get my linen washed ? A ellwch gael golchi fy linens ? Take care of my horse Cymerwch ofal o fy ngheffyl Call me in the morning at ... Galwch arnaf yn y bore am ... o’r o’clock gloch Get my breakfast at ... o’clock Ceisiwch fy mrecwest yn barod erbyn ... o’r gloch What have I to pay ? bring my bill Beth sydd arnaf i’w dalu ? Dewch a’m bil Can you give me change ? A ellwch chwi roi newid i mi ? Get the horses ready Ceisiwch y celfylau yn barod Where is the post-office ? Yn mha le mae’r post-office ? At what hour are the letters de- Am ba awr y mae y llythyrau yn livered ? cael eu rhoi allan ? At what hour does the post-office close ? Am ba awr y cauir y post-office ? xV.B —This Vocabulary is based on that of H. Humphreys of Caernarvon, BLACK’S PICTURESQUE GUIDE TO NOETH AND SOUTH WALES. BEIEF GENERAL DESCRIPTION OE WALES. Wales is the south-west portion of the island of Great Britain, hounded on the north by the Irish Sea and by the estuary of the river Dee, west by St. George’s Channel, south by the Bristol Channel, and east by the English counties of Chestei', Salop, Hereford, and Monmouth. It includes twelve counties, of which six form the northern division — viz. Flint, Denbigh, Caernarvon, Anglesea, Merioneth, and Montgomery. It was formerly of greater extent, comprehending, in addition, the whole of Monmouthshire, and considerable portions of the other contiguous counties, which are now incorporated with England. Its greatest length, from the extremity of Flintshire in the north, to that of Glamorganshire in the south, is about 140 miles, while its b/eadth varies from 40 to 90 miles — being at its northern extremity about 70 miles, at its centre, or the line dividing North and South Wales, not more than 40 miles, and towards the south, from the river Wye on the east to St. David’s in Pembrokeshire, about 90 miles. Its superficial ex- tent is computed to be 7397 square statute miles, or 4,734,486. statute acres. The population in 1861 was 1,111,780. The country derived the name of Wales, and the inhabit- ants that of Welsh, from the Saxons, who, by these terms, B 2 BRIEF GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF WALES. denoted a land and a people to wliich they were strangers. The Welsh have always called themselves Cymric of which the strictly literal meaning is aborigines ; and their language Cym- raeg, that is, the ^primitive tongue^ whence the Eomans appear to have called the country Cambria. Into this country the ancient Britons retreated from the advances of successive invaders, and here, maintaining their independence, they heroically defended themselves against the attacks of enemies possessing superior numbers and power, and everywhere besides victorious. The Komans were unable to reduce them to complete subjection ; and the Saxons, although masters of the neighbouring land, could never secure continued possession of Wales, excepting of the counties of Monmouth and Hereford. During these struggles Wales was divided into six principalities, under the dominion of one king invested with supreme authority. At length, owing to internal dissen- sions, the strength of the country was so diminished as to be- come incapable of preventing the incursions of their enemies. The Mercians, under King Offa, laid waste extensive districts, and, wresting a portion from the Welsh princes, reduced the country to nearly its present limits, and erected that famous boundary, extending from near the mouth of the river Dee to the confluence of the Wye and Severn, vrhich is still called Glawd Offa^ or OffaHs Dyke. About the year 843 Eoderic succeeded to the sovereignty of Wales. He divided it into three principalities, named Venedotia, or North Wales — Povesia, or Powysland — and Demetia, or South Wales, which, during his life, were governed by princes acting under his authority, and at his death were ruled by his three sons, whose royal residences were at Aberffraw in Anglesey, at Dinevwr in Carmarthenshire, and at Mathraval in Montgomeryshire. During the Danish ascendency in Britain little is heard of Wales. The Danes made some incursions on the coast, but acquired no permanent footing in the country. From that time, although sometimes compelled to acknowledge the superior power of the kings of England, the Welsh people continued under their own princes and laws. Their mountainous coun- try, defended by British valour, remained the secure retreat of British independence, and was never entirely subjected to the crown of England till during the reign of Edward I., when BRIEF GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF WALES. 3 Llewelyn-ap-Gryffyd, Prince of Wales, througli treachery, lost both his life and his dominions. Edward, the better to secure his conquest, and to reconcile the Welsh to a foreign power, sent his queen to Carnarvon, where she gave birth to a son, who, being thus a native of their own country, was the more readily acknowledged as their prince. From that period the eldest sons of the kings of England have commonly been styled Princes of Wales, and as such have derived certain revenues from that country. After the conquest of Wales by Edward I. its laws under- went material alterations, and were gradually assimilated to those of England, until, in the time of Henry VIII., the statute which completed the dependency of the principality, at the same time gave the utmost advancement to its prosperity ; and this brave people, conquered into the enjoyment of liberty, W’ere made fellow-citizens with their conquerors. Having thus been the scene of heroic struggles for freedom, continued through many centuries, and in opposition to the attacks of different nations, Wales abounds with the remains of encampments, lines of circumvallation, fortresses, castles, and castellated mansions. Nowhere, indeed, are to be found in greater number and variety such specimens of military architecture, in the diversified styles of different people and distant periods. The remains of ecclesiastical structures also abound in every part of Wales. Innumerable vestiges of the superstitious ceremonies of Druidical worship lie scattered over the face of the country. Everywhere, too, are found edifices erected at later periods for religious purposes, as cathedrals, abbeys, monasteries, and churches, some entire, and others in various stages of dilapidation, evincing the progress of architectural science, illustrating the history of successive ages, and serving at once to stimulate and to reward archseological research. In the natural aspect of the country, its mountains and hills, its valleys and glens, its lakes and rivers, are exhibited scenes of beauty and of grandeur, which in few regions can be surpassed ; while these are, for the most part, associated with historical events and traditionary legends of more than ordinary interest, and with the mouldering monuments of past ages, scarcely less striking than the splendid and romantic scenery. The inhabitants, too, are still a distinct and very remark- 4 BRIEF GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF WALES. able people ; speaking the language of their remote ancestors, retaining much that is peculiar in physical appearance and in prevailing customs, and cherishing ardent attachment to their native soil, and to the memory of their princes, bards, and warriors. It is not, therefore, surprising that to travellers of almost every diversity of taste and pursuit the principality of Wales presents objects of peculiar and varied interest. It is proposed in this volume to render assistance to those who may be desirous of exploring this country, or of visiting any portion of it ; placing before them a sketch of such roads as will include every place of importance, and describing in due order every object to which their attention should be directed. In attempting this, along with the utmost care to give accurate and comprehensive intelligence, there will be a uniform aim at perspicuity and conciseness, and a studious avoidance of overwrought description and needless or burden- some details ; in other words, the endeavour will be to con- vey the greatest possible amount of information in the smallest possible space, and in a form best adapted to the use of the traveller. Approaching from England or Scotland the towns of Chester and Sbrew^sbury, Hereford, Monmouth, and Chepstow, may be conveniently chosen as starting-places. Accordingly, these towns, although on the English side of the border, will be briefly noticed, and from these in succession a number of routes will be so arranged as to traverse the principality in every direction, and include every place deemed worthy of notice. CHESTER [Hotels: Grosvenor; Blossoms; Green Dragon; Hop-Pole; and Queen at the Station.] Refreshment-room at Station. The tourist will find a dav or two well occupied in ob- serving the objects of interest in and around this city. It is situated on the ele- vated bank of the river Dee, by which it is bounded on the south and west. The I^onians are believed to have been its founders ; and although there is no direct historical evidence of this, it is rendered highly probable by the well- 6 CHESTER. ascertained fact, that its site was selected by the Komans as one of their chief military stations, and by the peculiar form of its construction, the four principal streets extending from a common centre at the cross by St. Peter’s Church, towards four gates at the cardinal points of the compass — namely, East- gate, Northgate, Watergate (west), and Bridgegate (south). It was called by the Homans Castrum Legionis, the camp or fort of the legion ; Deva^ and Deunana, from the river Dee ; and afterwards Cestria, from Castrum. The old British name was Caer Lleon Fawr-ar-Dwfrdwy — i.e. the camp of the great legion on the Dee. Many remains of Homan antiquity have at different times been discovered, such as altars, urns, lamps, statues, weapons, coins, pieces of pavement and pottery, and particularly a por- tion of a hypocaust, or sudatorium, which is still to be seen at an Inn in Bridge Street. The only remaining part of the structure consists of a number of low pillars supporting square tiles which are perforated for the passage of vapour. After the departure of the Homans in the 5th century, this place was under the government of the British princes. In the 9th century it was wrested from their power, and annexed to the Saxon crown ; and soon afterwards it was seized and nearly demolished by the Danes. The city having been restored, William, the Norman Conqueror, created his nephew Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester, and granted to him jurisdiction in this county, by virtue of which he convened a parliament, consist- ing of barons and their chief tenants, who were not bound by the acts of the English parliament. Hugh Lupus repaired the walls of the town, and erected the castle ; the more ancient fortifications either having fallen into decay, or being thought insufficient. In several reigns subsequent to the Norman Conquest, Ches- ter was made a place of rendezvous for the forces in expeditions against Wales, and frequently suffered much damage in the contests between the two nations. Upon the death of John, Earl of Chester, in 1237, Henry HI. took the Earldom, with all the powers annexed to it, into his own hands, and soon afterwards he granted to the city its first royal charter. The title of Earl of Chester, given by Henry to his eldest son, has since been commonly conferred, along with that of Prince of Wales, on the eldest sons of the sovereigns of Great Britain. CHESTER. It was at Chester that Edward of Carnarvon received the submission of the AVelsh in 1309. Henry VII. constituted the city a corporation and county of itself ; and Henry VIII. gave it the privilege of sending representatives to parlia- ment. In the civil wars of Charles I., the city, having adhered with zeal and firmness to the royal cause, was besieged and taken by the Parliamentary forces in 1645. Nothing very remarkable appears in the modern history of Chester, nor has it advanced in population or prosperity with the rapidity observable in many other towns of similar extent. It has no extensive manufactures, and as the naviga- tion of the river Dee, notwithstanding the formation at great expense of a new channel, is attended with difficulties, the busines of the port is inconsiderable. Its internal trade, however, is good, its markets and fairs are well attended, and it is an important mart for the cottons of Lancashire, the woUens of Yorkshire and North Wales, Irish linens, and the cheese and salt which are the productions of its own county. Chester sends two representatives to parliament. Population 1861, 31,110. With regard to the interesting objects which here claim the attention of the tourist, little more can be done than to indicate some of the most important and peculiar. The Wall completely surrounds the city, and affords a very agreeable walk of nearly two miles. In the circuit a good op- portunity is enjoyed, both for viewing the neighbouring country to a considerable distance in every direction, and for observing the peculiar construction and antiquated architecture of the city, which, as a specimen of an ancient walled city, is un- doubtedly the most remarkable and the best preserved in the kingdom. From a circular tower, which will be noticed at an angle of the wall, called the Phcenix Tower, Charles I. beheld the triumph of the Parliamentary forces in the neighbouring plain, as recorded in this inscription — KING CHARLES STOOD ON THIS TOWER SEPTR. 24, 1645, AND SAW HIS ARMY DEFEATED ON ROWTON MOOR. Another tower, called the Water Tower, is appropriated for 8 CHESTER. the museum of the Mechanics’ Institution, and in a smaller one a Camera is exhibited. The Cathedral, though a venerable structure, has little -external beauty, and, owing to the quality of the red sand- stone of which it is constructed, it has a ragged mouldering appearance. It occupies the site of the ancient Saxon monas- tery of St. Werburgh, founded about the year 660. Of the present building the principal parts were built in the reigns of Henry YI., YII., and VIII. It has a neat choir, with ele- gant carving (restored), an altar-screen of much beauty, and a number of stained windows of admirable design and execu- tion. The Lady Chapel has been beautifully restored. Of the Churches in Chester, the following are deserving of notice : — St. John’s, a fine old Saxon edifice, which in the 10th century was the cathedral of the diocese, and has re- cently been very well restored ; St. Mary’s, having a remark- able roof and some curious monuments ; and Trinity Church, the burial-place of the poet Parnell, and of Matthew Henry, the eminent nonconformist commentator. The latter has recently been rebuilt. The Castle has been a stately noble structure, of which, however, little remains excepting a tower bearing the name of Julius Agricola. A spacious modern edifice has been substi- tuted, designed for the use of the military, and the purposes of the county. It includes extensive and commodious Barracks ; an Armoury, capable of containing 40,000 stand of arms besides 100 pieces of ordnance, and nearly this number are commonly kept, beautifully arranged and in perfect condition ; the Shire- hall, entered through a portico of twelve columns in double rows, each consisting of a single stone 3 feet in diameter and more than 20 feet in height ; the Court-room, a spacious semi- circular hall, well lighted from above ; and the County Gaol, with adequate provision for the due classification of the prison- ers. The external front view of this large and classical build- ing is deservedly admired, and in the convenient arrangements of the interior, it is not surpassed by any edifice for similar purposes in the kingdom. The Kows are the most distinguishing peculiarity of Ches- ter. The carriage-way of the principal streets is sunk, by ex- cavation, several feet below the original level of the ground, and on each side of it are ranges of shops and warehouses. CHESTER. 9 Upon the roofs of these buildings walking- ways are formed of convenient breadth, along which are other shops, including many of the largest and most attractive in the city ; and above, forming a covering to these walks, are the upper apartments of PALACE OF THE STANLEYS OF ALDERLET. the dwellings. Thus, in front of the houses, there are continued lines of covered gallery or portico, which form a sheltered pro- menade, raised the height of a storey above the roadway, but on a level with the gardens or court-yards behind. An inconve- nience attending this mode of building is the necessity of de- scending and ascending steps at the intersection of every cross- street. While perambulating these rows, the visitor will observe 10 CHESTER — EATON HALL. in various parts of the city, especially in Watergate Street, Bridge Street, and Northgate Street, a number of remarkable old timber buildings, with elaborately-carved gables, some of which are in excellent preservation. The tourist may recollect the facetious description of the rows given in Christopher Tadpole : — “ The passenger’s footway lies right through the first-floor fronts of the houses — which are cleared away alto- gether, and above the shop, of ordinary normal position, by the road-side ; and thus, the back drawing-rooms, or whatever else they may be, are turned into more shops ; and great is the puzzle of the stranger as to whether the roadway is down in the celler, or he is up stairs on the landing, or the house has turned itself out of window ; affording a literal proof of that curious state of domestic affairs so often spoken of. And first he fancies the ‘ row’ — as it is termed — is like the Quadrant, with the road excavated a floor lower, and shops made under the pavement ; and then it reminds him of a Thames-side tavern, with all the shutter wainscots, that divide the large convivial room into so many little philandering ones, drawn away, and the windows knocked out.” The tourist should not fail to observe the Bridges across the Dee ; the New or Groswenor Bridge^ a noble stone structure of a single arch, 200 feet in span, with a roadway 33 feet in width and 340 feet in length, opened in 1832 by Her Majesty, then Princess Victoria ; and the Old Bridge^ of seven arches, narrow and inconvenient, yet picturesque and harmonising well with the antiquated aspect of the city ; also, the Roodee, a level pas- ture tract of about 80 acres at the base of the city walls, appro- priated as a race-course, for which it is admirably adapted, forming, as it does, a spacious amphitheatre overlooked from the high grounds surrounding it. The New Grosvenor Park, presented (1867) to the city by the Marquis of Westminster, is well worthy of a visit. The entrance is not far from the station. EATON HALL. [Generally open to the public during the months of May, June, July, and August.] Before leaving Chester a visit should be paid to this princely mansion of the Marquie of Westminster, distant about 3^ CHESTER EATON HALL. 11 miles to the south of Chester. Tickets of admission may commonly he obtained from the principal booksellers, a small payment being required, the proceeds of which are applied to local charities. The Hall may be approached by boats on the river Dee, but most tourists will prefer a drive through the Park, enter- ing at Grosvenor Lodge, which has been justly termed an “ exquisite gem of Gothic architecture.” It is after the model of St. Augustine’s gate at Canterbury, and was erected in 1838 at a cost of £10,000. The park is extensive and well wooded, but it may be thought too uniformly level for the gratification of some tastes. The mansion, erected from de- signs by Porden, on the site of the old hall which was built by Sir John Vanburgh, is considered the most splendid modern specimen of pointed Gothic architecture. The visitor may spend hours in admiring the magnificent structure and the rare works of art, and in exploring the gardens and plea- sure grounds, lately remodelled ; among the many ornaments of which are a Gothic temple, built for the reception of a Eoman altar discovered near Chester, and the Mosaic pavement brought from the palace of the Emperor Tiberius. For further information regarding this locality, see Cath- erall’s Guide to Chester. KAILWAYS AT CHESTER. [ Hotel : Refreshment-room at Station.] Chester is a central terminus of the following important railways, by means of which it has easy and expeditious com- munication with all parts of the United Kingdom : The London AND North-Western, by which express trains arrive from London in 4 h. 30 m., and from Birmingham in 2 h. 35 m.; the Birkenhead and Chester, communicating with Liver- pool by a ferry across the river Mersey ; the Lancashire AND Cheshire Junction, forming a direct communication with Manchester, Leeds, Hull, etc.; the Great Western Railway, penetrating Shropshire, and thence having a second line of connection with Birmingham, Bristol, and London ; and the Chester and Holyhead, connected with powerful steam- packets which cross the Irish Channel to Dublin. 12 CHESTER TO MOLD. The General Eailway Station is extensive and com- modious, and in every respect adapted to its purpose. It was designed by Mr. Thompson of London, who planned the Derby station. Its principal front is 1010 feet long, built of dark fire-bricks, relieved with stone facings and dressings ; and it comprises all the requisite apartments for the business of the several companies, and for the convenience of passengers. The wings are formed by projecting arcades, w'ith iron roofs, and are appropriated to private and public vehicles attending the arrival and departure of trains. On the inner side of the office-buildings is the platform used for the trains about to depart, 740 feet long by 20 feet wide. This, and three lines of rails, are covered by an iron roof 60 feet in span, the height of the walls on which it rests being 24 ^eet. There are like- wise similar covered platforms and rails for arrival trains. The goods-station, the warehouses, the sheds for spare carriages and engines, and all the other required buildings, are, in like manner, spacious and well arranged ; and the entire structure presents an appearance. of equal solidity and elegance. The total cost is stated to have exceeded ^220,000. CHESTER TO MOLD. Branch line (L. and N. W.) via Broughton Hall, Hope, Padeswoocl, and Long (45 minutes). About 2 miles to the right of Hope Station is the vil- lage of that name. Of the castle which stood here, little is known, and the fragments afford no clue to its origin or history. Like its neighbour, it claims the honour of having lodged Queen Eleanor. Whether to both, or if not, to which of the two that honour really attaches, it seems impossible to determine. From the royal visit, this village acquired the appellation Queen^s Hope, In a charter dated 1351, Caergwrle is comprehended under the name of Hope. In the church, a mural monument commemorates Sir John Trevor, who obtained distinction in the service of Queen Elizabeth. Near it is Caergwrle^ wffiich, though now an insignificant village, was formerly a place of some importance. It appears to have been a Roman station, probably an outpost to Deva, or Chester. Camden discovered here a hypocaust, on some of the tiles of wffiich were inscribed the letters Legio xx., which seem MOLD. 13 to indicate the founders. With this accords the old name Ca&r- gawr-lleng — i.e. the city or fort of the great legion, gawr-lleng^ by which term the Britons distinguished the 20th legion, known to have been long stationed at Chester and its vicinity. Belies of Boman smelting- works, and vestiges of two Boman roads, are found here. The Church is a mile from the village. The Castle stood on the summit of a high rock, its construction indicating a British origin. In the time of Owen Gwynedd it was possessed by a chieftain named Grylfydd Maelor ; and at a later period it was held by David, the brother of Llewelyn. After a fortnight’s siege it surrendered to Edward I., who bestowed it on his consort. Queen Eleanor. She rested here in her memorable journey to Carnarvon, performed on horseback, shortly before giving birth to the first English Prince of Wales ; and at about that period it was casually set on fire, and the interior was consumed. It was afterwards re- stored, but again became a ruin before the time of Henry VIII. The remains consist of a mutilated circular tower and some fragments of walls. Within short distances are two mansions, both erected about the year 1610, and both attributed to Inigo Jones — viz. Brgn Ycyrkin^ the paternal seat of Ellis Yonge, Esq., a descendant of Tudor Trevor ; and Bias Tig, the property and residence of C. B. Trevor Boper, Esq. On the left of Long Station is Lees- wood Hall (J. W. Eyton, Esq.) MOLD, [Hotels: Black Lion ; Royal Oak.] formerly written Mould, and in Welsh named Yr WgddgriXg, i,e. a conspicuous burrow or mound, and hence also Mons Altus, a lofty mount, is a town agreeably situated in a fertile valley, near the river Alyn. The neighbourhood abounds with mineral wealth, especially lead ore. The mining and smelting works are in a flourishing condition, and give employment to a large number of labourers. Hence the whole district has become populous. The inhabitants of the township of Mold (with which the parliamentary burgh is co-extensive) amount to 3735, and those of the entire parish to 1 2,21 6. The assizes for Flint- shire are held here, a commodious county-hall having been 14 MOLD. lately erected. Having railway connection witli Chester, and thence with all parts of the kingdom, the prosperity of the town has received a new impulse. Two weekly markets on Wednes- day and Saturday, and four annual fairs, are well attended. Two market-halls have been recently completed at an expense of <£4000. Mold is one of the boroughs in the Flint district contributing to the election of one M.P. Numerous tumuli are seen in the neighbourhood. In 1833 a skeleton was dis- covered, having on the breast a corslet of gold, richly orna- mented, weighing 17 ounces, and valued at £70, which was purchased by the trustees of the British Museum. The Church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, is of the Gothic architecture of the 15th century. We find it noticed as early as the time of Henry VII. Near the north door is a flat stone, covering the grave of Wilson, the eminent landscape-painter, bearing the following simple inscription : — ‘‘ The remains of Richard Wil- son, Esquire, member of the Royal Academy of Artists. In- terred May 15, 1782, aged 69.” In the aisle is a superb mo- nument to R. Davies, Esq. of Llanerch, the distinguished anti- quary. Here also is an epitaph to Dr. Wynne of the Tower, near Mold, composed by himself, the conclusion of which is “ God be merciful to me a sinner. Heh Dduw^ heh ddim^^ — i.e. without God, without everything. Dissenting chapels are nu- merous, at all of which there are Sunday-schools. Two school- houses, with residences for the master and mistress, have been built at a cost of £4000, and there are two endowed schools in the parish, one in the town of Mold, and the other at Nerquis. At the northern extremity of the town there is an eminence, called Bailey Hill, partly natural and partly artificial, upon which formerly stood a British fortification. Bailey is pro- bably a corruption of hallia, the architectural term used for the two courts, outer and inner, of a fortified castle. Mold Castle appears to have been founded in the reign of William Rufus, by Robert Monthault, who from this place received his name of Monthault, or De Monte Alto. In the reign of Henry L this fort was among the possessions of the high steward of Chester. In 1145, after repeated assaults, it was taken and destroyed by Owen Gwynedd, prince of North Wales. The English having recovered it, it was again, in 1201, wrested from them by Llewelyn ap Jorwerth. Subsequently it was more than once the scene of conflict, and now not a vestige of this MAES-Y-GARMON TOWER. 15 ancient border fortress is to be discovered. Upon this site, in June 1849, the remains of fifteen human skeletons were dis- covered, supposed to have been those of soldiers slain in battle in the 13th century. Maes-y-Garmon, or the Field of Germanus, is about one mile W. from Mold. It is celebrated for the decisive \dctory obtained here in 448, over the combined Piets and Scots, by the native Christian converts, of whom thousands had just previously been baptized. The Christian army was led by the two missionary bishops, Germanus and Lupus, the former of whom had the chief command. Before the commencement of the action he ordered his followers to shout after him the word Alleluia. As the hostile force approached, he uttered the word, it was thrice repeated by the attending priests, and then quickly caught up by all the soldiers, and re-echoed by the hills around. The triumphant shout so dismayed and terrified the pagan enemies, that they fled precipitately ; and being pursued by the Britons, were nearly all destroyed, great num- bers falling by the sword, and others perishing in the river. This victory has been commonly denominated by historians Victoria Alleluiatica ; and in commemoration of the event, an obelisk was erected on the spot in 1 736, by N. Griffith, Esq. of Bhual. Some antiquaries express a doubt as to the locality of this remarkable event. Tower. — Bather more than a mile S. from Mold, on the right of the road to Nerquis, is a venerable yet desolate- looking mansion, apparently of the time of Queen Anne, attached to which is a tall, square tower, machicolated and embattled, of more ancient date, probably the earlier portion of the 15th century. Though somewhat incongruous, it is a good specimen of the border houses of Wales and Scotland. During the wars between the houses of York and Lancaster, this tower was the abode of Beinallt ap Gryffydd ap Bleddyn, a chief of royal descent, who maintained a long feud with the citizens of Chester. In a bloody fray at Mold fair in 1475, he seized the Mayor of Chester, conveyed him to Tower, and hung him to a staple in the hall, which still remains. Two hundred exaspe- rated citizens soon afterwards left Chester, in order to seize Beinallt, and avenge their loss ; but, apprized of their design, the wily and cruel Welshman retired to a neighbouring wood, and having permitted them to enter his mansion, he suddenly 16 CILCAIN MOEL FAMMAU MOEL ARTHUR. rushed from his concealment, and fastened the door ; and then, setting fire to the building, he caused many of the citizens to be burned to death, and such as escaped from the conflagration survived only to perish by the sword of their persecutor. Tower belongs to J. Wynn Eyton, Esq. of Leeswood. CiLCAiN is a village, about 4 miles from Mold, worthy of a visit on account of the magnificent carved oak roof of its church, brought, at the dissolution of the monasteries, from Basingwerk Abbey, of which it had been the greatest orna- ment. Between Mold and Cilcain the river Alyn has a sub- terranean course for about half-a-mile. Moel Fammau, or the Mother of Hills, is the loftiest of the Clwyddian range, full in view on the road to Euthin. It is 1845 feet above the sea. On the summit, at a spot where two counties and four parishes meet, “ the J ubilee Column ” was erected by public subscription in 1810, to commemorate the 50th year of the reign of George III. It is a rough stone pillar, of pyramidal form, 60 feet in diameter at the base, and 150 feet in height; but a considerable portion was blown down during a storm in 1862, and has not since been re- stored. From this elevated spot the view is extensive and beautiful, and includes the mountains of Merioneth and Car- narvonshire, the Isle of Man, Black Comb in Cumberland, the high ground of Derby and Stafford, the Wrekin and fer- tile plain of Salop, the whole of the Vale of Clwyd, and the chain of British forts on the adjacent heights. The ascent is easy, and on the summit will be found a room for visitors and a shed for horses. Moel Arthur is another of the same range of hills, a little more to the north. On its summit are the remains of a very strong British fort, with two deep ditches, and suitable valla, on the accessible sides. This is one of the posts pro- vided by the Ordovices as a defence against Eoman incur- sions. The sites of seven, which formed a complete chain of fortified encampments, may be traced along the line of hiEs which bound the counties of Flint and Denbigh. CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAILWAY. 17 CHESTER TO HOLYHEAD. The Chester and Holyhead Railway, which now forms a portion of the London and North-Western system, in its en- gineering works is the most enterprising, and as to the scenery in its course, one of the most picturesque in the kingdom, and must also be esteemed of the greatest national importance, especi- ally on account of its forming an essential link of connection between the integral parts of the empire, and the principal high- way between the metropolitan cities of England and Ireland. The project was announced so long ago as the year 1836 ; in 1839 its promoters succeeded in forming a company ; but, encountering many difficulties and much strenuous opposition, the act of incorporation was not obtained until 1844. The works were commenced in 1845, the line was partially opened in 1848, but, owing to the novel and extremely arduous charac- ter of some portions, the whole was not completed until 1850. The total length of the main line, together with the branches to Mold and Carnarvon, is 107 miles. The line commences at the general station at Chester, and passes under a portion of that city by a tunnel 300 yards long. After crossing the Dee, it continues its course nearly parallel with the embanked channel of that river, and along its estuary to the town of Flint. Skirting the most northern part of the Welsh coast, it passes by Rhyl and Abergele, and through a narrow valley to the south of Orme’s Head ; and then crosses the estuary of the river Conway by an iron tubular bridge, of which some description will be presently given. At the town of Conway the line is formed close to the venerable ruins of the castle, and beneath one of the towers of the ancient walls ; beyond which it rounds the headlands of Penmaen-bach and Penmaen-mawr, crosses the valley and river of Ogwen by a viaduct 246 yards in length, and passing Bangor, is carried over the Menai Strait by another great tubular bridge, resting in mid-channel upon the Britannia rock, a little to the west of Telford’s suspension bridge. The railway then crosses Anglesey, near to the S.W. coast of the island, and terminates at Holyhead, being in di- rect connection with the steam-packets, which leave the harbour ,daily for Kingstown and Dublin. An Itinerary and a Chart of the whole course are furnished, and a more detailed account will afterwards be given of all the places near the line. C 18 CHESTER TO HOLYHEAD. CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAILWAY. Stations on Main Line and Branches. Chester. Queen’s Ferry. Flint. Bagillt. Holywell. Mostyn. Prestatyn. Rhyl. Vale of Clwyd, Denbigh, Ruthin, and Corwen. { St. Asaph. ( Denbigh. i Llanrhaiadr. Rhewl. Ruthin. Corwen. Abergele. Llandulas. Colwyn. Llandudno Junction. j" Llandudno Junction. . Gian Conway. -j Tal-y-Cafn. I Llanrwst. Bettws-y-coed. I I* ( Llandudno Junction. < Deganway. ^ ( Llandudno. Llandudno Junction. Conway. Penmaemnawr. Llanfairfechan. Aber. Bangor. g f Bangor (for Carnarvon.) § I Menai Bridge. -{ Treborth. « I Port Dinorwic. ^ L Griffith’s Crossing. Carnarvon. Bangor (for Holyhead.) Menai Bridge. Llanfair. Gaerwen. || r Llangefni. •< Llanerchymedd. ^ o ( Amlwch. Bodorgan. Ty Croes. Valley. Holyhead. Kingstown. Dublin. Refresliment-rooms at Crewe, Chester, Llandudno Junction, and Holyhead. TABULAR ITINERARY. ON RIGHT PROM CHESTER. From Holylid. 1 From Chester. ON LEFT FROM CHESTER. 84i CHESTER STATION. Tunnel, 300 yds. cr. Ellesmere Canal. cr. the city wall, at its west angle. Docks of the Great Western Railway Company. Embankment over the Tower Field. Viaduct of 47 arches, cr. the river Dee. Roodee, the Chester race-course. CHESTER TO HOLYHEAD. 19 ON RIGHT it FROM CHESTER. The extensive tract of land on the opposite side of the Dee is called Sealand, hav- 83^ ing been enclosed from the sea, by the River Dee Company, incorporated by Act of Parliament in 1732. Enter Flintshire. The Eailway is here for several miles parallel with the river. Sandycroft Quay. 77h Buckley, having a large population employed in collieries, &c. Queen’s Ferry Station. ON LEFT sj FROM CHESTER. 1 The mountains above the Vale of Clwyd are seen at a distance. The highest, Moel Fammau, has on its summit a column erected by subscrip- tion to commemorate the fiftieth year of the reign of George III. Mold branch* railway. Length from Chester to Mold, 13i m. Hawarden, town and castle, 2 m. 7 Aston Hall. Docks of Wrexham, Mold, and Cunnah’s Quay Railway Com- pany. On leaving the tunnel a full view is obtained of the estuary of the Dee, and of the penin- sula of Wirral, situat- ed between the Dee and the Mersey. Deep cuttings, and a short Tunnel. Wepre Hall. Ewloe Castle ruins. I St. Mark’s Church, in the parish of Northop. 1 Kelsterton, Edward Bate, Esq. Kelsterton Brewery. Fron, — White, Esq. Oaken Holt, James Williams, Esq. Leadbrook. Halkin mountain, a rich mineral tract. Parkgate, on the Che- 72 shire coast, to which there is a Ferry from Flint. 70 FLINT Station. Halkin Castle, Mar- quis of Westminster. 12 ^ Northop, 3 m. Comist. Bagillt Station. Bryn Dychwelwch, or hill of retreat. Greenfield Wharf. 67| HOLYWELL Station. Ruins of Basingwerk Abbey. Zinc works. 16f Paper mills. Greenfield Hall. Llanerch-y-m 6 r, Adam Eyton, Esq. Downing, Earl of Denbigh. Whitford, very popu - 1 lous. I 20 CHESTER TO HOLYHEAD. ON RIGHT ii O M FROM CHESTER. Mostyn Quay. Nine hundred acres 64i Mostyn Station. 20 of land enclosed from the sea, in 1811, by the late Sir Edward cr. Gwespyr Marsh. Mostyn. Hillbre island, in the estuary of the Dee, near the extremity of the peninsula of Wir- ral in Cheshire. Point of Air Light- house. Life-boat house. Gronant Moor. 58J Prestatyn Station. 26i 54^ RHYL Station. 30 cr. the estuary at the efflux of the united rivers Clwyd and Elwy. Enter Denbighshire. 50| ABERGELE Station. 34J 47 Llandulas Station. Bronwendon, R. W. Penmaen Rhos Tunnel, Wynne, Esq. 1629 ft. in length, through hard limestone rock. 44i Colwyn Station. 401 Llandrillo-yn-rhos. Gloddaeth. Great Orme’s Head. Mochdre. Llangwstenyn Ch. Pabo. 41i LLANDUDNO June. Branch rail to Llan- 40 Gufiyn. dudno Through TUBULAR BRIDGE cr. the river Conway. 39^ CONWAY Station. 45^ Suspension Bridge. 1 Tunnel under one of the towers of the ancient wall, 112yds., and thence through deep cuttings to ON LEFT FROM CHESTER. Mostyn Hall, Lord Mostyn. Gwespyr village and quarries. Llanasa, or Llanasaph Gyrn Castel. Talacre, Sir Pyers Mostyn, Bart. Gronant village. Golden Grove, Mrs. Morgan. Meliden village. Talargoch lead mines. Dyserth Castle ruins. Bodryddan, William Shipley Conway, Esq. Branch rail to Rhud- dlan, St. Asaph, Den- bigh, Ruthin, and Corwen. Gwrych Castle, Robt. Hesketh, Esq. Tan-yr-allt. Llanelian village, celebrated for its “cursing well,” called Ffynnon Elian, Pwll-y-crochan Hotel Bryneisteddfa, Arch- deacon Jones. Branch rail to Bet- tws-y-coed. Guffyn village and ancient church. CHESTER TO HOLYHEAD. 21 ON RIGHT FROM CHESTER. See Puffin Island, near the eastern extremity of Anglesey. See Beaumaris, on the Anglesey coast. Penrhyn Castle and Park, Lord Penrhyn. Port Penrhyn. Menai Suspension Bridge. Column in honour of the Marquis of Anglesey. Berw Colliery. Sis Conway Marsh, cr. turnpike road. Penmaen-bach Tunnel, 630 yds., through flinty rock. Over Dwygyfylchi Plain. Penmaen-mawr Station. Penmaen-mawr Tunnel, 220 yds. 50 ON LEFT FROM CHESTER. Pen Dyffryn, S. D. Darbishire, Esq. Llanfair-fechan. 30^ Aber Station. Viaduct over the Ogwen river and valley. Llandegai Tunnel, 440 yds. Viaduct over the river Cegid. Bangor Tunnel, 1000 yd. 25 BANGOR Station. Belmont Tunnel, 726 yds., having 4 shafts. MENAI Bridge Station. 22 TUBULAR BRIDGE, through which cross the Menai Strait, ahd enter Anglesey. 21 Llanfair Station. The rail-way is here for several miles parallel -with the turnpike road. 18 Gaerwen Station, Malltraeth, a sandy and marshy tract of great extent. Viaduct of 90 arches over the tidal river Cefni. Trefdraeth Tunnel, 550 yards. 54i Llandegai village. 69i Branch Railway to Carnarvon. Bangor to Port Din- orwic, 4J m. Bangor to Carnarvon, 8| m. 62 | 63 ^ Plas Newydd, Lady Willoughby-de- Broke. 66^ Llangaflfo village, with a modern church, hating a graceful spire. About 2J m distant are the remains of Newborough, or Rhos Faer, formerly a place of much importance. Bodowen, the vener- able mansion of the Owen family, 2J m. 22 CHESTER TO HOLYHEAD. ON RIGHT FROM CHESTER. From Holyhd. From Chester. ON LEFT FROM CHESTER. Llanfaelog. 12 Bodorgan Station m Bodorgan (witli beau- tiful gardens, justly celebrated), 0. F. A. F. Meyrick, Esq., 1 n. Llyn Coron, a lake, 2 m. in circumference, abounding with fish. 9 Ty Croes Station. 75^ Aberfiraw. 3^ Valley Station. 81 Cymmeran Bay. Penrhos Park, Hon. W. 0. Stanley, M.P. The railway and the turnpike road are in paral- lel lines along the Stanley Embankment. HOLYHEAD. 84^ DESCRIPTION OF THE ROUTE— CHESTER TO HOLYHEAD. The county of Flintshire, which we enter immediately on leaving Chester, although the smallest in Wales, ranks high in importance, on account of its historic relations, its an- tiquarian remains, and especially its mineral productions. It is so intersected by Denbighshire as to insulate a portion, measuring about 10 miles by 5, called the Hundred of Maelor (by the Welsh, Maelor Saesneg). The inhabitants may be regarded as a mixed people, many of them having immigrated from England. This county has been the scene of some of the most memorable events in the history of Wales ; as the decisive victory obtained by the native British Christians over the Pagan Piets and Scots at Maes-y-Garmon, near Mold, in the year 448, well known as the Hallelujah victory ; — the mas- sacre by Saxon invaders, in the 7th century, of 1200 Chris- tian monks belonging to the monastery of Bangor Iscoed, and the subsequent slaughter of the cruel perpetrators by the aroused and vengeful Welsh princes ; — the incursions of Offa, King of Mercia, and the erection by him of the rampart or dyke which bears his name ; — the dreadful battle on Rhudd- HAWARDEN. 23 Ian Marsli, in 795, in which the brave Caradoc nobly fell in defence of his country, and which gave origin to the popular and exquisitely plaintive air Mor fa Rhuddlan f — the valorous exploits of the patriot Owen Gwynedd in the time of Henry II. of England, and the no less illustrious deeds of Prince Llewelyn in the days of Edward I. Flintshire is indebted for the employment of its popula- tion, and for a large measure of prosperity and wealth, to its productive mines of lead, calamine, coal, limestone, etc. On the S.W., stretching from Mold to Dyserth, is an extensive tract of mountain limestone, some of which is capable of receiving a high polish. To the E. of this tract is a rich coal- field, of great depth, extending through the entire length of the county, and penetrating the adjoining county of Denbigh. The limestone and coal tracts abound likewise with iron-ore. The lead-mines, which are found chiefly in the H.E., are the most extensive in Britain. The Flintshire smelters manufac- ture annually more than one-fourth of the lead produced in the kingdom. Another valuable product is calamine, an ore of zinc, much of which is used by brassfounders in the neigh- bourhood, and large quantities are exported. Silver also is extricated to a valuable extent. The rivers in Flintshire are the Dee, the Clwyd, the Alyn, the Wheeler, and the Elwy ; but several of these more pro- perly belong to other counties. Population (1861), 69,737. Parliamentary representa- tives — one for the county, and one for the boroughs. Between Chester and Queensberry we pass 2 miles to the north of HAWABDEISr [Hotels: Glynne Arms ; Nag’s Head.] (pronounced Harden), a small town, consisting of little more than one street, half-a-mile in length, pleasantly situated on an eminence. It is of great antiquity, and the remains of fortified posts around it serve to remind that it has been the scene of conflict, and bravely defended against hostile attack. Its early British name was Pen-y-Llwch (corrupted to Pennard- halawg ) — ^. e. the head of the swamp or lake ; which accords with the tradition that the adjacent low land was formerly 24 CHESTER TO HOLYHEAD. under water. In the record of the Norman survey the name is written ‘‘ Haordin.” The parish is extensive, including a population (1861) of 7044 ; and the rectory, in the gift of Sir Stephen K. Glynne, is of great value, said to exceed ^4000 per annum. Collieries, potteries, and iron- works, furnish employment for the people. Alderman Boydell, once Lord Mayor of London, a distin- guished patron of the fine arts, was born in this parish. It gives the title of Viscount to the family of Maude. Ha WARDEN Castle is a handsome modern mansion, the seat of Sir Stephen Eichard Glynne, Bart, Lord-Lieutenant of the county. It was erected in 1752, and in 1809 it under- went such alterations as to give it the character of a castel- lated Gothic edifice of the 13th century. The park is exten- sive, and pleasingly diversified ; and within its inclosure are the ruins of a Castle of very ancient date, and for a long time of great importance. It appears to have been built by the Britons, but at the time of the Norman Conquest it was a stronghold of the Saxons. William I. included it in the grant which he made to his nephew, Hugh Lupus, for whose suc- cessors in the Earldom of Chester it was held subordinately by the Barons of Montalt, until it was resumed by the Crown, along with the title of Earl of Chester. Henry VI. conferred the castle upon Sir Thomas Stanley, whose descendants retained the possession until a.d. 1651, when James, Earl of Derby, being taken prisoner at the battle of Worcester, and beheaded, his estates were sequestered. It was obtained at a nominal price by Serjeant Glynne, who was then in high favour with Cromwell, and subsequently appointed by him Lord Chief- Justice, yet, after the Eestoration, was knighted by Charles II. With his descendants the estate still remains. Of the ancient castle little more is now to be seen than the keep, and fragments of the towers. By the removal of vast quantities of rubbish, the foundations have been so far exposed as to exhibit the original pentagonal form of the structure. At one angle was the keep, a lofty circular tower, which, being still nearly entire, and occupying an elevated site, forms a picturesque object from the surrounding country, and affords from its summit an extensive view of the Denbigh- shire mountains, the Vale-Eoyal of Cheshire, and the estuaries of the Dee and the Mersey. FLINT. 25 Buckley Mountain is a district of the parish of Hawarden, having a large and busy population, employed chiefly in the manufacture of coarse earthenware, draining-tiles, and fire- bricks. From the superior quality of the clay, the fire-bricks made here are in high repute throughout the kingdom, and great numbers are consequently exported. Ewloe Castle, about 2 miles from Hawarden, is situated in a thickly- wooded dingle, not easily found. It is an inter- esting ruin, finely mantled with ivy ; but little is known with certainty as to its founder or history. In the adjacent woods, called Coed Ewloe, the advanced guard of the English army under Henry II. was surprised and defeated by David and Conan, sons of the heroic prince Owen Gwynedd, in the year 1157. By stratagem they drew the English into the defile, and then, attacking them suddenly in front and rear, van- quished them with dreadful slaughter. The little stream which flows through Coed Ewloe is called Wepre Brook. In its short course it passes Wepre Hall, an ancient mansion, the property of W. Freme, Esq. FLINT. [Hotels: Royal Oak and Railway ; Ship.] Although this is the county town, it has rather the appear- ance of a neglected, decaying village. The appellation is Saxon, but its origin is not ascertained. The town was evidently formed on the plan of a Koman encampment, rectangular, and sur- rounded by regular entrenchments and ramparts, with four for- tified gates. These, however, are nearly obliterated, and the streets are now so broken by dilapidated walls, and partially- removed houses, as to have a ragged and repulsive aspect. The town has sometimes aspired to rank as a bathing-place, but the beach, being marshy, is quite unsuitable. The county assizes, which used to be held here, have been removed to Mold, and the market has been discontinued. The church, a chapel of ease to North op, having become dilapidated, a more commo- dious and attractive edifice was reared in 1848. A new Town- hall has also been raised ; the wharfs have been much extended and improved ; and of late years, in consequence of obstructions in the channel of the Dee, Flint has become, to a considerable extent, the port of Chester ; and here the larger vessels, espe- 26 CHESTER TO HOLYHEAD. daily those with timber, discharge into lighters ; or rafts are formed and floated up the river. Messrs. Muspratt’s chemical works is the principal business, and there are productive collieries in the neighbourhood. Flint is united with other boroughs in the county in electing one member of parliament. Population 3428. Flint Castle is at the N.E. of the town, upon a low rock of freestone, in the midst of a marsh, which at high tides is under water. The channel of the Dee is now at some distance, but the river formerly flowed close to the castle- wall, in which rings for mooring vessels were, not long ago, visible. There is uncertainty as to the time of its erection. Camden asserts that it was begun by Henry II. and finished by Edward I. Leland, adducing the authority of older writers, ascribes the entire work to the latter monarch. Here Edward II. received his favourite. Piers Gaveston, on his return from banishment in Ireland ; and here the unhappy King Eichard II. was de- livered, by the perfidious Percy of Northumberland, into the hands of Bolingbroke. This fortress does not appear to have fallen into the hands of Owen Glyndwr, when he overran most other parts of the principality. In the civil wars of Charles I. it was garrisoned for the king by Sir Eoger Mostyn ; in 1643 it was besieged and taken by the Parliamentary forces ; in 1 646 it was dismantled by order of the House of Commons ; and after the Eestoration it was resumed by the Crown. A portion of the ground is now occupied by the county gaol. The building was originally a parallelogram, occupying about an acre of ground, with a circular tower at each angle. One of these, detached from the walls, was considerably larger than the other three. It consisted of two concentric walls, each 6 feet thick, having between them a gallery 8 feet broad, and leaving within the smaller circle an area 20 feet in diameter, into which were four entrances. This is called the Double Tower, and probably was the donjon, or keep. The whole is now in a very decayed state, and, being utterly neglected, seems likely soon to disappear. A large portion fell in May 1848. Bagillt is a busy populous village, in the parish of Holy- well, extending about two miles. In consequence of the extensive lead, iron, and alkali works which have been established here, and the collieries which abound in the HOLYWELL. 27 neighbourhood, the place has risen to great importance. One of the hills above Bagillt is called Bryn Dychwelwch, i.e. the hill of retreat, because here Owen Gwynedd, pursued by Henry II. with superior numbers, sounded his retreat. Proceeding westwards, in a little more than 4 miles from Flint we reach the station of HOLWELL, [Hotels: White Horse; King’s Head; Red Lion.] or Treffynnon, the town of the well^ a populous market- town and parliamentary borough, pleasantly situated on a declivity, two miles from the station. The streets are irre- gular, but spacious, well paved, and lighted with gas. Until the commencement of the present century the town was inconsiderable, but owing to the extension of mines, and the successful introduction of several manufacturing concerns, it has become the largest in the county, and its markets supply an extensive and populous district. The grand mining con- cern termed the Holywell Level commenced here in the year 1774, under leases granted to a company by the several landed proprietors through whose estates the veins of lead were supposed to extend. The “venture,” which at first proved unsuccessful, eventually became very profitable to all concerned. The closing of some cotton-factories appears to have checked the advancement of the town. The church, erected in 1769, but retaining some columns which belonged to a more ancient fabric, is a plain structure, with a strong embattled tower, dedicated to Gwenfrewi, or St. Winefred. Under the chancel are family vaults of the Mostyns of Talacre, the Pennants of Downing, and the Pantons of Bagillt. Owing to the peculiar situation of the church, its bell is not audible in the principal streets of the town ; in consequence of which a singular method is adopted for announcing the times of public service. A man is employed to go about the town as a walking steeple, or perambulating belfry, bearing a large bell suspended by a strap from his shoulders, and a cushion buckled around one knee. As he steps forward, the cushion strikes against the bell, and thus the people are summoned to the house of prayer. Population of the borough, 5,335 ; of the parish, 10,292, 28 CHESTER TO HOLYHEAD. As the name of the town, so likewise its main attraction is derived from St. Winefred’s Well. In Wales, as in other countries where superstition and ignorance have prevailed, many a place can boast of a well once deemed sacred, and reputed to possess supernatural efficacy in the removal of bodily disease and infirmity ; and even at the present day, when no one in our country looks for miracles, such wells are still regarded by not a few with a degree of reverence and awe. Amongst these, St. Winefred’s Well, long reckoned one of the seven wonders of Wales,* has the most widely extended renown. The legend attached to this well is as follows : — About the beginning of the 7 th century, Gwenfrewi, or Winefred, a young female, devout and beautiful, of noble parentage, and related to the distinguished saint Beuno, was beloved by a neighbouring prince, or chieftain, named Caradoc. Having refused his proposals, and fled in order to escape from his power, the irritated youth pursued her, and drawing his sword, struck off her head, which rolled down the hill towards the church. At the spot where it rested, water immediately gushed forth, which (says one) flows to this day, and by the holy virgin’s merits, gives health to a world of diseased persons.” St. Beuno, it is added, advancing from the church, took up the head, and carried it to the body, when the parts instantly reunited, leaving only a slender white line around the neck as a mark of the miraculous restoration. Caradoc, it is averred, immediately fell lifeless, and was never again beheld. Wine- fred survived about 15 years, and having taken the veil at Gwytherin in Denbighshire, she died Abbess of that mon- astery, and was interred there ; four upright stones being still exhibited as marking her tomb. The spring continued to flow, and was found to be endowed with miraculous properties ; the moss growing near it was ever afterwards peculiarly frag- * The so-called seven wonders of Wales were St. Winefred’s Well, Wrexham Church, Overton Churchyard, Gresford Bells, Llangollen Bridge, Pistyll Rhayadr, and Snowdon Mountain. If, however, a selection were now made of the greatest wonders of Wales, some of these would give place to modern works of art connected with canals and railways, such as the Aqueducts and Viaducts near Chirk and Llangollen, the Suspension Bridges of Telford over the River Conway and Menai Strait, and, above all, the Tubular Railway Bridges at the same places. HOLYWELL. 29 rant ; and the stones, which were sprinkled with blood, re- main to this day exhibiting the indelible stain. It may be proper so far to deprive these concluding asser- tions of the marvellous, as to state that the sweet-scented moss, growing plentifully here, is nothing more than the Jungermannia asplenoides of Linnseus ; and that the supposed blood-stain on the pebbles is also a vegetable production, the Byssus ioUthus of Linnseus, and Lepraria iolithus of Smith. While some persons still resort to these waters in a super- stitious spirit, many, with more reason, employ them for sana- tory purposes ; and crutches, chairs, and other offerings, are suspended as evidence that the desired benefit has been at- tained. We may reject all idea of the sanctity of this well without disputing its salubrity. It is; in fact, a remarkably powerful spring, sending forth a copious stream of very cold and pure water ; and there is no reason to doubt that, here as everywhere, the free use of such water, both for bathing and drinking, may prove beneficial in checking disease and improving health. Such, in this case, are the purity and abundance of the water, that the vicinity is peculiarly eligible as the residence of a qualified hydropathic practitioner ; and there can be little doubt that a well-conducted establishment for the practice of the cold-water cure would soon become popular. Mr. Pennant estimated the flow of water at 24 tons in a minute, while the experiments of other persons favour the conclusion that the issue greatly exceeds that quantity. The spring is said to be little affected by either continued droughts or excessive rains ; and the water, varying but little in tem- perature, never freezes. It is received in a basin, or bath, 12 feet long, 7 feet wide, and 5 feet deep, and is so clear that the minutest object at the bottom may be easily discerned. The well is covered by a small Gothic building said to have been erected by Margaret, Countess of Kichmond, mother of Henry YII., though Mr. Grose ascribes to portions of it a much earlier date. The walls enclose a sufficient space to allow of a cloistered walk at the sides. The groined roof, supported by stone pillars, has carved representations of the legend of St. Winefred. Above is a chapel, which is now used as a public school. Some accommodation is provided 30 CHESTER TO HOLYHEAD. for persons bathing, and there are nsnally attendants with glasses for those who wish to drink the water. Pope Martin, in the time of Henry V., encouraged pilgrims to frequent this holy spot, furnishing the neighbouring abbey of Basingwerk with pardons and indulgences for the devotees who came hither ; and similar privileges were granted during the reign of Queen Mary. James II., who is said to have lost three kingdoms for a mass, visited the sacred well in 1686, and received as a reward a gift of the under garment worn by Mary Queen of Scots at the time of her execution. In 1819 the well was visited, as an object of curiosity, by the King of the Belgians, then Prince Leopold, accompanied by Earl Gros- venor and other noblemen ; and in 1828 it was visited by the late Duke of Sussex. The property belongs to the Marquis of Westminster. Basingwerk Abbey. — This picturesque ruin is only a short distance from the station. A place of such religious celebrity as St. Winefred’s Well was not likely to be long without its monastic establishment. Accordingly, we find that a society of monks existed here previous to the year 1119. How long prior to that date, we have no means of ascertaining. Neither is it known who was the original founder, although there are reasons for concluding that he was one of the princes of Wales. The Cistercian rule appears to have been introduced about 1131, by Kanulph, the second Earl of Chester, who Was a great benefactor of the abbey. The architecture is mixed, being partly Saxon, and partly Saracenic, or what is generally called early pointed Gothic. The masonry is substantial and carefully finished, but there are few traces of ornament. The ruins, in their present state, consist of fragments of the Abbey Church, the refectory, dor- mitories, and a half-timbered building, which Mr. Grose con- jectures to have been a granary. The situation of the abbey is beautiful ; upon an eminence, among rich pastures, near to a stream of pure water, and having a fine view of the Dee, the city of Chester, and the hills of Lancashire. In the neighbourhood formerly stood a strong fort, called Basingwerk Castle^ of which scarcely a vestige can now be dis- covered. Watt’s Dyke terminates at the coast close to Basingwerk. This ancient rampart or boundary line is clearly traced hence. OFFA’S dyke CAERWYS. 31 through Northop, Hope, Wrexham, and the grounds of Wynn- stay, to Maesbury, near Oswestry, where it appears to have had its beginning. Of the occasion and date of its construc- tion no authentic information has been obtained. Offa’s Dyke, likewise, is at no great distance. By most writers the two are erroneously confounded. This, which was constructed in the 8th century by Offa, King of Mercia, as a line of demarcation, rather than of defence, extended from the vicinity of Newmarket in Flintshire, traversing the counties of Flint, Denbigh, Salop, Eadnor, Hereford, and Monmouth, to Beachley at the mouth of the Wye. In the first two of these counties, its course is in the same direction as Watt’s Dyke, but at unequal distances, the two being in some places only a quarter of a mile apart, and in others more than three miles.* Churchyard, the poet of Queen Elizabeth’s days, thus represents the probable purpose of these erections : “ There is a famous thing, Cal’de Offae’s Dyke, that reacheth farre in length ; All kind of ware the Danes might th ether bring. It was free ground, and cal’de the Britaine’s strength. Wat’s dyke likewise about the same was set, Betweene which two, bothe Danes and Britaines met, And trafficke still ; but passing boundes by sleight, The one did take the other pris’ner streight.” Downing Hall, distant from Holywell about 3 miles, in the parish of Whitford, was long the property and residence of the ancient family of Pennant, one of whom, Thomas Pen- nant, Esq., was distinguished as a naturalist and antiquary. The estate descended to his granddaughter, who was married to Viscount Fielding, now Earl of Denbigh. The mansion is a handsome structure, built in the form of a Eoman H, and has in front a Welsh inscription, Heb Dduw, heh ddim ; Duw^ a ddigon^ signifying, Without God, without all ; with God, enough. It contains an extensive library and many valuable works of art. Below the house are the ruins of Malindina Ahhey, contributing to the beauty of the scene ; and within view, also, is the ancient Mynydd y Garreg, a lofty circular building, believed to have been a Eoman Pharos. Caerwys, or the Fort above the Waters, is a small town, backed by the high mountain called Moel-y-parc, situated about midway between Holywell and St. Asaph. It is be- * “ The Worthines of Wales, a Poem ; by Thomas Churchyard.” 32 CHESTER TO HOLYHEAD. lieved to have been a Eoman station, and was long dis- tinguished by its periodical meetings of the British Bards, termed Ei8teddfod.au, It has large cattle-fairs, and is one of the Flintshire boroughs electing a M.P. A pleasant walk will conduct to a wooded dingle of great beauty called Maes Mynan Wort, in which the last native prince, Llewelyn ap Grytfydd is said to have had a palace. A little to the west of Mostyn Station is Mostyn Hall, the property and principal residence of Lord Mostyn, one of the oldest families in North Wales. The park, well wooded and stocked with deer, slopes gradually to the sea. The ap- proach to the mansion is by a magnificent gateway, called Forth Mawr, and a long avenue of venerable forest-trees. The original structure is of the time of Henry VI., but modern repairs and additions have materially altered its general character. The interior is enriched with a large collection of rare armour and antiquities, family portraits and other works of art, and especially books and manuscripts. The valuable library from Gloddaeth, consisting chiefly of old British history and Welsh MSS., has been removed to this place. Visitors may be gratified by seeing a silver harp, in the possession of the family since 1568 ; a golden torque found at Harlech, formerly worn by princes of Wales ; the pedigree of this time-honoured house, no less than forty-two feet in length ; and the Mostyn testimonial, a silver candelabrum, weighing 1750 ounces, and valued at a thousand guineas, presented to Lord Mostyn in 1843. When Henry, Earl of Eichmond, was secretly contriving the overthrow of the House of York, he was for a time con- cealed here, aiming to secure assistance from the Welsh, who were generally disposed to favour his cause on account of his Cambrian extraction, he being the grandson of Owen Tudor. Eichard III., suspecting his visit to Mostyn, despatched a party to apprehend him ; but, informed of their approach, Henry had barely time to escape by leaping through a back window, which is to this day called the King's window, Eichard ap Howel, then lord of Mostyn, joined Henry at the battle of Bosworth, and after the victory received from the king, in token of gratitude for his preservation, the belt and sword which he wore on that memorable day. Mostyn Quay has of late risen into considerable import- LLANASA PRESTATYN. 33 ance. A remarkably pretty church was erected in 1845, by the two families of Mostyn and Pennant. Hillhre island^ seen at the opposite point of the estuary, contains about ten acres, and is valuable as a convenient telegraph station in con- nection with the port of Liverpool. The Point of Air Light- house^ seen over sandhills on the right, was built by the corporation of the Trinity House. It is constructed of iron, resting upon nine strong iron pillars, and although the foun- dation is sandy, the building is deemed perfectly secure. Llanasa, or Llanasaph, is a small village, situated to the left of the railway. In the church is some beautiful stained glass, brought from Basingwerk Abbey, and in the churchyard are some curious tombstones. In this parish are several gentlemen’s seats deserving of mention : Talacre^ the elegant modern mansion of Sir Pyers Mostyn, Bart. ; Gyrn, a castel- lated edifice, built by the late John Douglas, Esq., from the lofty towers of which the view is very extensive ; and Golden Grove, the much-admired residence of Mrs. Morgan, erected in 1578, but recently much enlarged and modernised. In the vicinity are the celebrated freestone quarries of Gwesper, the property of Sir P. Mostyn. The splendid custom-house of Liverpool is constructed of stone from these quarries. Prestatyn is at the beginning of an extensive tract of level country, extensively fertile. Of an ancient fortress, called Prestatyn Castle, nothing remains but an elevated space mark- ing the foundations. In the neighbourhood are the lead-mines of Talargoch, which produce an immense quantity of ore, and give employment to a great number of labourers. Near to the mines are the village and castle of Dyserth. This is a British fortress of great antiquity. Henry III. strengthened it in 1241, but in 1261 it was besieged and nearly demolished by Llewelyn the Great. Einion, a distinguished Welshman, having been slain here, a sculptured cross was erected to his memory, of which the shaft now forms the stile of Dyserth churchyard, where is another cross of curious workmanship and unknown antiquity. One mile from Dyserth, in the parish of Cwm, is a beautiful cascade, upon a small stream which rises at a spring called Ffynnon Asa, or St. Asaph’s well, once accounted sacred, and having many votaries, like that of St. Winefred at Holywell. D CHESTER TO HOLYHEAD ?A EHYL. [Hotels; Parade; Belvoir; Royal; Queen’s; Mostyn Arms.] This is a resort for sea-bathing, situated at the low sandy termination of the vale of Clwyd, and near the outlet of the united rivers Clwyd and Elwy. It is altogether a modern creation, and is still rapidly extending. The shore is flat and uninteresting, and the adjacent country, for some miles in every direction, is a dull uninviting level ; yet Ehyl has proved powerfully attractive, and within a very short period has acquired the aspect of a cheerful, thriving, fashionable town. Its recommendations are, easy access, pure air, smooth firm sands, facilities for bathing, good hotels and lodging- houses, and some agreeable objects within moderate drives, as St. i^saph, Ehuddlan Castle, Denbigh, the vale of Clwyd, and the caverns near Cefn. Besides these there are also several gentlemen’s seats within short distances, which may afford gratification to visitors — namely, Pengwern, the Honourable T. Pryce Lloyd ; Kinmel Park, H. E. Hughes, Esq. ; B6del- wyddan, Sir Hugh WEliams, Bart. ; Bodryddan, W. Shipley Conwy, Esq. ; and Gwrych Castle, Eobert Hesketh, Esq. From various points in the neighbourhood good views are obtained of the Carnarvonshire mountains, including Penmaen- mawr and Snowdon ; and sometimes also those of Cumber- land and Westmoreland. Ehyl is in the parish of Ehuddlan, but a commodious church has been erected in the town, and there are several Dissentiug chapels. A new pier, opened in 1867, adds considerably to the attractions of the place, form- ing an agreeable promenade during the day and a ball-room at night. Besides numerous machines for bathing on the beach, there is a well-arranged building, with hot and cold sea- water baths ; and for the convenience and amusement of visitors, there are libraries, billiard and news rooms, a bowling- green, &c. The town is lighted with gas. Anglers may find sport in the Clwyd and Elwy, which are good trout-streams. Steam-packets pass for Liverpool three times a-week. These receive and land their passengers at Foryd, near the mouth of the river, about a mile from Ehyl, and numerous cars await their arrival. The Eailway Station is commodious, and ad- vantageously situated close to the town. It is just midway ABERGELE. 35 between Chester and Bangor, the railway distance from the former city being 30 miles, and from the latter, 29|- miles — each of these distances being accomplished by express and mail trains in less than one hour. The Vale of Clwyd Kail- way branches off here to St. Asaph, Denbigh, Kuthen, Cor- wen, etc. Resuming our progress on the main line, we reach ABERGELE,^ [Hotels: Bee ; Bddelwyddan Arms ; Harp.] a small market-town and seaport, consisting chiefly of one wide, irregular street. Although the houses are more than half a mile from the coast, the salubrity of the air, and the suitableness of the smooth and firm sand, render it a favourite resort for sea-bathing. Its progress, however, has been of late years greatly surpassed by several neighbouring watering- places. There is good accommodation at the Bee Hotel and in private lodging-houses. Population of the parish, 3308. The Church is a neat edifice, built in the reign of Henry YIIL, dedicated to St. Michael. An epitaph, without date, in the churchyard, records that a man lies buried there who “ lived three miles northP This tends to confirm the statement, of which indeed there are many tokens, that the sea has made considerable encroachment. On the sea-coast, half-a-mile to the north of Abergele, is the sea-bathing village of Pensarn, containing numerous lodging-houses of a good class, a Presbyterian chapel, and a hotel. This neighbourhood is adorned by many villas and man- sions, of which, in addition to some noticed at greater length, the following may be mentioned : Garthewin^ Brownlow W. Wynne, Esq. ; Coed Coch, J. Lloyd Wynne, Esq. ; Pentremawr, Mrs. Jones Bateman ; Hafod Unos, H. R. Sandbach, Esq. ; and Dyffryyi Aled^ Peirce Wynne Yorke, Esq. * Since the terrible accident which happened here in 1868, it is stated that a revised code of instructions with respect to the shunting of trains has come in force. The directors of the L. and N. W. Railway have also authorised an expenditure of £35,000 for additional siding accommodation upon this section. The siding at Llandulas, the insufficiency of which indirectly led to the acci- dent, has already been nearly doubled in length. 36 CHESTER TO HOLYHEAD. Gwrych Castle, the property of Eobert Hesketh, Esq., is a prominent object, about one mile from Abergele, on the road to Conway. It is a modern castellated edifice, the front of which extends nearly 500 yards, having on each side a terrace 420 yards in length. The principal tower, called Hesketh Tower, is about 90 feet high. This vast and imposing struc- ture will be acknowledged to be picturesque, and on some accounts may be regarded with admiration, yet few persons wiU fail to observe its incongruity, and to wish that purer taste had guided the erection. One of the entrance gateways bears the following inscriptions, referring to memorable his- torical events connected with this locality : — “ I. Prior to the Norman Conquest, Harold, in his attempt to subjugate this part of the Principality, was encountered by GryfFydd ap Llewelyn, Prince of North Wales, on the plain near Cefn Ogo ; and after a sanguinary battle, in which he was defeated, was driven back to Rhuddlan. “ II. In the reign of William the Conqueror, Hugh Lupus, on his march to invade the island of Anglesey, passing through this defile, was attacked by an armed band of Welshmen, which had been posted here to anticipate his pro- gress, and of which, after an obstinate and protracted battle, 1100 were left dead on the spot. “III. In the reign of Henry II., Owen Gwynedd, Prince of North Wales, on his return from Flintshire, fortified himself in this pass ; when he gave battle to the forces of that monarch, and repulsed them with great slaughter ; after having secured this important post, he retreated to Pen-y-parc, in the adjoining parish, where he made head against the English forces, and effectually checked the further invasion of his dominions. “IV. Near this pass Richard II., whom Percy, Earl of Northumberland, under a pretence of an amicable interview with Bolingbroke, had inveigled from Conway Castle, on his return from Ireland, was, by a military band, bearing the Northumberland banner, surrounded and conducted to Flint Castle, where he was treacherously betrayed by the Earl into the power of the usurper.” Here tbe late Mrs. Hemans passed nine years in early life, between tbe ages of 7 and 1 6, her family then residing in a large old mansion which has been removed in the conrse of modern alterations ; and of this place her biographer writes as follows : In the calm seclusion of this romantic region she imbibed that intense love of nature which ever afterwards ‘ haunted her as a passion,’ and that warm attachment for ^ the green land of Wales,’ its affectionate true-hearted people, their traditions, their music, and all their interesting characteristics, which she cherished to the last hour of her existence.” Cefn yr Ogo, or Cave Hill, is a calcareous rock in which LLANDULAS ST. GEORGE. 37 is a singular and extensive natural cavern. The entrance, at a considerable elevation in the face of the rock, resembles a large Gothic arch. The interior is divided by a wall of limestone, not unlike a massive sculptured pillar, into two compartments, one of which soon terminates, while the other becomes a spa- cious chamber, and is continued to an unknown extent in the interior of the mountain. The sides and roof are decorated with brilliant stalactites, and the floor is covered with masses of deep orange-coloured stalagmite, producing forms at once curious and beautiful. Many labourers are constantly em- ployed in blasting the rock, and breaking the masses, and large quantities of lime are sent hence to Liverpool and other parts of England. Some rare plants and curious fossils are found in this neighbourhood. Llandulas is a small village in a pleasant glen, remark- able as the spot where Richard IT. was met and betrayed. A good pier was formed in 1822, connected with a railway which serves to convey the stone and lime from Llysfaen quarries, down a steep incline. Llanelian is a village in a valley to the left, celebrated for its holy well, or Ffynnon Elian^ which, owing to an absurd tradition, was long the terror of the neighbourhood. There is another holy well of the same name in Anglesey. A few miles to the south of Abergele is Kinmel Hall, a noble mansion, long the residence of the first Baron Dinorben, who died in 1852. Upon the decease of his son, at the close of the same year, the title became extinct. Hugh Robert Hughes, Esq., succeeded to the valuable entailed estates. The extensive park is richly diversified, adorned with majestic timber, and weR stocked with deer. The park-wall, with ornamental iron palisade, extends a great distance at the side of the road, in both the counties of Flint and Denbigh, the mansion being situated in the latter. The gate and lodge at the N.W. form a noble and imposing entrance. In the im- mediate vicinity is the neat village of St. George, or Llan St. Sior, the church of which was, a few years since, restored by the late Lord Dinorben ; who also erected a mausoleum of remarkably chaste and elegant design. In the church a spur of great size is suspended, called Oliver Cromwell’s spur, and there is a tradition that the Pro- tector was for a time concealed at Kinmel. On the summit 38 CHESTER TO HOLYHEAD. of an adjacent liill are tlie remains of a camp formed by Owen Gwynedd, during his valiant struggles against English en- croachments. The people of the village will readily point out the place “ where the old battles were fought.” This height affords a good view of the grand scenery of Carnar- vonshire, including the Great Orme’s Head, the enormous Penmaen-mawr, and the three majestic peaks of Snowdon. CoLWYN is a small village resorted to for sea-bathing. The railway line here leaves the coast, and cuts across the tongue of land called Creuddyn to the important station of LLANDUDNO JUNCTION. (Refreshment-room here.) The various lines concentrating here will be best under- stood from the map. The Vale of Conway route, diverging to the south by Llanrwst and Bettws-y-coed, now forms a very agreeable approach to Snowdon from Capel Curig, there being regular coaches between Bettws and the excellent hotel at Capel Curig. This route, however, will be subsequently re- ferred to. This peninsular promontory forms a detached portion of the county of Carnarvon, extending far into the Irish Sea, and terminating in the rocky point of the Great Orme’s Head. It is a hundred, or division of the county, called Creuddyn, and contains the three parishes of Eglwys, Ehos, Llandudno, and Llangwstennin, with a part of the parish of Llandrillo-yn- Khos. Population of the hundred, 5025. The distance from the junction to Llandudno is 4 miles, and in the way are situated the celebrated ruins of Diganwy Castle, or Dinas Conwy — i,e, the fort of the Conway ; by English historians called Gannoc. It is supposed to have been erected about the time of the Norman Conquest, although the earlier Welsh annals refer to a fortress on this site destroyed by lightning in 810. The castle, of which small fragments only are now re- maining, appears to have consisted of twn massive round towers occupying the summits of adjacent hills, and connected by two parallel curtain-walls. The situation was admirably adapted for defending the entrance to the river. Here it was that prince Elfin, the patron and friend of the bard Taliesin, LLANDUDNO. 39 was confined by bis uncle Maengwyn, when the irresistible influence of the poet’s lays procured his release. King John encamped under these walls in 1211, and was reduced to great distress by Prince Llewelyn ; and Henry III. had similar fortune at the same place. The castle is said to have been destroyed by Edward I. Mrs. Hemans’ beautiful little poem, The Kuin and its Flowers,” was written on an excursion to Diganwy. A modern mansion in the immediate neighbour- hood, which assumed the name of the old fortress, has recently been purchased by a company, and converted into a first-rate hotel, called Diganwy Castle Hotel. Hence, passing Bodys- callen, an ancient seat of the Wynnes, and now the summer residence of M. D. Hollings, Esq. ; and the neat little village of Llanrhds, or Eglwys Rh6s, the burial-place of Maeglwyn Gwynedd ; visit Gloddaeth, a noble mansion erected by Sir Roger Mostyn, in the reign of Elizabeth, and retained ever since in the possession of that family. The extensive pleasure- grounds by which it is surrounded, with their soft verdure and rich cultivation, present a striking contrast to the neigh- bouring scenery. The library, containing valuable Welsh manuscripts, has been removed to Mostyn Hall, Flintshire. Two miles from Gloddaeth, on the coast, is a singular structure enclosing a well, having three windows and a door, with a vaulted roof covered with pebbles instead of slates, called St Trillds Chapel. Half-a-mile further is the parish church of Llandrillo, and near to it are the ruins of Bryn Enryn, where, in the 6th century, Maelgwyn Gwynedd took refuge ; and which, at a later period, became one of the thirteen palaces of the renowned Ednyfed Fychan, an ancestor of Owen Tudor. At the terminus of the branch we reach Llandudno. LLANDUDNO [Hotels: Queen’s * St. George’s; Adelphi; Royal; Tudno Castle.] is an elegant watering-place, built under the shelter of a rock called the Great Orme’s Head, and extending along the level sand towards the Smaller Orme’s Head. The houses, which are handsome, are beautifully disposed along the coast, in accordance with a well-arranged plan, and command a noble prospect of tbe Irish Sea. It is now much esteemed as a 40 CHESTER TO HOLYHEAD. summer resort and bathing-place, for which its situation has peculiar and undoubted advantages. It contains two churches, several Dissenting chapels, numerous lodging-houses, a noble reading-room, and baths. Druidical and other British antiquities are numerous in the vicinity. On an eminence called Dinas, or Fen-y-ddinas, are remains of a British fortification, which gives the name to the hundred — viz. “ Creuddyn” {the bloody fort), coTi?>istmg of a wall of great thickness around the summit of the hill, within which are a number of large circular excavations, sup- posed by Mr. Pennant to have been the rude habitations of the native possessors. Within this also is a large rocking- stone called Oryd Ticdno, or St. Tudno’s Cradle, a huge rude block, surrounded by a fosse. About a quarter of a mile from this ancient fort, in a westerly direction, we come across an old British cell, devoted to the service of the Moon probably, as its name, Lletty’r filiast” {the cell of the greyhound hitch), implies ; and close behind this are the remains of an old cairn, where many urns were found some years ago. On the western extremity of the Orme, close to the sea and not very much above its level, are to be seen the ruins of Sogarth Abbey. This was for- merly an appendage to the Abbey of Conway, and though now washed by the sea, was formerly quite inland. The low table-land on which this ruin stands is crescentic in shape, and well sheltered from the north and east by the abrupt rising of the rock behind. This warm situation will eventually become the Undercliff of Llandudno, for which it is admirably adapted."^ The Great Orme’s Head is a vast rocky promontory, converted into an agreeable promenade and place of recreation. It is surrounded by a walk, affording beautiful marine views, and an inland prospect towards the vale of Conway and the range of Caernarvonshire mountains. The cliffs, which are very abrupt, and hollowed into caverns by the action of the sea, abound with sea-birds. The rock, which seems formerly to have been an island, consists of carboniferous limestone, uniformly dipping from every side towards a common centre, * For further information regarding this locality, see Catherall and Prichard’s Guide-Book of Llandudno, and Thomas Williams’ History and Natural History of Llandudno. Plan of Llandudno. (Copied by permission from Mr. Williams’ Guide to Llandudno.) 42 CHESTER TO HOLYHEAD. where a valuable deposit of copper-ore is embedded. The highest point of the Orme rises abruptly in the shape of a huge conical elevation to the height of 750 feet above the sea-level, and commands an extensive view on all sides. Resuming the route at Llandudno junction, we cross the mouth of the river Conway by a tubular bridge, constructed on the same principle as the one across the Menai Straits, and enter CONWAY, OR ABERCONWAY. [Hotels : Csistle ; Erskine Arms; Harp; Liverpool Arms.] Chester, 45 miles; Bangor, 15 ; Rhyl, 15 ; Llanrwst, 12 ; Bettws-y-coed, 16 ; Llandudno, 4 ; Penmaen-mawr, 4J ; Aber, 9 ; Caerheen, 4^ ; Porthllwyd Waterfall, 6. When approaching this ancient fortified town, its aspect is so singularly grand and impressive, that strangers are apt to indulge expectations which the first near view of its poor, ill-built, neglected streets will be likely to disappoint ; and the remark of Pennant may seem to be verified — ^^A more ragged town within is scarcely to be seen, nor a more beauti- ful one without.” However, more deliberate inspection and more intimate knowledge may justify the opinion of Sir R. C. Hoare, who says of this place — I have seen no town where the military works of art are so happily blended with the picturesque features of nature ; and no spot which the artist will at first sight view with greater rapture, or quit with greater reluctance.” In like manner, another competent judge, Miss Costello, writes — “ We had heard much of this boast of North Wales, and on our arrival, far from considering that too much had been said, I think that no description, however enthusiastic, can do justice to one of the most romantic and interesting spots in Europe.” The towm is beautifully situated, on a steep slope, on the left bank of the river Conway, where it falls into the ocean, and hence the name by which the Welsh generally designate it, Aberconwny. It is of a triangular form, somewhat resemb- ling the shape of a Welsh harp, to which it is commonly likened. It is surrounded by a wall, one mile and a quarter in length, and 12 feet thick, fortified with towers and battle- ments. These, together with four gateways, are in a good state of preservation. It presents a rare example of the CONWAY. 43 Saracenic or Moorisli style of building, which was introduced by the Crusaders on returning from the east. There are some curious old timber houses ; and one, espe- cially, is worthy of notice, called Plas Mawr, or the Great Mansion, and bearing date 1585. It was built by Eobert Wynn of Gwydir, in the reign of Elizabeth, and is a good specimen of the domestic architecture of that period. It now belongs to the family of Mostyn, by whom it is kept in repair. The tourist will have no difficulty in obtaining access, and will be gratified by a sight of the spacious rooms, with their panelled walls and carved decorations. Besides the letters E.W., the initials of the founder, the letters E.E. and E.D. frequently occur ; thus coupling the initials of the Queen with those of her haughty favourite Leicester. The Church has little to interest, either in its architecture or its history. 44 CHESTER TO HOLYHEAD. There are some good monuments of the Wynns, and a stone is pointed out, with an inscription in memory of Nicholas Hookes, of Conway, Gent., who was the 41st child of his father, William Hookes, Esq., by Alice, his wife, and the father of 27 children, who died 20th March 1637.” Pop. 1855. The authentic annals of the town commence with Conway Castle, erected in 1284 by Edward I., as a security against Welsh insurrection, commanding the pass of CONWAY CASTLE FROM THE RIVER. Penmaen-mawr, which then formed, as it now does, the road to Snowdon and Anglesey. When in its perfect state, this castle must have been one of the most magnificent fortresses of Britain. Pennant says, one more beautiful never arose.” The form was oblong, and it was placed on the verge of a pre- cijjitous rock, one side bounded by the river, a second by a creek filled at every tide, and the remaining two facing the town. On the land side was a moat, crossed by a drawbridge. A small entrance, well defended, communicated with the river CONWAY CASTLE AND SUSPENSION BRIDGE. 45 by narrow winding steps cut in the rock. The walls were of great thickness, and flanked by eight vast circular embattled towers, each of which was surmounted by a slender watch- tower, singularly graceful and elegant. The two at the sides of the grand entrance were called the King’s and the Queen’s towers ; and in each there was a beautiful oriel window. The interior of the castle was divided into two courts. The great hall was 130 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 20 feet high, lighted by nine windows, six lancet-shaped opening upon the creek, and three larger and pointed looking towards the spacious court. The roof was supported by eight massive arches, four of which remain, overgrown with ivy. Beneath were extensive vaults for ammunition and provisions. Edward, accompanied by his consort Eleanor, and attended by many English nobles, spent a Christmas here, indulging in all the festivities of a luxurious court. The castle was taken by the Parliamentary forces under General Mytton in 1646. In 1665, Edward, Earl of Conway, to whom a grant of it had been made after the Kestoration, dismantled this beautiful fortress in a barbarous manner, and caused the timber, iron, lead, and other movable materials to be transported to Ire- land for the repair of his own property in that kingdom. This fortress has been made the scene of Lewis’s drama “ The Castle Spectre^^ and of Gray’s well-known ode The Bard? The ruin is the property of the crown, and is held at a nomi- nal rent by the Dowager Lady Erskine. Conway Suspension Bridge was designed and executed by Mr. Telford, under the sanction of parliamentary commis- sioners, in order to obviate the inconvenience and hazard of the previous ferry. The work was commenced in 1822, and completed in 1826. The chains at the W. extremity are con- ducted and secured within the rock beneath the castle, and at the E . end within a rock before insulated, but now connected with the shore by an embankment 2013 feet long, and at an extreme elevation of 54 feet. The suspended roadway measures between the centres of the towers 327 feet ; it is 32 feet wide, and is elevated 18 feet above high water. The principles on which this bridge is constructed are precisely the same as those of the suspension bridge carried by the same eminent engineer across the straits of Menai. The same remark applies to the tubular bridge, which stands 46 CHESTER TO HOLYHEAD. close beneath, the walls of the venerable castle, and only a few feet south from the chain bridge. The masonry of both these bridges is designed to harmonise with that of the castle, the whole forming a most picturesque group. The construction of this bridge is in all respects similar to that over the Menai Straits, but it consists of only one span of 400 feet, which is 60 feet less than that of the Britannia Bridge, and its elevation above high water is only 18 feet. The first stone was laid on June 15, 1846. The first tube was commenced in March 1847. It was floated on March 6, 1848, and raised to its position on April 16, and on May 1 trains passed through it. The second tube was floated on October 12, 1848, and at the end of that month the whole was in daily use for traffic. Starting again from Conway, the next station reached is PENMAEN-MAWE. Five miles from Conway. [Hotel : The Penmaen-Mawr, large and excellent, close to station and shore. Connected with the hotel is a complete sea-bathing establishment.] This delightful and retired watering-place is situated in the plain of Dwygyfylchi, a favoured tract, distinguished for its fertility, and screened from every harsh wind by the two headlands Penmaen-mawr and Penmaen-bach, which form the northern terminating point of the grand Snowdon range of mountains. Penmaen signifies the head or end of the stone, or rock ; and mawr and hach are, respectively, great and small. The latter is a mass of rock, projecting boldly toward the sea, the road being carried round the point, and near to the beach, without much elevation ; while, for the railway, the rock is pierced by a tunnel 630 yards in length. A few years ago this sequestered spot was known only to the primitive inhabit- ants of the little village of Penmina ; now villas of every size and style are dotted over the hills. The old road from Conway — a charming walk for foot- passengers — leaves the old town by the arched gateway in the south-west angle of the walls, traverses some wild moor- land country until it gains the top of the neck of Penmaen-bach (a Swiss pass in miniature), and then descends in a zigzag PENMAEN-MAWR. 47 course down the side of the dry valley (Sychnant) to the an- cient village of Dwygyfylchi (pronounced Duegevelchi), pre- senting at every step views of sea, mountain, and valley. From this village there is a narrow path, which leads to “ The Glen,” a deep ravine of great heauty and wildness, lying between two thickly- wooded hills. Down the centre of this ravine a rapid river rushes wildly over stones and rocks, and in one place, at three bounds, makes a beautiful waterfall, amidst a tropical luxuriance of tall ferns, pine-trees, wild flowers, grasses, and moss-covered rocks. On the lower side of the village there is a prettily- wooded dell, in the midst of which, half-buried in trees, stands the parish church, a building of no architectural pretensions, but having a quaint and hallowed aspect. Beyond the church lies Pendyffryn Park, the seat of S. D. Darbyshire, Esq., and, a little further on, the promontory of Penmaen-bach slopes into the sea. After leaving the old village, the road passes Taibach, the residence of the Eev. J. Hughes ; a little farther, that of H. Cram, Esq. ; and soon after turns round a projecting spur of Moel Llys, called from tradition The Kock of Weeping.” A little further on we pass the modern mansion of Murray Gladstone, Esq., and then descend the hill Bryntirion, or Mount Pleasant, with its new church. At the junction with the new road from Conway there are many handsome villas, some pretty cottages — one of which is the old post-office — and a few shops. We now enter on the Chester and Holyhead turnpike road (passing the branch road on the right hand, which leads to the hotel), and pass the pretty summer retreat of E. Knee- shaw. Esq., and soon after the tramway of the Craiglwyd Quarry Company, who obtain here the Welsh paving-stones of hard blue trap-rock, which constitutes the structure of this range of mountains. Travellers with steady heads may take their seats in the empty trucks (used for lowering the stone down from the mountain) and save themselves the fatigue of making the ascent of the mountain. Beyond Plas-ty-mawr — a spot selected by the Eight Hon. W. E. Gladstone as a summer residence — in the midst of its pleasant grounds, is the village of Penmina — a row of cottages inhabited by the workmen of the stone-quarries. Immediately after leaving this village 48 CHESTER TO HOLYHEAD. we enter the Pass of Penmaen-mawr^ a vast, gloomy rock, presenting towards the sea a rugged and almost perpendicular front, its height above sea-level being 1553 feet. The stu- pendous obstruction to travellers was formerly surmounted only by a steep zigzag road, narrow and unprotected, the passage of which must have been truly terrific and dangerous. At each extremity there was a small public-house, on the sign-boards of which appeared the following couplets, attri- buted to the witty Dean Swift : — “ Before you venture hence to pass, Take a good refreshing glass.” “ Now, you’re over, take another. Your drooping spirits to recover.” Many disastrous occurrences are recorded in connection with this formidable pass. At length, in 1772, the government was induced to assist in executing a plan suggested by a Mr. John Sylvester, and in laying out the present line of road, which has, more recently, been further and very greatly im- proved under the direction of Mr. Telford. It is now broad and safe, well guarded on the sea-side, and forming a truly noble terrace, along which the traveller walks or rides in per- fect security, beneath the huge shadows of the gigantic cliff, on the one side ; and looking down, on the other, to a splen- did ocean view, the broad waters of the Menai, the bold pro- montory of Orme’s Head, the island of Prlestholm, which seems to hold the key of the straits, and the town of Beau- maris. On the summit of Penmaen-mawr stands Br aich-y -Dinas ^ (or Dinas Fenmaen), a British fortified post of extraordinary strength, and of extent sufficient to afford shelter to 20,000 men. Within the innermost enclosure is a well with an unfail- ing supply of pure fresh water. This is deemed the strongest post possessed by the Britons in the district of Snowdon ; it was, indeed, impregnable. Here the reduced bands of the brave Welsh army were stationed during the negotiation be- tween their Prince Llewelyn and King Edward I. About a mile from Braich-y-Dinas is Y Meini Hirion^ a remarkable Druidi- cal circle, 80 feet in diameter, consisting of ten erect stones, enclosed by a stone wall, besides several smaller circles, one of which surrounds the remains of a cromlech. One of CHESTER & SHREWSBURY RAILWAYS A\l) tfimntn). w7*i//;./v / iOn-istl,i\ / ^ fyX ^^uiitny^fiolesw)wih / > \ C \iitnu^ IMmfpuff'/vi uSt,HJtu> r,it.U'tiiiiX ' iloliTi^jA ^ /\ 'iKhnlon Nn vm^XiiiAtyL.,^ iPm,il Rhovl' '^nKAiW4ltig>-^ /^VT/^/■/^/fA^ft (W7ir/r ^limlw^ .KitjiiiaV'w Moi’l Eithm AUyif/nr kuj:sx f (Uhrlhlltiwl 'nrHcnii^' Ip'fldol.'ui' j) pwiiftJ/,, Mod Jtehfi^ Pablished- A. i't C Bladr,E6i'u'bmrgli ABER. 49 the upright stones, from its resemblance to a human figure, is called ‘‘ the Deity Stone another, having a cup-like cavity on the top capable of holding a child, “ the Stone of Sacrifice.” A sanguinary battle was fought here between the Eomans and British, and the cairns, now visible, are said to have been raised over the bodies of the British who were slain. The ascent can be made in several directions, but the best and easiest is that which passes the Druid’s Circle. This route begins at the old post-office, and ascends by a narrow mountain-road, until, near the top, it emerges at the Green Gorge, a glassy slope in the cleft between the Bilberry and Cerrig-y-Druidion Hills. A walk to the top of Moel Llys is another interesting excursion. So is that to Llan- gelynin Church. The church is itself a curiosity, but its chief attraction lies in its site, and the magnificent view it com- mands of the Vale of Llanrwst and of the opposite hills of Denbighshire. The extinct volcano, Lyn Dulin, or tlie Black Lake, is another great attraction of the neighbourhood. It lies near the foot of Carnedd Llewelyn, about midway between Penmaen-mawr and Capel Curig. Proceeding westwards we pass the village of Llanpair- FECHAN, much frequented. Here Mr. Platt of Oldham has erected a very elegant mansion. Two and a half miles further is ABEE, [Hotel : Bulkeley Arms.] a delightful little village, situated at the entrance of a romantic glen, through which flows a small stream called Gwygregyn^ i.e. the stream of white shells ; perhaps from the number of small cockles found on the coast. The glen extends in a S.E. direction about 2 miles, having on one side a lofty hill, covered with luxuriant wood ; and on the other, a stupendous rock called Maes y Gaer, At the termination, a dark mountain, Y Foel Frds, presents a vast concave front, down the centre of which a stream is precipitated in a double fall, dashing from a great height, and forming the celebrated cataract, which bears a name common to many cascades, Rhayadr Mawr^ and sometimes also termed Rhayadr Gwyn, The upper part is broken by the rugged cliff into three or four divisions ; the lower is a broad sheet of foaming water, falling more than 60 feet. E 50 CHESTER TO HOLYHEAD. Near the village is the Mwd^ an artificial conical mount, on which formerly stood a palace of the Welsh princes, where Llewelyn the Great received a summons from Edward I. to surrender the principality to the crown of England. Vestiges of the moat, and of the cut from the river which supplied it, are still visible. A field at a short distance, called Cae Gwilym D4, or Black William’s Field, was the scene of a tragedy in 1229. A Nor- man knight, William de Breos, was taken prisoner by Llewelyn ap Jorwerth, at the siege of Montgomery, in the reign of Henry III. During his captivity at Aber, he had carried on an intrigue with the Princess Joan, daughter of the deceased King John, who had been constrained to marry Llewelyn. After De Breos had obtained his ransom, Llewelyn’s suspi- cions were awakened ; and to gratify his revenge he inveigled the knight to attend a banquet, and then, reproaching him with his crime, caused him to be immediately hung. Joan, ignorant of the occurrence, was led forth for a walk by her husband (or, as some say, by his bard), and having been asked, tauntingly, what she would give to see her lover, was pointed to his gibbet. Tradition has preserved the memory of the event, in a Welsh distich, giving both the cruel ques- tion and the rash reply : — * ^ “ Diccyn, doccyn, gwraig Llywelyn, Beth a roit ti am weled Gwilym?” “ Tell me, wife of Llewelyn, what would you give to behold your William?” The princess, in the ardour of affection, answered — “ Cymru, Lloegr, a Llywelyn, Arown i gyd am weled Gwilym.” Wales, England, and Llewelyn, I’d give them all to see my William.” Aber Church is an ancient edifice, with a square tower. There is a ferry across the La van sands to Beaumaris. The distance to the channel at low water is nearly four miles, but as the sands frequently shift, the walk should not be attempted without a guide. In foggy weather, a great bell in Aber church, presented by Lord Bulkeley in 1817, is con- stantly rung in order to direct travellers. Aber has a good hotel (the Bulkeley Arms), and is a con- venient resting-place for those who wish to explore the neigh- bouring country, or to make the ascent of Penmaen-mawr. VIEW OF BANGOR FROM HEIGHTS ABOVE TOWN. BANGOR. [Hotels: Penrhyn Arms ; Railway; George; British, etc.] Coach from Railway Hotel several times daily to Quarries. Fare, 2s. 6d. This city is of great antiquity, and modern improvements have rendered it one of the most important places in North Wales. The name is derived from Ban clior, the high or beautiful choir. It was formerly called Bangor faw'r, or the great Bangor, to distinguish it from Bangor Iscoed, in Flint- shire. The town consists mainly of one rather narrow street, in a waving line, nearly a mile in length, stretching N.E. and S.W. through a romantic valley, between two ridges of rock ; that 52 CHESTER TO HOLYHEAD. on one side being high and precipitous, tlie other a lower and more gradual acclivity. It is situated near the strait of Menai, at its opening to the Lavan sands. The rising grounds about the city in every direction afford extensive prospects, embrac- ing a great variety of coast and mountain scenery. Owing to the peculiar beauty of its situation, it has long been a favourite place of resort, and the number of visitors has greatly increased since the construction of the Suspension and Tubular Bridges across the Menai Straits. When Dr. Johnson visited this city in 1774, in company with Mr. and Mrs. Thrale, he found a different state of things prevailing from what exists now, he writes, “At evening the moon shone eminently bright, and our thoughts of danger (on crossing Penmaen-mawr) being now past, the rest of our journey was very pleasant. At an hour somewhat late, we came to Bangor, where we found a very mean inn, and had some difficulty of obtaining a lodging. I lay in a room where the other bed had two men.” What a contrast is now found ! Within the city, besides private lodging-houses, there are excellent Hotels adapted to all classes of travellers ; at about a quarter of a mile east is the Penrhyn Arms Hotel, built by Lord Penrhyn, which ranks with the largest and best in the kingdom, and near the Suspension Bridge is the well- known George Hotel, in a charming situation, within sight and sound of the dashing stream. The most important buildings in Bangor are the Cathedral, Episcopal Palace, Deanery-house, meeting-houses for various denominations of Dissenters, Homan Catholic chapel, free school, union poor-house, infirmary for the counties of Car- narvon and Anglesey, market-house, assembly-rooms, tem- perance-hall, and three banks. 23 augur Catl)rtfral is an embattled cruciform structure, having a low massive tower, crowned with pinnacles, but destitute of all richness of ornament. Although the situation is low, the just proportions and simplicity of its architecture have a pleasing effect. It occupies the site of a more ancient edifice, which, at different times, suffered severely from con- tending parties. Originally founded about 525, it was destroyed by the Anglo-Normans in 1071. Being afterwards rebuilt, it was again overthrown in 1 2 1 1 . A partial restora- tion was effected, but in the wars between Henry HI. and BANGOR. 53 the Welsh, about 1247, it again suffered much injury ; and in 1402 it was burned down during the ravages of Owen Glyndwr ; and for more than ninety years it remained in ruins. The choir was rebuilt in the time of Henry YII., and the tower and nave were added, at the expense of Bishop Skeffington, in 1532. As in the case of many other eccle- siastical buildings, a subscription has been set on foot for the restoration of the edifice. The interior contains some monu- ments bearing interesting historical references to Welsh princes and bishops. Prince Owen Gwynedd, and his brother Cadwaladr, were buried near the great altar, and this fact is recorded in an inscription on the wall ; but the tomb, which used to be seen under a pointed arch, is now built up, and concealed from view within the thickness of the wall. The building is used for both cathedral and parish services ; the former conducted in the English language, the latter in Welsh. The Bishop’s Palace is situated in a low flat, a little N. of the Cathedral. It is large and commodious, but has no pre- tensions to architectural distinction. The residence of the Dean is also adjacent ; and in the vicinity are some old en- dowed almshouses, and an endowed free-school for 100 beys, founded in the reign of Elizabeth. The slates raised in the neighbouring quarries create a considerable export trade. They are conveyed on a railway to Port Penrhyn, at the mouth of the river Cegid, a little to the east of the town, which is accessible for vessels of 200 to 300 tons at all states of the tide, has a quay upwards of 300 yards in length. An immense tonnage of slates is shipped from hence to all parts of the world. A Museum, including an extensive collection of rare and curious articles, may afford agreeable and instructive occupa- tion for a leisure-hour. It was formed at much cost, and with persevering diligence, by Captain Jones, and is exhibited to the public on payment of a small fee. On a rocky eminence in the vicinity there are some vestiges of an ancient Castle^ attributed to Hugh Lupus, first Earl of Chester, and on the opposite height may be traced the remains of a British encampment. Immediately opposite the Penrhyn Arms Hotel a road conducts to an eminence, from which there is an extensive and pleasing view of the neighbouring country. The towers of Penrhyn Castle rise conspicuously in the land- 54 CHESTER TO HOLYHEAD. scape, and the eye is led eastwards along the coast to the promontory of the Great Orme’s Head. The market is held on Fridays ; and, in the summer, also on Tuesdays. The population has increased with remarkable rapidity. In 1801 the parish contained only 1770 in- habitants; in 1831,' 4751 ; 1851, 9564; and in ]861, 10,662. Bangor is one of the six contributory boroughs in Carnarvonshire, which conjointly send one member to the House of Commons. EXCURSIOlSrS ritOM bangor. VISIT TO PENRHYN CASTLE AND THE SLATE- QUARRIES. N.B. — A coach from Railway Hotel several times daily, fare 2s. 6d. This is one of the most interesting excursions to be made from Bangor, the slate-quarries being the largest in England. The road (being the regular road to Capel Curig), follows for some time the left bank of the river Ogwen, and the dis- tance will be about 6 miles — viz. to Bethesda 5, and another to the quarries. The first place reached, after leaving Bangor, is the small village of Llandegai situated at the junction of the roads from Shrewsbury and Chester, and near to the main entrance to Penrhyn Park. A good bridge here crosses the river Ogwen. The Church, dedicated to St. Tegai, contains some effigies from Llanfaes Priory, and a mural monument, in memory of John Williams, statesman, warrior, and prelate. Lord-keeper of the Great Seal in the reign of J ames I., and Archbishop of York in that of Charles I. He is represented in episcopal robes, kneeling at an altar. There is also an elegant marble monument, by Westmacott, in memory of Lord and Lady Penrhyn. The supporters are a female peasant deploring the loss of her benefactors, and a quarry-labourer earnestly re- garding the inscription commemorative of their worth. Be- neath are four smaller emblematical figures, representing the state of the country when his lordship commenced his im- provements, the industry which he stimulated and recom- pensed, the religious instruction which he sought to diffuse, FROM 7HE HILL OPPOSITE THE PENRHYN ARM PENRHYN CASTLE. 55 and the abundance and prosperity resulting from his en- lightened efforts. The parish is more than 1 5 miles in length, • stretching from the shore of the Menai straits far into the mountainous region of Snowdon, and including a district which abounds with mineral treasures. Llandegai was the scene of battle during the civil wars. It was here that Sir John Owen, with a small company of soldiers, attempted to arrest the progress of the Parliamentary forces under Carter and Twistleton. Sir John was overpowered, and while many of his men were killed, he, with a hundred others, was taken prisoner. He wsls sent to Walmer Castle, and put on trial along with the Duke of Hamilton, Lord Holland, and other nobles. When condemned, and sentenced to be beheaded, he bowed and gave thanks to his judges ; and on being asked what he meant, he replied that he deemed it a great honour to lose his head with such noble lords, and that being a plain gentleman of Wales, he had been afraid that they would hang him. He was, however, deprived of this great honour,” for Ireton having pleaded in his behalf, he received a pardon, and retired to Wales, where he died in 1666. A monument was erected to his memory at Penmorfa church, Carnarvon- shire. Here, we are at the main entrance-gate to Penrhyn Castle, the magnificent mansion of Lord Penrhyn, which occupies a commanding elevation half-a-mile to the north of Llandegai village, on the supposed site of the ancient palace of Eoderic Molwynog, Prince of Wales. It is constructed in the richest Norman style, and displays a vast range of buildings crowned with lofty towers, of which five are circular, and two are square with angular turrets. One of these, the great tower, or keep, is copied from Kochester Castle. The park, about 7 miles in circuit, is surrounded by a lofty fence constructed of slate. Kespectable strangers will easily obtain admittance to the castle on Tuesdays and also on Thursdays, in the eve-nt of the family being absent. In the splendour of the apartments, furniture, and decorations, much will be found to interest and gratify the visitor ; while, nossibly, some may incline to judge that the enormous pro- fusion of splendid and gorgeous ornament displays an elabora- tion and excess beyond what true taste can approve . Among the heirlooms of Penrhyn is a Hirlas, or drinking-horn, the large bugle of an ox, chased with silver, and suspended by a 56 CHESTER TO HOLYHEAD. silver chain ; curious as a memorial of ancient manners. This appears to have belonged to the hero, Piers Gryffydd. who owned the Penrhyn estate in the reign of Elizabeth. He joined the fleet of Sir Francis Drake, in a vessel which he purchased and equipped at his own cost, and was engaged in the action with the Spanish Armada. Another specimen of the Hirlas is in the possession of Earl Cawdor, at Golden Grove, Carmarthenshire. The Hirlas appears to have been used at festivals, in the same manner as the Saxon wassail- bowl, and it was customary that those who had the honour of drinking from it should empty the horn at one draught, and then sound it, to prove that they had thoroughly performed the required feat. The name Hirlas, a compound of Mr, long, and glds, blue or azure, is alluded to in the spirited poem of Owen Cyfeiliog, Prince of Powis, addressed to his cup-bearer : — ** Pride of feasts, profound and blue, Of the ninth wave’s azure hue. The drink of heroes formed to hold. With art enriched, and lid of gold.” One of the Welsh melodies of Mrs. Hemans may recur to the memory of the reader : — “ Fill high the blue MrlaSy that shines like the wave. When sunbeams are bright on the spray of the sea ; And bear thou the rich foaming mead to the brave, The dragons of battle, the sons of the free ! To those from whose spears, in the shock of the fight, A beam, like heaven’s lightning, flashed over the field ; To those who came rushing, as storms in their might ; Who have shivered the helmet, and cloven the shield ; The sound of whose strife was like ocean’s afar. When lances were red from the harvest of war. “ Fill higher the hirlas ! forgetting not those Who shared its bright draught in the days which are fled. Though cold on their mountains the valiant repose, Their lot shall be lovely — renown to the dead I While harps in the hall of the feast shall be strung. While regal Eryri * with snow shall be crowned — So long by the bards shall their battles be sung, And the heart of the hero shall burn at the sound. The free winds of Maelor^ shall swell with their name, And Owen’s rich hirlas be filled to their fame.” Eryri, the native designation of Snowdon, probably signifying eagles' rocks. t Maelor, part of the counties of Denbigh and Flint. BETHESDA. 57 On leaving Llandegai the road follows the left bank of the Ogwen for about a mile ; then, crossing to the right bank, it continues upwards to Bethesda {Hotel: The Douglas Arms]. This village contains from 5000 to 6000 inhabitants, who are chiefly em- ployed in the slate-quarry, and the population is on the in- crease. The village contains handsome shops, and has also weekly markets, the largest being that on which the quarry- men receive their monthly pay. On the left, at the upper part of the town, is the beautiful church erected by Lord Penrhyn, and endowed in 1856. On the side of the hill above the church are a number of model cottages called Bryn Eglwys, built on the Penrhyn estate, which are particularly comfortable and clean, and supplied with gardens, in which the quarrymen (who are particularly fond of gardening) re- create themselves after their day’s work. Below the church is the National school (also erected and maintained by Lord Penrhyn), in which about 230 children are instructed. On the opposite side of the road is Ogwen Terrace, a row of about 21 houses and shops ; and higher up is the principal hotel — The Douglas Arms — in which the tourist will And excellent accommodation. It is situated on the banks of the Ogwen river, and being the nearest hotel to the famous Ogwen Lake (distant 4 miles), it is a resort of anglers. The proprietor has the privilege of supplying boats on Lake Ogwen to tourists. At Bethesda the tourist is within 10 miles of Capel Curig. The Penrhyn Slate-Quarries are situated about 1 mile from the village, and 6 miles to the south of Bangor. They are the property of Lord Penrhyn, and their inspection will fully repay the trouble and time of a visit. They are of vast extent, and wrought with every improvement of mechanical science. The tourist may be interested in observing and ad- miring the ingenious processes adopted in the preparation of slates for various purposes. The loud hum of busy life and industry, the startling blasts perpetually recurring and rever- berating from hill to hill, the throngs of labourers suspended by ropes over the face of the cliffs, or standing on narrow ledges of rock, the ranges of galleries formed one above an- other, the pumping engines, the inclined planes, the mills and saws, and the heaps of slates duly assorted and covering many acres of ground, will combine to produce astonishment 58 CHESTER TO HOLYHEAD. at the commercial enterprise which has transformed these mountain- wastes into sources of industrious occupation, private wealth, and national prosperity. An average quantity of 200 tons of slates is daily con- veyed hence by railway to this port at Bangor, whence they are exported not only to every part of the United Kingdom, to almost all places in the civilised world. About 3000 men and boys have constant employment in the quarries ; and, including those engaged at the port, and the wives and children of the workmen, not fewer than 11,000 individuals are supported by these works. It is gratifying to know that, while employment, adequately remunerated, supplies the sur- rounding population with the means of subsistence and com- fort, provision is liberally made for their intellectual, moral, and religious culture. About a mile beyond Bethesda is Ogwen Bank (an occasional residence of Lord Penrhyn), an elegant cottage or mansion of moderate extent, surrounded with luxuriant plantations of flowering shrubs and forest- trees, strikingly contrasting with the bleak and barren moun- tains in the vicinity. Near to it there is a remarkable fall of the river Ogwen. The road may be agreeably continued by Lake Ogwen to Capel Curig, which is 15 miles distant from Bangor. MENAI SUSPENSION AND BRITANNIA TUBULAR BRIDGES. The Menai Suspension Bridge is approached from Bangor by an excellent road, affording fine views of the sur- rounding scenery. The distance from the city to the bridge is 2|- miles. The Menai Strait, which the bridge crosses, is a channel separating the island of Anglesey from the county of Carnarvon. It extends about 14 miles from Beaumaris at the N.E., to Abermenai at the S.W., varying in breadth from 200 yards to 2 miles. Prior to the erection of the bridge, the communication between the opposite shores was effected by means of ferry-boats only ; and the passage, necessarily occa- sioning much inconvenience and delay, was not unfrequently attended by considerable danger. Being in the direct course Milislied. "by C.ELack.SSiiibm:^, • ■ -;=ss« / . i Minj(ii)i\id. Vjruxwr Jd^y iw.tir.w‘x '////'jflilflliv,' ^dywarcJveft. idRriuihaf 011000 Oicav-y-gc Dinojf. E d±GLbxcr^]i, PuEEi AND VICINITY Shewing the tracks to tlie summit SaJe of'JIile.1 Tdb^^raictv ]a--L3< ivab % Uy-woxaiy y^^Ghpdez- -£ar^* md, 'Jun/y-grai.^ ■ "crvA&C. Black. Drayim, & Engraved, hy J Barth/olamcw, Edinf 01 VJHWE0'iiV< or VwU*^ SNOWDON. 99 5 ' The siunmit, not more than six or seven yards in diameter, ^ is surrounded by a dwarf wall, on which it is convenient to I lean or sit while deliberately surveying the magnificent pro- spects on every side. A comfortable house has been erected for the purposes of shelter, refreshment, and repose, if needed. , The distance from the Victoria Hotel to the summit of Y . Wyddfa is about 5 miles. Travellers have commonly ex- aggerated the difficulties of the ascent. In favourable weather, ' it is really nothing more than what any person, who has good health, and is accustomed to regular moderate exercise, may without fear or hesitation undertake. The indispensable requisites are suitable garments, an early morning start, an experienced guide, some slight provisions, a horn or flask for I water, and a resolute abstinence from stimulating beverages, or at least the most scrupulous moderation in the use of them. From Capel Curig the ascent of Snowdon is grandest in point of scenic effect, but the distance to the point where the real ascent is commenced is greater, and the course to be subsequently traversed extremely rugged. The route is through the valley of the Mymbyr^ and past Pen~y-gwryd, 5 miles on the road to Llanberis ; then turn on the left to a small pool called Llyn Teyrn, along a beaten track above Cwm Dyli, and close to the S.E. margin of Llyn Llydiaw ; then westerly, leaving the Llywedd, one of the buttresses of Snow dou, to the left, and thence, by a difficult and circuitous course, to the highest point, Y Wyddfa. This route may be readily traced on the accompanying chart. In this manner other routes might be indicated, but as : the chart supplies more effectually the information required, little advantage could be derived from such sketches ; and it is believed that more pleasure will be drawn from personal narratives of the ascent furnished by two accomplished modern writers, Thomas Eoscoe, Esq., in his “ Wanderings and Excur- sions in North Wales,’’ and Sir Thomas Noon Talfourd, in his “ Vacation Eambles.” Mr. Eoscoe writes, On one occasion, while staying at the Victoria Hotel, I determined to commence the ascent of Snow- don at such an early hour as would afford me the prospect of a glorious sunrise from the top of that lofty mountain. For 1 this purpose I engaged a guide, whom I ordered to be in readi- 100 SNOWDON. ness the following morning, and at the appointed time, after some hasty refreshment, we started on our way before day- break, taking care to provide the edibles, ycleped brandy and biscuits, necessary for a day’s sojourn upon the hills. After a wearisome walk we reached the stone-work on the highest point, but only to meet with disappointment, for thick mists invested the pinnacle of Y Wyddfa, and the sun rose in murky gloom. The cold was intense, and I was almost disposed to beat a retreat from this comfortless situation, but my com- panion prevailed on me to remain, assuring me, from his long experience, that the morning might yet prove to be remark- ably fine. He was correct in his prognostication, and a day of wonderful revelations rewarded me for this exercise of patience. After waiting for nearly two hours, the heavy clouds moved forward in tempestuous eddies, and for a few minutes the scene was without any parallel for its novel and sublime character. The objects immediately surrounding me, and the summits of the loftier hills, appeared to roll with the surge of the sweeping and dispersing fogs. As they slowly debouched, column after column, the horizon began to clear, and the splendid scenery below disclosed itself more dis- tinctly. The sun, breaking forth from his pavilion of clouds, illuminated the mural steeps of the Lly wedd, and shed a sudden radiance over the lakes and vales below. The panoramic views presently became more grand and extensive. Far as the eye could reach a vision of wondrous power and beauty unfolded itself, awakening new thoughts and feelings in the soul, which trembled while it exulted in tracing the startling and majestic characters stamped by an Omnipotent hand upon these his glorious works. The atmosphere became perfectly clear ; the day, magnificently beautiful, displayed the most distant objects to the far-off horizon of the sea, in the most brilliant and varied illuminations. The red veins of Crib Goch reflected back a stream of sanguine rays, as quick and fierce as those which glittered upon his ridge. The singular and fantastic forms of these rocky formations, either primitive or time-worn, pinnacled or projecting, running off in bold escarpments, or shelving into sheet-like floors of granite, sometimes yawning in chasms too deep for the light of summer sun to reach, or rounded into amphitheatres that might have formed the council-hall of a race of giants, gleaming in their hues of grey^ SNOWDON. 101 green, and purple, lying in ribbon streaks, or mingling in rich combination, — all, all lay immediately aronnd me. The loftiest points of England, Scotland, and Ireland, were not merely shadowed forth, but were seen ; while the Isle of Man, sparkling with ocean lights, — the Menai, running like a silver thread in a web of verdure, — and Anglesey, with her hills and coasts, appeared to be spread like a map before the eye. The impression was that of a w’orld of solitude stretching out in a succession of prospects, fading into distant softening vistas, as agreeable to the eye as to the imagination, and looking like the val sans retour of fairy-land. The descent from Snowdon into the vale of Llanberis offers many picturesque views, but they are not so interesting or majestic as those on the side of Capel Curig or Beddgelert. A great part of the way is mono- tonous ; but this, in some degree, served to heighten the plea- sure of reaching in safety the delightful scene around old Dolbadarn Tower, which had presented itself under many aspects, with varied effects, from different points upon the hills.” Sir Thomas Noon Talfourd’s description is as follows : — Of the four British mountains which possess the most power- ful influence for the imagination, Snowdon, Cader-Idris, Hel- vellyn, and Ben Nevis, each has its own attributes ; and though in each the most striking feature is that of dark pre- cipice, this is so differently exhibited in each, that if any one familiar with them all could see a single precipice apart from its accessories, he might tell to which mountain it belonged. Of these mountains Snowdon forms beyond comparison the noblest aggregate, because, except on the side opposite Car- narvon, its upper portion is all mighty frame-work, a top up- lifted on vast buttresses, disdaining the round lumpish earth, spreading out skeleton arms towards heaven, and embracing on each side huge hollows, made more awful by the red tints of the copper-ore which deepens among its shadows, and gleams through the scanty herbage of its loveliest pathways. Perhaps I love Snowdon the better on account of its being the first great mountain I ever knew. I have ascended it several times ; from Capel Curig, from Llanberis, and from Beddgelert ; the last time on October 1st, 1839, from the latter place. I am tempted to extract the following account of my ascent from some notes of an Autumn in Wales, made shortly afterwards. 102 SNOWDON. ^ The morning dawned misty, yet promising, and I engaged a car to take me three miles on to the place where the ascent commences. As I rode on the Carnarvon road, speculating on the state of things in the higher regions, I observed a pin- nacle shooting out his head from the mist far into the sky. I asked my guide what height it was, and was told that it was the peak of Snowdon. Seen over the round breast of an intervening hill, it did not look higher than many other points, but was remarkable for its spiral form, and was surmounted, certainly not adorned, by what here appeared to be a little stick, but which in reality is a great piece of timber, stuck up in the midst of a heap of stones, all reared by order of government for a landmark, as if the mountain were not great enough without the addition of this Cockney crown ! We proceeded, keeping this tall head in view, till we reached a gate about three miles on the road, where we quitted the car and began the ascent. We now saw the whole of the S.E. side of the mountain, which presented directly before us its second peak, with the highest just peering over it. Here the mountain did not, at first sight, appear high, not nearly so high as a slender rock we had passed ; but on looking attentively at it you could fancy it crouching to conceal its height. Its aspect was that of a stony hill, surmounted by a green shoulder, on which appeared a steep upward track, with a tall peak just peeping over the ridge, and beyond, a long regular slant, dark against the sky. We walked along a plashy path, very gently rising, to a farm-house ; passed through its yard, and continued by the side of a little stream, curving upwards through the dark rushy meadow, till we reached the first serious ascent among heaps of rocks, which bestrew the lower part of the hill. We now began to feel ourselves rapidly rising, winding about among grass and pieces of rock, till we reached a great flat stone on which we rested, and the view from which was remarkable. Before us lay the simple unadorned lake of Bettws, with its one great rock rising to shield it ; beyond, seen through two ranges of hill, the towers of Carnarvon castle ; and below, but ap- parently quite close, Anglesey seen mapped out to Holyhead. The sea spread its lovely blue on each side of Anglesey, but the Menai Straits were entirely hidden ; and the effect was that of standing on a terrace of which the towers of Carnarvon SNOWDON. 103 formed the battlements, and looking directly down on a huge garden below. Hence ascending, we found the second peak rising far higher above us than the summit itself had appeared from the plain. A spring of clear, cold, exquisite water de- tained us a few minutes, as it is the highest on this side of the mountain. On the Capel Curig side there is a spring not very far below the summit. Here I tasted the w^ater, having prepared the way by a little brandy with which the guide had taken care that we should be provided. Here we saw the sea in front as w^ell as to the west, between the huge openings of the mountains, and looked into a great valley branching off in that direction, which contains two lakes within its depth, between which Wilson sat when drawing Snowdon. A little onward we reached the margin of the first great hollow of the mountain — not quite so grand as that below the summit of Cader Idris — holding three small pools, instead of, like that, one great tarn. Along the side of the hollow, up the shining track, we now laboured, and found it by far the hardest work of the accent, though not so hard as the Fox’s Path of Cader. Having surmounted this stiff brae, we turned to the left under the second peak beside the precipice, and soon came to a ridge connecting it with a summit, the grandest part by far of the ascent. We now looked into a greater precipice on the opposite side, the greatest of all Snowdon’s hollows, over- shadowed by a shelf of rock of the boldest form, holding a little lake in its depth, and descending to a green ridge over which the road from Beddgelert to Capel Curig, in the vale of Gwynant, is seen, like a line of blue among the green. Beyond the upward ridge, I had glimpses of a third hollow, that which is ascended from Capel Curig, of the same cha- racter, but not quite so large. Hence the path to the summit was sometimes on one side the ridge, sometimes on the other, sometimes on its top; but quite easy, and (in spite of the fables of guide-books, which talk about people dying with fright in it) quite safe. After about two hours and a half’s walk from the road we reached the summit, where I partook of some sandwiches and brandy and water, with great relish. Here the mountain seems drawn to a point, as by five or six cords shouldering to the plain ; and within these to embrace great hollows more or less precipitous, with pools or tarns in their depths. Near the top it is a mere bunch of ridges 104 SNOWDON. surmoTinted by one slender apex, defended by rocky frag- ments like huge tusks. Climbing the mound of stones, I saw the entire panorama, in its kind matcliless, but not so grand as the lower view from the ridge connecting the second peak with the summit. To the W. lay Anglesey, the sea beyond, and I thought I caught a glimpse of the Wicklow mountains. To the N. Moel Siabod, and the great mountains between Capel Curig and the sea, forming the pass, through which the road is conducted among great, bare, stony rocks, glittering in the sun. To the S. the mountains of Merionethshire, among which Cader was easily to be distinguished, and for some minutes a gleam of light revealed the very side of its central precipices along which I had lately climbed ; and beyond, — blue in the distance — crouched Plinlimmon. To the E. a wilderness of mountain, and round at least two- thirds of the view the blue ocean poured, as around the shield of Achilles. The most remarkable feature of this great prospect is the mountain-tarns which gleam upon you from the bosom of the hills. I counted 23, Among them, one very far up its own mountain gleamed out as from a brimming basin, over the Holyhead road, just visible in its huge bed of rock, at least 1500 feet above the neighbouring track of human traffic. I remained on the summit nearly an hour, during which time I was joined by a young friend and two ladies, who had ascended from Llanberis. Gn the descent we walked over the crown of the second peak, whence, and from the ridge, the view is really nobler than from the sum- mit, because the neighbouring mountains are seen in nobler proportion.’ ” In Wordsworth’s Prelude, at the commencement of the last Book (p. 353), a moonlight night on the top of Snowdon is described with great beauty of language. The geological character of Snowdon is peculiar and of great interest ; and for the researches of the botanist it affords an extensive and most productive field. Snowdon was for- merly a royal forest,” and abounded with deer, but the last of these were destroyed at the beginning of the 1 7th century. Some writers have asserted that the higher part of the moun- tain is under snow throughout the year. This, however, is by no means the case. Its highest peak is as much as 800 feet below the point of permanent snow ; and neither in quantity THE PASS OF LLANBERIS. 105 nor duration does the snow here exceed what might he ex- pected from its comparative elevation. Llanberis Village and Church are about half-a-mile beyond the upper end of Lynn Peris, and . about two miles from the Victoria Hotel. They will be passed in pursuing the route to Beddgelert. The parish is extensive, and owing to the proximity of the slate-quarries the population has been greatly increased. The church, dedicated to St. Peris, is for the most part a modern erection, but includes portions of a very ancient structure which was deemed the greatest archi- tectural curiosity in Wales.” The Well of St. Feris, not far from the church, was long held in high repute, and even superstitious veneration, not merely on account of the purity of its waters, but especially for their supposed sanatory efficacy, and their alleged property of revealing future events by the agency of a silver fish which at intervals appeared in the crystal fountain. Some copper-mines in the neighbour- hood are still wrought, although far less productive than formerly. The Pass of Llanberis, between the N. ridge of Snow- don and the S. side of Glyder-fawr, surpasses in awe-inspiring wildness every other scene in the usual tracks of Welsh tourists. It has been sometimes compared to Glencroe, and even to Glencoe, in Scotland, and to the pass in Honister Crag in Cumberland, from all of which, however, it differs in some prominent characteristics. Until within the last few years it was inaccessible to carriages of any description, and was pene- trated only by bold, adventurous pedestrians, and by the hardy ponies of the country. It is now traversed by a well- formed road, which, though ascending and descending steeply, is so easily and so constantly passed by every kind of vehicle, as to discharge from the mind of the traveller every idea of danger, and even of difficulty, and to leave him at liberty, in the utmost tranquillity and composure, to contemplate the majestic and sublime objects amidst which he is conveyed. The precipitous and craggy sides of the ncble mountains, in some parts of basaltic formation, press closely on each other, and shut in the narrow pass. Shattered masses of every form, which have been hurled down from the heights, are lying about in strange confusion, and amidst them a stream, rushing and roaring, hastens its descent to the head of Llyn Peris. 106 NANT GWYNANT. Midway, on the left-hand side of the road, an enormous frag- ment of rock, fallen from the side of Glyder-fawr, has been so precipitated as to assume some resemblance to an immense cromlech. Eesting upon other fragments, it leaves a cavity beneath, which, it is said, an old woman, named Hetty, was wont to occupy as her shelter and resting-place when tending her cattle, sheep, and goats ; and hence it is called Ynys Hettws, or Hetty’s Island, though more generally knoAvn as the Cromlech. At the present time it is partially enclosed by a rude fence of loose stones, and is used as a fold for the washing of sheep. At the summit of the pass, a level verdant space, inviting a pause, and affording a view in both directions, is appropriately named Gorphwysfa — i.e. the resting-place. At rather more than a mile beyond this, the road, having descended quickly, enters the older road between Capel Curig and Beddgelert, near to the roadside Inn of Pen-y-gwryd. From this junction Capel Curig is distant about 4 miles. The route to Beddgelert takes a sharp turn to the right, and quickly enters Nant Gwynant, or the Vale of Waters, the scene of many a bloody skirmish in the time of Edward IV., between William Earl of Pembroke, and the Welsh Lancastrians under Jevan- ap-Bobert.” A well-formed road, traversing a rich valley in a course parallel with the river (though at a considerable elevation above it), and overlooking the Lake Gwynant, with fertile meadows on the one hand and luxuriant woods on the other, unfolds scenes of exquisite beauty, the impression of which is greatly heightened by their contrast with the sub- limer features of the mountainous district in the midst of which they are found. In this neighbourhood Wilson sketched some of his finest pictures, and here the artist has still an endless field of study. Llyn Gwynant is a lovely lake, about 1 mile long, and averaging a quarter of a mile in breadth. This being passed, the road, first on one side of the river for nearly a mile, and then about an equal distance on the other side, is conducted through a narrow wooded valley till it reaches another lake, called Lyn-y-ddinas, smaller, and perhaps less beautiful, than Llyn Gwynant, yet possessing some pecu- liar charms, and surrounded with more terrific grandeur. At different points in this road fine views are obtained of the peaked summit of Snowdon. Passing along the north margin LLANDUDNO JUNCTION TO BETTYS-Y-COED. 107 of the lake, and, after leaving it, still pursuing the course of the stream, the road is formed immediately beneath a remark- ably isolated rock called Dinas Emr^s, or the Fort of Merlin^ the scene of many wondrous traditions respecting the famous bard and prophet. The rock is also called VortigerrCs Hill, because the British prince of that name, after having, in an evil hour, by confiding in the Saxons, incurred the distrust and vengeance of his own countrymen, retreated to this spot, and here remained for a time, until he found more perfect seclusion in the Vale of Gwrtheyrn. Then, crossing the Nant Colwyn by a rude stone bridge, we reach Beddgelert. LLANDUDNO JUNCTION to BETTWS-Y-COED by Kailway. Thence by Coach to Capel Curig. This branch Une of the Chester and Holyhead Kail way is now open as fai as Bettws-y-Coed (16|- miles), and affords an easy approach to Capel Curig and Snowdon. It follows closely the right bank of the river Conway, and the stations are as follows : — Llandudno Junction. Miles. I Miles. Gian Conway . . I5 Llanrwst . . . llj Tal-y-Cafn . . . 5 ^ | Bettws-y-Coed . . 16 j Coaches run, in connection with the trains, between Bettws and Capel Curig— distance 6 miles. ITINEKAKY. Conway to Llanrwst and Bettws-y-Coed. — By Koad. ON RIGHT . w 2 t ON LEFT FROM CONWAY. FROM CONWAY. To Aby, 10 m. 16 ^ m CONWAY. Gyffin, a village secluded in a deep glen. It was for- merly an important for- tified post, called Caer Gyflan. 4 Benarth. Tal-y-Cafn Ferry. 12 Caerhun, or Caer Rhfin. Roman Station, Con- 11 Llanbedr (1 e., the church of St. Peter). ovium. i 108 CONWAY TO BETTWS-y-COED. ON RIGHT FROM CONWAY. From Bettws. From Conway. ON LEFT FROM CONWAY. Fall of Porthlwyd, called by the neigh- bours Rhayadr-Mawr, i.e., the Great Cata- ract. 10 Pont-Porthlwyd. cr. a stream which issues from Llyn Eigian. 6i Falls of Dolgarrog, 180 feet. 9 Pont Dolganwy. n Chalybeate spring. Sh cr. a stream flow- ing from Llyn Cwlyd. 8 The Abbey of Mae- nan, on E. bank of the Conway, of which little remains. It is the property of Lord Newborough. Plas Madoc. Plas Engan. Llanrhychwyn, a mountain village, near to which the il- lustrious bard Talie- sin long dwelt. 7 Trefriw, pronounced by the country people Tre- vor. cr. a stream which descends from two lakes, called Crafnant and Geirionydd. H The Conway is navi- gable to this place for vessels of 60 tons. There is a good trade in slates, coals, lime, timber, &c. To Capel Curig 6^ m. cr. the river Con- way and enter Denbigh- shire. Gwydir Chapel, in a wood on the hillside, an attractive object. LLANRWST. Recross the river Con- way and return to Car-j narvonshire. 12 Another road from Llanrwst to Conway, on the E. side of the river. Gwydir House, Lord Willoughby D’Eres- t>y. Carreg-y-Gwalch, or The Falcon Rock. Ogof-ap-Shenkin, or the cave of Jenkin, who was a daring outlaw. Llyn-y-Parc, and Rhayadr-y-Parc- Mawr. A small stream falls 100 feet. h Pont-y-Pair. 16 Across the river, Hendre House, and the villas of Oaklands and Cilceni. Confluence of the Conway and the Llugwy. iS^ cr. the river Llugwy. i To Capel Curig, 6 m. ! BETTWS-Y-COED ] 16J 1 1 CONWAY KIVER AND VALLEY. 109 CONWAY EIVER AND VALLEY. The river Conway* has its source in Llyn Conway, a small lake, or tarn, in the mountainous district where the counties of Merioneth, Denbigh, and Carnarvon meet. It first takes a direction N.E. until it reaches the Holyhead road, near Pentre Foelas ; then N.W. parallel with that road as far as Bettws-y-Coed ; and afterwards more directly N. through the beautiful valley to which it gives name, and passing the towns of Llanrwst and Conway to its efflux in the Irish Sea. Its waters are augmented by the confluence of the rivers Machno, Ceirw, Clettwr, Lleder, and Llugwy, and some minor streams, all of similar mountainous origin, and all, like itself, flowing with rapidity over rugged channels. Through nearly the whole of its course it forms, with some slight irregularity, the boundary between the counties of Denbigh and Carnarvon. From the village of Trefriw, a little below Llanrwst, to its out- let one mile below the town of Conway, it is a large river, with a winding, placid course, subject to the influence of the tide, and navigable by vessels of 100 tons. Its extreme length is about 30 miles. In the higher part it abounds with trout, and near its mouth the pearl-mussel {Mya margaritifera) is found in considerable numbers. The Conway was of import- ance for its pearl-fishery even prior to the Eoman invasion. Suetonius acknowledges that this was one of his inducements for undertaking the subjugation of Wales. According to Pliny, these pearls were highly valued, and sought for with avidity by the Romans. J ulius Csesar dedicated a breastplate set with British pearls to Venus GenitriXy and placed it in her temple in the imperial city. A fine specimen from the Con- way was presented by Sir Richard Wynne, of Gwydir, to Catherine, Queen of Charles II., which it is affirmed has ever * Sail up the Conway. A small steamer plies daily between Conway and Trefriw. The hours of departure from Conway vary according to the tide, but the steamer waits little more than half-an-hour at Trefriw, which is within 2^ miles of Llanrwst. The sail is a pleasant one of about 10 miles, and the scenery is varied and beautiful. The pedestrian should take the steamer to Trefriw from Conway, the sail for that distance being very agreeable. Thence the road should be followed to Llanrwst, after visiting which he should again cross the bridge, and follow the course of the river by a path which leads into the Bettws-y-Coed road, and saves nearly a mile. 110 CONWAY RIVER AND VALLEY. since contributed to adorn tbe regal crown of England. The late Sir Eobert Vaughan appeared at Court with a button and loop set with pearls from the Conway. The pearl-mussel is still abundant here ; and although it is stated that the pearls are smaller and of less value than formerly, some per- sons make a livelihood by collecting the shells, which are purchased by an agent on the spot. The fishermen on the Conway, as in some other parts of Wales, use the native boats of the kind called Coracle (in Welsh Cwrwgl^ and in Irish Curach). They are formed with a ribbed frame of wicker, or light laths, covered with skins or strong canvas coated with pitch. They are about feet long and 4 feet broad ; in shape nearly oval, with one end more pointed and the other more square, and have a narrow seat laid across near the middle. They generally weigh between 20 and 30 pounds. When returning from their occupation, the men carry these coracles upon their backs, and lay them near their cottage- doors. Boats of this description are of great antiquity. Herodotus gives a description of such ; Strabo mentions their use in the Eed Sea ; and Csesar constructed a number on a similar plan for his army in Spain. Probably the coracle succeeded the canoe, implying more skill than is necessary to scoop out a tree, or hollow it with fire, and less than is required for the building of a boat. The hire of a coracle, with the aid of its owner, is recommended to the angler who seeks sport on any of the numerous mountain-lakes in this district. The vale through which the river Conway flows is one of the most celebrated scenic portions of Wales. In its higher part, above Llanrwst, it is bold and romantic ; and in the lower, it is broad, rich, and beautiful. Mr. Eoscoe gives it the preference over the vales of Clwyd and Llangollen ; Burke writes of it as the most charming spot in North Wales and of the late Mrs. Hemans, her biographer states that “ some of the happiest days the young poetess ever passed were during occasional visits to friends at Conway, where the charms of the scenery, combining all that is most beautiful in wood, water, and ruin, are sufficient to inspire the most prosaic temperament with a certain degree of enthusiasm ; and it may therefore well be supposed how fervently a soul constituted like hers would worship nature at so fitting a CONWAY RIVER AND VALLEY. Ill shrine.” In the elevated mountainous tract which rises from the valley on the -western or Carnarvonshire side lies an extensive undulating moor, containing numerous tarns or lakes, which send off small streams as tributaries to the river Conway, and these in their rapid descent form cascades, falling to great depths in the midst of scenery, in some parts of wild and savage grandeur, and in others of transcendent beauty. Caerhun^ or Caer-Rh'An, about 4|- miles from Conway, is an agreeable village, near the river, and surrounded with wood. To this site has generally been assigned the Eoman station Conovium. The ground-plan of several Eoman buildings has been traced, and a well-constructed bath, a magnificent shield, and other relics, have been found. In the churchyard are three enormous yew-trees of great age. To the west of the village, a mountain-road branches off to Aber, by the wild pass called Bwlch-y-ddwfaen, along which many remarkable British antiquities occur, and portions of the Eoman road are distinctly seen. Pont Porthllwyd. — At this hamlet the bridge crosses a stream which descends from Llyn Eigian, an elevated lake in a recess of Carnedd Llewelyn. A walk of some difficulty, by the side of this mountain-stream, conducts to the fall of Porthllwyd^ or, as the country people caE it, Rhayadr-mawr — i.e. the great cataract. It is in truth a grand fall, the view of which, especially after much rain, would compensate a far greater degree of toil than the ascent requires. Pont Dolganwy is about one mile farther on the turnpike- road ; and here another of these mountain-torrents is reached. It issues from Llyii Cwlyd, and in its descent forms two mag- nificent falls, called the falls of Dolgarrog, which may be easily seen at a short distance from the road. Together they have a perpendicular descent of 180 feet. The scene is more pic- turesque and beautiful, but has less of sublimity than that of Porthllwyd. In this -vicinity is a spring, the water of which is most powerfully chalybeate, leaving a deep iron stain along the course of the stream. Trefriw, commonly pronounced Trevrew, is an agreeable -village on the banks of the river, which, as high as this place, is tidal and navigable. Here is a church said to have been 112 LLANRWST. built by Llewelyn tlie Great. Here, too, is another waterfall, formed by a stream which flows from two lakes — namely, Llyn Geirionydd and Llyn Crafnant The former of these is renowned as having had on its margin the abode of Taliesin, the chief of the bards.” Lord Willoughby D’Eresby has erected a monument, identifying and commemorating the spot where this illustrious poet lived and sang.* In the summer season it is the frequent resort of parties of pleasure, and is sometimes enlivened by music and sports. All the lakes which have been mentioned, as well as others in this neighbourhood, are attractive to the lovers of angling. About a mile from Llyn Geirionydd is the mountain village of Llanrhychwyn. LLANEWST [Hotels : Eagles ; The Victoria ; Queen’s.] is a market- town on the river Conway, partly in Carnarvon- shire, but principally in Denbighshire, surrounded by much beautiful scenery. It was formerly famous for the manufacture of Welsh harps, and at a later period for the spinning of woollen yarn and knitting of stockings, but these have alike become * Of all the ancient British poets, Taliesin has decidedly acquired the pre- eminence in popular estimation. That his memory should be peculiarly endeared to the natives of Wales cannot be deemed surprising, for he was, above all his bardic contemporaries, wholly and emphatically one of them- selves. He lived in the 6th century, from about 520 to about 570. It is related that, soon after his birth, he was discovered in a fishing-wear on the coast of Cardiganshire, by Elfin, son of Gwyddno, a petty prince in that part of the country. By the young prince he was fostered and educated, and at a proper age introduced to the court of Gwyddno. On this occasion he pre- sented to his preserver a poem, entitled “ The Consolations of Elfin,” a trans- lation of which is preserved in The Cambro Briton, vol. i. p. 30. Taliesin had an opportunity of evincing his gratitude to his benefactor, for when Elfin was imprisoned in the castle of Diganwy, the young bard addressed a poem to Maelgwn, prince of North Wales, which had the desired effect of procuring the release of Elfin ; and from that time Taliesin enjoyed the favour of Maelgwn. In one of his poems he refers to his residence near Llyn Geirionydd. About eighty poems attributed to him are extant ; and it is reasonable to conclude that what have thus survived the ravages of many centuries bear but a small proportion to the number of his productions. The themes of his muse are for the most part mystical, theological, historical, and elegiac. The lovers of British poetry are indebted to him for the introduction of several metres before untried ; and the historian and antiquary, for accurate descriptions of the manners and customs of the ancient Britons. — See The Cambrian Plutarch, by J. H. Parry. LLANRWST. 113 insignificant. The churcli, dedicated to St. Mary, was built in the 1 5th century, on the site of one much older, which was dedi- cated to St. Grwst, or Rhystyd, and hence the name of the town. It contains several old and interesting monuments, and has a beautiful carved screen, brought from the suppressed abbey of Maenan. In the south transept, which is railed off, is Gwydir Chapel, erected in 1633, by Sir Kichard Wynne of Gwydir, from a design by Inigo Jones, the celebrated Welsh architect. It contains five monumental brasses, admirably chased, each having a portrait of a member of the Wynne family. In the same chapel is the large stone coffin of Llewelyn-ap-Jorwerth, son-in-law of King John, which, having been first placed in the abbey of Conway, and afterwards in that of Maenan, was removed hither at the dissolution of monastic establishments in the time of Henry YIII. It it entire and of great solidity. A monument in memory of Sir Eichard Wynne, who died in 1649, contains the long pedigree of the Wynnes, derived from Owen Gwynedd. A curious stone-carving may be seen built into the wall of the church- yard, representing the Lamb of God. A new church, called by the inhabitants the English Church, is situated about half-a-mile from the town. Llanrwst has a good Town Hall, and a Free School, both erected in the 17th century. The bridge is an object of some interest, being built by Inigo Jones in 1636. It is broad and massive, and securely founded on the visible rocks, yet it is said that a sudden pressure on one of its parapets causes a perceptible vibration in the whole structure. A man is generally at hand to ask strangers if they “ wish to have a shake,” and for bumping his back against the wall he expects to be rewarded by the wondering visitor. Great quantities of salmon are taken here every season, and in the months of February and March vast numbers of smelts are sent to a distance. Llanrwst is a very eligible station for anglers, the whole surrounding country abounding with lakes and streams. A market is held on Tuesday. The fairs, of which there are not fewer than nine annually, have materially declined. The popu- lation of the parish (inclusive of the township of Gwydir), is 3993. Gwytherin is a small village 5 miles S.E. from Llanrwst, the site of an ancient nunnery, and the alleged burial-place of I 114 LLANRWST. St. Winefred, of whom ample notice has been taken in con- nection with the town of Holywell. Gwydir House ^ the ancient seat of the family of Wynne, now represented by Lord Willoughby D’Eresby, is about half- a-mile from the town, on the western side of the river Con- way. The old mansion was built in 1555, at the foot of a lofty rock, called Carreg-y-Gwalch, i.e. the Eock of the Fal- con. A great part was taken down in 1816, and the present structure built in corresponding style, but on a smaller scale. The name Gwydir is derived, according to some, from Gwj, water, and Tir, land ; but more probably, as stated by others, from Gwaed-dir, the bloody land or earth ; in allusion to the battle fought here by Llywarch-Hin in 610. The interior of the mansion is fitted up with elegance, though in a style un- usually sombre and gloomy. Lord Willoughby D’Eresby, being hereditary great chamberlain of England, has possession of some appendages of royalty which are here preserved and exhibited. Among them may be mentioned the coronation- chair of George II., and the footstool used by Queen Caroline on her trial at Westminster. The pleasure-grounds are laid out with taste, the surrounding woods are truly magnificent, and the views from the higher walks in the park are ex- tensive and very striking. On the summit of the rock is Gyyydir-Ucha, or Upper Gwydir, erected for the enjoyment of these splendid prospects, which may be thought not altogether undeserving of the boastful panegyric bestowed on it in a Welsh inscription over the entrance, thus translated : “ A conspicuous edifice on Gwydir Hill, towering over the adjacent land ; a well-chosen situation, a second paradise, a fair bank, a place of royalty.” Near Gwydir is a cataract called Rhayadr-y-Parc~mawr, the fall of which is about 100 feet. The stream being small, the view is not so impressive as that of other waterfalls in the district. By the roadside is the Fountain of St Albright, an incessant stream of pure cold water, conveyed in pipes from a large reservoir constructed at a considerable distance, on the side of the mountain ; a truly valuable benefit, provided for public accommodation by the enlightened and liberal pro- prietor of Gwydir. Dolwyddelan village and castle may be made the object of a short excursion from either Bettws-y-Coed or Capel Curig. BETTWS-Y-COED. 115 The castle, erected about the year 500, is interesting chiefly as having been the birthplace of Llewelyn the Great. One square tower of massy masonry retains its original form, and a portion of a second tower also remains. It stands on a pre- cipitous rock, at the head of a vaUey watered by the little river Lledr, and surrounded by mountains of the sternest, wildest grandeur. Southey, in his Madoc,” introduces allu- sions to this ancient castle, adding in a note, “ The rudeness and barrenness of the surrounding mountains I can well testify, having been bewildered and benighted upon them.” Llyn Conway, the source of the river of that name, is about a mile to the left hand of the road. It is described as ‘‘ a beautiful sheet of water well stocked with fish but, on ac- count of the bogs by which it is surrounded, it is by no means easy of access, and anglers or others who may be determined to brave morass and quagmire in order to reach it, should secure the attendance of a guide. BETTWS-Y-COED. [Hotels : Royal Oak ; Waterloo. Coach to Capel Curig.] Bettws-y-Coed, i.e. the Chapel or the Station in the Wood, is a hamlet, delightfully situated, and forming a ro- mantic sylvan retreat, at the junction of the counties of Denbigh and Carnarvon, and near to the confluence of the rivers Llugwy and Conway. There is much of mingled beauty and grandeur in the surrounding scenery. The Llugwy is here crossed by Pont-y-Pair, an old stone bridge, erected in the 15th century by a native mason of the name of Howel. It has five lofty and irregular arches, covered with ivy, be- neath which the foaming current rushes with the fury of a cataract, and then, making a sudden bend, quietly resigns its waters into the channel of the Conway. • -The church contains an eflBgy of Gryffydd, son of David Goch, of the royal lineage of Wales. It is a recumbent figure in armour, circa 1380 a.d., an interesting example of military costume. Bettws-y-Coed is a good angler’s station. Bettws-y-Coed has long been a favourite haunt of the angler and artist. The views present features of quiet loveli- ness and grandeur, in which river, cataract, woodland, and mountain, are commingled alternately. In addition to the 116 BETTWS-Y-COED RHAYADR-Y-WENNOL. Ehayadr-y-Wennol, the Falls of the Conway and of the Machnc may be seen in the course of a single morning’s excursion. The road leads across the Waterloo Bridge, a handsome iron structure which spans the river Conway with a single arch, and then, turning to the right, ascends the side of the moun- tain-range, which, for a considerable part of the way, com- mands a view of the tributary Lledr. The view up this valley is one of the sweetest pictures on which the eye can rest, and no tourist should leave this locality without seeing Ffos Noddyn (the Fairy Glen) and Pandy Mill. A walk up the vale of the Lledr to Dolwyddelan Castle, a distance of 5 miles, will amply repay the tourist, who will hardly have seen in the course of his rambles a more beautiful little mountain- river, a wilder-looking fortress than that of Dolwyddelan, or a more glorious termination to his prospect than Moel Siabod. The late David Cox, A.RA., frequented this place for forty years, and the old sign-board of the Eoyal Oak was painted by him, and is, we believe, still kept in the house as an heir- loom. The Miner’s Bridge and the rapids of the Llugwy, about half-a-mile from the turnpike-gate at Bettws, should not be left unvisited. Ehayadr-y-Wennol — i.e. the Spout or the Foaming Cataract of the Swallow, is about 2 miles from Bettws-y- Coed. Although close to the road, it is wholly concealed by rocks and trees. A small gate at the road- side opens to a winding path, which descends steeply amidst luxuriant foliage. A secure standing-place will be found at the bot- tom, whence an advantageous view of this beautiful and most impressive cataract is obtained. The water of the Llugwy is precipitated down a chasm, which, in its widest part, measures 60 feet across. It does not form a single sheet from top to bottom, but is broken into three large falls, partly precipitous and partly shelving ; and these again are subdivided and broken by the jutting crags, which disperse and dash about the waters in all directions, and then the stream rushes on impetuously to the romantic bridge of Pont-y-Pair. The impressiveness of this waterfall is materially aided by its accessories, the union of beauty and grandeur in the surround- ing scenery, the luxuriant wildness of the overhanging trees, the dark solemn colour of the rocky walls, and the forms of the rugged basins into which the water rushes. The tourist CAPEL CURIG. 117 who is credulous and superstitiously inclined, and who may happen to be attended by a native guide, will be horrified to his full content, by learning that the wailing sound which mingles with the loud roar of the cataract is occasioned by the shrieks and bowlings of a tortured soul ; for tradition records that Sir John Wynn of Gwydir, who died in 1626, after a life of much injustice and horrid cruelties, is con- demned to remain in spirit beneath the waters of the lower fall. On the top of one of the heights overlooking the glen and cataract is a small tower, or observatory, erected by a neigh- bouring proprietor to commemorate the successful termination of a lawsuit. The road from Bettws-y-Coed to Capel Curig is carried through the Vale of the Llugwy^ and is about 6 miles in length. The road follows the course of the river, whose banks are richly wooded ; the magnificent mountains of the Snowdon range, now full in view, imparting grandeur and sublimity to the scene. CAPEL CURIG [Hotel: Royal.] The following are the distances from Capel Curig Hotel : — Bettws-y-Coed, 6 miles ; Bangor, 15; Ogwen Lake, 5; Idwal Lake, 6; Llanheris, 10; Beddgelert, 12 ; Llanr wst, by road, 11 ; Llandudno, 27. The Swallow waterfall is within 3j, and the Machno fall within 8 miles. (pronounced Kappel Kerrig). — This place, small as it is, claims special notice on account of its very commodious Hotel, erected by the late Lord Penrhyn, and most favourably situated for the accommodation of tourists. It is, in all re.spects, a most eligible resting-place for travellers of every class, at a junction of roads which render it easily accessible from all quarters, surrounded by the lofty mountains of the vast Snowdon group, and near to a number of the most con- siderable lakes and streams in North Wales. As a resort for anglers, and as a central position, few places will be found more favourable. The hamlet contains a small chapel, dedi- cated to the British Saint Curig, of whom mention is made in an old Welsh poem. At a short distance westward from the hotel there are two lakes named Mymhyr^ connected by a small river, and on these boats are kept for the use of visitors in angling or other 118 CAPEL CURIG — SNOWDON aquatic excursions. Across tlie stream, which flows near the garden of the hotel, is a rustic bridge, whence is a remarkably fine view of Snowdon, perhaps the very best single view of the biforked summit of the majestic mountain. SNOWDON, FROM NEAR CAPEL CURIG. Capel Curig is a very favourable point for the ascent of Snowdon, which can be easily accomplished the whole way by ponies, and even to within a moderate distance of the summit by carriage. A favourite variation of the route is to cross over the mountain to Beddgelert. (See Snowdon chart.) The following other mountain ascents may also be under- taken, for which guides may be engaged at the Hotel : — Moel Siabod, the height of which is 2878 feet. It is ex- tremely precipitous, and its sides and summits are thickly strewed with loose fragments. The ascent is consequently difficult, but it will repay the toil. Standing a little apart from the group, it affords a sublime view of the mountains of Snowdonia, with their lakes and hollows, and of the Irish Sea with the bays of Carnarvon and Cardigan. On the E. side of the mountain is a pool called Llyn-y-Fod^ from which issues one of the tributary THE TWO GLYDERS LLYN OGWEN. 119 streams of the river Conway, and on the W. side are two lakes of larger extent called Llynniau Duwaunedd. Beneath Moel Siabod, towards the E., is Dolwyddelan, with the ruins of a castle built about the year 500, the birthplace of Llewelyn the Great, and the last stronghold in North Wales that held out against Edward I. The two Glyders, Glyder Fawr, 3300 feet, and Glyder Bach, about 3000 feet. Here also the ascent is difficult and laborious, owing to the spongy, boggy nature of the ground in some parts, and the rugged precipitous crags of other portions, but the perseverance of the adventurous pedestrian will be amply repaid. The prospect from the highest point is sub- limely grand. Here are seen to great advantage Snowdon, the deep vale of Llanberis and its lakes, Nant Frangon, with the dark lake of Ogwen, and the still more gloomy waters of Llyn Idwal, the Carnedds Dafydd and Llewelyn, and the huge triple-headed Trifaen, with its sharp angular projections. The prospect embraces likewise the Merionethshire mountains, the promontory of Lleyn, and the entire island of Anglesey, with the surrounding ocean. Pennant says truly of the Glyder Fawr, The elements seem to have warred against this mountain ; rains have washed away the soil, lightnings have rent its sur- face, and the winds make it the constant object of their fury.” In savage grandeur the Glyder is not surpassed by any scene in Wales. The two Glyders entirely fill the space between the vale of Llanberis, Mymbyr valley, and Nant Frangon. Several other mountains are within reach from Capel Curig, particularly Garnedd Llewelyn, the height of which is 3469 feet, and Carnedd Dafydd, 3427 feet. These, it will be seen, have an- elevation little inferior to that of Snowdon, which is computed at 3571 feet. The ascent is rarely undertaken, because it is excessively toilsome, and affords little additional gratification beyond a repetition of the same scenes. Llyn Ogwen is the first object requiring special notice in the road from Capel Curig to Bangor. It is a beautiful sheet of water, about a mile in length, having the turnpike road along its southern shore, and being closely surrounded by the noblest mountains. That which encloses it on the S. side is called Tri- faen, i.e. Three-headed. It is of conical form, with singularly rugged outline, and its aspect is extremely dark and awful. The lake abounds with eels, and with a peculiar and excellent kind of trout, of a bright yellow hue when in the water, and 120 LLYN IDWAL NANT FRANGON. a fine salmon-colour when cooked. The fishing is open, and good sport may be enjoyed occasionally by the use of a boat, which can be hired. The water from this lake issues in considerable volume, at the western end, through a chasm in the rocks, tumbling in three cataracts down a height of 100 feet, called the FalU of Benglog, or the Skull. At this point the stream is crossed by the turnpike road ; and in order to obtain an advantageous view of the falls, it is advisable to descend, at the bridge, to the lowest accessible part of the river-bank. Llyn Idwal is a smaller pool, situated in a dark deep hollov/ of the Glyder mountains, at a considerable elevation above the falls of Benglog. The lofty, black, perpendicular rocks, by w^hich it is surrounded, render it a scene of gloom and horror, sometimes made still more appalling by the violent agitation of the waters, when currents of air produce fierce eddies, and toss up waves resembling in force and height those of the ocean in a storm. The lake is said to be named from a young prince Idwal, son and heir of Owen Gwynedd, who was murdered here by Dunawt, at the instigation of his father, Nefydd Hardd, to whom the youth had been entrusted by his royal parent. In the rocks which overshadow the pool is seen a terrific chasm called Twl-DH, i.e. the Black Cleft, or, as it is popularly named, the DeviVs Kitchen, extending 450 feet in length, 100 in depth, and only 6 in width. A stream rolls down the cleft, several times broken in its descent by the jutting rocks. After much rain, the water falls in one vast cataract several hundred feet in height. At the bottom are a number of circular holes in the rocks, naturally produced by the falling water. These, which vary in diameter from 2 or 3 inches to 2 or 3 feet, are vulgarly called the DeviVs Pots. Nant Frangon, or the Vale of Beavers, is supposed to be so named from having been formerly a cover for those amphi- bious animals, no longer inhabitants of the country. The valley extends in length about 4 miles, nearly straight, and gradually descending, and its breadth is little more than half- a-mile. The lower part is marshy, and but partially culti- vated, and the small river Ogwen meanders through the whole length. The road forms a terrace on the N.E. side, at a con- siderable elevation above the river, and beneath the impending crags of Carnedd Dafydd. On each side the mountains rise abruptly to a great height, and in their huge piles of rugged, NANT FRANGON. 121 barren crags, present a fine contrast to the verdure in tlie glen below. The scene has been poetically styled, beauty sleeping in the lap of horror.” By the gradual action of wind and rain, portions of the cliff are sometimes detached, and sent with great force and noise into the valley. In the winter THE devil’s kitchen AND FALL OF THE OGWEN. of 1831, a gentleman who was driving through, beheld an immense mass of rock, afterwards estimated at upwards of 1000 tons, fall from the side of the mountain, portions of it rolling across the road into the valley and the river, and other parts settling on the road, which, a minute or two before, he had traversed, rendering it impossible for any carriage to pass until the obstruction was removed. 122 CARNARVON TO BEDDGELERT. CAENARVON TO BEDDGELERT, By Llyn Cwellin. This is the most direct road to Beddgelert, although the longer one by Llanberis is more frequented. ON RIGHT il" 4 FROM CARNARVON. 2’c 2 o To Pwllheli, 20 m. 13 CARNARVON. Penrhos, Dr. Miller. 21 8 Bettws Garmon. 5 Nant Mill, with pic- turesque Cascade and 7 6 Bridge. Castell Cidwm, and a Llyn Cwellin, Craig Cwm Bychan, a a lake more than a mile portion of the rugged and a half in length, Mynydd Mawr. abounding with trout and red char. n Llyn-y-dywarchen, or the Pool of the Sod, u H with a Floating Island. ToNantlle Mines and Llyns, and the Pass 4 Pont Rhydd Dti. 9 of Drws-y-Coed. O 1 02 Llyn-y-Gader. 9h 3 Pitt’s Head, a rock at the roadside, the rugged outlin e of which exhibits a resemblance to the profile of the statesman. Nant Colwyn, cr. the river Col- wyn, near its junction with the Gwynant. 10 Moel Hebog, or the Hill of Flight. BEDDGELERT. 13 ON LEFT FROM CARNARVON, Llanbeblig Church. Cefn Hendref, D. M. Allen, Esq. Vicarage, Rev. J. C. Vincent. Glangwna. Glynafon, Church dedicated to Germauus, who led the Britons to the celebrated Victoria Alleluiatica at Maes- y-Garmon, Moel Aeliau (or Eilio). Bias Nant, a shooting box of Sir R. B. Wil- liams Bulkely, Bart. The ‘‘Snowdon Guide,” a roadside Inn, from which the ascent of Snowdon may be made. Farm-house where track strikes off by which the ascent of Snowdon is made from Beddgelert. To Capel Curig, 12 m. N B . — The branch line of railway between Beddgelert and Tremadoc remains unfinished for want of funds. Half of it has still to be levelled, and all the bridges have to be built. CARNARVON TO BEDDGELERT. 123 The first stage of this route is by the site of the Roman station Segontium, and Llanheblig, the parish church of Carnarvon. Nothing beyond tliis demands special observa- tion, until entering the vale of BettwSj and approaching the village of Bettws Garmon^ so called from Germanus, the Christian missionary and successful warrior, to whom the church is dedicated. This Germanus, it will be recollected, was the leader of the Britons in the celebrated Alleluia victory, near Mold, a.d. 448. The church in the midst of the valley is a pleasing object, and the mountain scenery on either side is truly sublime. A mile beyond Bettws Garmon, and close to the road is Nant Mill^ with its beautiful little cascades, a charming, pic- NANT MILL. turesque object, which has, times without number, worthily employed the pencil of the artist, and has formed the subject of exaggerated and oft-quoted eulogies, which we forbear to repeat. The pleasure with which this scene is viewed is probably attributable, in no small degree, to the combination of lovely, picturesque beauty, with the sublime grandeur of the adjacent motintains, the vast grassy hills of Mod Eilio (or the Frosty Hill), on one hand ; and on the other, the rugged, frowning crags of Mynydd Mawr (or the Great Mountain). It 124 CARNARVON TO BEDDGELERT. is desirable to walk a few yards from the road, and cross the river, as the fall and the entire scene appear to greater advantage from the opposite bank. Llyn Cwellyn is soon afterwards reached, the road passing along its margin. It is a fine sheet of water, about a mile and a half long and half-a-mile broad, abounding with trout, and a species of char, the Salmo alpinus of Linnaeus, called in Welsh Torgoch, or red-belly. This fish is not uncommon in mountain- ous districts, and is found in great numbers in Windermere and other lakes in the north of England. Mynydd Mawr rises abruptly from the water, its rugged barren front shading the pool, and casting a gloom over the scene. One arm of this bleak and frowning mountain, boldly projecting into the lake, is called Craig Cwm Bychan. It is so precipitous as to be apparently inaccessible, yet on its highest point there are some remains of an ancient British fortification, concerning w^hich tradition relates that it was the stronghold of a re- nowned, gigantic warrior, named Cidwm. Miss Costello, who represents this Cidwm to have been a robber chief, the scourge and dread of the surrounding country, gives the following legend respecting one of his deeds : — “ The brother of Constan- tine the Great was passing, at the head of his troops, along this rocky gorge, on his way to meet his mother Helena, when this marauder slew the young prince with an arrow. One of the soldiers was immediately sent forward with the disastrous tidings to the unfortunate mother, whom he met in one of the deep recesses leading to Tan-y-Bwlch. She advanced joyously to meet him, thinking that her son was just at hand, but on hearing the lamentable truth, wrung her hands in anguish and exclaimed, ^Croes awr inii !’ — ‘Oh! adverse hour for me !’ Whoever inquires the name of the spot in which the sad news reached the bereaved Helena, will be told that that part of the valley is to this day called ‘ Croes awr. ’ ” At 7^ miles from Carnarvon, on the left of the road, is a comfortable Inn, called The Snowdon Guide from which an ascent of the mountain may be commenced ; but this way is more difficult, and on all accounts less eligible than from Llanberis or Capel Curig. Llyn-y-Dywarchen^ or the pool of the sod, is a small lake, or tarn, in a mountain hollow, at a short distance from the (llyn 126 CARNARVON TO BEDDGELERT. road ; much noticed by writers on account of what is called a floating island. This, however, appears to be nothing more than a detached piece of bog-earth, six or eight yards square. From Llyn-y-Dywarchen there is a road westward to the wild romantic pass of Drws-y-Coed^ i.e, the door or passage of the wood ; to the productive slate-quarries of Nantlle ; and to the two beautiful lakes, called Llyyiiau-Nant-y-llef. A narrow isthmus between these lakes afi‘ords an advantageous view of Snowdon ; and this is the spot at which Wilson sketched his admired picture of the mountain. The valley of Nantlle is very picturesque, and deserves to be more generally known, and more frequented by tourists. If a good Inn were erected here, it might, ere long, be as attractive as Llanberis or Beddgelert. In this vicinity Edward I. encamped his army when engaged in subjugating the principality. At a spot called Bala Baulyn (which signifies, the place where a river is discharged into two lakes), a farm-house is shown in which it is said that Edward resided in the summer of 1284, and whence he issued some of his edicts. From the quarries of this neighbourhood, which employ 2000 men, vast quantities of slates are conveyed by railway to Carnarvon. The lakes are too near to the quarries, and too often poached by the miners, to allow of much sport to the amateur angler. The stream which issues from the lakes is called the Llyfni ; it flows westward, and discharges its waters into Carnarvon bay. Llyn-y-Gader, or the pool of the chair, is a gloomy lake, nearly circular, surrounded by dark and rugged crags, in whose strangely broken outline imagination discovers sundry resem- blances to the forms of various objects, which, however, the unimaginative and incredulous are not always able to discern. At a short distance hence, by the side of the road, is one mass of rock, in which few will fail to observe a tolerable resem- blance to the peculiar and well-known profile of the distin- guished statesman William Pitt, and hence it bears the appellation of Pittas Head. Here the path commences by which the ascent of Snowdon is made from Beddgelert. The road now descends, along with the river Colwyn, through the pleasant valley Nant Colwyn to Beddgelert. ^ BEDDGELEET. [Hotels: Koyal Goat and Prince Llewelyn.] Distances : Llanberis, 12; Tremadoc, 7 ; Carnarvon, 13 ; Tan-y-Bwlch (old road), 10. This picturesque village is situated on a small verdant level, at the junction of three vales, and closely surrounded by mountains. A spacious and well- managed Hotel, The Royal Goat, with an excellent coffee-room, affords ac- commodation to a large number of guests, but in the height of the season it is not unfrequently excessively crowded. Every effort, however, should be made to visit a place so agreeable in itself, and so conveniently situated for excursions. The streams which flow through Nant Gwynant and Nant Colwyn form a junction immediately 128 BEDDGELERT. below the ivy-mantled bridge by which the village is entered, and the river which their union forms, assuming the name of Glaslyn, flows onward through the romantic pass of Aher- glaslyn^ and forms a boundary between the counties of Carnarvon and Merioneth, until it discharges itself in the estuary of Traeth-mawr, below Tremadoc. The parish of Beddgelert is extensive, and has a popula- tion of 1375, of whom 1066 are in Carnarvonshire, and 309 in Merionethshire. The church, formerly conventual, and belonging to a priory of Augustines, is small but neat, and rather lofty in comparison with others in these parts. Of the priory buildings no vestige remains ; but,, from the appear- ance of some parts of the church, it is inferred that portions of the ruins have been used at different times in the repairs of the more modern structure. Tradition thus relates the affecting incident which is said to have originated the name of the place : — Llewel 3 m the Great, with his family, had a residence here during the hunting season. One day, while engaged in the chase, the prince was surprised by the absence of his favourite hound Gelert, which he had received as a present from his father-in-law. King John. On returning, he was met by his dog, hastening to him with more than ordi- nary manifestation of pleasure. Observing, however, that the animal’s jaws were besmeared with blood, he became alarmed, and, rushing to the house, he there found his infant’s cradle overturned, and the ground about it bloody. Eashly con- cluding that the hound had killed his child, he drew his sword and slew the poor animal while in the act of caressing his master. Soon afterwards, on removing the cradle, he found beneath it his child alive, unhurt, and sleeping by the side of a dead wolf. The truth was at once apparent. During the absence of the family, a wolf had entered the house, and had been destroyed by the faithful dog in time to prevent its doing injury to the sleeping infant. The prince, deeply affected by the incident, carefully buried his favourite, thus slain by his own hand, and built a tomb over his grave. Hence the place is still called Bedd-Gelert, or the grave of Gelert. The poem suggested by this legend, written by the Hon. W. E. Spencer, is well known. There is a Welsh saying which seems to allude to the story : “ He repents as much as the man who killed his dog and this might lead BEDDGELERT. BEDDGELEllT. 129 one to suppose that the sad tale is indeed true. But then the same story, with slight variations, is told in different places, and concerning different persons. It is said to be engraved on a rock at Limerick ; it is told in an old English romance ; it is repeated in France ; and it is the subject of a Persian drama ! Who, then, can be very confident in its truth ? gelert’s grave. The majestic mountain on the W., whose dark towering cliffs immediately overhang the village, is Moel Hebog, or the Hill of Flight, one of the recesses of which is shown as the hiding-place of Owen Glyndwr. In a bog on this mountain was found, in 1784, a very curious, elaborately- wrought brass shield, which is still preserved, and is pronounced to be undoubtedly of Roman construction. The following geological hint, in the handwriting of Professor Buckland, was framed and at one time suspended in the hotel : — “Notice to Geologists. “ At Pont AberglasljTi, 100 yards beloM" the bridge, on the right bank ot the river, and 20 feet above the road, see a good example of the furrows, fluting, and striae on rounded and polished surfaces of the rock, which Agas.siz refers to the action of glaciers. See many similar effects on the left or S. W. side of the Pass and Lake of Llanberis. (Signed) “ William Buckland. “ October, 6, 1841,” K 130 PASS OF ABERGLASLYN. There are some copper-mines in the neighbourhood, but the works are not conducted with much energy or success. At a few hundred yards from the hotel there are some pretty cascades on the river Colwyn. Turning to the left, after crossing the village bridge, and proceeding a hundred yards on the Carnarvon road, a gate will be observed opening on a path which leads across a meadow to the river-side. It is a scene of much beauty, an agreeable object for a short and leisurely stroll. Coaches, running between Llanberis and Tremadoc, pass through this village daily during the greater part of the year, and the hotel is well provided with all facili- ties for travelling. The Pass op Aberglaslyn, which extends from a little below Beddgelert to the bridge called Pont Aberglaslyn, a mile and a half from the village, is certainly one of the most remarkable and romantic scenes in North Wales. The stream, which here forms the boundary between the counties of Car- narvon and Merioneth, rapidly descends over a rocky channel, the mountains rising abruptly from its banks, and forming nearly nerpendicular walls to the height of 700 feet. The road. Just wide enough for two carriages, pursues the windings of the river, upon its western side, overhung by dark and craggy rocks, whose opposing and precipitous fronts indicate, ]jy the exact correspondence of their strata, that they have been rent asunder by sudden and violent convulsion. The terrific grandeur of the scene powerfully arrests and excites the imagination. In the midst of this sublime pass a rock is pointed out which bears the name of the Chair of Rhys Goch Cryri, the celebrated mountain bard, contemporary with Owen Ghmdwr. He had with difficulty escaped the vengeance of the English, who charged him with the dire offence of having, by his compositions, inspired the Welsh with the love of lioerty, and animated them to maintain their long and gallant struggle to throw off the galling Saxon yoke. Towards the close of his long life he retreated to this neighbourhood, and making this stone his daily resort, here he mused, composed, and sang. He died, it is said, in the year 1420, and was in- terred in the holy ground at Beddgelert. Pont Aberglaslyn is the bridge which crosses the stream, 1|- mile from Beddgelert, connecting the two counties, and forming the principal communication between them. It is a PONT ABERGLASLYN. / TREMADOC AND PORTMADOC. 131 single arch, stretching from rock to rock, at no very great elevation above the river ; whose waters, confined within a narrow channel, here make a boisterous descent, and dash impetuously against the unyielding masses that lie in wild confusion in their course. In the structure itself there is nothing extraordinary, but its position is peculiarly striking, and every part of the surrounding scenery is of surpassing grandeur. At this spot, the tourist intending to enter Merionethshire (for Dolgelly, etc.) proceeds by coach to Tremadoc (7 miles distant, and the nearest railway station for the south), and thence per railway. Barmouth is the junction for Dolgelly. A mountainous excursion may be made from Beddgelert to Tan-y-bwlch and Festiniog, the former being 9 miles and the latter 1 2 miles distant. These places may also be reached by the branch-line of the Cambrian Eailway from Tremadoc and Portmadoc. Tremadoc and Portmadoc. [ffoiels: Royal and Madock’s Arms ; Ship and Commercial.] 7 miles from Beddgelert. Railway to Beddgelert not completed. ' Tremadoc, i.e, Madock’s town, is built at the western extremity of the reclaimed land, and near the base of a lofty rock. It is quadrangular, and contains a commodious market- place, a large assembly-room used both as a school and a town-hall, good hotels, a church with a lofty spire, and a neat Dissenting chapel. Portmadoc, in like manner, is a recent erection, and has become a harbour of considerable importance, accessible to vessels of 300 tons burthen. It has spacious quays and a lively trade. Great quantities of slates from the Festiniog quarries, and some copper-ore from neighbouring mines, are exported here. Here is witnessed the successful result of a noble enter- prise, accomplished, in spite of formidable difficulties and temporary disappointments, by the late William Alexander Madocks, Esq. A vast extent of land, now under cultivation, was formerly a sandy marsh, subject to the influence of the tides, called Traeth-mawr, or the great sand. This has been J32 PORTMADOC TO PWLLHELI. gained from the sea, secured by embankment, and rendered productive of a considerable income. A scheme for this pur- pose was long ago suggested by Sir John Wynne of Gwydir, who sought the assistance of his countryman. Sir Hugh Myddelton ; but no attempt was made to carry it into execu- tion until the beginning of the present century. Mr. Madocks first succeeded in enclosing 2000 acres on the western side of the river, then called Penmorfa Marsh ; and he subsequently constructed an embankment across the estuary, one mile in length, by means of which more than 6000 additional acres were secured. The sum expended in these works is stated to have exceeded £100,000. In the vicinity of Tremadoc is Tan-yr-Allt surrounded by plantations, and near to the port is Morfa Lodge, two mansions erected by Mr. Madocks. One mile north of Tremadoc is the ancient and romantically situ- ated village of Penmorfa. From the great embankment which connects the counties of Carnarvon and Merioneth, especially about midway, the view of the encircling mountains is truly magnificent. PORTMADOC TO PWLLHELI. By Rail. Portmadoc and Carnarvon are the two points from which Pwllheli may be reached most conveniently. The distance is the same in both cases, viz. 13 miles, and the stations are as follow : — From Portmadoc. Criccieth ... 5 Miles. Afon Wen , . 8 „ Pwllheli . . 13 „ From Carnarvon. Llanwndna. Groeslow. Pengyroes— Hotels; Goat; Victoria. Pant Glas. Brynkir. Ynys. Chwilog. Afon Wen. Pwllheli. DENBIGHSHIRE. 133 DENBIGHSHIRE. This county is intersected by the Denbigh, Ruthin, and Corwen Railway, extending southwards from Rhyl, and also by the Great Western, vid Chester, Wrexham, Ruabon, and Llangollen. It is the most populous of the six counties of North Wales, although it ranks third in respect to size. A considerable part of the county is parallel with Flintshire, while another large portion extends much farther to the S. and S.E. On the N. it borders on the Irish Sea ; the N.E. side is contiguous to Flintshire and Cheshire, and the S.E. to Shropshire ; from S. to N.W. it is successively bounded by the three counties of Montgomery, Merioneth, and Carnarvon, from the last of which it is separated by the river Conway, but not accurately, as portions of Carnarvonshire are on the E. side of the river. The length of the county is commonly stated to be nearly 50 miles, and its breadth 18 or 20 ; but, in fact, the shape is too irregular to allow of anything like accuracy in such measurement. Denbighshire has much of the rugged and mountainous character of Wales, though soft- ened in many parts by fertility and beauty, especially in the vales of Clwyd and Llangollen, and a large tract about Wrex- ham. Some districts are productive of valuable minerals, particularly iron-ore of excellent quality, coal in great abund- ance, limestone and slate. The rivers of Denbighshire are the following : the Dee, entering from Merionethshire, passes from W. to E. by the Yale of Llangollen ; the Clwyd, taking its rise S.W. of Ruthin, flows past that town, through the entire length of the vale to which it gives name, and enters Flint- shire near St. Asaph ; the Elwy waters the northern portion of the coimty, and joining the Clwyd near Rhuddlan, the united stream enters the sea at Rhyl ; the Conway is, through a great part of its course, a boundary between this county and Car- narvonshire, having, however, both its rise and its outlet in the latter county. To these rivers the Aled, the Alyn, the Alwen, the Ceiiiog, and many smaller streams, are tributary. The principal mountains are those which rise above the Yale of Clwyd ; a part of the Berwyn range at the junction with Merionethshire ; and a cluster of low dreary hills towards the west, extending over many miles, called Mynydd Hirathog, 134 VALE OF CLWYD. At the period of the Eoman invasion this district formed a part of the territory of the Ordovices ; under the Eomans it was included in Venedotia, one of the minor divisions of Britannia Secunda ; during the Saxon Heptarchy it was ex- posed to the attacks and incursions of the Mercians, but the inhabitants successfully repelled the invaders, and thrust them entirely out of the extensive district which lies between the rivers Conway and Dee. Antiquarian remains in this county include many objects of great interest, as the ruined castles at Denbigh, Euthin, Holt, and Llangollen ; Valle Crucis Abbey and Eliseg’s Pillar near Llangollen ; tumuli in the parish of Llanarmon ; vestiges of British forts and encampments near Euabon, St. George, and Abergele ; and portions of Offa’s Dyke and Watt’s Dyke near the S.E. extremity. The population in 1861 amounted to 100,778. The members of Parliament are two for the county, and one for the united boroughs of Denbigh, Wrexham, Holt, and Euthin. The foEowing are the main stations on the Denbigh, Ruthin, and Corwen Eailway, which traverses the county by the Vale of Clwyd : — Miles from Rhyl. Rhyl (Chester and Holy- head line). 1| Foryd. 3| Rhuddlan, 6 St, Asaph. 85 Trefnant. Miles from Rhyl. 11^ Denbigh. 18 Ruthin. 30 Corwen. 43 Bala. 60 Dolgelly. The portion of the line by the side of Lake Bala is now completed. A regular coach runs between Bala and Festiniog. Vale of Clwyd. This renowned valley has been so highly, and even extra- vagantly eulogised, that strangers may find its beauties fail to satisfy the anticipations with which they approach. It pre- sents a scene of rich cultivation and tranquil beauty, but has no features of grandeur and sublimity ; and for high and romantic interest is not to be compared with the glens and valleys in the counties of Merioneth, Carnarvon, Cardigan, and Glamorgan. The tourist with moderate expectations will. VALE OF CLWYD. 135 however, find much to gratify and delight. The Welsh name Dyffryn Clwyd, the Vale of the Flat, accurately expresses its general character. Watered through its whole length by the river Clwyd, it extends from about 4 miles S. of Ruthin, in a N.W. direction, to the coast of Flintshire, about 24 miles ; while in breadth it varies from about 2 miles to 6 or 7. It is bounded on both sides by hills of moderate height, those on the E. side being the most lofty and conspicuous. At the S. it is closed in by mountains, and at the N. it is open to the sea. The land which lies near to the river is level, cultivated, and fertile, in most parts producing com of good quality. But the liability to floods, which are sometimes very destructive, materially reduces the value of the land. The plain and portions of the slopes are well wooded, and the peaceful cottages and cheerful homesteads suggest ideas of serenity, comfort, and content- ment. Elegant villas, and in some instances stately mansions, grace the river’s side, or repose in the shelter of the neighbour- ing hills. The roads are, for the most part, on a low level; affording only occasional glimpses of the river. To obtain a full view of the valley, it is desirable to ascend some of the neighbouring heights ; or portions of it may be seen to ad- vantage from the castle of Denbigh and the cathedral of St. Asaph. Burke, in his Beauties, Harmonies, and Sublimities of Nature,” thus compares the vales of England to those of Wales, and discriminates the peculiar features of the ^most celebrated amongst the latter : — “ In England, few ar6 the vales remarkable for picturesque effect. They are rich in wood, in meadow, in animals, and in buildings ; but they are destitute, for the most part, of rocks, ruins, and mountains. None of them, therefore, can compare with the vales of Clwyd, Llangollen, or Ffestiniog ; and they possess little which will enable them to stand in competition with those of the Usk, Towy, and Glamorgan. Of these the Clwyd is the most rich ; Llangollen the most picturesque ; Festiniog the most abounding in beautiful and sublime combination ; the Gla- morgan the most rural ; the Usk the most graceful ; and the Towy by far the most adapted for a tranquil and elegant retirement.” The now peaceful vale of Clwyd has been the scene of 136 THE RIVER CLWYD. warfare and carnage. In the year 1115a dreadful conflict was obstinately maintained here between Howel ap Meredith and Howel ap Ithel, which, after great slaughter on both sides, terminated in favour of the latter. In 1164, David ap Owen having successfully invaded Flintshire, and carried away many of its chief men, drove their cattle into Dyffryn Clwyd. Other memorable historical incidents are mentioned in connection with the towns situated in the valley, with which they are more directly associated. The Eiver Clwyd rises in Bronbanog hills, S.W. of Kuthin, and, until it reaches that town, flows through a narrow valley which afterwards extends in breadth. In passing along the vale to which the river gives its name, it receives accessions from several minor streams ; and below St. Asaph its volume of water is greatly augmented by the confluence of the Elwy, with which it disputes the right of giving name to the re- mainder of its course ; that of the Elwy is, however, sanctioned by the Ordnance map, and is generally preferred by the best authorities. About three miles below Ehuddlan the united streams flow into the Irish Sea between Khyl and Abergele ; the Clwyd having had a course which, inclusive of its ser- pentine windings, may be estimated at about 30 miles. The influence of the tide extends only as far as Ehuddlan, and to that place the river is navigable by flat-bottomed boats of 70 tons. The charms of the river Clwyd are worthily celebrated in the well-known sonnet by Mrs. Hemans : — “ O Cambrian river ! with slow music gliding, By pastoral hills, old woods, and ruined towers ; Now ’midst thy reeds and golden willows hiding. Now gleaming forth by some rich bank of flowers ; Long flowed the current of my life’s clear hours Onward with thine, whose voice yet haunts my dream. Though time and change, and other mightier powers. Far from thy side have borne me. Thou smooth stream ! Art winding still thy sunny meads along, Murm’ring to cottage and grey hall thy song, Low, sweet, unchanged ! My being’s tide hath passed Through rocks and storms ; yet will I not complain, If thus wrought free and pure from earthly stain. Brightly its waves may reach their parent deep at last.” The Vale of Clwyd Eailway passes near Ehuddlan Castle, which is well seen from the line. St. Asaph is close on the right and Denbigh Castle nearly a mile from the station. RHUDDLAN. 137 EHUDDLAN, [Hotels : Black ; New.] anciently a place of magnitude and importance, retains no features of its original character except its ruined castle, and a few other interesting remains of antiquity. It is situated in a low flat district of the county of Flint, near to the con- fluence of the rivers Clwyd and Elwy, and about 3 miles from their outlet in the Irish Channel. The stream, below the junction of the two rivers, is sometimes called the Clwyd, but more generally, and, as it appears, more properly, the Elwy. It is navigable as high as Ehuddlan by small vessels ; and here it is crossed by a good bridge of two arches, built or repaired in 1595 ; one of the battlements of which bears the sculptured arms of Hughes, Bishop of St. Asaph. The population of the parish of Bhuddlan, which includes the chapelry of Khyl, and some other townships, is 4397; of the parliamentary borough, 1406. It is one of the boroughs contributory to Flint in the election of one M.P. Edward I. gave to Khuddlan the privileges of a free borough, with various immunities, designing thereby to reconcile the Welsh to the ascendency of their conquerors. It was here that he succeeded in the politic stratagem for inducing the Welsh to acknowledge his infant son, born at Carnarvon, as Prince of Wales. Here also was passed the celebrated law, called the Statute of Khuddlan, which, after reciting many curious particulars relative to Welsh customs previous to Edward’s conquest, enacted new regulations for the govern- ment of Wales. There is still standing a part of the wall of the house in which Edward held his council or parliament. This old wall has been wrought into the gable of a row of small houses ; and afi&xed to it is a tablet, with the following inscription : — “This fragment Is the remains of the Building Where King Edward the First Held his Parliament, A. D. 1283, In which passed the statute of Khuddlan, 9ecuring To the Principality of Wales Its Judicial Rights And Independence.” 138 RHUDDLAN. Between the town and the sea is an extensive tract of low land called Morfa Rhuddlan, i.e. the Marsh of Ehnddlan, where, in the year 795, a dreadful battle was fought, between the Saxons under Offa, king of Mercia, and the Welsh under Caradoc, in which the latter, after an obstinate conflict, were defeated with great slaughter. All who were made prisoners were cruelly and indiscriminately put to death, and nearly all who escaped from the hands of the Saxons perished in the marsh, from the influx of the tide. The popular Welsh air, Morfa Rhuddlan^ distinguished by the plaintive sweetness of its melody, was composed in commemoration of this disas- trous event. Rhuddlan Castle is a quadrangular structure of red stone, with six massive towers flanking lofty curtain-walls. It has evidently been a fortress of great strength, with little of architectural beauty or grandeur. The fosse, easily traced, enclosed a large area, and within this was a Priory of Domini- cans, some relics of which, as well as other antiquities, are to be seen in Ehuddlan church. Archaeologists are not agreed as to the period at which this castle was erected. Two respectable authorities, Powell and Camden, ascribe it to Llewelyn-ap-Sitsyllt, who reigned in Wales at the commence- ment of the 11th century, and made this the place of his residence. In 1063, three years prior to the Norman Conquest, when in the possession of Gr 3 rffydd-ab-Llewelyn, Prince of North Wales, it was attacked and burned by Harold of Eng- land. Subsequently, being restored, it became the scene of many interesting historical events, proving that, by both Normans and Britons, the possession of this fortress was deemed of great importance. In 1399 it was seized by the Earl of Northumberland, previous to the deposition of Eichard II., who was brought hither on his way to Flint, where he was treacherously delivered into the power of his great rival, Bolingbroke. In the civil wars Ehuddlan was garrisoned for the King, but was surrendered to Gen. Mytton in 1646 ; and soon afterwards, by order of the Parliament, it was dismantled. The Eoyal Eisteddfod, or meeting of bards, was held here in the autumn of 1850. Bodryddan, nearly 2 miles from Ehuddlan, is the seat of William Shipley Conwy, Esq., and has been held by the family of Conwy from the days of Edward I. Dr. Shipley, DYSERTH. 139 Dean of St. Asaph, whose daughter was married to Bishop Heber, resided here, and was grandfather to the present proprietor. It is a secluded mansion in the Elizabethan style, stored with magnificent carved furniture from Copenhagen. Pengwern, the seat of the Hon. T. Pryce Lloyd, is situated towards the west, at a short distance from Khuddlan. The mansion was built by Sir Edward Lloyd, Bart., great-uncle of the present venerable proprietor. The family have been distinguished, through many generations, by their almost boundless hospitality, and by enlightened efforts to promote the improvement and welfare of the surrounding population. About 2 miles to the east of Khuddlan is the village of DYSERTH, [Hotel : The Red Lion. Four miles from Rhyl or St. Asaph.] worthy of a visit on account of its castle, and the beauti- ful view of the Yale of Clwyd to be obtained from the height on which it stands. The castle is of the early Norman cha- racter, but the remnants are too slender to afford an idea of its original extent and details. The site is particularly well chosen, commanding as it does a magnificent view of the Vale of Clwyd. It is a fortress of great antiquity. Henry III. strengthened it in 1241, but in 1261 it was besieged and nearly demolished by Llewelyn the Great. Einion, a dis- tinguished Welshman, having been slain here, a sculptured cross was erected to his memory, of which the shaft now forms the stile of Dyserth Churchyard, where is another cross of curious workmanship and unknown antiquity. One mile from Dyserth, in the parish of Cwm, is a beautiful cascade, upon a small stream which rises at a spring called Ffynnon Asaj or St. Asaph’s Well, once accounted sacred, and having many votaries, like that of St. Winefred at Holywell. It is only a few minutes’ walk from the hotel to the celebrated Talargoch Mines, which are the richest of the kind in Wales. Several thousands of tons of lead-ore are extracted annually. Newmarket is a small town about 4 miles E. from Khuddlan, formerly, like the town of the same name in England, a place of racing celebrity, and still of some import- ance on account of its large markets and fairs. It is noticed 140 ST. ASAPH. here chiefly because of a remarkable carnedd, or tumulus, in the neighbourhood, one of the largest in North Wales. It covers nearly an acre of ground, on the summit of a hill called Gop-yr-Le)ii, Beneath this hill, on the N., is Golden Grove^ the residence of Mrs. Morgan, built in 1578, and much im- proved in modern times. In the churchyard of Newmarket there is a stone cross of great antiquity. In this neighbour- hood was found, some years since, a golden torques of great weight and much beauty, which was purchased by the Marquis of Westminster for .£400. ST. ASAPH. [Hotel: The Plough and Bddelwyddan Arms. Six miles from Rhyl.] This city is small, but agreeably situated on a pleasant eminence, near the northern termination of the fertile Yale of Clwyd, between the rivers Elwy and Clwyd, and not far from their confluence. From the former of these streams it derives its British name Llanelwy, There is a handsome bridge across each river. The hill on which the city stands is called Bryn Paulin^ from having been made a place of encampment by Paulinus, a Eoman general, on his way to the island of Mona. The see is ancient, having been established in the middle of the sixth century by Kentigern, otherwise called St. Mungo, Bishop of Glasgow. Being driven from the north by persecu- tion, and seeking refuge here, he was protected by Cadwallon, who aided him in building a church, and founding a college or monastery, in this place. Being recalled to his original charge, he nominated as his successor a pious scholar named Asa or Asaph, from whom both the church and town received their designation. Whether Kentigern assumed the title of bishop while here is not known, but there is evidence that Asaph certainly did, and that, dying in 596, he was interred in his own cathedral. The first building, which was of wood, was consumed by fire in 1282. A more substantial edifice was soon afterwards erected by Bishop Anian, and this was nearly destroyed during the wars of Owen Glyndwr. It was partially rebuilt by Bishop Eedman, about 1480, the choir remaining unfinished until about 1770, when it was completed ST. ASAPH. 141 by the Dean and Chapter. In the Parliamentary wars the edifice was desecrated, and greatly injured, being used as a barrack and hospital for the military, and even as an office and stable for the postmaster. The present Cathedral is a neat, plain, cruciform structure, with a square tower, 93 feet high, rising from the intersection of the nave and the transepts. Its length from E. to W. is 179 feet, and its breadth at the transept 108 feet, at the nave and side aisles 68 feet. The E. end is lighted by a large window, an imitation of one at Tintern Abbey, filled with modern stained glass ; and several other stained windows have been added at different times. Of the monuments, the following are worthy of notice : an altar-tomb, supporting a recumbent figure in episcopal robes, in memory of Bishop Dafydd ap Owain, who died in 1502 ; a full-length figure of the late Dean Shipley, in white marble, raised by a subscription of £600 ; an altar-tomb which records the decease of Bishop Luxmore in 1830 ; and a mural tablet to the memory of the gifted poetess Felicia Hemans, who re- sided during a great portion of her life at Bronwylfa and BhyUon, near St. Asaph, and who died in Dublin, May 16th, 1835, aged 41. Among the prelates of this diocese may be especially named Bishop William Morgan, an eminent linguist, the principal translator of the Welsh Bible printed in 1588, and a contributor to the English version commonly called Queen Elizabeth’s Bible ; Dr. Isaac Barrow, who founded an alms- house for eight poor widows, and who educated his nephew of the same name, distinguished as a mathematician inferior only to his friend Sir Isaac Newton ; Dr. William Beveridge, eminently devout, zealous, and useful, and frequently de- signated “ the apostolic bishop,” and ‘‘ the restorer of primitive piety and Dr. Samuel Horsley, of great celebrity as an Oriental scholar and biblical critic. From the summit of the cathedral tower a good view is obtained of the vale of Clwyd, with the castles of Denbigh and Bhuddlan, and a long line of sea-coast, a view thus described by Kobert Montgomery : — “ thy heart might beat In thrilling answer to the strain I sing, Hadst thou beside me, from the sacred tower, Beheld the beauteous vale ; or ere I left, 14 BODELWYDDAX CASTLE. One long, enamoured, and delicious gaze It bade me fasten on the faultless scene ; The sunshine in its dreaming calm reposed On tree and mountain ; cot and castle gleamed, And field and flower their blending graces showed ; But when the breeze, with sudden life, arose. How richly all the stirring landscape shined ! Till the glad meads like emerald sunshine glanced, So lustrously the living verdure played.” The episcopal palace is a large modern structure, a little to the west of the cathedral, overlooking the Elwy. The deanery, about a quarter of a mile distant, is also new, built by the late Dr. Luxmore, dean. The parochial church, dedi- cated to St. Asaph and St. Kentigern, is situated at the foot of the hill of which the cathedral occupies the summit. It is small, and without a tower. The rivers in the neighbour- hood are favourite resorts of anglers, and fish are found in great abundance and variety. St. Asaph is a parliamentary borough, contributory to the Flint district. Pop. — parish, 3592 ; city and borough, 2063. Bronwylfa and Rhyllon, both near St. Asaph, and distant from each other not more than a quarter of a mile, are deserving of notice as having been, at different times, the abodes of Mrs. Hemans, to whose relative, Col. Browne, they now belong. Bodelwyddan is an elegant modern castellated mansion, the residence of Sir Hugh Williams, Bart. The name signifies the abode of the chief iainP The house was greatly enlarged and improved by the father of the present proprietor. It stands on an eminence, and commands an extensive view of the sea at Rhyl on the one hand, and the Yale of Clwyd on the other. The park is richly wooded, and well stocked with deer ; the gardens are laid out with much taste, and the hot- houses are surpassed by few. Access is granted to respectable strangers on prescribed days. The estate was purchased from an old family of the name of Humphreys, by the celebrated Sir William Williams, who, in the time of Charles II., was Speaker of the House of Commons ; in the following reign, Solicitor-General ; and afterwards a Welsh judge.* A mag- * When on the circuit, with more talent than wealth, having on one occa- sion danced with a daughter of Watkin Kyfiin, Esq., a gentleman of very large LLANNERCH CEFN. 143 nificent churcli has lately been erected here, at the expense of the Dowager Lady Willonghby-de Broke, and is one of the most perfect specimens of ecclesiastical architecture in the kingdom. Llannerch (Whitehall Dod, Esq.) is one of the oldest gentlemen’s seats in the Vale of Clwyd, a little S. of St. Asaph. The house was built in the 1 6th century, but altered, in bad taste, in 1773, from the Elizabethan gabled roof to the flat Italian style. It was possessed in the latter part of the 17th century by Eobert Davies, a celebrated naturalist and antiquary, who left here a choice collection of Welsh manuscripts. Cefn, the seat of Mrs. Williams Wynne, has a beautiful situation on the banks of the Elwy, to the west of the rail- way between St. Asaph and Trefnant. The neighbourhood is worthy of being explored, on account of its deep picturesque glens, its holy well, and its fossiliferous caverns ; and it is pre- sumed that few tourists, if any, will regret the time and trouble thus expended. To these scenes the biographer of Mrs. Hemans refers in the following terms : — ‘‘Those who only know the neighbourhood of St. Asaph from travelling along its highways, can be little aware how much delightful scenery is attainable within walks of two or three miles’ distance from Mrs. Hemans’s residence. The placid beauty of the Clwyd, and the wilder graces of its sister stream the Elwy, particularly in the vicinity of ‘ Our Lady’s Well,’ and the interesting rocks and caves at Cefn, are little known to general tourists ; though by the lovers of her poetry it will be remembered how sweetly she has apostrophised the ‘ Fount of the chapel, with ages grey ! ’ * * property, he succeeded in winning the affections of the lady, who was an only child. The father, being asked to consent to a marriage, sternly inquired, “ What have you ? ” The young lawyer replied, “ 1 have a tongue and a gmvn” He obtained the lady’s hand, inherited the large property, and founded the distinguished families of Wynnstay, Penbedw, and Bddelwyddan. * A beautiful poem amongst the Miscellaneous Pieces by Mrs. Hemans, too long for insertion here, of which the last stanza is as follows ; — “ Fount of the chapel, with ages grey ! Thou art springing freshly amidst decay ; Thy rites are c^sed, and thy cross lies low. And the changeful hours breathe o’er thee now ; 144 DENBIGH. and how tenderly, amidst far different scenes, her thoughts reverted to the ‘ Cambrian river, with slow music gliding.’ ” ♦ Our Ladijs Weill' or Ffijunon Faer,i^ a fine spring, enclosed within an angular wall, formerly roofed. The water, which flows copiously, was long and generally deemed sacred, and reputed to possess powerful, if not miraculous, efficiency in the removal of bodily diseases. Near to the spring are the ruins of a small cruciform chapel, of the 1 5th century, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, which originally enclosed the well. The limestone rocks are perforated in different directions with magnificent caverns of great extent. In some parts of them the roof is more than 40 feet in height ; and in one place, at the base of the rock near the river Elwy, there is a natural arch 36 feet high, which extends in depth more than 60 feet. From these caverns have been removed at different times im- mense quantities of bones and bone-dust ; and various fossil remains have been discovered, which have been examined and described by Professor Buckland. The holy well and caves, with the beautiful vale of the Elwy, may be made the object of an excursion from Denbigh as well as St. Asaph. DENBIGH, [Hotels: Crown; Bull.] the county town, occupies a conspicuous situation at about the centre of the vale, on the W. of the river Clwyd, and on the banks of the Ilshod, one of its tributaries. It is placed on a steep acclivity, overhung by a limestone rock, and crowned by the ruins of its noble castle, whence there is an extensive Yet if at thine altar one holy thought In man’s deep spirit of old hath wrought ; If peace to the mourner hath here been given, Or praj^er, from a chastened heart, to Heaven — Be the spot still hallowed while Time shall reign. Who hath made thee Nature’s own again ! ” * Sonnet to tiie river Clwyd, quoted in a preceding page. DENBIGH. 145 prospect of tlie vale of Clwyd, with Euthin on the one hand and St. Asaph on the other, and the blue tops of the mountains environing the whole. The tract of country in which Denbigh is situated being anciently called Ehos, the old British appel- lation of the tower and castle is Gastell-Galed-Fryn-yn-Rh6s, i.e. the castle on the craggy hill in Ehos. The modern Welsh name is Dinhech, which signifies a small hill-fort. The town, extending down the slope of the hill and along a part of its base, consists of three leading streets, whence other smaller ones diverge. It contains a spacious market-place, a com- modious town-hall, and several elegant residences. The prin- cipal tradesmen are tanners, glovers, and shoemakers, whose productions are chiefly sent to London for exportation ; but Denbigh is more a place of pleasant retirement than of com- mercial importance. In dry seasons it is inadequately supplied with water, as the springs of the neighbourhood fail, with the exception of one at the castle, called the Goblin Well. In 1861 the population of the borough amounted to 5946, of whom 4054 were within the limit of the parish. In conjunc- tion with Euthin, Wrexham, and Holt, as contributories, it sends one representative to the House of Commons. It is also a polling-place for the county. Quarter-sessions are held here alternately with Euthin. Denbigh was anciently of great military * importance. David, brother of the last Llewelyn, summoned the Welsh chieftains to meet him here, in order to form a coalition against the English. After his defeat, the lordship was granted by Edward I. to Henry Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, who built the castle and walled the town. Edward HI. granted the castle and lordship to the Mortimer family, and when they sub- sequently reverted to the crown, Elizabeth bestowed them on her favourite, Dudley, Earl of Leicester. In 1645 Charles I. halted here, and remained two or three nights, after his retreat from Chester. In 1646 the castle was valiantly defended for the King by Col. William Salusbury, but was finally sur- rendered to the Parliamentary army under Gen. Mytton. At the Eestoration it was demolished. The ruins of this vener- able structure are extensive, covering the summit of the craggy hill, one side of which is boldly precipitous. The walls are of singular construction, having been grouted, or formed of two thick parallel walls, with the intervening sparse filled up L 146 DENBIGH CASTLE. with stones and hot cement, which consolidated the whole into one mass, of such strength as must have rendered the fortress nearly impregnable. DENBIGH CASTLE. Denbigh has been often compared to Stirling, and even to Edinburgh ; but it is certain that few North Britons, or others who may be acquainted with those romantic and beautiful towns, will acknowledge much resemblance. Churchyard says, the town and castle “ May compare With any one in Wales, where’er they are ; ” and undoubtedly their aspect is picturesque and imposing. A triennial meeting of Welsh bards, called the Eisteddfod^ was held here in 1828. That of 1850 was held at the neigh- bouring castle of Ehuddlan, and that of 1860 in Denbigh Castle again. An endowed charity, called the Blue-coat School, clothes and educates 24 boys. A Free Grammar School was founded by subscription in 1727. There are likewise commodious buildings for a National School, and a British School. A Dispensary, and other charities, are liberally supported. A large building has been erected, at a cost of £27,000, as a Lunatic Asylum for North Wales. It was opened for the DENBIGH — GWAENTNOG. 147 reception of patients in 1848. Wednesday and Saturday are market-days, and there are six annual fairs. The, Parish Church is at Whitchurch, about a mile distant, on the road to Euthin. In the porch is a monumental brass, with representations of Eichard Myddelton of Gwaenynog, and Jane his wife, with nine sons and seven daughters, all kneel- ing. He was governor of Denbigh Castle in the reigns of Edward VI., Mary, and Elizabeth. Of his sons, several were highly distinguished. William, the third son, acquired re- nown as a naval captain, and as a poet ; Thomas, the fourth son, became Lord Mayor of London, and founder of the family of Chirk Castle ; and Hugh, the sixth, was the enterprising projector of the New Eiver from Hertfordshire to London. The church contains some other monuments worthy of notice. Excepting for burials, and a special service at Easter, this church is no longer used, and it is in a neglected and dilapi- dated condition. A new church in the town is found more convenient for the attendance of the parishioners, and divine service is likewise conducted in the ancient chapel of the castle, now made a chapel of ease. Near to it is the ruin, or rather the unfinished and neglected shell of a large church, begun by the Earl of Leicester, but never completed. All the principal bodies of Dissenters have commodious places of worship. In the environs of Denbigh, which abound with beautiful scenery, there are many residences of the gentry, and other objects of interest, some of which shall be briefly noticed. Gwaenynog, a little more than a mile from Denbigh, is the ancient seat of the senior branch of the Myddelton family, and now the abode of the Eev. Eobert Myddelton. It is surrounded by beautiful woods, which attracted the visits of Dr. Samuel Johnson during his residence with Mrs. Piozzi. To his me- moiy a monument, consisting of a tall Grecian um resting on a square pedestal, was erected by Dr. Myddelton, who then resided here. It bears the following inscription : — “ This spot was often dignified by the presence of Samuel Johnson, LL.D., whose moral writings, exactly conformable to the precepts of Christianity, give ardour to virtue, and confidence to truth.” Over the door of a cottage on the estate are the following lines, composed by the learned lexicographer : — 148 BRYNBELLA NANTGLYN LLEWENNY HALL. “ Around this peaceful cot, this humble shed, If health, if confidence, if virtue tread. Though no proud column grace the gaudy door. Where sculptured elegance parades it o’er ; Nor pomp without, nor pageantry within, Nor splendid show, nor ornament is seen. The swain shall look with pity on the great. Nor barter quiet for a king’s estate. 1768.” Brynbella is the half-Welsh, half-Italian name of a villa, once the beautiful residence of Mrs. Piozzi, the friend of Dr. Samuel Johnson. It occupies a fine situation, commanding a view of Denbigh Castle. The gardens are charming, and all about it is lively and pleasing. Nantglyn is the birthplace of David Samwell, who sailed round the world with Captain Cook, as surgeon in the ship Discovery. He was eye-witness of the death of Captain Cook, a detailed account of which he published in the Biograjphia Britannica. Mr. Samwell died in 1799. Llewenny Hall, about two miles E. from Denbigh, has derived celebrity from several of its proprietors. In 720 it was possessed by MarcJiweitMan, chief of one of the fifteen tribes of North Wales. Before the time of Henry HI., an English family of the name of Salusbury settled here. To this family attaches a curious tale, relating to a celebrated lady, which shall be given as recorded by a female pen.* “ The lady was called Catherine Tudor of Beren. She married first Sir J ohn Salusbury of Llewenny, who died while she was still in her bloom. At his funeral, she was conducted to and from church by her friends and neighbours, Sir Eichard Clough of Bache- graig, and Morris Wynne of Gwydir. With the usual prompti- tude of his character. Sir Eichard, as he led her along ‘ vdth the tear in her ee,’ whispered his wish to make her his own ; and, far from being offended at his boldness, she smiled an immediate consent. The solemnity over, Morris Wynne stepped forward, and presented his hand to the fair widow ; when, full of hope and expectation, conceiving it impossible that he was not first in the field, he ventured to make a tender declaration, and an ofiPer of his heart and estates. With infinite politeness and gratitude, the gentle Catherine replied that he was too late, for she had given her promise to Sir Eichard before she * See “ The Falls, Lakes, and Mountains of North Wales,” by L. S. Costello. LLEWENNY HALL LLANRHAYADR. 149 entered the church ; but, to console him, she gave him her word, that should the same sad event happen to her second husband, he should be her third. On the death of Sir Kichard, he claimed her plighted vow, and became her spouse ; but he too died, and, for a fourth time, Catherine Tudor de Beren became a bride, marrying Edward The! wall of Plas-y-Ward. She died in 1591.” Her memory was long held in much veneration, and she had the honourable distinction of being called ^‘Mam Cymru , the Mother of Wales. Portraits of her are preserved in several Welsh mansions, which exhibit no very remarkable beauty ; but it is not known that any monu- ment marks the place of her burial. The Llewenny estate was at one time possessed by the Hon. Thomas Fitzmaurice, uncle to the Marquis of Lansdowne, distinguished by eccentric philanthropy. In order to advance the interests of his tenantry in Ireland, by promoting the national manufacture of linens, he established at Llewenny an extensive bleaching-work, and personally superintended both the preparation and sale of the linens. With the pomp of a nobleman he united the active and humble habits of a trades- man, travelling periodically to Chester in a coach and six, and when there standing behind a counter. Llanrhayadr, a village on the road to Euthin, also claims attention, on account of the church, at the E. end of which is a stained-glass window brought from Basingwerk Abbey, de- signed to represent the genealogical tree, of which Jesse is the root. The patriarch is represented as extended on his back,- with the tree springing from his loins, bearing on numerous branches King David and his posterity in successive genera- tions, until the advent of the Saviour of the world. The colours are brilliant, and the whole is in wonderful preserva- tion. The name of the ingenious artist is unknown. In the churchyard are many ancient and very interesting monuments, especially the one setting forth a long pedigree to Oadell, Prince of Powis. 160 RUTHIN* EUTHIN. [Hotels: Lion; Wynnstay Arms ; Cross-Keys.] G-ood Befreshment-rooms at Station. The Welsh name of this town is said to have been Rhudd- ddyn. It is situated on the summit and slope of a consider- able hill, rising from the bank of the river Clwyd, here a small stream, and not far from the southern termination of the vale to which that river gives name. Mr. Gilpin quaintly but not inaccurately describes it as “ on a rising ground in a dish of mountains.” According to the Welsh historians this place is of high antiquity, but we have no authentic informa- tion respecting it prior to the reign of Edward I., who erected here a magnificent castle, called Rhyddin, from the colour of the stone of which it was constructed. This castle was granted in 1281 to Eeginald de Grey. In 1400 Owen Glyndwr assailed it without success. By some of the family of De Grey it was sold to Henry YII. By Queen Elizabeth it was granted to the Earl of Warwick. In 1646 it was held for Charles I. against the Parliament, but, after a siege of two months, it was taken and dismantled. The late proprietor, F. E. West, Esq., erected on the site of the ruins the present imposing structure, the principal feature of which is the octagon tower. The original castle consisted of two distinct portions, connected with a drawbridge, now replaced by masonry. A new Town-hall and market have been erected in a new street leading to the railway station. Other buildings are the County Hall, a modem and commodious stone edifice ; the Gaol, suitably constructed for the classification of prisoners ; and the Free Grammar School for 50 boys, liberally endowed, and ranking with the best in North Wales. The Church, originally conventual, is an ancient edifice of the fourteenth century. The interior has been lately restored^ and the roof of carved oak is much admired. In 1310 it was made a collegiate chapter by John de Grey, who endowed it with lands of considerable extent and value. A part of the cloisters has been converted into a residence for the warden of Christ’s Hospital, founded here by Dr. Gabriel Goodman for the support of 12 decayed house-keepers. The warden and pensioners are impropriators of the great tythes of Euthin RUTHIN. 151 and Llanrhydd ; and the warden, who is appointed by the dean and chapter of Westminster, is the vicar of both parishes. No particular trade or manufacture is carried on here. The inhabitants are principally employed in agriculture. Markets are held on Monday and Saturday, the former being chiefly for corn, and there are six annual fairs. The borough unites with Holt, Wrexham, and Denbigh, in electing one M.P. Euthin is likewise one of the polling-places in elections for the county. The assizes are held here, and the quarter-sessions alternately with Denbigh. Population of the parish, 1299 ; of the borough, 3372. The scenery of the neighbourhood is very pleasing, especially towards the south, where the vale, gradually contractiug, is shut in by the mountains. There are numerous gentlemen’s seats in the vicinity. Llanrhydd is a small village, a short distance S.E. from Euthin, noticed on account of its church, properly the mother church of the neighbouring town, which contains a curious old mural monument of John Thelwall, Esq. of Bathafarn, and his wife, kneeling at an altar, with ten sons and four daughters kneeling behind them. Here also is a bust of St, Ambrose, admirably sculptured- 152 MERIONETHSHIRE. MERIONETHSHIRE. This county is most readily entered from Llangollen and Corwen on the east, and Barmouth on the west coast. It is the only Welsh county which retains its primitive British name, Meirionydd, while to the Romans it was known under the name of Mervinia, a subdivision of Britannia Secunda. It has on the N. the counties of Carnarvon and Denbigh ; on the E. and S. those of Montgomery and Cardigan ; and, on the W. a great extent of coast bordering on St. George’s Channel. In form it is nearly triangular. Its extent from E. to W. is about 40 miles ; from N. to S., by the coast, about 35 miles ; and from N.E. to S.W. about 48 miles. Next to Carnarvon it is the most mountainous county in Wales. The loftiest summits are those of Arran Fowddy, 2955 feet ; Cader Idris, 2914 feet ; Arrenig, 2809 feet ; and Cader Ferwyn, 2563 feet. It has some remarkably fine valleys, with well-cultivated soil and highly picturesque scenery, especially those of Festiniog and Dolgelly. Along the sea-coast there are considerable tracts of low, swampy land, which, if well drained, might be rendered highly fertile. The soil is various, for the most part poor, suited only for pasturage. The principal dependence of the farmers is upon cattle and sheep, of which great numbers are fed on the hills. The small native Welsh ponies, called Merlins, so sure-footed and hardy, are now rarely met with except in parts of this county and of Montgomeryshire. The minerals are not raised so exten- sively as might be expected. Gold, lead, copper, and manganese, are produced in small quantities, lime to some extent at Corwen, and slates in various parts, especially near Festiniog and Corris. The whole district is thinly peopled, and its wild rugged character is impressed on the habits and manners of the inhabitants ; of whom, however, it may be said, that if they do not enjoy the luxuries nor display the refinement of our gay and crowded cities, they have the advantage of pure salu- brious air, and of occupations favourable to longevity, as wrote the poet Churchyard in 1587 : — “ The mountayne men live longer many a yeare Than those in vale, in playne, or marrish soyle ; MERIONETHSHIRE. 153 A lustie hart, a cleane complexion cleere They have, on hill that for hard living toyle. With ewe and lambe, with goats and kids they play. In greatest toyles, to rub out wearie day ; And when to house and home good fellowes drawe. The lads can laugh at turning of a strawe.” During more reeent years much progress has been made in providing the means of education ; but, in this respect, there is still ample room and occasion for further improve- ment. The rivers in the county are, the Dee, Dyfi (pronounced Dovey), Maw (or Mawddach), Wnion, Eden, Cayne, Dysynni, and several smaller streams. These will be noticed in their proper places. The lake of Bala, the largest in Wales, is in this county. There is also a fine lake called Tal-y-llyn, at the foot of Cader Idris, and more than fifty smaller lakes are dis- persed amongst the hills. In the mountainous parts are many cascades, amidst scenes of mingled beauty and grandeur. Notwithstanding its great extent of sea-coast, its only haven is that of Barmouth. Though sometimes the scene of internal struggles, yet, owing to its remoteness and difficulty of access, it was never made the field of battle in the wars of the ancient Britons with the Saxons, Danes, and Normans, until near the time at which Wales lost its independence. The relics of antiquity are not very numerous ; the most important will be noticed in describing the localities in which they are found. The assizes are held alternately at Dolgelly and Bala. Harlech, the former capital, is now reduced to an inconsider- able village. One member of Parliament is elected for the county, and there are no borough representatives. Popula- tion, 38,963. 164 CHESTER TO DOLGELLY. CHESTEK TO DOLGELLY, BY GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY TO RUABON ; THENCE Vld, LLANGOLLEN, CORWEN, AND BALA. ON RIGHT is ON LEFT FROM CHESTER. o Railway Station, FROM CHESTER. 65 CHESTER. Tunnel, 300 yds. cr. EUesmereCanal High embankment and Roodee, Race-course. viaduct of 47 arches. cr. river Dee. Deep cuttings through Brewer’s Hall HiU. Holyhead Railway. 63 Saltney Station. 2 Extensive premises for the repair of rail- way carriages, &c., and the Iron-works of Messrs. Wood. Lache Hayes, a flat, cultivated and fer- Eccleston, 2 m., a beautiful village,hav- tile, formerly covered by the tide. ing an elegant Gothic church, within which At a distance Moel 61 is the mausoleum of Fammau, and other Welsh hills. Tunnel, 57 yds., 4 the Grosvenor family. under one of the car- Eaton Park and Hall, Dodleston village. riage-roads leading to Eaton. Marquis of Westmin- ster. 5| Pulford village. 4 m. Caergwrle Castle. 57| Enter Denbighshire. Rossett Station. n Rossett village, with Mount Alyn, Patrick a modern church. Hunter, Esq. Deep cutting through Trevalyn Hall, Capt. Griffith. the hill called the Rofts, formerlya British camp. Trevalyn House, Major-General Town- Vale of Gresford. shend. Gresford Lodge, Mrs. Egerton. Picturesque and beautiful. Gian Alyn, D. Ras- hotham, J^sq. 56 Gresford Station. 9 Acton Hall, Sir B Gwyersyllt Hall. Cunlifie, Bart- CHESTER TO DOLGELLY. 155 ON RIGHT FROM CHESTER. From Dolgelly. From Chester. ON LEFT FROM CHESTER. Branch Railway to Brymbo, Minera, &c., length 6 Jmiles, having, in addition, several smaller branches, a- monntingto about 6 m. 63 WREXHAM Station. 12 Erddig HaU, Simon Yorke, Esq. Bias Power, Thomas Fitzhugh, Esq. Valuable mining dis- trict, abounding in coal and iron. 50i The course of the rail- way is for some; miles between Offa’s Dyke and Watt’s Dyke. Rhds Station. 14| Caerdden, or Gardden Hall. Pen-y-Gardden, Lady Marshall Rh6s is a convenient abbreviation of the name of this place, which is Bhdsllanerch- rugog. 48J RUABON Station. 16| Wynnstay, Sir W. W. Wynn, Bart., MP. Plas Newydd, Edwd. Tench, Esq. 46^ Acrefair. 18^ 45 Trevor. 20 Pont Cysylltau Aque- duct. Trevor Hall, on N. side of Dee. 4H LLANGOLLEN. 23^ Plas Newydd, late Lady E. Butler, and Hon. Miss Ponsonby. Plas Pengwem. Llantisilio Hall, A. Reid, Esq. 38i LlantisUio. 26| Enter Merionethshire. 281 Tumulus. 35 Berwyn. 30 Glyndwr’s Mount. 34 Glyndyfrdwy. 31 Ferry across the Dee. Llansantfraid. 33 Carrog. 32 Rhagatt, J. Lloyd, Esq. 1 156 CHESTER TO DOLGELLY, ON RIGHT FROM CHESTER. From Dolgelly. 1 From Chester. ON LEFT FROM CHESTER. 32 CORWEN. 33 Llangar. To Rutliin, Denbigh Rhyl. 30 Cynwyd. 35 28 cr. riv. Trystion. Capel-y-Coed. cr. riv. Ceudiog. 37 On the river Trys- tion, half-a-mile from the road, is a con- siderable waterfall, called Rhayadr Cyn- wyd. Tyddyn-y-Llan. 27 Llandrillo. 38 Cefn C6ch. Crogen. Carnedd Wen. Y Fronheulog. 23 Llandderfel. 42 Bryn-bwlan. Rhiwlas, Price, Esq. 29i Llanfor. 45| Bodweni. To Festiniog, 19 m. (Coach.) 19 BALA. Coach to Festiniog, N.E. end of Lake. 46 ToRhayadr-yn-Moch- nant, 17^ m. To Dinas Mowddy, 18 m. Bala Lake, or Llyn Tegid, or Pimble- mere. The railway is carried along the east side of the lake. Caer Gai, now a farm- house, was once a splendid residence, contiguous to the re- mains of a Roman station. 15 14 S.W. end of Lake. Llanuwchllyn. 50 51 Glan-y-Llyn, Sir W. W. Wynn, Bart. To Dinas Mowddy. Skirt the river Wnion. Drws-y-nant Inn, near to which are sources of the Dee, which flows N.E., and of the Wnion. Nannau Park, John Vaughan, Esq. Pont Newydd. Felindre. 1 DOLGELLY. 65 SALTNEY ROSSETT GRESFORD. 157 CHESTER AND RUABON TO DOLGELLY (Great Western Railway.) This important line of railway skirts the borders of North Wales, passes through the rich mineral-fields of Wrexham, Rnabon, etc., and communicates with Shropshire, Hereford- shire, South Wales, and the south-western counties of England. To the tourist it presents many attractions, disclosing scenes of distinguished beauty, and facilitating access by way of Llangollen and Bala to the central portion of North Wales. The project, as originally announced, encountered much oppo- sition, and underwent various alterations, but at length con- flicting interests were reconciled, and the act of incorporation was obtained. A portion of the line, between Chester and Ruabon, was opened in 1846, and the entire line, between Chester and Shrewsbury, in 1848. In includes some engin- eering works of extraordinary magnitude, which have been executed in the most satisfactory manner, particularly the ex- tensive and elevated viaducts over the valleys of the Dee and the Ceiriog. Saltney is the first station, 2 miles from Chester. The railway company having laid out an extensive wharf, and ob- tained power to construct docks, it rose rapidly into import- ance as a port for the coasting trade. It is the nearest and most convenient outlet for the whole of the central district of North Wales, and for the mining fields of Shropshire. Here also are extensive ironworks for the manufacture of anchors, chain-cables, etc. The next station is Rossett, a small village pleasantly situated at what may be termed the entrance to Gresford vale. Many seats belonging to Liverpool gentlemen and others are in this neighbourhood. Gresford is a remarkably pleasant village, and is selected for residence by a number of respectable and opulent families. It is the first place requiring notice after entering Denbighshire, situated at the head of an agreeable picturesque valley, and commanding an extensive view of the Vale Royal of Cheshire. Its old name is Croes-ffordd, or the road of the cross. The church is a fine ancient edifice, having a quadrangular tower 90 feet high, with a set of 12 bells, which used to be reckoned 158 CHESTER AND RUABON TO DOLGELLT. among tlie seven wonders of Wales. A considerable portion of tbe tower was blown down about fifteen years ago, but was promptly restored by the parishioners. On the top are images of eight Knights Templar, and one of Henry YII. in a niche on one side. Many monuments in this church are interesting, some from their beauty, some from their antiquity and historic association. One, partly concealed by a pew on the north side, is a flat stone, elaborately sculptured, and having round a shield the words. Here lies Gronw ap lorwerth ap Dafydd, whose soul God absolve, 1320. The arms, three mullets on a bend, are of the family of the Ithels, the founders of the church. Against the south wall, and on the floor, u\ the tomb of Llewelyn in mail armour ; on his shield a lion rampant, and around were formerly the words. Hie jacet Madoc ap Llewelin ap Gruff, a.d. 1331. This warrior was an illegitimate son of Llewelyn, who aspired to the princedom of North Wales. In Trevors’ Chapel there are several mural monuments to the memory of the Trevors of Trevalyn Hall, a neighbouring seat. Among the recent monuments, the most beautiful is that to the memory of the late Mr. Williams of Gwersyllt Hall, erected by his widow. There is also a well-executed bust in marble to the memory of the late William Egerton, Esq., of Gresford Lodge. The painted windows of this church are said to have come originally from Basingwerk Abbey ; and the sculptured font, at the entrance, is a relic of Basingwerk. The carving of the screen-work and the stalls, at the east end of the church, is universally admired — the one for its grotesqueness, the other for its chaste and elaborate execution. The church underwent a restoration in the year 1867.”* In the churchyard are some large venerable yew-trees, one of which, in particular, attracts much notice, 30 feet in girth, and pronounced to be more than 2000 years old. In the immediate vicinity of the village is an eminence called the Eofts, formerly a British camp, treble trenched, having at one corner a lofty mount, or keep. The most remarkable natural phenomenon in the parish of Gresford is, perhaps, its petrifying waters. They permeate the slopes upon the western side of the Alun for the length of half-a-mile, in the neighbourhood of Lower Gwersyllt Hall. The quality of the water is to petrify all the vegetable * Wrexham and its Neighbourhood, by John Jones, Esq. WREXHAM. 159 productions it flows over. The branch of a tree lying for a time under the drippings of the spring becomes incrusted with a calcareous deposit. Taken in the fingers before it attains consistency, it is easily pulverised ; but, left undisturbed, it hardens and forms rock in shape as fantastic as coral. The genteel house at the bottom of the valley, seen from the railway-station, was once the residence of poor Eliot Warburton, the author of the Crescent and the Cross. Samuel Warren, the author of Ten Thousand a Tear, was born in the parish of Gresford, at a farm-house called The Eackery.” Population of the parish, 4161. WEEXHAM* [Hotels: Wynnstay Arms ; The Lion ; Turf.] is a lively market-town, with spacious streets and substantial well-built houses : described by the poet Churchyard as Trim Wricksam towne, a pearle of Denbigh shier e.” It is of Saxon origin, and although included in a Welsh county, it retains the language and much of the appearance of an English town. No particular branch of trade or manufacture is carried on in it, but it derives much importance from its large, well-supplied markets, and from its fairs, one of which, in the month of March, is continued for fourteen days, and is attended by traders of all descriptions, and from great distances. Within the parish, coal, iron, and lead mines, are extensively wrought. The chief object of interest is Ci&C a large hand- some structure, deservedly regarded as one of the principal ecclesiastical edifices in the principality, and one of its seven wonders. It was erected about 1472, upon the site of one destroyed by fire ; and in correctness of design and propor- tion is surpassed by few buildings of the same date. The present structure was erected in a great measure by force of an indulgence granted for forty days per annum for five years to all contributors. The windows were glazed with glass from Normandy .t Tradition says that the church was not all completed at once, but that the nave was built first, next the north, and lastly the south aisle, and that the timber of * For further information see the Guidje to Wrexham and its Neighbourhood, by John Jones, Esq., published by Mr. Potter of Wrexham, with map of the district. + Thev were re-glazed in 1810 and 1811. 160 CHESTER AND RUABON TO DOLGELLT. a gallery over the north aisle was used to make the roof of the south aisle. The chancel is an addition and enlargement of the original structure, as is evident from the remains of the tracery of the eastern window, which was originally in a line with the extremities of the two aisles. The tower, 135 feet in height, consists of several successive stages, panelled through- out, and decorated with numerous statues of saints placed in niches of the buttresses. It is surmounted by an open-work balustrade, from which spring four lantern-shaped turrets of pierced open-work. The battlements of the church, and two of the pinnacles of the tower, were rebuilt recently. Among the sculptured figures of the tower is that of St. Giles, to whom the church is dedicated (some say to St. Silin Sep. I.), accompanied by the hind by which he was miraculously nur- tured in the wilderness. In a niche over the northern door is a mouldered figure of the Virgin and Child. Two of the niches of the tower are deserted of their saints, who, one day, walking from their pedestals to take the air,” fell down and were broken. A winding stair terminates at the top of the north-west turret. The interior, which was completely re- stored in the year 1867, is spacious and much decorated. It has a fine altar-piece and some interesting monuments ; among which are two, to members of the Myddelton family, admir- ably sculptured by Roubilliac, and a more recent Gothic monument to the memory of Sir Foster and Lady Cunliffe. No account of Wrexham Church will be complete without a notice of its bells, confessedly the most melodious peal in the principality. So famous are they for strength and melody, that tourists have frequently been known to pay the ringers for the gratification of hearing them ring. The present peal, ten in number, came from Gloucester, and were cast by Eud- hall in 1726. They were brought up the Severn to Shrews- bury, and thence transported by land. The total expense of founding, carriage, hanging, etc., was £450 : 17 : 8, of which £160 was raised by rate, and the rest by subscription. The little bell (the parson’s bell”) is one of the old peal, and wa£ cast in 1678. The weight of the largest is 28 cwt. The clock and chimes are the gift of Watkin Williams, Esq. (afterwards Wynn). On tombstones in the contiguous church- yard are a number of strange quaint inscriptions, of which two specimens may suffice : — WREXHAM. 161 ** Here lies five babes and children dear, Three at Oswestry, and two here.” “ Here lies Jane Shore, I say no more. Who was alive. In sixty-five.” Dr. Daniel Williams, who founded the Dissenters’ Library in Kedcross Street, London, was horn at Wrexham in 1644. Wrexham has an endowed Free School, a Town-hall, and a handsome Market-hall. It unites with Denbigh, Holt, and Euthin, in returning a representative to the House of Com- mons ; and it is also one of the polling-places for the county. Population of the parish, 19,780 ; of the borough, 7562. Around AVrexham are situated a number of gentlemen’s mansions, among which the following may be mentioned : — Acton Hall, Sir E. A. Cunliffe, Bart., in a beautiful situation, surrounded by an extensive and well-planted park. This was the birthplace of the infamous Judge Jeffries. Brymho Hall, Darby, Esq., a fine specimen of the domestic architecture of former times, from a design by Inigo Jones. Here the late John Wilkinson, Esq., succeeded in bringing into cultivation, and a high state of productiveness, some hundreds of acres of wild heath and peat-moss.* Erddig Hall, Simon Yorke, Esq. The grounds are remarkable for the * Here resided Miss Janet W. Wilkinson, the gifted writer of Sketches and Legends amid the Mountains of North Wales, in Verse, which evince much refined taste and poetic talent. In the dedication, dated** Brymho Hall, 22d August 1840,” it appears that the author was “ a girl of fifteen.” The introduc- tory stanzas may be given as a specimen : — ** 1. Most glorious Wales ! thou eagle of the rock, That nestlest ’mid high mountains and wild streams, Where mighty tempest’s dread resounding shock Alternate rules with sunlight’s richest beams — Hail ! throned within thy realms of awe and might, O’erlooking ocean— canopied by clouds ; Admit us to thy haunts of dusky night. Where floating mist thy frowning grandeur shrouds I *‘2. Dominion of the free ! when from the chain Of foreign victors Britain’s chiefs withdrew. Guarding with arm and life thy stern domain. Which round the heroes like a fortress grew, Secure ’mid towering cliff, or savage cave, Or tangled mazes of recesses deep. High o’er the foes they bade Defiance wave, And still the baffled chase o’er deserts sweep. N 162 CHESTER AND RUABON TO DOLGELLY. extent of majestic woods ; and the mansion contains much to interest the scholar and the antiquary, including all the heraldic bearings of the royal tribes of Wales, and a valuable collection of Welsh manuscripts. Plas Power ^ Thomas Lloyd Fitzhugh, Esq., a handsome modem mansion, embosomed in rich plantations, but in a situation too flat to allow of much diversity or picturesque beauty. Bangor- YS-COED is situated on the banks of the Dee, in a detached portion of Flintshire which adjoins the English counties of Chester and Salop, called the hundred of Maelor^ and, by the Welsh, Maelor Saesneg. To distinguish it from the city of Bangor in Carnarvonshire, it is sometimes called Bangor in Maelor, It is famed on account of having been the site of the most ancient monastery in the kingdom, founded before the year 180. According to Speed, the mo- nastery or college of Bangor contained, in the year 596, not fewer than 2400 monks. Of these ecclesiastics, 1200 were slain by EtheKrid, king of Northumbria, who afterwards de- spoiled and devastated the monastery. This place appears to have been the Banchorium of Bichard of Cirencester, and the Bovium of Antoninus. Koman pavements are found in the neighbourhood. The scenery is beautiful amidst the wind- ings of the river Dee, whose elevated banks are overshadowed by the richest woods. The present population of the village scarcely exceeds 550. The hundred of Maelor contains also the neat village of Overton^ with a venerable church, overlooking the Dee and surrounded by scenery delightfully picturesque. The follow- ing seats of nobility and gentry are in the district : — Bryn-y-pys, E. Peel, Esq. ; Gredington Hall, Lord Kenyon ; Gwernhaeled Parh, in which are remains of a tumulus and of a large circular camp ; Hanmer Hall and Bettisjleld Park, both belonging to Sir John Hanmer, Bart., M.P. ; and Emral, an ancient seat of the family of Puleston. “ 3. Now — vale and hill are bright with joy and peace, No echoes startle to the combat’s din ; The vengeance and the strife of ages cease, And Plenty reigns around, beneath, within. There lurks no danger in the forests old ; There gleam no weapons in the distant glen ; Deserted stands each patriot’s rugged hold. And flocks lie scathless by the wolfs ’lorn den.” * * * * * ♦ RUABON — WYNNSTAY. 163 RUABON. [Hotel: Wynnstay Arms.] This is the important junction station between Chester and Shrewsbury, from which the branch line to Llangollen, Corwen, Bala, and Dolgelly, diverges westwards. The village of Ruabon, or Rhiwabon, is pleasantly situated on an eminence, surrounded by beautiful scenery, parts of which, however, are rendered dingy and repulsive by numer- ous iron-works and collieries. These furnish employment to a large population. The church is a very ancient building, presumed to have been founded by Mabon, a brother of Llewelyn. It contains several marble monuments of the Wynn family, deserving of notice. One, by Rhysbrac, in memory of Sir Watkin Williams Wynn (the first baronet of the family bearing the name of Wynn), who was killed by fa llin g from a horse in 1749. He is represented in graceful attitude, his hands outspread as if in the act of addressing an assembly. On one side is a likeness of his son, and on the other that of his daughter, both kneeling. Two others are by NoUekens in honour of the second Sir Watkin, and of Lady Henrietta, his wife. That of Lady Wynn, who was daughter of the Duke of Beaufort, and died within a few months after marriage, is especially admired. A smaR mural tablet indi- cates the burial-place of Dr. David Powell, who translated into English the History of Wales, written by Caradoc of Llancarfan. He died in 1590. In the immediate vicinity is Wynnstay, the demesne of the Wynns. Wynnstay, the seat of Sir Watkin Williams Wynn, Bart., the fourth in succession bearing the same names, is situated close to the village, and both house and grounds are readily opened to respectable strangers. This magnificent domain was anciently the residence of Madoc ap Gryffydd Maelor, the founder of Valle Crucis Abbey, and was called Wattstay, from Watt’s Dyke, an old rampart which runs through the estate ; but when it came into the possession of the Wynns by the marriage of the heiress of Eyton Evans with Sir John Wynn, it received its present appellation. The approach, about one mile in length, is bordered by stately trees. The original mansion, erected in the 16th cen- 164 CHESTER AND RUABON TO DOLGELLY. tury, was destroyed by fire in 1858, whereupon the present was built upon the same site. The interior contains several spacious apartments embellished with paintings, principally family portraits by Yandyck, Sir Godfrey Knell er, and Sir Joshua Eeynolds. There are also admirable busts of Lord Grenville, William Pitt, and other distinguished statesmen ; and the library is extensive and highly valuable. The Park^ about 8 miles in circumference, and enclosed by a lofty stone wall, is watered by the rapid Dee, and adorned by some of the noblest trees in the principality. It contains an admirable bath, whose lucid purity tempts a plunge ; an artificial water- fall, formed by diverting and combining several brooks, and directing their course over a ledge 30 feet high ; and two beautiful sheets of water, on one of which is an island, bearing oaks of extraordinary growth. Within the park are also three buildings, all of great interest. The first is a Monument erect- ed by maternal affection in memory of the second Sir Watkin Williams Wynn. It was constructed from designs by Wyatt, and is a fluted Doric column of freestone, 101 feet in height, supporting an entablature and a circular balustrade, surmounted by a magnificent bronze urn, around which is a gallery. On the S.W. side is an entrance to the spiral stairs leading to the summit. The pedestal, 16 feet square, is decorated with eagles and wreaths of oak-leaves. A beautiful drive along the park for about 5 miles leads to Nant-y-Belen^ or the Mar- tin’s Dingle, a deep ravine, through which the Dee, overhung by precipitous rocks, pursues its rugged course. Above this dingle is a Tower, erected to commemorate the heroes of the Cambrian regiment of Ancient Britons, who fell in their country’s cause, under the command of the third Sir Watkin, during the Irish Eebellion of 1798. The remaining structure referred to is the Waterloo Tower, built by the late Sir Watkin to commemorate that decisive victory. It affords a charming view of the windings of the river Dee through the Yale of Llangollen, the ruins of Castell Dinas Bran, and the surround- ing mountains. Watt’s Dyke passes through the grounds ; Offa’s Dyke, also, is in the immediate vicinity, being here, for a consider- able extent, 10 feet high, and broad enough for two carriages. CHIRK CASTLE BRYNKINALT. 165 An agreeable excursion may be made from Euabon to Chirk Castle and Park, about 4 miles distant. Chirk Castle is supposed to have been founded in 1013, and was an ex- tremely strong fortification. It was besieged by the Parlia- mentary forces, and so much battered by the artillery of Cromwell, that the repairs occasioned an expense of £80,000. In 1595 it became the property of Sir Thomas Myddelton, afterwards Lord Mayor of London. There were successively four of this name, the two former Knights, and the two latter Baronets. The celebrated Hugh Myddelton, also knighted, projector of the New Eiver from Hertfordshire to London, was a brother of the first Sir Thomas. From his day, this fine estate has continued in the possession of the same family, the present representative of which is Eobert Myddelton Bid- dulph, Esq., M.P., Lord- Lieutenant of Denbighshire, and colonel of the county militia. This ancient castle stands on the brow of a hill, near to the village of Chirk, sheltered by the Ber- wyn mountains. It is a quadrangular embattled structure, defended by four low massive towers at the angles, aod a gate- way tower in the centre of the N. front, through which is the principal entrance into a square area of considerable extent. On the E. side of this area is a low embattled corridor leading into the principal rooms, which liave been greatly altered and appropriately embellished under the direction of Mr. Pugin. The picture-gallery, at the S. end of which is the chapel, is 100 feet in length, and 22 feet in wudth ; and contains some good portraits and other paintings. One of the apartments contains the state bed in which Charles I. slept, and a beauti- ful cabinet which he presented to the family. The summit of this venerable pile commands a view of surpassing beauty, extending, it is said, into seventeen counties. In the park, the walks and drives are extensive and diversified. The view from the terrace, on a fine day, may well be deemed to repay a long journey. The river Ceiriog runs on the W. side of the castle, through a deep picturesque valley, remarkable as the scene of conflict in 1165, between the forces under Henry II. and those of the Welsh under their brave prince Owen Gwynedd ; when the latter obtained a victory, and soon afterwards com- pelled the Saxon monarch to seek safety by returning to hia own territories. Brynkinalt, one mile below Chirk, is the elegant seat of 166 CHESTER AND RUABON TO DOLGELLY. Lord Arthur Hill Trevor, who is descended from Tudor Trevor, Earl of Hereford, founder of one of the fifteen tribes of North Wales. The former proprietor, Lord Dungannon, was distinguished for archaeological taste and research ; the churches of the neighbourhood were greatly improved at his expense ; and he was the author of the “ Life and Times of William, Prince of Orange.” The mother of the Duke of Wellington, who was a daughter of Arthur Hill Trevor (Viscount Dungannon), spent much time here in the boyhood of the illustrious general. Aqueducts and Viaducts. — The vale of the Ceiriog at Chirk, and the vale of the Dee between Chirk and Llangollen, are distinguished by four noble specimens of engineering and architectural skill — each of these deep valleys being crossed by the Ellesmere Canal, and by the Chester and Shrewsbury Eailway, upon long ranges of arches at a great elevation. The two former are the productions of the late eminent engineer, Mr. Telford ; and the two latter, of Mr. H. Eobert- son, the able engineer of the Eailway Company. The follow- ing comparative statement of dimensions may assist in con- veying some idea of these great works : — Chirk Aqueduct. Entire length 690 ft. Height of Piers .... 65 ft. Number of Arches 10 Chirk Dee Dee Viaduct. Aqueduct. Viaduct. 846 ft. 1007 ft. 1508 ft. 100 ft. 116 ft. 147 ft. 12 19 19 The two aqueducts have long been the objects of general admiration, but they are now surpassed, in massive grandeur and importance, by the works of the railway. All these noble structures are placed amidst scenery of extraordinary richness and beauty, and from their elevation the varied pro- spects are exceedingly imposing. LLANGOLLEN. [Hotels: Hand; Royal; King’s Head; Cambrian; Jenny Jones Inn.] This lively little town, a place of much resort by tourists, is situated in a narrow valley watered by the Dee, and closely surrounded by hills of moderate elevation. The streets are narrow, irregular, and ill paved ; and the houses are, for the most part, old and mean, but gradually giving place to modem LLANGOLLEN. 167 and more handsome dwellings. A building of some architec- tural pretension, comprising, under one roof, town-hall, assembly-rooms, and market-house, will attract the attention of the tourist. Although Llangollen has not the neat and orderly appearance of an English town, the advantages of its situation in the midst of scenery distinguished by picturesque and romantic beauty render it an agreeable resting-place, and an eligible centre from which a number of pleasant excursions may be taken. In a tour through North Wales, it is advisable to visit Llangollen at the beginning of the route ; the scenery being characterised by gentle tranquil beauty, which might appear tame if contemplated after the more elevated mountainous districts of the principality. A remarkable object in the scenery about Llangollen is the range of limestone rocks, called £glwyseg, which form on the N.E. side a singular back-ground, contrasting strangely with the cultivated meadows and wooded slopes. These rocks are bold and naked, and, from Lheir peculiarity of colour, when their huge front is lighted up by the sun, the effect is extremely curious and imposing. At the hotels the traveller may be greeted on his arrival by the Welsh harp, performing some of the national airs ; and he will readily acquire the information and guidance he may need for exploring the town and neighbourhood. The Hand hotel is one of the most comfortable in North Wales. The following objects of interest claim attention : — The Bridge^ long regarded as one of the seven wonders of Wales, derives interest rather from its situation than from any peculiarity of construction. It was erected about the middle of the fourteenth century by Dr. John Trevor, Bishop of St. Asaph ; and consists of four irregular narrow-pointed arches. The Dee, here a broad though shallow river, rolls its turbulent waters over a rocky bed. The depth of water is sometimes greatly increased within a few hours, even in the finest weather, and when there is neither rain nor thaw. This is occasioned by a strong S.W. wind blowing over Bala lake, producing the effect of a tide rushing with great force. The view through the arches, in both directions, is highly picturesque. The Churchy which has recently been much enlarged, is ancient, but without peculiarity of architecture. It is dedi- cated to a British saint named Collen^ and hence the name of 168 CHESTER and RUABON TO DOLGELLT. the town Llan-gollen, i.e. the Church of Collen. The services are usually in Welsh, but occasionally, both here and in the Dissenting chapels, they are conducted in the English language. Castell Dinas Brdn^ or Crow Castle, as it is sometimes strangely named, is the ruin of a fortress on a high conical hill about a mile from the town ; a conspicuous object throughout the valley, and from all the adjacent heights, and having everywhere a solemn and imposing aspect. Towards the top of the hill the slope is extremely steep. The name is supposed to have been taken from the mountain-stream Bran, whkh runs just below. The structure appears to have been abqut 290 feet long and 140 feet broad, occupying the whole crovn of the hill. On one side, where the ascent is the least steep, it was defended by trenches cut through the rock. The st}le of architecture indicates a British origin, but the period of its erection and the name of its founder are buried in oblivion. The existiug remains consist of scattered fragments of walls, forming an object of wild desolation. The single incident in its history possessing present interest is this : — About the yeai 1390 the castle was the residence of Myfanwy Fechan^ a beautiful and accomplished female, descended from the house of Tudor Trevor. She was beloved by Hoel ap Einion Llygliw, a distinguished bard, who addressed to her an impassioned ode, still extant, of which a spirited translation has been pub- lished in the collection of the Eev. Evan Evans. At what time the castle was demolished there is no certain information. Churchyard, the poet of the 16th century, calls it “an old ruynous thinge.’* Valle Grucis Abbey, or Llan Egwest, is an ecclesiastical ruin of much celebrity, situated in a small meadow, at the foot of a hill called Bronfawr, 2 miles N.W. of Llangollen. This abbey was a house of Cistercians, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, founded about the year 1200 by Madoc ap Gryffydd Maelor, Lord of Dinas Bran and Bromfield, grandson of Owen Gwy- nedd, Prince of Wales. It was dissolved in 1535. The building was held by the crown till James I. granted it to Edward Wotton, afterwards Lord Wotton. In the remains of the church at the west end is a beautiful ornamented arched doorway, with three lancet-shaped windows, and a small wheel- window piercing the gable. The portions of the abbey which remain are appropriated to the purposes of a farm -building. LLANGOLLEN. 169 Eliseg^s Pillar is in a meadow adjoining, still known by the name Llwyn-y-Groes, the grove of the cross, near the second milestone from Llangollen on the road to Kuthin. It is a round, inscribed column, standing on a square pedestal or plinth. It appears to have been erected to the memory of Eliseg, father of Brochmail, Prince of Powys, by Concen, or Congen, his great-grandson. It was originally 12 feet in height, but having been thrown down and broken, a part only is preserved which measures about 7 feet. The ancient in- scription is quite illegible. A modern inscription simply records the reinstating of the broken shaft by Mr. Lloyd of Trevor Hall, in the year 1779. The tumulus on which the pillar stands was opened many years since, and disclosed the remains' of bones between broad flat stones. Flas Newydd, the residence of Captain Lonran, is about a quarter of a mile from the town on the S. side of the vale. The residence is a small unpretending cottage, adapted to form an agreeable retirement for persons of simple tastes and mode- rate desires. It has been frequently the subject of most ex- travagantly overwrought eulogy, on account of the sentimental interest occasioned by the somewhat romantic history of the late eccentric residents, Lady Eleanor Butler and the Hon. Miss Ponsonby, whom mutual attachment, and accordance in extreme love of independence, caused to withdraw from their connections, to refuse opportunities of matrimonial alliance, and together to retire to this comparatively quiet and secluded residence. Here Lady Butler died in 1829, aged 90, and Miss Ponsonby in 1831, aged 76. A faithful and valued servant, Mary Carrol, preceded them in departure from this world. The three are interred in one tomb, in Llangollen churchyard, and a triangular pillar bears an appropriate in- scription for each. Plas Pengwerriy at a short distance S. in a beautiful retired valley, is the property of John Dickens, Esq. The mansion belonged to Tudor Trevor, Lord of Bromfield, about 924 ; from whom the Mostyns descend. Some of the windows of the ancient house are retained entire, and an inscribed stone, supposed to be a coffin-lid from Valle Crucis Abbey, is built into a wall. Llangollen is an eligible station for anglers. The Ellesmere Canal, which has its course close to the town and through the valley, conveys large quantities of slates and 170 CHESTER AND RUABON TO DOLGELLT. limestone from neiglibonring quarries. It is one of the polling- places for Denbighshire. Market on Saturday. Population of the parish, which includes, besides the town of Llangollen, several adjacent townships, 5799. The 10 miles* drive from Llangollen to Corwen, through Glyn Dyfrdwy, or the valley of the Dee, is replete with interest. The railway follows pretty closely the course of the Dee. But TeKord*s admirable road, being formed at a considerable elevation on the side of the lower portion of the Berwyn range of mountains, and overlooking the river Dee, which in this part of its course is very rapid, opens to view a succession of picturesque scenes of more than ordinary beauty. The valley is also historically attractive as associated with the personal history of the celebrated chieftain, Owen Glyndwr (or Glendower). His character and achievements are, to patriotic Welshmen, objects of veneration and affectionate attachment ; his genealogy, exploits, and virtues, are celebrated by the native bards and minstrels ; his death is lamented as terminating the last struggle for W elsh independence ; and, by the inhabitants of this district particularly, everything connected with the chivalric Owen is revered and cherished. In the ancient church of Corwen they love to point out the door by which he entered his pew ; at Kffg, near this town, are exhibited the knife and fork and dagger, enclosed in one case, which he usually bore about his person ; and at Sychnant, 3 miles below Corwen, a clump of firs is shown as marking the site of the palace where his hospitality and kindness endeared him to neighbours and retainers.* COEWEN. [Hotel: Owen Glyndwr; Refreshment-room at Station.] Corwen need not long detain the tourist. It is a small, quiet market-town, on the S. bank of the river Dee, sheltered by a rock, at the foot of the Berwyn mountains, which rise * No tourist in Wales should he unacquainted with the history of this remarkable man. For a sketch of his life and character, see the CaTribrian Plutarch, by J. H. Parry. For a fuller account of his extraordinary achieve- ments, great successes, and dire reverses of fortune, see Sharon Turner’s History of the Middle Ages. Shakspeare, in his King Henry the Fourth, has embodied all that is romantic and marvellous in the traditional accounts of Owen, and given a glowing delineation of his character. CORWEN. 171 abruptly behind it, and nearly all its historic interest is con- nected with the notable exploits and “ barbaric grandeur ” of Owen Glyndwr. The name of the town signifies the White Choir. The church, dedicated to St. Julian, Archbishop of St. David’s, who died in 1009, though an ancient building, has few indications of antiquity. Near it is a large house called the College, which is, in fact, an almshouse, founded and en- dowed by William Eyton, of Plas Warren, in Shropshire, for six widows of clergymen who, at the time of decease, held the cure of souls in Merionethshire. In the churchyard is an ornamented stone pillar, which, owing perhaps to its pointed form, is popularly called the sword of Glyndwr. On the brow of the adjacent cliff, a spot, marked by a rude pile of stones, bears the name of Glyndwr^s Seat ; and on the summit of a hill, at the opposite side of the river, is a circle of loose stones, nearly half-a-mile in circumference, marking the site of the British fort of Caer Drewyn, one of the strong chain of forts which reached from Dyserth to Canwyd. Here Owen Gwynedd was posted when preparing to repel the invasion of Henrj^ II. ; and hither Owen Glyndwr retreated when threatened by Henry IV. From these eminences there is a vast extent of mountain- view, including the Clwydian hills on the N.E. ; the Berwyn range on the S. ; Aran Mowddy and Cader Idris to the S.W. ; the two Arrenigs to the W., and the mighty Snow- don, with his majestic group, far away in the N.W. Corwen is a favourite angling station. Population (of the parish, 1861), 2042. about 2 miles from Corwen, the seat of W. Wagstaff, Esq., formerly a possession of the Vaughans, Barts. The Vaughans of Bfig, Hengwrt, and Nannau, all branches of the same family, are lineally descended from Owen Glendwr, whose patronymic was Fechan, or Vaughan, i.e. little. The chapel of Bug is worth a visit. It is remarkably diminutive, very ancient, and much dilapidated. Some carvings and frescoes which remain, but are now fast perishing, indicate that the little building was elaborately decorated. Rhagatt^ the mansion of John Lloyd, Esq., is also situated in this parish, at about two miles from the town, in the oppo- site direction. 172 CHESTER AND RUABON TO DOLGELLY. Road from Corwen to Bettws-y-Coed, 22 miles. A delightful road extends Between Corwen and Bettws-y-Coed — 5 miles by Pont-y-Glyn ; 6 miles Cerrig-y-Druidion ; 4 miles Pentre Foelas, Gian Conway, and the Falls. The whole distance is about 22 miles. Pont-y-Glyn, or Bridge of the Glen, properly Pont-y-Glyn Diffwys, is passed on the left of the high road about 6 miles W. from Corwen. It is a single- arched bridge, resting upon two precipitous rocks, about 60 feet above the bed of the river Geirw. The stream, which has been winding slowly and quietly along a valley, here rushes with great force over an abrupt and craggy descent directly beneath the bridge. The cataract is not lofty, but, combined with the rich foliage and the dark perpendicular rocks, a scene is formed which is remarkably picturesque and striking. Cerrig-y-Druidion [Inn: Saracen’s Head] is a village situated in a cold naked district. It was formerly a oonsiderable thoroughfare, the great road passing it at a short distance on a lower level. It was famed in Camden’s time for relics of Dmidism. He mentions particularly some remarkable specimens of the British Cistvaen, or stone chest, supposed to have been designed by the Druids as places of close imprisonment. These, however, have been entirely displaced, and the stones of which they wore formed have been used for various purposes. Some persons believe that the name of this village is properly not Cerrig-y-Druidion, the stones of the Druids, but Cerrig-y-Druidon, the stones of the daring ones. At Pengwerwyn (or Pen-y-Gaer, as termed in the Ordnance map), a hill about a mile E. , are some remains of a British fortification, said to have been the retreat of Caractacus after he was defeated by the Romans. Being here, together with his family, betrayed into the hands of his enemies, he was led in triumph to the Emperor Claudius, then at York. There his dignified and becoming demeanour, and his heroic, though pathetic appeal, obtained him not only his liberty but the esteem of the emperor. Pentre Foelas, a small hamlet, with a tolerable inn, is now a posting-stage on the Holyhead road, and the point of divergence for Denbigh on the N.E., and Festiniog on the S.W. Cernioge-mawr, which was long celebrated as a good hotel and a busy posting-house, is now converted into a farm-house. The road here crosses an elevated bleak moor. The waters flow from it in contrary directions ; some towards the E. fall into the Dee, and others to the W. into the Conway. The objects of interest which occur on the approach to Bettws-y-Coed will be found at page 116. The route from Corwen to Bala extends through the Vale of Edeirnion by the right bank of the Dee. Five miles from Corwen we reach Llandrillo station, haK-a-mile from the village of that name, with a good hotel. The Dudley Arms, lying at the base of Cader Fronwen (2573). We next pass Llandderfel, and, shortly afterwards, arrive at Bala Station, about a mile and a half to the south of the town. BALA. 173 BALA [Hotels: Evan’s Plascoch ; Bull’s Head; White Lion.] Dolgelly, 17 miles ; Corwen, 12 ; Festiniog, 19 ; Llangollen, 22. Coach to Festiniog. is a small market-town, clean and neat, and more regularly built than most Welsh towns of similar extent. It is in the parish of Llanycil, the church of which is a mile distant. A beautiful new chapel has recently been erected, and there are others for Independents and Calvinistic Methodists. The knitting of worsted stockings, gloves, caps, and neck- wrappers, is a favourite employment; and throughout the neighbourhood the women and children may be seen pursuing this work when sitting in the open air and walking along the road ; and in winter evenings it is carried on within doors, with no other light than that which is yielded by a fire of peat. There is an endowed grammar-school, founded in 1712, in which thirty boys are clothed and educated. The Calvinistic Methodists, who are numerous here, as in most parts of the principality, have a college for the training of their preachers. Here, for some time, lived and laboured the Eev. Thomas Charles, an eminently devoted and useful minister, connected with that denomination of Christians. He prepared two editions of the Welsh Bible, he compiled a Welsh Scriptural Dictionary in four volumes, which is highly esteemed, and he had an important part in originating the British and Foreign Bible Society. At the E. end of the town there is an artificial mound called Tomen-y-JBala, supposed to have been the site of a Homan encampment, and afterwards occupied by the Welsh as one of a chain of forts across this part of the country to check the incursions of the English Lords Marchers. The elevation affords a good view of the surrounding country, and. in fair weather, it is a common resort for knitters of all ages. This town is much visited by sportsmen during the season of grouse-shooting, for which the heath-clad hills of the neighbourhood are favourable. Bala has a market on Satur- day, and five annual fairs, chiefly for the sale of live stock. It is one of the polling-places in the election of a member of Parliament for the county of Merioneth. Population of the town of Bala, 1341 ; of the parish of Llanycil, 2383. Mr 174 CHESTER AND RUABON TO DOLGELLT. Tennyson, it is said, composed a considerable portion of his Idyh of the King whilst residing here. Bala Lake (the Lake of Beauty), also called by the natives Llyn Tegid, and in English PimUemere^ is near to the S.W. extremity of the town. It is about four miles in length, averaging half-a-mile in breadth, and of very great depth. The water is exceedingly pure. The lake abounds with pike, perch, trout, and eels ; and there are shoals of a fish called gwyniad, from the extreme whiteness of the scales. It is a gi'egarious fish, found in most alpine lakes, particu- larly those of Switzerland. The largest rarely exceed 3 or 4 pounds weight. The banks of the lake are flat and naked, and the scenery in the immediate neighbourhood is tame and uninteresting ; but the distant mountain views are very grand. The fishing anciently belonged to the abbey of Basingwerk, but the right is now claimed by Sir W. W. Wynn, who has a sporting seat at the S.W. termination, called Glan-y-Llyn, From the number of streams by which the lake is supplied, and the vast extent of mountainous country through which they flow, the lake is liable to a sudden rise, sometimes occasioning it to overflow its banks, and causing destructive floods in the adjacent country. From the W. side of the lake there is a road leading to Dinas Mowddy and Mallwyd, by the mountain-pass called Bwlch-y-Groes, or “ the pass of the cross,” which Mr. Borrow describes in his interesting work “ Wild Wales.” The road crosses the chain of the Arran mountains, considered one of the wildest parts of Wales. The ascent is toilsome, but the scenery is of the grandest character. On this road, at about 7 miles from Bala, there is a fine cascade on the river Dyfi, in a highly romantic scene. The Arran mountains form a considerable range of hills running from the south-west end of Bala Lake, down towards the Cader range, which consists of a spur from it. Although commanding some very fine views, they are comparatively seldom ascended, mostly on account of the difficulty of getting to the base. They afford, notwithstanding, a very pleasant mountain excursion, either from Bala or Dolgelly. The assist- ance of the train may be taken, if from Bala as far as Llanu- wchllyn Station, or if from Dolgelly to Drwsynant Station. In the former case, on leaving the station and gaining the CHESTER AND RUABON TO DOLGELLY. 175 main road, we turn to the left, and after passing under the line of railway, proceed onwards till we arrive at the point where the road crosses the Eiver Cunllwydd. Here, instead of going over the bridge, we turn to the right through a gate, and follow the mountain road, which there joins the main road. Following this for about a mile, and taking care to keep on the north slope of the mountain the whole way, we must leave the beaten track and shape our ovm course ac- cording to the best of our ability. In this attempt it is well to keep by the ridge, which rises in a series of mounds the whole way, until we reach the top of the plateau, the extreme point being called Aran Benllyn, and which, according to the Ordnance Survey, is 2907 feet above the level of the sea. Here, weather permitting, we begin to obtain a view of the surrounding country, especially towards England, which quite repays the fatigue of the climb. The walking is now con- siderably easier, being more on a level, until we reach the foot of the last ascent. This brings us to the top of the highest point of the range, called Aran Mowddwy, being 2972 feet high. This mountain has a curious shape, being in the form of a cone divided down the centre, present- ing a straight drop on the east side of some hundreds of feet, whereas on the other sides it slopes down gradually in a suc- cession of knolls to the bottom of the valley. As far as the view is concerned, it has been preferred to that from Cader Idris, that mountain itself forming a beautiful feature in the panorama on the western side. Instead of the mass of water which enters into the composition of the picture from the top of Cader, we obtain from Aran Mowddwy a good view of the spires of the churches of Shrewsbury, and a better view of the course of the Dee and of Bala Lake. The descent may be made in two ways, either by retracing our steps, or mak- ing a cut down to Drwsynant Station, and calling at a small inn of that name on the road side, where a good glass of ale and other refreshments can generally be procured. The proper course in this route is to make for a deep ravine which commences a little to the northwest of the summit, and through which a mountain stream makes its way. Following the latter downwards we come to a farm-road on the left bank, which leads down to the turnpike-road. The inn stands about a couple of hundred yards up the latter. The 176 CHESTER AND RUABON TO DOLGELLY. station is situated about a mile from tlie inn on the road to Dolgelly, and there is not the slightest difficulty in finding it. In the event of the ascent being made from Dolgelly, after getting out at Drwsynant Eailway Station, we must follow the farm-road which crosses the railway close to the station, and conducts to a farm-house called Esgair Gawr. Still follow- ing the same road, without diverging to the right or crossing the stream which descends here from the mountains, we reach the hillside, here covered with an abundance of heath. This is the principal grouse-shooting belonging to the Nannau estate. Beyond this the road soon comes to a termination, and we must rely on our own resources for the attainment of the summit. But there is not much difficulty in finding the way, as the Aran towers in all its majestic grandeur straight before us, and we have only to brace ourselves to the task, and make up our minds for a stiff concluding scramble. The de- scent may be made in the same way as described in the route coming from Bala The Eiver Dee, for which the Lake of Bala serves as a reservoir, rises in a hill called Cefn Glass, which forms part of the range running towards Dolgelly, and before entering Bala Lake it is joined by two large streams, called respec- tively the Lliw and Cynllwyd. The poet Spenser makes this the residence of the sage Timon, foster-father to Prince i^rthur. His dwelling is full low in valley green, Under the foot of Rauran’s mossie hore, From whence the river Dee, as silver clean. His tumbling billows rolls with gentle rore.” The three streams unite just below the village of Llanu- wchllyn, and enter the lake at its south-western extremity. The river, according to popular belief, retains its identity although passing through the waters of the lake. Where it emerges at the N.E. corner it is spanned by a bridge, near to which a castle was erected in 1202, called Castel Gronw, of which some traces are visible. The Dee, even here a con- siderable river, is soon increased by other mountain streams, the first being the Tryweryn, which joins close to Bala, and flows by Ehiwlas the residence of Mr. Price. Till it reaches Corwen it flows in an open valley, and its course is comparatively slow. Afterwards, descending from the moun- CHESTER AND EUABON TO DOLGELLY. 177 tain table-land of North Wales, and having a fall of 300 feet in 10 miles, its course in this part is consequently rapid and turbulent. It crosses Denbighshire from W. to E., through the vale of Llangollen, and runs, with numerous windings, upwards of 30 miles to the tide-way of Chester, receiving as tributaries the Alwen, the Ceiriog, the Clywedog, and the Alun. From Chester the Dee flows in a straight artificial channel or tidal canal, capable of admitting ships of 600 tons, along the marshes for about 8 miles, till it enters its proper estuary. Here it enlarges into a firth 3 miles across, forming at high water a noble arm of the sea ; but at ebb tide covered with sand and ooze, through which the river runs in a narrow and insignificant low-water channel. It enters the Irish Sea between the island of Great Hilbre on the N. and the Point of Ayr on the S. Efforts are perseveringly made to improve the navigation below Chester. The name of the river is sup- posed by some to be derived from Duw, divine, and by others from Dll, black. The former appears the more probable, since it is known that in the era of Druidism, the ancient Britons regarded the river with superstitious veneration and attachment. When they were drawn up along its banks, pre- pared to engage in deadly conflict with their Saxon foes, every soldier bowed down, first kissing the earth, and then devoutly drinking a small portion of this sacred water. Allusions to the supposed sanctity of the Dee are not unfrequent in the writings of our poets. Spenser, introducing it among the rivers attend- ing the marriage of the Thames and the Medway, writes — “ And following Dee, which Britons long ygone, Did call Divine, that doth by Chester tend.” Drayton repeatedly uses the phrase, Dee^s holiness and Milton beautifully alludes to the scene — “ Where Deva spreads her wizard’s stream.”* * Among the Welsh Melodies, edited by Parry, is the following written by Wiffen : — “ I crossed in its beauty thy Dee’s Druid water. The waves, as I passed, rippled lowly and lone ; For the brave on their borders had perished in slaughter. The noble were vanished, the gifted were gone 1 ” N 178 DOLGELLY. The railway from Bala to Dolgelly is carried along the east- ern shore of the lake, and the route occupies a little less than an hour. The distance is 1 7 miles. About a mile from the foot, or southernmost extremity, of the lake, is the village of Llanuwchllyn. The country through which the line passes from this is comparatively flat, until the watershed is reached near a farm-house called Pantgwyn. Here the Pass of the Garneddwen is entered, the Aran range being on the left. The farm-house and inn of Drwsynant are two miles lower down the valley. This inn, in the old coaching days, was celebrated for its ale and oatmeal cake. Here we exchange the Dee for the Wnion, following the right bank of the latter for nine miles. DOLGELLY [Hotels: Golden Lion ; Ship; Angel.] is the most populous and important town in the county of Merioneth, and particularly eligible as a resting-place for tourists, being a central point from which numerous interest- ing excursions may be taken. It is situated between the rivers Aran and Wnion, near to the confluence of the latter wdth the Mawddach, in a wide and fertile valley of rich and diversified beauty, and at the foot of the majestic mountain Cader Idris. The name signifies the dale or vale of hazels^ although it does not appear that the hazel is more abundant than several other kinds of tree, all of which are luxuriant in this richly- wooded valley. The houses in the town are placed without much regard to order, and many of the older buildings are gradually giving place to modern erections of a superior class. I passed by thy pillar,* firm rooted to waken Long mem’ry of chiefs that in battle had sunk ; But the earthquake of ruin its basis had shaken, The voice of the thunder had shattered its trunk ! “ I passed by thy castle, f once mirthful and splendid, Its court was too truly an emblem of thine ; I passed by thy abbey]: — its worship was ended, The ivy hung dark over portal and shrine. Yet weep not, fair Cambria, though shorn of thy glory. Thy star shall yet rise in ascendence again ; Song and science are treasuring the leaves of thy story. Not a page shall appeal to our bosoms in vain.” * Eliseg’s pillar. f Dinas Bran. X Valle Crucis. DOLGELLY. 179 The town cannot boast of much interest derived from histo- rical incidents. It appears to have been known to the Eomans, although in evidence of this there are no existing remains, ex- cept some Eoman coins found in a well, bearing this inscrip- tion — IMP. CiESAR. TRAiAN. Owen Glyndwr assembled his parliament here in 1404, and here he signed a treaty of alliance with Charles, King of France, which begins thus, in true regal style, “ Owinus Dei gratia princeps Wallise,” and concludes, Datum apud Dolguelli,” etc. In the civil wars of Charles I., some of the king’s troops attempted to raise a fortification about the town, to defend it against the Parlia- mentary forces, but were prevented by Mr. Edward Yaughan, who, at the head of a small party, completely routed them, and took their captain prisoner. Dolgelly has long been noted for the manufacture of a coarse woollen fabric called wehs, which gives employment to a considerable number of persons. It is also the mart to which the produce of the cir- cumjacent country is brought for sale. The bridge which crosses the river Wnion was built ori- ginally in 1638, but in consequence of the railway being car- ried along the north side of the river, the approaches to the town on that side, as well as the bridge, underwent consider- able alteration. The two first arches were pulled down and built up at a higher level, as well as most of the parapets on each side, so as to allow the road to be carried over the line of railway, which is crossed by an iron girder. All the old buildings which used to occupy this part of the town were pulled down, the roads carried higher up the hill, and a good passenger-station of an ornamental description built on their sites. These alterations have considerably improved the en- trance to the town, doing away with the former sharp turns at the end of the bridge. A market-hall and assembly rooms are in course of construction, which will be of con- siderable advantage to the town. It is rather a large build- ing, of a plain and unassuming character, the upper rooms being devoted to town purposes, as well as for the holding of entertainments. The lower part is entered through a series of arches which support the upper storey, and is to be used for markets and other purposes. The Churchy which has been restored within the last few years, stands upon an eminence in the midst of the town. It 180 DOLGELLY. has no pretensions to architectural beauty. There is an ancient monument, bearing an image of an armed knight, with a dog at his feet, representing an ancestor of the family of Vaughan of Nannau ; and there have been recently erected handsome monuments in memory of Baron Eichards, who was a native of this place, and of the Eev. John Jones, Archdeacon of Merioneth. At the decease of a parishioner, a singular custom, which is now, however, abolished, used to be observed here : a metal plate, resembling what is usually affixed to a coffin, inscribed with the name of the deceased, and the dates of birth and death, is suspended within the church. The English services are held at the church at half-past eleven and four in summer ; half-past three in winter. Welsh services at 10 A.M. and at 6 p.m. The County Hall is a neat, commodious stone edifice, situ- ated near the bridge, at the entrance of the town. The quarter- sessions and the summer assizes are held in it. In the grand- jury room is an admirable portrait of Sir W. E. Vaughan, painted by Sir M. A. Shee, and there are other portraits of local celebrities. The County Gaol is a circular stone building at the S.W. extremity of the town, erected in 1811 at an expense of £5000. To the honour of the population, it is not un- common for this building to be without a tenant. The Parliament House is the name given to a dilapidated building in a court behind the post-office, which is pointed out as the place where Owen Glyndwr held the meeting of his partisans, to which allusion has been made. The National School occupies a good building recently erected on the N. side of the bridge. There is also an en- dowed free school for twenty-two boys of the parish, and a British school. By ascending one of the heights on the N. side of the valley, a good view is obtained of the town, as it lies sheltered at the foot of the majestic Cader Idris ; of the course of the river through the extended dale ; of the clustering woods which adorn the opposite range of heights ; and of numerous villas, surrounded by their plantations, giving life and refine- ment to the scene. The town is also seen to great advantage from the old Machynlleth road at the distance of about three- DOLGELLY. 181 fourths of a mile on the S.E. The prospects from the town in all directions are singularly fine. The population of the town is 2217 ; of the parish 3457. Tuesday and Saturday are the market-days, and fairs are held nine times in the year. Of the numerous mansions and villas in the neighbour- hood, the following may be mentioned : — Nannau^ J ohn Yaughan, Esq., and Hengwrt; Caerynwch, K. Meredyth Rich- ards, Esq. ; Frommion^ Lewis Williams, Esq. ; Bronygader, Mrs. Williams ; Brgnijgwin, Hugh John Reveley, Esq. ; Aler- gwynani, Col. Bunbury ; Dolserau, Charles Edwards, Esq., M.P. for Windsor ; Pmmaen Cliff e, Thomas Taylor, Esq. ; Glynmadden, William Griffith, Esq. ; and Lluyn, T. H. Wil- liams, Esq. Objects of Interest near Dolgelly. Sir R. C. Hoare affirms that he knew of no place in the principality whence so many pleasing and interesting excur- sions may be made, and where nature bears so rich, varied, and grand an aspect, as at Dolgelly ; but this is certainly an exaggerated opinion. The best view of Cader Idris may be obtained from a station called Bont Newydd, about three miles from Dolgelly, from whence the following two pleasant excursions may be made : — One by taking the road on the left, conducting round Moel Offrwm into Nannau Park, with its countless walks. The other excursion is made by crossing the line of rail- way, and then the bridge which spans the river Wnion, thence following the road, which begins to ascend, and keeping to the right the whole time, after a couple of miles have been passed, we reach the top of the Torrent Walk. This may be taken on the journey home, or by getting on to the turnpike- road, and going as far as the Cross Foxes. Here, by taking the road on the right (which used to be the old road) to Dol- gelly, we obtain on the way one of the best views of the town and surrounding country. The Torrent Walk is situated within the romantic grounds of Caerynwch^ and within a short walk of the upper 182 DOLGELLY. end of it the Cross Foxes Inn now affords accommodation to tourists. Ascending the Machynlleth road about one mile and a half, take a path on the left leading to the mill of Cly- wedog ; there, without crossing the bridge, turn to the right through a gateway, and enter a path by the side of a moun- tain-river. This path is a steep ascent, continued for a mile or more, through its whole course meeting the descending stream, which comes down rushing and foaming, and pro- duces a series of rapids and cascades, over scattered masses of rock, between precipitous banks which are fringed and over- Iiung by luxuriant trees of various hues and forms. The tourist who will patiently devote two or three hours to this well-named Torrent Walk, will acknowledge that it is one of the most remarkable and delightful scenes it is possible to visit. Nannau, formerly the residence of Howel Sele, the kins- man, yet the inveterate enemy, of Owen Glyndwr, has long been the family seat of the Vaughans, who claim descent from Eoderic Mawr, king of North Wales. It is situated at a great elevation between two and three miles from, the town. The road by which it is approached being a continued ascent, it has been supposed to occupy a loftier site than any other gentlemans house in Britain.” Some years ago the ancient hall was removed, and the present mansion erected. The gardens, which have been neglected for several years, once contained very rare plants. In the higher part of the grounds rises a lofty rocky eminence, the summit of which is encircled with a rampart formed of loose stones, evidently a British post. It is variously called Moel Orthrwn, or the Hill of Oppression, and Moel Offnvm, or the Hill of Sacrifice. The Ordnance map gives the latter. Old writers have generally adopted the former. No adequate reason for either is known. Around the summit of the dark height named Moel Cynwch, a path is formed, which is com- monly called the Precijpice Walk, extending about three miles, and exhibiting panoramic views of the surrounding country of extraordinary beauty and grandeur. In some parts the path is narrow and rather dangerous, and it excites a nervous apprehension to find one’s-self at this dizzy height, walking on the very verge of a dark deep precipice. In the park of Nannau stood, until the year 1813, an aged oak, measuring Cliart of CADER IDRIS nilt’ji to flwnmit Si-ole of One Mile Bhjd-wetL Fihe- hut. ’clifAei(.lt £l\7t Gwernait^ ’'''I -~^J)ii'n£iill ' £cm'})^x-g'»ryrXf ■. i iZ,\7i/7»<'(7ri', .■ freiL^ •qr-aif) L V/}' 3100\ J,vn Ceie , '4!if:/0$'i piL-d^xlS. -£i loll thi'i ■ Ty pvidfL' Bhiyowgof ' K, Mvn^tLd B i go (j CHART OF CADER IDRIS. N.B. This chart is a copy from the Ordnance Survey Map, with some alterations, to fit it for its present purpose ; but it is difficult, on so small and condensed a scale, to show adequately or even correctly the minute in- equalities of the mountain. The information here given, therefore, must be re- garded more in the light of an indication than of a perfectly definite delineation. The main routes here shown to the summit are — i. From Llyn Gwernan vin Llyn Gafr; and 2. from Dolgelly or Bwlch Coch, via The Foxes' Path. The first of these is the one alluded to in the pages of the Guide, and there can be no doubt that it is at once the easiest and best, and therefore to be generally recommended. The second is by the River Arran and Foxes’ Path, and marked on the chart fine but difficult.” A correspondent, who has ascended many times by this latter route, recommends it as taking the pedestrian along the foot of all the finest precipices, and past Cerrig Nimbwl, an extraordinary mass of basaltic columns which have fallen from the precipice above. After skirting the edge of this dehris of stones, the so-called Foxes’ Path is encountered, and this is a stiff climb of 25 minutes or more over rough and broken rocks and stones. At the top of this path there is a delicious spring, where a refreshing draught of cold water may be obtained ; and, having attained thus far, there only remains the gentle ascent of a plateau to the summit. The descent may be varied by Mynydd Moel and Geu-Graig, but it is dangerous and less interesting. Ladies who are very good walkers may attempt this more difficult route, but it is not recommended to them nor to any one unpro- vided with strong limbs. Nailed boots will be found an immense auxiliary, as they prevent slipping. Excepting in cases of experienced pedestrians, it is necessary in all cases to be accompanied by a guide. CADEll IDllIS. ^181 in circumference 28 feet, in the hollow trunk of which, tra- dition relates, the body of Howel Sele, Lord of Nannau, was concealed after he had been slain by Owen Glyndwr. It was well known throughout the neighbourhood as the Demon's OaJc and the Haunted Oak. Its end is thus recorded by Sir Kichard Colt Hoare : “ During a visit to Sir Eobert Vaughan, in the year 1813, this aged, tree attracted my notice ; and on the morning of the 13th of July I made a drawing of it, in one of the most sultry days I ever felt. In the succeed- ing night, which was equally hot, this venerable oak fell to the ground.” Sir Walter Scott refers to the tree, and to the tragical incident connected with it, in the 5th note to the 6th canto of Marmion. The spot where this oak, the spirit’s blasted tree,” so long stood, is commemorated by a sun-dial, and a brass plate with an inscription and a representation of the tree. Abergwynant Woods. — A very pleasant excursion may be made to these woods, which are situated on the south side of the estuary below Penmaenpool, and distant about 3 miles from Dolgelly. They are intersected by walks, and every now and then beautiful peeps are obtained of the estuary, and also of the country round Dolgelly and Llanelltyd. There is a railway station at Penmaenpool on the Cambrian line, from which the tourist may return. Cader Idris. The height of this mountain, reckoning from Pen-}^-gader (the highest peak), is 3100. The other peaks are Cyfrwy, which the Ordnance Survey make 2929 feet, and which is reckoned as 2830 feet above the level of Dolgelly Bridge. Mynydd Moel, stated by the Ordnance Survey to be 2835 feet high, has been reckoned 2990. The distance from Dol- gelly to the summit is 6 miles, and the ascent is commonly made from that town, where guides may be easily procured. This sublime elevation, for abrupt and tremendous pre- cipices, and for varied and extensive prospects, may vie with, if it do not surpass, Snowdon itself. In altitude it is exceeded by several of the Welsh mountains, although it is frequently affirmed to rank next in height to Snowdon. It is the be- ginning of a long train of primitive mountains, extending in a N.N.E. direction, including the Arrans and Arrenigs. It 182 * CADER IDRIS. consists of silicious porphyry, quartz, and schorl, and is sur- rounded by slaty and secondary mountains, with which, in its craggy and precipitous character, it contrasts most strikingly. While on every side extremely steep, on that towards Tal-y- llyn it rises almost perpendicularly. CADER IDRIS. The course of the ascent (which will probably be best understood from the accompanying chart), and the views ob- tained from the summit, are thus described by an observant and accurate traveller : — A small lake, called Gwernan, lies about a mile and a half on the high-road from Dolgelly to Towyn, which having arrived at, we quitted the road and began our ascent up the first steep of this lofty mountain. When we had surmounted the exterior ridge, we descended a little to a deep clear lake (Gafr), which is kept constantly full by the numerous tributary torrents that fall from the sur- rounding rocks. Hence we climbed a second and still higher chain, up a steep but not difficult track, over numerous frag- ments of rock detached from the higher parts ; we now came to a second and more elevated lake (Llyn-y-Gader), clear as glass, and overlooked by steep cliffs, in such a manner as to resemble the crater of a volcano, of which a most accurate representation is to be seen in Wilson’s excellent view of CADER IDRIS. 183 Cader Idris. Some travellers have mentioned the finding of lava and other volcanic productions here ; upon a strict ex- amination, however, we were unable to discover anything of the kind ; nor did the water of the lake appear to differ in any respect from the purest rock-water, though it was tried repeatedly with the most delicate chemical tests. A clear, loud, and distinct echo repeats every shout that is made near the lake. We now began our last and most difficult ascent up the summit of Cader Idris itself, which when we had surmounted, we came to a small plain with two rocky heads of nearly equal height, one looking to the north, the other to the south ; we made choice of that which appeared to us the most elevated, and seated ourselves on its highest pinnacle, to rest after a laborious ascent of three hours. We were no\1 high above all the eminences within this vast expanse, and as the clouds gradually cleared away, caught some grand views of the surrounding country. The huge rocks which we before looked up to with astonishment were now far below our feet, and many a small lake appeared in the valleys between them. To the north, Snowdon with its dependencies shut up the scene ; on the west we saw the whole curve of the bay of Cardigan, bounded at a vast distance by the Car- narvon mountains, and nearer, the ocean dashing its white breakers against the rocky coast of Merioneth. The southern horizon was bounded by Plinlimmon ; and on the east the eye glanced over the lake of Bala, the two Arrenig mountains, the two Arrans, the long chain of the Ferwyn mountains, to the Bryddin hills on the confines of Shropshire ; and dimly in the distant horizon was beheld the Wrekin, rising alone from the plain of Salop.” This writer having intimated a doubt of the volcanic cha- racter of the mountain, it is proper to add that evidence of this is so abundant as to establish the fact beyond question. Numerous specimens of lava, pumice, and other volcanic matter, of most unequivocal character, have been collected from the sides and base of the mountain ; columnar crystals of basalt are scattered in profusion about the summit, and some of the inferior cliffs ; and, particularly on one side, there are vast beds of porous stones, bearing evident marks of strong igni- tion and vitrification, — some reduced to the state of slag, and others having the cellular appearance and lightness of pumice. 184 WATERFALLS NEAR DOLGELLY. With respect to the name of the mountain, Cader, or Cadair^ is a seat or chair ; and Idris is the appellation of a reputed giant, whom the old bardic writings represent as a poet, astronomer, and philosopher, great in mind as well as of enormous bodily stature. Cader Idris is, therefore, the seat, or chair, of this renowned giant, who is supposed to have made the mountain summit his observatory. Persons who intend to ascend will do well to engage the services of Kobert Pugh, who is a competent guide, fol- lowing the course of ’ his father, who acted J d ■ in that capacity for many years. The Waterfalls near Dolgelly form another im- portant attraction. There are three, all of which may be included in one excursion — viz. Rhayadr Dil, or the black cataract, about 5 miles from Dolgelly ; Pistyll -y- Mawd- dach^ the fall or spout of the Mawddach ; d^'nAPistylUy-Cain, the fall or spout of the Cain, within a short distance of each other, and about 8 miles from the town. They are all ap- proached by way of Llanelltyd bridge^ on the road to Tan-y- Bwlch. The first, Rhayadr D4, is on the left of the turnpike road, in the grounds of Dol-y-melynllyn (the holm of the yellow pool), where a fine mansion has been lately built by C. E. Williams, Esq. Hence it is also called the Dol-y-nielynllyn fall. The path which conducts to it climbs a steep acclivity clothed with trees of luxuriant growth. It is on the little river Camlan, a double fall, descending about 60 feet. The FALL OF THE CAIN. WATERFALLS NEAR DOLGELLY. 185 rocks around it are black, mottled with silvery grey lichen, and overhung with trees. The water falls into a small deep basin, and then dashes forward along a rugged rocky channel, hastening to join the Mawddach. A well-laid pathway is formed to both the top and the bottom of the cataract, and it is desirable to view it from both above and below. This must be distinguished from another waterfall bearing the same name, which is found between Tan-y-Bwlch and Har- lech. At a mile farther on the turnpike road, a path to the right hand, through woods and meadows, leads to Fistyll-y- Mawddach, the spout of the Mawddach. The river of that name forces itself down a rock, between 60 and 70 feet in height, broken by the jutting rocks into three distinct falls, beneath which it is received into a large basin. The inclina- tion of the rocky strata gives to the scene a peculiar character, and the combination of wood and water and rock renders the whole strikingly picturesque and beautiful. The remaining cataract is Pistyll-y-Cain, by far the highest and most magnificent of the three. A narrow stream rushes down a vast rugged declivity, nearly perpendicular, at least 150 feet of descent. The horizontal strata, running in irregular steps through the entire breadth, form a mural front, and in some measure impair the picturesque effect, unless when hidden by a greater volume of water than is commonly found here. Numerous large fragments of rock scattered around at the bottom of the fall contribute to give an aspect of wild desolation to the scene. Amongst these rugged masses the waters force their passage, hastening to unite with those of the Mawddach, at a distance of a few hundred yards from the cataract. The scenery hereabouts is somewhat injured by mining operations : copper, lead, and zinc are raised, and small quan- tities of gold are sometimes obtained. For visiting these waterfalls, the tourist will not find it necessary to be accompanied by a guide from Dolgelly, as one may be engaged at the Oakeley Arms Inn, Tyn-y-groes, about 5 miles from that town, and in the neighbourhood of the falls. A little above this inn a wooden bridge across the river Maw- ddach has been recently constructed, which facilitates the access to the two falls last named. 186 LLANELLTYD CYMME R ABBEY HENGWRT. Llanelltyd is a pretty and flourishing village, on the banks of the Mawddach, and at the junction of the roads from Tan-y-Bwlch, Barmouth, and Bala, about two miles from Dol- gelly. To that town it forms a sort of port ; and many small vessels, of from 60 to 100 tons each, are built here. From the bridge which crosses the Mawddach, the valley, en- vironed by mountains, is seen to great advantage. A castle is said to have formerly stood here, but not a vestige of it is dis- coverable, and the exact site is unknown. The parish extends 4 or 5 miles in different directions from the church, which is dedicated to St. Illtyd, and contains some good monuments. Cymmer Abbey, called by the Welsh Y Vanner, is scarcely known in the neighbourhood by the former name. The remains of this abbey are at a short distance to the right of the road from Dolgelly, just before reaching Llan- elltyd bridge. They do not form a picturesque ruin, neither can it be affirmed that they exhibit many features of ancient grandeur. This was a Cistercian establishment, founded about the year 1200, and dissolved by King Henry VIII. Parts of what formed the refectory and abbot’s lodging are included in the buildings of a farm-house. What remains of the Church is more extensive, and is now carefully preserved. The east end is most perfect, and through its thick covering of ivy appear three lancet windows. Against the S. wall are a few small Gothic pillars and arches, and near them is a mutilated stone representing the head of a human figure. This ruin must not be confounded with that of Cwmhir Abbey in Eadnorshire. Hengwrt, a handsome old mansion (Misses Lloyd) is within a short distance of Cymmer Abbey. Eobert Vaughan, the celebrated antiquary, who died in 1667, resided here. His valuable Ebrary is included in the rich literary stores of the late Sir E. W. Vaughan, whose collection of rare Welsh manuscripts is of great extent. Excursions from Dolgelly may be made to Dinas Mow- ddwy and Mallwyd by way of the pass called Bwlch Oerddrws. There are three roads to Towyn (which may also be reached by rail). One is a fine mountain-road skirting the northern base of Cader Idris, and passing in succession lakes Gwer- nan and GreigeneUy the remains of Llys Bradtoen, a princely residence in the 7 th century ; the village of Llanegryn ; and LLYN TAL-Y-LLYN. 187 the mansion and estate of Peniartli^ the property and residence of ’William Watkin Edward Wynne^ Esq., the present repre- sentative of one of the most ancient and distinguished families of Wales. This road is extremely hilly, and the distance is about 16 miles. Another follows the coast through the whole distance, which is 20 miles, and includes much beauti- ful scenery, a number of Druidical antiquities, the remains of Castel-y-GaeVy a fine British camp near the village of Llwyn- gwril, and Tnysijmaengwyn, the noble mansion and demesne of the family of Corbet. The remaining road to Towyn is somewhat circuitous — viz. by way of the Cross Foxes” 21- miles, then diverging south-westwards, along the shores of Llyn Trigraianen and the fine lake of Tal-y-llyn. Llyn Trigraianen, or the Pool of the Three Pebbles, is a small lake by the side of the road, 5 miles to the southward of Dolgelly. It derives its name from three large fragments of rock, which have probably fallen from the adjacent cliff. These, however, it is affirmed, are three grains, which the giant Idris threw out of his shoe, as he found them trouble- some in walking ! The pool is 17 or 18 feet in depth, but it contains no fish. Llyn Tal-y-llyn is a noble sheet of water, which opens to the view shortly after passing the little pool just mentioned, and continues full in sight during the whole of a long steep descent to the Blue Lion, a roadside inn at Minffordd. The proper appellation is Llyn Mwyngil, i.e. the Lake of the Pleasant Ketreat ; and the small village at the S.W. extremity is Tal^-llyn, i,e. the Head of the Pool. It is a mile and a half long, and not exceeding half-a-mile in breadth, and lies directly under the south and most precipitous side of Cader Idris. It is, in many respects, truly beautiful, but hardly deserves the extravagant eulogies which have been bestowed upon it. It yields in great abundance a species of trout peculiarly delicate, and is consequently much resorted to by anglers, for whose acconimodation the late Sir Eobert Vaughan erected in the village a commodious inn, called Tf n-y-cornel. The original inn — Pen-y-bonh — is close to the bridge, and very comfortable, and from both visitors have the privilege of angling on the lake. From the foot of the lake issues the principal feeder of the river Dysynni, which, after winding through some beautiful scenery, has its outlet near Towyn. 188 DOLGELLY TO BARMOUTH. If the tourist should wish to proceed to Towyn from Tal-y- llyn, he may take advantage of the branch railway from Abergynolwyn, about 5 miles distant. The train takes 40 minutes. DOLGELLY TO BARMOUTH Barmouth may be conveniently reached from Dolgelly by railway, the distance being nearly 9 miles, but the old road is here described on account of the fine views which it affords. The whole distance (10 miles) has been truly described as a continued series of pictures. If possible, the time of high water should be chosen, and for the return to Dolgelly a boat* may be engaged at Barmouth, whereby the views will be agreeably diversified. The road was formerly extremely hilly and difficult, but a new line was formed with immense labour, and at great cost, cut through the rocks, and guarded by a wall. It follows the inequalities of the shore, and ex- hibits to the greatest advantage the variety of scenery. The expanse of water at high tide is very considerable, and assumes the appearance of a large lake enveloped by mountains, among which the summit of Cader Idris is beheld in all its grandeur and majesty. On approaching Barmouth, the river is seen falling into the ocean, and the beautiful bay of Cardigan is spread out in view. The late Sir T. N. Talfourd, whose taste and discrimination are indisputable, in writing of this scenery compares it with that of the far-famed Drachenfells and the Rhine, and does not hesitate to assign superiority to the Welsh landscape. When on board a steamer on the Rhine, approaching the Drachenfells, a native of Merionethshire in- quired if this was the Rhine which he had been told was so beautiful, adding, ‘ I think we can match it between Dolgelly and Barmouth.’ ‘ Indeed you can,’ was my reply, and surely the Welshman was right. Let any one who has knowledge of the two scenes call to memory that glorious estuary, reposing in beauty, and crowded with grandeur ; look down its avenue of sparkling water to the distant sea, glistening in the western light ; let him glance on the one side at its curving shore of * A boat sails from Barmouth to Penmaen Pool daily, about an hour before high water, returning soon after the tide begins to ebb. Fare, 6d. each way. BARMOUTH. 189 oak-sprinkled meadows, edged and broken by rock, and on the other to the pillared precipices of Cader Idris, and then, with aU respect to the noble substance of the flowing Ehine, gaze at its vine-spotted banks, and say if there is the faintest approach to rivalry.” BAEMOUTH, [Hotel: Corsygedol Arms.] or Ahermaw^ is a watering-place situated at the N. side of the estuary of the river Maw, or Mawddach, in Barmouth bay, and it is the only haven in the county of Merioneth. The houses are built at the foot and upon the sloping side of a lofty and steep rock, some of them being disposed on the level of the sandy beach, and others on the acclivity, where they form successive terraces, to which there is no approach but by steps cut in the rock. Great improvements have been effected of late years, and for sea-bathing quarters it now forms an agreeable residence. The lower buildings are occasionally subjected to the drifting of the sand, but there is little annoy- ance from this excepting during severe gales. Barmouth has been frequently, but most absurdly, compared with Gibraltar and Edinburgh. It has the advantage of smooth sands, and there is comfortable accommodation for visitors. The parish church, Llanaher^ is about a mEe and a half from the town, upon the extreme verge of a cliff which looks to- wards the ocean. After having undergone a complete restora - tion, it was reopened in 1859, and is now one of the flnest specimens of simple ecclesiastical architecture. The archway inside the porch is one of the most perfect specimens of its kind. A chapel of ease for Barmouth was erected by sub- scription in 1830. It is most injudiciously placed in a situation mu^h exposed to the inconvenience of drifting sand, a strong wind from seaward causing it not only to obstruct the approach, but actually to block up the windows. Barmouth has some trade in flannel and hosiery, and about a hundred small sloops belong to the port. The entrance to the harbour is difficult, and even dangerous, on account of two sandbanks called the north and south bars, and incessant shifting of the loose sands. The river is navigable for small boats nearly- as high as Dolgelly. The streams and lakes in the vicinity 190 HARLECH. abound in salmon, trout, eels, and mullets. There are markets on Tuesday and Friday, and four annual fairs. Popu- lation of the town, 930 ; of Llanaber parish, 1672. Barmouth is now connected by the coast line of railway with Harlech and Portmadoc on the north, and Towyn on the south. HABLECH, [Hotel: Blue Lion.] sometimes written Harleigh and Harddlech, signifies Bold Eock, a name apparently derived from the situation. The ruins of a once important fortress occupy the summit of an elevated rock, about half-a-mile from the sea. There is no certain evidence that this place was at any time occupied by the Eomans, but the frequent discovery of Eoman coins in the neighbourhood renders it highly probable. The earliest reference which we possess to the existence of a fortress on this site dates as far back as the 3d century, when, in the days of Bran Fendig^id, or Bran the Blessed, his daughter Bronwen, or White-Bosomed, had her residence here, probably in captivity, or forced seclusion. Hence, a tower erected here was called Twr Bronwen. About the year 550 this tower gave place to a more substantial edifice, built by Maelgwyn Gwynedd, prince of North Wales. In the early part of the 10th century, we read of Harlech Castle being repaired by Colwyn, lord of Ardudwy, founder of one of the fifteen tribes of North Wales ; from whom it acquired and long retained the name of Caer Colwyn. The present structure owes its erection, like many others in the principality, to the policy and enterprise of Edward I. Though, in most respects, infe- rior to the castles of Carnarvon and Conway, it bears indubi- table evidence of having been reared at the same period, and from the designs of the same architect ; retaining, however, considerable portions of the more ancient structure. It appears to have been quadrangular, each of its sides measuring from 200 to 220 feet, with round towers of great strength and solidity at the angles, and at the sides of the principal entrance ; and each tower was surmounted by a light and elegant turret, now nearly destroyed. On the west side, next the sea, the perpendicular cliff on which the castle was erected ren- HARLECH. 191 dered it inaccessible ; and on the east, or land side, it was protected by a wide fosse hewn out of the rock, with a draw- bridge and advanced bastion. In the struggles of Owen Glyndwr, he obtained possession of Harlech Castle ; but, HARLECH CASTLE. after four years, he was compelled to surrender it to Prince Henry. In 1460, after the defeat of Henry VI. at Northamp- ton, his wife, Margaret of Anjou, took refuge here. In the wars of the Koses it was held for the house of Lancaster by Dafydd-ap-Iefan-ap-Einion, distinguished alike by his statme and by his valour. From him Edward IV., during several years, strove in vain to wrest the fortress, but at length he was com- pelled by famine to surrender. This siege gave occasion to the well-known spirited air, entitled The March of the Men of Harlech.” During the civil war in the time of Charles I. and the Commonwealth., Harlech had a large share of conflict and vicissitude, being more than once alternately in the pos- session of each party. The castle is now vested in the Crown. Harlech was made a free borough by Edward I. It was formerly a place of considerable importance, but has dwindled to an insignificant village. It is still nominally the county 192 TAN-Y-BWLCH. town, and has a miserable building called the town-hall, in which the elections of a member of parliament for Merioneth- shire take place. The assizes are held alternately at Dolgelly and Bala. Harlech is in the parish of Llandanwg, the popu- lation of which, including the town, in 1861 was 739. The parish church being much decayed, and situated at a distance of two miles, a church was erected in the town in 1841. The whole of an extensive district around Harlech, particularly that part to the south named Dyjfryn Ardudwy, is one of the most valuable antiquarian fields in the principality. Druidi- cal remains are especially numerous. Four miles east of Har- lech is Cwm Bychan, or the little hollow, a narrow verdant dell, nearly a mile in length, with a small lake at its entrance walled in by stern precipitous rocks. Two or three miles south of this remarkable pass is one of the wildest and most romantic scenes, called DrwsArdudwy, or the Door of Ardudwy. Nothing can exceed the dreariness and desolation of this ravine, overshadowed by the rugged, frowning cliflPs of Rhinog-fawr and Rhinog-fach. Some remains of ancient fortifications may be traced, and there are two upright monumental slabs, known as Meini Guyr Ardi^dwy, or Stones of the Men of Ardudwy, memorials, probably, of some sanguinary contest for the pos- session of this important pass. TAN-Y-BWLCH. [Hotel: Oakeley Arms.] From Harlech or Portmadoc to Tan-y-Bwlch and Maent- wrog is an easy ride by railway. The commodious hotel of this name (which signifies Below the Pass), has been long celebrated as a favourite resort of Welsh tourists. The house, standing alone, considerably elevated, and having an extensive frontage, commands a fine view of a tranquil cultivated valley, through which the little river Dwyryd, after its descent from the mountains above Festiniog, winds quietly forward to discharge its waters, at Traeth-Bach, into the bay of Cardigan. The village of Maentwrog is seen, in picturesque beauty, at the S.E., with the steep road to Festiniog ascending behind it. Across the valley, on the S., is the road to Harlech, and close at hand is the entrance-lodge of Plas Tan-y-Bwlch, the resi- dence of Mrs. Oakeley. To the beautiful grounds by which MAENTWROG. 193 this mansion is surrounded visitors at the hotel will readily gain access, and here they will find much to interest and delight, in the romantic walks amongst luxuriant hanging woods to a great elevation behind the house, and especially in a noble terrace at the front, which commands another and most charming view of the valley, with the meanderings of the river to the head of the estuary, and a wide sweep of sur- rounding heights ; a panoramic range of scenery rarely surpassed in interest and splendour. It was of this scene that Mr. Wyndham wrote, “ If a person could live upon land- scape, he would scarcely desire a more eligible spot than this.” The Roman road from Uriconium to Segontium passed through the neighbourhood, and various Roman reUcs, such as coins, urns, and inscribed stones, have at different times been dis- covered. About a mile to the south-east of Tan-y-Bwlch is MAENTWROG. [Hotel: Grapes.] This village is situated on the S. bank of the Dwyryd, in the centre of a picturesque valley, and derives its name from a monumental stone (maen) in the churchyard, said to have been raised to the memory of Twrog, a British saint of the 7th century. At the hotel, and lodging-house in the village, good accommodation may be obtained. The celebrated Welsh poet. Archdeacon Prys, was rector of this parish. To him the Welsh are indebted for a metrical version of the Book of Psalms, the first in their language, and in general use to this day. Population, 883. About two miles on the Harlech road, in a wooded glen, are two most interesting waterfalls ; one called Rhayadr B'd (the Black Cataract, a name frequently occurring), and the other the Raven Fall. In the former, the water of a stream called the Felin Rhyd flows down a steep chan- nel, and is thrown with great force over three black smooth rocks, so placed as to separate the waters and send them off in three directions. The depth of the fall is about 40 feet. The whole course of the stream, for some distance below, is extremely grand. The Raven Fall is not more than a quarter of a mile distant, and is quite equal in beauty and grandeur. It consists of six different descents, amidst dark precipitous o 194 FESTINIOG. rocks, densely shaded by luxuriant wood. About three miles to the east of Maentwrog is FESTINIOG, [Hotels: Pengwern Arms ; Abbey Arms ; Queen’s, close to quarries.] or the Place of Hastening (famous for its slate-quarries), situated at the head of the vale which is generally, though not very properly, called by its name. It stands at a considerable elevation above Maentwrog, and is surrounded by wild and barren mountains. A new church has lately been built and endowed, chiefly by the liberality of Mrs. Oakeley. The VALE OF FESTINIOG FROM ROAD TO HARLECH. parish is extensive, and has a population of 4553. A large National School is well supported. Dissenters of different denominations have places of worship. From the churchyard is an admirable view of the valley extended beneath, richly wooded and finely watered, environed at its head with majestic mountains, and opening at its lower extremity to the beautiful bay of Cardigan. The often-quoted expressions of Lord Lyttleton, in a letter to Mr. Bower, ought not, perhaps, to be omitted “ With the woman one loves, with the friend of one’s heart, and with a good study of books, one might pass an age in this vale and think it a day. If you have a FALLS OF THE CYNFAEL. 195 mind to live long and to renew your youth, come and settle at Festiniog/’ Encomiums lavished on this spot by other writers are not repeated here, lest expectations should thereby be unduly raised, only to occasion disappointment. In the neighbouring mountains, to the N.E. of Festiniog, are the extensive slate-quarries belonging to Lord Newborough, the late Lord Palmerston’s representatives, and Mrs. Oakeley. They employ more than 2000 workmen. The slates, which are of the very finest quality, are conveyed by railway to Port- madoc, a distance of 14 miles, the whole length being an in- clined plane of pretty uniform descent, 1 in 120. The falls of the Cynfael have been so accurately described by Mr. Koscoe, that we adopt his description here : — The way to these terrific falls lies across the fields, in a pretty direct line from the front of the inn (at Festiniog), and then winds through a wood to the first fall, the distance being about half- a-mile. The upper one rushes over three projections of dark rocks, which rise like steps one above another, into a deep black basin, rendered still darker by the shadowing precipices, intermingled with huge, protruding, stony masses ; while the darkness and solitude of the place are increased by the sad- coloured foliage of the trees overhanging the rapid stream from each of its banks. A few yards lower down, a bold columnar rock, called Hugh Lloyd’s Pulpit,* rises from the bed of the river ; passing which and crossing the river by means of a rustic stone bridge, within five minutes’ walk is seen the second fall. It is much less extensive than the other, and * Of this bard, magician, and warrior, for he claimed all these titles, the following anecdote is recorded : — When he was a young man he made a stone seat to put at the door of his house, which was not far from hence, and his wife’s sister was the first who sat upon it. “ Molly,” he said, *‘you have sat first upon this bench, and you must pay me three kisses for it.” The demand was satisfied. Sometime afterwards his wife died, and he went to London ; leaving his sister-in-law, then married, and her husband. He enlisted into the Parliament’s forces, in which he soon obtained a commission ; and he was in the army of General Monk at the restoration of Charles II. After having been from home many years, and at length growing old, he returned to his native country. Arriving at his own house, one fine summer’s evening, he saw his sister-in-law, her husband, and their children, sitting on the same stone bench, eating flummery and milk. Without making himself known, he asked them in English if they would give him a night’s lodging, but none of them knew a word of this language. They, however, conjectured what he wanted, and showed him a bed, the best in the cottage, but asked him to partake of their fare before he retired to rest. This he did, and being satisfied with his hospitable recep 196 FESTINIOG. precipitates itself in a small stream down a shelving rock about 40 feet in height. It then bounds along a narrow chasm, and, struggling among the many-coloured rocks, reflects a variety of tints, as it falls from slope to slope, till, finding a more even bed, it at length meanders quietly through the vale, and mingles with the waters of the Dwyryd. Great caution is necessary in seeing these waterfalls, many places being covered with underwood, and the paths in others being under- mined by the action of wind and rain. I also made an excur- sion from Festiniog to the grand cataract and glen called Rhayadr Cwm. This rude and stupendous scene is observed from the road leading towards Yspytty Evan and Pentre Foelas ; but to appreciate its sublimity, the traveller should descend the mountain, which, however, is almost an unfrequented solitude, although the neighbouring roads have recently been much improved. Seen, as I had the opportunity, when the sun had flared through his zenith, and the lengthening sha- dows began gradually to creep over the valley, the immensity of the rocks and the wildness of the landscape gave rise to feelings of wonder and surprise. Scrambling over the inter- vening objects, I reached an angle of a cliff, midway in the ascent, where the grandeur of the surrounding scenery cannot fail to interest the timid observer, who, perhaps, would not dare to venture lower into the glen. The little stream is noticed in its almost perpendicular course, sparkling over the rocks, after which it dashes its crystal waters through the ob- structions of the vale. The surrounding mountains are black tion, addressed them in Welsh, in an extempore stanza, which may he thus translated : — ” For wines delicious mighty France is praised, And various dainties are for London raised ; With butter, Holland half the world supplies. But milk and flummery more than all I prize.” What! you are a Welshman, my good friend?” exclaimed his sister. “ Yes,’» said he, “lam; it is many years since I had three kisses from the female who first sat on this bench.” He was immediately recognised with the utmost joy. He then took from his pocket a large purse fllled with gold, and throwing it into her lap, “ Here,” said he, “ take this as a reward for your hospitality to the old English stranger, who is more than fourscore years of age ; he requires for it no- thing more than a bed every night, and flummery and milk every day while he lives.” From this time he resided with them. He was venerated throughout the country as a sage, and after his death, it was imagined or pretended that his voice was still heard amidst the roar of the waterfalls. FESTINIOG TRAWSFYNYDD. 197 and precipitous, and the glen, heathy and barren, appears more striking after viewing the rich and varied landscapes in the vale of Festiniog.” Graves of the Men of Ardudwy {Beddau Gwyr Ardud- wy) are on a hill three miles N.E. from Festiniog. There are between 30 and 40 oblong mounds, from 2 to 3 feet high, 6 feet long, and 15 inches broad, every one having a small stone at each end. Near them are a carnedd and several circles of stones. The tradition respecting these memorials is as fol- lows : — The men of Ardudwy made an incursion into the vale of Clwyd, and brought away a number of women, whom they conducted to this part of the country. Being pursued, and here overtaken by the warriors from the vale, a battle ensued, and the men of Ardudwy were all slain. They had, however, so gained the affections of their fair prey, that, rather than return home, the women rushed into an adjacent pool, called after this event Llyn-y-Morwynion^ ‘‘ The Maiden’s Lake,” where they all perished. The slaughtered men were buried at this spot, and the mounds mark the place of interment. The whole of this district is a favourite resort of anglers. Trawsfynydd is a rather populous village, situated in a wild and dreary district about 4|- miles south of Maentwrog on the road to Dolgelly, but being much elevated it com- mands grand views of the Harlech and Snowdon mountains, and has strong claims on the attention of the antiquary. The Eoman causeway, ^arn Helen, attributed to Helena, daughter of a British prince and wife of the Emperor Maximus, may be traced to a considerable extent both N. and S., nearly parallel with the turnpike road. It is at present to be distinguished only by its elevation of several feet above the adjacent level ; but on digging, the several layers of stones with which it is formed are easily discovered. It is 8 yards broad, and covered with turf. About 2 miles N. are the remains of Castell Tomen- y-MUr, This is on Sarn Helen, and is the Homan station, Heriri Mom. It is well defined, measuring nearly 300 yards in one direction and 200 yards in the other. At a distance of between 3 and 4 miles E., in the dreary pass of Cwm Prysor, are some remains of another Eoman fort, named Castell Prysor. In both these situations Eoman bricks, tiles, urns, and coins, have been discovered. British antiquities, also, as cromlechs and cairns, are numerous on the hiEs, 198 TOWYN. which, though now bare, were anciently, in many places, covered with forests of oak. The parish of Trawsfynydd ex- tends about 10 miles from E. to W., and 8 miles from N. to S. It has a population of 1517. Much property on these hills is vested in the Crown. Anglers will find good sport here- abouts. A few miles beyond Trawsfynydd the country becomes richly wooded, and the road passes near to the celebrated waterfalls which have been described in connection with the town of Dolgelly. TOWYN [Hotels: Corbet’s Arms ; Commercial.] is a small town, situated near the mouth of the Eiver Dysynni. The mountains in the neighbourhood are lofty and noble, and the roads to Dolgelly, Tal-y-Uyn, and Machynlleth, pass through much grand and beautiful scenery. The beach, which is nearly a mile distant, consists of remarkably hard, smooth sand, extending nearly 5 miles, favourable for bathing, walk- ing, and riding. Great numbers of visitors resort to these sands for bathing. The church, dedicated to St. Cadfan, is an ancient cruciform structure, containing several curious old monuments. Here is a stone pillar originally erected in the churchyard, but now laid on the church-floor, called St. Cad- fan’s Stone. It is about seven feet long, two of its sides are ten inches broad, the other two not more than six inches, and each side is rudely inscribed. It is believed that the inscrip- tion is in the old British language, and the characters appear to be debased and imperfect Koman, but all attempts to de- cipher and translate have resulted in little better than con- jectures, no one of which can be deemed satisfactory. Cadfan, whom it seems designed to commemorate, was a holy man of Armorica, who came over to Wales in the early part of the sixth century, to refute the Pelagian heresy,” and founded the churches of Towyn in Merionethshire and Llaugadfan in Montgomeryshire. Contiguous to the west side of the church is a large square well, called St. Cadfan’s Well, formerly sup- posed to be efficacious in cutaneous and rheumatic diseases. TOWYN ABERDOVEY. 199 On a lieight near the town are some remains of an ancient castle of great strength, one apartment in which, 36 feet long, was hewn out of the rock. In the vale of Dysynni, not far from Towyn, is Craig-Aderyn, or Bird’s Bock, in the highest degree wild and romantic. It is the resort of cormorants, guillemots, and other sea-birds. A small but picturesque waterfall may be seen at Dolgoch. At about a mile from the town is Ynys-y-maengwyn, the noble mansion of the family of Corbet, now unoccupied. It is pleasantly situated on the banks of the Dysynni, and has extensive gardens and planta- tions, ' with many rare trees and plants, among which is an evergreen oak, deemed the finest tree of its kind in the king- dom. A former proprietor of this estate, Athelstone Corbet, Esq., was distinguished by public spirit, and effected much for the improvement of the neighbourhood. The angler will find this a capital station, as the rivers Dysynni and Dovey and other streams afford excellent sport, and the celebrated fishing lake Tal-y-Uyn is within reach. Population of the parish of Towyn, including the village of Aberdovey, and ten townships, 2859. Aberdovey is a small hamlet, four miles S. from Towyn, on the N. bank of the estuary of the Dovey (Welsh, Dyfi), gradually rising into repute as a bathing-place. It has a good hotel, and a small number of respectable lodging-houses. 200 MONTGOMERYSHIRE. MONTGOMEEYSHIHE. This is wholly an inland county, in no part bordering on the sea, and is surrounded by the counties of Merioneth, Den- bigh, Salop, Eadnor, and Cardigan. In form it is an irregular oblong, extending from N.E. to S.W. about 35 miles, and from N.W. to S.E. from 25 to 30 miles, and it includes an area of 755 square statute miles, and consequently 483,200 acres. The Berwyn mountain-range lies along its N. border ; Plin- limmon is at its S.W. extremity ; and, with the exception of some considerable valleys, of which that of the Severn is the most extensive, the surface is generally rugged and moun- tainous. Plinlimmon gives rise to several rivers, of which the principal are the Severn and the Wye. The Severn has a lengthened course within the county, flowing E. and N., and watering the important manufacturing towns of Llanidloes, Newton, and Welshpool. The Wye, having its course more to the S., quickly leaves this county and enters Eadnorshire. Other rivers are the Dyfl, the Fyrnwy, the Clywedog, and the Tanat. Montgomeryshire has the reputation of being the best wooded county in Wales, and was formerly a principal source of the supply of oak timber for the navy. Slate is generally diffused over the county, and forms the basis of the moun- tains. Coal is raised on the borders of Shropshire, and there are some lead-mines, not, however, very productive. The agriculture, though much improved, must still be described as not in an advanced condition, resembling that of Denbigh and Merioneth. The vales have long been celebrated for a superior breed of horses. The hilly tracts are chiefly used as sheep-walks. This county is the principal seat of the Welsh flannel manufacture, which is extensively carried on in nearly every part, and especially in and around the towns at the S.E. The old British name of this part of the principality was Swydd Tre Faldwyn, or the shire of Baldwyn ; so called from MONTGOMERYSHIRE. 201 a Norman adventurer who did homage to William the Con- queror for this division of Cambria, and erected a fortress near the site of the present county town. The modern name is derived from Eoger de Montgomery, Earl of Shrewsbury in the time of William Kufus, who founded the castle, whence the town of Montgomery, and afterwards the whole district, took that appellation. When the arrangement of counties was finally settled, in the time of Henry VIII., this name was retained. Among the Britons it was included in the territory of the Ordo vices, and by the Romans it was comprised in the province of Britannia Secunda. In consequence of its vicinity to England, it was, through several centuries, the frequent scene of conflict between the native Britons and their hostile neighbours. British remains are numerous. Between Llan- fair and Mallwyd is a tumulus, 70 yards in circumference ; on the summit of a mountain near Llandinam is a strong British camp, and other antiquities of the same era are dis- persed through the county. Of Roman encampments and fortifications there are remains at Caersws, at Mathrafal, and near Montgomery. The roads formed to connect these stations may, in various parts, be traced, and in their vicinity numer- ous minor relics have at different times been discovered. Montgomeryshire has two representatives in the House of Commons — one for the county, and one for the town of Mont- gomery with its contributory boroughs, which are Newton, Welshpool, Llanidloes, Llanfyllin, and Machynlleth. Popu- lation of the county, 66,919. The county is traversed throughout by the Cambrian Railway, from Oswestry or Shrewsbury to Welshpool, thence vm Abermule and Moat Lane Junction to Machynlleth, where it meets the Aberystwith and coast line. The follow- ing are some of the principal stations on this route : — Oswestry, Shrewsbury, Llanynech for Llanfillyn, Welsh- pool, Montgomery, Abermule, Newtown, Moat Lane Junction (branch to Llanidloes), Cemmes Road for Dinas Mowddy and Mallwyd, Machynlleth, Borth, and Aberystwith — the two latter being in Cardiganshire. The following are descriptions of the principal of these places : — 202 OSWESTRY. OSWESTEY. [Hotel: WynnstayArms.] TMs town may be called one of the keys of Wales, al- though beyond its bounds, being within the county of Salop. It is 18 miles from Whitchurch and 15 from Welshpool, on the Cambrian, Shrewsbury, and Welshpool Kail way. It is a municipal borough and market-town, and was formerly sur- rounded by walls, portions of which stiE remain, and there were four gates. Some of the old timber houses still remain ; but the greater number are of modern erection, built chiefly of brick. The streets are clean and well paved. Of the public buildings, the principal are — the church with its high ivy-covered tower, the town-hall, theatre, and small jail. Another church has been recently erected ; and there are several Dissenting places of worship. Oswestry has several schools, a saviogs bank, dispensary, etc. Flannel and coarse linen cloth are manufactured in small quantities ; and in the vicinity there are coal-mines, and paper and corn mills. Eaces are held annually in September ; and there are several yearly fairs. Oswestry is supposed to derive its name (ori- ginally Oswaldstree) from Oswald, King of Northumbria, who was killed in battle here in 642. It was of great importance in early times, as one of the border- towns of Wales, as re- marked by Churchyard : — “This town doth front on Wales as right as lyne. So sondrie towns in Shropshire do for troth, As Ozestri, a prettie town full fine, It stands so trim, and is maintayned so cleane.” On a hill to the west of the town are the remains of a castle, supposed to be as old as the Norman Conquest. Population, 5414. The face of the county of Shropshire on the western side has much of the wild appearance of Wales, and several of the Welsh mountain-chains extend across the frontier into the county, such as the Berwyn Hills in the north, which rise to the height of 1300 feet ; the picturesque Breiddin Hills, on the right bank of the Severn ; and a long range of smooth, rounded hills, extending from Eadnorshire, known under the name of Clun Forest. Throughout the rest of the county the OSWESTRY. 203 surface is rather undulating, tolerably wooded, and with many beautiful rivulets meandering along the valleys. The whole tract of country in the east and north, from Wellington towards between Oswestry and Chirk, exhibits the mild beauties of a fertile and cultivated district, ornamented with several seats of noblemen and gentlemen, which present a most pleasing succession of pictures. In the portion south and west of the Severn, there are three principal chains of hills, extending from S.W. to N.E. — namely, on the west the Longmynd, in the centre the Caradoc Hills, and on the east Wenlock Edge, The last of these rises abruptly out of the valley on the west, but has a very gradual slope towards the east. The Caradoc Hills extend across the Severn, and terminate in the well- known hill called The Wrehin, That singular insulated mountain, which is visible from Cader Idris on a clear day, rises from a plain to the height of 1320 feet, exhibiting its sugar-loaf form over the tops of the smaller elevations in its vicinity. In the southern division of the county, the Brown Clee Hill and the Titterson Clee Hill rise to greater elevations than the Wrekin, and produce much picturesque variety. These two are the highest summits in the county; the former reaching the height of 1805, and the latter that of 1750 feet. The chief river is the Severn, which has its source near the summit of Plinlimmon, and runs through the whole extent of the county from N.W. to S.E. It is navigable at all seasons to the Bristol Channel downwards, and in wet seasons upwards to Welshpool. Shropshire is remarkable for its canals, which yield to none in the skill of their construction, the obstacles they have surmounted, or the beneficial consequences by which they have been followed. The first of these was a private under- taking by a Mr. Keynolds, completed in the year 1788, for the conveyance of his ironstone and coals. It was of no great length, but a descent of 73 feet was conducted by a well-con- trived inclined plane and double railroad, by means of which the loaded boat passing down drew up another with a load nearly equal to one-third of its own weight. This contrivance was found to be applicable to similar purposes upon a larger scale, and was adopted in the construction of the Shropshire Canal, which passes through the most considerable iron and 204 OSWESTRY. coal works, till it readies the Severn. The Ellesmere Canal is a most important undertaking, as by it a communication is opened between the Severn and all the great canals and rivers in the north of England. Bristol and Liverpool are thus con- nected by inland navigation ; and the rivers Severn, Dee, Mersey, Trent, and Humber, are united for the purposes of conveyance. In no county of England are valuable mineral productions so profusely scattered beneath the surface of the soil. The chief of these minerals are lead, iron, limestone, freestone, pipe-clay, and coals. The iron-ore is found contiguous to the coal, and frequently close to it, as in the peculiarly rich dis- trict of Coalbrookdale. This district is about 8 miles long and 2 broad, on the banks of the Severn, on the western side of the Wrekin. The works of the dale supply both iron and coal, as well as limestone, in great quantities ; and every part of the process, from digging the ore to the completion of the manufacture, including the conversion of the coal into coke, is performed on the spot. Arthur Young, describing this part of the county, says — Coalbrookdale is a winding glen, be- tween two immense hills, which break into various forms, being all thickly covered, and forming most beautiful sheets of hanging woods. The noise of the forges, mills, furnaces, etc., with all their vast machinery, the flames bursting from the furnaces, with the burning coal, and the smoke of the limekilns, are altogether horribly sublime.” Soon after it was ascertained that iron might be made with coals reduced to the state of coke, as well as from wood, the operation of coking was begun here by Lord Dundonald, with a view to obtain the fossil tar in the course of the process. This opera- tion led to the important discovery of coal-gas. The iron- works, though first begun on a large scale in this dale, are by no means confined to it ; but in many other parts of the county are carried on to an extent unequalled in any other country but Great Britain. Before the Eoman conquest of Britain, the present county of Shropshire was divided by the Severn between the Cornavii on the east and the Ordo vices on the west. Under the Bomans the same river formed the boundary between Elavia CaBsariensis and Britannia Secunda, the latter comprehending the modern Wales, and the former the centre of England OSWESTRY. 205 Numerous remains of old BritisL. camps still exist in various parts of the county, especially one called Caer Caradoc, near Church Stretton, and the Gaer ditches near Clun. The latter is believed by some to be the place where Caractacus was de- feated by Ostorius Scapula. The chief Eoman station was Uriconium, now Wroxeter, where there are extensive remains. There is also a camp near Bridgnorth, and a Eoman road known by the name of Watling Street traverses the county. After the departure of the Eomans and the invasion of Britain by the Saxons, this county was the scene of frequent encounters between the natives and the invaders ; and many of the half mythical exploits of the celebrated King Arthur are said to have taken place here. Ultimately the Saxons extended their dominion as far as the foot of the Welsh hills, and established in Shropshire and the adjacent county a kingdom called renalandy or Mercia^ the land of the marchmen or borderers. In order to defend this country from the attacks of the Welsh, Offa, one of its kings, erected a dyke extending from the Dee to the Bristol Channel. Several portions of this fortification may still be traced in the extreme west of Shropshire, and are still known under the name of Ofia’s Dyke. At a later period the Danes also penetrated as far as this part of the country, and built a fortress on the Severn below Bridgnorth. When they were expelled, and the Heptarchy united under Alfred, Shropshire was made a county, deriving its original name of Bcrohhescyre from Scrohheshurg, or Shrewsbury, its chief town. 206 shrewsbuht. SHEEWSBUEY. [Hotels : Ihe Raven ; The Lion ; The George ; The Crown.] This fine old English town being frequently chosen for the commencement or the termination of tours in Wales, for which its situation renders it peculiarly favourable, requires to be noticed here. It is the capital town of Salop, or Shropshire, nearly in the centre of that county, and it frequently takes the name of the shire, Salop. Its ancient British name was Pengwern. It occupies an elevated peninsula, formed by a remarkable horse-shoe bend of the river Severn. It is sup- posed to have been built by the British, in the 5th century, shortly after the destruction of the Eoman station Uriconium. William the Conqueror gave the town, together with the title of Earl, to Eoger de Montgomery, one of his followers, who erected here a strong baronial castle. In 1102 the castle and property were forfeited to the crown. The town and its vicinity were the scene of many border frays between the Welsh and English. In 1277 Edward I. fixed his quarters here, and added materially to the strength of the fortress. In 1403 a desperate battle was fought near the town, between the royal army commanded by Henry IV., and that of the rebel Earl of Northumberland, under the command of the famous Lord Percy, sumamed Hotspur ; when the death of the latter decided the victory in favour of the king. During the wars of the Eoses, Edward lY., after the defeat and death of his father, Eichard, Duke of York, raised an army among the townspeople, with which he vanquished the opposite faction at Mortimer’s Cross. In the war between Charles I. and the Parliament, the inhabitants warmly espoused ;the cause of the former ; but in 1645 the town yielded to the Parlia- mentary troops under Col. Mytton, and the fortifications were destroyed. After the Eestoration the ruined castle and the property attached to it were given by Charles IT. to the Earl of Bradford, from whom they have passed to the present proprietor, the Duke of Cleveland. Allusions to the town of Shrewsbury, and to the historical events and characters asso- ciated with it, are frequent, as is well known, in the writings of Shakspeare. The streets, as in most ancient towns, are irregular, but SHREWSBURY. 207 they are rendered, in no ordinary degree, picturesque and in- teresting by a great number of elaborately constructed timber houses, with their antique gables and overhanging storeys. In few places are there such admirable specimens of the domestic architecture of former ages, and in none are build- ings of this character more carefully preserved. Among the public buildings are the following : — The Eoyal Free Gram- mar School, founded and endowed by Edward VI., and greatly enlarged by Queen Elizabeth ; the Town and County Hall, an exceedingly handsome and commodious building, designed by Sir Robert Smirke ; the Market House, built in the reign of Elizabeth, and unequalled in ornamental decoration by any similar structure in the kingdom ; the Post Office, Music Hall, and Subscription News-rooms, all included in one fine pile of buildings ; a Doric column in honour of the late Gen. Lord Hill, 132 feet in height, surmounted by a colossal statue of his lordship ; the Churches, of which there are nine, some of them of great antiquity, and containing many curious and admirable monuments ; numerous Dissenting Chapels ; National, British, and other Schools ; an Infirmary, House of Industry, and other charitable institutions ; the County Gaol ; fche Museum of the Natural History Society ; the Railway Station, etc. Of the Town Wall portions only remain, and these are reduced in height and stripped of their battlements, with the exception of one tower, still existing, which is square and em- battled, and has two storeys with narrow loops. The Castle includes parts of three structures, of different dates ; fragments of a fortress constructed by the Britons at a very early period, a beautiful arched gateway belonging to the Norman edifice reared by Roger de Montgomery, and a square keep and two towers of great extent and solidity built by Edward I. In the adjacent hamlet of Merivale are the venerable remains of the Ahhey of St. Peter and St. Paul, which owned its foundation to the Norman baron before named. There are two substantial modern Bridges across the Severn, called, from their respective situations, English Bridge and W elsh Bridge. The Shrewsbury and Biimingham Railway is likewise carried over the river. In the centre of the town is the spot known in old documents as the High Cross^ remarkable as the place where David, brother of Llewelyn, the last of the British princes of Wales, suffered a 208 SHREWSBURY. cruel and ignominious death by order of Edward I, and where many noblemen, taken prisoners at the battle of Shrewsbury, were executed. At the S.W. of the town, near the river, is a fine public promenade, called both the Quarry and the Dingle, occupying a rich sloping meadow of more than twenty acres, and planted with most magnificent lime and horse-chestnut trees in clumps and avenues. The still retirement and refreshing coolness of this delightful grove, the rich verdure of its mea- dows, the fine sweep of its umbrageous arch, and the majestic flow of the noble river, all combine to render it the frequent resort of the residents, and a principal attraction to the stranger. On the west side of the Quarry are the remains of a spacious amphitheatre, with ascending seats formed on the turfy bank, where the friars of an adjacent convent were wont to perform the mysteries, or miracle-plays, so famous in the days of our ancestors, and where, in the reign of Elizabeth, and in the presence of the Queen and her court, dramas were acted in which the pupils of the Free School sustained the principal characters. Shrewsbury formerly derived much of its importance from being the great mart for Welsh flannels, an advantage of which it is now in great measure deprived by changes in the mode of conducting the trade. Many of the inhabitants are em- ployed in a factory for spinning flax, and in smaller factories for threriid and linens, in iron-foundries and breweries, and in preparing the brawn and cakes for which the town has long been celebrated ; and its prosperity is sustained by an exten- sive general trade, it being the resort of the numerous nobility and gentry of the county, and a favourite reddence for respect- able families. Several royal charters have been conferred upon the borough, particularly by Kichard I. and Charles It is locally governed by a mayor, ten aldermen, and thirty councillors, elected by the burgesses ; and twelve local magis- trates are appointed by the Crown. The county assizes and quarter sessions are held here. There are markets on Wed- nesday and Saturday, and cattle-fairs on the second Tuesday and Wednesday in every month. Two members of parliament are elected. Population of the borough, i 2,1 63. LLANFYLLIN. 209 In proceeding by railway from Oswestry to Macb- jmlleth, we pass Llanymynech station, from which there is a branch to Llanfyllin, [Hotel: Goat.] a small market -town, in a pleasant and fertile valley, on the banks of the river Cain, which is a tributary of the Vyrnwy. It was incorported by Llewelyn-ap-Gryffydd, in the time of Edward II., the charter being afterwards con- firmed by Edward de Charlton, Lord of Powis. Many Eoman coins have been found here, from which some have inferred that it was a Roman station, but of this there is no sufficient evidence. The Church and Town-hall are the only public buildings. The peal of bells in the church surpasses all others in the county. Here are three endowed schools. The town is celebrated for its ale (Welsh, cwrw), which it may be pre- sumed has been in too great favour with the inhabitants, since there is a prevalent saying, “ Old ale fills Llanfyllin with young widovrs.” The market is held on Thursday. There are six annual fairs, celebrated for the Welsh ponies (called Merlins), which are brought for sale in great numbers. It is one of the boroughs contributory to Montgomery in electing a member of parliament. The population of the parish is 1880. The following places, a little to the north of Llanfyllin, are accessible from it : — Bodfach, about a mile from the town, is an elegant seat of Lord Mostyn. It is in a valley watered by the river Cain, and the grounds are richly planted. Mathravaly about 7 miles S.E. from Llanfyllin, was for- merly the residence of the princes of North Wales. The building, long distinguished as the royal palace, is now a farm-house, occupying a part of the area of a large quadrangular camp. Meifod, one mile north of Mathraval, now a small town, was formerly of great ecclesiastical importance, the archdea- conry of Powis-land, and the burial-place of its princes. This appears to be the site of the Roman station Mediolanum. In the vicinity are several mineral springs, some of which possess valuable medicinal properties. Mathraval and Meifod are both situated on the river Vyrnwy, remarkable for the variety as P 210 LLAN-RHAYADR. well as the abundance of fish, on which account it has acquired the appellation amnis piscosus. Llan-rhayadr (yn-mochnant) is a small village at the ter- mination of a confined picturesque valley, called Mochnant, or the vale of the rapid brook. The buildings are irregular and old, yet the aspect of the place is far from unpleasing, and harmonises agreeably with the mountain. scenery by which it is surrounded. The parish is extensive, and among its vicars have been the following distinguished men : — Dr. William Morgan, the first translator of the Bible into Welsh, who was afterwards bishop of Llandaff and of St. Asaph ; the learned and witty Dr. Eobert South ; and Dr. William Worthington, author of several erudite and valuable works. The population of the parish, which is partly in Denbighshire and partly in Montgomeryshire, amounts to 2519. The village is visited chiefly on account of the celebrated cataract, called Pistyll- Rhayadr {i.e. the Spout of the Cataract), the loftiest waterfall in Wales. Ascending the valley of Mochnant rather more than 4 miles, the little impetuous river Ehayadr will be seen falling down a dark and almost perpendicular rock, about 210 feet. For two-thirds of this space the water glides over the flat face of a stern and naked rock, thence it rushes through a natural arch, and, passing between two walls of crag, it is received into a deep basin. The stream then flows along a wooded dell, forming a boundarj^ to the counties of Denbigh and Montgomery, and passing by the village, falls into the river Tanat. This waterfall, although it has a greater descent than any other in Wales, is far from being the most picturesque, as it is entirely destitute of the accompaniment of trees. Simple grandeur is the character of the scene. “ What shall I liken it to ?” asks Mr. Borrow. I scarcely know, unless to an immense skein of silk agitated and disturbed by tempestuous blasts, or to the long tail of a grey courser at furious speed. Through the profusion of silvery threads or hairs, or what looked such, I could here and there see the black sides of the crag down which the Ehayadr precipitated itself with something between a boom and a roar.” The same author considers that the beauty of the cataract is marred by the natural arch through which the water passes, and which he characterises as “an ugly black bridge, which intercepts the sight, and prevents it taking in the whole fall at once.” LLANGYNOG. 211 This unsightly object, be continues, bas stood where it now stands since the day of creation, and will probably remain there to the day of judgment. It would be a desecration of nature to remove it by art, but no one could regret if nature in one of her floods were to sweep it away.” * When the sun shines on the .upper part, it is visible at a great distance. Near the fall is a n^at cottage, built by the late Sir W. W. Wynn, where refreshments may be obtained. The road to the fall, though steep and rough, is passable for carriages. Llangynog. — In a pleasing sequestered valley, above which rises a stupendous rock of coarse slate, is this small village, taking its name from the British saint Cynog^ com- monly called Merthijr Gynog, i.e. Cynog the martyr, who was put to death in the 5 th century. To him the church is dedi- cated. The river Tanat, which flows through the village and waters the beautiful vale extending eastward for many miles, is celebrated for an abundance of trout of the finest flavour. The upper end of the vale is walled in by two precipitous rocks, between which juts out the dark bold promontory of Moel d'A Fawr. The mountains are a part of the Berwyn range, which, for more than 20 miles, forms the boundary between the counties of Merioneth and Montgomery. At Oraig-y-Gryhni, in this parish, are some productive quarries of excellent blue slate. At a short distance is the celebrated lead-mine, called Graig-y-Mwn, which was discovered in 1692, and for 40 years yielded to the Herbert family an annual revenue of <£20,000, but was abandoned in consequence of a destructive irruption of water. It remained long in a ne- glected state, but has been recently leased to a spirited com- pany, who have succeeded in renewing the works, and are said to realise a profit at the rate of <£30,000 per annum. The church of Pennant, about two miles from Llangynog, is famed as the burial-place of Bt. Monacella, or Melangell, reputed the patroness of hares. The legend respecting this holy woman is as follows : — Monacella was the daughter of an Irish prince. She displeased her father by refusing to be married to a nobleman whom he had selected for her. Having vowed celibacy, she fled from her country, sought refuge in North Wales, and, for 15 years, lived at this spot in perfect seclusion. It chanced one day that Brochwel Yscythros. * Borrow’s Wild Wales, vol. iii. 212 WELSHPOOL. prince of Powis, when engaged in hunting, pursued a hare into the unknown retreat of the saintly virgin, who was engaged in deep devotion. The animal found safety beneath her robe, and boldly faced the dogs, while they, fearing to approach, stood at a distance howling. Brochwel was impressed alike with the beauty and the sanctity of Monacella ; and being made acquainted with her story, he founded an abbey, of which she was to have the rule, and richly endowed it with lands, appointing it to be a sanctuary for the perfect security of all who should repair thither. She died abbess, in a good old age, extensively revered for her saintly virtues. Throughout the district, for a long period, hares were called St. Monacella’s lambs ; until the 17 th century no person would put a hare to death within the parish ; and, even at a much later time, it was firmly believed that if any one, seeing a hare pursued by dogs, would cry, “ God and St. Monacella be with you ! ” it w'ould certainly escape. The legend is perpetuated in the church, in some rude sculptures representing hares running for protection to the saint. From Shrewsbury we are conveyed directly westwards, entering Montgomeryshire at the distance of 13 miles, and reaching Welshpool in 5 J miles farther. WELSHPOOL, [Hotels: Royal Oak; Lion. Excellent Refreshment-rooms at Station.] Distances. — Whitchurch, 34 miles ; Oswestry, 18; Shrewsbury, 20; Newtown, 14; Montgomery, 8 ; Machynlleth, 41. ordinarily called Pool, from its vicinity to the small lake Llyn-dfi, now within the enclosure of Powis Park. The addition of “Welsh” distinguishes it from the English town, Poole in Dorsetshire. The streets of Welshpool being wide and regular, and the houses chiefly built of brick, it has much of the aspect of an English town, and the manners and lan- guage of the inhabitants are those of England. Flannels are manufactured in the town and neighbourhood, and, on every alternate Monday a market is held for their sale, but in this respect Welshpool is surpassed by Newtown and Llanidloes. Malting and tanning are carried on to a considerable extent. The County Hall is a commodious brick building in the centre WELSHPOOL — POWIS CASTLE. 213 of the town, and here the Montgomeryshire assizes are held. The old Church is a Gothic structure, in no way remarkable. The churchyard is an extremely steep acclivity, the higher part of which overtops the church, and commands a good view of the town and adjacent country. Among the church plate is a gold chalice valued at ^170, with a Latin inscription, which states that Thomas Davies, governor of an English settlement on the African coast, presented it as a grateful offering for his preservation in that unhealthy climate. An additional church has lately been erected by subscription, on a site given by the late Earl of Powis. Welshpool is sur- rounded by a number of gentlemen’s seats, which add greatly to the beauty of the neighbourhood. The Severn is navigable, for small barges, to within a short distance of the town ; and, by means of that river and of the Montgomeryshire canal, an inland trade is carried on with various parts of the kingdom. The corn and general markets are held on Monday. Welsh- pool is one of the boroughs of the Montgomery district Population of the municipal borough, 7304 ; of the parlia- mentaiy borough, 4434. Powis Castle. — This venerable baronial residence, the seat of the Earl of Powis, is situated one mile from Welshpool, on a commanding eminence, and in the midst of an extensive and beautiful park. By the Welsh it is commonly called Casiell Coch, i.e. the Bed Castle, from its being constructed of red sandstone. This ancient domain has been the property of the Herberts for many generations, and is intimately associated with some of the most important events in the history of Wales. The Castle, erected and altered at various periods, had become somewhat incongruous, but recent extensive im- provements, under the direction of Sir Kobert Smirke, have given to it a character of uniform grandeur, in which it is ex- celled by few mansions in the kingdom. In front are two spacious terraces, rising one above the other, connected by flights of steps, and adorned with vases, statues, etc. The grand entrance is a noble gateway, between two massive round towers, leading into the court, around which the principal apartments are arranged. The great gallery is 1 1 7 feet long, and 20 feet broad ; and this, as well as all the apartments, is embellished with paintings, sculpture, and other works of art. One room contains a collection of rare and valuable articles, MONTGOMERY. 215 brought from India by the distinguished military commander the first Baron Clive. The state bed-room is preserved ex- actly as it was prepared for Charles I. The views from some of the windows are remarkably fine. The park, which is open to the public, is diversified with gently rising hills, spa- cious verdant lawns, and luxuriant forest trees. A winding road, ascending to a considerable elevation, affords prospects of vast extent, beauty, and variety. MONTGOMERY, [Hotels: Dragon; Wynnstay Arms.] although nominally the capital of the county, and possessing much historical interest, is a small town, with no manufactures and little trade. It is situated about a mile to the south-east of the station, under the shelter of a lofty hill covered with plantations ; and being well built, clean, and quiet, it is the suitable residence of respectable families who like retirement. Its chief attraction to tourists is its ruined Castle, of which, however, the existing remains afford little indication of the original form and extent. A stronghold on this site was erected by Baldwin, a Nor- man adventurer, whom William the Conqueror appointed Lieutenant of the Marches ; and from him the place was called by the British Trefaldwyn, i.e, Baldwyn’s town. Subse- quently it was held by Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Shrewsbury, who greatly increased the extent and strength of the fortifications, and gave his own name to both town and castle. On account especially of its position on the border of England and Wales, this fortress was long regarded as of great importance ; the possession of it became a frequent object of contention during the protracted wars between the Saxons and the British ; and few places in the principality are more dis- tinguished in Cambrian history. In 1345 it was in the custody of Roger Mortimer, a Lord Marcher, from whom it passed to the royal house of York, and thence to the Crown. In the 15th century the stewardship was granted to the Her- berts of Chirbury, and it became the principal residence of that family. The famous Lord Herbert, celebrated alike for chivalry, learning, and deism, was born here in 1 5 8 1 . In the NEWTOWN. 217 civil wars of the 17th century the castle was garrisoned for the King, but early surrendered to the Parliament, by whose order it was destroyed. On a hill not far from the castle are the remains of a very extensive British fort ; and at about one mile eastward the line of Offa’s Dyke may be traced for a considerable distance. The Guildhall occupies an eminence near to the castle ruins, and close to it is the County Gaol, a modern stone building, well adapted for its purpose. The Church is not remarkable for its architecture. It is an ancient cruciform edifice, with the addition of a modern tower, and it contains a sumptuous monument in memory of the father and mother of the celebrated Lord Herbert. The river Severn, whose course is followed here pretty closely by the railway, is with- in a mile and a half’s distance. The late Dr. Abraham Kees, the learned editor of the Cyclopaedia which bears his name, was born here. The borough was incorporated by Henry III., under a steward, two bailiffs, and twelve burgesses. Prior to the passing of the Keform Act, it had the privilege of sending a representative to the House of Commons ; but that act ad- mitted five other towns in the county to be united with this in the election of a member of parliament. A weekly market is held on Tuesday, and there are five annual fairs. Popula- tion of the parish, 1276. NEWTOWN, [Hotels: Boar’s Head ; Red Lion ; Elephant and Castle.] or, as it is called in Welsh, Trenewydd, is a populous, busy, manufacturing town, situated on the river Severn, which is here crossed by a good stone bridge. The streets are confined, and the houses, for the most part constructed of lath and plaster, have a mean appearance. The Town-hall is of brick, and there is a handsome modem Cloth-hall. The parish Church, old and decaying, has a low square tower surmounted by a wooden belfry. A second church has been lately erected. From the rapid extension of its manufacturing establishments it has become one of the most considerable towns in North Wales, and appears, indeed, to be more flourishing and rising into greater importance than any other. A large proportion 218 LLANIDLOES. of tlie flannel produced in Wales is made in or near to this place ; the peculiar quality of the water being assigned as one of the causes for the excellence of its woollen fabrics. Machinery is made to a considerable extent, and there are foundries, potteries, tanyards, and malt-houses. The Mont- gomery Canal is close to the town, and connects it with the inland navigation of the central and northern districts. There is some pleasing scenery in the neighbourhood, and, at about a mile and a half on the road to Builth, a pretty cascade. Newtown is a parliamentary borough, contributory, with Llanid- loes, Welshpool, Machynlleth, and Llanfyllin, to Montgomery. The population of the parish is 3692, but adding that of the suburbs, which are included in the borough, it amounts to 5916. Moat-Lane Junction. Here the Mid-Wales Bail way diverges to the south, ma. Llanidloes, Ehayader, Builth, and Brecon, affording a very convenient and agreeable access to South Wales. LLANIDLOES [Hotels: Trewithan Arms ; Queen’s Head; Lion.] Distances.— "Rhayader, 14 miles ; Builth Wells, 26 J ; Brecon, 52 ; Hereford, GC ; Devil’s Bridge, 20 ; Aberystwith, 32. is interesting to tourists as a point from which the ascent of Plinlimmon may be made, the distance to the top being about 15 miles.* The village, like Newtown, has little to interest in the character of its buildings, or in historical reminiscences. It derives its prosperity from the manufacture of flannels. It is situated 8 miles to the south of Moat Junction, on the Severn, near to the confluence of the Clywedog, and both rivers are crossed by good stone bridges. The Church, dedicated to St. Idloes, is chiefly remarkable for a roof of delicately-carved oak, and some ornamented columns, said to have been brought from the abbey of Cwm Hir. A new Town-hall has been erected in a central situation, and the buildings generally are undergoing gradual improvement. In the surrounding country * An account of the ascent of Plinlimmon from this and other points will be found in connection with Devil’s Bridge, which see. LLANIDLOES. 219 are many extensive sheep-walks, and hence the town is an important mart for wool. The flannels made here are chiefly of the finer qualities. On the sides of the neighbouring mountain, Plinlimmon, are some quarries of coarse slate, and lead and copper mines, which contribute to the advantage of the place. At about two miles and a half N.E. from the town is Llyn Ehijr, a small lake, abounding wuth pike, perch, and eels ; and there are in the vicinity other good angling stations. Llanidloes is one of the Montgomery district of parliamentary boroughs, and it has many fairs for cattle, sheep, etc., which are numerously attended. Population of the parish, 3987. The Eoman station of Caersws lies one mile west from Moat, on the river Severn. It is now an inconsiderable ham- let, although formerly of great extent and importance. The site of the ancient encampment may be traced, a rampart of about 150 yards square. On the surrounding high grounds are the remains of several military posts, and, in the neigh- bourhood, vestiges of the Eoman way, Sarn Sws, or Sivsan, are distinctly visible to a considerable extent. Six miles further is Carno, a pleasant village, 1 1 miles from Newtown, on the Cerniog river. The hilly district in its vicinity has been the scene of some of the most important and most sanguinary battles recorded in the Welsh annals. In the year 946 one was fought which decided the sovereignty of North Wales ; and in 1077 another, between the forces under Gryffydd-ap-Cynan, the rightful heir to the throne of North Wales, joined by those of Ehys-ap-Tudor, prince of South Wales, and the powerful army of Trahaern-ap-Caradoc, who had usurped the dominion. After a most obstinate and bloody conflict, victory was achieved by the former, Trahaern was slain, few only of his followers surviving ; and Gryflydd obtained possession of the crown of his ancestors. About 3 miles to the north-east of Carno, and at a considerable eleva- tion, are three fine lakes, viz. Llyn Tarw, Llyn Dd1i, and Llyn Mawr. About 6 miles beyond Carno is Llanbrynmair, an exten- sive parish, containing (1861) 2061 inhabitants, many of whom are employed in lead-mines. About 4 miles south of the village is a fine cataract, called Ffrwd Fawr, The river Twymyn makes a perpendicular descent of 130 feet. Besides this grand fall there are several smaller ones in the neighbour- 220 DINAS MOWDDY. hood, and the surrounding district abounds with Druidical remains. The next station reached (4 miles) is Cemm.es Road, from which there is a branch line to Dinas Mowddy and Mallwyd — a half-hour’s drive. Cemmes is “a small town or large village, with a church at the entrance and the usual yew-tree in the churchyard.” — Borrow. Dinas Mowddy, although nominally a market-town, and said to have been formerly a place of great importance and the abode of an illustrious chieftain, is now a village of humble pretensions — a dirty squalid place.” — Borrow. The neigh- bourhood abounds with mines both of lead and stone, and the village is the head-quarters of the mining population. Its situation, however, is striking, and the two principal inns, the Eed Lion and the Goat, will be found very comfortable.* Thence the road to Dolgelly (about 10 miles) is extremely grand, a continued succession of varied scenery, in some parts rude and majestic, in others picturesque and lovely. The road to Bala is of similar character. It passes the village of Llan- y-Mowddy ; along a wild romantic tract which lies beneath the * In the neighbourhood of Dinas Mowddy there existed, about the middle of the 16th century, a numerous band of robbers, known by the designation Gwylliaid Cochion Mawddwyy i.e. the red-haired banditti of Mowddy. They plundered and laid waste the surrounding country in open day ; drove away herds of cattle to their haunts in the woods and mountains ; extorted contri- butions from the proprietors of estates ; and, bidding defiance to the civil power, spread such terror throughout the district, that to avoid it travellers took circuitous roads and tenants abandoned their farms. Their enormities at length rendered necessary the adoption of vigorous measures for their appre- hension ; and for this purpose Queen Mary gave a commission to John Wynn of Gwydir, and Lewis Owen, Vice-Chamberlain of Wales, and one of the barons of the Exchequer. On Christmas Eve, 1554, a skilful and determined attack was made upon the retreats of the banditti, and more than eighty were seized and condemned to be hung. Among these was a young man, whose mother earnestly besought the Baron to spare his life. Her entreaties being refused, the miser- able and enraged woman, baring her bosom, exclaimed, “ These yellow breasts have given suck to those who shall wash their hands in your red blood.” An opportunity was quickly sought for carrying this dreadful threatening into execution ; and, accordingly, when the Baron was returning from the assizes he was waylaid and murdered in the woods of Dugoed Mawr, at a place still called, from the event, Llydiart-y-Barwriy i.e. the Baron’s gate. It is added that the brothers of the young convict, in order literally to fulfil the dreadful threatening of their mother, plunged a sword into the heart of the murdered judge, and washed their hands in the warm stream which gushed forth. After the perpetration of this cruel deed a military force was employed against these formidable and desperate men, and the entire band was speedily exterminated. MALLWYD. 221 lofty mountains Arran Mowddy (height 2955 feet) and Arran Benllyn ; through the elevated and terrific pass named Bwlch- y-Groes, or pass of the cross ; and thence descending into the narrow valley of the Twrch, which terminates at the lake oi Bala. MALLWYD. [Hotel: Peniarth Arms.] Mallwyd, distant less than 2 miles from Dinas, is selected for fuller notice because it forms a convenient resting- place in a most agreeable situation, and has the advantage of an excellent hotel (the Peniarth Arms), from which the objects of interest are easily accessible. The village is situated in a romantic hollow, lying between the mountains Camlan, Arran, and Moel Dyfi, at the junction of three delightful valleys, and near to the confluence of several tributaries to the river Dyfi (or Dovey). The surrounding scenery possesses peculiar features of beauty, and the mountain prospects are extensive and sublime. Mallwyd is an admirable fishing station, and during some months in the year is frequented by numerous lovers of the sport. It is likewise, and most justly, a favourite resort of artists, who, by following the courses of the streams, are introduced to scenes of great interest, and amidst their rocky channels and wooded banks are gratified by the fre- quent occurrence of rapids and small cascades, whose effect is greatly aided by the striking beauty of their accessories. The Church is small and humble, but rendered interesting by the unusual form and position of the altar, resembling those of communion tables in ancient Presbyterian places of worship, a slate slab, in the middle of the area before the pulpit, so placed by a Puritan incumbent, named Davies,* in defiance of the mandates and menaces of Archbishop Laud. Within and above the porch are suspended some enormous bones found in the neighbourhood, which do not appear to have been ade- quately described or identified. In the churchyard are some venerable yew-trees, one of which is of extraordinary size and luxuriance. Rising from the earth a single stem, it divides, at the height of 3 or 4 feet, into a number of branches, * “ Doctor John Davies, author of the great Welsh and Latin Dictionary, an imperishable work.” — Borrow. 222 MACHYNLLETH. each large enough to form a noble tree. The girth of the trunk is 22 feet 6 inches, and the separate branches, at a foot from the division, measure from 10 feet 9 inches to 5 feet 9 inches. These spread in every direction about 40 feet, form- ing a circle of about 80 feet in diameter, and 240 feet in cir- cumference, while some more perpendicular reach a height of 40 feet. The far-famed yew at Aldworth, in Berkshire, though somewhat larger in the girth, is not comparable to this in health and beauty. There are chapels for Independents, Wesleyans, and Calvinistic Methodists. Population of the parish 1049. Keturning to the main line, a run of about 5 miles from Cemmes Eoad brings us to MACHYNLLETH (pronounced Mahuntly). [Hotels: Wynnstay Arms ; Unicorn.] Distances. — Oswestry, 57 m.; Welshpool, 41; Aberystwith, 18; Dolgelly, 16. This borough and market-town, is placed in a fine valley, near the confluence of the rivers Dulas and Dyfi (or Dovey), It is much more regularly built than most Welsh towns, the streets being wide and straight, and the houses, for the most part, of very respectable appearance. It has, notwithstanding, rather a dull and gloomy aspect, and exhibits few indications of much prosperity. It is the centre of the woollen manu- facture in the western part of the county, but in this respect it has not kept pace with the towns on the eastern side. It has a good share of tanning business. The Town-hall^ also used as a Market-house, was built in 1783 by Sir W. W. Wynn, grandfather of the present baronet of Wynnstay, in whom the manor is vested. The Church is a modern build- ing, neat and commodious, without architectural distinction. There are several Dissenting Chapels, a Free Grammar School, a National School, and other public institutions. An old building, now used for very humble purposes, is shown as the Senate-house^ in which Owen Glyndwr, in the year 1402, met the nobles and commoners of Wales whom he had convoked, and succeeded in causing himself to be acknowledged and crowned as Prince of Wales. At this meeting, Owen narrowly MACHYNLLETH. 223 escaped being assassinated by the treacherous David Gam, a chieftain from Brecknockshire. Gam’s design was opportunely detected, and he was for some time imprisoned here ; but he contrived to liberate himself, and was well received at the English court. He afterwards attended Henry V. in his wars, and displayed much valour at the battle of Agincourt. The name of this town appears to be a corruption of Man- cyn-llaithy which signifies the place at the upper end of the fiat^ referring, we may suppose, to its position in relation to the estuary of the Dovey. It is believed to have been the Maglona of the Romans, their principal station in Montgomeryshire, where a garrison was placed to keep in awe the mountain- eers.” Some indications of a fortified post may be observed on a rocky hill at the N.E. boundary of the town, and other Roman remains are found at Pennal, about four miles distant. Here, at a place called Cefn Caer, or “ the ridge of the city,” Roman coins have frequently been found, and there were formerly visible the remains of a circular fort of considerable extent, the main fort being on the highest part of the hill. The outer walls were built of a rough durable' stone dug at Tal-y-garreg, about 7 miles distant. A causeway, 12 yards wide, formed of large stones and pebbles, extended in a direct line from the fort through the marshy meadows for 200 yards to the water-side, and foundations of houses have been dis- covered even beyond the river. Bricks, of which the fort is supposed to have been built, have been frequently found on the spot, and specimens are said to be still mixed up with the stones in the walls of Pennal church. The mansion and grounds of Greenfelds^ at the S. extremity of the town, together with the extensive slate-quarries in the neighbourhood, are the property of Earl Vane (second son of the late Marquis of Londonderry), who acquired this estate by his marriage with the only daughter and heiress of the late Sir John Edwards, Bart. Machynlleth has a good market on Wednesday. The population of the town and liberties is 1673 ; of the parish, 2460. The road to Aberdovey and Towyn is exceedingly picturesque and beautiful. It passes along the N. bank of the Dovey, and affords delightful views of Cardiganshire and the bay. At the distance of 6 miles S. from the town, quite away from every highroad, is a lofty cataract, near a pool called Llyn Pen Pihayadr^ i.e. the pool at the head of the cataract^ and 224 MACHYNLLETH PLINLIMMON. the name usually given to the fall is Pistyll-y-Llyn, oi the spout from the lake. Plinlimmon may be ascended from Machynlleth, the summit being distant about 12 miles, but the ascent is better made from Devil’s Bridge or Aberystwith (which see). The road to Plinlimmon is that from Machynlleth to Llanidloes, over the mountains, the distance between these places being 21 miles — viz. to Dropping-well 9 miles, thence to Llanidloes 12 miles. At the Dropping-well we reach the watershed, and are within a mile of Glaslyn, the source of the river Diflas (or Dulas), which joins the Dyfi at Machynlleth. About a mile southwards of Glaslyn there is another small lake named Bugeilyn. Here we are within a mile and a half of Blaen Hafren^ or the source of the Severn, and close to the summit of the mighty mountain, as described in a subsequent page in connection with the ascent from Devil’s Bridge. The following is the route of the train from Machynlleth to Aberystwith : — Miles. Miles. Llandovery • 4| Llanfihangel . 141 Ynys-Las . . 10 Bow-street 16 Borth 121 Aberystwith . 201 SOUTH WALES. ♦ CAKDIGANSHIRE, which, in onr arrangement, occurs first of the counties of South Wales, is a maritime county, having on the west side a coast-line of about 44 miles, in the form of a crescent. On the N. it adjoins the counties of Merioneth and Montgomery ; on the E. Radnor and Brecon ; and on the S. Carmarthen and. Pembroke. It is about 45 miles in length, and its breadth, through the greatest part of its extent, averages under 20 miles, but, at its S. extremity, reaches to 35 miles. It has an area of 693 square miles, or 443,387 acres, and its popu- lation amounts to 72,245. The surface is generally moun- tainous, interspersed, however, with several fine fertile valleys, and towards the S. and W. extensive tracts are level, with rich and productive soil, growing wheat and barley of superior quality, from which seed is supplied to the neighbouring counties. The whole county is well watered, the principal rivers being the Teifi, the Towy, the Rheidol, and the Ystwith ; besides which there are several minor streams and innumerable rivulets, which, descending from the mountains, are sometimes suddenly swollen into desolating torrents. The agricultural products are wheat, barley, and oats ; black cattle, sheep, and wool. The manufactures are unimportant. In mineral trea- sures few counties in the kingdom are so rich. For some years this interest was almost a dead letter, but now it forms the chief export from Cardigan Bay at Aberystwith. The immense fortune which Sir Hugh Myddelton expended in forming the New River in London, is well known to have been acquired from the mines of Cwmsymlog ; yet these, and many others, which have been successfully opened, have until Q 226 CARDIGANSHIRE. now been neglected. During the last few years, however, more attention has again been directed to the mines, more silver- lead and copper have been raised, and there needs but the employment of still more capital and more energy in these works, to render Cardiganshire one of the most valuable mining fields in the kingdom. The principal mines are the Lisburnes, East-Darren, Bronfloyd, Cwm-Erfin, Goginan, Llywernog, Bwlch, Dolwen, Ty-gwyn, South-Darren, Elgar, Bwadrain, Cwm-ystwith, and Bryn-ystwith. There are several others now opening up and, being re-worked, and it will suffi- ciently show the importance of this interest to the trade of Aberystwith to state that the export value of the silver-lead and other ores from this port amounts to upwards of <£400,000 per annum. The mineral wealth of the county lies within a radius of about 1 5 miles of Aberystwith. The Welsh name of the county is Caredigion, derived from Caredig, son of Cunedda, a chieftain of Britain, and this, slightly corrupted, forms the present appellation, Cardigan. By the natives it is also called Swydd Aherteifi, the Shire of Aber- teifi. The district was early subjected to the Eoman sway. The Danes, in 987, committed great ravages on the coast, burning the churches of Llanbadarn and Llanrhystyd, and causing such destruction of corn and cattle as to produce a famine, in which a large proportion of the inhabitants perished. The Anglo-Normans had castles at Cardigan and Aberystwith, and maintained protracted struggles with the native Britons. In 1135 Owen Gwynedd and Cad waladr laid waste the greater part of this province. In the reign of Edward I. it fell under the power of that monarch, after a brave resistance by Lle- v/elyn, the last native prince of Wales. Various relics of both, British and Eoman antiquity exist in this county, and in the wildest part are found the remains of a distinguished ecclesi- astical structure, the Abbey of Ystrad Fjlur, or Strata Florida. There seems to be much reason for the prevailing opinion that in these parts the sea has encroached upon the land to a great extent, and it is even affirmed that a large part of what is now Cardigan Bay was formerly cultivated land with well- peopled towns and villages, forming an important section of the county, and named Cantref-y-Gwaelod^ or the lowland hundred. The destructive inundation is said to have occurred about the year 520. Besides Cardigan, the county town, the ABERYSTWITH. 227 following are market towns: — Aberystwith, Lampeter, Tre^ garon, and Aberayron. One member of parliament is returned for the county, and one for the united boroughs of Cardigan, Aberystwith, Lampeter, and Adpar, which is a part of New- castle Emlyn. ABERYSTWITH. [Hotels : The Queen’s ; Bellevue ; Gogerddan Arms ; Talbot.] Four-horse Coaches leave the Queen’s Hotel for Devil’s Bridge daily during the Season. Population, about 7000. For Distances, see page 234. This town is advantageously situated at the western end of the vale of Rheidol, near the confluence of the rivers Ystwith and Rheidol, and about the centre of Cardigan Bay. In the general railway system it forms the terminal station of the Cambrian line, which is worked in conjunction witli the London and North-Western and Great Western com- panies, enjoying thus the advantages of tourists’ monthly tickets during the summer season. The south line from Aberystwith affords direct railway cGinmunication with South Wales, Bristol, Gloucester, and Hereford. Since the completion of the railway, great improvements have been made upon the town. One of the most important of these is the alteration of the terrace fronting the Queen’s Hotel, which has been effected at the expense of the Hotel Company, and the construction of a new sea-fronting wall. The managing director of the company, being a member of the Corporation, advocated and carried a plan, whereby, on appeal to the Lords of the Treasury, the funds were raised for the purpose of extending this new line of wall, reclaiming land from the beach up to the end northwards of the corporate property, thus making available a sufficient depth of building land and a terrace of 40 feet wide. The work was constructed from the plans of Mr. H. D. Davis of London, and completed for the Corporation at a cost of about £2000. The frontage is to be let on building leases ; and several plots are taken already. The architect of these residences is Mr. J. P. Seddori of Westminster. In a sanitary point of view, Aberystwith has made vast strides. An increased supply of good pure water has been 228 ABERYSTVVITH. obtained from “ Hackney’s Well” at Llanbadarn, from whence it is pumped to the reservoir up the Dingle, and the sewerag<^ has been made complete and thoroughly effective. Abervstwith possesses an excellent harbour, formed b;y the estuary of the river Eheidol before it is joined by the Ystwith, and which is protected seaward bv a spit of ground or beach of shingle, called Eo-fawr ; while on the south side a stone pier has been constructed to protect and preserve in a permanent position the channel formed by the united streams. The trustees contemplate material improvement both in deepening this channel and extending and strengthen- ing the harbour-pier. It contains a very substantial quay- wall along the interior of the Eo-fawr, on which are erected several good warehouses and lead-ore stores. A branch railway (nearly completed) has been constructed from the south passenger line down to the harbour, for the sole purpose of conveying lead and other ores direct (without trans-shipment) into the steamers trading with Liverpool, Bristol, and Swansea. The season of Aberystwith extends from April to Novem- ber, but many persons believe that its equable climate renders it eligible as a winter residence — an opinion to some extent corroborated by the late Sir Charles Clarke, who remarked that, in certain cases, a fortnight spent at Aberystwith would do more good than a month at any other watering- place.” The shops and markets are well supplied with every article which necessity demands, or luxury may desire ; the liotels are generally and most justly celebrated for their superior accommodation and reasonable charges ; and nume- rous lodging-houses, of modern erection, are adapted to visitors of every rank. The Queen's Hotel is a magnificent building, situated in the best part of the Marine Terrace, with a front- age of 154 feet, and so constructed that its public and private sitting-rooms face and are within fifty yards of the sea. It is replete with every modern comfort, and contains 104 bed-, rooms, an assembly-room, library, billiard, smoking-rooms, etc. It is the property of the company who own the hotel at the Devil’s Bridge. The Belle Vue Hotel is also on the Marine Parade. This Parade takes the natural curvature of the bay, and forms a beautiful crescent, having an unobstructed sea- view, bounded only by the horizon, which on a summer’s ABERYSTWITH. 229 evening is lighted up by most glorious sunsets. This terrace is terminated, in both directions, by heights, which are laid out for agreeable and salubrious walks, open to the pure in- vigorating breezes of the broad Atlantic ; that on the N. is Craiglais, or Constitution Hill ; that on the S.W. is Castle Hill, on which are the conspicuous and picturesque ruins of the ancient castle ; and at the E. is Cae-graig. Thus the town is protected on all sides except coastwise. At the S.W. end of the terrace is a building proposed now for a Univer- sity College of Wales, It was erected originally as a private mansion by the late Sir Uvedale Price, Bart., of Foxley, Herefordshire, after designs by Mr. Nash ; then, in 1865, enlarged for and opened as a hotel at an expense of <£80,000. It partakes of the characters of a Gothic castellated mansion and of an Italian villa, consisting of three octagonal towers, connected by ranges of apartments, and having, on the front next the sea, a light airy balcony overlooking the ocean. Among the first objects of interest to the visitor at Aber- ystwith are the ruins of its once formidable Castle, which occupy the summit of an elevated promontory, against whose sides the waves of every tide are dashed with a force which gradually reduces the slaty cliffs, and threatens eventually to sweep away the whole. A fortress of great strength was founded here by Gilbert de Strongbow in the reign of Henry I. This was for some time the stronghold of Cad- walader, and, after having been the object of frequent attack, and the scene of many conflicts, was destroyed by Owen Gwynedd. Edward I., in 1277, rebuilt a castle on this site, and of the structure then erected the ruins now seen are the remains. At the beginning of the 15th century Owen Glyndwr made great efforts to obtain possession of this fortress, and succeeded in wresting it from the English. It was re- covered by Henry lY. in 1407 ; and after that time it remained in the uninterrupted possession of the English government. During the reign of Charles I. Thomas Bushel received royal permission to erect a mint within the castle, and to coin the silver from the lead-ores of the neighbouring mines. Speci- mens of the coins, bearing date between 1638 and 1642, are in the cabinets of many collectors, and some may be met with in Aberystwith. During the civil war, in the time of Charles L, the castle was held by the Royalists, and Mr, Bushel evinced 230 ABERYSTWITH. his gratitude and loyalty by raising and maintaining, at his own cost, a regiment from among his miners, clothing the whole of the king’s army, and advancing £40,000 for the king’s service. In 1646 the castle was surrendered to the Parliamentary forces, by whom it was for some time garrisoned, but ultimately dismantled and destroyed. The remains consist of dilapidated portions of walls and towers, in one of which is an arched gateway grooved for two portcullises. So recently as the year 1845 careful excavation ;md the removal of vast quantities of rubbish laid open to view the foundations of a great part of the original structure, a dungeon beneath one of the turrets, and a well 60 feet deep in the centre of the citadel. The height on which the ruins are situated is judiciously laid out for walks, which are kept in excellent order by the corporation of the town, and afford a most agreeable promenade, commanding fine inland views of the principal Welsh mountains, and a marine prospect which includes the whole of Cardigan Bay, with the coasts of Merionethshire and Cardiganshire, bounded on the N. by the long mountainous promontory of Lleyn, in Carnarvonshire, terminating with the Isle of Bardsey ; and on the S. by the Pembrokeshire promontories near Fishguard and St. David’s. The Churchy a plain edifice adjoining the Castle grounds, is nearly cruciform, was built in 1830, dedicated to St. Michael, and is designed to accommodate 1100 persons. The gallery at the W. end contains a fine-toned organ by Eobson. The services on Sunday mornings and evenings are conducted in the English language. An afternoon Welsh service is held in the Welsh Church, situate near Bridge Street, and built after a handsome design by Mr. Butterfield. It was opened in 1865. Aberystwith is a chapelry in the parish of Llan- badarn-fawr, and is constituted a perpetual curacy, inde- pendent of the mother church, the vicar of the latter having the right of presentation. There are several Independent chapels, among which may be named the English Congrega- tional Church, in Portland Street, a new erection, and the finest building of the kind in the town. The Calvinistic Methodists have a chapel, called the Tabernacle, holding 1200 persons. The Wesleyan Chapel is in Queen’s Eoad ; the Independent in Penmaes Glas ; and the Baptist in Baker Street. In all these the services are generally Welsh, with ABEIIYSTWITH. 23) occasionally an EDglish. sermon, and attached to each is a Sunday school. A new and spacious National School building for both boys and girls, built in 1866, above the Queen’s Koad, with dwellings for the master and mistress. A British School, in Skinner Street, is supported chiefly by the congre- gation of Calvinistic Methodists. The Queen’s Hotel has a flne Assembly-room where concerts are frequently given. The Old Assembly-rooms are near to Castle Hill. A large Temper- ance Hall has recently been erected in North Parade. In this most of the local concerts are given. The Meat Market^ erected in 1824, is well supplied at all times, but especially on Monday and Saturday. Another for corn is a more recent erection on the site of the old Talbot Hotel. It is what is called a 'pitched market for all kinds of grain ; also for cheese, wool, and other agricultural productions. A third for fish is held beneath the old Town-hall, and is abundantly supplied with tlie various kinds of fish in their respective seasons. Soles caught in the bay are remarkably fine, and the salmon from the Teifi are of very superior quality. Numerous country people attend daily with poultry, vegetables, butter, eggs, etc. The To'wn-hall is situate in Queen’s Boad. It is a handsome Grecian structure with four Ionic columns, and is designed for the magisterial and judicial business of the county of Car- digan, as well as for that more directly belonging to the towui and borough. The Autumn Sessions of the Superior Courts are in future to be held at Aberystwith. The Aberystwith Infirmary and Cardiganshire General Hospital was opened in 1838. The Union Poorhouse is a conspicuous building, over- looking the towm, at a distance of about a quarter of a mile east. It is adapted to hold 200 paupers, and has all suitable provision for ventilation and cleanliness. The Post-office is at the corner of Pier Street and New Street, adjoining the shop of Mr. J. Cox, bookseller. The Bathing is well conducted, there being numerous machines of the best construction, with civil and experiencefl attendants. Owing to the regular slope of the beach, there are facilities for bathing at all states of the tide ; and the water is so clear that the pebbly bottom is discernible at the depth of many feet. Near the north end of the terrace is a neat building, on a projecting rock, having commodious apart- ments for warm or cold sea-water baths, supplied with water 232 ABERYSTWITH. from a pure rocky source at a considerable depth, without admixture of sand or gravel. The beach abounds with curious and valuable pebbles, amongst which are found topaz, cor* nelians, agates, crystals, jaspers, moccoes, trap-stones, etc. The search for these is a common and amusing occupation, and a number of lapidaries in the town are employed in cutting, polishing, and setting the stones. Varieties of marine plants may be found at low water in the creeks and crevices of the rocks. Pleasure-boats are much employed in fine weather for marine excursions. Aberystwith is a prescriptive borough, a charter granted by Henry VIII. having long been lost. It is governed by a mayor, four aldermen, and twelve councillors ; and it has a distinct commission of the peace, with powers, under Act of Parliament, for regulating the lighting, paving, cleansing, and watching of the town, every part of which is well paved, bril- liantly lighted with gas, and abundantly supplied with water of excellent quality. This borough, in conjunction with Cardi- gan, Lampeter, and Adpar, elects one member of parliament. Races take place annually in the month of August or Sep- tember in a field near Gogerddan, three miles from the town. Archery and Cricket Clvhs have been established, and are sus- tained with much spirit. The fishing in the rivers Ystwith and llheidol has been destroyed by the lead-works in the neighbourhood ; other rivers more distant, particularly the Lery and the Teifi, afford good sport ; and within 10 or 15 miles good lake fishing may be had. Walks near Aberystwith. — The following are recom- mended. Northward^ pass the Queen’s Hotel, ascend Constitu- tion Hill (Craiglais) observing on the left the quarries whence is obtained the stone used in the buildings of the neighbour- hood, and on the right the reservoir whence the town is supplied with water ; proceed along a narrow path near the edge of the cliff, affording a wide view of ocean and mountain ; descend to the sands at the mouth of the Clarach, a little stream which gives name to a pleasant fertile vale, distinguished for its abundant crops of grain and early harvests ; cross a foot-bridge, turn inland up the vale, and pursue the road to its junction with the turnpike-road from Machynlleth, by which return ; — Or, — keep to the right of the reservoir, and pass up what is popularly known as the Dingle to Bryn-y-mor, the WALKS NEAR ABE RYST WITH. 233 residence and well-tilled farm of J. B. Balcombe, Esq. Al- though a private road, this is generally sought as the best approach to Cwmcynfelin House and woods (George Wil- liams, Esq.), and the adjoining valley of Clarach. From thence the tourist may proceed up the vale as far as the hamlet of Pontllangorwen, in the old Borth road, and return thus to Aberystwith, passing Llangorwen church, a beautiful modern edifice, and Cwmcynfelin ; — Or, — from the sands at the mouth of the Clarach, if the tide he low, he may return along the beach, beneath the range of perpendicular slate rocks, observing the recesses and caverns of various forms worn by the force of the waves, and making sure to get away from the cliff before the flow of the tide. This walk, though rugged and requiring care, is exceedingly interesting. Another very agreeable walk may be taken, passing along by the railway to Plas Crug, a rocky mound on which are re- mains of an ancient fortified mansion surrounded by a moat. It is stated that there was a subterraneous communication from this place to the castle on the one hand, and to the sanctuary of Llanbadarn on the other. Allusions to this ‘‘ Palace of RheidoP’ are found in the productions of some of the British bards. Proceed to Llanbadarn (afterwards described), or return by the same way to Aberystwith. If it be wished to extend the walk from Pendinas, descend to the bridge across the Ystwith, having in view Tan-y-Bwlch, the residence of Captain Hopton, and proceed along the shore, southward, to Alltwyn, a remarkable and romantic cliff, near to which is Tan-y-Castell, the site of another ancient encampment or fortress. Llanbadarn-fawr is within an easy walk. Leave the town by the north toll-gate, take the road on the right hand, pass the vicarage (Rev. E. Owen Phillips), and, at the distance of a mile and a quarter, reach the village, the venerable parish church of which deserves especial attention. The name sig- nifies the great church of Badam, or Padarn, and is derived from St. Patemus, or Padarn, a distinguished saint of the primitive British church, who, in the 6th century, founded here a monastery, which was converted into an episcopal see, with a large diocese and revenue, and afterwards united to St. David’s. The building was greatly injured by the Danes in 988, and again in 1038, but portions of it are thought to be included in the present edifice. This was pro- 234 LLANBADARN-FAWR. bably erected soon after the Norman Conquest, as the plain pointed arch prevails throughout ; but, having undergone many alterations at various periods, there is not, in other respects, much uniformity in the architecture. The chancel contains several monuments of the families of Powell of Nant- Eos, and Pryse of Gogerddan ; and a flat stone covers the grave of Lewis Morris, a celebrated antiquary, and author of Celtic Remains. In the S. side of the churchyard are two very ancient stone crosses, with emblematical devices. The tower contains a peal of six bells, of very melodious tone ; on one is inscribed “WE WERE ALL CAST IN GLOUCESTER BY ABEL REEDHALL, 1749 ;” on another, “THOMAS POWELL, ESQ., AND LEWIS WILLIAMS, GENT., CHURCHWARDENS, 1749 ;” and, on the great bell, “I TO THE CHURCH THE living call, and TO THE grave DO SUMMON ALL.” The chancel has been thoroughly restored under the able guidance of Mr. J. P. Seddon, architect, Westminster. There being a bridge across the Kheidol near Llanbadarn, the pedestrian may return to Aberystwith on either side of the river. It may be as well here to notice that Nancy Felix, the blind harper, who lived two miles from Aberystwith on the Machynlleth road, is now dead. The beautiful Welsh melodies performed on the national instrument by this sightless but cheerful harper, were much appreciated, and her ivy-shaded cottage and well-kept garden used to be a favourite resort of pleasure-parties and of others desirous of listening to this now almost obsolete national music. In these walks the botanist will observe a variety of marine and alpine productions, and all persons will be gratified by a profusion of meadow and hedge flowers not commonly found so near the sea. Excursions from Aberystwith. Distances. Devil’s Bridge, 12 ; vi6.- Ponterwyd . 15 miles. Goginan. . . 8 ,, Ponterwyd . . 12 „ Nant-Eos Park . 3 ,, Gogerddan Park . 4 ,, Borth . 8 milt Machynlleth • 18 „ Talybont . 7 „ The Caves . 7 „ Llanrhrystyd 9 ,-, 1 Aberayron . • 16 „ The roads in all directions, although hilly, are well formed, and kept in excellent condition. EXCURSIONS FROM ABERYSTWITH BORTH. 23, First we will take Nan t- Eos Park, the princely seat of Colonel Wm. Edw. Powell, late M,P., and Lord-Lieutenant of the county. This is undoubtedly the finest and most pictur- esque estate in Cardiganshire. This estate lies to the left of the Aberayron road, and is approached by the middle road of the three which diverge at the south toll-gate. A pleasant excursion may be made to Borth, etc., either by railway or road. By railway it is 8 miles distant, and by road rather more. In proceeding by the latter, we leave the town by the north turnpike, take the road over Penglais, pass the Union Poorhouse, observing, on the left, Penglais House (Alexander Kichardes, Esq.) On the right are the beauti- ful vale of the Kheidol and the grounds of Gogerddan, the seat of Sir Pryse Pryse, Bart. The house, being in a low situation and surrounded by trees, is not discernible from the road. Passing through the populous straggling villages called Bow Street and Pen-y-garn, we continue on the Machynlleth road, 4^ miles from Aberystwith ; then incline on the left, towards the coast, through the pleasant vale of Llanfihangel- Geneur-glynn, Here may be observed an old cruciform church, with its extensive burial-ground, in a charming rural situation. The parish is large, and has a population of 3926. On a neighbouring hill are the remains of an ancient fort or camp, probably British, though commonly attributed to Walter I’Espec, a Norman baron, from whom it is called Castell Gwalter, or Walter’s Castle. From this we proceed down the vale to the pretty little village of Penybont, with its bridge crossing the river Lery ; and thence to Borth. BOKTH [Hotel : Cambrian.] was formerly known as a populous fishing-village, which pre- sented few attractions to tourists. The erection of a large hotel upon the shore has, however, drawn attention to the spot — which, during the season, is thronged with visitors. The accommodation of the hotel is excellent, and the charges are reasonable. Borth is remarkable for its hard smooth sand, which extends for m.ore than 3 miles to the mouth of the Dovey, and affords a most agreeable ride. 236 ABERYSTWITH TO ABERAYRON. At a distance of 8 miles from Aberystwith, on the road to Machynlleth, or 3 from Yn-ys-Las station, is a hamlet called Tre Taliesin, about 1 mile to the E. of which, upon the hill named Pen-Sarn-Dhu, is the burial-place of the chief of the bards,” who died about the year 570. (See note at page 112.) The grave (or cistvaen), formed of earth and stones, is 8 feet long, 2|- feet wide, and raised above the ground about 3 feet. It is surrounded by two circles of stones, of which the inner circle measures about 80 feet, and the outer more than 90 feet in circumference. The country-people have a tradition that any person sleeping one night upon this tomb would arise either a poet or an idiot. About 2 miles further W., on the summit of Moel-y-Gaer, are the remains of a British camp or fort, remarkably well defined ; and in the rugged district around are several Druidical circles, one of which, 230 feet in circumference, consists of 76 upright stones. Another excursion may be made from Aberystwith by the coast road to Aberayron, 16 miles, as follows : — ABERYSTWITH TO ABERAYRON, WITH CONTINUATION OF ITINERARY, vid LAMPETER, TO CARMARTHEN. 1 ON RIGHT 1 « ON LEFT FROM ABERYSTWITH. £ 1 & j FROM ABERYSTWITH. 51^ ABERYSTWITH. cr. the riv. Rheidol. 50| Piccadilly. ii To Devil’s Bridge, 10^ m. Tan-y-B wl rh, Matthew To Tregaron, 19 m. Davies, Esq. 49f Rhyd-y-felin. li- Naiiteos, Col. Wm. Edwd. Powell. 7 m. Traws Coed, or Crosswood, Earl of 48f cr. the riv. Ystwith. st Lisburne, M.P. 4 m. Castle Hill, Mrs. Williams. 48i 3 Aberllolwyn, Mqj(»r Richards. Ffosrhydgaled, James Davies. Esq. m Chancery. 4 ABEKZSTWirn TO ABERAYRON, ETC, 237 ON RIGHT if 2 £* ON LEFT FROM ARERYSTWITH. FROM ARERYSTWITH. o 44i Llanddeinol. 7 42i Llanrhystyd. 9 Mabws, J. B. Lloyd Philipps, Esq. cr. the riv. Wyrai. To Lampeter, 15 m. (a hilly road). 41J 10 AltUwy d, J ohn Hughes, Esq. Llansautffraid, on the 40^ Llannon. 11 coast. cr. the riv. Perris. ren-y-craig-dd{L S9i Morfa-Mawr. 12 cr. the riv. Arth. To Llanbadarn-fach, or Llanbadarn-trefeg- 1\\78. Castell Cadw^au. 37^ Aberarth. 14 2 m. Monachty, Capt. Alban Lewis Gwynne. 35J ABERAYRON. 16 To Cardigan, by the cr. the riv. Ayrnn, coast, 23 m. and keep it on the left hand. Lleitliliw, Evan Evans, Esq. 33| Llanwchayron. 18 Llanayron, Major Lewis. Park Neuadd, Rev. Wm. Hughes. 32^ Crossway. 19 Cileau-ayron Church. 31i 20 Tyglyn, Thomas Alban Davies, Esq. Cileau-ayron House, Daniel Jones, Esq. Tyglynayrou, Mrs. Winwood. Tymawr, Capt. E. D. Saunders. 30 Green Grove, John Vaughan, Esq. Pen-y-Gaer. 29| Llanfihangel Ystrad. 22i Breinog, Mrs. Vaug- han. 27 24^ To Aberystwith, 19J m. (a hihy road). Llanllear, Capt. Lewes. P’alcondale, William Jones, Esq. 23J LAMPETER. 28 To Tregaron, 10 m. Derry Ormond, John Inglis Jones, Esq. St. David’s College. To Cardigan, by Kew- castle, 31 m. 22^ 29 22 Pont Stephen. 29J To Llandovery, 17 m. i 1 cr. the riv. Teifi, and enter Carrnartheu- shire» S38 ABERYSTWITH TvO ABERATRON ETC. f OxN RTHIIT il ON LEFT I FROM AIJKKYSTWITH. FROM ABERYSTWITH. o 1 19i Dolgwra. 32 j Llvn Pencarreg. m 33 18 Pencarreg. 33J Extensive Woods, 1 17 Llanybytlier. 34i To Llandilo-fawr, 1? in. To Llanllwini, li ra. 14^ Pont-ceiliog. 37 To Llanfihangel-ar- 13 Gwar-allt Gate. 38J iAi-th, 2 m. IH New Inn. 40 lOi Gwyrgraig. 41 n Troed-y-rhiw. 44 j Llanpiiinpsaint. 6 cr. the riv. Gwili 45J LianUawddog. 1 ! 4i Rhyd-y-caeau. 47 Glangwili, LI. Lloyd 1^ cr. the riv. Gwili, 50 Castell-pigyn, W. 0. Price, Esq. which, at the distance of Price, Esq. | 1 in. falls into the Towy. 1 1 Junction with road from 50i To AbergwLli, | m. Llandilo-fawr. Palace of Bishop of St, 1 David’s. 1 CARMARTHEN. 5H ABERAYRON [Hotels : Feafliers ; Monachty Arms.] (or Aberaeron) is a thriving little town, which, within a few years, has rapidly risen to the importance of a market-town, a seaport, and a bathing-place. For the latter purpose it will be found agreeable by persons who prefer retirement and simpli- city. It is situated, as the name implies, at the efflux of the river Ayron (or Aeron), a small stream about 12 miles in length, famed for salmon and trout. Two piers of recent construction render the harbour convenient ; a town-hall has been built, the lower part of which is used as a market-house, and a number of lodging-houses are provided for the accommo- dation of visitors. The Parish Church is a mile distant, but a chapel of ease has been erected in the town, where are also some Dissenting chapels, and a National School. On the coast, at a short distance N., are the remains of a circular camp attributed to Cadwgan ap Bleddyn, a.d. 1148. About ABERYSTWITH TO DEVIUS BRIDGE 239 7 miles S.W. from Aberayron is New Quay, a small port, also rising into favour as a bathing-place, for which it has con- siderable natural and local advantages. The houses, some of which are of a superior class, are scattered on the cliffs, and have a fine view of Cardigan Bay and of the mountains of North Wales. ABERYSTWITH TO DEVIL’S BRIDGE. (By Coach.) The Devil’s Bridge, or Pont-y-Mynach, is distant rather less than 12 miles from Aberystwith. Mr. Roscoe, writing of “ the grand and romantic scenery of Cardigan’s mountains and glens,” truly affirms, ‘‘ first in beauty as in popularity is the oft-praised Devil’s Bridge.” The road commences with a long gradual ascent on the S. side of the river Rheidol. The road is a good carriage road, 240 devil’s bridge. which ascends gradually to the ninth milestone. At Picadilly toll-gate (1^ m.) we leave on the right hand the road to Car- digan, which is direct south, and another S.E. to Nant-Eos and Cross wood, the seat of the Eight Hon. Earl Lisburne, and take that to the east. At about the ninth milestone we reach the top of the ascent, which is 980 feet above the level of the sea. Here the vale is contracted, and becomes a narrow glen with abrupt and precipitous banks ; in another mile the road skirts a craggy conical hill, beneath which is the modern house of Tyn-y-castelL At the turnpike of Tynrhyd the traveller has a view of the glen in which the rivers Mynach (or Monk’s river) and Eheidol form a junction, and thence, by a pretty steep descent, we reach The Devil’s Bridge Hotel.” Distances. Parson’s Bridge . Miles. . 2 Strata- Florida Station (South Miles Ponterwyd .... . 3 Railway .... 9 Dyffryn Castell . . 5 Nant-Eos Park (Lieut.-Col. Plinlimmon . 9 Powell, M.P.) . 9 Hafod Church and Park . 5 Aberystwith, direct route 12 Lisburne Mines . . 6 Do. vid Ponterwyd . 15 Crosswood Park . . 8 Tregaron 15 Llanidloes Station (Cambrian) . 20 Lampeter 27 Rhayader Station (Mid-Wales) . 24 Visitors to the Mynach and Rheidol Falls are only admitted by ticket issued at the Hotel ; charge, Is. each. No gratuity to guide or attendant. This Hotel is an entire renovation of the old Hafod Arms, and is conducted in conjunction with the Queen’s Hotel at Aberystwith. It was originally erected' by the late Mr. Johnes, and afterwards enlarged and improved by the late Duke of Newcastle and Sir Henry Hoghton, Bart. From the windows a fine prospect is obtained of the chasm, stretching E. and W. about a mile ; its precipitous sides richly covered with luxuriant woods, chiefly of oak coppice. At the bottom is seen the river Eheidol hurrying down a similar valley, and precipitating itself over the shelving rocks. Nearer at hand rushes the river Mynach, its waters hidden from the eye by the overhanging trees, but filling the ear with their incessant sound. As a writer before quoted observes, in a rather exaggerated manner, this scene is one to be feasted on, trembled at, and dreamed devil’s bridge. 241 of sleeping and waking ; but not to be preconceived, painted, or described.” This charming and romantic spot formerly formed part of the Hafod estate, of which it was its western boundary ; but ^ in 1864 it was divided into five lots, and submitted to public auction. The Devil’s Bridge portion, including the hotel, pleasure-grounds and falls — making up an eligible estate of 412 acres — was purchased by J. B. Balcombe, Esq. of Bryn- y-mor, Aberystwith, the managing director of the Hotel Com- pany. The remaining part of the estate was thus severed of this attractive portion. The so-called ‘^Devil’s Bridge” consists of two arches, placed one above the other, forming, irrespectively of the Falls, a curiosity worthy of inspection. The lower arch is supposed to have been erected in the reign of William Bufus, by the monks of Strata Florida Abbey, and this in particular bears the name of his Satanic majesty — none other but he, according to the legend of popular ignorance, having the power to construct such a piece of masonry in such a situation. The upper arch was built over the old one by the County Koads Trust in 1753, in connection with a raised and improved road ; and the iron balustrades were added by Mr. Johnes of Hafod in 1814. The lower arch is seen by bending over the upper bridge, and from this spot the scene is truly grand ; but to form an adequate conception of it, it is necessary to pass over the bridge and descend into the ravine. Visitors are first conducted to a gate on the south side of the bridge, where, by a convenient pathway, they make their way to a shelving rock called The Devil’s Punch- Bowl.” Here may be contemplated, with full advantage, the narrow perpendicular fissure in the solid rock, 114 feet in height, roofed over by the strange double-arched bridge, and the waters of the Mynach struggling through the confined passage with a ceaseless rush and roar. It has been commonly sup- posed that the chasm, has been produced by the force of the current, but, reflecting on the great depth of the opening, as compared with its width, which in some parts does not ex- ceed 1 5 inches, we cannot admit the prevailing opinion ; al- though it is easy to conceive that the waters, having here found an outlet, may have gradually deepened their confined channel. R 242 devil’s bridge. On regaining the upper bridge, a second descent is made on the opposite side, passing through a wood, and round an abrupt point of rock, in order to view the stream as it escapes from the narrow ravine, and rushes down to mingle its waters with those of the Eheidol, making in its passage four distinct leaps or cascades. The guides generally conduct first to a point of view, where the pools, by which these falls are separated^ being nearly concealed, the whole appear to form one con- tinued cataract ; and then by another path, from which they are seen individually. The river is first carried over the rocky ridge from the Punch Bowl, and projected into a basin at a depth of 24 feet ; its next leap is 60 feet ; the third about 20 feet ; after which it struggles amongst some vast masses of opposing rock to the edge of the grand cataract^ from which it is precipitated, in one unbroken and impetuous torrent, not less than 110 feet. Including the distance from the bridge to the water, and allowing for the in- clined direction of the river in those parts which are compa- ratively smooth, the total height from the bridge to the level of the stream at its junction with the Eheidol is computed to be at least 500 feet. The scene, in the midst of which this mighty rush of waters occurs, is distinguished alike by glow- ing beauty and terrific grandeur. The rocks, which rise on either side to a stupendous height, are richly clothed with luxuriant wood and foliage, and rendered bright by showers of gay and glittering spray, reflecting the prismatic colours. The access to the glen is now so easy, that it may be visited, thus far at least, by the most timid with the greatest ease and comfort. The ravine is reached by a flight of 118 steps, de- scending in a direct unbroken line, and hence named Jacob's Ladder, From this, “ de profundis,” the visitor may cross to the other side by scrambling over the masses of rock resting in the bed of the river ; but as this cannot be done at all times, and seldom without risk, it is better to cross by the wrought-iron bridge which spans the ravine at a higher elevation. This b:j^idge, which deserves notice on account of its neatness, v/as designed by Mr. H. D. Davis of Moorgate Street, London, and erected by Mr. Balcombe in 1867. Having thus gained the other side, the four cascades can be approached in the ascent ; in which way their gigantic pro- portions, and the depths of the pools, are seen to great ad- devil’s bridge. 243 vantage. The last point of attraction is the Pamlion, a charm- ing place of rest, overlooking the woods and the fall of the Eheidol. During the season it is provided with refreshments, which are spread profusely on a horse-shoe table ; and, as, might be expected from the coolness of the situation, the far- famed ‘ Curw-dda’ (good beer) may be drunk here in perfection. The Rheidol in its fall (which requires to be visited separately) is hurled over a huge rock, to a depth of 18 feet, into a pool which is sometimes so chafed and agitated as to resemble the waves of the sea. The surroundings of this cata- ract differ from that of the Mynach in being wholly destitute of foliage. It has, however, some peculiar features of majesty and grandeur, and by many persons it is deemed the linest portion of the scenery. In order to reach the bed of rocks beneath the Eheidol Fall, it is necessary to take again the pathway north of the bridge, and descend until the point is gained from which the grand cascade of the Mynach was seen. Then pass through the woods to the right, by what is known as the “ Marchioness of Ailesbury’s Vista,” to the Quarry ; and from this lower elevation there is a most varied dew, several scores of yards beneath, of the union of the Mynach with the Eheidol, and, to the right, of the grand fall of the latter. To descend to the bed of rocks at the foot of the fall requires a fair amount of courage, and a head unsus- ceptible of giddy sensations. He who succeeds in reaching it, however, will be well repaid for his exertions by seeing the fall in all its grandeur. Below the junction of the two rivers, the wildness and grandeur of the scenery gradually give place to more softened beauty ; the valley widens, and the Eheidol pursues a tranquil course towards the ocean. The falls which have been mentioned are all that are commonly shown to strangers by the guides ; but, by explor- ing the valleys wherever a path is found or can be made, a continual succession of lovely and admirable scenes will be presented for some miles in both directions. In a rock by the side of the Mynach falls is a small dark recess known as the Robber d Cave, said to have been the retreat of two men and their sister, called Plant Matt, or Matthew’s children, who infested the country as plunderers, their hiding-place being for many years undiscovered. At length, having committed a murder, they were apprehended, condemned, and executed. 244 devil’s bridge HAFOD. An elegant and appropriate Garibaldian or Turkish flannel costume is considerately provided by the Hotel Com- pany for ladies visiting the falls. This dress, says the Aberystwith Observer, has been very greatly in demand during the wet season ; the comfort in the use of it being admitted by all who do not allow themselves to be influenced by false delicacy.” Another scene has yet to be visited from the Devil’s Bridge. The ParsoTbS Bridge, or Pont Bren is about two miles higher up the Kheidol, on the way to Pont Erwyd, and near the church of Yspytty"^ Cynfyn. This romantic bridge consists of two trees, or rude pieces of timber, laid across a formidable chasm, from rock to rock, with a slight hand-rail on one side only, while below the Eheidol rushes through a narrow channel, forming a boiling whirlpool, and roaring with terrific din. Marvellous stories are narrated as accounting for the appellation of this singular bridge, rejecting which, we conclude that it is named the Parson’s Bridge simply because it is the common footway for the villagers to Yspytty Church. In the neighbouring churchyard are several erect stones, believed to have formed a portion of a Druidical circle. Tourists have here a choice of two roads ; one, by way of Pont Erwyd and the north side of the Eheidol, to Aberystwith, and the other, by Castell Dyffryn, to Plinlimmon. Pont Erwyd (where there is an inn) is situated in a deep and narrow dingle, at the confluence of the rivers Castell and Eheidol, surrounded by scenery more wild than that of the Devil’s Bridge, but not so rich and varied. Hafod, which signifies the summer abode, is 5 miles from the Devil’s Bridge, and 16 miles from Aberystwith. The road is somewhat dreary, ascending steeply to the summit of Cwmystwith hill, where it passes under a rude stone arch, unsightly and unmeaning, though designed, it is said, to commemorate the jubilee of George III. ; and then descending through plantations of larch and oak, enters the grounds of Hafod. This estate, originally the property of a branch of the Herbert family, passed into the hands of Thomas Johnes, Esq., by marriage with the heiress of the last William Herbert, who died in 1704. Of the family of Johnes, the third and last who possessed this estate was Col. Thomas * Yspytty is a common prefix to a name signifying Hospital or Hospice. HAFOD. 245 Johnes, M.P. and Lord-Lientenant of Cardiganshire. He erected a mansion in 1783, making it his principal residence, and devoting himself to the embellishing and improving of the estate. His decorations were not always conceived in the best taste, and many of them have gradually disappeared ; but his extensive plantations have remained, to impart beauty to the scenery and enhance the value of the property. In 1807 the house, with its costly furniture and an extensive collection of books and manuscripts, was destroyed by fire, the origin of which was not satisfactorily ascertained. Col. Johnes directed the mansion to be restored in a similar style, and commenced the formation of another library ; but he became involved in difficulties, died in 1816, and was buried in the adjacent church, called Eglwys Hewydd. He had lost his only child, a daughter, in 1811; and, upon the death of his widow in 1833, the family being extinct, the estate was purchased by the late Duke of Newcastle. His Grace, after making additions to the property, and expending largely on the improvement of the house and grounds, disposed of the whole to Sir Henry Bold Hoghton, Bart., of Hoghton Tower, Lancashire. This gentleman, after having completed the erection of a large and elegant mansion, sold the entire estate to William Chambers, Esq., of Llanelly. The estate marches in its western boundary with the Devil’s Bridge, which was formerly a portion of the same property. The grounds are extensive. A number of walks branch off in different directions, through the woods, and along the banks of the streams, extending alto- gether to a distance of 10 or 12 miles, and presenting numerous grand and romantic prospects. The river Ystwith, whose banks are beautifully fringed with wood, forms several pleasing cascades, and receives a number of minor streams, which are seen to descend over their rugged channels on the declivities of the adjacent mountains. On the brow of an eminence is an obelisk, erected by Mr. Johnes to the memory of Francis, Duke of Bedford. Eglwys Newydd, i.e. the New Church, occupies a conspicuous situation near the carriage approach to the mansion, and commands a delightful view of the grounds and surrounding country. It contains a marble monument in memory of Miss Johnes, which is considered one of the most exquisite productions of the eminent sculptor Chantrey : the figures being “ life size.” 246 PLINLIMMON. Plinlimmon. The mountain of five summits, and source of five rivers. Height 2463 feet. 9 miles from Devil’s Bridge — about 6 hours. The range bearing the general name of Plinlimmon con- sists of a vast group of mountains, of which three are pre- eminent in elevation, and on each of these is a carnedd, or pile of stones. The highest of the three is still further divided into two peaks, and on these, as well as on another prominent part of the same height, are other heaps of stones. These five piles may have been, as is commonly alleged, designed to cover the remains of slain warriors, and serve as memorials of their exploits ; but it appears more reasonable to believe that they were intended as landmarks or military beacons, and that from them the mountain range came to be designated Pump- lumon, otherwise Pumlumon, which signifies the five beacons, and hence the highest peak may have been called Pen-lumon^ i.e. the head or summit of the beacon. Certainly Pumlumon is the appellation frequently used by the inhabitants of the surrounding country, yet there is perhaps no adequate autho- rity or reason for deviating from the commonly received ortho- graphy, Plinlimmon. This mountainous district is rendered interesting by historical reminiscences. In the early period of Welsh history *its morasses were the scene of many a struggle ; in later times an exterminating warfare was carried on here between Owen Cyfeilog, Prince of Powys, and Howell ap Cadogan ; here it was that Owen Glyndwr unfurled the banner of Welsh independence ; and hence, in the summer of 1401, he harassed the adjacent country, sacked Montgomery, burned Welshpool, and destroyed the abbey of Cwm Hir. After all, Plinlimmon derives its greatest interest from the fact, that within its recesses five rivers have their origin — namely, the Rheidol, the Llyfnant, the Clywedog, the Wye, and the Severn. The ascent may be made most conveniently from the Devibs Bridge or Aberystwith side ; but it may also be accomplished from Machynlleth on the N., or Llanidloes on the E., being distant from each of the latter about 12 miles. On no account should it be attempted without an experienced guide, as, owing to the frequency of bogs concealed under a PLINLIMMOI^ JT.B. The, iUmte, to the, summit is manTced hy cu dotted fnu^ from, 6‘tedfa, Gui'i^ Jrnt . PLINLIMMON. 247 smooth and apparently firm turf, it is certainly the most dangerous mountain in Yfales. Few travellers who make the ascent deem themselves recompensed for the toil and hazard. The advantage of the route from Devihs Bridge (which will be obvious after consulting the chart and map) is that not only is it the nearest starting-place, but that there is a road from it to Castell Dyffryn, which is within 5 miles of the summit. The road is that which leads up the left bank of the river Kheidol by Spytty Cynwyl (Parson’s Bridge), and joining further north the road from Pont Erwyd. Here the road is crossed by the Afon Castell. Near this, and about 4 miles from the Devil’s Bridge, is Castell Dyffryn Inn, and two miles further E. is Steddfa-Gurig, situated on the ridge of the watershed, and the exact boundary between Montgomery and Cardigan shires. Here we leave the road- way and commence the real ascent of the Mawr,” which is within 3 miles’ reach. There is a large cairn on the top, and the prospect, as afterwards alluded to, is extensive and not uninteresting except in bad weather. Mr. Borrow, who made the ascent from Devil’s Bridge, describes it as a mountainous wilderness on every side, a waste of russet- coloured hills, with here and there a black craggy summit. No signs of life or cultivation were to be discovered, and the eye might search in vain for a grove or even a single tree. The scene would have been cheerless in the extreme had not a bright sun lighted up the landscape.” Mr. Borrow, after ascending to the summit, proceeded, under escort of his guide, to the sources of the rivers, receiving special gratification from that of the Eheidol. Those who follow in his steps may imitate him further by drinking of the springs, in order that in after times they may be able to harangue about them with a tone of confidence and authority.”* The following is an account of the ascent of “ Plinlimmonis Ardua Moles ” from Llanidloes, by the course of the river Severn (Welsh Hafren ) : — “ The weather was exceedingly fine, and the rivers from long previous drought very scant of water ; we took our direction up the Severn, observing, as we proceeded, the vari- ous fossil substances, which — washed from the hills by moun- Borrow s Wild Wales, vol. iii. 248 PLINLIMMON. tain torrents — were strewed over the rocky bed of the river, till we arrived at Melin Velindre, at which place is a small cataract, not a little romantic from the curvature of the stream and surrounding scenery. About 6 miles up is Gafron^ an old copper- work. We now ascended Glen Hafren^ descending thereafter into a boggy vale by a very difficult road, running in a winding manner along the precipitous side of the bill . Pursuing our course, directed by the stream, along the morassy banks, having the Biga mountains on our right, and those which separate the vale of the Severn from the vale of the Wye on our left, we met with little interesting save the small river Se coming from the south-west, and forming here a junction with the Hafren. Soon, however, the object of our excursion rose in lofty but sullen grandeur before us. The vale, diverging to the north and south, developed the moun- tain, which appeared with less abruptness and elevation than, from prior information, we had reason to expect. Its sides and summit, as well as the adjacent hills, were totally devoid of wood — a nudity that invariably gives mountainous scenery a forbidding aspect. We persevered in our dreary route till we reached Blaen Hafren, a farm-house — if such it can be called. “Near this house, the last for some miles in extent, the Severn rolls its waters over a lofty ledge of slate rock, in which it has formed a series of fanciful-shaped gullies. One in particular is of a globular-concave shape, as accurate as if performed by art, several feet wide and of considerable depth. It was now full of clear water, the river becoming a small stream ; but in the winter months, we were informed, the quantity of water is immense, and the fall remarkably fine. The district, destitute of population and unenlivened by the cheering views arising from cultivation, assumed an air of dreariness scarcely to be conceived, which — whatever may be the cause in the wild waste — quickly affected our spirits, and our minds soon became in unison with the sombre aspect of the country. We continued to follow the stream, which now came in a serpentine course from the westwards, rolling through a chasm formed through schistose rock — in some places shallow, and in others very deep. “ At length this noble river, which, before its conflux with the ocean, carries ships on its bosom for a number of leagues, PLINLIMMON. 249 dwindles into a mere ditch running through marshy land, out of which, on each side, burst up numerous springs that flow over the surface of the soil — in general covered with car- nation-grass. A small distance from this spot is the head, or chief fountain, on the north side of the mountain, which issues forth a strong chalybeate water, leaving a deposit of several inches, consisting of pure ochre of a very fine orange colour. The chasm continues some yards above the spring, and exhibits on its sides peat-earth, several feet deep, resting on a deep bed of white marl ; and just above, over a ledge of rocks, at times flows water from another spring, which was at this time (September 3) perfectly dry. In the vicinity we found several plants that generally have their habitats in mountainous marshes — viz. Yitis idoea, Butomus umbellatus, Carex paucijlora, Schcenus nigricans^ Bcirpus lacustris, Scirpys palustriSy and Eriophorum 'polystachion. The latter the country people use for making candles, which they perform by taking off all the bark but one narrow strip, and dipping them in kitchen grease. These, denominated canwyll frwyn, they carry in their hands, or place in a sort of candlestick adapted for the purpose, terminating at their upper end like a pair of pincers. As we approached the top of the moun- tain the surface exhibited patches of coarse grass, intermixed with heaps of loose stones, and fragments of rock lying about in all directions, among which are quantities of mixed and very pure quartz. Amidst these blocks of quartz are numerous hillocks of peat-earth, which, when the grass is bare or re- moved, is so light as to be driven about by the wind, like sand-hills near the sea-coast. “ The summit may be called bifurcate, consisting of two small heads ; and on the summit of each is a carnedd or large heap of stones. The one on the highest peak is of a pyramidal shape, and was originally, perhaps, used as a military beacon. A custom, considered sacred by the Welsh, is that of persons, who ascend thus far, placing on the heap each one or more stones, which they call Cornu y Plinlimmon. Numerous birds frequent the mountain — ravens, cranes, herons, snipes (both the lesser and greater), with flocks of plovers. The wily fox also here finds a harbour for the purpose of committing his depredations upon the defenceless sheep. A grand pheno- menon presented itself to view while we took our repast on 250 PLINLIMMON. the summit. The weather had been rather dull as we made the ascent, but suddenly the wind shifted, pouring rains de- scended below, darksome clouds drove round the mountain, enveloping the whole surrounding country in one complete state of impenetrable mist ; while with us it was perfectly dry, and over our heads was shining a most brilliant sun. We began to despair now of obtaining what we had been assured was a most delightful prospect. But as suddenly as the clouds were collected, they were, after a short time, dispersed, when a most majestic panoramic view burst at once on the astonished sight. To the south the hills of Cardiganshire appeared be- neath like so many hillocks, expanding for a great extent in various directions ; Cardigan Bay, with St. George’s Channel, finely appeared to the west ; to the north Cader Idris and part of the Snowdonian chain that parts Merioneth from Caernar- vonshire ; to the north-east the Breiddin Hills ; and to the east parts of the counties of Hereford and Salop. It is re- markable that this mountain, which Mr. Pennant was deterred from visiting by having been informed that it lay in a dreary uninhabited district, and altogether an uninteresting object, should be the source of three very considerable rivers, two of which stand unrivalled in point of picturesque beauty, and the third, after Father Thames, in commercial importance — viz. the Eheidol, Wye, and Severn. The first issues from Llyn Llygad Eheidol, and taking a south-westerly direction falls into the sea near Aberystwith ; the second and third flow from two powerful springs on the south-eastern side, and, after watering the counties of Eadnor, Brecon, and Monmouth, unite below Chepstow with the Severn. Descend- ing by a different path the rugged and boggy sides of the mountain, we returned to Blaen Hafren, and were glad to partake of additional refreshment. After passing a rivulet called Hore, running to the southward of Hafren in a south- easterly direction, we passed the Biga mountains at Cwm Biga, and passing Llwyn-y-Gog, crossed the river Clewedog at Newmill, and reached the turnpike road from Llanidloes to MachynUeth at the eleventh mUestone.” ABERYSTWITH TO CARDIGAN.- 251 ABEHYSTWITH TO CARDIGAN, By Manchester and Milford Railway. The principal places on this line of railway are — Strata Florida, 15 miles ; Tregaron, 20; Lampeter, 29 ; and Pencader Junction, 41, for Cardigan. At the distance of 9 miles from Aberystwith. we pass Traws-Coed^ the mansion of the Earl of Lisbnrne — an ancient place, repaired and modernised by the present proprietor, who is descended from one of the oldest and most distinguished Cambrian families. In this neighbourhood some bold cliffs, half covered with wood, present an object of mingled beauty and grandeur. At Pont Llanafan the Ystwith is crossed, and thence the railway, steeply ascending for more than a mile, overlooks a deep wooded glen, through which flows a small tributary to that river. At the head of the glen the stream is crossed by a bridge, near to which is a terrific rush of waters, precipitated into a dark basin of unknown profundity. Tradition relates that a chieftain named Caradoc, who had suffered a mortifying defeat, here threw himself into the abyss and perished ; and hence it is called Pwll Caradoc, or Cara- doc’s Pool. In the churchyard of Llanwnws, across the dell, is shown a monumental stone to the memory of the suicide, bearing a cross, and the illegible remains of an inscription. Proceeding eastwards through a dreary and desolate district, the village of Ystrad Meiric is passed, where are some incon- siderable remains of a castle, said to have been one of the fortresses erected by Gilbert de Strongbow in the time of Henry I. In this sequestered village there is also an excellent endowed Grammar School, for instructing in the Greek and Latin languages 32 boys, natives of the county. The adjoin- ing parish of Lledrod has a similar endowment for 40 boys, and the two institutions having been incorporated, the united schools, conducted by a succession of efficient masters, have produced some distinguished scholars. At about 2 miles further we cross the river Teifi, at the village of Pontrhyd- fendigaid, or the Bridge of the Blessed Ford, a name obviously associated with the former residents of the neighbouring abbey. The ancient ford is now superseded by a substantial bridge. In the wild monntainous district eastward from this village there is a group of lakes and mountain tarns called the 252 STRATA FLORIDA ABBEY. Teifi Llyns, which, abounding with fish, and not being pre- served, are favourite resorts of anglers, and the small inn at the village affords tolerable accommodation. A few minutes more brings us to Strata Florida Station, so named from the remains of the once celebrated abbey situated in this wild and elevated district. Strata JFIottUa Sttibeg. 15 miles from Aberystwith, 7 from Devil’s Bridge. In the Ordnance map this place is indicated by the names Mynachlog-fawr, i.e. the Great Monastery, and Strata Floriday which is the Latinised corruption of Tsirad FfiHr, or the plain of the Ffltir, that being the name of a small stream, tributary to the Teifi, flowing through the neighbouring valley. The origin of this ecclesiastical establishment is traced to the Princes of South Wales. According to some writers, it was founded by Ehys ap Tewdwr about the year 1080 ; and, according to others, by his grandson, Ehys ap Gryffydd, in 1164. It seems probable that the former erected a religious house about 2 miles south of the present ruins, where an old building, now used as a barn, is called Yr Hin FynacJilog, or the Old Monastery ; and that his structure having been early destroyed, or being deemed inadequate, his grandson founded and endowed the more spacious and stately edifice in a situa- tion which, being sheltered on three sides by lofty hills, and watered by the river Teifi, was better adapted for its purpose. The monks assembled here were of the Cistercian order ; they exercised the most liberal hospitality to all strangers and tra- vellers ; they had undisputed influence throughout this division of the country ; the British princes appear to have sought their counsel and sanction in all important undertakings ; in the chronicles here written and preserved all national transactions were recorded ; and within the sacred precincts many of the princes, nobles, abbots, and bards were interred. In the wars of Edward I. the abbey buildings were much injured by fire, but the king afterwards allowed money for their repairs. Li the time of Owen Glyndwr the place was again assailed by the English, and Pennant states that Henry TV. destroyed the abbey and ravaged the surrounding country, but, being imable to subsist his troops, was obliged to withdraw to England. The building must have been again restored, and the monastery TREGARON LAMPETER. 253 appears to liave remained without molestation and in great prosperity until the general dissolution of all such establish- ments in the time of Henry VIIL The only remains of the once beautiful sanctuary are — a portion of a wall which was at the west side of the church, a small pointed window, and a round-headed Norman arch, which appears to have been the northern entrance. This arch, which is complete, is unique, and remarkably beautiful. It has six simple flutings, exqui- sitely wrought, forming so many co-ordinate recessed arches, and over the centre is a finely sculptured stone. In the early part of the present century two silver seals were found here, one having an impression of the Virgin and Child, and the other, circular, as large as a crown-piece, and engraved with the arms of the abbey. In September 1847 the members of the Cambrian Archseological Society, then meeting at Aberystwith, visited these ruins, and by means of extensive excavations laid open the foundations of the walls, and discovered portions of pavement, with tiles of different colours, all highly glazed. Five miles from Strata Florida is TKEGAEON, {Hotel : Talbot Arms.] a small town of some 800 inhabitants, and celebrated for its connection with the notorious thief Tom Shore Catti, otherwise called “The Wild Wag of Wales.” Nine miles southwards from Tregaron, and passing the minor stations of Pont-Llanio and Bettws, we reach LAMPETER, [Hotel; Black Lion.] or Lanhedr, i.e, the church of St. Peter, an ill-built, straggling town, in a fertile valley, on the banks of the Teifi, one of the most celebrated fishing rivers in Wales. Near the town this stream is crossed by a bridge said to have been built as early as the time of King Stephen ; and hence the full name of the town in public documents is Lampeter Pont Stephen. Another account of the bridge represents it as having been erected by a person of the name of Stephen, at his own cost, date un- known. The chief object of interest is St. David's College, for the instruction of young men designed for the church, who 254 LAMPETER. are unable to bear tbe expense of university education at Ox- ford or Cambridge. The building is a handsome quadrangular structure, erected at a cost of <£20,000. It originated with the late Dr. Burgess, while Bishop of St. David’s. Towards its completion the Government granted £6000, King George IV. gave £1000, and the remaining sum was procured by the persevering exertions of the bishop. The building was opened for the reception of students on March 1, 1827. The town contains a neat town-hall, a modern parish church, and several chapels and schools. It is much fre- quented by fishing parties. It is one of the district of boroughs contributory to Cardigan in the election of a mem- ber of parliament. It has a market on Saturday, and several cattle-fairs annually. Population of the parish, 1488. From Lampeter pleasant excursions may be made along the course of the river Teifi ; one upwards, in a N.E. direction, to Tre- garon, distant 1 1 miles ; and another down the river, S.W. to Newcastle Emlyn^ 21 miles. Proceeding onwards from Lampeter, the railway follows the left bank of the river Teifi until within a few miles of Pencader Junction. Here there is a short branch line of about 3 miles to Llandyssil, where a regular coach in con- nection conveys passengers on to Newcastle Emlyn, 8 miles, and Cardigan, another 10 miles (about 3 hours). Llandyssil is romantically placed on the rocky shores of the Teifi, and its church is dedicated, as its name imports, to St. Tyssal, a Welsh ecclesiastic who flourished in the early part of the 6th century. The interior is divided into a nave, chancel, and two side aisles, the latter being separated from the nave by square pillars supporting pointed arches. On the north side of the nave there is an elegant marble monu- ment inscribed to the memory of Mrs. David Lloyd (of Alltyrodin). On a hill, at a short distance from the church, are the remains of an old castle called Coed-fon. The scenery on the shores of the Teifi below Llandyssil is re- markably beautiful. On an elevation, at a bold reach of the river, stands the church of Bangor^ near which is a moated tumulus called Pistog’s Castles, affirmed by tradition to oc- cupy the site of the mansion of a former proprietor of the lordship. Near it is the modern mansion of Blaen Dyffryn, and farther down the vale is Henlan Cffiurch, which gives its NEWCASTLE EMLTN. 256 name to some of the finest cascades on the river. Bron-Wydd, the seat of Sir Thomas Lloyd, Bart., M.P., is distant about 8 miles from Llandyssil. Newcastle Emlyn, [Hotel; Salutation.] 8 miles from Llandyssil ; 19 from Lampeter. anciently Dinas Emlyn^ is a small town, having an agreeable situation on the banks of the Teifi, partly in Carmarthenshire and partly in Cardiganshire. The portion which is in the latter county is named Adpar, and is a parliamentary borough contributory to the Cardigan district. A fortress existed here at an early period, the origin of which, not clearly ascertained, Camden supposed to be Eoman. On the site of the more ancient structure a castle was built by Sir Khys ab Thomas, who made it his frequent residence ; and from this building, as superseding one of older date, the place derived its present appellation, New-castle. It was held by Loyalists during the wars of Charles I. and the Commonwealth, since which time it appears not to have been destroyed by violence, but to have fallen by gradual decay. The ruins occupy a delightful situation, and command an admirable prospect. In approaching from the town, an arched gateway, about 1 4 feet high, supported by two octagon towers, exhibits the romantic character of the country beyond to singular advantage. Mr. Malkin justly remarks, “ That which gives to this spot a degree of interest peculiarly its own, is the sportive course of the river at this place, exhibiting the castle in various positions, equally picturesque in its situation, and in the dis- position of its fragments.” The Teifi enters the valley from the N.E., and flows in a nearly straight line, till it approaches the castle ; it then makes a sudden turn, and, instead of wind- ing immediately round the base of the hill, darts back again for a considerable way, in a course almost parallel with its first channel. It then sweeps rounds majestically, leaving a meadow between it and the castle, and comes down again on the opposite side, with features of a different character. Here its bed becomes impeded by rocks, through which it furrows a deep, tortuous, and noisy course, and rolls with much im- petuosity under the venerable bridge. Thus the castle is almost surrounded with a magnificent natural moat. 256 CARDIGAN. Continuing the coach route by Cenrth and Llechryd we reach CAEDIGAN [Hotels : Black Lion ; White Hai-t.] Newcastle Emlyn, 10 miles ; Carmarthen, 36. The British name of this place, Aberteijl, is significant of its situation near the mouth of the river Teifi. Its ordinary appellation is said to be derived from Caredig^ a chieftain who had the rule of this province of Dimetia. Cardigan is the county town, but it ill sustains its title to this distinction, and contains little which is adapted to interest a stranger. The river being navigable for ships of small burden, the inhabitants are able to carry on some trade with other places on the coast ; but a bar at the entrance renders the navigation difficult, and in some degree hazardous. The salmon of this river is greatly esteemed, and large quantities, both fresh and dried, are exported. The herring-fishery, likewise, gives employment and subsistence to many persons. The streets of the town are narrow, steep, and irregular ; and the shops and dwelling-houses generally are of an inferior character. The only observable public buildings are the following : — the Church, a venerable, spacious, and substantial edifice ; the Town-hall, where the assizes are held, built in 1764 ; the County Gaol, erected in 1793 under the direction of Mr. Nash ; the Bridge, of seven arches, connecting the counties of Cardigan and Pembroke ; and a Free Grammar School, endowed by Lady Letitia Cornwallis. None of these are dis- tinguished by peculiarity of architecture or beauty of de- coration. Near Cardigan, in the year 1136, the English army, com- manded by Eandolph, Earl of Chester, was signally defeated by the Britons ; the Barons Eobert Fitz Eoger and Pain Fitz John, with 3000 others, being slain, and numbers drowned by the falling of the bridge. Cardigan Castle. — The ruins appear on a low cliff, at the side of the river, near the bridge. They are inconsider- able, consisting of little more than the fragments of two circular bastions, overgrown with ivy. It was, however, a CARDIGAN. 257 fortress of great strength and importance. It is said to have been founded in the time of Henry II. by Ehys ap Gryffydd, prince of South Wales, who also fortified the town. After his death, his son Gryffydd held possession for a short time, but from him it was wrested by his brother Maelgwn, who sold it to the Normans. In 1231, Maelgwn, the grandson of Ehys, razed it to the ground, ravaged the town, and put the inhabitants to the sword. Subsequently the castle was re- stored, and passed into the hands of successive masters. In the civil wars of Charles L, it was held by the Eoyalists, but, like many others, it yielded to the Parliamentary forces, and was reduced to a state of ruin. The remains of the fortress, with the adjacent land, became, at a later time, the property of John Bowen, Esq., who erected a house on the site of the keep, and converted the dungeons into cellers. A small Priory formerly stood near the river. It was occupied by Black Friars of the Benedictine order, and was subordinate to the abbey of Chertsey, in Surrey. The monastic establishment having been dissolved by Henry YHI., the building was afterwards converted into a private dwelling, which, in the time of Charles I., belonged to a gentleman of the name of Philips, whose lady, Catherine Philips, was the Orinda of poetic memory, who wrote the well-known “ Letters from Orinda to Poliarchus” {i.e. Sir Charles Cotterell), and with whom the excellent Jeremy Taylor long maintained a friendship. The estate was afterwards sold to Thomas Johnes, Esq., father of the late Mr. Johnes of Hafod ; and more recently to P. J. Miles, Esq., of Bristol. The scenery on the Teifi, both above and below the town, is justly celebrated for rich and romantic beauty ; and the rocks along the coast, especially on the Pembrokeshire side, are uncommonly grand. In Cardigan, and indeed throughout a great part of South Wales, the fuel for common domestic use is prepared by mixing the culm or dust of stone coal, with a nearly equal quantity of loam or clay, tempered with water. The pre- paration of this mixture is a work of considerable labour, effected chiefly by the feet ; and in this way many persons obtain a livelihood. In some places, especially in Cardigan, the operation is carried on in the public streets, an unsightly practice, and to strangers absolutely repulsive. The ndxture 8 258 ST. DOGMAEL S PRIORY. formed into balls and dried, makes an economical fuel, giving out a strong beat, occasioning little or no smoke, and endur- ing for a long time without attention. In the neighbourhood of Cardigan will be likewise ob- served another custom, prevailing in all the S.W. districts of the principality, that of annually white-washing the roofs, as well as the walls of cottages, barns, and stables ; and, in some places, even the fences of yards and gardens. This custom must have prevailed from a remote period, since it is noticed with commendation in the most ancient Welsh poems. The design appears to be to preserve the stones and slates from the action of the weather. It may, perhaps, be deemed a transgres- sion against nature ; in a picturesque scene, inharmonious ; and the uniform glare which it occasions may be too dazzling to the unaccustomed eye ; yet the practice certainly evinces a regard to the arts and decencies of life, and it must be admitted to give the villages and scattered buildings an aspect alike cleanly and cheerful. Cardigan gives the title of Earl to the family of Brudenell. In conjunction with other boroughs it elects one M.P. The market is held on Saturday, and there are four annual fairs. The population of the parish is 2706, of the borough, 3543. In this respect it is far below Aberystwith. St. Dogmael^s Priory. — On the Pembrokeshire side of the river, about a mile and a half from Cardigan, is the pic- turesque village of St. Dogmael’s. It is inhabited chiefly by fishermen, whose dwellings are scattered on the sides of an extensive and wooded hill, overlooking the noble estuary of the Teifi. It derives interest principally from the ruins of a priory. This fragment of antiquity is much dilapidated, the few remaining portions being converted into barns and sheds. It is just possible to trace the outlines, and to ascer- tain that it was a structure of great extent, in the early Gothic style. This priory was founded for the reception of Bene- dictine monks by Martin de Tours, one of the military ad- venturers introduced by the Norman William. He landed his followers at Fishguard, and made this district, called by the British Llandydoch, his principal residence. His son, Eobert Martin, in the reign of Henry I., was the chief benefactor of this religious house, its most valuable endowments being his gifts. CILGERRAN CASTLE SHREWSBURY 259 CiLGERRAN Castle may be visited from Cardigan, either by land or water ; the distance by land being nearly five miles, by water about three. The carriage road, besides being circuitous, is comparatively uninteresting ; whereas the course of the river in this part is distinguished by the richest beauty. An aquatic excursion is, therefore, to be preferred. Above Cardigan the channel of the Teifi is contracted, and confined by the approaching bases of lofty hills ; and thus the river, which below is broad and majestic, here becomes an im- petuous, eddying stream. The sides of these eminences rise almost perpendicularly, yet are clothed with verdure and foliage from the river’s brinh to their ridgy summits ; form- ing, on either hand, a mighty rampart of wood and rock. In the midst of this embowered glen, through which the river pursues its rapid course, a vast naked rock stands boldly out, crowned with the picturesque remains of Cilgerran Castle. The ruins consist chiefly of two round towers, with parts of a gateway and curtain- wall, and fragments of massive bastions, the whole finely mantled with ivy. The beauties of this spot were much admired by the eminent landscape-painter Wil- son ; and were introduced into more than one of his composi- tions. Sir R C. Hoare says of it, “ I have never seen ruins more happily combined with rocks, wood, and water, a more pleasing composition, or a more captivating landscape.” Ac- cording to Caradoc, this fortress was erected about the year 1223, when Marshall, Earl of Striguil (Chepstow), vanquished the Welsh under their prince Gryffydd, and gained ascendency in these parts. The scene of Warton’s poem, “King Arthur^s Grave,” is laid at Cilgerran Castle. “ stately the feast, and high the cheer. Girt with many an armed peer, And canopied with golden pall, Amid Cilgerran’s castle-hall. Sublime in formidable state. And warlike splendour, Henry sate.** 260 SHREWSBUEY or CRAVEN ARMS to the south-west and Carmarthen, vid Central Wales Rail way, as follows : — DISTA.NCES. Craven Arms. Knighton (for Presteign) 12^ miles. Llandrindod Wells . 32 „ Builth Road (for Builth) 38 „ Climery . . . . 40 „ Llanwrtyd Wells Llandovery . Llandilo Carmarthen 48 59 ^ 70f 84 miles. This “ Central ” line of railway intersects the centre of Radnorshire, crossing the northern portion of Breconshire, and again the centre of Carmarthenshire. It is, therefore, weU entitled to its designation. The following is a brief descrip- tion of the principal places passed on the way, and of these three counties : — Knighton , [Hotel : Chandos Arms.] is a small town on the river Teme, and near to Offa’s Dyke : hence its Welsh name Tref-y-Clawdd, or the town upon the dyke. It has a church erected in 1752, and an endowed free school. On a hill near the town are remains of a British encampment ; and on another, separated from the former by a deep valley, is said to be the camp of the Roman commander Ostorius. On Bryn Glas, a little S.W. of Knighton, a sanguinary battle was fought, a.d. 1402, between Sir Edward Mortimer and Owen Glyndwr, in which the former was defeated with great loss. The valley in which the town is situated is beautiful, clothed with wood and verdure, and enriched by the winding course of the river Teme. Knighton has a share in the election of a member of parliament for the Radnor boroughs. Pop. 1655. About 7 miles to the S., and nearly equidistant from Kington in Herefordshire, is Presteign, [Hotels : Radnorshire Arms ; Red Lion.] sometimes called Llan Andras, or the church of St. Andrew, and the principal place in the county of Radnorshire. It is neat and well built, and pleasantly situated on the river Lug, over which there is a bridge connecting the counties of Radnor and RADNORSHIRE. 261 Hereford. The church contains numerous monumental tablets, and an altar-piece of tapestry, representing Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem. The county assizes are held here. There is a free school, founded by John Beddoes, in the reign of Elizabeth. A circular hill, on which a castle formerly stood, is occupied by a public promenade, called the Warden Walk, laid out and planted at the expense of Lord Oxford. The surrounding country is pleasant and fertile. At a distance of 3 miles S.E., is Wapley Hill, on which is one of the most perfect encampments remaining in Britain. It is of oval form and of great extent, supposed to have been formed by the Komans, but certainly occupied for a time by the forces of Caractacus. This elevation affords an extensive and beautiful prospect. Presteign is a parliamentary borough, contributory to New Radnor. Market on Saturday. Population 1743.* Radnorshire, which we here enter and are about to pass through by railway, is one of the six counties of South Wales, the smallest, the least populous, and in every respect of in- ferior interest and importance. It is entirely an inland county, having on the E. Herefordshire ; on the N.E. Shrop- shire ; on the N. Montgomeryshire ; on the N.W. Cardigan- shire ; and on the S.W. and S. Brecknockshire, from which it is divided by the river Wye. Its greatest length from N. to S. is about 30 miles, and from E. to W. about 34 miles. It contains 272,128 statute acres, and a population of 25,382. It anciently formed a part of Siluria, and on the division of the sovereignty of Wales by Roderic, it was included in Povesia, or Powisland. It has no manufactures of any im- portance, nor does it yield any valuable minerals, excepting the limestone which abounds near Presteign and New Radnor. Several rivers flow across the county from N. to S., and fall into the Wye, which forms a boundary for about 35 miles. The mountains attain to a considerable elevation, the highest point of the group called Radnor Forest having an altitude of 2163 feet. In the E. and S. there are some tracts compara- tively level and fertile ; but the greater portion of the county is rugged and uncultivated, serving only for the feeding of sheep. It contains a number of medicinal mineral springs, some of which are in good repute. The English language prevails over the greatest part of the county, but its N.W. angle is a wild, bleak, barren district, inhabited only by a few scattered Welsh peasants wholly unacquainted with English. 262 NEW RADNOR. The only monastic establishment at the period of the Keforma- tion was the abbey of Gwm founded in 1143, of which some ruins remain to gratify the archaeological tourist. Eelics of both British and Eoman encampments are found in various parts, particularly about the middle of the county. A portion of Offa’s Dyke, in good preservation, crosses at the N.E., between Knighton and Presteign. Eadnorshire is represented in parEa- meiit by one member for the county, and one for the boroughs. New Eadnor [Hotels: King’s Arms ; ;Eagle.] was formerly the county town, with a castle, walls, and gates, but it now consists of only a few houses, forming an irregular street, and has little to arrest the notice of the passing tra- veller. The castle and fortifications were destroyed by Owen Glyndwr in 1401, and the remains are insignificant. The little river Somergill flows by the town, and its situation is agreeable, being at the entrance of the pass from the moun- tainous part of the county called The Forest to the fertile vale of Eadnor. The church, in no way remarkable, stands on an eminence above the town. The population of the town and parish is only 490 ; that of the borough, which is of great extent, embracing an area of nearly 30 miles in circumference, amounts to 2262. New Eadnor gives name to the district of boroughs, to which five others in the county are contri- butory. Water Break its Neck is the name of a remarkable cascade about two miles W. from New Eadnor. A small stream rushes through a narrow chasm, a descent of about 70 feet, into a rugged and gloomy dell, and in the midst of the wildest alpine scenery. The grandeur is heightened by an insulated mass of rock, 20 feet high, standing erect over the waterfalL The following gentlemen’s seats are in the neighbourhood ; Harjiton Courts about 1 J mile E., is an ancient mansion, the seat of the Eev. Sir G. Frankland Lewis, Bart., surrounded by extensive plantations. Downton, nearer the town in the same direction, is the residence of Sir William Cockburn, Bart. On the way to Presteign is Knill Court, the beautiful property of Sir John James Walsham, Bart., within the grounds of which is a small church, covered with ivy, the burial-place of the late distinguished lawyer and statesman, Sir Samuel PENYBONT ABBEY CWM HtR. ^63 Romilly ; and nearer to Presteign is Boultihrook, the elegant mansion of Sir Harford Brydges, Bart. Old Radnor is an inconsiderable village, 3|- miles to the S.E. of New Radnor, nearer Kington, and giving name to an extensive hilly parish. It is called also Pen-y-Craig^ i.e. the head of the rock, which fitly describes the position of the church. The vicinity abounds with crystalline Rmestone, which has been described by Sir R. J. Murchison, in his ‘‘ Silurian System of Rocks.” Of these a volcanic group, called The Stanner Rocks ^ forms a conspicuous and picturesque object. From their peculiarity of form, rather than from their height, they are truly grand and romantic. The hollows in their rugged sides and summits abound with a variety of rare and beautiful wild flowers, and hence they are popularly called “ The Devil’s Garden.” Near the village is a farm- house called The Stones, where Charles I. passed a night in August 1645. The church contains some handsome monm ments of the family of Lewis of Harpton. Penybont (28|- miles) is a small village of little import- ance ; but, having a good inn, and being near to some objects of interest, it wiR be found a convenient resting-place. The beautiful estate in which it is situated is the property of John Cheesment Severn, Esq., whose residence, Penybont Hall, is in the immediate neighbourhood. The Severn Arms Hotel is on the bank of the river Ithon, across which an iron bridge has been erected. This house is the posting-stage between Kington and Rhayadr. Five miles to the N. of Penybont Station is Abbey Cwm H!r, a ruined monastic building, in a rugged hilly country, but easily accessible for carriages. The road, for the greater part of the distance, is on the eastern side of the river Clywedog, which is crossed, at rather more than a mile from the ruins, by an iron bridge erected in 1848. The situation is secluded and beautiful, a glen watered by the Clywedog, and overshadowed by wooded hills of considerable elevation and grandeur. The abbey was founded in 1143, by Cad- wallon ab Madoc, and was richly endowed for sixty Cistercian monks. In 1231 the building was injured by Henry II., whom the detected treachery of one of the monks had enraged. In 1401 it was assailed and nearly destroyed by Owen Glyndwr, because the ecclesiastics had favoured the Saxons. It was partially restored, but remained incomplete 264 LLANDRINDOD WELLS. until, in the time of Henry VIII. The remaining found- ations of walls show an area of 255 feet long and 73 wide, and these, with a few shattered fragments, are all that exist. Materials have been taken from the ruins for the erection of the adjoining mansion. Numerous cairns, tumuli, and other British remains, are scattered throughout the district. Three and a-half miles beyond Penybont, we reach Llandrindod. {Hotels: Pumphouse; Rockhouse ; Llanerch Inn.] The village is situated on a wide common, and the atmos- phere is bracing and salubrious. The Wells of which have long been celebrated for their mineral waters. There are three springs of different properties within a short distance of each other — a chalybeate, a saline, and a sulphureous. The saline and sulphureous springs are within the grounds of the pumphouse, and the chalybeate is situated near the Rock board- ing-house. The effects are such as are well known to attend the use of waters having these qualities. The inhabitants of the neighbourhood appear to have been acquainted with the medi- cinal virtues of the springs as far back as 1670, and they began to be visited by strangers in 1726. The Pumphouse is a re- spectable establishment ; and at the Rockhouse^ and several neighbouring farm-houses, lodgings can be obtained. Llan- drindod signifies the Church of the Trinity, This church stands near the pumphouse, and was erected in 1603. There are various British and Roman antiquities in the neighbour- hood. Population of the parish, 243. Excursions may be made from Llandrindod to the hill- top, which is the traditionary site of CefuUys Castle. The distance is about 3 miles, and the river Ithan, and the glen through which it flows, form a very picturesque scene. To Abbey Cwm Hir, 9 miles by road (page 263), Water-Break its-Neck, near New Radnor (page 262). The vestiges of Maud’s Castle, named after Maud de St. Valeri, wife of Wil- liam de Braos, Lord of Brecknock, may be seen about 5 miles to the eastward of Llandrindod. The castle was erected about the year 1216. BUILTH WELLS. 265 About 6 miles beyond Llandrindod is Builtb Road sta- tion, within 2 miJ.es of which is Builth Wells, [Hotels: Lion; Llaellwydd Arms.] sometimes written Bualt, a small town consisting of two parallel streets, which form irregular terraces on the side o1 an acclivity rising from the river Wye, here crossed by an excellent stone bridge. These streets are narrow and ill formed, and contain but few good houses. Notwithstanding the dis- advantage in the construction of the town, it is much frequented by tourists, and its vicinity has been selected by respectable families for permanent residence, on account of the salubrity of the air, the advantage of its mineral springs, the beauty of the situation and surrounding scenery, and the abundance of game on the adjacent hills, as well as of trout and salmon in the neighbouring streams. Builth has a doubtful claim to Roman origin and distinction. Remains of ancient entrench- ments are found in the vicinity, the most remarkable of which are on the road towards Brecon. At the east end of the town are the slight remains of a castle, the erection of which is at- tributed to Bernard Newmarch, who lived in the 11th century, and is styled in an early record Lord of Builth. The founda- tions of the keep may be traced, measuring about 150 feet in circumference, and it appears to have had a double trench, and to have been surrounded by an earthen rampart. The church, with the exception of the steeple, is a modern building, and has no peculiarity of architecture or embellishment. The market, held on Monday, is important and largely attended, there being no other for a considerable distance. Population, 1110. At about a mile and a half N.W., upon the borders of a large forest, are the Far^ Wells^ three mineral springs — a saline, a sulphureous, and a chalybeate — each particularly powerful of its kind. They are furnished with a commodious pump- room and other apartments. The neighbourhood of Builth is interesting to every Welsh- man, as having been a favourite residence and the final retreat of the gallant but unfortunate Llewelyn, the last of the Welsh princes who held the regal power. In December 1282 Llewelyn and a small body of adherents repaired hither, in 266 RHAYADER. order to withstand the advances of his Saxon enemies. He sought admittance into the fortress, and was refused ; and hence the inhabitants have borne, to this day, the reproachful title of “ The Traitors of Builth.” The snow being thick on the ground, he employed a smith to reverse the shoes of his horses, in order to deceive his enemies and baffle pursuit. Scarcely had he departed when a company of English troops arrived, to whom the treacherous smith disclosed the prince’s secret. Llewelyn passed the Bridge of Builth, and stationed his men on the north side of the river, while he repaired to his own house at Aheredw, four miles below, to attend an ap- pointed meeting of his confederate lords . Here again he found himself deceived and deserted, for he was left alone, awaiting in vain the expected arrival of the chieftains. His men hav- ing been assailed and routed, and the victorious troops imme- diately advancing to Aberedw, the unfortunate prince attempted to make a secret retreat through the forest. But he was pur- sued, and slain in a dingle, three miles N. of Builth, since called Cwm Llewelyn, and his head was sent as an acceptable present to his relentless enemy Edward, by whose order it was paraded through London, wreathed with laurel as a mock crown, and was afterwards placed on the battlements of the Tower. The headless body was buried in a field two miles from Builth, where a farm-house, afterwards erected, is still known by the name of Cefn-y-Bedd, i.e. the ridge of the grave. At Builth the junction is made with the Mid-Wales Bail- way, extending between Llanidloes and Brecon, and, for the greater part of its course, running along the boundary between the counties of Kadnor and Brecon by the river Wye. Twelve and a half miles to the northwards by this line is Ehayader, [Hotel : Red Lion.] a town of small extent, consisting only of mean and humble buildings, but occupying a delightful and romantic situation on the river Wye, and surrounded by lofty mountains. The Welsh name Bhayadr-gwy, which signifies the cataract of the Wye, may probably occasion anticipations which will not be realised. The river flows rapidly over some masses of rock lying in its channel, but can scarcely be said to form a cata- CWM ELAN. 267 ract. Before the erection of the present bridge in 1780 the fall was more considerable ; but at that time, by the removal of obstructions in the channel, a freer passage was opened for the water, and the character of the scene was materially altered. All that can now be said of it is, that the river forms a series of rapids, and that the bridge beneath which it flows is a pleasing and picturesque object. A castle formerly existed here, but not a vestige of it remains, excepting some traces of a fosse excavated in the rock. Ehayadrgwy is an excellent angling station. It has a share with other boroughs in Kad- norshire in electing a member of parliament. Population of the parish, 846. CwM Elan, a scene of romantic beauty, deservedly cele- brated, is about 5 miles S.W. from Khayader. At about a mile and a half from the town the river Elan is reached, at the point where it makes an abrupt bend. Thence pursue the course of the river upwards, through a narrow glen, with mountains on either side, at once bold and graceful, and in most parts clothed with luxuriant foliage. Pass Nant Gwyllt, the seat of J. Lloyd, Esq., and, at the junction with the Elan of a stream called the Clearwen, turn to the right, still on the bank of the Elan, and soon reach the mansion of Cwm Elan, in the pass of that name. It is unquestionably the most ro- mantic scene in this part of Wales, presenting an extraordinary combination of natural and artificial beauties. It is the sub- ject of a sweet descriptive poem by Bowles. Fifty years ago this estate of 10,000 acres, then a rude uncultivated waste, was purchased by Thomas Grove, Esq., of Wiltshire. He erected a mansion, cultivated the soil, and planted some mil- lions of trees. Since his death the property has had several owners. Like Hafod, it was for a short time held by the late Duke of Newcastle, and it is now in the possession of General Sir Loftus William Otway. The village of Aberedw^ miles to the south of Builth, is situated at the confluence of the Edw and the Wye, and, with its dilapidated castle, simple church, and pretty cascade, is a pleasing object for the artist. The romantic beauty and loveliness of the adjacent scenery is not surpassed by any on the Wye above Boss. The late distinguished poet Wordsworth writes concerning the principal character in his Peter Bell : — “ The countenance, 268 HAY. gait, and figure of Peter were taken from a wild rover with whom I walked from Builth, on the river Wye, downwards, as far as the town of Hay. He told me strange stories.” Further down the river Wye, and 15 miles south of Builth, is Glasbury, pronounced Glazebury, a neat and cheerful vil- lage, situated a little below the place where the river makes a remarkable horse-shoe bend, and for a short distance takes a northward course. Here Edwards, the architect of Pont-y- Prydd, erected an elegant stone bridge of five arches, which has been destroyed by a flood, and replaced by an odd but picturesque structure of wood. Glasbury is partly in Eadnor- shire, and partly in Breconshire. Population of the parish, 1264. In the vicinity is Maeslough Castle, the seat of Walter de Winton, Esq., a large and handsome edifice, standing in a most commanding situation, and with its towers, turrets, and terraces, forming a conspicuous ornament to the landscape for some miles. To the S.E. is Tregoed, a seat of Lord Hereford (Premier Viscount of England), erected in the reign of Eliza- beth. Glasbury is reputed an excellent fishing station. Hay [Hotels: Swan; Rose and Crown. 29 miles from Builth.] is a small town on the eastern bank of the Wye, at the junc- tion of the counties of Kadnor, Brecon, and Hereford. The vestiges of a Eoman camp, near the church, indicate an an- cient origin. The manor of Hay was given by Bernard New- march to Sir Philip Walwyn, the probable founder of the Castle of Hay, of which little remains besides a gateway ; a modern dwelling having been erected upon the site, and with the materials of the ancient structure. It was destroyed by Henry II., afterwards restored, and finally overturned by Owen Glyndwr. In the Norman records this little town is designated Le Hay, and it is now frequently called The Hay. The Church contains a curious antique chalice, on which are en- graved these words, “ Our Ladie Paris of the HaieP In the churchyard is a mutilated effigy, supposed to be that of a monk. Clifford Castle, a beautiful but not extensive ruin, is situated on an eminence overlooking the Wye, three miles from Hay. The venerable ruins are mantled with ivy, and sur- BRECONSHIRE. 269 rounded by graceful trees, and the neighbouring country is richly wooded. The celebrated Jane de Clifford, commonly known as “ Fair Kosamond,” daughter of Walter de Clifford, was born in this castle. She was the favourite of Henry II., and on account of her beauty was called Rosa Mundi, the Kose of the World. Henry erected for her at Woodstock, in Oxford- shire, a residence, constructed with winding and intricate pas- sages like a maze or labyrinth, so that no one could have ac- cess to her without instructions from himself. The Queen, whose jealousy was excited, at length found a clue to the secret apartments, by means of a silk thread which the King had drawn forth with his foot. Kosamond did not long survive the cruel treatment which she afterwards experienced, and she was buried at Godstow Nunnery, near Oxford, where she had been educated, and where she was first seen by the King. BKECONSHIKE, or BrechnocJcshire, which we enter at Builth, is wholly inland, being surrounded by four other counties of South Wales, and the two English counties, Monmouth and Hereford. It measures about 35 miles from N. to S., and about 30 miles from E. to W., comprising an area of 460,158 acres. It is pervaded by two mountain chains, which, with their offsets, occupy a large portion of the surface. There are, however, a number of beautiful and fertile valleys. The greatest eleva- tions are the Brecon Beacons, 2862 feet; Pen Cader-fawr, or the Cradle Mountain, 2545 feet; and Capellante, 2394 feet. Eidges of hills form the boundaries of the county, and shelter it in such a manner as to render its climate peculiarly tem- perate, and although subject to rains, it is considered the healthiest district in South Wales. The river Wye skirts the county for a considerable distance on the N.W., and it is traversed by the Usk, the Taff, and a number of smaller streams. The inhabitants are, for the most part, employed in agricultural pursuits, and it is distinguished for the neat- ness and convenience of the farm-houses and offices. There are ironworks on the southern confines, and woollen cloths are made in some districts ; in other respects the manufac- tures are unimportant. Its primitive name was Garth Madririy 270 BRECON. or the Fox-hold. The more modern appellation is derived from Brychan, an independent prince in the 5 th century, whose family is designated in the Triads one of the three holy families of Britain. This county anciently formed a part of the territory of the Silures, who bravely withstood the Koman forces. Llewelyn, the last British prince of Wales, was killed in this county in the year 1282, and it was not until the period of his fall that the native mountain chiefs were wholly subdued. Owen Glyndwr did much injury to the towns and castles. Breconshire is not rich in antiquities, but there are some memorials of various periods of British history, and some vestiges of Eoman ascendency, particularly in traces of the military road called Via Julia Montana, In the House of Commons one member represents the county, and one the county town. Population, 61,627. BKECON, \Eotels : Castle ; Swan ; Bell. 25^ miles from Builth.] the capital, stands nearly in the centre of the county in a beautiful vale, and in the vicinity of majestic mountains. From its position, near the efflux of the river Honddu into the Usk, its ordinary Cambrian appellation is Aher-Honddu. Of this place Sir R. C. Hoare, no mean authority, remarks : — Few towns surpass Brecknock in picturesque beauties ; the different mills and bridges on the rivers Usk and Honddu, the ivy-mantled walls and towers of the old castle, the massy embattled turret and gateway of the priory, with its luxuriant groves, added to the magnificent range of mountain scenery on the south side of the town, form, in many points of view, the most beautiful, rich, and varied outline imaginable.” Mr. Eoscoe, in like manner, affirms that “ Brecon is one of the pleasantest towns in the principality, possessing architectural remains which connect it with the most important events of* past ages, and surrounded by natural objects of the most sub- lime and beautiful character.” The town, which is well paved, lighted with gas, and supplied abundantly with water, con- tains some good streets, the shops are numerous and handsome, and many of the private residences are occupied by genteel and affluent families. Of the public buildings which adorn BRECON. 27] the the County Hall, erected in 1843, claims prominent notice, being a noble stone edifice of Doric architecture, ad- mirably adapted for the magisterial and judicial business of the county. There are three Episcopal churches. St. John’s, or the Priory Church, is a large cruciform structure, with a lofty embattled tower, very ancient, in good preservation, and adorned with many interesting monuments. St. Mary’s is in the centre of the town, and has a quadrangular steeple, 90 feet high, with a peal of eight bells. St. David’s is in the suburb of Llanfaes, on the opposite side of the .Usk, old and has lately been rebuilt. In the same district is Christ Church College, with an extra-parochial chapel, formerly attached to a Dominican priory. At the dissolution in the time of Henry VIII., the monastic establishment was converted into a colle- giate institution. Of the ancient building, besides the chapel, the only remains are parts of the gateway, of the cloister, and of the refectory. It is to be regretted that the purposes for which the college was instituted have been unaccountably neglected ; its benefits are confined to a very small number of boys, and the buildings are in a state of grievous dilapidation. Brecon contains chapels for the different dissenting com- munities, and an academy for the instruction of young men designed for the ministry amongst the Independents. Schools and charitable institutions are numerous and well supported. The market hall, from a design by Mr. Wyatt, is a recent erec- tion which cost £5000, and is highly creditable to the town. There are spacious barracks, usually occupied by a large force of infantry, cavalry, and artillery. Brecon was formerly surrounded by a wall, having ten towers and five gates ; and it possessed a Castle of high anti- quity and of great strength. Of the castle some scanty re- mains are now enclosed in the grounds attached to the prin- cipal inn, which, on this account, is called the Castle Hotel. Bernard de Newmarch, one of the Norman barons, founded this castle in the time of Henry I., and successive owners en- larged and improved it, till it was destroyed during the civil wars of the 1 7 th century. It was in this fortress that Morton, Bishop of Ely, was confined by Bichard III., and here he con- certed with the Duke of Buckingham the overthrow of that monarch, and the union of the houses of York and Lancaster, which brought Henry YU. to the throne of England. A 272 BRECON. portion of the mins, which was probably the keep, is pointed out as the place where the bishop was incarcerated, and is hence designated Ely Tower. Bernard, who founded the castle, also erected, contiguous to its site, a Benedictine Priory, whioh he richly endowed. The building has disappeared, ex- cepting a portion of an embattled wall, and its name is as- sumed and its situation occupied by a comparatively modern mansion, the property and residence of the Marquis of Cam- den, who takes from this place the title of Earl. mains of camps and entrenchments, British and Roman, lie scattered in all directions around Brecon. Few towns in the kingdom are better provided with agreeable public walks. One, called the Captain^ s Walk along the side of the Usk, and planted with poplars and sycamores, is much admired, commanding as it does a beautiful prospect on the south of the river. Another, called the Priory Walk, is extensive and picturesque, through luxuriant plantations on the banks of the Honddu. Here, it is said, the holy men from the adjacent priory were wont to walk and meditate in quiet and seclusion. The celebrated tragedienne Mrs. Siddons was a native of Brecon. The house in which she was born is now called “ the Siddons Wine Vaults,” and a small marble tablet is erected to commemorate the event. Population of the borough, 5639. An excursion may be made to the Brecon Beacons, the highest of which is 2910 feet, being the highest mountain in South Wales, and although to reach the summit is a toilsome undertaking, it is amply compensated for by the extensive pros- pects of diversified beauty and grandeur. Of the peaks of these mountains one of the best views is obtained from the lawn of the Castle Hotel. The streams of the neighbourhood abound with salmon and trout of the finest description, and hence this place is resorted to by many lovers of angling. The neighbourhood abounds with coal and lime. Resuming the central line, we now reach Llanwrtyd Wells. [Inns: The Bellevue ; D61-y-coed House.] This watering-place possesses recommendations beyond those of its mineral waters. The scenery is pleasing, and the hills and valleys of the neighbourhood are attractive to the geologist, botanist, and antiquary. The air too as healthful LLANDOVERY. 273 as its waters. And it is so easy of access from all parts by railway tbat, if it were better known, it would become a very popular resort for English, as it already is for Welsh tourists. The valuable properties of these springs, which are sulphur- eous and chalybeate, were discovered by Theophilus Jones, the learned author of The, History of Brecknockshire. The water, of which he published an account in the year 1738, is deemed singularly efficacious in the removal of scrofulous and scorbutic complaints, and other ailments. Numerous ex- cursions may be made in the neighbourhood. The next station (1 1 miles from Llanwrtyd) is Llandovery, [Hotels : Castle ; Clarence ; Lamb.] situated on the river Bran, not far from its junction with the Towy, in a fertile and beautiful valley, and encircled by wooded hills. Some smaller streams likewise mingle their waters in the vicinity, and from this circumstance the name of the town originated, being a corruption of its Welsh ap- pellation, Llan-ym-Ddyfri, which signifies Church among the Waters. Having no manufactures, and being surrounded with the villas of respectable families, the place has the aspect of a quiet and genteel provincial town. A collegiate establishment, designated the Welsh Educational Institution, founded and liberally endowed by Thomas Phillips, Esq., who died in London in the year 1852, flourishes under the able superin- tendence of the Kev. W. Watkins. The Eev. Khys Prichard, whose Welsh poems, under the titles of The Vicar's Book^ and The Welshman's Candle^ are found in almost every cottage in the principality, was vicar of this parish. The town is ad- vantageously known in literary circles, through the reputation acquired by the publishing office of Mr. William Bees, from which have issued some highly valuable works connected with Welsh literature and antiquities. At a short distance from the town are some ruins of a castle, of whose origin and history little is known with certainty. The remains of Roman roads, and the discovery of Roman coins, etc., in the vicinity, have led to the conjecture that this was a Roman station. Population, 1855. T 274 LLANDILO. The line of railway hence to Carmarthen is through the justly celebrated vale of Towy. Proceeding in this direction we reach LLANDILO (or Llandilo-Fawr), [Hotels : Cawdor Arms ; Castle ; King’s Head.] 70| miles from Craven Arms ; 13J from Carmarthen. a small town on the river Towy, which is here crossed by a modern stone bridge of one arch. The church, lately re- built, is in the middle of the town, the churchyard being intersected by the high road. The hill on which the town stands is rich in fossil remains, and at a short distance is a valuable chalybeate spring. Some productive mines of coal and iron in this district are connected by a railway with the port of Llanelly. The vicinity is remarkable as the scene of a battle fought in 1282 between Edward I. and Llewelyn the Great. The King’s forces were commanded by the Earl of Gloucester and Sir Edmund Mortimer, who at a great sacrifice of life achieved a decisive victory. The town is much frequented by tourists on account of the pleasing scenery by which it is surrounded and the number of interesting objects in the neighbourhood. It is an eligible station for anglers. The market is held on Saturday. Population of the town and liberty, 1313 ; of the parish, which is very extensive, 5440. Carreg Cennin Castle may be visited from Llandilo, before proceeding along the vale of Towy. This ruined fort- ress is about 3 miles S.E. from the town, covering the summit of an insulated rock more than 300 feet high, three sides of which are inaccessible. The structure is plain, but of great strength. Its origin is unknown ; some antiquaries ascribing it to the early Britons, and some to the Anglo-Normans in the time of Henry I. In authentic history no distinct men- tion of it is found prior to 1284, when, according to Caradoc, it was delivered up to the English by the mother of Khys Fechan, in displeasure against her son, by whom, however, it was soon afterwards recovered. At a later period it appears to have become a stronghold of robbers, who were ultimately extirpated by the united efforts of neighbouring proprietors. There is a strange winding cave, bored through the solid rock to the extent of 150 feet, at the termination of which is a CARREG CENNIN CASTLE DYNEVOR CASTLE. 275 well, with a scanty supply of water. At Glynliir^ a little further southward, there is a picturesque waterfall on the river Lloughor, which is precipitated over a ledge of black rock in a single descent of 18 feet. CARREG CENNIN CASTLE, NEAR LLANDILO. Dynevor Castle and Park. — The extensive and pre- eminently beautiful park of Dynevor is contiguous to the town of Llandilo-fawr. The name is probably a corruption of Dinas- fawr^ Le, the great fort. The ruins of a very ancient fortress are within the enclosure. The first castle on this site was erected in 877 by Roderic Mawr. In the time of William I. it was in the possession of Rhys ap Theodore, by whom it was much extended, if not entirely rebuilt. Its original form was circular, and it was surrounded by a double moat and ram- part. During a long period it was the residence of the princes of South Wales. Henry YII. granted it to Sir Rhys ap Thomas, a lineal descendant of the Welsh princes, and an ancestor of the present proprietor, Lord Dynevor. Two curiously carved chairs which belonged to Sir Rhys are pre- served here, along with other memorials of his age. Henry VHL, on a false charge of treason, seized this castle, but he afterwards restored it to the family. It was inhabited till about 1760, when it was extensively injured by fire. Of this once splendid residence the remains are considerable, shaded by 276 GOLDEN GROVE — GRONGAR HILL, ETC. aged trees wliicli seem to be coeval with itself. The view from the ruins, and from all the elevated parts of the park, includes a great extent of varied and enchanting beauty, poeti- cally sketched in the well-known Grongar Hill of Dyer. In the centre of the park stands the modern mansion, sometimes called Newton House, but more generally receiving the appel- lation of the now ruined castle. It is a plain quadrangular edifice, with a small turret at each angle, and is surrounded by a profusion of wood, principally oak and chestnut. Pursuing the way to Carmarthen along the vale of Towy, the following objects in succession will attract the attention of the tourist. Golden Grove, on the southern side of the river, is the seat of Earl Cawdor. A specimen of the Hirlas, or ancient British drinking horn, is preserved here. During the Common- wealth, Dr. Jeremy Taylor, seeking a retreat in Wales, was received into this house, as chaplain to the Earl of Carberry, who was then its proprietor. In the comparative retirement of this place, that eminent divine for some time resided, and here wrote his Liberty of Prophesying, and other valuable treatises, as well as many sermons. Several of his works are dedicated to his noble patron. Grongar Hill is within sight of Golden Grove, on the opposite bank of the Towy. The view from this eminence is remarkably beautiful, and has been rendered famous by asso- ciation with the history and writings of the poet Dyer, who was born in 1700, at the mansion of Aberglasney, on this estate. The hawthorn under which he sat to contemplate the scene, and compose his admirable descriptive poem, is still shown. Bucke says of this spot, “No place do I remember in which the combinations of water, wood, mountain, and ruin assume such exquisite variety. Bnjslwyn Castle, between 5 and 6 miles from Llandilo, forms a conspicuous object from the road. It is noted for a siege in the time of Edward I., when Lord Stafford, and other noblemen and officers engaged in undermining the fortress, were buried beneath its falling towers. These ruins consist of fragments of walls and a part of one tower. The summit of the green hill which they occupy affords one of the most advantageous prospects of the delightful vaUey. Middleton Hall is a little nearer to Carmarthen, near Llan • CARMARTHEN. 277 arthney station, and on the south side of the Towy. It is a sumptuous mansion, erected by the late Sir William Paxton. It is noticeable chiefly on account of Nelson^ s Tower, raised by Sir William, on an elevated spot within the grounds, to com- memorate the victory and death of the illustrious hero of Trafalgar. Ahergwilly, within 2 miles of Carmarthen, claims atten- tion solely as the residence of the bishops of St. David's. The palace is a spacious building at the east end of the village, near the confluence of the Gwili and the Towy. It was remo- delled in 1830, according to designs by Mr. Foster. CARMARTHEN, [Hotels : Ivy Bush ; Lion ; Boar’s Head.] Aberystwith, 56 miles ; Tenby, 29 ; New Milford, 40 ; Pembroke, 41 ; Swansea, 28 ; Llanildo, 13. the county town, and long regarded as the capital of Wales, particularly of the southern division, is in all respects a place of great interest and importance. It is very beautifully situated in the midst of a richly-cultivated district, on the N.W. bank of the river Towy ; which, having been augmented by numerous tributaries, is here a wide and noble river, crossed by a handsome stone bridge ; and is navigable hence to its outlet in the Bristol Channel. Some of the streets are narrow and steep, and the town, as a whole, is not formed with much regularity ; but a large proportion of the houses are well built and of a highly respectable class ; and, as some parts of the town have a considerable elevation, it has a striking appearance when viewed from a distance, and it affords a good prospect of the beautiful valley of which it forms the appro- priate and picturesque termination. It was formerly surrounded by a high wall, with fortifled gates. At the upper end there is a public walk called the Parade, which overlooks a fine sweep of the river and an extensive portion of the vale. The principal church (St. Peter) is a large plain building with a lofty square tower. It contains several monuments, of which the most remarkable are one of Sir Rhys ap Thomas and his lady, with two recumbent effigies, and another of Anne, Lady Vaughan, with a grotesque female figure kneeling, and an 278 CARMARTHEN. amusing quaint inscription. The Market-place is spacious and convenient, and the Town-hall is a respectable stone edifice, adorned with Tuscan columns. The County Gaol occupies the site of an ancient castle, wholly effaced. The Workhouse is necessarily a large building, as the Carmarthen poor-law union comprehends 29 parishes, with a population of about 40,000. Some remains of a priory are still visible, and give name to a street. This establishment is known to have existed before 1148, but its founder and date are not recorded. At another part of the town stood a monastery of Grey Friars ; and be- hind the Town-hall was a chapel of St. Mary, not used since the dissolution in the time of Henry VIII. Carmarthen has a free grammar school, endowed by Dr. Owen, Bishop of St. David’s. The dissenting chapels are numerous, some of them having large congregations ; and there is an institution for the education of dissenting ministers, called the Presbyterian Col- lege. The Welsh Education Committee, in connection with the National School Society, have established here a Training College for South Wales and Monmouthshire, which accommo- dates 60 students, a principal, and assistant-masters ; and includes practising schools for the education of children. At the entrance of the town, from the west, an obelisk has been erected in honour of Gen. Sir Thomas Picton, who distin- guished himself in the chief battles of the Peninsular war, when he commanded the fighting division,” and who fell afterwards at Waterloo, in the hour of victory. This gallant officer was a native of Pembroke, and represented the Pembroke boroughs in parliament. His portrait, presented to the county by his brother, is suspended in the Grand Jury-room of the County-hall. In a conspicuous situation in the town there is also a bronze statue of another distinguished hero. Sir William Nott, the hero of Ghuznee, who was the son of an innkeeper of Carmarthen, and who died here shortly after his return from India. Barracks for 1500 soldiers are situated in the suburbs. There are some iron and tin works on a small scale, but no extensive manufactures ; the general trade, however, is flourish- ing, this town being the mart for the supply of a very large district with almost all imported commodities, as well as for the sale of local agricultural produce. In Lammas Street is a monument to the memory of the officers and men of the 23d Royal Welsh Fusileers who fell in the Crimean war. Until CARMARTHEN. 279 lately the port was subordinate to Llanelly, but it is now an independent customs station. The shipping trade has declined since the construction of the railways. The exports consist of corn, butter, timber, marble, slates, and lead-ore. The im- ports are chiefly articles for domestic consumption. The salmon and sewin fishing is considerable ; and the boats called coracles, previously noticed, are much used by the fishermen. Carmarthen lays claim to high antiquity. It is beyond doubt that this was the site of the Maridunum of Ptolemy and Antoninus, and the point from which diverged the two great sections of the famous road, called Via Julia. In the earliest British annals the town holds a prominent place. Upon the erection of Wales into a principality, the chancery and ex- chequer of the southern division were fixed here, and here they were continued until the jurisdiction of the Lords Marchers was abolished. In 1137 Carmarthen was burned to the ground by Owen Gwynedd, and a few years afterwards it was rebuilt by Gilbert, Earl of Clare. Of the old town- walls there remain only the slightest vestiges, and of its once princely castle little is now visible. Some of the towers are wrought into the buildings of the county gaol. Carmarthen is the reputed birthplace, in the 5th century, of the renowned Welsh prophet Merlin, with regard to whom it is extremely difficult to separate fact from fable. Some have supposed that from him the name of the town is derived ; Carmarthen being, according to them, a corruption of Caer Merddhiy or Merlin’s town. Three miles eastward, a recess in the rock is pointed out as Merlin’s cave, where, tradition relates, the fair fay, the Lady of the Lake,” by her enchant- ment entombed alive the unhappy magician. Spenser, how- ever, in his Fairy Queen,” represents Merlin’s cave as amongst the woody bowers of Dynevor, some miles higher in the vale of Towy. This town gives the title of Marquis to the Duke of Leeds. The borough is a county of itself, with a separate jurisdiction from that of the county of Carmarthen. By the Municipal Act of 1835 it was divided into two wards, each of which chooses nine councillors, who, together with a mayor and six aldermen, have the government of local affairs. The assizes and three of the general quarter sessions for the county are held in this town, and here also the election of the M.P.’a 280 CARMARTHEN. for the county takes place. There is a Literary and Scientific Institution, well sustained ; “ Yr Haul,” the Welsh Church of England Magazine, is published here monthly, and four news- papers weekly. The markets on Wednesday and Saturday are abundantly supplied and very numerously attended. In conjunction with Llanelly, Carmarthen returns one represent- ative to the House of Commons. The municipal and par- liamentary boroughs are co* extensive, and the population amounts to 9993. By railway, Carmarthen is reached from London, by express trains, in little more than seven hours, and by mail trains in about ten hours. A steam-packet from Bristol, after calling at Tenby and other places on the coast, proceeds weekly up the river Towy as far as Carmarthen, usually accomplishing the voyage in about 15 hours. On the opposite bank of the river, about three-quarters of a mile from the town, and not far from Llangynnor church, is Ty Gwyn, or the White House, distinguished as having been the residence of Sir Bichard Steele, the friend of Addison and Swift. It is now a farm-house. An adjacent field is pointed out as the site of Steele’s garden, in the bowers of which he is said to have written his “ Conscious Lovers.” He died at Carmarthen, in his house in King Street (after- wards the principal inn, called the Ivy Bush), the site of which is now occupied by the County Booms. There is no monument to his memory in St. Peter’s church, in the chancel of which he was buried, September 4, 1729 ; but in Llan- gynnor church there is a plain monumental tablet with the following inscription : — “This stone was erected at the instance of William Williams of Ivy Tower, owner of Penddaylwn Fawr, in Llangynnor, Part of the estate there once belonged to the deservedly celebrated Sir Richard Steele, Knt., chief author of the essays named Tatlers, Guardians, and Spectators ; and he wrote The Christian Hero, The Englishman, and The Crisis ; also The Conscious Lovers> and other fine plays. He represented several places in Parliament, was a staunch and able patriot, and finally, an incomparable writer on morality and (diristianity,” Numerous objects of interest, within short distances from Carmarthen, particularly in the beautiful vale of Towy, may be visited by tourists in a few agreeable excursions. CARMARTHEN. 281 Tlirougliout this neighbourhood, as well as in many other parts of South Wales, the custom of Biddings at Weddings prevails. A Bidding is an invitation, sent by a couple about to be married, to their friends and neighbours, to solicit their attendance, with contributions towards the purchase of articles required by young housekeepers on entering the matrimonial state. Every gift of this nature is written down, along with the name and residence of the donor, and is regarded as a debt, to be repaid on a similar occasion if required. In some cases a person, called a Bidder (in Welsh Gwahoddwr), is employed to visit the dwellings of the parties to be invited, announcing all the particulars, and sometimes reciting or singing rhymes, in which allusion is made to the good cheer provided for the feast. In other cases, and more frequently, the invitation is conveyed by means of a printed circular note, of which, for a single marriage, many hundreds are commonly issued. The following is a copy of a note used on one of these occasions, obligingly furnished by the printer at Carmarthen : — “As we intend to enter the Matrimonial State, on Friday, the 3d day of November next, we are encouraged by our friends to make a Bidding on the occasion, the same day ; the Young Man at Cwmcelly Fawr, in the parish of Llanfynydd, and the Young Woman at her Mother’s house, called Troedyrhiw, in the parish of Llanfihangel-rhos-ycorn ; at either of which places the favour of your good and most agreeable company is respectfully solicited ; and what- ever donation you may be pleased to confer on us then, will be thankfully re- ceived, and warmly acknowledged, and cheerfully repaid whenever called for on a similar occasion, “ By your most obedient servants, “Morgan Morgans, “Anne Jones. “***The Young Man, his Father and Mother (John and Mary Morgan of Cwmcelly Fawr), and his brother (William Morgan), desire that all gifts of the above nature due to them be returned to the Young Man on the said day, and will be thankful, with his Brothers, Sisters, and Brother and Sister-in-Law, for aU favours granted. “ Also the Young Woman, her Mother, and Mary Jones (and her brother, Thomas Jones), desire that all gifts of the above nature due to them be returned to the Young Woman on the above day, and will be thankful, together with her Brothers and Sisters, her Grandmother, Mary Davies, and her Uncles and Aunts, for all additional favours conferred.” On some occasions the gifts, or loans at a Bidding, amount to a very considerable sum, and afford most valuable assist- ance to a young couple in furnishing their cottage. 282 CARMARTHENSHIRE. Carmarthenshire, the largest county in Wales, has an area of 606,331 acres, hut in the number of inhabitants it is greatly exceeded by Glamorganshire. Its greatest extent in a direct line from E. to W. is 45 miles, and from N. to S. 32 miles. It is bounded on the N. by Cardiganshire, on the W. by Pembrokeshire, on the E. by the counties of Brecknock and Glamorgan, and on the S. by the Bristol Channel. The surface is various ; considerable portions are mountainous, but it is generally more distinguished by depressions than by elevations, very extensive tracts being occupied by low narrow valleys, and others by deep wooded glens. The largest and most celebrated valley is that watered by the river Towy, which intersects the county from N.E. to S.W., receiving many tributaries, and having a course of nearly 50 miles. The portion usually distinguished as the Yale of Towy extends in length about 30 miles, and has an average breadth of two miles. Other rivers are the Teifi at the north border, the Taf, or Tave, the Cothi, the Loughor, and the Gwaendraeth, with numerous minor streams. The soil in the valleys is, in general, rich and fertile, yielding large crops of grass and grain. That part of the county which lies to the S. and E. of the Towy, adjoining Glamorganshire, and bordering on the ocean, is included in the great coal-field of South Wales, and about Llanelly there are abundant supplies of ironstone and extensive iron- works. In the N.E. of the county are some valuable lead-mines. This part of the principality, at the time of the Eoman invasion, was included in the ancient Dyfed. Maridunum, one of the chief Eoman cities, has been identified with Car- marthen. The first subjugation of the district is ascribed to Julius Erontinus, in the year 70. Cadell, son of Eoderic Mawr, fixed his seat of government at Dinevwr, in this county, where he built a palace. He was succeeded as prince of South Wales, by his eldest son, Hywel, distinguished in Welsh history by the title of Hywel Dda, or Howel the Good. In the 1 5th century. Sir Ehys ap Thomas, a native of this county, having rendered most efiicient service to Henry YII. in his contest against Eichard III., was appointed governor of South Wales, and discharged the office with great CARMARTHENSHIRE. 283 benefit to the principality. In various parts of the county there are visible remains of Druidical antiquities, of British fortifications, and of Eoman roads and encampments ; and not fewer than nine ruined castles will require notice in connection with their respective localities. In the years 1843 and 1844 this county acquired a dis- creditable notoriety as the first and principal scene of the “Becca’’ (or Kebecca) riots, which, extending to neighbouring counties, involved nearly the whole of South Wales in a state bordering on insurrection. This strange movement originated in prevailing dissatisfaction on account of the number and position of the turnpike-gates, which, it was alleged, were so placed as to impose an unfair and intolerable burden upon small farmers. During many months several hundred persons, nearly all of whom were mounted, assembled nightly at some place secretly appointed, and under the guidence of a leader or leaders unknown, destroyed the turnpike-gates throughout the country. Their attacks were next directed against private dwellings, and especially against the workhouses of the poor- law unions ; the lives of magistrates and others who opposed them were threatened ; and in one instance, the frenzy of the misguided people resulted in the murder of a gate-keeper. The local civil power was defied, the military were harassed and thwarted, and large rewards for the apprehension of the ringleaders were offered in vain. At length the government adopted more vigorous measures, and strong detachments of troops, aided by a division of the metropolitan police, succeeded in capturing some of the rioters, and in gradually restoring tranquillity and order. Carmarthenshire is represented in parliament by two members for the county, and one for the boroughs of Car- marthen and Llanelly. Population, 111,796. 284 GLAMORGANSHIRE. GLAMORGANSHIKE, althoiigli not the largest, is the most populous, and, in a com- mercial point of view, the most important county of Wales. It is bounded on the N. by Brecknockshire, on the E. by Mon- mouthshire, on the N.W. by Carmarthenshire, and on the S. and part of the W. by the Bristol Channel. Its greatest extent from E. to W. is nearly 50 miles, and from N. to S. about 30 miles ; and its area is computed at 856 square statute miles. The population amounts to 231,849. This district, during the remotest period of its history, formed an important part of the province called Gwent, and afterwards Esyllwg ; the latter name, which signifies a beautiful or agreeable region, being subsequently softened by the Homans into Siluria, The Silu- res, under the command of the celebrated Caradoc, for nine years successfully opposed Publius Ostorius Scapula, the Roman general, but were at length subjected by Julius Fron- tinus, who constructed military posts in every part of the province, and connected them by a road, which, after him, was named Julia Strata. Arthur the Brave governed Siluria in the beginning of the 6th century, and was succeeded by his son Morgan, who resided at Margam. In 987 the Danes landed on the coast of this county, and occasioned much devas- tation. Jestyn ap Gwrgam, the intrepid prince of Glamorgan, flourished in the 11th century. At St. Fagan’s, not far from Cardiff, a battle was fought between the Royalists and the Parliamentary forces on May 8, 1648. By the Welsh the county is called Morganwg, and Gwlad Morgan; and hence the appellation Glamorgan appears to be formed. Few tracts in Britain contain so great a diversity of scenery. The northern portion is generally hilly, separated from the southern part by a chain of elevations extending across the county from E. to W. Of the former division Roscoe truly says, There are few regions on earth that present more of the sublime and beautiful features of nature, within the same compass, than are to be found among the mountains, hills, and valleys of the north of Glamorganshire.” The southern division, from the foot of the hilly range to the sea, is occupied by the rich and fertile vale, or rather plain, of Glamorgan, which is popularly, and not un- fitly, denominated, “The Garden of South Wales.” Its climate OLAMORGANSHIRE. 285 is mild and salubrious, and horticultural produce is as early as in any part of Great Britain. The mineral productions of this county are various and of inestimable value : it is the greatest depot of coal in the empire, and has inexhaustible stores of iron-ore and limestone. The native breed of cattle is highly esteemed, and in great demand by the English graziers. The principal rivers are the Taff (which must be distinguished from the Taf in Carmarthenshire), the Tawe, and the Neath ; the Llwchwr and the Eunmey are boundary rivers, bordering on other counties ; and there are, besides, a number of minor streams, some of which are of considerable extent and importance. The advantages of canal navigation have been long possessed by the most populous parts of the county, and to these are now added the greater benefits of railway communication — the South Wales Eailway, and its numerous branches, extending those benefits to every part. In its long line of sea-coast Glamorganshire has several excellent harbours. Of antiquities, British and Eoman, the remains are numerous ; and this county is particularly distinguished for the ruins of mihtary and baronial edifices, of which not fewer than thirty serve as valuable memorials of important events and illustrious characters ; and, in addition, there are some highly interesting ecclesiastical buildings of great antiquity, including a cathedral, two abbeys, a priory, and other monas- tic relics. The parliamentary representatives of Glamorgan- shire are, two for the county, and three for the boroughs, which are divided into the districts of Swansea, Cardiff, and Merthyr Tydfil. 286 CALDICOT CASTLE. SOUTH WALES KAILWAY, througli Glamorgansliire, from Bristol or Gloucester, via Port- skewit, Newport, Cardiff, Ely (for Llandaff), Llantrisaint, Bridgend, Port Talbot, Briton-ferry, Neath, Llansamlet, Swan- sea (Gower), Llanelly, Pembrey (Burry Pt.), Kidwelly, Ferry- side, Carmarthen Junction, St. Clear’s, Whitland, Tenby, Pembroke, Narberth Koad, Haverfordwest, Johnston, Milford. In proceeding by this route, in the event of our starting from Gloucester, we pass the interesting town of Chepstow, which will be found described on a subsequent page in connec- tion wdth the tour of the Wye. At the distance of 4 miles from Chepstow we reach Portskewit^ where we meet the South Wales Union Railway from Bristol, which here crosses the Severn from New Passage, by ferry, a distance of 2 miles. Between this and Newport the railway runs along the plains of Caldicot Level, a district abounding in Roman and other antiquities. The first of these passed on the right is Caldicot Castle, a splendid relic of feudal magnificence, once the property of the haughty Bolingbroke, and still in- cluded in the royal domains, being annexed to the Duchy of Lancaster. Its low situation is disadvantageous ; but on a near inspection, the extent and importance of the structure become apparent. The ruins are considerable, occupying an area of about 100 yards by 75 yards. A portion of the building is evidently of Saxon origin, and is said to have been founded by Harold ; but the prevailing style of the ar- chitecture is Gothic, and of a later date. The little Gothic church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, is not unworthy of notice, and consists of nave, side aisle, and chancel. The nave is separated from the side aisle by five pointed arches on clustered pillars, and the windows contain some painted glass. Over the southern door is a small figure of the Virgin in a niche, and in a recess in the wall within the porch is a headless recumbent stone figure of the founder. About 3 miles to the northwards is Caerwent, which, though now re- duced (like Caerleon) to an inconsiderable village, was formerly an important Roman city, and under the auspices of Agricola renowned for its temples, theatres, baths, and porticoes. It ^ A corruption of Port-is-coed, whicla signifies the port under the wood. i/lrtu A+'W'-' .V,hulHUi{^ CAERWENT — NEWPORT. 287 was the Venta Silurum of the Romans, and was garrisoned by the second Augustine legion. The form of the ancient city, which may still be traced, was a parallelogram, measur- ing about 500 yards on the N. and S. sides, and 380 on the E. and W., with walls 20 feet in height and from 9 to 12 feet in thickness, and defended on three sides by a deep fosse. Many relics of antiquity remain to gratify the archaeological visitor, and many more are known to have been dispersed. Some beautiful specimens of tesselated pavement have been discovered at different times, portions of which may still be seen, although much reduced and injured by frequent depre- dations. On a gentle eminence, about 2 miles to the N.W. of Caerwent, are the ruins of Lanvair Castle, which must origin- ally have been a building of great strength. It takes its name from the contiguous church dedicated to St. Mary, Lan- vair in Welsh signifying “ the church of Mary.” The next station is Magor, to the north of which are the ruins of Pen- coed Castle ; after which, passing Llanwern Station and House, we reach NEWPORT. \Eotels : King’s Head ; Westgate House ; Parrot ; Crown.] 17J miles from Chepstow. This town, being in Monmouthshire, must be distinguished from one of the same name in Pembrokeshire. It is a flourish- ing port and market- town, situated upon the Usk, which is navigable for the largest vessels, and over which a light and elegant stone bridge has been erected. On the western side of the river there is a succession of wharfs and jetties, extending to a spacious dock at Pillgwenlly, a distance of two miles. The rapid advancement of Newport, from the condition of a mean and insignificant village to that of a populous and thriv- ing commercial town, is attributable to the development of the inexhaustible mineral wealth of the adjacent mountainous district, aided by facilities of transit by means of canals and railways. The docks, which were completed in 1842 at a cost of .£200,000, are the property of a company of shareholders incorporated by act of parliament. Shipbuilding, tanning, brewing, the making of boilers for steam-engines, and various other manufactures requiring much capital and labour, are carried on to a great extent. The place derives its interest 288 NEWPORT. entirely from the rapid growth and great prosperity of its manufactures, trade, and commerce ; but it has claims to high antiquity, being founded by the Komans, in connection with their station at Caerleon. The remains of an ancient castle are now’ converted into a brewery, and of the walls and gates which formerly existed there are no vestiges. It is worth while to visit the old church of St. Woolos, which is finely situated on a gentle rise commanding a fine view of the river Usk, bending in the true line of beauty, and of the levels of Caldicot and Wentloog from Magor to the Eumney, the Bris- tol Channel, and distant hills of Gloucester and Somerset shires. St. Woolos was the Welsh saint Gwnlliw, who was much respected for his godly life. The church was recently restored, and contains some interesting monuments. The town contains all the usual public buildings for municipal and trading purposes, for education, and for divine worship ; and, in addition, has large barracks for both infantry and cavalry. The local affairs are governed by a mayor, five aldermen, and eighteen councillors. The town and neighbourhood acquired notoriety some years since from the riotous movements of great numbers of Chartists. There is daily communication by steam-packets with the city of Bristol. Weekly market on Saturday. Newport is a parliamentary borough, elects one M.P. Population, 23,249. Many mansions and villas are within a short distance, amongst which are Tredegar Park^ the residence of Lord Tredegar ; The Friars, the residence of C. 0. S. Morgan, Esq., one of the county representatives ; Llantarnam Ahhey, Mrs. Dowling ; Ahercarn House, Lord Llano ver ; Bedwelty House, B. Eothergill, Esq. ; Llanwern House, Kev. Sir Charles John Salusbury, Bart. ; and Malpas Court, Thomas Protheroe, Esq. An interesting antiquarian object in the vicinity, and distant from Newport about 2|- miles, is the decayed town of Caerleon, the ancient Isca Silurum of the Eomans, and dur- ing their ascendency the capital of the province of Britannia Secunda, in which were fifteen subordinate stations At a later period it was celebrated as a seat of religion and learn- ing ; and in the 12 th century Giraldus Cambrensis gave a lively, though perhaps exaggerated, picture of its wealth and magnificence. Eemains of Eoman walls are still visible, and many Eoman relics of various kinds have been found in the CAERLEON CARDIFF. 289 town and its vicinity ; but of the castle there are scarcely any traces. An elliptical concavity in an adjacent field is called Arthur’s Kound Table, but is more probably the relic of a Koman amphitheatre. It extends 220 feet in one direction, 190 feet in the other, and has a gradual slope from the cir- cumference to the centre, where its depth is about 16 feet. On opening its sides, ranges of stone seats have been found ; and some fragments of sculpture discovered at the beginning of the last century have led to a conjecture that this was the site of a temple to Diana. Excepting these scanty tokens of humbled grandeur, there is nothing to interest the tourist in this little place, which only “ Lives in description, and looks green in song.” The old-established market has nearly fallen into disuse. Some tin- works in the vicinity may contribute to revive the interests of the town. The population is only 1281. CAEDIFF [Hotels : Cardiff Arms ; Angel ; Queen’s ; Mountstuart.] Distances: Llandaff, 2 miles ; Newport, 12; Caerphilly, 9^; Bristol, 32. is the first town in Glamorganshire we reach in approaching from the east, and one of the most important towns in South Wales. It is situated on the river Taff, about 2 miles from its efflux in the British Channel. The general aspect of the town combines much that is ancient and venerable, with in- dications of a high degree of commercial prosperity and modern refinement. The streets are regular, — some of them spacious and handsome, — cleanly, and both well paved and lighted. The public buildings evince judgment and taste, and the liberality and intelligence of the inhabitants are pleasingly manifested in the support which is given to charitable, lite- rary, and scientific institutions. The extension and improve- ment of the town have been greatly promoted by the construc- tion of the Bute Ship-Canal and Docks ^ accomplished by the late Marquis of Bute, at the cost of not less than 00,0 00. In the year 1830 an act of parliament was obtained for the execution of these great works. Sea-gates have been formed, 45 feet wide, providing for a depth of water 1 7 feet at neap, and 32 feet at spring tides. On passing these gates vessels u 290 CARDIFF. enter a capacious basin, calculated for the reception of a large number of sailing and steam ships. A lock, 36 feet wide, connects this with an inner basin, which constitutes the grand feature of the work. It extends in a continuous line from the lock to near the town, 1450 yards long, with a uniform width of 200 feet, presenting an area of about 200 acres of water, capable of accommodating, in perfect safety, 400 ships of all classes. Quays are built at the sides, two-thirds of the length, comprising nearly 6000 feet, or more than a mile, of wharfs, with ample space for warehouses. To preserve the channel free from deposit, a feeder from the river Taff supplies a reservoir, 15 acres in extent, adjoining the basin. By means of powerful sluices, with cast-iron pipes 5 feet in diameter, this reservoir can be discharged when necessary, so as to deliver at the rate of 100,000 tons of water in an hour. Further im- provements projected by the late marquis were suspended by his sudden and lamented death in March 1848. Immediately contiguous are the Glamorgan Canal, Taff Vale Eailway, and South Wales Kail way, and thus the port of Cardiff becomes the great outlet for the vast mining districts and iron and tin works of the eastern part of Glamorgan- shire, 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 and other ports in the agricultural productions of South Wales. There is daily communication by steam-packets with Bristol, and once or twice in a week with Gloucester and with Swansea. The limits of the port of Cardiff are from the river Eumney on the east to Nash Point on the west. Cardiff was in ancient times successively subject to the British, the Eoman, and the Norman sway, and was then, as it now is, a place of considerable importance. It possessed a fortified castle, which was surrounded with embattled walls, having five entrance-gates, a moat, and ramparts. These are believed to have been commenced in 1080 by Jestyn ap Gwrgan, Lord of Glamorgan, and to have been completed, on an extended plan, by Eobert Fitzhamon, the Norman chief, in 1110. The name was doubtless Caer-daff, i.e. Fortress on the Taff. The Castle must have been a spacious and stately edifice, and it appears to have been long the residence of princes, the seat of judicature, and the scene of many im- CARDIFF. 291 portant actions and events. The ditch which formerly surrounded this building has been filled up, and the whole of the ground laid out as a fine level lawn. Adjoining the gate by which the castle is entered from the town are the ruins of what is called the Black Tower, where, according to tradition, Kobert, Duke of Normandy, eldest son of the Conqueror, was confined for twenty-six years, by order of his brothers, William Kufus and Henry I., and here he died in the year 1130. In 1648, being garrisoned by Eoyalists, it was closely besieged by Oliver Cromwell in person. The bombardment was kept up with great vigour for three days, and posses- sion was at length obtained through the treachery of a deserter from the garrison. Cromwell, with his accustomed sternness and decision, after he had taken the castle hanged the traitor as a warning to his own troops. Nearly every part of the ancient castle has given place to the modern mansion of the Marquis of Bute, and, as even the connecting walls of the courts have been removed, the octagonal keep, a considerable portion of which remains, now stands apart, a solitary memorial of former strength and grandeur. It oc- cupies an earthen mound of considerable elevation, and is carefully preserved from further dilapidation. Of the modern mansion, now the occasional residence of its noble proprietor, much cannot be said. At best it is one of those incongruous buildings which preserves to some extent the castellated appearance of the origmal. The eye of taste will not regard it with favour. It contains many portraits of the noble family — several by Kneller, and one by Vandyck. The rampart, which formerly surrounded the castle, has been tastefully planted with shrubs, and laid out as a terrace- v^alk. It commands rich views of the surrounding country. Access is liberally granted to the residents of Cardiff, and to respectable strangers. The entrance, by a noble gateway, is near the centre of the town. Cardiff has two parish churches. St. John’s, about the middle of the town, is an ancient and finely-proportioned edifice, with a noble quadrangular tower, surmounted by pierced battlements and four open Gothic pinnacles. The body of the church may be referred to the 1 3th century, but the tower is obviously of later date. It is justly admired, and forms a conspicuous feature in every view of the town. 292 CARDIFF LLANDAFF. The interior contains two sepulchral monuments in black and white marble, raised to the memory of Sir William and Sir John Herbert, whose seat of Greyfriars was in the neighbour- hood. St. Mary’s is a modern erection, opened in 1 843, near the Bute Canal. It has two towers in the Norman style of archi- tecture. In this parish, a fine old church and many other buildings were destroyed by an inundation in the year 1607. There are various Dissenting Chapels, and services are con- ducted in both English and Welsh. On the north-east side of the castle are the ruins of Greyfriars Monastery, once the seat of the Herbert family. The other public buildings are the Town Hall, County Gaol, Law Courts, Theatre, Infirmary, Union Poor-house, National, British, and Infant Schools, and Custom House. In the vicinity of the town there are slight vestiges of two monastic buildings, founded by descendants of the Conqueror. The Corporation consists of a mayor, six aldermen, and eighteen councillors. The biennial assizes are held here. Two weekly newspapers are published. Markets are held on W ednesday and Saturday. In conjunction with Cowbridge and Llantrisaint, Cardiff sends one representative to the House of Commons. The population of the parish and borough amounts to 32,954. Cardiff is often visited on account of its vicinity to the Cathedral of Llandaff and the Castle of Caerphilly, both rank- ing amongst the most celebrated specimens of Early architecture in the kingdom. These, with other objects of interest, may be visited in one short excursion. About 2 miles beyond Cardiff is Ely, the station for LLANDAFF, which, though an ancient city, is now reduced to an insignificant hamlet, and, excepting for its cathedral, could not justly claim any particular notice. The name, which appears to have been unchanged through many centuries, is simply expressive of the situation, the Church on the Taff. A church is said to have existed here from the period of the introduction of Christianity into Britain, but it does not appear that a bishopric was constituted until about the middle LLANDAFF CAERPHILLY. 293 of the 6th century. Historians have preserved the names of the successive bishops from that time, although prior to the 10th century there is much uncertainty as to the dates of consecration and death. The see was originally endowed with great possessions, but was deprived of most of them shortly after the Conquest, when the first or British building was de- stroyed. The present fabric was commenced by Bishop Urban, a.d. 1120, but was not completed before the end of the 13th century. Its situation is in a hollow, surrounded by rising ground, which gives it a solemn and monastic air. The prevailing style of the edifice is Gothic, but this is blended with much of Saxon and Norman, and some portions exhibit the architecture of later periods. The west front is an admir- able specimen of the Early Pointed style, and at the N.W. angle is a lofty square tower of the Tudor age, profusely enriched with sculpture. A tower which occupied the cor- responding angle at the S.W. has been destroyed. There are no transepts, nor is there a central tower. Eepairs have been effected at various times, and the first practical step in the present restoration was taken in 1844 by Dean Knight Bruce, when the Early geometrical window in the east end of the Lady Chapel was inserted. This first step was soon followed by the entire restoration of the Lady Chapel, and on the death of Dean Bruce the w^ork was vigorously prosecuted under ther guidance of Dean Conybeare. The presbytery formed the next of a series of contracts, which included the nave, choir, and various works of a minor character. In 1857 the choir and nave were finished. Since then the arcades have been repaired, the aisle walls rebuilt, the clere- story reconstructed, and the - restoration of the north and south towers at the west end of the building completed. The stalls of the choir are beautifully carved, and there is a fine reredos containing paintings by D. G. Kosetti. In the north aisle are a number of curious monuments, with efiigies of mailed warriors and mitred bishops ; but the principal monu- ments, along with the episcopal palace, were much defaced, and nearly destroyed, by Owen Glyndwr, during his ineffec- tual struggles for the freedom of his country. Llandaff Court, near the Cathedral, serves as the residence of the bishop. Caerphilly, distant from Cardiff 7 miles, and from Llan- daff about 6, is situated on the line of hills which run through 294 CAERPHILLY CASTLE COCH. Glamorganshire and stretch northward into Brecknockshire. The village, which is small, is situated in a neighbourhood abounding with coal and iron ore. The Castle, vrhose magni- ficent ruins evince that it must have been one of the largest and grandest in the kingdom, appears to have been of Norman origin, additions having been made at successive periods, but chiefly by the favourite of Edward II., Hugh le Despenser the younger, for whom it was wrested from the Mortimers, its ancient possessors. It became the refuge of that weak monarch, when pursued by his Queen Isabella and his rebellious barons ; and it withstood a siege of the most vigorous and obstinate character. In 1400 it was in the possession of Owen Glyndwr, and it is described as being at that time, “ gigantic Caerphilly, a fortress great in ruins.” Subsequently to this period it is little noticed in the annals of the princi- pality. In its present state it is especially remarkable for its extraordinary extent, covering an area of not less than 30 ap’res, and resembling rather the ruins of a city than of a single edifice ; and it is rendered peculiarly interesting by a leaning tower, an immense and ponderous mass of masonry nearly 80 feet high, which has remained for centuries inclin- ing as much as 1 1 feet out of the perpendicular, apparently preserved from falling by nothing but the tenacity of the cement. This ruin does not boast the architectural decora- tions of Carnarvon, the commanding position of Conway, or the picturesque beauty of Eaglan, but it surpasses all in a certain kind of rugged sublimity which results from its vast dimensions, its confused assemblage of lofty walls and massive towers, and its situation, environed by the bleak and barren ridges of Mynydd Mayo and Mynydd Eglwysilan. Castell CocH,or the Bed Castle, maybe visited in returning from Caerphilly to Cardiff. It occupies the brow of a rocky height in the Taff vale, about 5 miles above Cardiff, in a posi- tion exceedingly favourable for commanding the pass of the valley, for which purpose its erection was designed. Its origin is British, and it was long held by Ifor Bach, who gallantly headed the natives of Glamorgan against Fitzhamon and the Norman settlers. In the following century, however, it was in the possession of the Normans, by whom it was much enlarged and strengthened, if not entirely rebuilt. The remains, though not of great extent, are singularly picturesque and beautiful COWBRIDGE. 295 Proceeding onwards from Ely for 9 miles, we reach Llantrisaint — i,e. the Church of Three Saints, an ancient town, retaining some vestiges of a castle of whose origin and history little is known. Occupying an elevated simation on one of the hills which bound the vale of Gla- morgan, it commands a view of the most beautiful parts of that fertile and lovely district. The vicinity abounds with lead ore. The parish has a population of 5492. It is one of th 3 parliamentary boroughs contributory to Cardiff. Five and a kalf nules to the south of Llantrisaint is CoWBRIDGE, [Hotel: Bear,] a small borough and market-town, with an antiquated aspect, and consisting chiefly of one long street, divided by the river Ddaw, over which there is a good bridge. The Welsh name is Pontfaen — ^. e. the stone bridge, probably a corruption of Pont-y-F6n, of which the English name is an accurate trans- lation. It contains a handsome church, a town-hall in which the quarter-sessions are held, and a grammar-school endowed by Sir Llewelyn Jenkins, Judge of the Prerogative Court and Secretary of State in the reign of Charles II. In conjunction with CardUBf and Llantrisaint it returns one M.P. Population of the parish and borough, which are co-extensive, 1094. In the year 1091 the town was encompassed with a stone wall by Kobert de St. Quintin, one of the Norman adventurers who afterwards rebuilt and strengthened a castle in the neigh- bourhood called Llanhlethian, otherwise St. QuintirHs. The ruins have been converted into a barn, and the old name has been given to a modern house in the vicinity, the residence of Captain Jenner. Llanblethian is situated on the little river Ddaw, and lower down are the castles of Llandough, Beauyr^y and Fonmon. Also near to Cowbridge, in the opposite direc- tion, are the remains of Penlline Castle. The date of this structure is unknown, but the construction bears acknowledged marks of extreme antiquity. The site is partly occupied by a modern castellated mansion. The next station on the railway is 296 BRIDGEND. BRIDGEND, [Hotels : Wyndham Arms ; Knight’s Arms.] j 9 miles from Llantrisaint. ^ a tliriving market town, of irregular construction, divided \ij the river Ogmore into two parts, which are named Oldcaslle and Newcastle, these appellations being almost the only menio- rials of two fortresses which anciently stood here. Newcastle, situated on an acclivity, contains a church dedicated to St. lUtyd, and Oldcastle has a chapel of ease belonging to the parish of Coity. The river Ogmore, abounding with salmon, sewin, and trout, affords employment to a number of fishermen. The manufacture of flannels and woollen shawls is successfully conducted here, and there are numerous coal and iron mines in the neighbourhood. The South Wales Railway having a station at this place, and it being surrounded by objects of interest, it is a convenient spot for a short stay. Bridgend is the birthplace of two eminent literary men, Dr. Price and Mr. Morgan, well known for their works on mathematics, natural philosophy, and ethics. The elections for the county of Gla- morgan are held in this central town. It is an eligible station for anglers. At little more than a mile south from Bridgend are the village and Priory of Ewenny, close to a stream of the same name which empties itself into the Ogmore. The priory was founded by Meyrick, or Maurice de Londres, in 1146, for Benedictine monks, and was attached to the abbey of St* Peter, at Gloucester. The ruins indicate that the building was designed for security and defence not less than for devotional seclusion. At the dissolution its revenues were granted by Henry YIII. to Sir Edward Came, and the property after- wards devolved by marriage upon the family of Turbervill. The old mansion, remarkable for its spacious hall, has been repaired and converted into a handsome residence, now be- longing to Gervas Powell Turbervill, Esq. The church, of Norman origin, contains some very ancient and curious monu- ments. Ogmore Castle^ 2 miles S.W. from Bridgend, stands in an angle formed by the junction of the rivers Ewenny and Ogmore. It is evidently of Norman origin, and is mentioned in Caradoc’s History of Wales as early as the time of William Rufus.. The only remains are portions of the keep and of the outer walls. BRIDGEND. 297 Coity Castle is a fine old ruin, long known as a point of attraction to the artist and the antiquarian. It was built in 1091 by Paganus de Turbervill, to whom this lordship was assigned in the Norman division of the county. It is situated about 2 miles N.E. from Bridgend, and is now the property of the Earl of Dunraven. Dunraven Castle^ close to the Bristol Channel, and direct south from Bridgend, is the residence of the Earl of Dunraven. It is a castellated mansion, built by the late Thomas Wyndham. Esq., on the site of a very ancient structure called in the Welsh histories JDbidryfan. Occupying the summit of a rocky head- land, it has extensive prospects of both land and sea. In the adjacent cliffs are some large and curious excavations. St. Donates Castle is on the coast, S.E. from Dunraven, sheltered and almost concealed by woods. The building, which dates from the 11th century, is extensive, but irregular, and without much beauty. It is the property of Thomas Tyrwhitt Drake, Esq., and parts of it are rendered habitable. In the vicinity is a lofty quadrangular watch-tower, overlooking a great extent of the coast and channel. Forthcawl, about 6 miles S.W. from Bridgend, is a port, the natural advantages of which have been recently much improved by the employment of capital and skill. About 40,000 tons of pig-iron, and 25,000 tons of coal have been shipped at this place in a single year. The shore seems admirably adapted for sea-bathing. At no great distance stands Ty Mawr, or the Great House, once the residence of that unhappy victim of royal inconstancy and cruelty, Anne Boleyn. From Bridgend the railway makes a bend northwards by Port Talbot and Aberafon to Neath, the distance from Bridg- end to Port Talbot being 12 miles. To the west we pass Kenjig^ a cluster of mean cottages on the coast, advanced to the dignity of a parliamentary borough contributory to the Swansea district. The description in Leland’s Itinerary is still accurate : A little village on the east side of Kenfik brooke, and a castle, bothe in mines, choked and devoured \vith the sandes that the sea casteth up.” The desolation of the place and of the adjacent lands is ascribed to an inundation of the sea in the middle of the 1 6th century. It is somewhat interesting on account of what 298 MARGAM PARK MARGAM. is deemed a natural curiosity, a lake of remarkably pure fresh water, within a few yards of the sea, yet wholly unaffected by the ocean ; and it is visited by antiquarians for the sake of an inscribed stone which stands at the side of the road. By dint of persevering scrutiny and frequent conferences learned archaeologists have contrived to discover the following unin- telligible, untranslatable words, Punpeius Carantorius, in characters pronounced by some to be Eoman, by others Komanised British, and by others again genuine Welsh ! Near this is Pyle Inn, a posting-house on the great western road, built by the late Mr. Talbot. It has accommodation for a large number of travellers, and was in high repute, but since the formation of the South Wales Bail way it is com- paratively deserted. On the right is Margam Park, the property of Christopher Eice Mansel Talbot, Esq., M.P., and Lord-Lieutenant of Gla- morganshire, which is 5 miles in circumference, richly wooded, stocked with deer, and distinguished by great beauty. A splendid Elizabethan mansion has been lately erected, from designs by Mr. Hopper of London. The principal ornament and peculiar boast of the pleasure-grounds is a spacious and most elegant conservatory, containing a singularly fine collection of orange and lemon trees. They were brought from Italy by Sir Henry Wotton as a present to Charles I. The vessel in which they were freighted was wrecked on the adjacent coast, and the plants were preserved by the proprietor of Margam with the view of restoring them to the royal owner. The troubles of the period prevented this from being done, and their reten- tion in their present situation was afterwards sanctioned by Queen Anne.* One apartment of the conservatory contains some admirable specimens of ancient statuary, and another a curious collection of cork models of Italian buildings. Margam, an extensive parish of much rural beauty, occupying a rich, verdant level, near to the coast, and at the base of the majestic Mynydd Margam, a lofty elevation cover- ing a space more than a mile in circumference, and clothed to the summit with luxuriant oaks. Here are the relics of a * Some accounts represent the valuable collection as a gift from the King of Spain to Queen Elizabeth ; and others, as intended by an opulent Dutch merchant for Mary, consort of William III. All are agreed respecting the shipwreck, and the subsequent grant by Queen Anne. PORT TALBOT BRITON FERRY. 299 renowned Cistercian Ahhey, founded by Kobert, Earl of Glou- cester, in 1147. King John and his army were entertained here on their passage to Ireland. After the dissolution of monasteries the building was purchased by Sir K. Mansel, and it is now the property of the Talbots, heirs to the Hansels. It has been suffered to fall to decay, and nothing remains but a part of the 'wall of what is said to have been an elegant chapter-house. A portion of the abbey church, used as the parish church, is a good specimen of Norman architecture, and contains some sepulchral memorials of the Mansel family in good preservation. There is also an ancient stone cross about 8 feet in height, richly carved, and bearing some rude and im- perfect characters. Other relics of the kind are observable in the neighbourhood, the inscriptions on which are almost obliterated and wholly illegible. Eglwys Nunydd, now a farm-house, about 2 miles south of Margam, was formerly a nunnery attached to the abbey. At Port Talbot there is an admirable floating harbour ■with a great depth of water, frequented by numerous coasting vessels. Between this and Bristol there is communication by steam-packet. The neighbouring small village of Aherafon has been growing in importance in consequence of the rapid extension of coal and iron mines, and of works on a large scale for copper, tin, and spelter. It is a borough, sharing with Swansea in electing a member of parliament. The population amounts to 7754. A large proportion of the miners and other workmen live in the adjacent hamlets of Hafod-y -Forth, Taibach, Constantinople, etc. As we approach Neath we pass Briton Ferry, a beautiful village, close to the estuary of the Neath, and much celebrated for the attractive charms of its scenery. The climate is so mild, and the situation so sheltered, that many tender exotics grow 'Vigorously and flower freely in the open air. The aspect of the entire district is, ho'wever, sadly impaired by the recent increase of copper-works and collieries. The churchyard is much admired, the custom of planting evergreens and flowers over the graves of departed friends being here observed with peculiar care.* The ferry communicates with a path which * This practice prevails generally in the southern parts of Wales. In the week preceding the holidays of either Easter or Whitsuntide, the surface of the earth over the graves is weeded and dressed, and, if necessary, planted with 300 NEATH. winds along the shore towards Swansea, several miles nearer than by the turnpike-road. In the adjacent delightful retreat of Baglan the poet Mason composed his celebrated Elegy on the death of Lady Coventry. Both Mason and Gray were occasional visitors at Baglan House, then the residence of the Eev. William Thomas, now of Howel Gwyn, Esq. NEATH, [Hotels: Castle; Mack worth Arms ; Walnut Tree.] Briton Ferry, miles ; Swansea, 7 ; Brecon, 33. or NMd, is a place of great antiquity, being, as is generally agreed, the Nidum of Antoninus, and having for a long time held a high station amongst the princely and baronial towns of ancient Cambria. It is situated on the margin of the river Neath, which is navigable by vessels of 300 or 400 tons fresh flowers and shrubs. No flowers are allowed but such as have an agree- able fragrance. The white rose is always placed on the grave of a virgin, and the red rose is appropriated to the graves of persons distinguished for kindness, benevolence, and other social virtues. To molest these plants is deemed a kind of sacrilege. A relation or friend may occasionally gather a flower or a sprig which may be removed without injury, and wear it in remembrance of the deceased ; but will never take so much as to deface the plant, or impair its growth. Where there are gravestones — and these are very generally erected, one at each end of a grave — they are invariably whitened with lime at every recurrence of the holiday seasons. These usages are observed alike by all ranks ; and even in cases of interment within the walls of churches, surviving friends are accustomed to place fresh-gathered flowers upon the tombs on one day in every week, usually Saturday, during at least the whole of one year after burial. To the feelings which lead to this custom Shakespeare thus adverts in Cymbeline “ With fairest flowers. While summer lasts, and I live here, Fidele, ITl sweeten thy sad grave. Thou shalt not lack The flower that’s like thy face, pale primrose ; nor The azured harebell, like thy veins ; no, nor The leaf of eglantine, which, not to slander. Out-sweetened not thy breath.” The following pretty epitaph in Loughor churchyard alludes to the same custom : — “ The village maidens to her grave shall bring Selected garlands each returning spring — Selected sweets, in emblem of the maid Who underneath this hallowed turf is laid ; Like her they flourish, beauteous to the eye ; Like her, too soon, they languish, fade, and die.” NEATH. 301 burthen ; and it is surrounded by hills and valleys teeming with mineral wealth, whose inexhaustible resources have secured for it considerable mercantile importance, and afford the promise of continued and advancing prosperity. Its prin- cipal productions are coal, iron, tin, copper, and chemical tiles. In these articles it has a large and extending trade, which is facilitated and promoted by the advantages of canal and rail- way communication in various directions, in addition to those of ready access to a good harbour and commodious docks. The Castle, situated on the east side of the river, was in- cluded in the domains of Jestyn ap Gwrgan, lord of Morganwg ; and after the conquest by Fitzhamon, it was allotted to his kinsman, Richard de Granville, He repaired and enlarged the fortress, and after founding a monastery, and surrendering his estates in these parts to the church, returned to England. In 1231 the castle was burned by Llewelyn ap Jorwerth. The fragments which remain are quite insignificant. The ruins of Neath Abbey, called by Leland the fairest in all Wales,” form a picturesque object, one mile from the town, on the Swansea road. The building was completed in 1129 by Richard de Granville, who dedicated it to the Holy Trinity, placed therein a small community of Grey Friars, and assigned extensive possessions for their maintenance. The walls of the abbot’s house, with parts of the chapter-house and refectory, remain, affording faint indications of the original extent and magnificence of the structure. Here the unfortunate Edward II. found temporary shelter in 1326, a short time before the loss of his kingdom and his life. Besides these relics of antiquity, Neath has little to attract the notice of the tourist. The only public buildings worthy of mention are the Town Hall, a modern erection combining elegance and utility ; and the Church, a spacious edifice with a quadrangular tower containing six bells. G'aoll Castle is a spacious and elegant mansion, forming a conspicuous object on the side of a hill, immediately above the town, in the midst of extensive plantations and hanging woods. In the groimds there is a cascade, partly artificial, which, by some persons, has been much admired. Neath has a weekly market, and three annual fairs. It is contributory to the Swansea district of parliamentary boroughs, and its population amounts to 6810. 302 VALE OF NEATH. VALE OF NEATH. The river Neath, in its passage from the romantic region amidst the Brecknock hills in which it has its rise, flows through one of the most picturesque valleys in South Wales. Of this valley, to which the river gives name, the lower part is in Glamorganshire, but the higher part, with much of its most beautiful scenery, is in Brecknockshire. During its short course, the river receives a number of mountain tribu- taries, all of which, descending rapidly through deep ravines, make falls of considerable elevation, and great beauty. From the town of Neath there are two roads up the valley, either of which may be taken by persons on foot or on horseback ; but carriages must take that of the north bank of the river, through the village of Cadoxton. Between Cadoxton and Aberdulas the scenery is diversified, and in some parts strikingly beau- tiful. At the latter place, near to a mill, there is a small cascade on the river Dulas, worthy of observation. The access to it is not easy, but assistance may be obtained. The road, crossing the Dulas, continues near to the river Neath, and passes the mansion and tin works of Ynys-y-geryn, be- longing to the family of Llewelyn. At the distance of 6 miles from Neath is the hamlet of Abergarwedd, near to which is the picturesque fall of Melincourt, It is a cascade formed by the river Clydach, which is precipitated about 80 feet ; and from its elevation, and the peculiar forms of the rocks, it has a considerable degree of grandeur. About two miles further is Rheola, the seat of Nash Edwards Vaughan, Esq. Here there is much beautiful scenery, and a glen behind the house is especially lovely. Near the hamlet of Pentreclwyday are some cascades which are pretty, but not of much importance. Hence to Aherpergwm, the mansion of William Williams, Esq., the scenery is pleasant, the grandeur of the mountain range on the right contrasting finely with the gentle beauties of the vale. The glen, through which the Pergwm brook has its course, is remarkably picturesque. In ascending this glen by a new road there is a stone seat with a Welsh inscription, of which the following is a translation : — A resting-place for a pure Welshman ; let him thank God, and proceed.” Near to this point is the hamlet of Glyn VALE OF NEATH. 303 Neath, with a small inn, the Lamb and Flag, at which re- freshment may be obtained. Earl Dunraven has a shooting- box on the opposite side of the river, prettily situated, and commanding fine views. Two miles further is PontneddfechaUj i.e. the Bridge on the Lesser Neath, pronounced and com- monly spelt Pontneathvaughan, a small hamlet with a tolerable inn, the best in the neighbourhood. Beyond, Craig -y-Dinas^ a lofty rock of singular form, rising abruptly among the surrounding mountains, presents a grand and pleasing object. Ascend the rock by a narrow and steep road, and from the summit look down upon the Marquis of Bute’s beautiful nursery plantations, from which have sprung the countless larch and other trees which clothe the adjacent hills and slopes. Proceed by a rough track, nearly two miles, to the Upper Cilhepste cataract ; but before descending to the fall, pause to observe the extensive prospect here disclosed — the vale of Neath, the country around Swansea, the Mumbles point and lighthouse, the roadstead and vessels at anchor, the wide ex- panse of the Bristol Channel, and the distant coast of Somerset and Devon. The Upper Cilhepste is a grand sheet of water, and owing to the abrupt form of the ledge of rock over which it flows, it is projected to such a distance from the cliff as to leave a passage behind, wide enough to allow of persons walk- ing, and even riding, beneath the watery arch. A descent extremely steep, and somewhat hazardous, leads to the fall named the Lower Cilhepste. It is, more accurately, a series of falls, and the total height is not less than 300 feet. This is, perhaps, the finest portion in the whole range, but on ac- count of the difficulty of access it is less visited than other parts. Next proceed to the falls on the Mellte river, called the Clungwyns. They are three in number, and truly beautiful — the middle one particularly grand — all of different character from those previously visited ; and the surrounding scenery, with less of picturesque beauty, has far more of sublimity and grandeur. The path is intricate and not easily found without a guide. In passing from the middle to the highest of these three falls, it is necessary either to cross the river by stepping or leaping from rock to rock, or, if the water be too deep to allow of this, to return to the top of the bank, and make a circuit of nearly a mile, in order to pass an obstructing cliff. Above the highest Clungwyn, the character of the scenery is 3U4 VALE OF NEATH. entirely changed : and the river has a tranquil course, over a pebbly bed, and through verdant meadows. At about a mile from this point, a view of the village and church of Ystrad- fellte opens, and here a short and steep descent conducts to the entrance of Porth-yr~Ogof, or the cavern of Cwm Forth. This is a stupendous natural cavern or tunnel, 43 feet wide, 20 feet high, and extending in length more than half-a-mile, through which the Mellte rolls its darkened waters. There is light enough to allow of entering a short distance, and with the aid of torches it is possible to penetrate three or four hundred yards. To observe satisfactorily what has been thus barely mentioned, will require the whole of a long summer day, and much must be reserved for another. Carriages or horses should be in waiting near Cwm Forth, for returning to either the Angel at Pontneddfechan, or the Lamb and Flag at Glyn Neath. The former has the more convenient situa- tion. The early hours of the next day may be well occupied in the following ramble : — Passing over the bridge which crosses the Neath, go a short distance along the tram-road, to a mill erected for rolling sand, and here take a view of Craig-y-Dinas, before mentioned, observing its peculiar character and most romantic form, especially in its relation to surrounding objects. Proceed on the right hand side of the Dinas rock, and soon reach another natural curiosity, named Bwa-maen, or the stone bow, sometimes also called the Chair of the Witch. This is magnificent ; a precipitous rock of the boldest character, forming the segment of a large circle, the marble strata of which it consists all preserving the same direction. Its height is about 90 feet, and its breadth about 70 feet. Unless there should be a flood, go up the bed of the Sychnant to the ter- mination of the glen through which that little stream flows ; ascend a steep bank, cross the rock to the valley of the Mellte, and return downward along the course of that river to Pont- neddfechan. This is a delightful ramble, exhibiting a variety of beauty rarely excelled. It may possibly occupy three hours, allowing ample time for deliberate observation and occasional resting. The next object is the falls of the Perddyn. The first of these, about a mile and a half from the village, is called Ysgwd Einon Gam, and if seen under favourable circumstances can- MERTHYR TYDFIL. 305 not fail to excite the highest admiration. The solemn grandeur of the surrounding cliffs, the beautiful tints of the waving foliage above, and the furious waters tearing and dashing over the ledge of dark rock, and then precipitously falling in an unbroken sheet, from an elevation of more than 80 feet, into the apparently unfathomable abyss below, all combine to pro- duce a scene most exciting and impressive. The river above this fall is well worth visiting, there being some very bold rapids ; but to avoid excessive fatigue, it may be advisable to take the course usually chosen by the guides, who, after con- ducting to the Einon Gam, return down the river to Ysgwd Gwladis, or the Lady’s Fall. The height of this cascade is not more than 30 feet, but it is distinguished by singular elegance and surpassing beauty. Near to it there was, until lately, a celebrated Logan, or Rocking-stone, of 20 tons weight, so exactly poised as to be moved by a finger ; but it was dis- placed and destroyed, in wanton mischief, by a party of rail- way labourers. The course down the river Perddyn is full of the richest beauty, and there are two falls on the river Neath. The Yale of Neath Kailway affords a view of the scenery of the valley. It follows very much the direction of the road and river as follows : — Neath, Aberdulais, Eesolven, Glyn Neath, Hirwain, and Merthyr Tydfil ; the distance is 23 miles, and the time occupied by the journey is about an hour and a quarter. MEKTHYK TYDFIL [Hotels: Bush; Castle.] From Neath, 23 m. (1 hr. 8m.); Swansea, 30 m. (1 hr. 30 m.) is said to derive its name from Tydfil, daughter of Brychan, Prince of Breconshire, who, having embraced Christianity, was murdered here in the 5th century by a party of pagan Saxons. Being venerated as a sainted martyr, a church was dedicated to her as Tydfil the Martyr, and hence the appellation of the place, Merthyr Tydfil. It is not, however, from any relation to antiquity that the place has interest and importance, but rather as one of the most striking examples of the modern creations of manufacturing enterprise. Situated in a wild part of the northerr. boundary of Glamorganshire, barren of every- X 306 MERTHYR TYDFIL. thing except subterranean wealth, it was known in distant times as a place for the smelting of iron-ore, but the operations were never carried on to any great extent, and the place re- mained an inconsiderable village until about the middle of the last century. At that time, Mr. Anthony Bacon, a gentle- man of much activity and energy, having obtained a long lease of a large tract of iron and coal country, and entered into a contract with government for supplying the arsenals with cannon, great works were erected in different parts of the dis- trict, which rapidly diffused industry and attracted population. After acquiring an immense fortune, Mr. Bacon disposed of the tract in separate leases to various parties. The largest portion, in the immediate neighbourhood of Merthyr Tydfil, came into the possession of Mr. Crawshay, whose spirit and intelligence speedily raised the operations in iron to such magnitude and perfection, that this spot became one of the most celebrated in the kingdom for this important branch of national manufacture. There are now four establishments on a large scale, with nearly 50 blast-furnaces, each of which commonly yields about 80 tons of iron in a week. The amount paid for wages in these four establishments exceeds a million sterling annually. The populous town which, with astonish- ing rapidity, has sprung into existence, was, until lately, a shapeless unsightly cluster of wretched dingy dwellings ; but having in recent years undergone much improvement as well as extension, it now contains some regular, well-built streets, a court-house, a market-house, several elegant private resi- dences, a large number of respectable shops, four churches, and not fewer than thirty-six dissenting chapels. It has, by means of both canal and railway, facilities for communication with the port of Cardijff. Similar operations in coal and iron are carried on in every part of the circumjacent district, par- ticularly at Aberdare and Hirwaun, which are to the west ; at Kumney and Tredegar on the east ; and along the Taff Yale, southward ; all these places being likewise connected with the coast by canal and railway. Merthyr has a commo- dious market-house, occupying about two acres of land : the principal market is on Saturday. It returns one representa- tive to the House of Commons, the borough comprising the entire parishes of Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare and the ham- let of Coed-y-Cymmer. The population of the parish is 49,794 ; of the borough, 83,875. SWANSEA. 307 The following mansions are in the vicinity: Cyfarihfa Castle^ William Crawshay, Esq. ; Dowlais House, the late Sir John Guest ; Pen-y-darran House (late) Alderman William Thompson, M.P. ; Duffryn, Henry Austyn Bruce, Esq., M.P. ; Aberammon, Crawshay Bailey, Esq. ; Plymouth House, Anthony Hill, Esq. ; Gwallod-y-Garth, William Meyrick, Esq. ; and Gadlys, George Kowland Morgan, Esq. About three miles from Merthyr to the north, and half-a-mile out of the old road over the mountains to Brecon, is the very ancient castle of Mortals, much dilapidated. It was the seat of the princes of Brecon, and was dismantled by the Parliamentary army in the 17th century. SWANSEA. [Hotels: Mackworth Arms ; Castle; Cameron Arms, etc.] Distances - Llanelly, 9J miles; Carmarthen, 30; Neath, 7; Merthyr, 30. This town, claiming to be regarded as the most important in South Wales, is advantageously and beautifully situated, between two lofty hills, on the western bank of the Tawe, which is navigable for ships of large burden, and in the centre of a noble bay to which it gives its name. Swansea Bay extends from E. to W. 9 miles, is sheltered from the most unfavourable winds by an amphitheatre of hills, and its western extremity forms the Mumbles roadstead, so well known to mariners frequenting the Bristol Channel. Being near the efflux of the river Tawe, the Welsh name of the town is Ahertawe. Swansea is an ancient borough town, having received a number of charters in different reigns. It is at present governed by a corporation, consisting of a mayor, six aldermen, and eighteen councillors. With Neath, Lloughor, Aberavon, and Kenfig, it returns one member to parliament. The population of the parish amounts to 33,972 ; of the borough to 41,606. The town has risen, with a rapidity un- equalled in the history of the principality, from a compara- tively insignificant place to a high degree of commercial and manufacturing importance ; being indebted for its advance- ment and prosperity, not less to the mineral treasures abound- ing in its neighbourhood, than to its highly advantageous maritime situation. The vast stores of coal and other mineral productions throughout the district, combined with its local 308 SWANSEA facilities of intercourse by sea, have led to the establishment of numerous smelting-furnaces, which are conducted with such complete success, that Swansea has become the chief seat of the copper trade in Great Britain. The number of tons of copper-ore smelted annually in the kingdom is estimated at about 200,000, nine-tenths of which are supposed to be manu- factured in Swansea and its vicinity. In addition to the great copper works, there are extensive manufactories of iron, tin- plate, zinc, alkali, and patent fuel ; breweries, potteries, and yards for the building of iron and other ships. The principal exports are copper, iron, tin-plate, coal, culm, patent fuel, alkali, and earthenware ; and the imports are metallic ores, timber, tobacco, hemp, tallow, flour, grain, etc. The patent fuel, which is made and exported in great quantities, is a composttion of culm, or small coal, and tar, powerfully com- pressed into the form of bricks, and much used in steam- vessels, particularly such as are required to take long voyages. The situation of the port is admirably adapted for carrying on an extensive commerce ; and for its improvement very considerable sums are annually expended under the authority of acts of parliament. A judicious plan for enlarging this harbour, recommended by Captain Huddart, F.E.S., has been accomplished; a stone pier and embankment of about 300 yards having been built on the western side, and a similar pier of 600 yards on the eastern side, leaving an opening of 80 yards between the pier-heads ; thus forming an outer har- bour, capable of holding in perfect safety many hundred vessels. A lighthouse and a station for pilots have been erected on the western pier, rendering the entrance safe and convenient. A portion of the harbour has been converted into a float, forming a basin of about ten acres ; and commodious docks have, more recently, been constructed, capable of ac- commodating ships of the largest class. At the N.E. of the harbour is Port Tennant, so named from the gentleman by whom it was projected, and at whose expense it was con- structed in the year 1826. It contains two docks of sufii- cient depth for vessels of 200 tons burthen. On the banks of the river, at Port Tennant, and at the New Cut, are spacious and commodious quays, bonded warehouses, stores, a dry dock, and a patent slip equal to the repairing of ships of 600 tons burthen. By means of canals and tram-roads, the port has SWANSEA. 309 conununication with the interior of Glamorganshire and the adjacent counties ; and the recent completion of the South Wales Kail way, with its extensive system of ramification, facilitating intercourse with every part of the kingdom, operates greatly to the advantage of the town and harbour. There are also numerous steam-packets to and from Bristol, Liverpool, Tenby, Milford, and Ilfracombe. The trade of the port, which during the last forty years has steadily increased, is now advancing with augmented rapidity ; and it seems not unreasonable to expect that Swansea, already the most im- portant place in the principality of Wales, will ere long rank with the busiest and most prosperous seaports of Britain. The town of Swansea is, in general, well planned and built, and having great advantages of situation, it presents a striking appearance. From either of the adjacent heights called Kilvey Hill, and the Craig, a good view may be ob- tained of the whole town, its beautiful bay, and the surround- ing country. There are three churches in the town, and others in the suburbs ; none of them being at all remarkable for their architecture. The parish church, St. Mary’s, has some good old monuments, removed from an ancient church which fell in the year 1739. St. John’s church, rebuilt in 1825, was formerly a chapel belonging to the Knights of Jerusalem. At Sketty, a village near the town, a pretty church, built at the expense of J. H. Vivian, Esq., was opened in Novem- ber 1850. Dissenters of various denominations have not fewer than 1 8 chapels in the town, besides many in Morriston and other suburbs. The Castle, formerly distinguished by extent and strength, is said to have been erected in 1 1 1 3 by Henry Beaumont, Earl of Warwick, a Norman leader. The principal feature is a massive quadrangular tower, remarkable for a range of light arches surrounding the top, and supporting a parapet which forms a connection with a turret at each angle. In adapting parts of the structure, at diff‘erent periods, to the purposes of a town-hall, a market-house, a gaol, barracks, and warehouses, the original plan has been obscured, and being now closely surrounded by other erections, it is nearly concealed from observation. It is the property of the Duke of Beaufort, as Baron of Gower. The Towrirhall is a beautiful Grecian structure of Bath 310 SWANSEA. stone, erected by the corporation in 1825, and greatly enlarged in 1848. It includes all the requisite offices and apartments for the magisterial business of the town and county. The Royal Institution of South Wales possesses a large and elegant build- ing, the principal front of which extends 100 feet, having in the centre a prostyle portico of four fluted Ionic columns. It contains a valuable library, museums of zoology, antiquities, and mineralogy, a theatre for lectures, a laboratory, a council- room, and other apartments. The Markets of Swansea are pro- verbially excellent. The principal market-buildings, extending in length 320 feet, and in breadth 220 feet, are erected on ground given to the corporation by the late C. E. Jones, Esq. They were opened in 1830, and a fish-market was added in 1847. Wednesday and Saturday are the stated market-days. There are many other public buildings, of which the following may be mentioned — Custom-house, Chamber of Commerce, Theatre, Assembly-rooms, Police Office, Barracks, House of Correction, Union Poorhouse, Infirmary, House of Industry, Lunatic Asylum for four counties. Free Grammar School, National and British Schools, and, in connection with these. Training and Normal Institutions. Swansea is much resorted to for sea-bathing, and for this purpose its shore is admirably adapted ; yet it cannot be denied that to persons seeking health it is rendered in a less degree attractive by the smoke and noxious effluvia which, in some states of wind, are brought in from the copper and chemi- cal works of the neighbourhood. There is a building for warm sea- water and vapour baths, but it is small, and in all respects unworthy of the town. Two newspapers are published, namely, the Cambrian and the Swansea and Glamorgan Herald, The town is continually undergoing improvements, and there is a general diffusion of intelligence, activity, and public spirit, which ensures further advancement. The rides and walks in the vicinity are numerous and pleasing ; aquatic excursions are frequently made to the Mumbles, and other places on the coast ; and there are annually sailing matches and other sports. In various directions from the town there are numerous mansions and villas, of which the following may be noticed in addition to those named in the several other routes to and from Swansea : — Singleton, John Henry Vivian, Esq. ; Veranda, Henry Hussey Vivian, Esq. ", EXCURSION THROUGH GOWER. 311 Sketty Park, George Byng Morris, Esq. ; Skeity Hall, Lewis Weston Dillwyn, Esq. ; Park Wern, Lewis Llewelyn Dillwyn Esq. ; Heathjleld, Ireland Jones, Esq. ; Maesteg, Pascoe St. Leger Grenfell, Esq. ; Woodland Castle, J. D. Berrington, Esq. ; and Penrice Castle, C. E. M. Talbot, Esq. The copper-works and other manufactories are situated along the sides of the river, at about a mile and a half from the town ; and here the atmosphere is beclouded and vitiated by the fumes of copper, sulphur, arsenic, etc. ; and the face of the country, deprived of its verdure, is rendered barren aiid unsightly. It is, however, affirmed that the health of the working people is not injuriously affected, and that a full average proportion of them attain an old age. Objects of great interest to the antiquarian and archaeolo- gist abound in the vicinity, which have attracted the visits of the British Association and the Cambrian Archaeological Society. Many of these are included in the district of Gower, of which a notice is subjoined. Suitable conveyances and all requisite facilities for the excursion may be readily obtained in Swansea. Excursion through Gower. The peninsular extremity of Glamorganshire S.W. from Swansea is named Gower. Interesting peculiarities in the history and marmers of its inhabitants ; the remains of ancient architecture, British, Eoman, and Norman, with which it abounds ; and the extremely romantic character of its rocky coast, render it highly worthy of attentive examination. Like a part of Pembrokeshire previously noticed, this division of Glamorganshire is occupied by the descendants of a colony of Flemings, who settled here in the time of Henry I. Between the new settlers and the native Welsh mutual jealousy and animosity occasioned complete alienation ; and the colonists, retaining much of their own national characteristics, adopted the language of the English, by whom they were countenanced and assisted. Barely intermarrying with the Welsh, and holding comparatively little intercourse with them or with others, they are still peculiar in dialect and dress, and even, to some degree, in their physical appearance ; thus continuing a distinct people after the lapse of 750 years. Their language, radically Saxon, includes a number of obsolete English terms. 312 EXCURSION THROUGH GOWER. and many words of Teutonic origin. Specimens of Flemish architecture meet the eye in every part of the district. In making a circuit from Swansea, the following objects of in- terest will be observed. Oystermouth Castle, built by Henry Beaumont, Earl of Warwick, is a majestic ruin in good preserva- tion. Standing on a picturesque eminence, backed by broken cliffs of limestone, it forms a striking and stately object from the road between Swansea and the Mumbles . The village of Oyster- mouth, overshadowed by a range of limestone rock, is said to be secluded from a sight of the sun during three months in the year. The oyster-fishery gives employment to about 400 men. The Mumbles, a small primitive town, or more properly Adllage, built at the foot of the cliffs, abounds with many romantic and beautiful scenes. The principal hotels are the Mermaid, the George, and Ship and Castle ; and there are numerous lodging-houses. From the hotels omnibuses run to and from Swansea, meeting the up and down trains. The road skirts the bay, and affords a delightful drive of about 6 miles, passing a number of pretty seats and villas, including Single- ton Abbey, the seat of J. H. Vivian, Esq., and Woodlands Castle, the residence of Mr. Berrington. The beach at Caswell, though not very extensive, is broad and spacious, presenting a firm and even surface of sand. A large and commodious boarding-house has also been erected, which commands delight- ful views of the bay and adjacent scenery ; on fine days the Devonshire coast is quite visible, and under favourable circum- stances Ilfracombe and Lundy Island. The number of vessels which daily leaves Swansea and the Mumbles gives great in- terest and animation to the scene. This bay is entirely pro- tected from the east, north-east, north, and north-west winds, by the bold coast which surrounds it. There are several objects of interest in the locality, and some easy excursions may be made, among which are those to Pwlldu point and bay, and Bishop- stone valley. On the way from Pwlldu by the cliffs towards Oxwich are two caverns of great interest, the first called Bacon Hole, the second Mitchen Hole, which is the largest and very dissimilar ; each fronts the sea, and both are difficult and dan- gerous of access from the land without a guide, who may be obtained at Pwlldu. But the easiest and best way is to employ a boat, and enter them at low water. Mumbles Head is a bold rocky j^rojection, washed by the waters of the Bristol Channel, EXCURSION THROUGH GOWER. 313 the navigation of which it facilitates by a noble lighthouse, whose fixed, brilliant, white light is discerned from a great dis- tance. As a natural place of shelter for shipping, the bay within this headland is surpassed by none on the British coasts. From the rock behind the village there is a fine view of the ocean and of the deeply-indented coast of the peninsula. About one mile and a half to the westward of the Mumbles Head is Langland Bay, famed for the number and variety of its shells. About one mile westward beyond Langland by the cliffs, and two by the village of Newton, is the charming little bay of Caswell. Penard Castle is a weather-beaten ruin, standing on a rocky cliff, at the extremity of a barren sandy heath. Two round towers and some fragments of an embat- tled wall are the only remains. At Oxwich Bay, terminating at Oxxoith Point, the coast is singularly wild and romantic, abounding with curious caverns and rocky promontories ; and here are the ruins of a castellated mansion, built about the middle of the 1 6th century. Cefu Bryn is a long mountain- ridge, upon the N.E side of which is a vast cromlech, con- sisting of a prodigious mass of lapis molaris, computed to weigh from 20 to 25 tons, supported by a number of upright stones of the same description. The common people call it Arthur's Stone, and ascribe the placing of the immense mass to the prodigious strength of that renowned hero, who was slain at the battle of Camlan, a.d. 540. Many other vestiges of Druidical times are found in the neighbourhood. The Gower Arms is a commodious inn, built by Captain Penrice, the only resting-place for those whose excursion is to be ex- tended to the more distant parts of Gower. It is situated 8 miles from Swansea, 6 from Oystermouth, and 2 from the base of the eastern end of Cefn Bryn. Penrice Castle is the splendid mansion of C. B. Mansel Talbot, Esq., M.P., near to the site of an ancient fortress of which there are some slight remains. The flower-garden at this place is justly celebrated. Stout Hall, in the parish of Beynoldstone, to the west of Penrice, is the elegant residence of E. R. Wood, Esq. In the grounds is an immense cavern, penetrating a limestone rock, capacious enough to receive 2000 persons. WorrrHs Head, and Rhossili village form the extremity of the peninsula. The promontory extends more than a mile, and as at half-flood the isthmus which connects it with the shore is under water, it 314 LLWCHWR, OR LLOUGHOR. then becomes an island. It should be visited at low- water, for the sake of examining its curious rocks. Proceeding northward, reach Llangennydd^ the site of a priory, which, in 1441, was granted to Allsouls College, Oxford. Next in order is Llanmadoc Hilly which commands a good view of Carmarthen bay on one side, and Swansea bay on the other, and has on its summit vestiges of a Eoman encampment. Thence, 3 miles eastward, on the return to Swansea, is Wehley CastUy formerly a place of great strength. Being difficult of access, it is not often visited. This circuit of the district of Gower extends to between 40 and 50 miles. Over the whole the Duke of Beaufort is lord paramount of the seigniory. In proceeding from Swansea, we cross the neck of Gower Point, a distance of 6 miles, to LLWCHWE, OB LLOUGHOB, [Hotel : Globe.] sometimes called also Castell LUvckwr, a small town and port, situated on the E. side and near to the mouth of a river of the same name, which, for a considerable distance, forms a boundary between the counties of Carmarthen and Glamorgan. The wide estuary below is called the Burry. A ferry, long established here, and attended with much inconvenience, was superseded by a wooden bridge. Collieries and copper-works surround the town. It is supposed to be the Leucarum of Antoninus, and the fifth Boman station on the road named Julia Strata. It has the shell of a quadrangular castle, situ- ated on a mound, with the remains of a double trench by which it was defended. It appears that this fortress was built in 1099, by Henry Beaumont, Earl of Warwick ; de- stroyed by two sons of GryfFydd ap Bhys in 1115 ; and re- built by Hugh le Des23enser in the time of Edward II. An old house, called the Sanctuary, is said to have belonged to the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. Lloughor is one of the boroughs in the Swansea district. Population, 1238. PoNTARDULAis is a bridge crossing the river Dulais at its junction with the Lloughor. Close to the bridge is an inn, which is a posting-house on the upper or northern road between Carmarthen and Swansea. It is a good fishing station, and is in the vicinity of much beautiful scenery. LLANELLY KIDWELLY. 315 Three miles further is LLANELLY. [Eotels : Slepney Arms ; Thomas Arms.] 9^ miles from Swausea. Extensive and productive coal-mines, the establishment of large copper and iron works, and the excellence of the harbour and docks, have combined to render this town one of the most populous and flourishing in South Wales. Its interests are still further advanced by the recent construction of railways in different directions, especially into the centre of the rich coal-field in the N.E. ; and it seems probable that Llanelly ■will, at no distant period, become one of the most important commercial ports of the principality. It presents, however, but little to attract or to detain the tourist. The to'wn is irregularly built on a creek near the junction of the counties of Carmarthen and Glamorgan, and at the verge of the rich mineral basin of South Wales. Great quantities of excellent coal are exported to France, Spain, and the Mediter- ranean ; copper-ore is imported from Cornwall ; and the manu- factured metal is sent to Liverpool and other English ports. The church is an old irregular structure, remarkable as hav- ing two steeples, one terminating in a spire, and the other in an embattled parapet. Within the parish are several chapels of ease. Dissenters of various denominations are numerous, and have large places of worship. The markets are held on Thursday and Saturday. Llanelly is a parliamentary borough, contributory to the Carmarthen district. The population of the parish amounts to 17,279. From Llanelly we proceed along Burry Inlet and Pembrey Point to Kidwelly, a distance of 10 miles. KIDWELLY [Hotel: Pelican.] is a market-town, 1 1 miles S. from Carmarthen, divided by the river Gwendraeth-fach into two townships. The part distinguished as Old Kidwelly was formerly surrounded by walls, with three gates, one of which is yet standing, but nearly all the houses have fallen to decay. New Kidwelly, on 316 KIDWELLY LLANSTEPHAN. the E. side of the river, over which there is a good stone bridge, has a few good houses in addition to many of an inferior class. The inhabitants are employed in working coal, smelting iron, and making tin-plate. It is not a place of much trade, the river being liable to obstructions, notwith- standing costly efforts for its improvement made by Earl Cawdor, who is the principal proprietor. There is, however, canal communication with Pembrey, where there is a com- modious quay ; and it is connected by both canal and railway vdth Llanelly, which has a flourishing and increasing trade. Kidwelly has a weekly market, and the population amounts to 1648. On a rocky eminence, overlooking the old town, stands a castle, said to have been built soon after the Norman Conquest, and now a large and imposing ruin, in tolerable preservation, with some of its apartments entire, and flights of steps not greatly injured. The west gateway is a noble specimen of architecture, and some of the towers at the angles retain their arched roofs of stone. The whole structure has an aspect of solemn magnificence. The battlements afford good views of Carmarthen bay, and of the country on both sides of the river Towy. The church is an old cruciform edifice, which has been allowed to sink into a state of decay, the transepts being in ruins, and the centre aisle being the only part which can be used for divine service. Not far from the church are the vestiges of an ancient priory. From Kidwelly we proceed northwards, by the estuary of the river Towy. About 4|- miles in this direction is Ferryside station, opposite which is LLANSTEPHAN, i.e. St. Stephen’s Church, a pleasant village at the mouth of the river Towy, much resorted to for sea-bathing. It has a sainted well, formerly in high repute ; but it is noticed chiefly on account of the picturesque and venerable ruins of Llanstephan Castle^ crowning the summit of a bold hill, the precipitous base of which is washed by the sea. Its broken walls enclose a large area, and there are indications of earthen ramparts by which these appear to have been surrounded. This castle is said to have been built by Uchiryd^ Prince of ST. CLEAR^S, OR ST. CLARE. 317 Meirion, in 1138, but it soon fell into the hands of the Nor- mans and Flemings. From them it was taken by the sons of Gryffydd ap Rhys, Prince of South Wales ; and so vigorously was it maintained by them, that the utmost force which the foreigners could raise was unable to recover it. In latter times likewise, it successfully withstood some formidable assaults, whence we may infer that it was a fortress of great strength. Llanstephan is within 7 miles of Carmarthen, and often visited by parties from that town. For description of Car- marthen, which is 5 1 miles from Ferry side, see page 277. From Carmarthen the railway proceeds straight west- wards, passing at the distance of 8^ miles. ST. CLEAR’S, OR ST. CLARE, {Hotels : Blue Boar ; Swan. miles from Carmartben.] a straggling and rather populous village, situated in a val- ley, in which the river Taf receives its tributaries, the Gynin and the Dewi-fawr. Being at the head of the estuary formed by the confluence of these rivers, it is acces- sible for vessels of 60 or 80 tons. It formerly possessed a castle, distinguished as a meeting-place of Welsh bards ; and a priory of Cluniac monks, founded in the year 1291. There are no visible remains of either of these buildings, but an artificial mound is said to mark the site of the former. This neighbourhood was the principal rendezvous of the leaders in the “ Rebecca” riots of 1843, formerly noticed. About 2 miles below St. Clear’s, where the Taf receives another tributary, the Cywyn, is the village of Llanjihangel Ahercywyn, in the churchyard of which are three remarkable tombs, regarded by the peasantry with superstitious veneration. Tradition relates that three holy palmers, meeting here in great destitution, prepared for themselves three graves, agreeing that two of them should be put to death, and that the third, after burying them, should lie down in the remaining grave, and pull over it a large stone ; and this, it is said, was done ; but the last stone is imperfectly placed, as though the strength of the poor man had failed before the completion of the work. The peninsula in which this village is situated is, according to local 318 LLAUGHARNE WHITLAND. belief, free from noxious and venomous creatures, excepting when these tombstones are neglected and allowed to be over- run with weeds. Two miles further south is Llaughm'ne, {Hotel : Castle] a small but neat town, occupying a sequestered situation at the mouth of the river Taf. Here are the well- preserved remains of a Norman castle, believed to have been built about the year 1100. In 1215 it fell into the hands of Prince Llewelyn, by whom it was nearly destroyed. Subse- quently it was restored by Sir Guido de Brian, and it remained to share the fate of the numerous Welsh fortresses which were besieged and dismantled in the time of Cromwell. The ruins are included in the pleasure-grounds of James K. Starke, Esq., and the corporation have recently caused a very pleasant walk to be made along the side of the cliff, opposite the ivy-covered castle, from which there is an excellent view. The Sir Guido mentioned above bequeathed some lands to the town ; and in the church is preserved a purple mantle, richly embroidered with, gold, which he was accustomed to wear. Llaugharne gave birth to the eminent divine and theological witer. Dr. Josiah Tucker, Dean of Gloucester, who died in 1799. There is a ferry across the estuary to Llanstephan. At low-water there is a great extent of sand, which abounds with curious shells, some of them very uncommon. Market on Friday. Population, 1868. A short run of 5 miles from St. Clear’s brings us to Whitland, the junction station for Tenby and Pembroke, the former being nearly 1 6 and the latter 25 miles distant. Whitland is famous for its Abbey, or Ty Gwyn ar Tdf^ (the White House on the Tave), an abode of White monks, much celebrated in the 5th and 6th centuries. Here it was that Prince Hywel Ddd, about the year 926, held a council of military, ecclesias- tical, and civil leaders, for the purpose of revising the Cam- brian laws. The code of Howel the Good, although abrogated in 1282, is still in existence. Some interesting Druidical antiquities remain in this neighbourhood. The Hon. W. H. Yelverton has erected a modern mansion on the site of Ty Gwyn. NARBERTH. 319 At Whitland we enter the county of Pembroke, and a run of 5 miles brings us to NAKBERTH, [Hotels: Rutzen Arms; Golden Lion.] a busy thriving town, containing many dwellings of great antiquity, and some of very recent date. The ruins of a Norman castle crown the summit of a hill at the entrance, and have a very picturesque appearance. This fortress, which was evidently of considerable extent, was built in the 12th century by Andrew Perrott, who garrisoned it with a body of Flemings, then lately settled in this county. In the reign of Edward III. it was in the possession of the Earl of March, and on the attainder of that nobleman it fell to the crown. By Henry VIII. it was given to Sir Rhys ab Thomas, and Leland calls it “ a praty pile of old Sir Reeses.” In the time of Charles I. it suffered much injury, but it was soon afterwards repaired and inhabited. The manor and castle, and all the privileges annexed to them, are now the property of Baron de Rutzen of Slebech Hall, who has built a market- house and a large hotel, and made other improvements in the town. The market is held on Thursday, and there are not fewer than eight annual cattle-fairs. It is a parliamentary borough, contributory to the district of Haverfordwest, and is about four miles from the NarberthRoad station of the South Wales Railway. Population of the parish, 2546 ; of the borough, 1209. From Narberth we proceed directly southwards for 7 miles to the village of Saundersfoot {Inn: Picton Castle), situated on a bay of the same name, and possessing a com- modious harbour for coal vessels, connected with the collieries by tram-roads. Near to it is Amroth Castle, which was the feudal residence of a follower of Arnulph de Montgomery. It is a noble mansion, but has been for some time unoccupied. The vicinity is richly wooded. Three and a half mdes beyond this is 320 TENBY TENBY. [Hotels ; Coburgh ; Gatehouse ; White Lion.] Pembroke, 11^ miles ; Whitland, 16. The view of this town, when approaching it from the north, is striking, and singularly beautiful. The buildings are disposed upon the sides and ridge of a long and narrow promontory, which curves in a crescent form towards the east, and terminates in a peninsular rock, surmounted by the ruins of a castle. In the centre is the church with its graceful spire ; and beyond are the Isle of Caldy, Carmarthen Bay, and the Bristol Channel. In fine weather the coast of Devon- shire and Lundy Island may also be discerned. The old British name is Dinhych y Pysgod, which signifies the Preci- pice or “ Denbigh ” of Fishes ; thus called from its peculiar advantages as a fishing town, and also to distinguish it from the town of Denbigh in North Wales. It was originally founded by the Flemings, whose settle- ment in Pembrokeshire, in the 12 th century, has been pre- viously noticed. In the reign of Henry II., Kichard Strong- bow contributed largely to the improving and fortifying of the place. Prior to the time of Elizabeth it was a port of much commercial importance, and during her reign its defences, as a military post, were repaired and strengthened. From that period it declined greatly, and at length it was nearly deserted ; but during the present century it has rapidly revived, and having become a fashionable resort for bathing, it has extended far beyond its ancient limits, and now possesses all the charac- teristics of a flourishing modern watering-place. Its advan- tages in this respect are, the variety of its aspects, the clear- ness of the water, which is unpolluted by the discharge of any river, the firmness and extent of its sands, the purity of its air, and its freedom from the smoke of manufactories, and from the bustle of more frequented seaports. It has, besides, pecu- liar attractions for the artist, in the picturesque and romantic character of the limestone rocks along the irregular line of the adjacent coast ; and for the antiquary, in the relics of ancient military and baronial architecture which abound in this remote district of the kingdom, and may be reached by easy walks or rides from the town. TENBY 321 The old town of Tenby was surrounded by walls, con- siderable portions of which remain, together with some of the towers by which they were defended. Near the south gate a stone in the wall has this inscription, ‘‘A. 1588, E. K. 30,” in allusion, doubtless, to repairs effected in the thirtieth year of Queen Elizabeth’s reign. In the castle-grounds has been erected a very handsome statue of the late Prince Consort. Of the castle the remains are inconsiderable, consisting of the keep, on the most elevated ground, apparently a Flemish structure, and now used as a signal station by the Preventive Service ; a circular bastion overhanging the cliff ; an embattled tower which formed part of the entrance ; and fragments of the wall by which the whole was enclosed. The views ob- tained from the Castle Hill are pleasing and diversified. To- wards the N.E. are the beautiful sweep of Carmarthen Bay, the whole shore of Carmarthenshire, and a portion of the county of Glamorgan, terminating in the bold insulated pro- montory called Worm’s Head, which is 18 miles distant. Monkstone Point is a conspicuous headland in the near view, and in clear weather the prospect embraces the town and castle of Kidwelly, the Black Mountains of Carmarthenshire, 40 miles distant, and the smoke of the copper- works near Swansea. To the S.W. appear the pretty church and village of Penally, Giltar Point, and the islands of St. Margaret and Caldy. The Church, dedicated to St. Mary, is ancient and spacious, with a lofty spire which serves as a landmark to mariners. It contains a number of monuments, of which the most remark- able is one of alabaster, curiously sculptured, in memory of John and Thomas White, who were enterprising and opulent merchants of this place in the 15 th century. Near the church is a small but elegant arch, built about the time of Henry VII., and still bearing two shields, with his arms as Earl of Eichmond and King of England. It was observable that this arch, and some others in the vicinity, are so low as not to admit a person of average height without stooping, although there is no indication of the earth having accumu- lated at the foundations. An interesting chapel, dedicated to St. Julian, at one time stood at the extremity of the pier, at which prayers were offered up for the preservation and success of the fishermen when about to sail ; and where, on their re- Y 322 TENBY. turn, they were met by the priest to receive his tithe of their cargoes. The last remains of this chapel were pulled down in 1844. There are good chapels for the Independent, the Baptist, and the Wesleyan Dissenters. The Market-house, erected in 1829, has a neat front, and though small, is well adapted for its purpose. The principal market is on Saturday, but dealers are in attendance on other days. The Baths, situated between the harbour and the castle, were built by the late Sir William Paxton. They are suitably fitted up, and comprise every requisite. To the same gentleman the tovm is indebted for the means of procuring a regular supply of excellent spring-water, the previous want of which had occasioned serious inconvenience and injury to the place. For sea-bathing on the sands there is every desirable facility ; and for the accommodation and amusement of visitors, Tenby has adequate provision in its hotels and lodging-houses, an As- sembly room, a circulating library and reading-room, bil- liard-rooms, and cricket-ground. A musical band is engaged every season, to perform at appointed times and places. The streets of the town are carefully paved, cleaned, and lighted. Varieties of shells and sea- weeds abound on the sands and rocks, some of them very rare. The trade of the port is not extensive. Most of the vessels frequenting the harbour belong to other places. The fisher- men from the coast of Devonshire come hither in pursuit of their occupation, and take their cargoes to Bristol. The prin- cipal fish caught are soles, turbot, John Dorey, cod, oysters, lobsters, and crabs. In parts of the coast and of the neigh- bouring islands, there are limestone quarries of great extent, furnishing employment to many persons. Tenby is a parliamentary borough in the Pembroke dis- trict, for which one M.P. is elected. Population of the town and parish, 3197. The islands of Caldy and St. Margaret are extra-parochial, and contain 73 inhabitants. St. Catherines RocJc is separated from the Castle Hill at high-water, but may be reached, across the sand, when the tide is out. It is a bold and rugged rock, perforated by a cavern, through which the sea rushes with great violence, and surmounted by the ruins of a small chapel. This rock is now being fortified by Government. Caldy Island, two miles and a half from Tenby harbour, is TENBY. 323 frequently visited in boats, and its beach and cliffs receive numerous pic-nic parties. It is of irregular form, and contains, 650 acres. It was formerly much more populous than it now is, and had three religious houses. A portion of one of these, consisting of a small square tower with a spire, still remains, attached to the modern mansion of Cabot Kynaston, Esq., the proprietor of the island. At the southern and most elevated part there is a lighthouse. Caldy abounds with sea-birds ; oysters, lobsters, and crabs are taken in great numbers. JSt. Margarets Island is disjoined from Caldy at high water, but when the tide is out there is a passage over a ledge of rocky ground. It contains the ruins of a small monastic cell. Rabbits are numerous. The caverns of this island are magnificent, and have employed the pencil of many an artist. Giltar Point projects boldly into the ocean, and at its ex- tremity the view borders on the terrific, the face of the rock being lofty and almost perpendicular. At low-water this remarkable cliff may be reached from Tenby by walking over the sands, and across what is called the Burrows, an exten- sive rabbit-warren, covered with moss and dwarf wild roses. Gumfreston, about 2 miles W. from Tenby, has a mineral spring resembling those of Tunbridge Wells. It is situated in a valley, at the foot of a steep hill. Not far from it is Trejloyn (originally Trellwyn), the remains of an ancient forti- fied mansion, which formed the head-quarters of the Earl of Carberry in the civil wars. It is now a desolate ruin, ap- proached through a gloomy archway. Some parts have been rendered habitable for a few farm-labourers. Rather nearer the town is Scotshorough, another decayed mansion of similar character, which once belonged to the distinguished family of RhT's. In going from Tenby to Pembroke, the following interest- ing objects present themselves, which will here be briefly noticed : — Penally is a pretty little village, about a mile and a half from Tenby by the turnpike road, or less than a mile across the Burrows. It has a number of ornamental cottages and villas, situated on rising ground, and having a good view of the sea, with the islands and rocky coast. The church is an antiquarian curiosity, and in the churchyard is a portion of an early inscribed cross, covered with rich tracery. 324 PEMBROKE. Four miles from Tenby is Manorhier, nearly two miles S. of which, upon the coast, is the small village of that name, mth the venerable ruins of a Norman castle built in the reign of Henry I. The remains are in good preservation, and afford a fine specimen of the military architecture of that period. The walls are lofty and embattled, with circular towers at the angles, and a larger tower and watch-turret at the entrance. All the windows open into an inner court. The whole is destitute of ornament, and it is evident that, in its construction, strength and security were chiefly considered. Although in an exposed situation, and near to the scene of many conflicts, it has never been assailed by a hostile force. Its chief interest, however, is derived from its having been the birthplace, in the 12th century, of Giraldus Cambrensis^ of the princely family of De Barri, the renowned topographer and historian of Wales. The castle is now the property of Lord Milford. About a mile to the N. of the same station is the village of St. Florence. Next comes Lamphey, originally Llanffydd, where are the ruins of one of the seven magnificent palaces formerly attached to the see of St. David’s. There are remains of several large apartments, and of a chapel, all indicating that the edifice was distinguished by the most elaborate and elegant architecture. In the time of Henry VIII. it was alienated from the Episcopal see, and was granted by the crown to Viscount Hereford, afterwards Earl of Essex, from whose heirs it passed into the possession of the Owens of Orielton. Every part is rapidly decaying. Lamphey Court., the modern mansion of Charles Matthias, Esq., is contiguous to the palace, and has extensive gardens and pleasure-grounds, laid out with much taste. The old cross has been removed. PEMBROKE [Hotels: Golden Lion ; Green Dragon.] Pembroke Dock, 2 miles ; Tenby, ; Milford, 7 ; Whitland, 25^. consists principally of one long street of respectable width, ascending gradually, and terminating at a rocky point which projects into one of the navigable creeks of Milford Haven. The town was formerly defended by walls and towers, slight PEMBROKE. 325 remains of which, are still visible. The castle is a Norman structure of great interest, and even in its present dilapidated state a magnificent pile. According to Caradoc of Llan- carfan, a fortress was erected here by Arnulph, son to Koger de Montgomery, in 1094. It w^as granted by Henry I. to Gilbert Strongbow, Earl of Pembroke, by w^hom it was extended and strengthened. It has sustained repeated sieges, has been twice burned, and at different times repaired and enlarged. King Henry VII. was born here. In the civil war it was garrisoned for the Crown, made a gallant but unsuccess- ful defence, and shortly afterwards, by order of the Parliament, it was dismantled. The keep, or principal tower, which is lofty and of beautiful proportions, is nearly perfect, and even retains its stone roof. There are also some remains of the chapel, and of other portions of the structure. Beneath the chapel is an enormous cavern, called the Wogan, formerly communicating with the castle by a narrow stair, and with the river by a sally-port. The whole ruin is seen to greatest advantage on approaching by w^ater. Pembroke has three churches, all ancient ; and in the suburb of Monktown are some remains of a priory founded in 1098. There are no other buildings requiring notice. Pembroke gives the title of Earl to the family of Herbert. It returns one member to the House of Commons, in conjunction with the boroughs of Tenby, Milford, and Wiston. Market on Saturday. Population of the three parishes of St. Mary, St. Michael, and St. Nicholas, the first of which includes Pater and the Royal Dockyard, 15,768. Pembroke derives its present importance from the con- tiguity of Pater (originally Paterchurch), and its spacious and busy Dockyard. This government establishment occupies about 80 acres, enclosed by a lofty and substantial wall. There are twelve covered slips adapted for the building and repairing of the largest vessels ; and here some of the finest ships in the British navy of the former day have been built. The number and extent of the workshops and magazines, the diversity of the operations, the perfection of the machinery, and the order and activity prevalent in every part, are all objects of admiration. Strangers are admitted at certain hours, on entering their names at the lodge. A large and populous town has sprung up in the vicinity, a spacious 326 ST. GOWAN’s HEAD- market-place has been enclosed, and fortified barracks of great extent, and an additional church, have lately been erected. At HohVs Point, a little to the N.W., a pier and a large hotel were built by Government in connection with the Post- office steam-packets for Ireland. Tourists who can spare time may, by extending their excursion a few miles S. and W. from Pembroke, include the following objects of interest : — Orielton is the handsome but neglected mansion of Sir John Owen, Bart., M.P. for the Pembroke boroughs, and Lord- Lieutenant of the county. It is about 2 miles S.W. from the town. Stackpole Court, the splendid seat of Earl Cawdor, is about 3 miles S. from Pembroke, and half-a-mile from the sea. It stands in the midst of beautiful and thriving plantations, and overlooks a lake of considerable extent, enlivened by many swans and other ornamental water-birds. The old baronial residence, on this site, bore a castellated form, and was garrisoned for King Charles I. The present mansion is modern, spacious, and elegant, the park is well stocked with deer, and the gardens are highly cultivated and of great beauty. St. Gowan’s Head is a majestic promontory at the southern extremity of the county. Upon the coast, in a profound hollow, walled in by lofty perpendicular cliffs, is ^t. Cowan's Chapel, a small rude structure, with a belfry, a stone altar, and a niche for holy water. At the E. end is an arched opening into a cleft of the rock. It is said that within this cleft St. Go wan, a nephew of King Arthur, was concealed from the pursuit of his pagan enemies ; and that, when they had passed, the chasm opened to release the holy man, never afterwards closing. Below the chapel is a well, reputed of miraculous efficacy. The rocky coast is extremely romantic, abounding with caverns, funnel-shaped depressions or perforations, insulated rocks, and cliffs of the most striking forms. The pedestrian, who does not shrink from toil, will be recompensed for extending his rambles to every part of this wild region. He must not fail, however, to carry provisions, as he will not meet with a single inn or house of entertainment of any description. PEMBROKE. 327 Four miles to the eastwards is Carew Castle, one of the most beautiful and magnificent ruins in the principality. It was a residence of the early British princes, one of whom, Rhys ah Tewdwr, gave it as a part of a marriage portion, with his daughter Nest, to Gerald de Windsor, an Anglo-Norman chieftain, to whom Henry I. assigned the lordship in these parts. Gerald’s son WilKam assumed the name of Carew, probably Caerau^ i.e. fortifica- tions. One of his descendants mortgaged the property to Sir Rhys ab Thomas, and by him the building was greatly extended and improved. Here he received and lodged Henry VII. when on his way to Bos worth Field ; and here, also, this opulent knight held a tournament, with various military pastimes, at which he entertained with sumptuous hospitality, during five successive days, the nobility and gentry of South Wales, to the number of 600, together with their attendants. The property, after having been for many generations alienated from the family of Carew, at length reverted to them by purchase. This noble edifice stands upon the elevated bank of an arm of MiKord Haven, and consists of superb ranges of apartments, in quadrangular form, with a bastion at each corner. The north side exhibits the mode of building in the 15th century. Here the windows are square, and of grand dimensions, pro- jecting in large bows ; and the interior of this part is highly ornamented, a chimney-piece with Corinthian columns appear- ing amongst the latest decorations of the structure. The banqueting-hall, in the decorated Gothic style, 102 feet long, is much dilapidated, but is still a magnificent memorial of baronial pomp and splendour. Other parts of the building are manifestly of more remote date, and are more remarkable for solidity and strength. Over the gateway, on the west side, are the arms of England, of the Duke of Lancaster, and of the family of Carew. In the adjacent village, the church contains, amongst other monuments, one bearing the recumbent figures of Sir John Carew and his lady, dated 1637. At the side of the road is an ancient stone cross, nearly perfect, about 14 feet in height, and of the shape usually called St. Catherine’s. It is richly sculptured, but the inscribed characters are illegible. 328 MILFORD. Instead of resuming the railway route from Whitland, by Narberth Eoad to Haverfordwest and Milford, we shall proceed at once to describe these places, merely noticing that at Johnston Junction the line forks, the western branch to Milford, and the eastern to Hew Milford, the two places being apart about .5 miles from each other. MILFORD. [Hotels: Lord Nelson ; Commercial.] The brief history of this place is an extraordinaary in- stance of great and rapid vicissitudes. The town is of re- cent origin, having been commenced in 1790 by Mr. Charles Greville, the proprietor, under the sanction of an Act of Par- liament. For some time it advanced and prospered in a sur- prising degree. A large and populous town quickly arose ; a dockyard was constructed for building ships of war ; the mail-coaches were continued from Haverfordwest to the har- bour, and packets sailed daily for the conveyance of the mails and passengers to Waterford ; a company engaged in the South Sea whale-fishery selected it as the port for their vessels ; labourers of all classes found constant and remunerative em- ployment, and money to a great amount was circulated. But, within a few years, these springs of prosperity all failed. The dockyard was removed, the whalers sought other ports, the line of post-of&ce communication was diverted, much property was rendered unproductive, and the interests of the town de- clined as rapidly as they had advanced. A renewal of pros- perity, however, has resulted from the many advantages the place enjoys, being very eligibly situated, and the buildings disposed with much judgment. The principal streets run in parallel lines, east and west, in the direction of the shore, and are intersected by shorter ones at right angles. The Church, at the eastern extremity, is a handsome structure surmounted by a lofty tower. The stained-glass windows exhibit the arms of the families of Hamilton, Barlow, and Greville. Here are preserved a vase of red porphyry from Egypt, bearing an inscription in memory of Lord Nelson ; and a part of the MILFORD HAVEN. 329 main-mast of L’Orient, the flag-ship of the French admiral at the battle of the Nile. Sir William Hamilton, whose col- lection of vases, etc., adorns the British Museum, was buried here in 1803. The Custom-house is at the lower end of the town, where there is a good quay. There is a neat Market- house, at which markets are held on Tuesday and Saturday. Near Milford are some remains of an ancient religious house, called Pill Priory. At the west side of the town is a creek, on the opposite side of which stands the village of Haking, sometimes called Old Milford. Milford is a parliamentary borough, contributory to Pembroke. The population of the borough, w^hich includes parts of the parishes of Hubberston and Steynton, is 3007. Milford Haven is formed by a vast inlet of the sea, entering from the south, and suddenly turning towards the east. It is about 1 2 miles in length, measuring from Dale to Pembroke Ferry, and in breadth it varies from 3 miles to 1 mile. It is justly considered one of the finest havens in Europe. It branches into a great number of bays, creeks, and roads ; has in every part complete shelter and firm anchorage ; and is sufficiently capacious to hold the entire British navy in perfect security. Its remote situation, however, impairs its utility and value, both for the purposes of commerce, and as a station for ships of war. The shores rise into gentle hills, but having no crags or precipices, and being rather destitute of wood, they are not of the highest interest to the lovers of the picturesque. Still, there is much of beauty and of grandeur in the noble expanse of water, exhibiting the ap- pearance of a vast inland lake, and frequently navigated by vessels of the greatest burden. On a lofty cliff at the W. end of the haven, above the village of Dale, are St. Anne’s Lights, which were erected in 1800, upon an improved plan. They are of great service in the navigation of the Irish Channel, in protecting vessels from a dangerous rock, called the Crow, which is about 5 miles dis- tant. At Milford Haven Eichard II. landed on his return from Ireland ; and Henry, Earl of Eichmond, disembarked a short time before the battle of Bosworth Field, in which he ob- tained the crown of England ; here, also, in the reign of 330 NEW MILFORD— HAVERFORDWEST. Henry lY., a Frencli fleet anchored, with 1200 men, sent by the King of France in aid of Owen Glyndwr. On the coast, westward from Milford, are a number of mansions, among which are Dale Castle^ J. Lloyd Phillips, Esq. ; Mullock^ G. W. Davies, Esq. ; and Butter Hill, George Koch, Esq. A little farther along the coast, and at the dis- tance of between 6 and 7 miles from Haverfordwest, is the modern village of Broadhaven, much frequented in the summer for sea-bathing. It has the advantages of hard sands, beautiful rock scenery, and pleasant walks in the peninsula between Milford Haven and St. Bride’s Bay, with views of the islands Skomer and Shockholm. New Milford (or Neyland) [Hotel: South Wales.] is the terminus of the South Wales Kail way, and here goods are put on board the Irish steamers. (Distance from London, 285 miles.) HAVEKFOKDWEST, [Hotels : Castle ; Swan ; Mariners’ ; King’s Arms.] Milford, 9 miles ; Tenby, 20 ; Carmarthen, 31 ; St. David’s 15. in Welsh, Hwlffordd, ranks with the largest and most im- portant towns in South Wales. It is built on a declivity, descending to the banks of the West Cleddau. Some of the streets are wide and handsome, but in the older parts of the town they are generally narrow and extremely steep. Viewed from some of the neighbouring roads, the town has a very picturesque appearance. It contains a considerable proportion of good shops and houses, which give it an air of respectability. It is the residence of a number of families of moderate inde- pendent income, to whom its reputation for cheapness may have been an attraction. The chief public buildings are the Guildhall, a modern erection, situated in the upper part of the town ; a Market-house, built by the corporation in 1825 ; three parish Churches, presenting nothing remarkable, one of which appears to have been an appendage to the castle ; HAVERFORDWEST. 331 several Dissenting chapels ; a Free School ; an Alms-house, endowed by Mrs. Howard in 1684 ; and a large Union Poor- house ; a Literary and Scientific Association established in 1847 ; and a newspaper, the Pembrokeshire Herald, The town was formerly fortified by walls and towers, every part of which has disappeared. Upon a rocky eminence over- hanging the river, was a strong Castle,, built in the reign of Stephen, by Gilbert de Clare, first Earl of Pembroke. In the insurrection of Owen Glyndwr it was garrisoned for Edward IV., and successfully defended against the French who had entered into alliance -with the Welsh. In the civil war of the 17 th century it was held by the Koyalists. The only portion remaining is the keep, which, with large additions, now forms the County Gaol. The Parade is a public walk, extending for a considerable distance along the elevated bank of the river, and commanding an agreeable view. In a meadow at the extremity of this walk are the ruins of a Priory^ which was erected in the 1 2th century, and dedicated to St. Mary and St. Thomas. It was endowed, if not founded, by Robert de Hwlffordd, lord of this town, whose liberal grants of churches and lands were sub- sequently confirmed by Edward III. On the north side of the river is the suburb of Prendergast, where are the remains of a very ancient mansion, formerly occupied by a family of that name. Maurice de Prendergast, who accompanied Earl Strongbow to Ireland, was the last of the name who held the- property. The river is navigable at spring tides as far as the quay, adjoining the town, where there is a custom-house, subor- dinate to that at Milford. The exports include hard coal, oats, bufccer, and cattle. With Bristol communication is maintained by steam-packets. The only manufactory of importance within the town is a large paper-mill. The market of Haverfordwest, held on Tuesday and Saturday, is one of the largest in Wales ; the supply of fish, especially, is very abundant. The assizes and quarter-sessions for Pembrokeshire are held in this town, it being the capital of the county, as anciently it was the capital of the Flemish possessions in these parts. For the district of boroughs of which it is the head, Fishguard and Narberth being con- 332 PIOTON CASTLE SLEBECH. tributory, one representative is sent to the House of Com- mons. The population amounts to 7019. About four miles to the south-east of Haverfordwest is PiCTON Castle, situated near the confluence of the two branches of the Cleddau. It is one of the most ancient residences in the kingdom, having been built by William de Picton, a Norman knight, in the reign of William Eufus, and is the property of Lord Milford, whose estates in this county are of great extent. During the civil war of the 17th century it belonged to Sir Eichard Philips, who espoused the Eoyal cause, and vigorously defended this place against the forces of the Parliament. It escaped the dilapidation and ruin in which so many castles were involved at that period, and is remarkable for having been inhabited by an unbroken line of successive proprietors, ‘‘never forfeited, never deserted, never vacant.” The building is oblong, with three large bastions projecting on each side ; and at the east end, between two smaller bastions, was the gateway with double portcullis. Until within the last few years it retained its original form, the alterations and additions made at different times not having materially affected its original character as a baronial fortress of the middle ages, castellated and embattled. Some recent changes have been made without regard to con- gruity. The gardens, hothouses, etc., are extensive and re- markably productive ; and the park, watered by the Cleddau, which here expands into a noble sheet of water, is richly wooded and highly beautiful. A pleasant shaded walk, which overlooks the river, and passes near an old encampment called Castle Lake, leads to Slebech, which is worthy of notice as having been an ancient settlement of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. No trace, however, of the old buildings is visible except the church. An enormous sword, said to have been used at the installation of the knights, is preserved. The modern mansion, which is on the banks of the Cleddau, is the property and residence of the Baron de Eutzen, whose lady inherits the estate from her father, the late Nathaniel Phillips, Esq. An elegant church, erected at the expense of the baron, stands close to the turnpike road between Haverfordwest and Nar- berth. As we are here nearly in the centre of Pembrokeshire, a short description of this county may not be inappropriate. PEMBROKESHIRE. 333 Pembrokeshire, forming the S.W. extremity of Wales, borders on the sea in every part, excepting the E., where it is contiguous to Car- marthenshire, and a few miles at the N.E., where the river Teifi separates it from Cardiganshire. The coast-line is deeply indented with arms of the sea, and the eastern boundary in like manner is very irregular. Hence the length and breadth cannot be accurately measured ; the entire area, however, is estimated at 628 square statute miles, and consequently 401,691 acres. The population is returned at 96,278. The surface of the county is undulating, diversified by hills and dales ; the hills having no great elevation, with the exception of the Percelly range, towards the N.E., extending E. and W. about 10 miles, the highest point in which is 1754 feet above sea-level. The general character of all other parts is that of moderate fertility. Its arable lands produce grain of superior quality, and on its pasture-lands a great number of black cattle are fed, which are in great request in the English markets. Salt butter and cheese are exported in considerable quantities, and large profits are made by the breeding of hogs. Being more fully exposed to the S.W. winds of the Atlantic than other parts of Wales, its climate is more humid, its winters milder, and the heat of its summers more moderate : the southern parts are, in consequence, particularly adapted for horticulture ; flowers, vegetables, and fruit being produced as early, and in as great perfection, as in any part of the king- dom. The manufactures are unimportant, and the mineral productions are not of very great value. Coal appears in the S., but it is of the stone kind, and inferior to what is procured in the counties of Carmarthen and Glamorgan. Limestone is obtained abundantly, and some lead-mines have been wrought. Shipbuilding is carried on in several of the harbours, par- ticularly at Pembroke, where extensive dockyards have been established for the Boyal Navy. The fisheries are very valu- able. The oysters of Tenby and of Milford Haven are of superior excellence. The principal rivers are the eastern and western branches of the Cleddau, which, rising within the county at a great distance from each other, severally flow from N.E. and N.W., almost the entire length of the county ; and. 334 PEMBROKESHIRE ST. DAVID’s. after receiving accessions from numerous minor streams, unite below Haverfordwest, and form the vast harbour of Milford Haven. The Teifi flows for a short distance at the N.E. boundary. At the period of the Eoman ascendency this part of Wales was included in Bimetia^ of which the ancient British name was Byfed, The modern name seems to be formed of the words Pen and Bro, signifying the promontory or headland region ; little is known of this district for a long period after the withdrawal of the Eoman forces. The Danes made in- cursions on the coast about the year 987, and burned the churches of St. DavidV and St. Dogmael’s ; and these parts were among the first to suffeT from the depredations of the military adventurers introduced by the Norman Conquest, some of whom obtained a permanent settlement here. The most remarkable circumstance in this county is its division into English and Welsh districts. Of the 144 parishes which it contains, 74, or more than half, are almost exclusively Eng- lish. In the southern parts, colonies of Flemings were per- mitted to settle in the time of Henry I. Animosities having arisen between the natives and those whom they regarded as intruders, the latter adopted the language and customs of the English, rather than those of the people among whom they resided ; and hence the district has been called Little England beyond Wales. The two classes long preserved a complete separation, and there is still a marked difference in their speech and habits. Pembrokeshire has three representatives in the House of Commons ; one for the county, and one each for the Haver- fordwest and Pembroke districts of boroughs. ST. DAVID’S [Hotel : The Commercial.] This ancient city, situated at the extreme western point of the principality, although now decayed and almost deserted, will be deemed worthy of a visit by every antiquarian tourist. The distance from Haverfordwest is about 1 5 miles, the greater part of the road being of the most dreary character. A religious establishment was founded here at a very early ST. David’s. 335 period, and appears to have been deemed of the highest import- ance by the ancient British. The ecclesiastical buildings suffered severely from a Danish force about the year 911 ; and were again much injured by Swaine, the son of Harold, in 993. William the Conqueror, who entered Wales with a great army, visited this place in the character of a pilgrim and devotee, and made an offering at the shrine of St. David. Seven subordinate or suffragan bishoprics were, for a long time, included in the metropolitan pale of St. David’s — namely, Worcester, Hereford, Llandaff, Bangor, St. Asaph, Llanbadarn, and Margam. The Cathedral, the Episcopal Palace, St. Mary’s College, and other buildings appropriated to ecclesiastical pur- poses, and as residences for the clergy, were enclosed within a lofty embattled wall, more than 1200 yards in circum- ference, having four strong and handsome gateways. The Catb^tfral, occupying the site of a more ancient struc- ture, was commenced in the reign of Henry I., and completed in that of John. It is a venerable Gothic structure, cruciform, having a lofty square tower at the west end, and displaying much ornamental architecture, both Saxon and Gothic. Por- tions of the building are obviously of more recent date. The bishop’s throne is of exquisite workmanship, and there are fine specimens of carving in the stalls. The length of the whole building, within the wall, is 307 feet ; of the nave, 128 feet ; of the choir and chancel, 99 feet. The breadth of the nave is 70 feet, each transept measures 47 feet by 33, and the height of the tower is 1 27 feet. It contains many very old and curious tombs, some of which are affirmed to be those of St. David, the patron saint not of this place only but of all Wales ; of Giraldus Cambrensis, the native historian ; and of Bishop Anselm, and other prelates of the diocese. All are in a sadly dilapidated condition. The aisles N. and S. of the chancel are roofless, and the cloisters and some other parts are mere heaps of ruins. The BishoiSs Palace^ one of the most magnificent edifices of the kind in the kingdom, founded by Bishop Gower in the 14th century, appears to have formed a complete quadrangle, enclosing an area 120 feet square. Parts of two sides only remain. The grand entrance is by a beautiful but ruined gate- way. The apartments which can now be traced were evidently of noble dimensions and highly decorated. 336 ST. DAVID S HEAD. Of JSt. Mary's College^ founded by John of Gaunt and Blanche, his wife, in 1365, the only relic is a chapel, which has been long without roof, and is rapidly decaying. The shrine of St. David was for ages regarded as having a peculiar sanctity, and was resorted to b}’- crowds of pilgrims, including not a few of noble, and some of royal rank, whose offerings greatly enriched the ecclesiastics, who expended the funds on the adornment of the cathedral and relief of the poor. The town now presents the most desolate and wretched appearance. Besides the few clergy who perform the routine of daily duty at the cathedral, the only inhabitants are the labourers employed on the adjacent farms. The surrounding country is poor and unimproved, and the roads are rough and difficult. The poor-rates are high, but house-rent is extremely low. The residents go through the form of annually electing a mayor, whose duty consists in preventing encroachments on a common, held under lease from the bishop and chapter, and in collecting a rate for payment of the rent. At the western extremity of this poor city stands an ancient cross, around which a market, long discontinued, was formerly held. The parish of St. David’s is extensive, and has a population of 2199. Every part of the surrounding country has been thickly strewed with chapels, crosses, and sainted wells ; and it abounds with relics of Druidical usages. St. David’s Head is a lofty, rugged, gloomy promontory, about 2 miles N.W. from the city. It affords a good view of Whitsand Bay, which the natives call Porth-mawr^ or the Great Bay ; and of the rocks along the neighbouring shore, broken into every conceivable variety of form. The ruins of several chapels still exist near the coast. Within sight is a cluster of seven remarkable insulated rocks, called The Bishop and his Clerks. They form interesting objects, but contribute to render the navigation difficult and hazardous. Separated from the shore by a narrow strait is Ramsey Island^ the largest in this quarter, being about 3 miles in length, and in no part more than 1 mile across. It has a good pro- portion of arable and pasture land, and is abundantly supplied with pure spring water. It has only two inhabited houses, tenanted by 12 persons. It is frequented by many sea-birds of various kinds, whose eggs are collected with difficulty, and PEMBROKESHIRE. 337 sent to Bristol, where they are sold for the purpose of clarify- ing wines. On the island there were formerly two chapels, much resorted to by devotees. The Smalls are about twenty rocks (on one of which is a lighthouse), situated 7 leagues from the coast, some visible at high tide, and others appearing only at low water. The following places are in the northern coast of Pem- brokeshire towards Cardigan : — NEWPORT, [Hotel: Angel.] a small fishing town and seaport, near the mouth of the river Nevern. There are some vestiges of a baronial castle, which was built by the Norman settlers in 1215, and in which the Lords of Cemmaes held their courts. The building was destroyed by Llewelyn. The town was nearly depopulated in the 16th century by a pestilential disease, and even now it appears like the mere skeleton of a place once of some im- portance. The antiquary wiU find in the vicinity numerous Druidical relics. Nevern is a picturesque village, about 2 miles from Newport. Its situation is very beautiful, in the midst of rich meadows, gardens, and orchards, upon the margin of a fine river, and surrounded by richly wooded hills. There are Eome slight remains of a Norman castle, which appears to have been square, with a bastion at each angle. The church is a venerable pile, and one of the largest in the county. In the churchyard is the shaft of a stone cross, about 1 3 feet in height, richly decorated. The inscription is illegible. At Pentre Evan, in this parish, is a Druidical circlcj 150 feet in circumference, surrounding a very large cromlech. The horizontal stone, 18 feet long and 9 feet broad, is supported by four upright stones, of which the tallest is 8 feet high, and the lowest 7 feet. There are other British antiquities of similar character in the neighbourhood. z 338 FISHGUARD. FISHGUAED, [Hotels : Castle ; Commercial ; Great Western.] although but a small and ill-built town, claims attention on account of the fine bay on which it is situated, and which forms an admirable natural haven. By the natives the place is named Ahergwaen, being at the mouth of the little river Gwaen, over which there is a good stone bridge. The appear- ance of the town is by no means prepossessing, and in the older part of it the street is so ill constructed as to be ex- tremely inconvenient for the passing of carriages. The har- bour is capacious, at all times easy of access, being entirely unobstructed by shoals or bars, and sheltered by the bold promontories called Dinas Head and Penainglas. The bay extends from E. to W. about 3 miles, and from N. to S. more than one mile and a half, and the general depth of water is from 30 to 70 feet. Ships of the largest size may anchor in all parts of it with perfect security. The trade at present carried on is insignificant in comparison with the extent for which this fine harbour is adapted and might be made available. Hopes have sometimes been encouraged that this port would be adopted by Government as a station for Irish steam-packets, and that the town would be made the terminus of a railway, but hitherto such expectations have been disappointed. The neighbourhood of Fishguard has derived some cele- brity in modern times from the landing of a French force, under General Tate, at Llanwrda, about two miles and a half southward of the town, on February 22, 1797. There were about 1400 men, of whom 600 were regular soldiers, and 800 proved to be criminals liberated from French prisons. These effected a landing, and after a night devoted to plunder and intoxication, they surrendered to a few militia and volunteers, not half their own number, hastily brought together, under the command of Lord Cawdor. To the narrative of this strange affair it is commonly added, that the invaders were panic-struck on seeing a number of Welsh women in their beaver hats and red whittles, or shawls, ranged on the summits of the adjacent heights. Fear transformed them into formid- able reserves of military, to contend with whom appeared PEMBROKESHIRE. 339 hopeless ; and accordingly Tate sent a flag of truce and agreed to an unconditional surrender. Fishguard is one of the boroughs in the Haverfordwest district, uniting to elect one M.P. It has a weekly market on Thursday, and five annual fairs. Population of the parish 2084 . Much of the coast scenery in this part of Pembrokeshire is romantic and grand. On the Goodwick side of the project- ing headland called Penainglas, a ledge of rock, sloping to the sea, presents a front curiously reticulated by the outbreak of an almost horizontal stratum of basaltic columns, uniting with as much regularity as the cells of a honeycomb. They are called by the common people, torthau ceiniogau^ or penny loaves. On each side of the estuary of Fishguard other colunmar strata occur, of similar character but less regular in form. To the north of Haverfordwest’ the Treffgarn Rocks are in view for many miles. They are remarkable masses of naked rock, having the appearance of elevated ruinous castles, and are, probably, the skeletons of hills, from which the soil has been displaced by the storms of successive centuries. 340 HEREFORD. HEREFORD AND MONMOUTHSHIRE. HEREFORD. [Hotels: Green Dragon ; City Arm.?; Greyhound; Mitre.] Shrewsbury, 51 miles ; Hay, 20^ ; Brecon, 37 ; Gloucester, 30 ; Ross for Monmouth, 12. This English city, on the border of Wales, is conveniently situated for travellers who approach the principality from the metropolis and from the southern and midland counties of England. Extensions of the railway system render it peculiarly eligible for this purpose — several railways having their termini here. Hereford is the capital of an English county, and the cathedral city of an episcopal diocese. It is of considerable antiquity and historical interest ; and it appears to have been formerly surrounded with fortified walls, of which, however, few vestiges remain. It is situated on the north bank of the river Wye, at about the centre of Herefordshire, and sur- rounded by the rich and beautiful garden scenery by which that county is distinguished. The principal streets of the city are well formed and spacious, and include many objects of much interest. ®at]^ebral. Of its public buildings, the Cathedral first and chiefly deserves attention. An ecclesiastical building was founded, here so early as a.d. 825. This being destroyed by fire, another was commenced in 1074, but not completed until about the year 1120. The grand central tower was added about a century later. As it now stands it is a magnificent pile. Tlie architecture is for the most part Saxon and early Norman, but its consistency has to some extent been inter- fered with by extensive alterations and repairs at different periods, including a very elegant metal screen, manufactured HEREFORD. 341 by Mr. Skidmore of Coventry, from a design by Mr. G. Gilbert Scott.* Parts of the exterior have much beauty ; and the interior is ornamented with a profusion of carved work and mouldings, exquisitely wrought, an admirable stained glass window, and numerous sepulchral monuments. A triennial musical festival is held here of the choirs of Wor- cester, Gloucester, and Hereford. Besides the cathedral, the city formerly possessed five churches, of which two were destroyed during a siege in 1645. The remaining three are nob distinguished by any great degree of beauty in either architecture or embellish- ment. The Court House or County Hall is a handsome modern edifice, with a Doric portico, from designs by Smirke. A neat theatre, not otherwise remarkable, derives interest from having been the nursery of some of the most distin- guished performers on the English stage — such as Clive, Sid- dons, and Kemble. It was for many years under the direction of the Kemble family, who were inhabitants of the city. David Garrick, the inimitable actor, was born at the Angel Inn, in Widemarsh Street, in the year 1716. The building has been removed for many years. In Pipe Lane w’as shown, until recently, the house which was the birthplace of Nell Gwynn, the celebrated favourite of Charles II. Other objects of interest in the city are the Bishop’s Palace, the College, the ruins of a monastery, chapels for various bodies of Dis- senters, a splendid Koman Catholic chapel, Coningsby’s Hospital for aged soldiers, and several other institutions of a similar kind, an infirmary, a lunatic asylum, the union poorhouse, and the county gaol. The Castle Green is a beautiful quadrangular promenade on the banks of the Wye, occupying the site of an ancient castle, of which there are no visible remains. In the centre is a stone column, 60 feet high, erected to commemorate the victories of Lord Nelson. The chief manufactures of Hereford are gloves, flannel, and hats ; and although these are not very extensive, the general trade is conducted with much spirit, and appears to be, on the whole, remarkably flourishing. The county has long been celebrated for cider, of which the neighbourhood of the city furnishes its fuU proportion. It has excellent markets * For further particulars we refer our readers to Messrs. Jones and Co.’s Guide to Hereford Cathedral Restoration, etc. 342 MONMOUTHSHIRE. on Wednesday and Saturday, and sends two representatives to Parli ament. Population, 15,585. At the distance of a mile from the city, on the road to Kington, is an imperfect stone cross, called White, Cross. Por- tions of it have disappeared. It was erected in 1345, by Dr, Lewis Charlton, afterwards Bishop of Hereford, to commemorate the time when, in consequence of a pestilential malady raging in the city, the markets were held on this spot. An excursion should be made to Dinedor and Aconbury Hills, which are within a short distance. On the summit of the latter are the remains of an extensive Koman encampment. The boundary, which is easily traced, marks a well-defined though irregular oblong, and the chief divisions of the camp may be clearly discerned. Both heights command an extensive and most beautiful prospect — the hills of Worcestershire on the E. ; those of Kadnor, Brecon, and Monmouth counties on the W. and S.W., with the richly-wooded and undulating scenery of Herefordshire, and the serpentine course of the river Wye. Monmouthshire, although in the time of Henry YIII. constituting one of the forty counties of England, had been previously regarded as an integral part of South Wales, and in history and interests perfectly identical ; even subsequently to that era it has been in many respects more intimately associated with Wales than with England ; and to this day, in the aspect of the country, and in the habits and language of the inhabitants, it has all the characteristics of the principality. It may be added that the objects of great interest which are within the limits of this county are commonly, and with the greatest convenience, visited in connection with tours in Wales ; and for these reasons it is proper that a notice of the county, and of those objects, should be included in the present volume. Monmouthshire is bounded on the S. by the Bristol Chan- nel, on the E. it is separated from Gloucestershire by the river Wye, the Monnow and the Usk divide it from the counties of Hereford and Brecon on the N.E. and N., and the Kumney from Glamorganshire on the W. Its greatest length from H. to S. is about 33 miles, its breadth is 26 miles, and its area MONMOUTHSHIRE. 343 comprises 368,399 statute acres. The surface is extremely diversified, exhibiting every variety of scenery. The soil in most parts is fertile, and its agricultural productions are of great value ; besides which its minerals, particularly iron and coal, contribute largely to its wealth and prosperity. Through- out the rural districts, and even in some of the towns, the Welsh language prevails ; and the natives of the western and north-western parts retain their ancient British prejudices with the utmost tenacity, still branding everything English with the opprobrious appellation of Saxon. The principal towns are all situated upon the banks of the Wye and the Usk, whose courses throughout are distinguished by scenery of the greatest beauty. Prior to the Koman invasion the whole district was in- cluded in the territory of the SilureSy who long withstood the Koman forces, and were not subjugated until the time of Ves- pasian. Under the Eomans it formed a part of Britannia Secunda, and subsequently it was comprised in the division of the principality named Gwent. When the Normans acquired ascendency here, this district, along with others on the borders, was made subject to the Lords Marchers ; and in the reign of Henry VIII. it was separated from Wales and made an English coimty, but the jurisdiction of the local courts was not wholly abolished, nor the just and equal administration of English law fully established, until 1689, the first year of William and Mary. Of the period, extending to about 330 years, during which the Komans occupied the country, there are many memorials in remains of camps and entrenchments, and espe- cially in vestiges of five principal Roman stations, at Caerwent, Caerleon, Abergavenny, Usk, and Monmouth. Saxon and Norman relics are numerous, in castles, castellated mansions, and ecclesiastical structures ; some of each of these classes of buildings being amongst the most extensive and the most picturesque ruins in the kingdom. Holy wells, or springs long held sacred, and reputed to possess wonderful if not miracu- lous efficacy in the cure of diseases, are found in great numbers throughout the county. The parliamentary representation consists of two members elected by the county, and one by the united boroughs of Monmouth, Newport, and Usk. Popula- tion, 174,633. In visiting Monmouthshire from Hereford, we enter the 344 GROSSMONT CASTLE LLANFIHANGEL. county at its extreme nortli border, beyond Pontrilas station, and on crossing the river Monnow. Near this are the ruins of Grrossmont Castle, once a favourite residence of the Earls of Lan- caster, particularly of Henry, grandson of Edmund Crouchback, who was surnamed Grismont from its having been the place of his birth. He it was probably who enlarged and beautified the structure, the style of which accords with the era in which he lived. The eastern side overhangs the precipitous banks of the Monnow, which here makes a beautiful bend in the form of a horse-shoe. The castle commands a fine view, which, on one side, is bounded by a hill called the Graig, and on another by the Garway, the latter being enriched by the woods and plantations of Kentchurch Park. Grossmont is famous for the achievements of John of Kent, whose exploits resembled those of Baron Munchausen, and who was supposed to have made a compact with the devil. Passing Pandy station we reach Llanjihangel, from which we may visit the ancient Ahhey of Llanthony, which occupies a solitary spot in the wild recesses of the Black Mountains. The distance is 6 miles from Llanfihangel, and 10 from Abergavenny. The abbey (which was once a distinguished priory of Cistercians) is in the usual form of a Latin cross, and, though small, is well proportioned. The length from W. to E. is 212 feet, and the breadth, including the two aisles, 50 feet. The length of the transept from N. to S. is 100 feet. It was constructed soon after the introduction of Gothic architecture, and before the disuse of the Norman, and thus includes both styles. The building is extremely dilapidated ; the nave alone exhibits a complete’ specimen of the original plan, and is separated on each side from the two aisles by eight pointed arches, resting on piers of the simplest construction, which are divided from an upper tier of Norman arches by a straight band or fascia. Four bold pointed arches in the centre of the church sup- ported a square tower, two sides of which only remain. The ruins are scanty and destitute of ornament, and, on the whole, the building partakes of the character of the scenery with which it is surrounded, and which was well adapted for monas- tic solitude. It was built between 1108 and 1115, and was abandoned for Gloucester so soon afterwards as 1136. A curious account of the foundation is preserved in Dugdale’s Monasticon, from which it appears that the founder was St MONMOUTHSHIRE. 345 David, nncle of King Arthur and titular saint of Wales ; and that after him it was called Lan Dewi Nant Honddu (pron. Honthy), or the church of St. David on the Honthy, which was afterwards corrupted into Llanthony. It may increase the reader’s interest in the place to know that it was the property of the late Walter Savage Landor, author of the well-known Imaginary Conversations.” A part of the priory buildings is converted into a small inn. The excursion to this abbey may be made to include Oldcastle, the residence of the celebrated reformer, John Oldcastle, Lord Cobham, who is called by Sir Kobert Walpole the first author as well as the first martyr among the nobility.” After being the dissolute companion of Henry V., he was awakened to a sense of religion, and so power- fully affected by the arguments of Wickliff, that he became the chief of the Lollards, and shook by his witings and ex- ample the authority of the Eoman see. At the stake, to which he was condemned for heresy and rebellion, he displayed the greatest calmness an^ intrepidity, and gave an instance of singular enthusiasm by requesting favour for the Lollards in the event of his rising again from the dead the third day. “ Posterity,” says Archdeacon Coxe, have forgotten his de- fects in his virtues, and the enthusiast is lost in the martyr.” The old castle, called the Court House, supposed to have been the residence of this celebrated personage, was taken down many years ago. The traveller will be pleased with the picturesque situation of the church and village on the sides of a bleak and hoary mountain, the summit of which over- hangs the sequestered vale of the Ewias, and commands an extensive view of the fertile districts of Hereford and Mon- mouth shires. Two miles to the east of Llanfihangel, on the Hereford road, is Campston Hill, so called from an ancient encampment, where several Koman coins were discovered. At a small dis- tance beyond, on the slope of the hill, is a farm-house called Campston House, where Charles I. is said to have passed the night in his progress through Monmouthshire during the time of the civil war. But the visit of the royal guest is not com- memorated by any memorial, and only known by tradition. Shortly after leaving Llanfihangel we arrive at the town of 346 ABERGAVENNY. ABERGAVENNY, [Hotels: Angel; King’s Head.] situated at the junction of a small stream called the Gavenny with the river Usk, the latter being spanned by an admirable stone bridge of fifteen arches, and surrounded by a noble amphitheatre of mountains. It lays claim to high antiquity, being the supposed site of the Gobannium of the Romans, and was formerly w^alled. Some ruins of a castle built soon after the Norman Conquest are visible, and there are also remains of a Benedictine monastery. The town consists mainly of three streets, forming thoroughfares, respectively, to Hereford, Monmouth, and Brecon ; all of them containing a mixture of ancient and modern buildings. It has all the characteristics of a Welsh town, although situated on the English side of the boundary. On account of the large population employed in the extensive iron and coal works of Blaenavon and other neighbouring places, it is an important and flourishing mart, with large markets and many thriving tradesmen. No exten- sive manufacture is carried on, excepting that of shoes, in which one firm statedly employs 150 persons. Formerly it was noted for its make of Welsh flannel, and still more for its periwigs, fabricated of goat’s hair, at one time so highly valued as to sell for thirty or forty guineas each. The pubRc buildings do not require particular notice. There are numer- ous gentlemen’s seats in the neighbourhood. Abergavenny gives the title of Earl to the family of Nevill. Population, 4621. The mountains in the vicinity, to which excursions may be made, are the following : — The Sugar Loaf, 1954 feet high; the Blorenge, or grey ridge, 1720 feet; Skirrid-fawr, 1601 feet ; and Skirrid-fach, 765 feet. Besides Llanthony Abbey, already noticed, and 10 miles distant, another excursion may be made from Abergavenny to Crickhowel, a small but pretty town, in the beautiful vale of Usk, 7 miles westwards. There are here some vestiges of a castle which formerly occupied two acres, and about 2 miles northward is the British post Craigkywel, or Howel’s Rock, from which this town took its name. This rock is an irregu- lar triangle, measuring in one direction 510 feet, and in an- other 5i40 feet. Near Llangattock, to the south of the town, MONMOCTnSHIRE. 347 are several natural caverns, and in a dingle in the vicinity is a waterfall. The whole surrounding district is replete with beauty. The river abounds with fish, and the adjacent hills with game, particularly grouse. This little town was at one period in high repute for w^hey made from goat’s milk, for which it was resorted to by many valetudinarians. It is only about half-an-hour’s drive by railway from Abergavenny to PONTYPOOL, [Hotel: The Crown.] a small but important town, situated nearly in the centre of the county, and in the populous mining and manufacturing parish of Trevethin. Its name is said to be derived from an adjacent bridge, called Pont-ap-Hywel, or Howell’s Bridge. At an early period it was a seat of the iron trade, and it was also celebrated for the manufacture of japanned ware, which, being invented here in the reign of Charles II., was sold under the name of Pontypool ware. This branch of industry has been discontinued. The manufacture of tin and iron is carried on extensively throughout the district, and so rapidly have these sources of employment extended, that the population of the parish, which in 1802 was only 1472, amounted in 1851 to 16,864. Within the parish there are three Episcopal churches, many Dissenting chapels, and a Baptist Theological Institution. On an eminence to the right of the town is Pontypool Park, the residence of C. Hanbury Leigh, Esq., Lord-Lieutenant of the county, who recently adorned the town with a handsome town-hall. Three miles from Pontypool rises the immense mountain Mynydd Maen, abounding in steep and abrupt declivities, and possessing inexhaustible stores of mineral wealth. Pontypool occupies an important place as a railway centre. Towards the west branches off the line to Crumlin, Quaker’s Yard, and Merthyr ; towards the east that to Usk, Baglan, and Monmouth ; and as yet Pontypool is the only station from which Monmouth can be reached by railway. It may be worth the while of tourists, while in this neigh- bourhood, to turn aside for a little to the westwards to visit the wonderful engineering works in the valley of the 348 MONMOUTHSHIRE. Ebbw and Taff. The first of these is the wonderful Viaduct at Crumlin, of which a view is given on the opposite page, and Avhich spans the valley of the Ebbw at the village from which it takes its name. Of this viaduct it may be said, without exaggeration, that few works in England are more interesting for their combination of mechanical skill and picturesque beauty. There are ten spans of 150 feet each, constructed of the extremely light and open iron- work known as War- ren’s Girders.” The piers, the loftiest of which is 204 feet high, consist of a framework of cast-iron tubes braced together and tapering from the base to the top, on which the girders rest. The magical lightness of these piers cannot be surpassed, and viewed from a distance one could almost suppose them to be the work of spiders on a gigantic scale. It is interesting to know that this viaduct is perhaps the most economical structure of such magnitude ever erected (the cost being about X40,000) ; and of the many beautiful designs of the engineers (Messrs. Liddell and Gordon) on this line of railway, it is the most remarkable. The Ehymney Viaduct, in stone, 169 feet high, on the same line, is a noble structure, and a good view of it may be obtained from the road near Myn-y-dwssyllwyd. Another railway (Western Valleys) runs up the valley on the low level and at right angles, to Ebbw- Vale Ironworks. The scenery of this valley is charming, being narrow, steep, and wooded on both sides. The railway run- ning along the bottom follows the course of the stream. Tourists, on alighting at Crumlin station, are allowed to walh along the viaduct, after which they should descend into the valley to view the effect from below. Care should be taken to keep clear of the trains passing under the viaduct. There is a respectable hotel below, where refreshments may be had. About 2 miles beyond Crumlin is Newbridge, [Hotels: New Inn ; Bridgewater Arms.] which is a rapidly improving market town, also situated on the Taff Vale Railway, and on the river Taff. Its extension and prosperity are owing to the establishment of iron, tin, and coal works, which give employment to a large number of workmen, and diffuse w^ealth throughout the neighbourhood. CKUMLIN VIADUCT, NEAR PONT! POOL MONMOUTHSHIRE. 350 NEWBRIDGE. Until lately, it was an inconsiderable village, but it now takes rank with the important manufacturing towns of Glamorgan- shire. To the tourist, however, its interest is derived from another remarkable bridge which here crosses the Taff, con- sisting of one arch of singular elegance, forming the perfect segment of a circle, with a chord of 140 feet, and a height from the spring to the key-stone of 35 feet. It is aptly named Pont-y-Prydd, the bridge of beauty, and is the work of a self-taught native mason, William Edwards, of whose ingenuity and perseverance it is a striking memorial. In 1746, having contracted to build a bridge at this place, he first constructed one with three arches, but, owing to a rapid swell of the river, and a number of trees and other things brought down by the flood, this bridge was quickly swept away. His second attempt was a bridge of one arch, and this was scarcely completed, when the weight of masonry in the abutments or haunches caused the arch to spring in the middle, and reduced the whole to ruins. This occurred in 1751. Engaging a third time in the work, he reduced the weight by the introduction of three cylindrical openings or tubes in each side of the arch, securing greater stability with a diminution of material ; involving, as it appears, the very principle of which we have the most distinguished example in the mighty tubular bridges of Conway and Bangor. The circular openings give to the appearance of the structure a lightness and elegance which have always rendered it a favourite subject with artists. An inscription in the centre fixes the date of completion at 1756, so that Pont-y-Prydd has now endured the test of upwards of a hundred years. Under- neath the bridge is an echo which is said to repeat a single sound nine times. The talents and enterprise of William Edwards advanced him to a station of great respectability. A considerable number of bridges and other structures in South Wales ar('. his workmanship. With his occupations as a mason and architect he united the management of an exten- sive farm and the sacred duties of an ordained dissenting minister.* In the vicinity of Newbridge are two small waterfalls ; one, half-a-mile above the bridge, is on the river Taff, which * The well-known work, “The Pursuit of Knowledge under Difficulties,’ contains an accurate sketch of the history of this remarkable man. USK. 351 descends 8 or 10 feet in several divisions ; and the other, two miles distant, is on the Ehondda, in the midst of scenery of remarkable beauty. The whole of the valley through which this little stream has its course, extending about 7 miles to Ystmd-y-Fodwg, is romantic. A branch railway along this valley connects the mines in its neighbourhood with the harbour at Cardiff. The Rhondda joins the Taff a little below Pont-y-Prydd. Returning now to the branch eastwards from Pontypool, we proceed to another of those ancient towns, which in modern times has much declined, namely, USK, and which occupies a tongue of land at the confluence of the rivers 01 way and Usk. Most of the houses, disposed in four lines, are detached from each other, and interspersed with gardens and orchards. Over the river Usk is a stone bridge of five arches, from which the mountains around Abergavenny appear to great advantage. The even ridge of the Blorenge and the conical form of the Sugar Loaf contrast finely with the broken summit of the Skirrid. The rivers abound with fish, and anglers will find this place a peculiarly eligible station. An agreeable walk leads to the ivy-mantled ruins of the Castle, which form a picturesque object on a gentle eminence to the north of the town. There are considerable remains of a gateway, a banqueting-hall, and several towers. The date of the foundation is not ascertained. In 1262 it belonged to Richard de Clare, it was afterwards in the pos- session of the Crown, and it is now the property of the Duke of Beaufort. It was repeatedly attacked by Owen Glyndwr, who was here defeated by the royal forces. In the Parlia- mentary wars it was destroyed. Within this castle, it is said, two of the kings of England were born, namely, Edward IV. and Richard III. Near the castle is the Church, an ancient structure, and still large, although much contracted from its original extent. The tower, in which circular arches are in- troduced, appears to be the oldest part ; the body of the edifice is Gothic. In the interior is a curious inscription which, often perplexing antiquaries, has never been satis- 352 RAGLAN CASTLE. factorily explained. The church was formerly attached to a Priory y founded by the Earls of Clare in the 13th century. In the vicinity of Usk are several ancient encampments, both British and Eoman. A considerable number of gentry have their residences in the town and neighbourhood. Usk is associated with Newport and Monmouth in electing one mem- ber of parliament. The population of the parish amounts to 2112. A drive by railway of 15 minutes conveys us from Usk to EAGLAN CASTLE, justly esteemed amongst the most picturesque and beautiful ruins of Wales, and which is situated at a short distance from the village of Eaglan. The general view obtained on entering the gate is truly magnificent, but it is not until after having explored the various parts, and looked down upon them from the battlements, that an adequate conception is attained of the extent and strength, the beauty and grandeur, of the original structure. Persons residing in one of the towers act as the guides of visitors, for whose accommodation, by direction of the Duke of Beaufort, the proprietor, the paths and stairs are kept in good order, tables and seats are provided, and every facility is afforded for leisurely observation. Eaglan Castle is believed to have been principally erected by Sir William ap Thomas, and his son William, Earl of Pembroke, who was beheaded at Banbury in 1469 ; but it exhibits the architec- ture of various periods from the time of Henry Y. to that of Charles I., additions and alterations having been made by successive proprietors. It came into the possession of the family of Worcester (now Beaufort) by the marriage of their ancestor. Sir Charles Somerset, with Elizabeth, granddaughter of the Earl of Pembroke. Sir Charles was created Earl of Worcester in 1514. The Earl of Eichmond, afterwards Henry VII., was detained at this castle by order of Edward lY., in the custody of Lord Herbert ; and here also, Henry, the first Marquis of Worcester, afforded an asylum to Charles I., after the battle ot‘ Naseby in 1645. Soon after the retreat of the king from Monmouthshire, Eaglan was besieged for eleven weeks by Sir Thomas Fairfax, to whom it was at length sur- rendered in August 1646, being the last fortress which held RAGLAN CASTLE. 353 out for royalty. The aged Marquis was sent prisoner to London, and his castle, being dismantled by order of parlia- ment, fell a prey to his own tenants. At the Kestoration the estates were recovered by the family, and they still belong to the noble house of Beaufort. Many parts are in excellent preservation, and much of the elaborately carved masonry remains as sharp and distinct as when first executed. No attempt is here made to describe the different apartments of the magnificent structure. The intelligent and most obliging guides, who are appointed to attend visitors, are accustomed to give all desirable information in the most satisfactory man- ner, so as, in this case — an almost solitary exception to ^ general rule — to leave the occasion for wishing that the attend- ance could be dispensed with, or for begrudging the perquisite expected in return. Eight miles from Eaglan is the county town of Monmouth, noticed subsequently in our tour of the Wye. A very agree- able road conducts from Eaglan to Abergavenny, amidst scenery presenting much of mingled beauty and grandeur, and including a succession of mansions and parks, and the richly-cultivated lands on the banks of the Usk. 354 TOUH OF THE WYE. ABERYSTWITH AND DEVIL’s BRIDGE TO CHEPSTOW, THROUGH RHAYADER, BUILTH, HAT, HEREFORD, ROSS, AND MONMOUTH * INCLUDING THE WHOLE COURSE OP THE RIVER WYE. OJf RIGHT II ON LEFT l| 6 ◄ 128 ABERYSTWITH. The Vicarage, 126f Uanbadani-fawr. li Fronfiraith, Attwood, Esq. 123 Capel Bangor. 5 Gian Rheidol, James Hughes, Esq. cr. the riv. Rheidol. 116 Pont Erwyd. 12 To Devil’a Bridge, 4 m. (Devil’s Bridge.) 114 Dyffryn Castell. 14 Llys Arthur. Enter Montgomeryshire. Hirgoed Ddl. UPPER WYE. 111 Steddfagurig. 17 Plinlimmon Mountain, Esre is a small Inn called height 2463 feet. On the Phniimmon Hotel, the side of this moun- at which a guide may be engaged for ascending the mountain, and for tain, at about 2 m. from the Inn, is Blaen Gwy, or the Head of the Wye. visiting the sources of the five rivers to which it gives rise, viz. the Rheidol, the LMnant, theClywedog, the Severn, The course of the stream may be easily traced until it is crossed by the turnpike road at Pont-rhyd-galed. and the Wye. 107 Pont-rhyd-galed. 21 Numeroos Tmimli and cr. the river Wye, Caima. and keep it on the right. 105| Bwlch-y-pridd. 103 Aberbidno. 26 cr. the riv. Bidno, at its junction with theWye. 102 Llangurig. 26 To Llanidloes, 6 m. 99i Enter Radnorshire. 281 951 cr. the r'v. Marteg. 321 1 92i RHAYADER. 351 To Llanidloes, 12 m. ^Glan Elan. To Penybont, 10 m. TOUR OF THE WYE RHAYADER TO BUILTH. 355 ON BIGHT From Chepstow. 1 From Aberyath. 1 ON LEFT To Cwm Elan, 5 m. Junction of the rivers Elan and Wye. m Gwasteden, a craggy wooded mountain, hav- ing on its summit seve- ral large cairns. liianwrthwi village, 89 39 with a remarkably small church. 86i 4H Rhiw Gwraidd. D61evan Hill. Llys-dinam Hall. 84^ Newbridge. 43^ 83i Pont-ar-Ithon. 44^ To Disserth Hall, 2 m. cr. the river Ithon, To Llandrindod Wells, near its junction with 4 m. the Wye. CastelL Cwrt Llechryd. 80i m Tumulus. Wellfield, E. D. Tho- mas, Esq. Junction of the river 79i 48J Llanelwydd Kail. Yrfon with the Wye. cr. the riv. Wye, and Grove House. White House. enter Brecknockshire. To Llandovery, 22 m. QO BUILTH. 49i To New Radnor, 12 m. To Brecon, 16^ m. m Aberdihonw. 50| Llanfaredd. Wyeside Cottage, Sir Joseph Bailey, Bart. 6H M.P. 74^ Capel AUt-mawr. 63i Aberedw, village and castle. I Aberedw Court. Abernant. Ynys Wye. Bowel HalL 71 Erwood. 57 Garth hill, with re- mains of a Camp. m 69^ Llangoed Castle, Rev. Smith. 67i 60^ Ford. Boughrood Castle, W. De Winton, Esq- 66J Llyswen, now a poor vil- lage, formerly the resi- 6U 1 dence of the princes of South Wales. To Brecon, 10 m. 66 62 64 Pipton. 64 • cr. the riv Llyfni 356 TOUR OF THE WYE HAY TO HEREFORD. ON EIGHT ES 6 oS 1 ON LEFT u.® o < Gwernyfedd Lodge. 63^ Three Cocks Inn, much frequented by anglers. 64i To Brecon, 10^ m. Tregoed, Lord Hereford. 63 Glasbury. 66 Maeslough Castle, W. De Winton, Esq. Llowes Court. Clyro Court. Oakfield. 69 HAY. 69 cr. the Dulas brook, and enter Herefordshire. Cooper’s Hall. Mouse Castle 67 Hardwick. 71 Wimble Park. Pen-y-Park. 66 72 Clifford Park, and Castle, the birthplace of the celebrated Jane of Clifford, commonly known as ** Fair Rosa- mond.” St. Oswald. 73^ Meerbach Hill. 6U Bredwardine, 76i cr. the river Wye, and hence to Hereford, keep it on the right. Brobury Scarr. Moccas Court, Sir Vel- ters Comewall, Bart. About 1 m. from Moc- cas is the village of Dorston, situated at the head of the Golden Valley y a luxuriant and highly beautiful dale, watered by the river Dore, extending 10 m. 49 Staunton-on-Wye. 79 in a S.E. direction. m Byford. 80J Gamons, Sir G. H. Cotterell, Bart. Ferry. m Bridge Sellers. 81f Bishopston. Kenchester, the sup- posed site of the an- cient Ariconium, said to have been destroyed by an earthquake. Sugwas Pool. Magna Castra, remains of an extensive Roman encampment. TOUR OF THE WYE HEREFORD TO ROSS. 357 ON SIGHT From hepsto |l ON LEFT Q 42| King’s Acre. 85| The stone cross of which a portion re- mains was erected about the year 1345, by Dr. Lewis Charlton, Bishop of Hereford, in memory of the time when in consequence of an infectious plague raging in Hereford, the markets were held on this spot. 41 White Cross. 87 40 HEREFORD. 88 cr. the riv. Wye. Black Marston. Brandon Hill. 38 Red HiU. 90 BuUingham. 37 cr. Nurton brook. 91 AUensmore House, Ed. Burnam Pateshall,Esq. 36 Callow. 92 To Monmouth, 13^ m. 35 Aconbury Hill. 93 Remains of a Roman Camp, extensive and well defined. Also a Holy Well. Much Dewchurch. 34 94 Little Birch. Bryngwyn, J. Phillips, Esq. Mynde Park, R. Sy- monds. Esq. 33i Much Birch. 94^ Llanwame. 32 Llandinabo. 96 Llanwame Court. 31i Windmill Hill. 96^ Harewood, Sir Hun- gerfordHoskyns, Bart. Pencoyd. 31 Harewood Common. 97 Michael Church. 30 98 Hentland. Pengethly, Rev. T. R. Symonds. 28J Peterstow. m Moraston House, Whaley Armitage,Esq. 27J Whitecross. 100^ Bridstow To Hereford, by Little Dewchurch, 12 m. To Monmouth, 9| m. 26| Wilton. 1011 Ruins of Wilton Castle. cr. the river Wye. 26 i ROSS. 102 To Hereford, by Fown- hope, 15 m. i i I To Gloucester, 16 J m* 358 TOUR OF THE WYE ROSS TO MONMOUTH. Pencraig House, Mrs. Brooke. Goodrich Court. Castle. Priory. Gannerew. Newton House, Miss Grifiiu. Troy House, Duke of Beaufort, across the river. Whitebrook, a popu- lous hamlet in a wooded glen. The manufac- ture of iron wire was formerly carried here, but this has been discontinued, and has given place to the mak- ing of paper. Priory, — Boyd, Esq. The small stream which descends the 21 LOWER WYE. Return across the river Wye to Wilton. Weirend. Lodge, entrance to Goodrich Court. Goodrich Cross. Whitchurch. Enter Monmouthshire. Dixton. MONMOUTH, cr. the river Wye. May Hill. Upper Redbrook. Enter Gloucestershire, Lower Redbrook. cr. the river Wye, and re-enter Monmouth- shire. Llandogo. I hill behind Llandogoi forms a pleasing cas- [cade. ‘ 102 | 103| 105 107 1081 109 110 llOi llli 112i NewhiH Court, Kings- mill Evans, Esq. 113 H4| 115 | 118J 119i Goodrich Court, Capt. A. W. H. Meyrick. Goodrich Castle. Remains of Flanesford Priory. Kern Bridge, over thel Wye. Rocklands, John Mor- ris Herbert, Esq. Great Doward Hill. Howard House. Little Doward Hill. The Leys, Richard Blakemore, Esq. The Kymin Hill, and the Buckstone. To Coleford, 5 m. Highbury HilL Florence Cottage, Mrs, Rooke. ; St. BriavePs. I Bigsweir House, Rooke, Esq. TOUR OF THE WYE MONMOUTH TO CHEPSTOW. 359 ■ J 3 ON BIGHT 1 From Chepsto |l < ON LEFT Brockweir village, with some remains of a Camp. To Monmouth, by Trellech, 8 m. At Trellech is a chaly- beate spring, called The Virtuous Well, Tintem Parva. 122J 5 Tintem Abbey. 123 Bannagor Crags, on the E. bank of the river. Windcliff. 3 Moss Cottage. 125 ■Oak Grove, Mrs. Bain- bridge. 2 St. Aryan’s. 126 Piercefield, Thomas Thompson, Esq. 1 Crossway green. 127^ CHEPSTOW. 128 Distances by Water. UPPER WYE. LOWER WYE. From the source of the Wye to — From Ross to — Miles. Miles. 82i Stedfa Gurig . . 2^ Goodrich Castle 4^ Rhayader . . iji Coldwell . • 7 Builth . 14 New Wear . . 4i Hay . . i5i Monmouth . . 5i Clifford Castle . . . 2^ Tintem . loj Hereford . . 165 Chepstow . . . 6i Ross . . i4i Embouchure • 3 82J 41 Total 123^ Miles. From Ross hy turnpike to . Monmouth . 10 „ as crow flies >> 9 Ross to Chepstow by turnpike . 24 „ „ by Coleford . . 21 „ „ as crow flies . 16^ 360 TOUR OF THE WYE. THE TOUR OF THE UPPER AND LOWER WYE. The route which will conclude this volume, comprising the entire course of the river Wye, from its rise amidst the swamps and turbaries of Plinlimmon to the junction of its waters with those of the Severn and their efflux in the Bristol Channel, will form an appropriate and interesting termination of a tour in Wales. The foregoing Itinerary distinctly specifies the towns and villages which occur on the way, and the objects of interest in their vicinity ; while of the more important portions of the route, from Ross to Monmouth, and from Monmouth to Chepstow, constituting what is usually designated “ The Tour of the Wye,” the engraved charts which are annexed will convey additional information. Of many places included in this route full descriptions have been given in preceding parts of the volume, and these (which are marked in italics) will easily be found by a reference to the index. The characteristics of the river Wye are its serpentine course (from which it is supposed to derive its name),* the uniform breadth of its channel, and the scenery of its banks. It has its source, as may be seen from the chart of Plin- limmon, within 3 miles northwards of the little inn of Stedfa Gurig, one of the places which falls within the range of excursions from the DeviVs Bridge, About two and a half miles below this inn it receives its first tributary, the Tarenig, an impetuous stream which flows from the very summit of Plinlimmon, and might, without presumption, lay claim to the honour of being the source of the Wye itself. The road strikes the Wye for the first time at this spot, and crosses it by the bridge of Pont-rhyd-Galed, keeping by it during nearly the whole of the rest of its course — a distance computed at 123 miles. Five miles from Stedfa Gurig the * The Wye is called Gwy by the Welsh when the name stands alone ; but in composition the mutable G is dropped, and it then becomes Wy. The word means a flowing or streaming, thence signifying water, as in the following : — Conwy (Con-gwy), the chief stream ; Towy, the spreading stream ; Elwy^ the sonorous stream ; Llugwy^ the dusky stream. The term is often used In the names of rivers and of waterfowl, as Mynwy, or the Monnow ; Onwy, the ash- water ; Gwyach, a snipe ; Gwydd^ a goose. — (Coxe). TOUR OF THE WYE. 361 stream flows past tlie picturesque village of Llangurig, with, its homely old church. There is nothing as yet remarkable in the scenery ;* “by degrees, however, as we proceed, the hills become closer, and the massiveness of their forms lends a certain degree of grandeur to the scene. A series of changes take place until the hills, assuming the character without the magnitude of mountains, throw themselves wildly together, and we find ourselves in a savage pass, the steep abutting masses of which are in some cases formed of grey and naked rock. “ The river here is occasionally almost choked up with stones and fragments of rocks, which must either have rolled from the heights into the bottom of the valley, or been uncovered in their original beds by the action of the water. Here opens (in our judgment) the first of the numerous picturesque views presented by the Wye. The spot is marked by the accession of a tributary stream, which is here crossed by a bridge.” (This is the river Marteg, and the point where the road is first joined by the railway between Llanidloes and Rhayader.) “ After getting out of this gorge the scenery becomes softer and more commonplace ; and at 3 miles beyond, the vista is terminated by the little church- tower of Rhayader, “The valley of the Wye, during the 14 miles which intervene (between this and Builth), presents a continuous series of picturesque views, sufficient of themselves to make the reputation of the river. The stream rushes the whole way through a singularly rocky and winding bed, bound in by lofty and fantastic banks and hills. One of the most remarkable of the latter is the Black Mountain, which is posted directly in front, and fills up the valley, as if to guard the pass from the further progress of the river ; but our wandering stream sweeps abruptly round its base, and, escaping by a narrow defile, pursues its triumphant way towards Builth. “ For more than half the distance the road runs close by the side of the water ; but, on reaching Newbridge, we * We take the liberty of quoting here the description of the Upper Wye by the late Mr. Leitch Ritchie, which, with its exquisite illustrations by Mr. T. Gres wick, R.A., forms a work of rare beauty. Published by Messrs. Longman and Co. 1S39. 362 TOUR OF THE WYE. diverge a little, and do not come near again till we have travelled a distance of nearly 5 iniles, and approached the town of BuiltJi. The river increases visibly before onr eyes ; and at length, when near Builth, it rolls along, still foaming and brawling, but in a stream of considerable volume. Its principal tributaries between Ehayader and this place are the Elan, the Ithan, and the Yrfon — the last of which is cele- brated by the defeat of Llewelyn in 1282, which took place at the spot where the little river is crossed by a bridge, just before it falls into the Wye above Builth, The valley of the Wye is less wild after passing Builth, but more beautiful. After the fourth milestone, there is a magnificent specimen of a formation of the hills which may be said to be the grand peculiarity of this district. It con- sists of a massive range on the opposite bank, laid out in square terraces, such as Martin delights to heap on each other in his pictures. But here, where nature is the builder, these masses of architecture are of rough, disjointed stones, hoary with age, and sometimes overgrown with moss and lichens. “ The small valley of Glasbury presents a view well worth notice. This is particularly the case at Maeslough Castle,, where Gilpin characterises the scenery as ^wonderfully amusing,’ declaring that the situation is one of the finest in Wales. On passing the seventeenth milestone (from Builth), the valley spreads out into a wide plain bounded by an amphi- theatre of hills ; and as we proceed numerous villas peeping through the trees show that we have now left entirely behind us the peculiarity of Welsh scenery and are again on the borders of Merry England. As we approach Hay, the build- ings become more numerous and the romance of the scene diminishes. Between Builth and Hay ends one series of the beauties of the Wye. The stream hitherto is a mountain rivulet, sometimes almost a torrent, and its characteristics are wildness and simplicity. Its course is impeded by rocks, amidst which it runs brawling and foaming ; but as we advance we shall see in what manner this will change till the banks become the chief object of admiration. “ Leaving Hay, the valley widens, the background softens, and the whole scene assumes the character of an English vale where the hills on each side are cultivated to the summit TOUR OF THE WYE. 363 On the right, as we proceed, a deep umbrageous wood comes in to give effect, and surmounting a conical eminence above the road, near the third milestone, the hoary ruins of Clifford Castle intermix with the monotony of modern life the asso- ciations of the olden time. The ruins of the castle, completely covered with iv}^, look down solemn and sad upon the Wye : — ‘ Clifford has fallen— howe’er sublime, Mere fragments wrestle still with time. Yet as they perish sure and slow, And rolling dash the stream below. They raise tradition’s glowing scene— The clue of silk, the wrathful queen ; And link in memory’s fondest bond The love-lorn tale of Rosamond.’ From this old castle down to Hereford the river runs through a rich and well- cultivated country, dotted here and there with houses and villages, but not thickly enough to disturb the idea of pastoral repose. Approaching Bredwardine, where the old castle of this name is said to have existed, the country swells into wooded eminences, one of which is called Meerbach Hill ; and Bro- bury Scar, a picturesque cliff rising from the bank of the river, adds still further to the diversity of the prospect. Finally, we enter the cathedral city of Hereford. Comparatively speaking, there is little worthy of remark between Hereford and Boss, and yet Gilpin’s charge of tame- ness is unjust. What it wants is excitement. The valley of the Wye is here beautiful, but its beauty is similar to that of the portion we have just traversed.” Four miles from Hereford the Lugg adds its waters to the Wye, and near the confluence we remark the abrupt elevation of Mar clay Hill, which is said to have been moved by an earthquake in the year 1571. At the distance of 14 miles from Hereford we reach Boss, and here commences the tour of the Lower Wye. EOSS. [EoteXs‘ Koyal; King’s Head; Swan ; George. ] Distances — Hereford, 12 miles ; Monmouth, 10 ; Gloucester, 18. Coach to Monmouth, Tintern Abbey, and Chepstow. This remarkably pleasant and cbeerfiil little town is finely situated on an eleva- tion on the left bank of the river. Its picturesque position is seen to great ad- vantage in approaching from Hereford. The streets are steep and narrow, and rendered interesting by the occurrence of a number of antique-looking houses, with gabled roofs, and bits of old carving upon their time-worn IRIVER WYE FROM ROSS. n. I 0 TOUR OF THE WYE. 365 fronts. It derives much interest from its association with the character and deeds of Mr. John Kyrle, celebrated as the ‘‘Man of Eoss” in the well-known lines of Pope. Mr. Kyrle was, through the greatest part of a long life, a resident of this town, and died here in 1724 at the advanced age of eighty- * seven. The splendid eulogium of the poet does not exaggerate the merits of the philanthropist. He expended his time and income in promoting objects of benevolence and works of public utility. The house in which he resided is situated near the market-place, having in its front a commemorative inscrip- tion. The premises have recently undergone much alteration. The best preserved portion is now occupied by a bookseller. The church, with its “ heaven-directed spire,” is a building in fine keeping with the surrounding scenery. The bell is in-' scribed with the name of John Kyrle, and was cast at Glou- cester in 1695, at his own expense. He is said to have, him- self, superintended the operation, and after drinking solemnly the orthodox toast of “church and king,” to have thrown in his favourite silver tankard into the molten mass. A mural monu- ment to his memory was erected in the chancel in 1776, ^300 having been bequeathed for the purpose by Lady Dupplin. In a corner of the church some elm-tree branches are trained up one of the windows, having sprung up in this singular situation from the expanded roots of trees on the outside, which were planted by Mr. Kyrle. They are preserved and cherished with almost superstitious reverence and affection,* “ And still keep his memory green,” * J ohn Kyrle was bom at Dymock, in Herefordshire, in 1637, and died at Ross in 1724. He is described as “nearly six feet high, strong and lusty made, jolly and ruddy in the face, with a large nose.” Habitual temperance was attended with such uniform good health, that his last illness is said to have been also his first. After visiting the house in which Kyrle lived, Coleridge wrote the following lines ; — “ Richer than misers o’er their countless hoards, Nobler than kings, or king-polluted lords. Here dwelt the man of Ross ! 0 traveller, hear ! Departed merit claims a reverent tear. Friend to the friendless, to the sick man health. With generous joy he viewed his modest wealth ; He heard the widow’s heaven-breathed prayer of praise ; He marked the sheltered orphan’s tearful gaze ; Or, where the sorrow-shrivelled captive lay. Poured the bright blaze of freedom’s noontide ray. 366 THE LOWER WYE. The Prospect Walk, adjoining the churchyard, is a quadrangular promenade, planted with magnificent elms, and surrounded by a dwarf wall. It also was laid out by Mr. Kyrle for the bene- fit of the pubKc, and although it is now connected with the grounds attached to the Royal Hotel, the right of the public to free access at all times has been fully established. The view from this spot is as remarkable for sweet and peaceful beauty as can possibly be conceived. It embraces a lovely vale, enlivened by the meanderings of the Wye, the castles of Wilton and Bridstow, luxuriant woods and fertile meadows, and the distant outline of the Welsh mountains. At about three quarters of a mile from Ross, on the right bank of the river, is the hamlet of Wilton, with the remains of a castle which was built by King Stephen in 1141, and is said to have been destroyed by fire — though the date of the disaster is not ascertained. It was formerly the baronial residence of the family of Grey de Wilton, with whom it remained till the 16th century, but it now belongs to the governors of Guy’s Hospital, London. A modern cottage, with its gay flower-garden, occupies the site of the old castle, and a turret, which is the principal remaining por- tion, is converted into a thatched summer-house. The Wye is crossed here by Wilton bridge, consisting of six arches. It was built in the reign of Elizabeth, but partially destroyed by General Rudhale during the civil wars, and afterwards restored. Ross is a favourite resort for parties intending to descend the river Wye, and boats may be hired for this purpose. Lower Wye. Ross to Monmouth. In proceeding from this to Monmouth and Chepstow, the coach forms the most ready and usual mode of conveyance, but as the route by water has a special novelty of its own, we But if, like mine, through life’s distressful scene. Lonely and sad thy pilgrimage hath been, And if, thy breast with heart-sick anguish fraught, Thou journey est onward, tempest-tossed in thought, Here cheat thy cares ! in generous visions melt, And dream of goodness thou hast never felt.” I. THE LOWER WYE. TOUR OF THE WYE. 367 shall include the description of it also, as given by the late Archdeacon Coxe,* with such alterations as may suit it to the present purpose. Nowhere else is the serpentine course of the river Wye more observable than between this and Chepstow, the distance, in a direct line, being 16^ miles, while it is 38 by water. In sailing, the effect of these numerous windings is very striking ; the same objects present themselves, are lost and recovered, with different accompaniments and in different points of view. The banks, for the most part, rise abruptly from the edge of the water, and are clothed with wood and broken into cliffs. In some places they approach so near that the river occupies the whole intermediate space, and nothing is seen but wood, rocks, and water ; in others they alternately recede, and the eye catches an occasional glimpse of hamlets, ruins, and detached buildings, partly seated on the margin of the stream, and partly scattered on the rising grounds. The general character of the scenery, however, is wildness and solitude, and if we except the populous district of Monmouth, no river, perhaps, flows for so long a course through a well-cultivated country, the borders of which exhibit so few habitations. In sailing down from Eoss we pass under the stone bridge, having on our right the ruins of Wilton Castle. At the farm of Weir-end the river turns abruptly and flows under the pre- cipitous sides of Pencraig hill, mantled with trees to the margin of the river. From this place commences that interest- ing combination of scenery which distinguishes the banks of the Wye, commencing with the embattled turrets of Goodrich Castle, which present themselves at a sudden bend of the river, crown- ing the summit of an eminence clothed with wood. They vanish and reappear at intervals, and, as we pass imder them, assume a less majestic but more picturesque aspect. Pursuing the coach-route, a slight deviation from the direct road conducts to an arched gateway, forming the main approach to the modern castellated mansion of Goodrich * Coxe’s Historical Tour in Monmouthshire, illustrated with views by Sir R. C. Hoare, Bart 368 GOODRICH CASTLE. ■Court, an object of mncb interest. It was erected in 1828, under the superintendence of Mr. E. Blore, by the late Sir Samuel Rush Meyrick, distinguished as an accomplished antiquary, and especially as the proprietor of an unrivalled collection of armour, now lent by Colonel Meyrick to the South Kensington Museum, “ where it has been arranged and displayed with infinite care and excellent judgment, so that it may be seen to the greatest possible advantage.”* By the decease of Sir Samuel, in 1848, the property passed to his nephew, A. W. H. Meyrick, Esq. , colonel in the Scots Fusilier Guards. The edifice is quadrangular, enclosing a spacious court, and is adorned with square and round towers, so disposed as to produce a remarkably picturesque effect. The entrance is over a drawbridge, and through 'a groined archway, which is furnished with a portcullis, and flanked by two round towers. The architecture embraces specimens of the styles which pre- vailed in the reigns of Edward I. II. and III. ; and the whole is designed as a complete representation of a feudal fortress. It crowns the summit of a bold promontory, with a hanging wood beneath, sloping to the water’s edge ; and is backed by hills of greater elevation. In the more domestic apartment? the furniture of each room is conformed to the style of a par- ticular reign. The old castle occupies an eminence, separated by a wooded dingle from that on which the modern mansion is erected, and is a very picturesque and interesting ruin. Al- though the precise origin of the structure is not ascertained, there is no doubt that it was a frontier post held by the Saxons, and many parts of the ruin obviously bear a Saxon or early Norman character. In the reign of King John, and in several succeeding generations, it was in the possession of the Earls of Pembroke ; and it afterwards became the pro- perty of the Talbots, Earls of Shrewsbury. During the civil wars it was at first held by the Parliament, but in 1646 it was garrisoned for the King by Sir Richard Lingen, from whom it was wrested by Colonel Birch, after a long siege and obstinate resistance. It appears to have been of considerable strength, though not very extensive. The various styles of architecture visible in the remains fix the date of the erection * Art Journal for February 1869, where an account of the armomy will be found. TOUR OF THE WYE. 369 in the 11th century, and indicate additions or alterations in each of the four succeeding centuries. Its form is nearly square, measuring 156 feet by 144, with a large round tower at each angle. The entrance gateway was constructed for a series of portcullises. Beyond the drawbridge is a loophole by which the w^arder held communication before opening the gates. Over the gateway was the guard-room, and beneath the causeway which supported the drawbridge was a sally- port for cavalry. On the north, or right hand, beyond the gateway, are windows used for reconnoitring the Wye ; and in front, on the west side, is the banqueting-hall. On the south side is an angular tower, and next to it, in the centre, the Anglo-Saxon keep with a Norman staircase. On the east side are the remains of a chapel with an ornamented Gothic window. A curious octagon column, near the hall, is evidently the centre round which the grand staircase was carried ; but the tower which enclosed it has been destroyed. From the barbican there is a good view of the building, and, on facing the north, a charming prospect of the adjacent country. A Priory (situated about a quarter of a mile below the castle) W’as founded here, in 1347, by Sir Eichard Talbot, for monks of the order of St. Augustine ; but all that remains of the building is unworthy of observation. It was formerly called Flanesford. Interesting allusions to Goodrich are found in the Memoirs of the poet Wordsworth, who, in writing of his well-known poem “ We are Seven^ remarks : “ The little girl who is the heroine I met within the area of Goodrich Castle, in the year 1793.” And at a later period he says: ‘‘In the spring of 1841 I revisited Goodrich Castle, not having seen that part of the Wye since I met the little girl there in 1793. The ruin, from its position and features, is a most impressive object. I could not but deeply regret that its solemnity was impaired by a fantastic new castle, set up on a projection of the same ridge, as if to show how far modern art can go in surpassing all that could be done by antiquity and nature, with their linited graces, remembrances, and associations.” There is little to observe on the road between this and Monmouth. By water we are carried gently down the stream by the current. The scenery is mild and placid ; the river is 2 B 370 TOUR OF THE WYE. bounded on each side by wooded acclivities, above which, to the left, peeps the spire of Kuardean Church, while near Lidbrooke the slopes of the hills are thickly sprinkled with cottages. Near Kuardean is Courtfield, an ancient seat of the Vaughans. Welsh Bicknor Church, about half-a*mile from Courtfield, contains a curious sepulchral effigy in the shape of a recumbent figure in stone, which is supposed to represent the Countess of Salisbury, who resided at Courtfield, and was the reputed nurse of Henry V. A silver chalice be- longing to the church bears the date 1146. Keturning to the river, a fragment of rock lying in the bed of the stream, called the County RocJc, marks the junction of the three counties of Hereford, Gloucester, and Monmouth. Between the church of Welsh Bicknor and the New Wear, the scenery of the banks assumes a new character, and the stream, hitherto of a mild and gentle cast, washes the base of the cliffs at Cold well Kocks and Symond’s Yat (gate). These form a majestic amphitheatre, appearing, vanishing, and re- appearing in different shapes and combinations ; at one time starting from the edge of the river and forming a per- pendicular rampart, at another, towering above woods and hills like the battlements of an immense castle. From Sy- mond’s Yat to New Wear the distance by land is not more than 600 yards, while by water it exceeds 4 miles. It is, therefore, customary to leave the boat here, mount the sum- mit, and rejoin the boat at New Wear. From the top of Symond’s Yat, which is not less than 600 feet in height above the level of the sea, the spectator enjoys a singular view of the numerous mazes of the river. At New Wear a sluice is formed for the passage of boats. The deep vale is bounded here on one side by the Great Doward, a sloping hill sprinkled with limekilns and cottages, and overhanging some ironworks ; on the other rises the chain of precipices forming the side of the peninsula which is opposite to Coldwell Rocks, and vies with them in ruggedness of aspect. Near the iron- works the weir stretches transversely across the stream, over which (though above smooth and tranquil) it falls in no in- considerable cataract, and, after roaring over fragments of rock, is gradually lost in the midst of the woods. From this we proceed to the bottom of the Little Doward^ whose precipitous sides present a ragged rampart of rock. Turning roimd its TOUR OF THE WYE. 371 Bouthem extremity we pass under The Leys^ a house delight- fully situated at the foot of the precipice overlooking the water. Here we obtain a view of a long reach of the river, including Monmouth Bridge, with the church-spire rising amidst tufts of trees. The river enters the county of Mon- mouth between the rich groves of Hadnock on the left and Newton House on the right. Beyond this, passing on the left side the wooded eminences of Beaulieu, which stretch from Hadnock to the Kymin, and on the other side, a suc- cession of rich meadows with the sequestered church of Dixton standing near the margin of the river, we reach MONMOUTH, [Hotels : Beaufort Arms ; King’s Head ; Angel ; White Swan.] situated on a tongue of land formed by the rivers Monnow and Wye, near the point of their junction. From the former it takes its name. Monnow-mouth, contracted to Monmouth. Another stream, called the Trothy, also enters the Wye a little below, and each of these three rivers is crossed by a good stone bridge. The surrounding scenery is beautiful, and the neighbourhood presents many objects of interest. The houses, generally, are substantial and handsome, and many of them have spacious gardens and orchards. The administration of local affairs has been conducted here with judgment and energy, and the public buildings are highly creditable. The town is reputed of great antiquity, being the supposed site of the Koman Blestium; and it is known that a British fortress of great strength existed here prior to the Norman era. In 1257 a larger structure was erected by John, baron of Mon- mouth, who resigned it to Prince Edward, afterwards Ed- ward I. In 1265 it was besieged and nearly demolished by Simon, Earl of Leicester. It was, however, rebuilt, and passed into the possession of John of Gaunt, whose son, Henry of Bolingbroke, was afterwards King Henry IV. ; and during his reign this fortress became the birthplace of Henry V., the hero of Agincourt. In 1646 the castle, being garrisoned by Royalists, was attacked and taken by the forces of the Parliament. It is now much dilapitated. Some por- tions of a tower remain, and a florid Gothic window is shown as having belonged to the apartment in which Henry V. was 372 MONMOUTH. bom ; but these remains give little indication of the formei extent and magnificence of the building. The town was anciently surrounded by walls and a moat, traces of which are still visible. Of four gates, the only remaining one stands on the bridge which crosses the Monnow, and this is, perhaps, the most perfect relic of its kind. iSt Mary*s Church is chiefly remarkable for the beauty and height of its spire. It occupies the site of a church for- merly attached to a Benedictine Priory, founded in the time of Henry I. Parts of the priory buildings remain, particularly a room which tradition asserts was the library of the celebrated chronicler, Geoffry of Monmouth, who was born and educated here about the middle of the 12th century. Thomas's Churchy at the foot of Monnow Bridge, is a curious old struc- ture, partly Saxon and partly British. The mouldings of some of the arches are worthy of notice. There are chapels for Independents, Baptists, Wesleyans, and Koman Catholics. The Town Hall is a handsome ediflce, l)ut somewhat disfigured by an ill -proportioned statue of Henry Y. An excellent market-place was constructed some years ago in connection with an improved entrance to the town on the N.E. side. The County Gaol was built at the close of the last century, on Mr. Howard’s plan. It is a massive stone building, having the appearance of an ancient castle. Mon- mouth also possesses a Free Grammar School for 100 boys, and Almshouses for 20 poor persons, both founded by William Jones in the reign of James I. Mr. Jones was a native of the neighbouring parish of Newland. When a boy he begged his way to London, where, by industry, frugality, and skill, he succeeded in amassing a large fortune. In order to test the generosity of his native place, he returned in the guise of poverty and solicited relief. This being refused at Newland, he repaired to Monmouth, where he experienced kinder treat- ment. Here, therefore, he made himself known, and at his death his gratitude was evinced by the noble foundations just mentioned. Monmouth has no manufactures of importance, but there are some iron and tin works in the vicinity. A chapel still exists which once belonged to the makers of the Monmouth caps, which once formed a considerable branch of trade here, and much esteemed in the time of Henry V. Fluellen, in Shakespeare’s play of Henry V., alludes to these TOUR OF THE WYE. 373 caps in his address to the king : “ If your Majesties is re- membered of it, the Welshmen did goot service in a garden where leeks did grow, wearing leeks in their Monmouth caps.” The manufacture was removed to Bewdley. The county assizes are held hexe. The market is on Saturday. Mon- mouth, in connection with Newport and Usk, elects one M.P. Population, 5783. Monmouth used formerly to be on the thoroughfare of the great mail road between Gloucester and Carmarthen, but it is now rather off at a siding, being about 25 miles east of Pontypool, on the Hereford and Newport Railway. The neighbourhood affords some most pleasant walks. The Chippenham Meadow is a very agreeable evening pro- menade. At about 2^ miles from the town is a lofty hill, called The Kymin, already noticed, rising from the bank of the Wye on the Gloucestershire side, and surmounted by the rich wood of Beaulieu, which is intersected by several walks. A monument is erected on the summit, to commemorate the victories of the British navy, and there is a circular pavilion for the accommodation of visitors, much resorted to during the summer months. The view from this spot extends to a cir- cumference of nearly 300 miles, including the diversified scenery of nine counties. From the Kymin is seen towards the S.E., not a mile distant, a famous Druidical rocking stone, called the Buckstone. It is a rude mass of silicious grit, on the edge of a limestone rock, in form resembling an inverted pyramid, poised on its apex. Its circumference at the upper part is 54 feet, and at the point of contact with the pedestal, 3 feet, and its height is 13 feet. About a mile from Monmouth, on the left of the road to Raglan, is Troy House, the property of the Duke of Beaufort. Although it is said to have been built after designs by Inigo Jones, it exhibits no architectural beauty. It contains, how- ever, apartments of noble dimensions, embellished with many family portraits, and enriched with rarities, natural and artifi- cial. Amongst them are the cradle of Henry V., the armour which he wore at Agincourt, and a curious oak chimney-piece brought from Raglan Castle, carved with scriptural subjects. The little river Trothy runs through the grounds. And from this (the name being corrupted into Troy), the house derives its name. 374 MONMOUTH TO CHEPSTOW. FROM MONMOUTH TO CHEPSTOW. By Road. Upper Redbrook Lower ,, Florence College Big’s Wear Llandogo . Tintem . . ,, Abbey . Miles. 1 3 . Windcliff and Moss Cottage St. Arvan’s . Crossway Green . . Chepstow .... Miles. The distance from Chepstow to the embouchure of the Wye is about 3 miles. By Water. At Redbrook Ironworks, about two miles from Monmouth, the Wye becomes the boundary-line between Monmouth and Gloucester shires. Beyond this it forms a grand sweep, and flows mostly in a deep hollow between two ranges of wooded hills. A peep is obtained of the church and castle of St, Briavels, crowning the summit of an eminence about a mile and a half to the east. We are then hurried along a rapid current called Big’s Wear, where the river eddies over frag- ments of rock, leaving only a narrow space for the passage of the boat. At this picturesque part of the river Big’s Wear House stands on the left, and Pilsom on the right bank. From hence the river winds by the hamlet of Llandogo, with its church peeping through the trees. The river, after making another severe bend, brings us to the village of Tintern Parva and the ruins of the celebrated abbey. SCmtern This majestic ruin, viewed in connection with the sur- rounding scenery, is justly esteemed the most beautiful and picturesque object on the banks of the Wye. It occupies a level area, beautifully screened on all sides by richly-wooded hills, amidst which the river pursues its winding course. A more pleasing object, in such a situation, could not easily be found. The name is supposed to be derived from the Welsh words, Dm, a fortress, and Teyrn, a sovereign ; and it appears that this was the site of a hermitage to which Theodoric, King of Glamorgan, retired, after he had resigned the throne to his son Maurice. The date of the foundation is the year 1131, when an TINTERN ABBEY FROM THE WYE. TOUK OF THE WYE. 375 Abbey for Cistercian monks was founded here by Walter Fitz- Kichard de Clare, and dedicated to St. Mary. Walter died in the following year, and was succeeded by Gilbert de Clare, first Earl of Pembroke, who died in 1148, and was buried at Tintern. His son, Eichard Strongbow, succeeded to the titles and estates, but the male line of this family failing, Matilda, the heiress, married Hugh de Bigod, Earl of Norfolk, and, ac- cording to William of Worcester, his grandson, Eoger de Bigod, erected the Abbey Church of Tintern a.d. 1287. Among the monastic institutions of the kingdom this establishment was for a long time pre-eminently distinguished for its sumptuous style of living and unbounded hospitaUty. It was the refuge to which Edward II. repaired for a time from the pursuit of his queen Isabella. At the period of the Dissolution there were not more than thirteen inmates. Henry VIII. granted the abbey and estates to Henry, Earl of Worcester, from whom they have descended to the Duke of Beaufort, the pre- sent proprietor. The principal portion of the ruins is the Church, which is a beautiful specimen of pure Gothic architecture. As a distant object it is not very striking, but on a nearer approach, when the eye can fix upon some of its nobler parts, and ob- serve the harmony of its proportions, it appears a structure of surpassing beauty. Entering at the western door, the spectacle suddenly disclosed is most majestic. The whole is roofless, but the walls are almost entire, and some of the columns are still standing. Of those which have fallen the bases remain, and in the middle of the nave are the four lofty arches which supported the tower, now reduced to skeletons of stone, yet completely preserving their form. The eastern window, with one tall mullion ramifying at the top, is singularly light and elegant ; and the western window, over the entrance, is pecu- liarly rich in ornament, and of exquisite beauty. The pave- ment is obliterated, the elevation of the choir is no longer visible, and the whole area is reduced to one level, cleared of rubbish, and carpeted with turf. Fragments of sculpture, and maimed effigies, worn by time and weather, are scattered about, or laid against the walls and columns. Some of these have but recently been brought to light, in clearing the adjacent ground of accumulated rubbish. A strong iron railing is carried along the upper walls, so that visitors may with safety 376 TINTERN ABBEY. traverse the greater part of the transept at a considerable ele- vation above the floor ; and here the eye will be better able to estimate the magnitude and proportions of the edifice. The best situation from which to view the interior is at the cor- ner on the right of the western entrance. The scene from this spot, when the sun is shining, or when the harvest moon sheds her beams on the mouldering pile, is truly sublime. ‘ From the length of the nave, the height of the walls, the aspiring form of the pointed arches, and the size of the east window which closes the perspective, the first impressions are those of grandeur and sublimity. But as these emotions sub- side, and we descend from the contemplation of the whole to the examination of the parts, we are no less struck with the regularity of the plan, the lightness of the architecture, and the delicacy of the ornaments ; we feel that elegance is its characteristic no less than grandeur, and that the whole is a combination of the beautiful and sublime.”* The Abbey Church is cruciform, measuring from E. to W. 228 feet, and from N. to S., at the transept, 150 feet. The nave and choir are 37 feet in breadth, the height of the cen^ tral arches is 70 feet, of the smaller arches 30 feet, of the east window 64 feet, and of the west window 42 feet. The extent of the area originally enclosed by the walls of the Abbey is said to have been 34 acres. On the north side of the Church are remains of the Eefectory, with a lectern for the use of the reader during meals. There are also vestiges of cloisters, a dormitory, a confessional, a chapter-house, and some other apartments. In 1847, during the progress of excavation in an orchard adjoining the abbey, a discovery was made of the remains of a large oblong building, supported by rows of pil- lars. This appears to have been the Hospitium, in which the monks were wont to entertain strangers and travelling friars. The cluster of cottages near the abbey is called Abbey Tintern, in distinction from Tintern Parva, nearly a mile dis- tant, in which the parish church is situated. Beyond Tintern the Wye assumes the character of a tidal river ; the water is no longer transparent, and except at high tide the banks are covered with slime. In the vicinity of Piercefield the sinuosities re-appear and the banks become rugged. The long line of Bannagor Crags forms a perpendicular * Coxe’s Historical Tour TIXTKKX AI5I’>KV INTMTUOK J I f TOUR OF THE WYE. 377 rampart on tlie left bank ; on the opposite (right) side the river is skirted by narrow slips of rich pasture, rising into wooded acclivities, on which towers the Windcliff^ a perpendicular mass of rocks overhung with thickets. At this place the Wye turns abruptly round the peninsula of Lancaut, under the stupendous amphitheatre of the Piercefield cliffs, which stai*t up from the edge of the water, and are either wholly mantled with wood or jutting up in bold fantastic projections like enormous buttresses formed by the hand of nature. Some of these, more prominent than the rest, are called the twelve Apostles, and one St Peter's Thumb. At the further extremity of this peninsula the river again turns, and stretches in a long reach between the white and towering cliffs of Lancaut and the richly clothed eminences of Piercefield Park. In the midst of these grand and picturesque scenes the embattled turrets of Chepstow Castle burst upon the sight, and as we glide under the perpendicular crag we look with astonishment to the mas- sive walls impending over the edge of the precipice, and ap- pearing like a continuation of the rock itself. In proceeding from Tintern towards Chepstow by coach, at the distance of 2 miles from the former and of 3 from the latter, we pass The Moss Cottage, a fanciful little erection built by the Duke of Beaufort for the convenience of parties visiting Windcliff. It is a rustic building, thatched and lined with moss, having Gothic windows with stained glass. Here direction and assistance may be obtained for ascending the height, and picnic parties and others may receive suitable accommodation. From the cottage a path is formed to the summit of the cliff, which is about 800 feet above the level of the river. Another way of ascent, easier though more circuit- ous, commences near the village of St. Arvan’s, a mile farther on the road towards Chepstow, and if parties who are driving proceed so far before they begin their walk, carriages may be sent back to the Moss Cottage, in order to await their descent. The extensive prospect commanded from the summit of Wind- cliff is generally extolled as one of the most beautiful in the island. It may be more correct to state that the scene here presented to view has peculiar characteristics of beauty by which it is distinguished from others. The objects included are the following : — the new line of road from Chepstow to Tintern, the circuitous Wye, traced through several miles of 378 WINDCLIFF — PIEHCEFIELD PARK. its course, between its rocky and wooded banks ; the pretty hamlet of Lancaut, with the perpendicular crags of Bannagor, and the whole domain of Piercefield ; a little to the left, Berkeley Castle and Thombury Church ; on the right, suc- cessively, the town and castle of Chepstow, the majestic Severn, and the confluence of the two rivers Wye and Severn, the Old and New Passages, Durdham Down, and Dundry Tower, near Bristol, the mouth of the Avon, and Portishead Point ; to the S.W. the Holmes and Penarth Point, near Cardiff ; and far away in the N.W., the Black Mountains, forming a sublime background to the whole ; thus embracing parts of nine coimties, namely, Monmouth, Gloucester, Wilts, Somerset, De- von, Glamorgan, Brecon, Hereford, and Worcester. As I stood on the brow of this precipice,” says the author pre-vdously quoted, “ I looked down upon the fertile peninsula of Lancaut, surrounded with rocks and forests, contemplated the hanging woods, rich lawns, and romantic cliffs of Pierce- field, the castle and town of Chepstow, and traced the Wye sweepiug, in the true line of beauty, from the Bannagor Crags to its junction with the Severn, where it spreads into an estuary, and is lost in the distant ocean. A boundless extent of country is seen in every direction from this commanding emiuence, comprehending not less than nine counties. In the midst of this expanse I principally directed my attention to the subject of my tour, which now drew to a conclusion ; I traced, with pleasing satisfaction, not unmixed with regret, the luxuriant valleys and romantic hills of this interesting county ; but I dwelt with peculiar admiration on the majestic rampart which forms its boundary to the west, and extends in one grand and broken outline from the banks of the Severn to the Black Mountains, — ** * Where the broken landscape by degrees Ascending, roughens into rigid hills ; O’er which the Cambrian mountains, like far clouds. That skirt the blue horizon, dusky rise.’ ” — ^Thomson, Spring, Piercefield Park, extending along the river nearly the whole distance between Windcliff and Chepstow, has been long celebrated for picturesque beauty. It has many natural advan- tages, presenting, as it does, an agreeable diversity of wood, rock, and lawn, with some of the most exquisite river scenery ; and the hand of taste has been successfully employed for aiding II. THE LOWER WYE. MONMOUTH TO CHEPSTOW.) StauntouVl Pei^ILi V ^/stonpx^ •• Troy J^fiK To/7>‘ Jln-nvJX IreliecbMp. ijJiencorL y &.ytu I ij JH ''"^yopk ^'^§i ! ‘^pG 7^ Jl Wtui'mir/jiiLltex^y 2,Tanx)r.Wood Ten2n^drMljJ^^'\ // OurTrooWocM ’Rjrxid^rmry (yPtliL>y3dT7v y^aT^VJirs'^'\^^^^\ "■’%lar,4u,,.,/ \ \ // \ \ %^Bot^tmay '''"miteWaJLs \ IB/1 ^ lfool.a.9i7>m^ '■' ‘ A^nvelbx-, // y/ id 'ffnd ; Farfc^am j-^ DtaikOri F. •■ [(^ Ayl^mwre, BartJauA „ C<7uri ^ ' ^ Xi ]a )Sijrym/Tr(>hj]l _X,.V a ; Wiy Si ■ Tng'f by J.£ardwl/mi/iwyEdJrC: Piibiisli/iil by /\-& C. Biack.lii^i nifiix^l.. ' 1 ' CHEPSTOW. 379 the disclosure of natural beauties. The walks are fully three miles in length, in the course of which visitors are conducted to nine principal stations, selected as affording the best points from which to view the scenery. The mansion, at present the residence of Thomas Thompson, Esq., is a respectable modem building, not distinguished by any peculiarity of architecture or embellishment. The estate received most of its artificial improvements from one of its owners in the last century, Valentine Morris, Esq., whose benevolent character and affect- ing history form the subject of one of Robert Bloomfield’s poetical sketches. The regulations for the admittance of visitors to the grounds are frequently varied, and it is there- fore expedient to procure information on the subject at Chep- stow, Monmouth, or Tintern CHEPSTOW [Hotels: Beaufort Arms ; George.] 27^ miles from Gloucester. occupies the slope of a hill on the western bank of the river Wye, near its confluence with the Severn, and is environed by scenery of much beauty and grandeur. The main streets are broad and cleanly, and the houses, buildings, and shops are generally of a highly respectable class. The river Wye is navigable for large vessels only as far as Chepstow bridge, but barges of from 18 to 30 tons burthen can go as high as Hereford. The tide runs up the river with wonderful rapidity, frequently rising above 60 feet, and it has been known to rise even to 70 feet. ‘^From the form of the Bristol Channel (says De La Beche), and the absence of a free passage for the waters, such as exists at the straits of Dover in the English Channel, westerly winds force up and sustain a great body of water, thereby raising the sea several feet above the mean level.” In the garden of a house in Bridge Street is a well which ebbs and flows inversely with the flow and ebb of the tide. When the tide is at its height the well is perfectly dry, and soon after the ebb the water returns. The well is 32 feet deep, and has frequently 14 feet of water — which is of excellent quality. Shipbuilding is carried on to a considerable extent. Great quantities of salmon, caught in the Severn and the Wye, are sent to London and other places. 380 CHEPSTOW There are no manufactures, but the foreign trade is consider- able. This being the port of all the towns on the Wye and the Lug, it supplies Herefordshire and the eastern part of Monmouthshire with all the necessary imports. The exports are, bark, iron, coal, cider, and mill-stones, vast quantities of timber to the Koyal Dockyards, and of grain to Bristol. With the last-named port there is frequent communication by steam- packets. It does not appear that Chepstow flourished during the time of the Roman sway, but it seems to have risen into im- portance on the decline of the ancient city of Caerwent, being better situated for the purposes of commerce. The Castle was founded in the 11th century by William Fitzosborn, Earl of Hereford, a relative of the Norman Conqueror. In the 13th century the greater part of the original structure was taken down, and one, larger and of greater strength, was erected. It is still a magnificent pile, towering upon the summit of a cliff whose base is washed by the classic Wye. The site occupies three acres of ground, and it is divided into four courts. On the land side it was defended by a deep ditch, and by circular towers of considerable elevation. The entrance is at the E. end, under a Norman arch, guarded by two lofty towers and a massive iron-plated door. In the por- tal are the grooves of a portcullis. Within the first court are the domestic offices, a chapel or oratory, a subterraneous room excavated in the rock ; and in the S.E. angle a large round tower, beneath which is a damp and dismal vault, where, hidden from the cheering aspect of the sun, sighed many a wretched captive. Spiral stairs lead upward to the battle- ments, the roof and floors having perished. In this tower Henry Marten, one of the judges of Charles I., was confined for twenty years. He died here, in the 7 8th year of his age, and was buried in Chepstow church, first in the chancel, but subsequently the body was removed to another part of the building by order of one of the vicars, who would not suffer the remains of a regicide to lie so near to the altar ! Here also the great and good Jeremy Taylor suffered temporary imprisonment in 1656, on the charge of being privy to an in- surrection of the Royalists. The second court is converted into a garden. In the third court is what is called the chapel, but which was, more probably, the hall of state, a fine CHEPSTOW CASTLE. 1 i :-■! r ■ CHEPSTOW. 381 specimen of ancient grandeur, rising 130 feet above the river. Its length is 90 feet, and its breadth 30 feet. The windows and arches are in the richest Gothic style. The fourth court communicated by a drawbridge, and may have been an out- work constructed at a later period than the other parts. The fortifications connected with the castle were extended around the town, and of its fort-walls and watch-towers the remains are still considerable. In the reign of Charles I. Chepstow ex- perienced the reverses of fortune incidental to that calamitous period. The town and castle were garrisoned for the King, but in October 1645 Colonel Morgan gained possession for the Parliament, in whose power they remained till 1648, when they were surprised and captured by a regiment of horse in the King’s service. Cromwell proceeded in person for the re- covery of this important post, and in a short time it was taken by assault. The castle is now held by the Duke of Beaufort. The Parish Churchy said to have been formerly the con- ventual church of a Priory of Benedictines, founded as early as the reign of Stephen, has been restored to its former dimen- sions by the rebuilding of the chancel and transepts. The western entrance and some other parts are richly decorated, and it contains some interesting monuments. The entrance to the north is through a Gothic porchway, which covers the original doorway, formed by a semicircular arch enriched with zig-zag mouldings and supported by two columns ; but the entrance in the west front is a magnificent portal in the highest state of preservation, and richly decorated with divi- sions of diagonal and diamond mouldings. The three win- dows above are in the same style, but the tower is the addition of the present century. The date of the original structure is supposed to be soon after the Conquest, and it is mentioned in a bull of Pope Alexander III. 1168. An ancient deed also gives the Prior of Striguil (which is the name of the old monastery) a right to house-boot and hay-boot in Wentwood from the Conquest. The church contains tombs of Henry second Earl of Worcester, Lord Herbert and his wife, and Henry Marten, the regicide, already noticed. In the town are several chapels for Protestant Dissenters, and one for Koman Catholics, an endowed charity school, two * Coxe’s roiw. 382 CHEPSTOW. ancient hospitals in which 25 aged persons are supported, and several minor charities. In 1816 an old wooden bridge across the Wye gave place to a substantial and elegant iron bridge, erected at the joint expense of the counties of Glou- cester and Monmouth. The river is also spanned by the South Wales Kailway by means of a bridge of peculiar con- struction, designed by Brunei, combining the principles of Telford’s Suspension and Stephenson’s Tubular bridges. Having been opened in 1852, its perfect stability has been fully demonstrated ; and it cannot fail to be regarded as an admirable achievement of mechanical ingenuity and construc- tive skill. Chepstow has the cheerful aspect of a thriving and improving town. Railways and steam-packets, facilitating access, have much augmented the number of visitors ; and the lovely scenery of the Wye, with other interesting objects in the vicinity, is an unfailing attraction to tourists. Mar- kets are held on Wednesday and Saturday. Population, 3364. 383 ITINERARIES, I. ' CAENARYON TO ABEEYSTWITH (Coast Road), Through Tremadoc, Harlech, Barmouth, and Aberdovey ; INCLUDING THREE FeRRIES. ON KIGHT ja i| 1 From 1 Carnarvon ON LETT non CA&NARVON. < FROM CARNARVON. To Pwllheli, 20 m. 67 CARNARVON. Llanbeblig Church. Cefn Hendref, D. M. Allen, Esq. Vicarage, Rev. J. C. Penrhds, Dr. Miller. 65^ u Vincent. Glangwna. 64^ Glynafon. 62 Bettws Gannon. 5 Church dedicated to Gerraanus, who led the Britons to the cclo- biated Victoria All©* luiatica at Maes-j*Gar* mon. Moel Aeliau (or Eilio). Nant Mill, with pic* 61 6 Plas Nant, a shooting turesqae Cascade and box of Sir R. B. Wil* Bridge. Caatell Cidwm, and Craig Cwm Bychan, a portion of the nigged Mynydd Mawr. 60^ Llyn CweUin, a lake more than a mile and half in length, abounding with trout and 6i liams Bulkely, Bart red char. 59i ** Snowdon Ran- Llyn^-dywarchen, or the Pool of the sod, with a Floating Island. 58^ SI ger,” a roadside Inn, from which some per- sons commence the ascent of Snowdon; 1 To Nantlle Mines and 58 Pont Rhydd D6. 9 but Llanberis isa pre- lijns, and the Pass of ferable starting place. 1 Drws-y-Coed. 57i Llyn-y-Gader. 9i See Rout© VIII. j 67 Pitt's Head, a rock at the roadside, the rugged 10 outline of wMch exhibits a resemblance to the pro- file of the statesman. Nant Colwyn. cr. the river Colwyn, near its junction with tiie Gwynant. Mod Hebog, or the Hill of Flight. 54 I BEDDGELERT. 13 To Capel Cuxig, 13 m 384 CARNARVON TO ABERYSTWITH ON BIGHT IBOM CABNABVON. 1 Prom Aberysth. 1 From Carnarvon ON LEFT PROM CABNABYOM. Pass of Aberglaslyn. Pen-y-gaer. 52J The road to Tremadoc is continued on the western bank of the river. Pont Aberglaslyn. To Tan-y-Bwlch, m. Tan - yr - allt, J. W. Greaves, Esq. 49^ Aberdennant. m To Penmorfa, a plea- sant village, near to which is a hiU whose outhne is supposed to resemble the profile of the Duke of Wellington 47 TREMADOC. 20 To Criccieth, 5 m. Morfa Lodge, J. Spooner, Esq. 46 45 43 Portmadoc. Ferry from the Carnar- vonshire side of the Estuary, To the Merionethshire side. 21 22 24 The Ferry may be avoided by proceeding along the embank- ment, and at time of low water across the river and sands of Traeth-bach ; but this is somewhat hazardous without a guide. 42J Llanfihangel-y-traethan. 24i Maes-y-neuadd. Race Course. Glyn, — Gore, Esq. Llandanwg. The Church has been left to fall into ruins since the erection of a new Church in Harlech. 38 36i HARLECH. Llanfair. 29 30i To Cwm Bychan, 6 m. Peninsula of Mochras. Tire shore hereabouts will reward the search of conchologists. In a field, at the road- side near Llanbedr, are two Meini-hiriou. 35 Llanbedr. cr. the river Artro. Tlie district through which the road passes is called Dyffryn Ardudwy. It appears to have been formerly much more po- pulous than it is at pre- sent, as it abounds 'with remains of small rude buildings. 32 Also, more to the south, an old hiUy road to Dolgelley, passing three lakes, and through a coun- try which is the scene of marvellous legends, and-abounds in Drill dical and British remains. To Drws Ardudwy, 7 m. This is a sublime pass between Rhy- nog Fawr, and Rhy- nog Facli. Uancnddwyn ZZ 1 84 CARNARVON TO ABERYBTWITH. 385 ON BIGHT JZ it a o ^ ■j ON LEFT i FEOM CABNABVON. < i FROM CARNARVON. Sarn Badrig, or Pa- trick’s Causeway, may be discerned at low water stretching out many miles in the bay. 32 Llanddwywe. 35 Two antique lodges form the entrance to an ascending avenue of lime trees, a mile in length, leading to the baronial mansion, Cors-y-gedol. Ffynnon-y-Tyddyn- Mawr,a mineral spring. 31 Llanaber. 36 37^ 1 Egryn Abbey. m 28 BARMOUTH. 39 To Dolgelley, 10 m. Railway Bridge across Estuary of the Mawd- dach. J oin the coast road from } 1 Dollgelley to Towyn, which, for several miles, is cut along the side of rocks overhanging Car- ! 1 digan bay. ) 23 Llwyngwril, a large vil- lage in the extensive pa- 44 rish of Llangelynin. 1 19 Llanegryn. 48 Peniarth, William Robert Maurice 1 Encampment. Wynne, Esq. To BolgeUey, old hilly Tomen Ddreiniw. 18 Tal-y-bont. 49 read, 13 m. cr. the river Dy- synni. Ynys-y-maengwyn, E. j Corbet, Esq. 17 Pont Eathew. 60 To Tal-y-Llyn, 8 m. 1 Morfa Towyn. I 15 TOWYN. 62 Entrenchment. To Dolgelley, 18 m. ! Llyn-y-bonh, and other 14 53 Botalog. , small Lakes. j 11 ABEKDOVEY. 56 To Machjmlleth, 11 m. To Machynlleth, 10 m. Ferry across the mouth The sands hence to Borth are firm and of the Dovey (subject to the state of the tide). smooth, and afford a very pleasant drive. Enter Cardiganshire. 9 Moel Ynys. 58 1 Cambrian Hotel. 7 Borth. 61 ' 386 CARNARVON TO ABERYSTOITH. ON RIGHT -S s-s ii ON LEFT FROJl CARNARVON. 2 fa 2 FROM CARNARVOBT. < 6 Castell Gwalter, re- mains of an ancient fort. Pen-y-bont. Llanfihangel Geneur- glynn. 62i To Machynlleth, 13Jm. 4 Pen-y-garn. 63 Bow street. 63i Vale of Clarach. 3 64 Qogerddan, Sir Pryse Cwmcynfelin, Geo. Pryse, Bart. WilHams, Esq. Race-Course, Colonel Llangorw’en Church. Pryse. Cottage of Blind Harper. 2 65 Union Workhouse. tPenglais, Alexander To Llanbadarn-Ftwr, . Richardes, Esq. ! ABERYSTWITH. 67 Im. CORRESPONDING RAIL WA Y ROUTE. 1 . 2 . Carnarvon. Llanwnda. Groeslon. Penygroes. Pant-Glas. Brynkir. Ynys. Chwilog. Afon Wen. Criccieth. Portmadoc. Penrhyn Defidraeth. Talsaman. Harlech. Continued. Harlech. Pensarn. Dyffryn. Barmouth. Llwyngwril, Towyn. Aberdovey. Glandovey, for Machynlleth. Ynys-Las. Borth. Llanfihangel. Bow Street. Aberystwith- SHREWSBURY TO ABERYSTWITH, Through Welshpool and Machynlleth. ON EIGHT l| ON LEFT THOM SHEEWSBUEY. £ FEOM SHREWSBURY. 72i SHREWSBURY. ' To Oswestry, 16 m. 70| If 1 68 Pavement gate. 4^ To Llanfyllin, 19 m. 66f Cross gate. 5f Rowton Castle, H. Lyster, Esq. 66 Cardiston. Cardiston Park. At Alberbury, (2| m.) iLoton HaU. 62 Woolaston. lOi At a short distance, N.W. see theBreidden 59| Enter Montgomeryshire. 12f Buttington Hall. Hills, wi^ three peaks ; 57 15i on the summit of 56i Buttington, the scene of 16 To Montgomery, 8 m. one, called Craig-y- Breidden, is an obe- lisk to commemorate the victory of Admiral Lord Rodney over the a sanguinary battle be- tween Danes and Saxons in the year 894. cr. the riv. Severn. Long Mountain, the scene of the last deci- sive battle for the in- dependence of the French fleet, in 1782. Also, the remains of an principality, in which Madoc was vanquished ancient fortress. 56 Buttington Cross. 16i and slain. To Oswestry, 16 m. 541 WELSHPOOL. 18 To Newtovra, 13 m. Llanerchydol Hall, David Pugh, Esq., 53| 19 Powis Castle, Earl of Powis. M.P. Golfa. 52| 20 50 22| Ddlarddyn Hall. Tne Mount, Castell Caer Einion, re- mains of a Ikrnnin fortress. 47 Llanfair, sometimes called, to distinguish it 25i Bryn-glas. from other places of the same name, lianfair Caer Elnion. 44 Pont Einion. .388 SHREWSBUEY TO ABERTSTWITH. ' 4 j ON RIGHT ON LEFT FROM SHREWSBURY. If < £ FROM SHREWSBURY. An ancient Church, a remarkably large yew tree, and a holy well. 42 Llanerfyl. cr. the river Banw. m Llwyssin, Hon. R. H. Clive, M.P. Llwydiarth Park, Sir m Cann Office Inn, a good 32 Llangadfan. In this W. W. Wynn, Bart., fishing station. parish and its vicinity 4- m. are many remains of Neuaddwen, or the White Hall, a very ancient manor-house. 38i Garthbibio. The road here is elevated, and very bleak. The summit level is called 34 camps and cairns, and vestiges of the Roman causeway, Sarn-Sws. 35 Bwlch-y-fedwen. m 33J Enter Merionethshire. 39 Cwm-cewydd. 30i Pont-y-wrisgen. 42| To Dinas Mowddy, 2 m. 29^ MALLWYD. 43 To Dolgelley, 12 m. jCamlan mountain. Hence to Machynlleth, the road follows the course of the Dyfi, (pro- ! nounced Dovey), Re-enter Montgomery- shire. Dol-y-corsllwyn. 27 45i 25 Cemmaes. m Moel Eiddaw, on which are a camedd, and the remains of a large camp. 24 cross the nver m To Newtown, 22^ m. Twymyn. 21^ Abergwidol. 51 19J Penegoes, 63 the birthplace of Wilson the painter, in 1714. Maen Llwyd. ' To Dolgelley, 16^ m. To Aberdovey, 10 m. 18 MACHYNLLETH. 54J Plas Machynlleth 16 Derwenl&s. 56i Right Hon. Earl Vane 15 67i Morhen Lodge, 14 ■^9^ cr. the riv . Llyfnant, 58^ Colonel Apperley. and enter Cardiganshire. Glen Llyfnant. Tomec-lA». 1 13 Garreg. 59J 1 Dovey Castle, George i Jeffreys, Esq. i IB Eg! wy 8- Each. 00'^ 1 1 SHREWSBURY TO ABERYSTWITH. 389 ON right it 1 ON LEFT 1 FROM SHREWSBURY. FROM SHREWSBURY. < Z Penrhyn-gerwin Church. lOf 61| Lodge Park, H. C. Fryer, Esq. Uancynfelin. 9 Tre-rddol. 63J Dolyclettwr Arms Inn. 8^ Tre Tahesin. 64 At about 2 m. E. Bedd Taliesin, the burial- place of the chief of bards. 7 Tal-y-bont. 65i Penpompren, Davies, Esq. j cr. the river Lery. AUt-goch. 66 Lletty Llwyd. i To Borth, m. 68 1 4 Pen-y-garn. m 1 ! Bow street. 69 In the fertile vale of Clarach, Cwmcynfelin, Geo. Williams, Esq., 3 69J Gogerddan, Sir Pryse Pryse, Bart. 1 aud Llangorwen Church. Penglais, Alexander Richardes, Esq. Race Course. j Union Workhouse. To Llanbadarn-Fawr 1 1 ABERYSTWITH. 72^ CORRESPONDING RAILWAY ROUTE, — Shrewsbury. 5 Hanwood. *l\ Yockleton. 11^ Westbury. 14J Middleton. 17i Buttington. 19| Welshpool. 38 Forden. 40 Montgomery. 43^ Abermule. 47^ Newtown. 49 J Scafell. 52 Moat Lane Junction. 63 Caersws. 54| Pontdolgoch. 59 Camo. 64| Llanbrynmair. 69^ Cemmes Road. 74| Machynlleth. 79 Glandovey Junction. 79^ Glandovey. 84| Ynys-Las. 87 Borth. 89J Llanfibangel. 90| Bow Street. 95^ Aberystwith. 390 m. SHREWSBURY TO ABERYSTWITH, Through Newtown and Llanidloes. Note . — The Railway Route corresponding with this is the same as the pre- ceding as far as Moat Lane Junction, where the Central Railway diverges south- wards by way of Llanidloes, Rhayader, and Builth. Llanidloes being 7| miles distant from Moat Lane. There is as yet no direct railway communication between Llanidloes, Devil’s Bridge, and Aberystwith. The road here given is therefore the most direct, and conducts the tourist by the banks of the river Wye, according to the tour of that river and the ascent of Plinlimmon, described in preceding pages. ON RIGHT FROM SHREWSBURY. To Oswestry, 16 m. To LlanfyUin, 19 m. Rowton Castle, H. Lyster, Esq. At Alberbury, (2| m.) Loton HaU. At a short distance, N.W. see the Breidden Hills, with three peaks, on the highest of which is a pillar, in memory of Admiral Lord Rodney. Also the remains of an ancient fortress. To Llanfair, m. Powis Castle, Earl Powis. Liwyn Derw. SHREWSBURY. Pavement gate. Cross gate. Cardiston. Woolaston. Enter Montgomeryshire. Buttington, the scene of a sanguinary battle be- tween Danes and Saxons, A.D. 894. ■^0 cr. the riv. Severn. Buttington cross. WELSHPOOL. The road is along the valley of the Severn, and nearly parallel with the ON LEFT FROM SHREWSBUai. Cardiston P&rk. Buttington Hall. To Montgomery, 8 m. Long Mountain, the scene of the last de- cisive battle for the independence of the principahty, in which Madoc was vanquished and slain. To Montgomery, 6 m. Leighton Hall, Naylor, Esq. SHREWSBURY TO ABERYSTWITH. 391 ON EIGHT .a it at 0 » ON LEFT FEOM SHEEWSBUEY. Uh ® FEOM SHEEWSBUEY. '< Wem Llwyd. 54 82 Edderton House, (2 m.)| To Berriw. 63i 22i Maen Beuno. m 33i Gian Severn, Mrs. Owen. Garth Mill HaU. 53 24 To Montgomery, 2^m.l 51 25 Plas Meredith. j Pennant. 50 cr. the riv. Severn. 26 Gian Hafren. 49 27 To Montgomery, 4 m. Dolforwyn Hall, and Ahermule. Fronfruith (Maurice remains of Castell Dolforwyn, or the Castle of the Virgin’s Jones, Esq.) Meadow. Aberbechan HaU. 48 28 47 29 Llanmerewig Church. 44i NEWTOWN. 3H Dolerw HaU. Take the road on S. bank of the Severn. 42^ 33^ Gian Dulas. 4H Penstrowed. 34i Maes-mawr HaU. 391 36^ To Caersws, across the Severn. 39 37 To Llanbrynmair,13m. Cefn-Carnedd. 38 38 Penybank. Da\des, Esq. 37 Llandinam. 39 36 40 Giant’s Grave. Penrhyddlan. 35 Aberborthin. 41 Gian Feinion, Dolwen. 33| 421 Berth Uwyd. 32 44 DoUys. Glandnlas, (Lozrrr,and 31 LLANIDLOES. 45 MaenoL Upper). 29f Bh6s Pentref. 46| cr. the Dulas brook. 1 29 Cwm Bedan. 47 m 47 ^ Glan-gynwydd m Bwlch-y-Garreg. 48| 26^ 49^ Felin Fawr. 2e Llangurig. 50 To Rhayader, along the course of the Wye, m. 392 WELSHPOOL TO NEWTOWN- 1 ON RIGHT FtOM SHREWSBURY. 1 From Aberysth. 09 ON LEFT FROM SHREWSBURY. 25 Aberbidno. 51 Junction of a small stream called Bidno, with the Gwy or Wye. Gian Gwy. The road now continues by the side of the Wye, to near the source. 22| Bwlch-y-pridd. 53i 21 Pont-rhyd-galed. 55 Plinlimmon Mountain. (Ascent to). 17 Steddfagurig. 59 1 Hirgoed Ddd. Enter Cardiganshire. Llys Arthur. 14 Dyffryn CastelL 62 To Devil’s Bridge, 4m. 12 Pont Erwyd. 64 Gogerrdan Arms. i!^ cr. the riv. Rheidol. Lead Mines. 7 Goginan. 69 Druid Arms. Fronfraith, William Bonsall, Esq. Nant-y-cerio, Dr. Morgan. 5 3 2 n Capel Bangor. Llanbadam-fawr. 71 73| Gian Rheidol, Geo. Bonsall, Esq. The Vicarage, Rev. E. Owen Phillips. ABERYSTWITH. 76 In this Route the following Variations may be made : — 1. Welshpool to Newtown, by way of Montgomery. 2. Newtown to Machynlleth, by way of Carno and Llanbrynmair. 1. WELSHPOOL TO NEWTOWN, BY WAY OF MONTGOMERY. ON RIGHT FROM WELSHPOOL. From Newtown. From Welshpool ON LEFT FROM WELSHPOOL. 16 WELSHPOOL. 1 |To Mewiown, direct jroad, 12 m. 14J Proceed in the direct road to Newtown. Turn to the left. n i cr. the river Severn, by KJkewydd bridge. 2| Leighton Hall, Pauton Corbett, Esq. NEWTOWN ^TO MACHYNLLETH, 393 ON RIGHT rSOM WELSHPOOL. si i| From elshpoolj ON LEFT FROM WELSHPOOL, a Edderton House. 13 The road is here parallel and close to the line of 3 Offa’s Dyke. Forden Church. Lower Munllyn. Hi Nantcribba Hall, Lord Upper Munllyn. H Hereford. lOi Salt bridge. To Shrewsbury, by Westbury, 20 m. 8i MONTGOMERY. 7i Lymore Lodge, for- merly the residence of the celebrated Lord Herbert of Chirbury, now the property of the Earl of Powis. 6| Llandyssil. Henfron. Green Lane. Junction with the direct To Welshpool, 9 m. road from Welshpool. IH NEWTOWN. 16 2. NEWTOWN TO MACHYNLLETH, BY WAY OF CARNO AND LLANBRYNMAIR. ON RIGHT i's ii ON LEFT I FROM NEWTOWN. FROM NEWTOWN. ’ a a 28 NEWTOWN. Road on the N. bank of the river Severn. Dolerw. 27 1 Milford. Aberhavesp HaU. 25 Aberhavesp. 3 Tumulus. 24^ Pentref. Si Gwynfynydd. 22i Llanwnnog. 6i 20f Pont-y-ddol-goch. 71 To Newtown, by Caersws. 1 19J Clattergate. Si 19 Oerflfrwd. 9 N. E. are three Lakes, Fiz., Llyn Mawr, ILlyn Ddd, and Llyn 1 1 'Tarw. 17 ' ’ Carno. 11 394 NEWTOWN. ON RIGHT From ichynth. sS oS ON LEFT FROM NEWTOWN. FROM NEWTOWN, S 16 12 Has Llysyn. 14 Talerddig. 14 To Machynlleth by PontDolgadfen, 14Jm. Hence are two roads to Machynlleth. That on the right hand is pre- ferable. 11 Wynnstay Anns, 17 Llanbrynmair Village a good Hotel, in the ex- and Church, 1^ m. S. tensive parish of Llan~ hrynmair. A capital angling station. Further S., in the ham- let of Pennant, are several fine waterfalls, The road pursues the and various Bruidical course of the river Twymyn. Junction of the road 22| remains. To Mallwyd, 6|. 1 from Mallwyd. MACHYNLLETH. 28 RAILWAY ROUTE FROM MACHYNLLETH TO DOLGELLY AND BALA. Machynlleth. Glandovey. Aberdovey. Towyn. Barmouth Junction. Penmaen Pool. Dolgelly. Dolgelly. Bout Newydd. Drws-y-nant. Llanuwchilyn. Bala. Or continue to Corwen, Llangollen, eta SHKEWSBURY TO BALA, Through Llanfyllin and Llanrhayadr-yn-Mochnant. on EIGHT 1 From 1 Bai%. 1 From Shrews’ry. ON LEFT FROM SHREWSBHEY. FROM SHREWSBURY. 48 SHREWSBURY. To Oswestry, 16 m. 46i If 43i Pavement gate. 4| Cross gate. 5f To Welshpool, 12| m. 41 39 7 Rowt/jn Castle, H. Lyster, Esq. Loton Hall, Sir Bald- win Leighton, Bart. Alherbury. 9 Enter Montgomeryshire. Prince’s Oak. 38 Coedway. 10 37 Crew Green, cr. the riv. Severn. 11 Ancient Fortress on the Breidden Hhls. 34^ 13^ Llandrinnio. Llandrinnio Hall. Llanymynech, a popu- lous mining village, and a good fishing station. 32i cr. Offa’s Dyke. 15i Rhysnant Hall. Tomen, and Bryn- Mawr. cr. the riv. Vyrnwy. 29 Llansantffraid. 19 Camp. 26f Llanfechan. 21| 25i m Glanfrogan. Green Hall. 25 23 Brongwyn, M. Wil- liams, Esq. Bodfach, Lord Mostyn. 23 LLANFYLLIN 25 Tomen. Abernant. 26| 21 27 To Llangynog, 6 m Tomen-y-Cefn-Ueoer. Erect Stone. 19 cr. the river Tanat, and enter Denbighshire. 29 17^ LLANRHAYADR-YN- m MOCHNANT. Re-enter Montgomery- shire. cr. the river Tanat. 33i To Llanfyllin, m. Glanafon. 12 Pen-y-bont. LLANGYNOG. Pencruig. 36 Lead mines, and Slate quarries 11 37 Pennant MelangelL 396 LLANFYLLIHi. ON RIGHT 1 From 1 Bala. 1 it 1 ON LEFT 1 FROM SHREWSBURY. FROM SHREWSBURY, j 10 Milltir Gerig, or the Stony mile, which is the 38 hne of a Roman road. The road is conducted through an elevated pass in the Berwyn moun- tains. 8 Enter Merionethshire. 40 liant Cwm-bydew. 7 Pont Cwm-bydew. 41 Moel Cwm Sam-llwyd, a high peak, on which is a small house. To Llandrillo, 3 m. 6 42 Camedd Wen. 5 43 ! 4 Pont Calettwr. 44 2 46 Plas Rhiw-waedog, or “ the Bloody Brow** an antiquated mansion. 1 cr. the riv. Dee, at the N.E. extremity of Bala Lake. CasteU Gronw. BALA. 48 CORRESPONDING RAILWA Y ROUTE, (Potteries, Shrewsbury and North Wales) Leaving Shrewsbury from Abbey Station. Shrewsbury. Redhill. Hanwood road. Cross Gates. Shrawardine. Nesscliflf. Kinnerley. Maesbrook. Llanymynech, 50 minutes. Continued. Llanymynech. Llansaintffraid. Llanfechain, Llanfyllin, 35 minutes. Llanfyllin to Bala, 23 miles by road- 397 V.— HEREFOED TO ABEEYSTWITH, THROUGH KINGTON, NEW RADNOR, AND RHAYADER. THE OLD MAIL ROAD. Kington which is included in this route, is a small market- town, occupying a somewhat isolated position on the highest side of the border. By railway it may be reached from Leominster on the Hereford and Shrewsbury railway, from which it is 13^ miles distant. It has some share in the iron and clothing trades. The river Arrow flows through it, and there is some pleasing scenery in the neighbourhood enlivened by mansions and parks. It was formerly the site of a castle, built for the protection of the marches. In other respects it presents nothing worthy of the tourists’ notice. Pop. 2178. ON EIGHT o b III ON LEFT FKOM HEREFOED. u 5 fn V FROM HEREFORD. < a 79i HEREFORD. To Weobley, 10 m. 78i White Cross. 1 77 King’s Acre. To Bredwardine, 9 m. Stretton Court. 76 Stretton Sugwas. H Magna Castra. 74f Credenhill. 4f Foxley, Sir Robert Price, Bart., M.P. 73 Mansel Lacy. 6J 7H Yazor. 8 To Weobley, m. 69J Norton Canon. 10 iGamstone Castle, Peploe Peploe, Esq. To Leominster, lO m. Sarnesfield Court, 67i Sarnesfield. 12 To Hay, 12J m. ITios. M. Weston, Esq. 66 Woonton. 13^ Newport House. 63i 16 Moor Court, Chas. Wm. Allen, Esq. 63 Lionshall, or Lynhales. 1 16^ 62 PenrliAs. 1 17il 398 HEREFORD TO ABERTSTWITH, ON EIGHT .a o ^ 1.2 ■ — — ") ON LEFT FROM HEREFORD. H tn FROM HEREFORD. cr. the riv. Arrow. 60J KINGTON. 19 Eywood House, Coun- tess of Oxford. Titley Court, Sir Thos. Hastings. Stanner Rocks. 58i Enter Radnorshire. 21| 2 m. Knill, Sir John James Walshara, Bart. To Presteign, 5| m. To Knighton, m. 67 65f Walton. 22J To Old Radnor, | m. 23f Harpton Court, Right Hon. Sir Thos. Frank- land Lewis, Bart., M.P. Down ton Hall, Sir Wm. S. R. Cockburn, Bart. 54| NEW RADNOR. 25| 1 m. from the road is a large cascade called 62J 27 Vater break its neck» British Encampment. 51J Llanfihangel-nant-melan. 28 A group of lofty rugged mountains called Rad- nor Forest. The high- 50f QO To Builth, 11 m. Llyn Llanellyn, a small lake near thei est has an altitude of 2163 ft. m Llandegley. 32 road. j Here are two celebrated mineral springs, one a strong chalybeate, the other powerfully impreg- nated with sulphur. To Presteign and 45| Pen-y-bont, 34 Pen-y-bont Hall, John Knighton. a good Hotel. The Cheesment Severn, To Abbey Cwm Hir, 5 m. Severn Ai’ms. Esq. i cr. the river Ithon. 44 Crossgate. 35| To Llandrindod Wells, 3^ m. cr. the river To Builth, 10 m. Clywedog. 40 Nantmel. 39| 35J RHAYADER. 44 Cefn ceido HaU. j'To Llanidloes. 12 m. i Red Lion Hotel — ex- cellent accommoda- tion. Take the road which pursues the To Builth, 14 m. To Cwm Elan, 5 m. course of the Wye, HEREFORD TO ABERYSTWITH, 399 ON RIGHT s| From ireford. ON LEFT FROM HEREFORD. FROM HEREFORD. < M To Llanidloes, 5 m. m Enter Montgomeryshire. 51 26 Llangurig. 53^ 25 Aberbidno. 54^ 22^ Bwlch-y-pridd. 67 21 Pont-rhyd-galed 68| cr. the river Wye, 'Plifilimmon mouiitaiu. which has its source in the mountain on the right. The river now on the left is the Tarremg. 17 Steddfagurig. 62i Hirgoed BdA. Enter Cardiganshire. Llys Arthur. 14 Dyifryn Castell. 65i To Devil’s Bridge, 4 m. 12 Pont Etwyd.' 67§ Gogerrdan Arms. ^^cr. the riv. Rheidol. Lead mines. 7 Goginan. 72^ The Druid arms. Fronfraith, WiUiam BonsaU, Esq. 5 Capel Bangor. 74J Gian Rheidol. 3 n Llanbadam-fawr. 781 The Vidarage, Rev. E. Owen Phillips, M.A. ABERYSTWITH. 7H HEREFORD TO ABERYSTWITH by Railway. There is no railway route corresponding with the foregoing Itinerary, and indeed nothing but a very circuitous communi- cation between Hereford and Aberystwith — namely that wd Hay, Builth, and Rhayader, as follows : — Hereford. Hay. Glasbury. Three Cocks. Abere(^pr. Builth Wells. Llechryd. N ewbridge-on-Wyo. Rhayader. Llanidloes. Continuing from Llanidloes by Moat Lane Junction. Caersws. Camo. Machynlleth. Borth to Aberystwith. Hereford to Llanidloes, 4 hours. Llanidloes to Aberystwith, 2^ hrs 400 ABERYSTWITH TO HAVERFORDWEST. The line of road, as indicated in the Itinerary, is struck by the railway at Ehayader, from which the BeviVs Bridge, is 25^, and Aberystwith 35 J miles distant. VI.— ABERYSTWITH TO HAVERFORDWEST, THROUGH CARDIGAN, NEWPORT, AND FISHGUARD. ON BIGHT •a j: 1 ^ ON LEFT FROM ABERYSTWITH. FROM ABERYSTWITH. a 70 ABERYSTWITH. cr. the riv. Rheidol, 68| Piccadilly. To Devil’s Bridge, 10^ Tan-y-Bwlch, Captain m. Hopton. To Tregaron, 19 m. m Rhyd-y-felin. If Nanteos, Col. Wm. Edwd. Powell. 7 m. Traws Coed, or Crosswood, Earl of cr. the riv. Ystwith. Lisburne. 67i 2f 4 m. Castle Hill, Noxdale, Esq. 67 3 Aberllolwyn, H. E, Taylor, Esq. 1 Ffos-rhydgaled, James . Davies, £sq. 66 Chancery. 4 63 Llanddeinol. 7 61 Llanrhystyd. 9 Mabws, J. B. Lloyd Philipps, Esq. cr. the riv. Wyrai. To Lampeter, 15 m. (a hiUy road.) 60 10 AltUwyd, John Hughes,-Esq. Llansantffraid, on the 59 Llannon. 11 coast. cr. the riv. Perris. ?en-y-craig-dd4. 68 Morfa-mawr. cr. the riv. Arth. 12 To Llanbadam-fach, or Llanbadarn-trefeg- Iwys. Castell Cadvrgan. 56 Aberarth. 14 2 m. Mona^hty, Capt. Alban Lewis Gwynne. 54 ABERAYRON. 16 AJBER.YSTWITH TO HAVEKFORDWEST. 401 ON EIGHT s| sl, FEOM ABEEYSTWITH. a l| cr. the riv. Ayron. 62J Henfynyw^ 17^ 52| Ffos-y-ffin. 171 51 -1^ cr. the riv. Drowy. 19 To Llanina, on the coast, and New Quay, a rising bathing place. 49| Llaniarth, 20| A beautiful wooded In the churchyard is an glen, in which is a inscribed stone of the mansion, called Wern, twelfth century, bearing now the property of Lloyd, Esq. of Nant said to have been visited by Henry VH. a cross. The inscription is mutilated and illegible. To Llanllwchaiarn, m. 46| Synewydd (or Sinod) Inn. 23| To LlandyssUio Gogo, 3 m. Castell Caer Odros, 2 45J Efynnon Ddewi, or St. 24J m. David’s Well. Wirfill Brook, John Beynon, Esq. 43| Capel Gwndwn. 26^ On the coast, Llan- 42i New Inn. 27i ^granog, and Pen Dinas Llochtyn. Penbryn Church, 1^ m.. 40| Sarney. 29^ and Penbryn Vicarage, Rev. John Hughes. Castell-n-dolig, re- mains of an extensive 40 30 British encampment. S8i 31i Aberporth. 371 Blaenporth. 32| 35^ Tremain. 34| 83^ Pant-t6g. 36^ Sli CARDIGAN. 38i cr. the river Teifi, 1 m. St. Dogmael’s. and enter Pembrokeshire. 28h Cowsau Llantwyd. 41i 1^ m. Pantsaeson, J. T. W. James, Esq. m Glanrhyd. 42^ Crugau Cemmaes. 25s ( 44^ 2 D ON LEFT FKOM ABEEYSTWITH. To Lampeter, 13 m. Noyadd, John Boulfc- bee, Esq. To Newcastle, 12 ni. Crug-coe, 1 m. Cmg-14s, and Tumiuili, li m. Castell Pridd, and Caer. Ty Llwyd, Capt. C. A. Pritchard. To Haverfordwest, (mountain road) 24 m. Berllan, li on. 402 ABERYSTWITH TO HAVERFORDWEST. sf — — 1 ) ON RIGHT 1'^ £ ^ ON LEFT TROM ABERYSTWITH. m £ « FROM ABERYSTWITH. Bayvill Church. 45J 24i Felindre. 23]^ Nevern, 46^ a very pleasant village, cr. the riv. Nevern. 48 Lwyngwair, George Bowen, Esq. Berry Hill, D. Griffith, Esq. 22 Cottani, Mrs. Bowen. 21 NEWPORT. 48J 49 The lordship of Cem- maes, of which New- port is the head, con- 19 Bwlch-y-groes. 61 quered in 1069 by the Dinas Head, a bold Norman, Martin de Tours, is now vested promontory (with en- in Sir Thomas Davies trenchment) forming Lloyd, Bt., of Bron- the N. E. boundary of Fishguard bay. wydd, Cardiganshire, and Kilrue, Pem- 18 Bwlch-mawr. 62 brokeshire. Fort. 15 Abergwaen. 55 cr. the riv. Gwaen. Glynammel, John Fen- ton, Esq. FISHGUARD. 56i M anoro wen - 13^ 56^ Griffiths, Esq. To St.David’s, 14 m. Druidical remains, m Llanstinan, village, and remains of a Castle. 12^ Ciliau'wen, — Evans, 11 .N«wbridge. 69 Trecwm, (2 m.) Esq. Barham, Esq. Heathfield, G. J. Har- ries, Esq. PriskiUy, J. H Har- ries, Esq. Letterston. 60| St. Lawrence. 8 62 St. Dogwell’s. n Wolf’s Castle. -^8 cr. the riv. Cleddau. 62f Sealyham, William Edwards, Esq. cr. the Roman Road. \ 6^ Foord Chapel. 63^ Hence the road pursues the course of the river, 1 i (the western branch of 1 the Cleddau) through a very beautiful glen. ABERYSTWITH TO HAVERFORDWEST. 403 ON RIGHT FROM ABERYSTWITH. From Haverford 1 From 1 Aberysth. ON LEFT i FROM ABERYST iVITH. j 1 Treffgarn Rocks. These rocks have a very curious rugged outline, presenting the appear- ance of ruined towers. They are seen from great distances, and form the most remarkable feature in this part of the coun- try. Treffgarn Bridge. 64J Treffgarn Hall, Dr. Evans. cr. theriv. Cleddau. 65| Leweston,W. Fortune, Esq. Camrose, Charles Wheeler Bowen, Esq. Cottesmere, Mas- 3 Rudbaxton. 67 Poyston, the birthplace of Sir Thomas Picton, who was killed m the battle of Waterloo. sey, Esq. Mount Pleasant, Richd. Harvey, Esq. Prendergast. HAVERFORDWEST. 69J 70 Withybush Lodge, Rev. Thos. Martin. To Cardigan, (moun- | tain road) 27 m. | i The Route prom Cardigan may be varied as follows ; — • CARDIGAN TO HAVERFORDWEST, (mountain road). ON RIGHT FROM CARDIGAN. 1 From 1 Haverfoi 1 From C&rdigai ON LEFT FROM CARDIGAN. 1 m. St. DogmaePs. 27 CARDIGAN. cr. the river Teifi, and enterPembrokeshire. To Haverfordwest, by Fishguard, 28^ m. 24 23i 22 21 Cowsan Llantwyd. Liantwyd. Cross Inn. Eglwys-wrw. 3 3f 5 6 1 Meline, 20 Pontygarn, 7 Llanfair Nantgwyn. 19^ Pontgynon. cr. the riv.Nevern. n Eglwys-wca. 404 CARDIGAN TO HAVERFORDWEST. 1 ON RIGHT if ON LEFT FROM CARDIGAN. m FROM CARDIGAN. jCromlecliand Carnedd. 17 Pont-berian. 10 The road is conducted through a pass in the Preseli, or Percelly mountains. The range stretches from E. to W. about 10 miles, and forms the most conspicuous ob- ject through a great ex- tent of country. The height of the central summit, Ctom Cerwyn, is 1754 feet. 15 Tafam-y-Bwlch. 12 12^ New Inn. m Castell Bythe. lOJ Tufton Arms. 16i Castell Hendre, cr Many Druidical and Roman remains. Henry’s Moat. Ambleston, 1 m. Woodstock. 18^ At about 1 m. N. E. of Ambleston Church is the Roman station Ad Vigessimum, the cen- tral station in the great Roman road, Fia Julia Maritima, ex- tending in a nearly direct line from Car- marthen to St. David’s. It is worthy of remark, however, that the po- pular name of the spot is Castle Flemish. Spittal. To Fishguard, Spittal Cross. 21^ 12J m. Prendergast. 26^ HAVERFORDWEST. 27 EXCURSION PROM HAVERFORDWEST TO ST. DAVTd’«. ON RIGHT FROM i| ON LEFT FROM HAVERFORDWEST. HAVERFORDWEST. & 15 HAVERFORDWEST. 13J Pelcombe Bridge. li 13 Sunny HiU. 2 iCamrose, C. W. Bowen, lEso. j 1 ili Eeeston Bridge. EXCURSION FROM HAVERFORDWEST TO ST. DAVID’s, 405 •o ON -RIGHT THOM s| S'- ON LEFT FROM HAVERFORDWEST. A® HAVERFORDWEST. £ 11 Keeston Hill. 4 To Nolton village and haven. Cuif em, J ohn S. Stokes, Esq. Roch Castle, or the Castle of the Rock, an 9 Roch gate. 6 interesting ruin, on a site favourable for both observation and de- fence. 1 7 Newgale Sands. 8 I 1 These sands, extending at low water about 3 m., on the coast of St. Bride’s Bay, are beautifully smooth and firm. Newgale Bridge. 9 1 6 Pen-y-cwm. 5 10 Pointz Castle, or Cas- trum Pontii, supposed to be the site of a Roman watch tower. In the vicinity are a Cromlech and a Tumu- lus. 4 11 St. Elvis, a small village, with a Church i i dedicated to St, Ailfyn. i 1 i 1 CO Solfach, (or Solva) a port at the mouth of a small river of the same name; which cross. Hi 1 12i Llanwnwas, Gilbert 1 Wh it church, oftener *"2 Harries, Esq. called Plwyf-y-Groes, i.e., the Parish of the Cross. 1 ST. DAVID’S. 16 EXCURSION FROM HAVERFORDWEST TO MILFORD. ON RIGHT FROM HA-VERFORDWEST. 1 From. 1 Milford. 1 From Haverford ON LEFT FROM HAVERFORDWEST. HAVERFORDWEST. 6| Merlin’s Bridge, (properly Magdalen’s or 1 1 Mawdlen’s.) |To Hakiii, 8 UL * To Pembroke, 10 i» 406 EXCURSION FROM HAVERFORDWEST TO MILFORD. ON RIGHT FROM •n a| ON LEFT FROM HAVERFORDWEST. ^ A ta HAVERFORDWEST. Avallanau, J. R. Cinnamon Grove, Thos. Powell, Esq. Walker, Esq. Fern HiU, John Hig* Denant, Jonn. How- arth Peel, Esq. gon, Esq. Pope Hill, Miss Bowen. Johnstone. 4 To Rosemarket, 2 m. 2 m. Roheston Hall, 6 Hayston, Charles Hor- Wm. Greenish, Esq. Thornton, Mrs. Stokes. ton Rhys, Esq. St. Botolph’s, Adrian Stokes, Esq. Steynton. 6 Castle Hill, R. Fulke Greville, Esq. MILFORD. RAILWAY ROUTES. CARMARTHEN TO HAVERFORDWEST AND MILFORD, TENBY, AND PEMBROKE. 1. Milford Route. Carmarthen. St. Clears. Whitland Junction. Narberth Road. Clarbeston Road. Haverfordwest. Johnston. Milford. New Milford. 2. Tenby and Pembroke Route Carmarthen. St. Clears. Whitland Junction. Narberth. Saundersfoot. Tenby. Lamphey. Pembroke. Pembroke Dock 407 YII— HAVERFOEDWEST TO TENBY. j ON RIGHT FEOM J HAVEEFOEDWEST. 1 a Boulstone, R. J. Ack- 20 19 m HAVERFORDWEST, cr. the riv. Cleddau. Cartlett, a populous suburb. 1 land, Esq., distant 2 m. on north bank of the river Cleddau. Picton Castle, Rev. 17 Entrance to Picton Park, 3 J. H. Phillips. 16 4 Slehech, Baron F. L. 15i Slebech New Church. de Butzen. Canaston Wood. To Carew Castle, 8 m. This fine ruin may he conveniently visited from Tenby. Green Grove, Hi Canaston Bridge. -iS^cr. the East Cleddau riv. which flows in a S.W. direction, and at the dis- tance of about 5 m., forms a junction with West Cleddau, and the united stream becomes the head of the noble harbour, Milford Haven. Robbeston Wathen. Cozens, Esq. 10 NARBERTH. 10 9 Camp Hill. 11 7i Templeton. 12A 6 Catershook gate. 14 Hegelley House, J. 6 BegeUy. 15 Child, Esq. Tol Pembroke, 10 m. Hoth’s Point 11 m. ^ 1 King’s Moor. Wood-end. 16i TENBY. 20 ON LEFT FROM i HAVEEFOEDWEST. Scott’s WeU. Wiston Church, ca. Wiston Castle, Earl Cawdor. Wiston is a parliamen- tary borough contribu- tory to Pembroke. ^ Midcounty House. Ridgeway, R. P. Davies, Esq. Lawhaden Castle, on a picturesque elevation, seen from the road.. It was long a principal residence of the Bish- ops of St. David’s. To Carmarthen, 20^ m, Eglwys-llwyd, some- times called, Lud- church. To Carmarthen, 22 m. Hen Castle, Geo. Wilson, Esq. Bonville Court, John Longhourne, Esq. To Saundersfoot, m. 408 EXCURSION FROM ^rMNBY. EXCURSION FROM TENBY TO PEMBROKE, PATER, PEMBROKE BOCK AND CAREW. 1 ON EIGHT FROM TENBY. 1 From 1 Tenby. ON LEFT FEOM TENBY. ' 1 TENBI. Trefloyn, Robt. W aters, Esq. ' St. Florence, a cheerful looking village. Begin to ascend the Ridgeway, an elevated terrace, £dong the sum- mit of which the road is carried for six miles, affording an extensive view of land and sea. n Penally, a pretty vil- lage, with severm ele- gant cottages and villas 2 m. Manorbeer Castle. Ruins of a palace of the Bishops of St. David’s. Lamphey. 8 1 Lamphey Court, a modern and elegant mansion, Chas. Mat- thias, Esq. PEMBROKE. 10 2 m. Orielton,Sir Hugh Owen, Bart., M. P. 4 m. Stackpole Court, Earl Cawdor. 6 m. St. Gowan’s Head. The Bush, Chari ton, Esq. Pater, or Paterchurch. Hi Pembroke Dock. 12 Hobb’s Point. Locheston. Nash. 15i See at a distance, (N. E.), Freestone Hall, Allen, Esq. Milton House, W. Bowen, Esq. Carew. 18 To Begclly, 6 m. Ivy Tower, Leech, Esq. SI Gumfreston. 23^ TENBY. 94 L EXCURSIONS FROM TENBY. 409 yiII._TENBY TO CARMARTHEN. I ON RIGHT i| si* ON LEFT j FROM TENBY. 2 a FBOM TENBY. 1 27 TENBY. 'To Saundersfoot, !m. 23i Woodend. H 1 To Hen Castle, or Hengastel, i.e., the loid Castle, —Wilson, Esq. 1 To Bonville Court, J. 1 Longbourne, Esq. '22 King’s Moor. Turn to the right, shortly before reaching Begelly. 5 To Hobb’s Point, 11 m. 21 Cilgetty colliery and 6 To Haverfordwest, 15 m. Cilgetty Deer-park, I iron-works. Lord Milford. 1 Colby Lodge, j Smith, Esq. 1 Amroth Castle. no 7 To Eglwysllwyd, l^m. 1 17 Llanteg. 10 Cronware Church. 1 i Eglwys-cymmyn, 2 m. 15 Enter Carmarthenshire. Lwingwair Arms, or Red 12 To Tavernspite, If m. 11 Roses. Llanddowror. 16 To Haverfordwest, 17 m. To Narberth, 11 m. To Uaugharne, 3 m. 9i 9 cr. the river T4f. St. Clare, (or Clear’s.) m 18 6 cr. the rivers Gynin andDewi-fawr, near their junction with the T4f. Banc-y-fehn. 21 Dan-y-coed. Castell-y-Gaer. cr. the river Cywyn. Sarnaut Llanllwch Church. To Llanstephan, m. Magazine & Barracks. 2 1 Johnstown. Picton’s Monument. CARMARTHEN. 25 26 27 Starling Park, IX.— SWANSEA TO CARDIFE ; ( 1 .) BY THE TURNPIKE ROAD. ON EIGHT ii oS is ON LEFT FEOM SWANSEA. QQ EEOM SWANSEA. 45J SWANSEA. To Llanelly, 11 m. To Pontardulais, 9 m. Hafod Copper works. 44^ 1 44 Landwr. u Ynys Copper works. 43J 2 Brass wire works. 42^ Morriston. 3 Clasmont, Sir John! Morris, Bart. To Llangyfelach, 2 ra. To Penllergare House, John D. Llewelyn, Esq., 3 m. To Pontardulais, 8 m. cr. the river Tawe, by Wychtree bridge. •^!!!^ cr. the river Efyndrod. 4H Llansamlet. 4 38^ cr. the river Clydach. 7 Court Herbert, S. F. Parsons, Esq. Neath Abbey ruins. cr. the riv. Neath. m NEATH. 8 To Pontneathvaughan, 12 m. Gnoll Castle, (late) H J. Grant, Esq. Erect Druidical stone. Giant’s Grave. 36i Briton Ferry. 9 lOJ Eagle’s Bush, Herbert Edwd. Evans, Esq. 35 The mansion which was formerly the resi- dence of the Earl of J ersey is now occupied as an asylum for lu- natics. 34J 11 Baglan Lodge. By the Eerry and over Baglan House, Howe) Crymlyn Burrows to Gwyn, Esq., M.P. Swansea, 5 m. Baglan Hall, Griffith Llewelyn, Esq. 33^ Baglan Chui’ch. 12 Baglan Cottage. Castel Baily Port Talbot. 31| Aberafon. 13-1 cr. the river Afon. SWANSEA TO CARDIFF. 411 ON RIGHT §•-3 II ON LEFT FROM SWANSEA. QD FROM SWANSEA. Copper works. 81 Taibach. 14i Margam Chapel. 28^ 17 Margam Park and Abbey, Christr. Rice 271 Mansel Talbot, Esq., Beggar’s Bush. 171 M.P. Kenfig, a small village, giving name to a par- Uamentary borough. Tythegston Court, K V. Lord, Esq. 25| 21| 19| Pyle Inn. 201 24| Laleston. ToBridgend, 2 m. New Inn. 25| Merthyr Mawr House, J. C. NichoU, Esq. cr. the riv. Ogwen. Ogmore Castle. 18i Ewenny Bridge, cr. the riv. Ewenny. 26| Ewenny Abbey, Col. Turbervil . Dunraven Castle, on Ithe coast, Earl of Dunraven. m Corntown. 28 Corntown Court. Colwinton. Llisworney. Nash, R. C. N. Came, Esq. 14 311 Penlline. Llanfiynach. 13| 32 Pennine Castle, John Llanblethian, Captain Jenner. Homfray, Esq. St. Quintin’s Castle. 12^ COWBRIDGE. 33 St. Hilary. 10^ 35 Twr Gron. Welsh St.Donatt’s,llm Llantrythid Park, Sir Aubrey Arms Inn. 37 Hensol Castle, 31 m. T. Digby Aubrey, Bart. R. Fothergill, Esq" Eonmon Castle, 4 m. R. 0. Jones, Esq. 71 Bonvilston,orTre Simwn. 38 Cottrell, Lady Tyler. Dyflfryn House, John Bruce Price, Esq. 6 St. Nicholas. 391 Camp. Cromlechs. Wenvoe Castle, Robt. Francis Jenner, Esq. 5 401 Coedriglan, Dinas Powis Castle, Edward Herbert Lee, Esq. Courlyralla, Lieut. - CoL Rous. 4 411 Michaelston-super-Ely St. Fagan’s, the scene 21 Ely Bridge. 431 of a sanguinary battle. May 8th, 1648. To Llandalf, i m. cr. the river Ely. cr. the river Taff. CARDIFF. 461 412 SWANSEA TO CARDIFF — BRITON FERRT. ( 2 .) BY THE SOUTH WALES RAILWAY. 1 ON BIGHT A is 1 ON LEFT ; FBOM SWANSEA. FROM SWANSEA. 46 SWANSEA. cr. the riv. Tawe. cr. the riv. Neath. I From Swansea to Mar- 38 NEATH station. 8 gam Park the Railway and the Turnpike road are nearly parallel. GnoU Castle, (late) H. J. Grant, Esq. The former then di- Eagle’s Bush, H. E. verges a httle further to the south, near the coast, until at Ewenny 35| Briton Ferry station. lOi Evans, Esq. it returns northward, Baglan House, Howel and proceeds along the cr. the Turnpike Gwyn, Esq., course of the river N.E., to a distance of road. Baglan Hall, Griffith Llewelyn, Esq. road. N ear Ely bridge they again meet. 32| PORT TALBOT station. 13^ Margam Park, C. R. M. Talbot, Esq., M.P. 26| Pyle station. 19f Tythegston Court, R. V. Lord, Esq. Merthyr Mawr, Right Hon. John NicholL D.C.L. 20^ BRIDGEND station. 25i- •13^ cr. the Ikirnpike road. 16J Pencoed station. 29f Tregroes. Llanharan House, R. H. Jenkins, Esq. Cowbridge, 5| m. m LLANTRISAINT Llautrisaint, m. station. Tal-y-garn. Hcnsol Castle, R. ELY station, for Llandaff, 1 m. FothergOl, Esq. LLANDAFF. cr. the Turnpike road. cr. the riv. Ely. ^!!!^ cr. the riv. Taff. CARDIFF. 46 1 413 X. — CARDIFF TO MERTHYR, BY THE TAFF VALE RAILWAY TO MERTHYR TYDFIL, AND THENCE BY THE TURNPIKE ROAD TO BRECON. ON RIGHT o-g 1 ON LEFT FROM CARDIFF. FROM CARDIFF. 241 CARDIFF. The Railway extends from the Bute Docks, 1^ m. S. of Cardiff, to Merthyr Tydfil, 24J m. Roath Court, Charles H. Williams, Esq. It has a branch line to Aberdare, besides seve- Roath Cottage, Mrs. ral short branches for Williams, Cardiff Race-course. mineral trafiic. Melingriffith tin-plate works. 20 Llandaff station. Llandaff, 1 m. Velindra, T. W. Boo- ker To Cefh Mabley (5 m.), Tin works of Messrs. CoL K. Tynte. Booker and Co. And Ruperra (7 m.)’ Hon. F. Morgan. Greenmeadow, H. Lewis, Esq. 18 Pentyrch station. Pentyrch Furnace. CasteU Coch, or Red Taff’s Well, a tepid Castle. 8 mineral spring, at the river bank, success- To Caerphilly, 3^ m. 161 Taff ’s well station. fully used for the cure of rheumatic affections Garth Hill. — Tumuli, Tunnel. Penrhos, John Ed- monds, Esq. Hendredenny, Geo. Wniiams, Esq. Domen Clawdd. Maesmawr CoUiery. Iron works. 12J Treforest station. 12 Treforest, Francis Crawshay, Esq. Glyn Taff Chnrch. Tin works of Messrs. Crawshay. Newbridge station. cr. the river Rhondda. 13 Rhondda branch Railway, for minerals. Pont-y-Prydd. \ 1 414 OARDIFF TO BRECON. ON RIGHT FROM CARDIFF. Lanciach branch Rail- way, for Minerals. ; Quaker’s Yard, a vil- lage, so called from a burial-place belonging to the Society of Friends. Dowlais House, Sir Ivor Bertie Guest, Bart. Cyfartbfa Castle, Wm. Crawshay, Esq. Penybont. Coed Owen. Cwm Crew. The mountains on the right are the Brecon Beacons, the loftiest ;of which is 2862 feet jn height. From Merthyr. 1 1 From 1 CardiflF. ON LEFT FROM CARDIFF. ^^^cr. theriv.Clydach. 8 ABERDARE Junction station. leh Aberdare branch Rail- way, 8 m. cr. the riv. Cynon. Navigation House. Inclined Plane, worked by a stationary engine. Incline Top station. Tunnel. 6 Viaduct over the river Taff, at an elevation of 100 feet, 600 feet in length. 18 2 Troedyrhiew station. Collieries and Furnaces. 22 MERTHYR TYDFIL. Continuation by turn- pike road. M From 00 Brecon From Merthyi 15| cr. the river Tafif- fechan, and enter Breck- nockshire. Cefn Coed. Pursue the course of the riv. Taff-fawr. 14 Garawen. 4 13 Abercar. 4| Ynys-fawr. in Capel-nant-ddd. Berth'Uwyd. lOi Glan-crew. 7| 9 Turnpike gate. 9 To Hirwaun, 11 m. i 8 Pont-ar-taff. 10 7 cr. the river Taff- fawr, near its rise, and passing the summit of this mountainous road, reach the source of the river TareU; 11 1 CARDIFF TO BRECON — NEWBRIDGE. 415 ON EIGHT FROM CARDIFF. From Brocon. 1 From 1 Cardiff. 1 ON LEFT FROM CARDIFF. and along with this stream descend through 5 4f Glen TaxeU. cr, the riv. Tarell. Junction with the road 13 13i from Pont-neath- 3f Vaughan. m Capel Dltyd. 2| Bolgoed, Mrs. Morgen. Frwydgrecli, Col. Wm. Pearce. H Comity Gaol. 8 Pont-tarell. 171 cr. the riv. Tarell, near its junction with the Usk. Christchurch College, formerly a Dominican Llanfaes. Priory. cr. the river Usk. BRECON, or BRECKNOCK. 18 XI.— SWANSEA TO MEETHYE TYDFIL, BY THE VALE OF NEATH. ON RIGHT , FROM SWANSEA. From Mertliyr. 1 From Swansea. 1 ON LEFT FROM SWANSEA. | 32^ SWANSEA. To Llanelly, 11 m. To Pontardulai®, 9 m. H'lfod Copper works. 31i 1 416 SWANSEA TO MERTHYR TYDFIL, 1 ON RIGHT <8 o a ON LEFT FROM SWANSEA. s OQ FROM SWANSEA. ^ ! 31 Landwr li Ynys Copper works. 30i 2 Brass wire works. 29^ IMorriston. 3 Clasmont, Sir John Morris, Bart. To Llangyfelach, 2 m. To Penllergare House, John D. Llewelyn, Esq. 3 m. To Pontardulais, 8 m. cr. the riv. Tawe. cr. the riv. Efyndrod. 1 28^ Llansamlet. 4 Neath Abbey ruins. 25^ cr. the riv. Clydach. 7 Court Herbert, S. F. cr. the riv. Neath. Parsons, Esq. 24J NEATH. 8 Station on the line of To Briton Ferry, m. again cr. the riv. Neath. the South Wales Rail- way, at its junction Gnoll Castle, (late) H. with the Vale of Neath J. Grant, Esq. Lantwit-juxta-N eath. 2Si Cadoxton-juxta-N eath, 9 Railway. Cadoxton Lodge, Chas. otherwise St. Cadoc’s town, the Church of Tennant, Esq. which is dedicated to St. Catwg, or Cadoc. 22| Aberdul^s. 10| A small cascade, near cr. the riv. Dul&s, near its junction with a mill. the Neath. Ynys-y-geryn, an old mansion of the family 21 Here are the tin works Hi Sam Helen, a Roman of Messrs. Llewelyn and causeway, may be of Llewelyn, now be- longing to J. D. Llewelyn, Esq. of Penllergare, who is also proprietor of the extensive woods which border the road for Sons, giving employment to a large population. traced in a N.E. direc- tion for several miles. Sir R. C. Hoare de- scribes it as extending from Neath, the Nidum of Antoninus, to the station of the Gaer, several miles. 18^ Abergarwedd. 14 near Brecon. Melincourt waterfall, on the river Clydach. Capel Rhesolfen. IGi 16 Rheola, Nash Edwards Vaughan, Esq. Waterfall. 16 Pentreclwyday. Waterfall Maes-gwyn. Blaengwrach. 16 Pont-Llaine. 17 j} JSEATH. 417 ON EIGHT FEOM SWANSEA. From Merthyr From Swansea. ON LEFT FEOM SWANSEA. Aberpergwm, Wm. Williams, Esq. 14i Glyn Neath. 18 Waterfall. the Neath Canal. 13| Abernant. 19 cr. the riv. Neath, which here for a short distance divides the counties of Glamorgan and Brecknock. 12^ Pont-neath-vaughan. From this place visit the numerous waterfalls, and other interesting objects described in the follow- 20 To Brecon, 20 m. ing pages. Return to m Abernant. 21 11 Pont-walby. 2H 9 Cefn-Rhydgroes, 23i To Aberdare, 4 ra. 6 Hirwaun Iron works. 26J 1 Gellid^g. 31i MERTHYR TYDFIL. 32i XII.— CARMARTHEN TO SWANSEA. ( 1 .) THROUGH KIDWELLY AND LLANELLY (mAIL ROAD). ON EIGHT Is if ON LEFT FEOM CAEMAETHEN. fig OQ o FROM CARMARTHEN. 28 CARMARTHEN. cr. the riv. Towy. To Llanarthney, 8 m. Myrtle Hill, 27 Pensarn. 1 To Swansea by Poa- tard’ilais, 25 m. Pybwr Court, i Plas Gwyn. 26J cr. the riv Pybwr. i 1 Towy Castle, 24 4 Parr’s Castle. 22i Llandyfaelog. /Tumuh, and remains jof a Fortress, on land (now used as a Race 21i 6A Gelli-deg. course. 2 E 418 CARMAllTHEN TO SWANSEA. ON RIGHT • cl A s| ON LE’/T TROil CARMARTHEN. FROM CARMARTHEN, 09 \ To Ferry-side (3^ m.), Note. — F erryside is an agreeable watering now a flourishing place at the mouth ot watering-place, cele- the river Towy, from brated for the splen- which aquatic excur- did sunsets seen over sions may be made to Llanstephan Castle, Llanstephan Castle. Llaugharne Castle, &c. cr. the riv. Gwen- 19 draeth-fach. KIDWELLY; 9 Capel Llandurry. 17 Pont Spudder. cr. the riv. Gwen- 11 Numerous and exten- draeth-fawr. sive iron works have The ridge of Mynydd 16 Woodcock bridge. 12 been lately estabhshed in the Gwendraeth and other valleys. Steep ascent of Pembrey Penbre extends in a HiU, or Mynydd Penbre, S.W. direction 3 m. to from the summit of the coast, where it which is an extensive terminates in a low marine view. promontory, near to which is the sheltered harbour of Pembrey, or Burry Port, connected by a Canal with lAanelly and Kidwelly. 13 Cwm-bach. 15 11 LLANELLY. 17 To Carmarthen, by Pontanton, 14 m. cr. the Railway, a Numerous Collieries^ branch of the South and Copper and IroD Wales Railway from Llanelly to Llandilo. works. cr, the riv. Llwchwr. 7 LLWCHWR, 21 or Castell Llwchwry or Loughor. Enter Glamorganshire. 6 Upper Town. 22 H Pont-y-breniw. cr. the riv. Lhw. 22^ Pont Llewydde. 24| 3 25 To Pontardulais, 6 ca. Morriston . — Val e of Tawe. SWANSEA. 28 1 419 XIII.— MONMOUTH TO CAEMAETHEN, THROUGH RAGLAN, ABERGAVENNY, BRECON, AND LLANDOVERY. MAIL ROAD. ON RIGHT a| il ON LEFT FROM MONMOUTH. £| Ck a o S FROM MONMOUTH. 85 MONMOUTH. cr. the riv. Mon- now. 84 cr. the riv Trothy. 1 Troy House, Duke ofj Gibraltar, Alexander Beaufort. | Rolls, Esq. 82J MitcheUtroy. n Lydart House, Tho«. Oakley, Esq Wonastow Court, Sir 82 3 William M. S. Pilking- ton, Bart. Red House. Castle Dingestow, and 801 41 Dingestow Court, Sam. Bosanquet, Esq, 80 5 Raglan Castle. 77 RAGLAIS . 1 8 To Chepstow 14 m To Usk, 5 m. Tumulus. Bryngwyn Church. 751 1 Croes-byclian. 1 91 Bryngwyn House, Archdeacon Crawlev. Llanarth Court, Herbert, Esq. 75 10 74 11 To Usk, 5 m. Clytha Castle, Wm. Herbert, Esq. Trostrey, Sir Samuel Eludyer, Bart. Llansaintffraid House, J. Jones, Esq. 73 Aberftrwd. 12 72i 121 Llanfihan gel-juxta- Usk. Pantygoytre House, A. Berrington, Esq. Ihangattook Conn. 7H 131 Llangattock-j uxta- Usk. 71 PoLct-y-bergwm. 14 Llanover Court, Lord Llanover. 70 15 Lianellen House, Sir Thomas Phillips, Knt. 420 5TONMOUTH TO CAKMARTHE^ I ON RIGHT I FROM MONMOUTH. Coldbrook Park, Perd. Hanbury Williams, Esq., distinguished for the residence of two persons equally memo- rable, though for dif- ferent qualifications ; viz. : Sir Richard Her- bert, the intrepid sol- dier, and “ flower of chivalry,” who followed the standard of his brother, the Earl of Pembroke, to the battle of Banbury, in 1469; and Sir Charles Han- bury Williams, re- nowned as a polished courtier, and a votary of wit and pleasure. Pentre House, Robert Wheely, Esq. Sugar Loaf Mountain, or Mynydd Fen-y-Fal, 1954 feet. Moor Park. To Talgarth, 10 m., by a beautiful valley, pass- ing Tretower Castle, a conspicuous and picturesque ruin ; LlanfihangelCwm Ddfi, which was a Roman station on Via Mon- tana ; and Trefecca, distinguished as the birthplace and resi- dence of How el Harris, a most zealous, labo- rious, and useful preacher of the gospel : and where the pious and benevolent Coun- From Carmarth. From Monmouth 69 In approaching the town of Abergavenny, the view of mountains is grand and impressive. On the N.E. are seen Skirrid-fach and Skirrid- fawr; N.W, the Sugar Loaf; and W. the Blo- renge, which forms a boundary to the great mineral basin of Mon- mouthsliire and South Wales. 16 68 ABERGAVENNY. 17 67 18 641 Enter Brecknockshire. 20| 64 cr. the river Grwyne. 21 61| CRICKHOWEL. 231 60 25 59^ cr. the river RhiangoU. 251 57f 1 i Pen-y-ffordd. 1 27i ON LEFT FROM MONMOUTH. To Usk, and Ponty- pool. Llanfoist, (Upper, Middle, and Lower). Llanwenarth. On the S. of the river Usk is a road to the rich mining district of Monmouthshire, the colUeries, furnaces, &c., of Blaen Afon, Aberystrwith,or Blaen- in-Gwent, and Trede- gar. Llangattock Park, Duke of Beaufort. Gian Usk ViUa. Gian Usk Park, Sir Joseph Bailey, Bart. M.P. MONMOUTH TO CARMARTHEN, 421 ■ ON RIGHT el ON LEFT ! FROM MONMOUTH. iii 1 FROM MONMOUTH. 1 less of Huntingdon founded a College for Dissenting Ministers. 1 Cam and Cast ell. To Llyn Safaddu, a fine lake abounding with 56 Bwlch-yr-aliwys. 29 Buckland Park, J.ames Price Gwynne Holford, E‘sq. fish, especially pike. Trebinshun, Gustavns H. Yonge, Esq. Treholford, Col. Daly. Treberfydd, Robert Kaikes, Esq. 54 31 Llanddetty Hall, Mrs. Overton. Llansaintffraid. ^Maen Illtyd. 52| Seethrog. 32i H6n-gastell, or Old Castle. 1 jPeterston Court. 61 Llanhamlach. 34 Tymawr, Paul Mild- may Pell, Esq. < Maesderwen House, J ohn Parry De Winton, Esq. 50 Portnewydd. 35 Barracks. 48 BRECKNOCK, or 37 BRECON. cr. the river Usk. Llanfaes. College of Christ- church, formerly a Dominican Priory. 47 Pont TareU. 38 cr. the river Tarell. To Merthyr Tydfil, 18 m. Pennoyre, (2 m.) John Lloyd Vaughan Wat- 46 Llanspyddyd. 39 kins, Esq. Aberyscir, at the junc- 44| 40^ tion of the river Yscir with the Usk. Here are remains of a Ro- man station, Bannxum^ 44 Aber-bran-fawT. 41 and in the vicinity are numerous interesting relics of ancient mili- tary works. 43 42i Capel Bettws, surrounded by yew trees. 42 42i To Capel Illtyd, 2 m. Penpont, Penry Wil- liams, Esq. Abercamlais, Philip Penry Williams, Esq. Pontseniiy. 42 43 CasteU Ddfl. 39 46 1 cr. the riv. Senny. 38i cr. the riv. Usk. i 43^f 1 422 MONMOUTH TO CARMARTHEN. ON RIGHT ii From Monmouth ON LEFT FROM MONMOUTH. FROM MONMOUTH. 36 Trecastle, 49 To Capel Llanulid, a large village, with a good Inn, the Camden 2 m. Arms. 35 Llywel. 50 Mynydd Trecastell cr. the river Gwdderig. Mynvdd-bwlch-Groes, 33 Cwm Dwr, 52 Talsarn Mountains aud Mynydd-Epynt. a romantic pass. 32 Enter Carmarthenshire. 53 29 56 Dolgwynnon, Mra. Williams. 28 Pontgwdderig. cr. the river 57 Gwdderig. Felindre, Edward Jones, Esq- cr. the riv. Bran. To Builth, 23 m. 27 LLANDOVERY. 58 To Lampeter, 18 m. cr. the riv. Towy, and pursue its course along the Vale of Towy, hence to Carmarthen. 26 Ystrad-uchaf. 59 Llwyuybraen, George Walter Rice, Esq. 25 Gorsddfl. 60 24 61 Dolycarreg. Lletfy Ifanddu, Lewis Lewis, Esq. Llanwrda. 23 Crossceiliog. 62 Cilgwyn, Capt. Eyres. Llansadwrn. 22 Brownhill. 63 Glandulas. 21 64 Uwynddewi. Abermarlais, Captain John Cross. Abermarlais gate. To Llangadock, f m. Glansefin, Edward Price Lloyd, Esq. Llwynyberllan, James Allan Gunston, Esq. Taliaris Park, William Peel, Esq. (2 m.) 18 67 16 Gurrey gate. 69 Gnrrey, Griflath Bowen Jones, Esq. 1 i i LLANDILO-FAWR. 70 1 1 Dvtievor Park aud Castle, Lord DyaoTor. 1 < MONMOUTH TO CARMARTHEN — MONMOUTH. 423 ! ON EIGHT Et 1 JS al ON LEFT FEOM MONMOUTH. 6 h s ^ o EEOM MONMOUTH. Hafod-neddyn P. LL Philipps, Esq. 12J Pontmyddyfau. 72J Across the riv. Towy, Golden Grove, Earl Cawdor. 11 Dderwen-fawr gate. 74 Llangathen Church. Aberglasney, J Walters Philips, Esq., the birth- place of the poet Dyer. Grongar HiU. Cwrt Henry, Rev, G. W. Green. 9f Cross Inn. Pontdulas. 75| Dryslwyn Castle. n cr. the riv. Dulas. 75| Pelindre village. 8 Halfwayhouse. 77 Across the riv. Towy, a Tower erected by the late Sir William Pax- ton, in memory of Ad- miral Lord Nelson. Middleton Hall, Ed- ward Ab Adams, Eaq. Ancient Portress. 7 Llanegwad. 78 Gian Cothi. Pont-ar-Cothi. cr. the riv. Cothi. 78f To Brechfa, 7 m. AUt-y-gog, Dr. Mor- gan. 4 Nant-garedig. m 81 To Bridge over the Towy, 1 m. Race Course. Merlin’s Grove. Wliite miU. 81J Castell-pigyn, W. 0. Price, Esq. To Lampeter and New- castle Emlyn. 2 Ahergwili. cr. the riv. Gwili. 83 Palace of the Bishop of St. David’s. Llangynnor Church. Tygwyn, formerly the residence of Sir Richd. ' CARMARTHEN. 85 Steele. j INDEX Abbey Cwm Hir, 263 Aber, 49, iii Aberafon, 299 ; I tin. 410 Aberammon, 307 Aberayron, 238 ; I tin. 400 Abberbury, 395 Abercarn House, ^88 Aberdare Junction, Itm. 414 Aberdaron, 91 *• Aberdovey, 199 ; Itin. 385 Aberdulas, 302 Aberedw, 266 AberfFraw, 76 Abergarwedd, 302 Abergavenny, 346 ; Itin. 420 Abergele, 35 Aberglaslyn Pass, 130 Aberglasney, 276 Abergwilly, Bishop’s Palace, 277 Abergwynant, 18 1* Abergynolwyn Station, 188 Abermaw (Barmouth), 189 Aberbergwm, 302 Abermule, Itin. 391 Aberyscir, Itin. 421 Aberystwitb, 227 ; Itin. 386, 389, 392 Aberystwith to Aberayron, 236 Aberystwitb to Devil’s Bridge, 239 Aberystwith to Cardigan, 251. Aberystwith to Haverfordwest, Itin. 400 Aconbury Hills, 342 Adpar, 255 Acton Hall, 161 Ale, Welsh, of Llanfyllin, 209 Alltwyn Cliff, 233 Ambrose, St, Bust of, 151 Amlwch, 74 Amroth Castle, 319 Anglesey, County of, 79 Anglesey y Marquis of ^ column and seat, 67 . . Antiquities, 3 Aqueducts at Chirk, 166 Aran River, 178 Ardudwy Stones, 192 ; graves, 197 Arran Mountains, 174, 220 Arthur’s Stone (Gower), 313 Bacon, Anthony, Esq., 306 Bacon Hole, 312 2 Bagillt, 26 Baglah House, 300 Bailey, C., Esq., residence, yyj Bailey Hill, Mold, 14 Bala, 173; Itin. 396 Balcombe, J. B., Esq., 233 Baldwyn, 200 Banditti of Mowddy, 220 Bangor, 61 Bangor to Holyhead, 73 Bangor to Slate-quarries, 54 Bangor-ys-Coed, 162 Bangor Church (Llandyssil), 254 Bannagor Crags, 376 Bards, 112 Bardsey Isle, 92 Barmouth, 189; Itin. 385 Baron Hill, 70 Barrow, Dr. Isaac, 141 Borth, 235 Basingwerk Abbey, 30 Beaufort, Duke of 314 ; family, 352 residence of, Troy House, 373 Beaulieu Woods, 371, 373 Beaumaris, 68 Beaupre Castle, 295 Beddgelert, 127 ; Itin. 383 Beddoes, John, 201 Bedwelty House, 288. Belmont House, 73 Benglog, Falls of, 120 Berwyn Mountains, 170, 17 1 Bethesda, 57 Bettisfield Park, 162 Bettws Garmon, 123 Bettws-y-Coed, 115 Beveridge, Dr. Wm., 141 Biddings, Custom of, at Weddings, 281 Biddulph, Myddelton, Esq., seat, 165 Biga Mountains, 248-250 Bishop and his Clerks (rocks), 336 Black Mountains, 344 Black Mountain, 361 Blaen Hafren, 248 Blaen Dyffryn House, 254 Blorenge, the, 346 Blue-coat School, Denbigh, 146 Bodargan House and Station, 776 Bodelwyddan, 142 ; church, 143 Eodfach, 209 F 426 INDEX. Bodowen, 76 Bodryddan, 138 Bodyscallen House, 39 Boleyn's, Anne, residence, 297 Boston’s, Lord, seat, 73 Boultibrook House, 263 * Boydell, Alderman, birth-place, 24 Bran Fendigard, 190 Bran River, 273 Breconshire, 269 Brecon, 270; Itin. 415 , 421 Brecon Beacons, 272 Bredwardine, 363 Bridgend, 296 Britannia Tubular Bridge, 60 Britons Ancient, 2 Briton Ferry, 299 ; Itin. 410 Broadhaven, 330 Bronbanog Hills, 136 Bron-Wydd, 255 Bronwylfa, 142 Bronygader, 181 Bruce, H. A., Esq., seat, 307 Brudenell Family, 258 Brunets Suspension Bridge at Chep- stow, 381 Brydges, Sir H., Bart., seat, 263 Biy’^mbo Hall, 161 Brynbella, 148 Brynkinalt, 165 Bryn Llwyd, 73 Bryn^’^gwin, 181 Bryn-y-mor, 233 Bryn-y-pys, 162 Bryn Yorkin, 12 Buckley Mountain, 25 Buckstone, 373 Builth WeUs, 265, 362 Bulkeley, Bart., seat at Beaumaris, 70 Burgess, Bishop, 254 Burke’s Beauties cf Nature, 135 Burry, the, 314 Bute Docks, Cardiff, 289 Bute, Marquis of, mansion at Cardiff, 291 ; nursery plantations, 303 Butler, late Miss, 169 Butter Hill, 330 Bwa-Maen, 304 Bwlch-y-Ddwfaen, in Bwlch-y-Groes, 174, 220 Cader Idris, 181* Cadfan of Armorica, 198 Cadnant House, 73 Cadoxton, 302 Cadwallon, 140 Cae Cinnamon, 73 Cae G-v^n, 73 Caergwill, 12 Caerhun, in Caerleon, 288 Caerphilly, 293 ; Castle, 294 Caerwent, 286 Caerwys Fort, 31 1 Caerynwch, 18 1, Cain, River and Fall, 209 Calamine (ore of zinc), Flintshire, 23 Caldicot Castle, 286 Caldy Island, 322 Cambria, 2 Cambrian Railway, 201 Camden! s. Marquis of, seat, 272 Camlan River, 184 Campston Hill and House, 345 Canals, 203 Capel Curig, 117 , 106 ; also see Snowdon, 99 Caractacus, retreat ofij-z Caradoc’s Pool, 251 Cardiff, 289 ; Castle, 290 Cardiff to Merthyr, by Taff Vale Rail, Itin. 413 Cardiganshire, 225 Cardigan, 256 ; Itin. 401 Cardigan to Haverfordwest, Itin. 403 Carew Castle, 327 Carmarthenshire, 282 Carmarthen, 277 ; Itin. 423 Carmarthen to Haverfordwest and Mil- ford, Itin. 406 Carmarthen to Swansea, by Kidwelly, etc., Itin. 417 Carnarvonshire, 81 Carnarvon, 83 ; Castle, 86 Carnarvon to Pwllheli, 87 Carnarvon to Llanberis and Beddgelert, 93 Carnarvon to Beddgelert, by Llyn Cwellin, 122 Carnarvon to Aberystwith (Coast Road), Itin. 383 Carnedd, Llewelyn, 49 Carnedd, near Newmarket, 139 Camo, 219 ; Itin. 393 Carreg Cennin Castle, 278 Castell Coch, 294 Castell Dinas Bran, 168 Castell Dyffryn, 244, 247 Castel Gronw, 176 Castell Prysor, 197 Castell Tomen-y-mur, 197 Castel-y-gaer, 187 Caswell Bay, 313 Cawdo'ds, Earl, seats, 276, 316 ; Stack- pole Court, 326 Cave Hill, 36 Cefn Caves and Well, 143 Cefn Bryn, 313 Cefn-yr-Ogo, 36 Ceiriog Vale, 166 Cemmes Road, 219 ; Itin. 388 Cenarth, 256 Central Wales Railway, 260 Cerniog River, 219 Cerrig-y-druidion, 172 Ceunant Mawr, W. F., 97 Charles I., scenes connected ^vith {The Stones), 263 ; where said to have passed night, 345 INDEX. 42 Charles, Rev. Thomas, J73 Chepstow, 379; Castle, ^0; Suspen- sion Bridge, 381 Chester, 5; Wall, 7; Phoenix Tower, 7; Cathedral, 8; Castle, 8; Rows, 8; Bridges, 10 ; G-rosvenor Park, 10 ; Eaton Hall, 10 ; Railway Station, 11; Station, 12 Chester, Earl of, title, 6 Chester to Mold, 12 Chester to Holyhead, 17 Chester to Dolgelly, I tin. 154 Chirk Castle, 165 Cilcain (Mold), 14 Cilgerran Castle, 259 Cilhepste Waterfall, 303 Cleddau, River, 330 Clee Hills, 203 Clifford Castle, 268, 363 Clungwyn Falls, 303 Clwyd, Vale of, 134 Clydach, River, 302 Clynnog, Fawr Church, 189 Clywedog, River, 218, 263 Coalbrookdale, 204 Coal-field, Flintshire, 23 Coal-mines at Llanelly, 315 Cobham, Lord, residence 345 Coch, Castell (Powis), 213 Coch or Red Castle, 294 Cockhurn, Sir William, Bart., seat, 262 Coed-fon Castle, 254 Coed, Coch House, 35 Coity Castle, 297 Coldwell Rocks, 370 College (Training), for South Wales, 278 Colwyn, 38 Colwyn, Cascades, 130 Coningsby’s Hospitcd, 341 Conovium, Roman Station, iii Conway, 42 ; Old Timber Houses, 43 ; Castle, 44; Suspension and Tubular Bridges, 45 Conway River and Valley, 109 Conwy Family, seat, 138 Copper-mines (Parys), 75 ; Llanberis, 105 Copper-trade (Swansea), 308 ; works at Llanelly, 315 Cop-yr-Lewi, Camedd, 139 Corbet Family, mansion, 199 Cornwallis, Lady Letitia, 256 Corwen, 170 Corwen to Bettws, 172 Cox, late David, A.R.A., 116 Courtfield, 370 Coventry, Lady, Elegy on, 300 Cowbridge, 295 ; I tin. 412 Crafnant, Lake, 112 Craig-Aderyn, 199 Craiglais, 232 Craiglwyd Quarry Co., 47 Craig Cwm Bychan, 124 Craig-y-dinas, 67 Craig-y-dinas, 303 Craig-y-don Villa, 69 Craig-y-Grybni, 21 1 Craig-y-Mwn Cadmine, 211 Crayen Arms to Carmarthen, 260 Crawshay, Wm., 306, 307 Creuddyn Hundred, 38 Cricceith, 91 Crickhowel, 346 ; I tin. 420 Cwm By chan, 192 Cromlechs at Plas Newydd, 68 CromwelV s Spur (Kinmel), 37 Cross Foxes (Dolgelly), 187 Crumlin Viaduct, 349 Cunliffe Family omd Mo^iuments, 160 Cwm Cascade, 139 Cwm Claw, 267 Cwm Hir Abbey, 263 Cwm Parth Cavern, 304 Cwmcynfelin House, 233 Cymmer Abbey, 186 Cynfael Waterfall, 195 Cynog, Saint, the martyr, 211 Dale Castle, 330 Danes, 2 Darbey, Esq., residence, 161 Davies, Dr. John, 221 Davies, R., Esq. of Llanerck [anti- qtiary). Monument to, at Mold, 14, 143 Ddaw River, 295 Dee River, 176 D’Eresby, Lord Willoughby, seat, 114 Demetia (South Wales), 2 Demon’s Oak, 181* Denbighshire, 133 Denbigh, 144 Denbigh, Ruthin and Corwen Railway, 133 Devil’s Bridge, 240 ; I tin. 399 Devil’s Garden, 263 Devil’s Kitchen, 120 Dibbin Mawr Waterfall, 89 Diganwy Castle, 38 Diganwy Castle Hotel, 39 DinorberCs, Lord, mines, 75 Dinas Bran Castle, 168 Dinas Duille, 89 Dinas Gonway, 38 Dinas Mowddy, 220 Dinedor, 342 Dolbadarn Castle, 95 Dolgarrog Falls, in Dolgelly, 178 Dolgelly to Barmouth, 188 Dolserau, 181 Dolwyddelan, 144, 116 Dol-y-Melynllyn, 184 Dovey River, 221, 222 Dovey River, Mouth, 235 Doward, Great and Little, 370 Dowlais House, 307 428 INDEX. Downing Hall, 31 Downton, 262 Drake, T. T., Esq., residence, 297 Dropping Well, 274 Druidical Remains, 90, 172, 187, 192 ; at Nevern, 337 ; rocking-stone, Mon- mouth, 373 Druid’s Lodge, 68 Drws Ardudwy, 192 Drwsynant Farm, 178 Dryslwyn Castle, 276 Duftryn, 307 Dulas River, 30 Dungannon Family, 166 Dunraven Castle, 297 Dunraven, Earl, seat, 297 ; shooting- box, 303 Dwyryd River, 192 Dyer's, the ;poet, “ Grongar Hill,'' 276 ; birthplace, 276 Dyffryn Aled House, 35 Dyffryn Castell, 244, 247 ; Itin. 399 Dyfi River, 221 Dykes, OfFa’s and Watt’s, 31 Dynevor Castle, 275 Dyserth, 139 Dysynni Ri'^er, 187, 198 Eaton Hall, 10 Ebbw Valley, 349 Edward I., Conquest of Wales by, 47 Edwards, Wm., 350 Eglwys, Newydd, 245 Eifl Mountains, 89 Eisteddfodau, 32 Elan River, 267 Eliseg’s Pillar, 169 Ellesmere Canal, 203 Ely Station, 292 Emral, 162 Erddig Hall, 161 Ewenny Priory, 296 Ewias Vale, 345 Ewloe Castle, 25 Festiniog, 194 Ferryside, 306 Fishguard, 338 ; Itin. 402 Fitzhugh, T., Esq., residence, 162 Fitzmaurice, Hon. T., estate, 149 Flanesford Priory, 569 Flannel, Welsh, 217, 346 Flintshire, Flint, county town, 25 Fonmon Castle, 295 Fossil remains at Llandilo, 274 French, Landing-place of, at Llan- wrda, 358 Friars, the Beaumaris, 71 Friars, the, 288 Fronwnian, 18 1 Fusileers, 23d, Royal Welsh, Monu- ment to. 278 Gadlys, 307 Gaerwen Station, 73 Garrick's, David, birthplace, 3.41 Garthewin House, 35 Garway, the, 344 Gavenny river, 346 Geirw river, 172 Germanus, field of, at Mold, 14 Giltar Point, 232 Gimlet Rock, 91 Giraldus Cambrensis, birthplace, 324 Glamorganshire, 284 Gian Menai Villa, 69 Glan-y-llyn, 174 Glasbury, 268, 362 Glaslyn river, 128 Glendower, Owen, 170 Gloddaeth (seat), 39 Glyders (mountains), 119 Glynhir, waterfall at, 275 Glynllifon Park, 89 Glynmadden, 181 Glyn Neath 303 Glyn-y-garth Villa, 69 Gnoll Castle, 301 Gogerddan House, 235 Golden Grove (Newmarket), 140 Golden Grove (Carl Cawdor) 276 Goodrich Castle and Court, 367 Gorphwysfa House, 73 Gower, district of, 311 Graig, the, 344 Great Orme’s Head, 40 Gredington Hall, 162 Greenfields’ Mansion, 283 Gresford, 157 Greville, C. Esq., 328 Grongar Hill, 276 Grossmount Castle, 344 Grosvenor Lodge (Eaton Hall), ii Gumfreston, 323 Gwaenynag, 147 Gwallod-y-garth, 307 Gwernan Lake, 182* Gwernhaeled Park, 162 Gwester Quarries, 33 Gwrych Castle, 36 Gwydir Chapel, 112 ; House, 114 Gwyn, H., Esq., residence, 300 Gwytherin, 113 Gyrn Castle, 33 Hafod Unos House, 35 Hafod (Devil’s Bridge), 244 Hafren (Severn) 248 Hamilton, Sir Wm., 329 Hanmer Hall, 162 Hares, Monacella, patron saint of, 211 Harlech, 190; Itin. 384 Harpton Court, 362 Harris, Howel, birthplace, Itin. 420 Haverfordwest, 330 ; Itin. 403, 404 Haverfordwest to Milford, Itin. 405 Haverfordwest to St. David’s, Itin. 403 INDEX. 429 Haverfordwest to Tenby, [tin. 407 Hawarden, 23 Hay, 286 , 362 Heathfield, 311 Hemans, Mrs, residence, 36 ; Tablet to memory ^ of, at St. Asaph, 141 ; Ref. to ‘ Ruin and Flowers,' 39 ; Notice of Clwyd, 136 Hengwrt, 186 Henlan Church, 255 Henllys Lodge, 71 Henry VII., birthplace, 325 Hereford, 340 , 363 Hereford to Aberystwith by rail, Ifn.^gg Hereford to Aberystwith by Kington, Radnor, and Rhayader, Itin. 397 Herefords, Viscount, seat, 268 Herbert Family; Lead-Mine, 211 ; Monuments at Cardiff, 292 Herbert's, Lord, birthplace, 215 Hillbre Island, 33 Hill, A ., Esq., residence, 307 Hills Mount, Shrewsbury, 207 Hirlas Drinking-horn, 55 Hobb’s Point, 326 Holyhead, 78 Holywell, 27 Honddu River, 270 Hope Station and Village, 12 Horsley, Dr. Samuel, 141 Howel ab Meredith, 136 Huntingdon, Countess, College for Dis- senting Ministers, Itin. 420 Iron Ore of Merthyr Tydfil, 306 Ironworks at Llanelly, 315 Itineraries, 383 Ithon River, 263 Jeffried, Judge, birthplace, 161 Jenkini Endowed School, 295 , Johnes of Hafod, Family, 244 Johnson, Dr., Monwnent to, near Denbigh, J ohnston Junction, 323 Jones, Archdeacon, 180 Jones, Inigo, 113 Jones Theophilus, 273 Jubilee Column (Mold), 16 Julia Strata, Roman Road, 284, 314 Kemble Family, 341 Kenfig, 297 Kent, John of, 344 Kentchurch Park, 344 Kentigern, Bishop of Glasgow, 140 Kenyo 7 i, Lord, seat, 162 KidweUy, 316 ; Itin. 418 Kington, Itin. 397 Kinmel Hall, 37 Knighton, 260 Knill Court, 262 Kymin, the, 373 Kyrll, John, Man of Ross, 365 Lake Bala, 174 Conway, 115 Coron, 77 Creigenen, 186 Cwellyn, 124 Ddu, 219 Dulin, 49 Dywarchen, 124 Eigian, in Gader, 125, 182^ Gafr, 182* Geirionydd, 112 Gwernan, 182'^ Gwynant, 106 Mawr, 219 Mymbyr, 117 Ogwen, 1 19 Peris, 95 Padarn, 95 Pen Rhayadr, 223 Trigraianen, 187 Tal-y-llyn, 187 Tarn, 219 Teifi, 252 Lampeter, 253 Lamphey, 324 Lancaut Peninsula, 377 Landor, Walter Savage, 345 Langland Bay, 313 Lanvair Castle, 287 Lead Mines, Craig-y-Mwn, 21 1 Flintshire, 23 Talargoch, 33, 139 Leeswood Hall, 13 Lewis of Harpton, seat, 262, 263 Leys, tire, 371 Liddell and Gordori, e^igineering works of 349 Literature, Welsh, 273 Lisburne's, Earl, seat, 251 Llanaber Church, 189 Llanaelhaiarn, 90 Llanasa, 33 Llanbadarn, 233 Llanberis, 95; Village, 105 ; Pass ’ 05 Llanbethian, 295 Llanbrynmair, 219 Llandaff, 292 Llandegai, 54 Llandilo, 274 ; I tin. 422 Llandogo, 374 Llandough Castle, 295 Llandovery, 273 Llandovery, Itin. 422 Llandrillo Station, 172 Llandrindod, 264 Llandudno, 39 Llandudno to Bettws-y-coccl, 107 Llandulas, 37 Llandyssil, 254 Llanelly, 315 ; Itin. 418 INDEX. 430 Llanegryn, 186 Llanelian, 37 Llanelltyd, 186 Llanfaes, 71 Llanfair House, 73 Llanfairfechan, 49 Llanfihangel, 344 ; Itin. 420 Llanfihangel, Abercywyn, 317 Llanfyllin, 209 ; Itin. 395 Llangattock, 346 Llangefni, 73 Llangelynin Church, 49 Llangennydd, 314 Llangharne, 318 Llangollen, 166 Llangurig, 361 ; Itin. 391, 399 Llangynnor Church, 280 Llangynog, 21 1 ; Itin. 395 Llaniarth, Itin. 401 Llanidan, 73 Llanidloes, 218 ; Itin. 391 Llanidloes to Plinlimmon, 247 Llanmadoc Hill, 314 Llanerch, 143 Llanover^s., Lord^ seaty 288 Llanrhos, 39 Llanrhayadr, 149 Llan-rhayadr (yn-mochnant), 210 ; Itin. 395 Llanrhydd, 151 Llanrwst, 112 LanstepLan, 316 Llantarnam Abbey, 344 Llanthony Abbey, 344 Llantrisaint, 295 Llanwern, 287 ; House, 288 Llanwnws Churchyard, 251 Llanwrtyd Wells, 273 Llewellyn the Great, birthplace, 114 ; affecting incident at Beddgelert, 128 ; scene of final defeat near Builth, 265, 362 Llewelyn Family, Mansion, 302 Llewelyn-ap-Gryffyd, Prince of Wales, 3 Llewenny Hall, 148 Lleyn Promontory, 90 Lloyd’s, Hon. T. Price, seat, 139 Lloyd’s, Sir Thomas, seat, 255 Lloyds, y.. Esq., seat, 267 Lloyd’s Pulpit, 195 Llouglior, 314; River, 375; Church- yard epitaph, 300 Llugwy River, 115, 116 Lluyn, 181 Llwchwr, Itin. 418 Llwyds, Sir Gryfpydd, birthplace, 73 Llwyngwril, 187 Llyn. See Lakes Long Station, 13 Loton Hall, Itin. 395 Lugg River, 363 Lux 7 nore, Bishof, tomb, 141 Lys Brad wen, 186 Lyttletod s encomiu^n on Festuiiog, 194 Machynlleth, 222 ; j. tin. 388, 394 Machynlleth to Llanidloes, 224 Machynlleth to Dolgelly and Bala by rail, Itin. 394 Madocks, IV. A., Esq., 131 Maelor, Hundred of, 162 Maentwrog, 193 Maen Rhos Rhyfel, 74 Maeslough Castle, 268, 362 Maesteg, 31 1 Maes-y-gaer, 49 Maes-y-garmon, Mold, 14 Maes-y-porth, 73 Magor Station, 287 Malpas Court, 288 Malindina Abbey, 31 Mallwyd, 221 , Itin. 388 Mam Cymru, 149 Manorbier, 324 Mansel Family, 299 Marble, Anglesey, 71 Marclay Hill, 363 Margam Park, 298 Marteg River, 361 Marten, Henry, the regicide, 380 Mason, the poet, 300 Mathraval, 209 Mawddach River, 185 Meifod, 209 Melincourt Waterfall, 302 Melin Velindre, 248 M elite River Falls, 303 Menai, Suspension and Tubular Bridges, 68 Mercia, 205 Merionethshire, 152 Merlin, the Welsh ProphePs Birthplace, 279 Merlins ( Welsh ponies), 152 Merthyr Tydfil, 305; Itin. 414, 417 MeyricEs, Mr., seat, 76 Meyricks of Goodrich, 368 Meyrick, W^n., Esq., residence, 307 Middleton Hall, 276 Mid-Wales Railway, 266 Miles, P. y.. Esq., 257 Milford, 328; Haven, 329; New, 330 Milford, Lord, 324, 332 Military Antiquities, 3 Minerals (Mold), 13 Mines of Flintshire, 23 MinfFordd, 187 Mitchen Hole, 312 Moat Lane Junction, 218 Mochnant Valley, 210 Moel, Arthur, Mold, 16 Cynwch, 182 Fammau (Mold), 16 du Fawr, 211 Hebog, 129 Llys, 49 Sidbod, 118 Mold, 13 Mona, the Roman, 79 I Monacella* St., 21 1 INDEX. 431 Monmoutlisliire. 342 Monmouth, 471 Monmouth to Chepstow, 374 Monmouth to Carmarthen through Raglan, etc., I tin. 419 Monnow River, 344, 371 Montgomeryshire, 200 Montgomery, 215 ; I tin. 393 Montgomery^ Robert^ lines on view from St. Asaph, 141 Morgan’s, Mrs., residence, 140 Morgan, Bishop of Llandaff, trans- lator of Welsh Bible, 141, 210 Morgan, C. O. S., Esg'., residence of , 228 Morgan, Mr., birthplace, 296 Morgan, G. R., Esq., residence, 307 Morlais Castle, 307 Moss Cottage, 377 Mostyn Station, 32 Mostyn’s, Lord, seat, 209 Mount Pleasant, 47 Mountains, Biga, 248-250 Black, 344 Blorenge, 346 Breconshire, 269 Cader Idris, 181* Plinlimmon, 246 Radnor Forest, 261 Skirrid, 346 Snowdon, 98 Sugar Loaf, 346 Mowddy, 220 Mullock, 330 Mumbles, The, 312 Murchison’s '^Silurian Rocks, Mwd, The, 49 Mynach Falls, 241 Mynydd Mawr, 124 Myddelton Family seat, 147 ; monu- ments to, 160; of Chirk, 165 ’ 263 Nannau, 181 Nant-Eos Park, 235 Farm, 71 Frangon, 120 Glyn, 148 Gwrtheyrn, 90 G^nant, 106 Mill, 123 Nantlle, 126 Narberth, 319; I tin. 407 Neath, 300; Castle and Abbey, 301; Vale of, 302; I tin. 410, 416 Nell Gwynn’s birthplace, 341 Nelson’s Tower, 276 Nevin, 91 Newborough, 76 Newborough’s, Lord, seat, 89 ; slate- quarries, 195 Newbridge, 349 Newbridge (Wye), 361 Newcastle Emlyn, 256 Newgall Sands, Itin. 405 Newmarket, 139 New Passage, 286 Newport (Monmouthshire), 287 Newport (Pembroke), 337; I tin. 402 New Quay, 239 Newtown, 217 ; I tin. 391 Newtown to Machynlleth by Carno, etc., I tin. 393 Newton House (Dynevor), 276 New Weir, 370 Nevern, 337 Nevill Family, 346 Normandy, Duke of, scene of imprison- ment, 291 Nott, Sir Wm., statue, 278 Oakleys, of Plas-Tan-y-bwlch, 192 OfFa’s Dyke, 2, 37, 205, 217, 260 Ogmore River, 296; Castle, 296 Ogwen Bank, 58 Oldcastle, 345 Olway River, 351 Orange-trees at Margam Park, 298 Orielton, 326 Orinda, author of letters, etc. , 257 Orme’s Head, 40 Oswestry, 202 Otway, General, seat, 267 Our Lady’s Well at Cefn, 144 Overton, 162 Owen Glyndwr, 170, 179 Owen, Sir y., Bart., mansion, 326 Oxwich Bay, 313 Oystermouth Castle, 312 Palmerston’s, late Lord, slate-quar- ries, 195 Park Wern, 31 1 Parson’s Bridge, 244, 247 Parys Mountain, 75 Pass of Llanberis, 105 Aberglaslyn, 130 Bwlch-y-Groes, 174 Nant Gwyllt, 267. See also under Bwlch Pandy Station, 344 Paxton’s, late Sir Wm., seat, 277 Peel, E., Esq., 162 Pembrokeshire, 333 Pembroke, 324; I tin., 406 Penainglas, 339 Penally, 323 Penard Castle, 313 Pencader Junction, 254 Pen-Caer-Gybi, 78 Pencoed Castle, 287 Pendylfryn Park, 47 Penglais House, 235 Pengwern, 139 Pengwerwyn, 172 Peniarth, 187 Pennine Castle, 295 Penmaencliffe Villa, 181 432 INDEX. Penmaen-Mawr, 46 ; Pass, 48 Penmon Point, 71 Penmorfa, 132 Pennant Church, 21 1 Pejtnant Family, residence, 31 Penrhos Park, 77 Penrhyn Castle, 65 ; slate - quarries, 57 Penrice Castle, 313 Pensarn, 35 Pentraeth, 71 Pentreclwyday, 302 Pentre Foelas, 172 Pentremawr House, 35 Pen-y-bonh Inn, 187 Penybont, 263 Pen-y-Craig, 263 Pen-y-Darran House, 307 Pen-y-Gaer, 172 Pen-y-Gwryd Inn, 106 Perddyn Falls, 304 Pergwm Brook, 302 Philips, Catherine, 257 Phillips, F. A., Esq., seat, 264 Phillips, Thos., Esq., 273 Picton Castle, 332 Picton's, General, obelisk, 278 Piercefield Park, 378 Pillgwenlly, 287 Pill Priory, 329 Piozzi, Mrs., residence, 148 Pistog’s Castles, 254 Pistyll-Rhayadr, 210 Pistyll-y-Cain, 184 Pistyll-y-Mawddach, 184. See also un- der Waterfall Pitt’s Head, 126 Plas Coch, 73 Crug, 233 Gwyn, 71 Gwynne, 73 Llanfair, 73 Newydd (Anglesey), 67 Newydd (Llangollen), 169 Pengwern, 169 Penmynydd, 74 Power, 162 Teg, 13 -ty-Mawr House, 47 Plinlimmon, ascent from Devil’s Bridge, 246 . See also 224, and I tin. ^392, 399 Plymouth House, 307 Plynlimmon. See Plinlimmon Point of Air Lighthouse, 33 Ponies, Welsh, 152, 209 Ponsonby, late Miss, 169 Pont Aberglaslyn, 130 Pontardulais, 314 Pont Bren, 244 Pont Dolganwy, in Pont Erwyd, 244, 247 ; Itin. 399 Pont Neath Vaughan, 303 Pontneddfechan, 303 Pont Porthllwyd, in Pont-rhyd-fendigaid, 251 Pont-rhyd-galed, 360 Pontrilas Station, 344 Pont-y-glyn, 172 Pont-y-pair, 115, n6 Pontypool, 347 Pont-y-Prydd, 350 Population of Wales, i Porthcawl, 297 Portmadoe, 131 Portmadoc to Pwllheli, 132 Portskewit, 286 Port Talbot, 299 Povesia, 2 PowelVs, Col. W. E., seat, 235 Powis Castle, 213 Powysland, 2 Precipice Walk, 182 Prendergast Family, 331 Prestatyn, 33 Presteign, 260 Price, Dr., Birthplace, 296 Price, Sir Uvedale, the late, 229 Prichard'' s Welsh Poems, 273 Priestholm, 72 Princes of Wales, 3 Principalities of Wales, 2 Prys, A rchdeacon, 193 Pryse, Sir Pryse, seat of 235 Puleston Fa7nily, seat, 162 Puffin Island, 72 Pwllheli, 90 Pwlldu, 312 Pyle Inn, 298 Quaker’s Yard, 347 ; /tin. 414 Quarries. See Slate Quarry, Shrewsbury, 208 Radnorshire, 260 Radnor Forest, 261 Radnor, New, 262 ; Old, 263 ; /tin. 398 Raglan Castle, 352 ; /tin. 419 Ramsey Island, 336 Raven Fall, 193 Rebecca Riots, 283, 317 Rees, Dr. Abraham, 217 Rees, William, 273 Rhagatt Mansion, 171 Rhayader, 266 , 361 ; /tin. 398 Rhayadr Du (Dolgelly), 184 RhayadrgDu (Maentwrog), 193 Rhayadr Mawr (Aber), 49 Rhayadr-mawr ( Conway), in. See also Waterfalls Rhayadr River, 210 Rheola, 302 Rhiauva Mansion, 69 Rhondda River, 351 Rhossili, 313 Rhuddlan, 137 Rhyl, 34 Rhyllon, 142 INDEX. 433 Rhymney Viaduct, 349 Richards, Baron, monument, 180 Richard II., where betrayed, 37 Richards of Caerynwch, 181 River Aran, 178 Bran, 273 Cleddau, 330 Clwyd, 135 Clydach, 302 Clywedog, 263 Conway, 109 Ddaw, 295 Dee, 176 Dovey, 235 Dulas, 302 Elan, 267 Gavenny, 346 Honddu, 270 Ithen, 263 Lloughor, 275, 314 Lugg, 363 Monnow, 344, 371 Mynach, 241 Neath, 302 Nevem, 337 Ogmore, 296 Rhayadr, 210 Rheidol, 240 Rhondda, 351 Severn, 203, 247 Somergill, 262 Taf (Carmarthen), 317 TafF (Glamorgan), 289 TafF (Monmouth), 350 Tanat, 21 1 Tawe, 307 Teifi, 251, 254 Teme, 260 Trothy, 371 Towy, 274 Twymyn, 219 Usk, 270 Vgrnwy, 209 Wnion, 173 Wye, 360, 399 Ystwith, 245 Rock of Weeping,” 47 Roderic, King, 2 Rofts, The, 158 Remains, 2 Roman Antiquities at Chester, 6 Causeway, Festiniog, 197 Sam, 219 ; Road Via Julia, 270, 284 Encampment at Wapley Hill, 261 Station, Caersws, 219 Segontium, 87 Homan Cities of Caerwent, 286 ; Caerleon, 288 Romilly, Sir Sam., burial-place, 262 Hoss, 364 ; Man of, 365 Ross to Monmouth, 365 Rossett, 157 Roubilliads monuments, i6o Rowtou Castle, I tin. 395 Royal Welsh Fusileers, 23d, monument to, 278 Ruabon, 163 Ruardean Church, 370 Rug, 169 Ruthin, 150 Rutzen, Baron de, seat, 332 St. Albright’s Fountain, 114 Arvan’s, 377 Asaph, 140 Asaph’s Well, Dyserth, 139 Beuno’s Chapel, 89 Briavel’s, 374 Cadfan’s Church and Well, 198 Catherine’s Rock, 322 Clear’s, 317 David’s, 334 ; I tin. 405 David’s, Bishop’s Palace, Aberg- willy, 277 David’s Head, 336 Dogmael’s Priory, 258 Donat’s Castle, 297 George College, 37 Gowan’s Head, 326 Margaret’s Island, 323 Mungo {of Glasgow), 140 Trillo’s Chapel, 39 Winefred’s Well, 28 Woolos’ Church, 288 Salop or Shropshire, 203 Saltney, 157 Salusbury Family, 148 ; seat, 288 Samwell, Dr., birthplace, 148 ! Sarn Helen, 197 Saundersfoot, 319 Saxons, 2 Scotsborough, 323 Seddon, J. P., architect, 234 Segontium, Roman Station, 87 1 Seven Wonders of Wales, note, 28 ' Severn, River, course of, 247 ; River, 203, 217 ! Severn Arms, 263 Severn, y. C., Esq., seat, 263 Shee, Sir M. A., portrait by, 180 Shipley’s, Dean, residence, 138 ; tomb, 141 Shrewsbury, 206 Shrewsbury to Aberystwith, through Welshpool and Machynlleth, Itin. 387 Shrewsbury to Aberystwith through Newton and Llanidloes, Itin. 390 Shrewsbury to Carmarthen, 260 Shrewsbury to Bala, through Llanfyllin, Itin., 395 Shrewsbury to Llanfyllin by rail, Itin. 396 Shropshire, 202 Siddons, Mrs., birthplace, 272 Siluria of the Romans, 284 Singleton, 310 Sketty Park, 311 Skinner’s, Captain, monument, 78 Skirrid-fawr and -fach, 346 434 INDEX. Slate-Quarries, Craig-y-Grybni, 211 Festiniog, 195 Llanberis, 97 Machynlleth, 223 Nantlle, 126 Penrhyn, 57 Slebech, 332 Smalls, The, 337 Snowdon, ascent from Llanberis, 98 ; Cap el Curig, 99 Snowdon Guide Inn, 124 Souths Dr. Robert, 260 South Wales Railway, 286 Somergill River, 262 Stack Lighthouse, 78 Stackpole Court, 326 Stanley's, Hon. Mr., residence, 77 S tanner Rocks, 263 Starke, James R., Esq., seat, 318 Stedfa Gurig Inn, 247, 360 ; Itin. 392, 399 . , Steele's, Sir Richard, residence, Car- marthen, 280 Stones, The, 263 Stout Hall, 313 Strata Florida Abbey, 252 Sugar Loaf, 346 Suspension Bridge, Menai Straits, 58 Swansea, 307 ; Castle, 309 Swansea to Cardiff, Itin. 410, 41 1 Swansea to Merthyr by Vale of Neath, Itin. 415 Symond’s Yat, 370 Taf River (Carmarthen), 317 Taff River (Glamorgan), 289 Taff Vale Railway and River (Mon- mouth), 349, 350 Taibach House, 47 Talacre Mansion, 33 Talargoch Lead Mines, 139 Talbot, C. R. M., Esq., seat, 313 Talbot Fort, 299 Talgwynedd, 73 Taliesin, Bard, monument to, 112 Tal-y-llyn, 187 Tanat River, 21 1 Tanyr-Allt House, 73 Tan-y-Bwlcb, 192 Tan-y-bwlch House, Aberystwith, 233 Taylor, Jeremy, 2$^ ; residence at Goldon Grove, 276 ; imprisonment al Chepstow, 381 Tawe River, 307 Teifi Llyns, 252 ; River, 251, 254, 256, 259 Teme River, 260 Tenby, 320 ; Itin. 406, 407 Tenby to Carmarthen, Itin. 409 Tenby to Pembroke and Carmarthen, Itin. 408 ThelwcUl, Esq., of Bathafarn, monu- ment, 151 Tintern Abbey, 347 Torrent Walk, Dolgelly, 181 Tower (Mold), 14 Towy River and Vale, 273, 316 Towyn, 198 ; Itin. 385 Traws-coed, 251 Trawsfynydd, 197 Trecastle, Itin. 422 Tredegar Park, 288 Treffgarn Rocks, 339; Itm. 403 Trefecca, Itin. 420 Trefloyn, 323 Trefriw, in Tregaron, 253 Tregoed, 268 Tre-yr-Castell, 71 Tremadoc, 131 ; Itin. 384 Tre-r-Caeri, 90 Tre Taliesin, 236 Tre tower Castle, Itin. 420 Trevors, seat of, 165, 166 Trothy River, 371 Troy House, 373 T ucker. Dr. , Dean of Gloucester, birth- place, 318 Tudor, Catherine, of Beren, 148 Tudor Chapel, and Owen’s residence, 74 Turbervill Family, residence, 296 Twelve Apostles, rocks at Chepstow, 377 Twt-hill, 84 Twymyn River, 219 Tyn-y-coruel Inn, 187 Tyn-y-groes, 185 Uriconium, 205 Usk, 851 Usk River, 270, 287, 346 Vaenol House, 73 Vale of Clwyd, 134 Vale of Clwyd Railway, 35 Valle Crucis Abbey, 168 Vane's, Earl, mansion, 223 Vaughans of Rug, x'jx \ of Nannau, 179, 181 Vaughan, N. B., Esq., seat, 302 Venedotia (N. Wales), 2 Veranda, 310 Viaducts at Chirk, 166 Via Julia, 279 Vivian's, Lord, mansion, Beaujnaris, 71 Vivian, J. H., Esq., 309 Vivian, Hussey, Esq., 310 Vortigern’s Valley, 90 Vyrnwy River, 209 Walsham, SirJ. J., Bart., seat, 262 Wapley Hill, 261 Warburton's, E., residence, 159 Warren's, Samuel, birthplace, 159 Warton's Poem, King Arthur's Grave," 259 Water-Breaic-its-Neck, waterfall, 262 INDEX. 435 Waterfalls — Cain, 184 Ceunant Mawr, 97 Cynfael, 195 Devil’s Bridge, 241 Dibbin Mawr, 89 Dolgarrow, in Dolgelly, 184 Ffrwd Fawr, 219 Lloughor River, 275 Mawddach, 184 Mynach, 241 Ogwen, 120 Pistyll-Rhayadr, 210 Pistyll-y-Llyn, 223 Rhayadr Du, 193 Rhayadr-mawr (Conway), III Rhayadr-mawr (Aber), 49 Rhayadr-y-Parc-mawr, 114 Rhayadr-y-Wennol, at Bet- tws, 1 16 Rheidol, 243 Water-Breaic-its-Neck, 262 Waterloo Bridge, 116 Waterloo Tower (Ruabon), 164 Watling Street, 205 Watt’s Dyke, 30, 164 Webley Castle, 314 Welsh Bicknor, 370 Welsh flannel, 217, 346 ; paving-stones, 47 ; ponies, 209 Welshpool, 212 ; Itin. 387, 390 Welshpool to Newtown by Mont- gomery, Itin. 392 Wepre Hall, 25 Westminster, Marquis, seat, Eato 7 i Hall, 10 Whitland, 318 William the Conq^ieror at Chester, 6 Williams’s, Bart., seat, at Beau- maris, 69 Williams, Sir Hugh, Bart., residence, 142 Williams, Dr. Daft., 161 Williams of Dol-y-melynllyn, 184 Williams, Wm., Esq., mansion, 307 Wilson, Richard, landscape-painter^ s tomb at Mold, 14 Wilton, 366 Windcliff (Chepstow), 377 Winton, Walter de. Esq., seat, 268 Witch’s Chair, 304 Wnion River, 178 Woodland Castle, 31 1 Worcester Family, 352' Wordsworth’s Peter Bell f 26T, allu- sion to Goodrich, 369 Worm’s Head, 313 Worthington, Dr. Wm., 210 Wolton, Lord, 168 Wrekin, The, 203 Wrexham, 159 Wroxeter, 205 Wye, Tour of, 360 Wye River, Itin. 399 Wynn Family, demesne, 163 ; monu- ments in church, etc., 163, 164 Wynnes’ mommient, 113 ; family seat at Cefn, 143 Wynne of Peniarth, 187 Wynnstay, 163 Yelverton, Hon. W, H., seat, 318 Yew Trees of Mallwyd, 221 at Gresford, 158 Ynys-y-geryn Tin works, 302 Ynys-y-maengwyn, 199 Yorke, S., Esq., residence, 161 Yr-Eifl. See Eifl, 89 Ysgwd Einon Gam Fall, 304 Yspytty Cynfyn, 244 Ystrad-fellte, 304 Ystrad Meirie, 251 Ystwith River, 245 THE END. Printed by R. Clark, Edinburgh, I GLASGOW AND THE HIGHLANDS. {Royal Route via Crinan and Caledonian Canals.) THE ROYAL MAIL STEAMERS— Iona, Chevalier, Gondolier, Mountaineer, Pioneer, Edinburgh, Clansman, Clydesdale, Cygnet, Mary Jane, and Inveraray Castle, Sail during the season for Oban, Fort- William, Inverness, Stafta, Iona, Glencoe, Tobermory, Portree, Gairloch, Ullapool, Lochinver and Storno- way ; affording Tourists an opportunity of Visiting the Magnificent Scenery of Glencoe, the Coolin Hills, Loch Coruisk, Loch Maree, and the famed islands of Staffa and Iona. These vessels afford in their passage a view of the beautiful scenery of the Clyde, with all its Watering-Places — the Island and Kyles of Bute— Island of Arran — Moun- tains of Cowal, Knapdale, and Kintyre—Lochfyne— Crinan — with the Islands of Jura, Scarba, Mull, and many others of the Western Sea — The Whirlpool of Corry vreckan— the Mountains of Lorn, of Morven, of Ai»pin, of Kingairloch, and Ben Nevis — Inver- lochy — The Lands of Lochiel, the scene of the wanderings of Prince Charles, and near to where the clans raised his Standard in the ’45 — Loehal)er — the Caledonian Canal — Loch Lochy — lioch Oich — Loch Ness, with the Glens and Mountains on either side, and the celebrated I'ALLS OP FOYERS. Books descriptive of the route may be had on board the Steamers. Time-Bills, with Maps, sent ]>ost free on application to the Proi»rictors, David HuTCfiKsoN and Co., 119 Hope Street, Glasgow’. Gla.sgow, 1871. Staffa, Linnet, Plover, A 2 ABERDEEN. NORTHERN HOTEL, UNION STREET WEST, ABERDEEN. fT’HIS Hotel is adiriittedly one of the finest in the eity, and Avithout exception stands ' unequalled for centrality of situation, being within a few minutes’ walk of the Railway Termini and General Post-Office, and has the recommendation of quietude and comfort. To meet the requirements of the growing increase of patronage wliich has been bestowed on the Proprietor (Mr. Mackie), he has recently made very extensive additions and improvements. The Hotel is particularly laid out for the accommoda- tion of ]>rivate families in the neighbourhood, by whom it has been largely patronised, as well as by Tourists visiting the Deeside Highlands and other surrounding districts so much resorted to by royalty and by the English aristocracj'. The house is replete with every luxury and comfort, comprising suites of elegant and richly furnished apartments. Table d’Hote Daily, and Ladies’ Coffee-Room. Hot, Cold, and Shower Baths, Billiard Rooms, &c. Posting in all its Branches on a Moment’s Notice. IMPERIAL HOTEL, ABERDEEN. fPHE nearest to the General Railway Station, to which it is directly opposite, and the J- only one in Aberdeen comxdetely built from the foundation as a First-Class Family and Commercial Hotel. Uninterrupted proximity to the free mountain air of the Grampians, and the picturesque valley of the river Dee. The situation of the ‘HmperiaV’ could not be more central, and being removed by its own intervening ground from the noise and bustle of the main thoroughfare, is agree- ably quiet and very cheerful — a consideration specially looked to in the erection of this fine architectural structure ; while it is directly approached by the nearest and most convenient line of access newly laid out between the General Railway Station and the principal part of the town. The Public Coffee-Room, Commercial Room, Drawing-Room for Ladies and Gentle- men, and the Smoking Room, are known to be unsurpassed for elegance and comfort. Fine Sitting-Rooms, and Baths of every descriiffion. Spacious, Well-lighted Stock and Show Rooms, for Commercial purposes, on the street-floor level. No Inferior Bed-Rooms. Tlie wines are imported direct foiF the Imperial, which, with the Cuisine, are of the choicest description. Charges no more than those of ordinary Establishments. RICHARD BENSON. ABERFELDY ABERGELE. BREADALBANE ARMS HOTEL, ABERFELDY, (One minutes walk from the Railway Station.) Containing First-class accommodation, is beautifully situated on the river Tay, in the County of Perth, close to the splendid Falls of Moness (Birks of Aberfeldy), Taymouth Castle, and the unrivalled scenery of Glen Lyon. Parties leaving Edinburgh and Glasgow in the morning, and arriving in Aberfeldy by first train, can enjoy a five hours’ drive through the finest scenery in the Highlands (including Pass of Glen Lyon, Taymouth Castle and grounds from the “ Fort ”), and return south by last train. Coaches to and from Killin and Loch Lomond daily during the season. Tourists desirous of proceeding by these coaches, ‘‘to secure seats,” ought to pass the previous night at the Hotel, from where alone the coaches start. Orders for horses and conveyances punctually attended to. The Hotel Bus awaits the arrival of all the trains. Aberfeldy, April 1871. WEEM HOTEL, ABERFELDY. T he above Hotel is one mile from Aberfeldy Station, at the base of the pictur- esque wooded rock of Weem and Gate of Menzies Castle and Park, into which Families staying in the Hotel have liberty to walk. Weem is a favourite spot for Families, Tourists, and Invalids seeking health and quiet ; warm even in the early months of the year, being protected from the north and east winds ; with a dry southern exposure, and many beautiful drives to objects of interest in the neighbourhood. Hotel supplied with produce of the farm for the benefit of families with children. St. David’s Episcopal Church, Rev. E. C. Tollemache. Hot, Cold, and Shower Baths. Excellent Posting Establishment. Charges — Bed, board, and attendance, with handsome large Cofifee-Room, £2, 2s. ; Children arranged for according to age. Omnibus, free of charge, to and from all trains, and Loch Lomond and Killin Coaches. JAMES WATERS, Proprietor. THE CAMBRIAN HOTEL, PENSARN, ABERGELE. R. HUMPHREYS, Proprietor. Close to the Station, and within two minutes’ walk of the Beach, for Boarding or Private Apartments, Posting, etc. Wines and y]nrits of the best quality. A spacious Billiard- Room has lately been added to the Hotel, with a first-class new Billiard Table, by the eminent makers Bnrroughes and Watts. 4 ABERYSTWITH BIDEFORD BLAIR ATHOLE. THE QUEEN’S HOTEL, ABERYSTWITH. T his noWe building, which The Times of February 1869 described as one of the best of its class,” was opened May 1866. It has a frontage of 154 feet, and each of its Public and Private Sitting-Rooms face, and are within fifty yards of the Sea. The Hotel is sheltered on the North and East, and it will be found to be a Desirable Residence throughout the year. TABLE D’HOTE at Seven o’clock. Board, Residence, and Attendance, with Use of Drawing-Room, inclusive, Terms, £4:4:0 per week. Mr. and Mrs. FRANK GOSWELL, Managers. BIDEFORD. T ANTON’S Family Hotel, Bideford, has been long and favour- ably known as being most comfortable and inexpensive. It is situated on the banks of the river Torridge, commands an ex- tensive view of the surrounding scenery, and the climate is recom- mended to invalids by the most eminent physicians. An Omnibus meets every train. Private Omnibuses and Carriages can be had to meet any train on the shortest notice. BLAIR ATHOLE. ATHOLE ASMS HOTEL. T his Hotel, which has been recently added to, and entirely re-furnished, will be found most complete in every department. Blair- Athole is the most central point from which to make Excursions to Killiecrankie, Loch Tummel, Pannoch, Glen Tilt, Braemar ; the Falls of Bruar, Garry, Tummel, and Fender ; the grounds of Blair Castle, etc., and is the most convenient resting-place for Families journeying from South to North, and vice versa. Orders by Post or Telegraph for Apartments or Carriages carefully attended to. D. MACDONALD, Proprietor. BLAIRGOWEIE — BKAEMAR BRIGHTON. 5 BLAIRGOWRIE. QUEEN’S HOTEL ESTABLISHED UPWARDS OF FORTY YEARS. 1 ) ARTIES visiting Blairgowrie will find in the Queen’s Hotel every comfort and • attention. It is on the shortest and most direct route to Balmoral Castle and scenery of the Dee. Superior Post-Horses. Carriages of every description, and careful drivers. An Omnibus awaits the arrival and departure of the trains. D. M ‘DONALD, Proprietor. THE FIFE ARMS HOTEL, BHAEMAB. MR. M ‘ N A B, Of the Mainbow Hotel, Glasgow, TYISHES to inform Tourists, and the Public generally, that he has entered on a lease of the above Establishment. He trusts that the long experience of himself and Mrs. M‘Nab will enable him to condmd the house in every way as a first-class Establishment. The charges will be strictly moderate. Letters for Apartments or Conveyances will receive every attention. Posting in all its varied Departments. BRIGHTON. BEDFORD HOTEL. E VEEY endeavour is made to render this Hotel equal to its long-existing repute. Spacious CofFee-EiOom for Ladies and Gentlemen. Families received at Moderate Contract Charge by the Week Communications to “ The Manager/' / Bedford Hotel Company (Limited). 6 CALLANDER CARLISLE. CALLANDER. DREADNOUGHT HOTEL. D. M‘G0WAN, Proprietor. rnHIS large and commodious Hotel, so long conducted by the late Mr. M'Gregor, and which has recently undergone extensive alterations and improvements, is beautifully situated at the west end of the village, and commands a magnificent view of the Vale of the Teith, Ben Ledi, and surrounding district, and is within a short distance of the ROMAN CAMP, THE FALLS OF BRACKLIN, LOCH VENNACHAR, LOCH LUBNAIO, THE PASS OF LENY, BEN LEDI, etc , etc. Tourists will find Callander very central for visiting those places mentioned in Sir Walter Scott’s “ Lady of tiie Lake,” viz., the Lake of Menteilh, Clachan of Aberfoyle, Loch Ard, the Trossacl.'s, Loch Achray, Loch Katrine, Strathyre, Clachan of Balquhidder (where Rob Roy M‘Gregor is buried). Loch Veil, Lochearnhead, etc. During the Summer Season STAGE COACHES in connection with this Hotel, and Mr. Blair’s Hotel at the Trossachs, run several times each day, to suit the arrival and departure of trains at Callander and steamer on Loch Katrine. Omnibuses run to and from each Train. Posting in all its Branches. — Letters for Carriages. Coach Seats, or Hotel Accommo- dation, carefully attended to. Lake and River Fishing to be had in the immediate neighbourhood. CALLANDER. THE MCGREGOR HOTEL, Patronised by their Royal Highnesses the Prince AND Princess of Wales. very moderate in compa Posting complete. ’Bus awaits all the trains. JAMES M‘DERMOTT, Proprietor. N.B. — Parties beware of being misled from this Hotel by porters and others on the various routes to Callander. CARLISLE. THE COUNTY HOTEL, TT7HICH affords every accommodation for Families and Gentle- ' ^ men, is Fire-proof, and connected with the Platform of the Central Railway Station by a covered way. Porters in attendance on arrival of Trains. A Ladies’ Coffee-Koom. CORK DINGWALL. 7 STEPHENS’ COMMERCIAL HOTEL, CORK {Opposite the General Post Office), JpOSSESSES first-class accommodatiou for Tourists, Commer- cial Gentlemen, and Families. It is very centrally situated, being opposite the General Post Office — close to the Bank, Theatre, &c. &c. Charges extremely Moderate. WILLIAM D. STEPHENS, Proprietor, From the West of England. Extract from a “ Tour through Ireland,” published in the North Briton, 1864 : — “ When we arrived in Cork we took up our quarters at Stephens’ Com- mercial Hotel, where we obtained excellent accommodation. “ What this Hotel lacks in external show is amply compensated by unremitting attention on the part of the Proprietors and their attendants to the comfort of their Guests.” DINGWALL AND SKYE. To Travellers and Tourists to or from the West and North Coasts and Islands of Scotland. “FEASEE’S” NATIONAL OR STATION HOTEL, T the junction of the Highland and Skye Eailways, is ^ the largest and best Hotel in the County. Hot, Cold, and Shower Baths. Posting and Job Horses, and Carriages. By Train from Dingwall at 10.12 a.m. Parties staying at this Hotel can see the whole of the famed Scenery along the Skye Bailway, have two hours at Strome Ferry, and return to Dingwall in time for dinner at 6 15. 8 DOVERCOURT DUNOON — EASTBOURNE. DOVEECOUET, ESSEX. THE CLIFF HOTEL TJNRIVALLED in all England for its beautiful position, embracing extensive sea views, with every comfort for Families and Visitors, combined with Moderate Charges. Omnibus attends all Trains and Boats, J. WARREN, Proprietor. DUNOON. HACCOLL’S AEGTLL HOTEL. rPHIS Hotel is beautifully situated, and commands a magnificent view of the Firth of Clyde, and visitors will find the House unequalled for situation. First-class accommodation for Private Families and Tourists, and Charges moderate. BTJELIHGTOir HOTEL, Hot, Cold, and Fresh- Water Baths. EASTBOURNE. THE EASTBOUENE, SUSSEX, Facing the Sea and Grand Parade, FOK FAMILIES, GENTLEMEN, TOURISTS, ETC. IVI R S. CARTER Proprietress. EDINBURGH. 9 Opposite the Scott Monument, and commanding the best views of the Gardens, Castle, and Arthur’s Seat. THE EOYAL HOTEL (Late GIBB’S), 53 PRINCES STREET, EDINBURGH, DONALD MACGEEGOR. The above has been entirely remodelled, with numerous Suites of Apartments overlooking Princes Street, one of the finest streets in Europe, and is within 100 yards of the Eailway Station. Large Coffee-Eoom and Drawing-Eoom for Families and Gentlemen. 10 EDINBURGH. PEIZE MEDALS, LONDON, A PARIS, 1862 . 1867 . X.X. ® '8'h1||,i| f EWELLE felTlGES STEEEj EDINBURGH “Mr. Marshall’s productions are not surpassed in interest and beauty by those o Castellani himself .” — Correspondent of the Scotsman on the International Exhibition. STKANGEES IN THE SCOTCH METROPOLIS Should not fail to visit the GREAT EMPORIUM FOR Choice and Cheap Souvenirs of Scotland and Tourists’ Equipments. The celebrated Clan-Tartan Woodwork in a great variety of exquisitely finished articles, from 6d. to 23s. Real Pebble Jewellery {including Brooch of Lorn)y set in Silver, from Is. 4d to 42s. Stereoscopic Views of Scotland. Nos. 13. 15, 17, HANOVER ST., EDINBURGH, Form a Great and Extensive Establishment for Hosiery, Gloves, Ribbons, Lace, Trimmings, Smallwares, Berlin Wools, and Fancy Work, Jewellery, Dressing Cases, Travelling Bags, Perfumery, Optical Goods, &c. Principles of Business — Fixed Prices and large returns rather than large percentages. NOX, SAMUEL, & DICKSON. ^oubcnirs ^GubenuT ^oubcniiT ^oixbenm ^oubeniiT ^oubTittrs K EDINBURGH HANOVER HOTEL, Commercial and Family, most pleasantly situated, looking into Princes Street ; highly recommended for every home comfort. Smoking-Room, Show-Rooms, and Hot and Cold Baths. Only Three Minutes from Railway Station. Night Porter kept. C. E. M'EWAN, Proprietress. EDINBURGH. 11 THE DOUGLAS HOTEL, EDINBURGH. THOMAS SLANEY, Proprietor. rPHIS superior Hotel has been long patronised by the first -E Families of Europe, and contains every comfort which a matured experience could suggest. The Great Saloon is considered the finest room in any Hotel in the kingdom, and is available to those desirous of avoiding the expense of Private Apartments. Option of Putlic Room for Ladies and Gentlemen. Table d! Bote Daily. Dinners d la Carte. The Cuisine and Wines are Unexceptionable. Charges as moderate as those of Minor Establishments. DEJAY’S HOTEL, EDINBURGH. 99, 100, 101 PRINCES STREET. T his first-class Family Hotel is situated in the most pleasant and central part of the Metropolis, overlooking Princes Street Gardens, and directly opposite the Castle. Private Suites of Apartments, also a handsome Select Coffee-Room, a Ladies’ Drawing- Room, Bath-Rooms, and Smoking-Room. The Culinary Department is under the personal superintendence of Mr. Dejay, whose thorough xiractical experience as a chef dc cuisine is well known, and will be a sufficient guarantee for efficiency. An parle Frangais. Charges strictly Moderate. FISHING TACK L E. Gentlemen visiting Edinburgh will find a first-class Assortment of Salmon and Trout Rods, Reels, Lines, Plies, &c. Suited for the Scottish Lakes and Rivers, at PHIN’S FISHING-TACKLE WAEEHOUSE, 80b Princes Street, First Door up Stairs, All of Best Material and Workmanship, and at Moderate Prices. Established upwards of Fifty Years. Observe— 80 PRINCES STREET, next the Life Association new building. 12 EDINBUHGH. EDINBURGH. THE CLARENDON HOTEL, El. MACMAHON, Proprietor, 103, 104, 105 PRINCES STREET, EDINBURGH. At this First-class Family Hotel will be found Handsome Suites of lioonis looking* into the GS-ardens. Also, a HANDSOME SELECT COFFEE-ROOM, with all the quiet aiul comfort of a home. Charges strictly Moderate. ALMA HOTEL, 112, 113, AND 114 PRINCES STREET, EDINBURGH. (Opposite the Castle.) K ADDISON, Proprietor of the above well-known and comfortable Hotel, in return- . ing thanks to his numerous friends for past favours, ami, at the same time, soliciting a continuance of their patronage, begs to inform them that he has just opened a new addition to this Hotel, wliich he lias fitted u[> in a very superior style. The accommodation consists of large and small apartments handsomely furnislied, single Bed-Rooms and Sitting-Rooms, all of which are light and airy. Large handsome Dining-Room, Smoking and Bath Rooms. The Estabiishment is arranged so as to combine quiet, comfort, and convenience throughout the whole. Charges strict’ly Moderate. THE WATERLOO HOTEL, Waterloo Place, Edinburgh, D esigned and buIlt for tlie express purpose, in the most commodious and elegant style, and in a most beautiful situation, is always replete with everything conducive to the comfort and convenience of Families, Tourists, Commercial Gentlemen, and other Visitors, and is specially worthy of the attention of such. K E N N E D Y’S HOTEL, 8 Princes Street, Edinburgh, A lso merits particular notice as an Old-established, Commodious, and popular House. It has excellent accommodation for Families and Commercial Gentlemen. The view from it to the west is at once compre- hensive, grand, and striking. Both Hotels adjoin the General Post Office and Railway Termini, WM. KENNEDY, Proprietor. readies' CofFee-Hoom at both Hotels, EDINBURGH. 13 THE PALACE HOTEL HE handsome pile of Buildings occupied by this New Hotel has been erected from the foundation with the sole purpose of meeting all the requirements of a Eirst- Class Hotel. The Hotel occupies the best position in Princes Street, immediately opposite Edinburgh Castle,” and is situated equidistant from the Waverley, Haymarket, and Caledonian Eailway Stations. The magnificent Coffee-Eoom is upon the level of Princes Street, and on the same floor is a Smoking-Eoom, with Lavatories adjoining. The Public and Private Drawing-Eooms are furnished in the most elegant and comfortable manner ; command a beautiful view over the West Princes Street Gardens, with the Calton Hill and Arthurs Seat in the distance ; and are supplied with a selection of all the new books and magazines, and with facilities for writing. The Charges have been fixed after an examination of those of many of the principal Hotels in England and Scotland, and will be found to be on a moderate scale. The Manager will have pleasure in forwarding a de- tailed Tariff of the Charges upon application, and will give prompt attention to any Communications as to Eoonis or EDINBURGH. otherwise. JOHN FLEMING, Manager, 14 EDINBURGH. EDINBURGH. PHILP’S COGKBURN HOTEL, Immediately adjoining the Terminus of the Great Northern Trains, LIGHTS commodious and well-appointed Hotel is beautifully situated, over- 1 - looking Princes Street Gardens, and commanding some of the finest views in the city. A large and elegantly-furnished Saloon — admitted to be the finest in Scotland — set apart for Ladies, Gentlemen, or Families, wishing to avoid the expense of Sitting-Kooms. The views from the immense windows of this Saloon are, without ex- ception, the finest in Edinburgh. Private Suites of Apartments, Bath-Kooms, Coffee and Smoking Booms, and every accommodation for Gentlemen. PIANOS IN ALL THE PARLOURS AND SALOONS. Charges^ including Attendance^ strictly Moderate, P.S. — Mr, Cook (of London) makes this Hotel his head-quarters when in Scotland, where every information may be obtained of his Tourist arrangements. On Parle Franqais. Man Spricht Deutsch. EDINBURGH — (n EWH AVEN.) 15 DARLING’S REGENT HOTEL, Situated in the Principal Street of the City, in the immediate vici- nity of the Calton Hill and Public Buildings. Large comfortable Coffee-Room for parties with Ladies, free of charge. Also Private Parlours, commanding a fine view of Salisbury Crags and Arthur’s Seat. Turkish and other Baths can he had on the 'premises. This is admitted to be one of the best Temperance Hotels in Scotland. Edinburgh-NEWHAVEN. ORIGINAL FISH DINNERS. Established and carried on by the Clark Family for over 130 years. Foot of the WHALE BRAE, East End of HEWHAYEH. . MAIN, Daughter of and Successor to the late Mrs. Jlark, gratefully embraces this opportunity of returning her warmest thanks to her friends and the public for their very kind patron- age, extending over so many years, and begs to intimate the completion of her arrangements in connection with the New Building, which, with Enlarged and Handsome Accommodation, together with Magnificent Sea View, will, she trusts, atone in some measure for want of room hitherto, and conduce in a very grea*t degree to the comfort and enjoyment of her visitors. Mrs. Main has no connection with an-y other Establishment, FISH DINNERS, etc., every lawful day. WINES, ETC., of best quality, at Moderate Rates. Omnibuses from Mound, Edinburgh, Every Half-hour. 20 WATERLOO PLACE, EDINBURGH. Nearly opposite the General Post-Office. Charges Strictly Moderate. THE PEACOCK HOTEL, 16 FESTINIOG GLASGOW. THE COMMEKCIAL HOTEL, BLUENAN, EESTIXIOG. Tp AMI LIES, Tourists, and Commercial Gentlemen visiting Festi- niog will find at the above Hotel superior accommodation, combined with Moderate Charges. The Sitting-Ilooms and Bed- Koorns are airy, cheerful, and well-furnished. It is situate in the most central part of the Quarries district — about half-way between the Welsh Slate Company’s (late Lord Palmerston’s), Rliiubryfdu Slate Company’s, J. W. Greaves’s, and Samuel Holland’s, on the west side ; and the Diphyr Casson Company’s, Maenoffeian Com- pany’s, Volty and Bonydd Quarries, on the east side. It is also within three minutes’ walk of the Railway Stations for Portmadoc and Festiniog. COACHES run twice a-day during summer months, and once a-day during winter months, between this Hotel and Beltiisq Coed Eailway Station, passing through Dalyddelen and Lledr Yale- — places far-famed for their extensive, gi’and, and picturesque scenery. W. C. JONES, Proprietor. GARRICK’S ROYAL HOTEL, 50 GEOEGE SaUAEE, GLASGOW. {Opposite the General Post Office) This Old-established Family Hotel is delightfully situated for Gentlemen and Families. The Charges are Fixed and Moderate. JAMES CARRICK, Proprietor. HIS LORDSHIP’S L.ARDER AND HOTEL, 10 ST. ENOCH SQUARE, GLASGOW. Breakfasts, Luncheons, Dinners, Teas, Oyster, Fish, and Tripe Suppers. Good Rooms for Dinner and Supper Parties. Excellent Bed-rooms. Lavatory in Coffee-Room. Good Smoking-Room. Charges Moderate. Within Two Minutes" Walk of Umon Railway Station, Dunlop Street. J. SALMON. GLASGOW. 17 MACLEAN’S HOTEL, 198 ST. VINCENT STREET, GLASGOW, F or Famiiieis an4 Qentlemen, in tli,e immediate T^e^glibonvhpQ.d Blyth.«!wood Square, and within five minutes of t^e teimini of tiie various Railways and Steamboat Wharves. JAMES MACLEAN, Proprietor. CITY COWIIVIERCIAL DINING ROOIVIS, 54 & 60 UNION STREET, AND 35 MITCHEU-i STREET, GLASGOAY. O NE o.f the most Extensive and Co,mfortable Dining Establishments in Scotland, capable of aecommodating upwards of 2000 Visitor^ daily. Breakfasts, Dinnens, and Teas, served with ooinfovt,^ economy, and despatch. Bill of Fare— EXTRA MODERATE. I^ADIES’ PRIVATE DIN|NG-ROOM. GENTLEMEN^ EAYATORY. NO} ta W'cUters. MATTHEW WADDELL, Proprietor. GLASGOW. JAMES BROWN, For 9 Years Buy ^r ai(id Salesman for Gardner & Co., 02^ticians, Buchanan St. 76 ST. VINCENT STREET, GLASGOVY. O PERA and Field Glasses, Tele.scopes, Thermometers, Barometers, Stereoscopes, and Stereographs of Scottish and Foreign Scenery, Pocket Compasses, etc., etc. N.B . — Spectacles and Eye-Glavses fitted by me.ans of an improved Optoinetir. The 4to Album, to hold 200 portraits, price 10s. 6d., is the best value made. B 18 GLASGOW GRANGE. THE CLAHEHCE HOTEL, 25 GEORGE SQUARE, GLASGOW. JOHN MACGREGOR, Proprietor. FOR PRIVATE FAIV1ILIE8 AND TOURISTS. CROW HOTEL, GEORGE SQUARE, GLASGOW. I HIS House is situated in the very centre of the City. For Tourists and Families it is unsurpassed for Comfort and Moderate Charges. D. DEWAR, Proprietor. TO TOURISTS. GLASGOW. A. DUTHIE, Photographic Publisher, 56 GORDON STREET (OFF BUCHANAN STREET), GLASGOW, has the Largest and the most carefully selected Stock in Scotland of PHOTOGRAPHS OF SCOTTISH SCENERY. Tourists will do well to inspect A. Duthie’s Stock before making their purchases. Trade and Price Lists forwarded on application. GRANGE HOTEL, NORTH LANCASHIRE. THIS Hotel combines every requisite for a Winter and Summer residence. It is shel- -I tered from the north and east winds by limestone cliffs, and commands fine views of Morecambe Bay. For many years Grange has been recommended by the Medical Faculty in the North to their patients, as a suitable residence for persons requiring a mild climate during the most ti-ying seasons of the year. Grange is not far from Carnforth Junction, and by its convenient railway communica- tion, opportunities are presented for excursions to the Lakes Windermere and Coniston, Fiiniess Abbey, &c., and the Hotel is only distant about 4 miles from Cartmell Priory Church, Holker Hall, &c. Since the Hotel was opened about three years ago it has been visited by many of th nobility and gentry, who have expressed their satisfaction with its management. Fresh and Stilt Water Baths at any hour. Billiard Room,. Letters to be addressed to Mr. Popple, the Hotel, Grange, Carnforth. GLASGOW GRANTOWN. 19 TO TOURISTS- Tourists and Strangers in Glasgow will find a large variety of Stereoscopic and Album VIEWS OF SCOTTISH SCENERY, GUIDE-BOOKS, MAPS, AND CLAN TARTAN WORK, AT JAMES REID’S, Bookseller and Stationer, 144 ARGYLE STREET, GLASGOW. Fourth Shop West of Buchanan Street. GLASGOW. HANOVER^ili^ HOTEL, FAMILY. COMMERCIAL. 45 TO 51 HANOVER STREET ^ GEORGE SQUARE. ** First-Class, and replete with every Home Comfort, and accommodation for Families and Commercial Gentlemen.” Central. Quiet. Moderate Tariff. Attendance Charged in Bill. Ladies’ Coffee-Room. Private Sitting-Rooms (with, use of Pianos). Splendid Coffee and Commercial Rooms. Hot and Shower Baths. Billiards (Bur- roughes and Watts’). Ici on parle Frangais, Man spricht Deutsch. Night Forter MERTON R. COTES, Proprietor. GRANTOWN. ON THE HIGHLAND RAILWAY. THE GRANT ARMS HOTEL. Patronised by Her Majesty the Queen. F amilies, Tourists, and Commercial Gentlemen, will find this a most convenient and comfortable resting-place — with delightful bracing air — on their joutuey north or south. Beautiful drives, river and i^iountain scenery. Superior Horses and Carriages for"" hiring. The Hotel Bus attends the Trains. N.B . — Please address letters “ To the Proprietor.^' Inverness and the North, via Aberdeen. GREAT NORTH OF SCOTLAND RAILWAY. pASSENGERS are booked between London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and other Through Booking Stations in England and Scotland, and Inverness and the North, via Aberdeen^ at the same Through Fares as via Dunkeld. Ask for Tickets via Aberdeen, and see Luggage labelled by that Route, 20 GRASMERE. ENGLISH LAKES. GRASMEEE. PRINCE OF WALES 1. A K B HOTEL Erected expressly for an Hotel on the Margin of the Lake, and contains public Dining and Drawing Eooms, private Sitting Eooms, large and airy Bed-Eooms, Billiard, and Smoking Eooms. CANNOT BE EQUALLED FOR VARIED AND BEAUTIFUL VIEWS OR AS A CENTRAL STATION FOR MAKING DAILY EXCURSIONS TO ALL THE PRINCIPAL LAKES AND MOUNTAINS, ■Which may be seen upon looking at the Maps in any of the Lake Guide Books. The Prince of Wales and Suite during their Tour in the Lake District made this Hotel their Head-quarters, and made their daily Excursions from it. Posting in all its branches, Mountain ponies and Guides, Boats, Coaches and Omnibuses to all the Eailways and Lake Steamers. EDWAED BEOWN, Proprietor, HARRO WG ATE INVERNESS. 21 ALEXANDRA HOTEL, PEOSPECT PLACE, HAEEOWGATE. A. MILLWATEES, Proprietor. npHIS Hotel, being situated in the best and most central part of Harrowgate, commands most extensive Views, and is within two minutes’ walk of the Eailway Station, Wells, Baths, and Concert-Eooms, and having been considerably enlarged and entirely renovated since the recent entry of the present Pro- prietor, Visitors will find very many advantages — combining the comforts of home with the best hotel accommodation, at the following terms : — Board and Lodging, in Public . . 6/ per day. Servants, do. . . . . . 3/6 „ Board and Lodging in Private . . 7/ „ Beds charged^ if only for three nights, private. INVEENESS. MARSHALL’S railway station hotel. Patronised hy their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales. "DAETIES travelling from South to iN'orth, and vice versa, will find this very large and handsome Hotel adjoining the Station, whereby they can arrive at, or depart from, the Hotel under cover. The house was specially built for a Hotel, is elegantly furnished with all modern improvements, and contains numerous suites of private and public rooms, includes LADIES’ AND GENTLEMEN’S COFFEE-ROOM, SMOKING-ROOMS, BILLIARD-ROOM, BATH-ROOMS, - CD 03 o j g'»-S''i =« ’ . H S 2 ='5 § , ^ -Rj o a ;» P5 •'' &s;g § a .5 « o - I^U OQ S “5 3 •S "o Cfi i-n fcC^ ^ e ^ p a rO -R> P ^ * ^ ?H ^ , rri ^ r“ OQ C« -Hr. P “ 3 c^ ^o 05 rQ _0"Sa3a S^ I °^-g g-p^ 05rP ^ S'73'a c3 S ^ 05 ^ 05 CT ^ P -3 g 'g «l « g g .-ffi “ |pg;s § .S PhO ■♦-=* 'in 021 •s s p. 00 §dP^ a 4-p «4-< 05 cj HH ‘^-' <^ c5 5 o :?► 32 NORTH BERWICK — OBAN. NORTH BERWICK-ROYAL HOTEL. THE MOST FASHIONABLE AND FINEST MARINE SITUATION IN SCOTLAND. T his extensive and commodious erection, recently built for a First-Ciags Family Hotel, replete with all modern appliances, is one of the most complete Provincial Hotels in the Kingdom. Families, &c., Boarded per Bay or Week on Moderate Terms. Apartments “ En Suite.” * Cuisine under tke superintendenoe of a Firsi-Cl(tss man Coot. The Golfing Links are adjacent to the Hotel, and the Bass Rock, Tantallon Castle, Ac. &c., are at short distances. The Walks and Drives are varied and Interesting. A. M‘GREGOR. OBAN-CRAIG-ARD HOTEL, E. MACLAUEIN, Proprieior, rrOURISTS and Strangers visiting the West Highlands will find that, whether as re- J gards Situation, Comfort, or Aocommodation, combined with moderate charges, this elegant Hotel, l3uilt expressly for summer Visitors, cannot be surpassed, while it commands an extensive view of the beautiful Bay of Oban and other romantic scenery in the neighbourhood. The Hotel is situated on an elevated plateau near the Steam- boat Wharf, to which a new and convenient approach has been lately a kled. The Wines and Cuisine are of the first quality. Table d’H6te daily, on arrival of the swift Steamer from Glasgow. N.B . — Apartments may be engaged by the week, or for a longer period, at a reduced scale. CAMPBELL’S GREAT WESTERN HOTEL, OBAN. OBAN PENZANCE. 33 OBAN. THE ALEXANDRA NEW FIRST-CLASS HOTEL. L. G. M^AETHUR, Pbopkietor. THIS HOTEL COMMANDS THE FINEST VIEW IN OBAN. ANGUS’S IMPERIAL HOTEL, OBAN. IMMEDIATELY OPPOSITE THE STEAMBOAT PIER. PENZANCE. Seaside Family Hotel and Superior Lodging-House. MOUNT’S BAY HOUSE, ON THE ESPLANADE. N O expense or labour has been spared by the Proprietor. The bouse is fui'nished in the most modern style, is well supplied with Hot and Cold Baths, and replete with every accommodation suitable for Tourists to West Cornwall. All the Drawing-Rooms command an uninterrupted and unsur- passed View of St. Michael’s Mount, and the whole of the magnificent hay. Invalids will find in MOUNT’S BAY HOUSE the comforts of a home, while the beauty and salubrity of the situation, and its nearness to the charming walks on the Sea-shore, render it a healthy and delightful resi- dence. Suites of Apartments for Families of Distinction. Post Horses & Carriages. CHARGES MODERATE. E. LAVIN, Proprietor. C 34 PENRTTH PERTH. PENRITH. CROWN HOTEL, (Opposite the Post Office). rpHE best Family and Commercial Hotel in the North district, containing Ladies Coffee-Rooms, Billiard Room, and the largest Concert Room in the County. Via Penrith is the best route to the whole of the Lake District. Ullswater Lake, one of, if not the most beautiful and picturesque, being distant only six miles, to which a Coach runs twice daily during the season from this Hotel, meeting the Lake Steamboat and Trains. In the immediate vicinity of the town is Lowther Castle, the magnificent seat of the Earl of Lonsdale; Brougham Hall, the seat of Lord Brougham, &c. &c., and amongst other antiquities are Long Meg and her Daughter, the extensive and fine ruins of Brougham Castle, King Arthur’s Round Table, &c. &c. Hawes Water and Airey Force are also within easy distance. Post Horses, Carriages, &c. An Omnibus meets every Train. J. WAGSTAFF, Proprietor. PERTH. HENRY’S QUEEN’S HOTEL Opposite the General Railway Station, PERTH. THAT IS THE HOUSE TO GO TO. PERTH. SALUTATION HOTEL, PERTH (CARMICHAEL’S). (Now the only First-Class Central Hotel in Perth.) A LARGE and WELL-APPOINTED COPPEE-ROOM POR LADIES. SUPERIOR BILLIARD-ROOM. An Omnibus awaits the arrival of all the Trains. PETER CARMICHAEL, Proprietor. JOSEPH GILLOTT’S STEEL PENS. SOLD BY ALL DEALERS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. PERTH PRESTON. 35 ROYAL GEORGE HOTEL, PERTH. 'y'ISITORS to Perth will find this Hotel unequalled for situation. First-Class Bed- Rooms and Parlour accommodation. Elegant Ladies’ and Gentlemen’s Saloon. Superior Commercial Room, etc. No effort spared to afford comfort and satisfaction. Omnibus waits the arrival of all Trains. Charges strictly Moderate. JOHN KENNEDY, Proprietor '. POPLE’S BRITISH HOTEL, {OPPOSITE THE GENERAL STATION), PERTH. Patronised by their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince and Princess Christian, Prince Arthur, and other Members of the Royal Family. ^HIS HOTEL has long stood pre-eminent ; and the Proprietor would remark that the same care and unremitting attention, which is universally acknowledged by all who have patronised him, will be his constant study to continue. PRESTON STATION. RAILWAY REFRESHMENT ROOMS. TAMES BOWLING begs most respectfully to thank the Public for their ^ Patronage in the above Rooms, which are situated on both the Up and the Down Platform of. the above station, and have large, commodious, and well-furnished Dining-Rooms attached to them, and he trusts that by attention to the choice character of the Refreshments provided, and the high quality of the Wines, &c., supplied, he may merit a continuance of the liberal support hitherto accorded to him. The DoAvn and Up Day Scotch Expresses remain in Preston over Twenty Minutes, for the purpose of allowing Passengers the opportunity of Dining. i PRESTON. {Halfway between London and Edinburgh and London and Glasgow. ) THE BULL AND ROYAL HOTEL, CHURCH STREET. ANE of the largest and most comforiable Hotels in the North of England. Spacious Coffee and Private Sitting Rooms. Light and Airy Bedrooms. Billiard and Smoking Rooms. Baths. Charges moderate. Night Porter. J. TOWNSEND, Proprietor. 36 PITLOCHRIK. PITLOCHEIE-PISHER’S HOTEL. FIRST-CLASS FAMILY HOTEL AND POSTING ESTABLISHMENT. TjlAHTlES wishing to see the magnificent Scenery in this part of the Scottish Highlands will find this Hotel (to which large additions have been made) most convenient, for in one Drive they can visit the Falls of Tummel, the Queen’s View on Loch Tummel, the far-famed Pass of Killie- crankie, Glen Tilt, the Falls of Bruar, etc. Pitlochrie is on the direct route to Balmoral Castle, by Spittal of Glen- shee and Braemar, and to Taymouth Castle and Kinloch-Kannoch, by Tummel-Bridge. Salmon and Trout Fishing on the Bivers Tummel and Garry, and on the Lochs in the neighbourhood. Job and Post Horses, and Carriages oe every kind, by the Day, A^eek, or Month. Orders by Telegraph for Booms or Carriages punctually attended to. PLYMOUTH. 37 THE ROYAL PL HOTEL YMOUTH. ^atroniseti lug t!je lEitgUsfj anU all tlie (Continental Bogal Jamtltes. SPACIOUS COFPEE-KOOM For Ladies and Gentlemen, and all Modern Eequirements. The best situation in Plymouth, and only Three minutes’ walk from the Station. POSTING, And First-class Accommodation for Horses and Carriages. , An Omnibus attends on all the Trains^ and Carriages if ordered. 38 PORTMADOC RAMSGATE. POETMADOC. SPORTSMAN HOTEL. E. THOMAS, Proprietor. Patronised by Nobility and Gentlemen of Distinction. lyTE. THOMAS’S Omnibus awaits the arrival of all trains at Portmadoc to convey passengers and luggage to and from the stations of the Cambrian Eailways and Festiniog Eailway, and calls at the “Sportsman Hotel,” situate midway between the two lines of railway, where tourists en route through Wales may lunch or dine at the shortest notice, or obtain cleanly and comfort- able accommodation at moderate terms ; and thus spend a few agreeable days in making several detours on foot, by rail, or coach, through and around the district, full of charming scenery and interest to the traveller. The best time of the day to visit the interesting Palmerston and other quarries and village of Festiniog is by rail in the morning from Portmadoc, and return in the evening when the sun is about setting, so as to get the charming effect of the splendid tints on the river, sea, valley, and mountain, generally admitted to be the finest scenery in Wales, if not in the kingdom, as the traveller descends by easy gradients from a height of more than 1000 feet above the sea, and a distance of 14 miles. POST HOESES, CAEEIAGES, &c. N.B. — Full Church Service in English tioice every Sunday. . EAMSGATE. HISCOCK S’ ROYAL HOTEL. Wine Mercfiants to the Queen. P ATRONISED by the Ex-Royal Family of France, the Nobility, and Families of England ; beautifully situated, facing the sea. Moderate charges. Allowed to be one of the most comfortable Hotels in Kent. EAMSGATE. ROYAL ALBION HOTEL. Patronised by Hee Majesty and the Royal Family. T he above old-established Family Hotel, facing the Harbour, and commanding fine sea views, will be found fitted with every comfort for the accommodation of Families and Gentlemen. Charges moderate. A spacious and elegant Coffee-Eoom for Ladies. EDWAED TOMKINS, Proprietor. RAMSGATE. 39 RAMSGATE- GRANVILLE HOTEL, ST. LAWEENCE-ON-SEA. ( Within five minutes' walk of either Railway Station.) rpmS beautiful Hotel is acknowledged to be the most ecc- nomical, comfortable, and recherche in the Kingdom. Its position is most charming, and being on the front of the cliff, it possesses magnilicent views of the sea and coast, ever varying with the light and shade, and passing ships. The Coffee, Heading, Private Sitting, and Ladies’ Drawing Eooms face the sea. The Table d’Hote, replete with all the luxuries of the season, is held in the Grand Hall, which is unequalled by any room in the county. Baths of Sea Water, hot or cold, are laid on to every floor, in addition to private baths for the bedrooms. The Turkish Bath possesses every comfort and good attendance. A Plunge and Swimming Sea Water Bath is most conveniently attached. A private Staircase from the Hotel (through the cliff) to the beach, is in course of construction, and next year. Bath- ing Machines, with Floating Barge for Swimmers, will afford still further advantages to residents and visitors in the Hotel. Terms for Weekly Board, which are very moderate, and arrangements for Private Eooms, can be made on addressing the Secretary,” Granville Hotel, St. Lawrence-on-Sea. 40 EOTHESAY SALISBUKY. ROTHESAY- QTJEEN’S WEST BAY. HOTEL. JAMES ATTWOOD. (Lately the Residence of Thos. D. Douglas, Esq.) T he beauty and magnificent situation of this Residence, now the “Queen’s,” with the Pleasure Grounds and Gardens attached, are well known ; and the Premises having been lately altered and put into complete repair, and Furnished as a First-Class HOTEL, Tourists and Family Parties may depend on receiving superior accommodation. Six Minutes' Walk from the Quay. ROTHESAY. VICTORIA HOTEL. T his Hotel commands a fine view of the Bay, is within two minutes walk from the Pier. First-class accommodation for Families, Tour- ists and Commercial Gentlemen. Charges moderate. Attendance charged in the Bill. JOHN L. KELLY, Proprietor. SALISBURY. WHITE HART HOTEL, Old-establislied and well-known First-class Family Hotel, within half-a -minute’s walk of the Close and Cathedral. A large and well-appointed Ladies’ Coffee-Eoom is pro- vided. A spacious Coffee-Eoom for Gentlemen. Postingmaster to Her Majesty. Carriages and Horses of every description. M. G. HANDFOED. SKYE SOUTHAMPTON STIRLING. 41 SKYE. EOYAL H OTEL, PORTEEE. ^PEK on arrival of Steamers from North and South. Coach leaves Hotel daily, from June to September, for Uig, near Quiraing ; and for Sligachan, near Coruisk, about 8.30 a.m. Eeturn fare Sixpence per mile. LAUCHLAN EOSS, Proprietor, SOUTHAMPTON. GOODRIDGE’S HOTEL, THIRZA BASCOMBE, {Established 1845.) QUEEN’S TERRACE (adjoining RADLEY’S HOTEL), FACING THE SOUTHAMPTON WATER. rpHIS Hotel affords superior accommodation to Families, having fine X Suites of newly-furnished Rooms, Baths, &c. ; and being in the im- mediate vicinity of the Railway Terminus, Docks, Peninsular and Orien- tal, and Royal Mail Steam Packet Offices. Boarding by Week or Month. STIRLING-GOLDEN LION HOTEL. CAMPBELL’S, late GIBB’S. D CAMPBELL begs to return his best thanks for the liberal patronage he has re- • ceived during the many years he has been Proprietor of this old-established Hotel, and respectfully intimates that many improvements have been effected in the House, rendering it complete in every department, as a residence for Families, Tourists, &c. A large Coffee-Room, for Ladies and Gentlemen. The Hotel is in the principal Street, near all the Public Offices and the Railway Station. A conveyance awaits the arrival of all Trains and Steamers. D. C.’s Posting and Carriage Establishment is complete, and parties writing for conveyances or apartments may depend on the order being carefully attended to. Hot, Cold, and Shower Baths. April 1871. CAMPBELL, Golden Lion Hotel, King Street, Stirling. STIRLING. ROYAL HOTEL. rpHIS Old-established First-Class Hotel is conveniently situated, being JL within three minutes’ walk of the Railway Station, and is patronised by their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales, and other members of the Royal Family. Please address Letters in full to A. CAMPBELL, Royal Hotel, Stirling. 42 TROSSACHS ULLSWATER WEYMOUTH. THE TEOSSACHS HOTEL, LOCH KATRINE. A. BLAIE, Proprietor. TTLLSWATEK HOTEL I S delightfully situated on the margin of the Lake, amidst a romantic and delightful combination of shady Trees, Rock, and Water, and the nearest point to ascend Helvellyn and Highstreet. Parties Boarded on the most Reasonable Terms, Through hooking from Keswick to Ullswater by Rail at 9.10, and 4.15 to Troutheck, thence by Coach. Fare 3s. 8d. R. BOWNASS. WEYMOUTH. THE BEAR, FAMILY AND COMMERCIAL HOTEL, Opposite the Market House and St Mary’s Church, Weymouth, Within Three Minutes’ Walk of Guernsey and Jersey Steamers, and Ten Minutes’ Walk of the Railway Stations. Extensive Stabling and Coach-Houses. HORATIO YEARSLEY, Proprietor. YORK MISCELLANEOUS. 43 HARKER’S YORK HOTEL, ST. HELEN’S SQUARE. T his old-established, well-known, and first-class Hotel, is in a superior situation to any in the City, and is within two minutes’ walk of the Minster, Enins of St. Mary’s Abbey, and the Eailway Station. It is admirably adapted for Families and Tourists, having numerous Suites of Apartments, and Ladies’ and Gentlemen’s Coffee Eoom. This Hotel is largely patronised by American Yisitors. P. MATTHEWS, Proprietor. BY APPOINTMENT TO H. M, THE QUEEN. 8 Union Street, Inverness, (Four Doors from the Railway Station,) pONTAINS a large stock of Jewellery made on the premises, including 'all the old *0 favourite Highland patterns, and many new designs, which Mr. Wilson has had the honour of supplying at different times for a number of years to H. M. the Queen and the Royal Family ; H. R. H. the Prince and Princess of Wales ; H. R. H. the Princess Ijouise ; H. R. H. the Prince and Princess Christian ; H. R. H. the Princess Mary Adelaide ; and H. S. H. the Prince of Teck, &c. , &c. CAIRNGORM & SCOTCH PEBBLE BROOCHES, In Silver, from 5s. to £5 ; and in Gold, from £1 : 10s. to £10. DIRKS, SKEAN-DHUS, SPORRANS, SHOULDER-BROOCHES, And all the Ornaments requisite for the Highland Costume. P. G. WILSON, the Court Goldsmith and Jeweller at Inverness, is the well-known pur- chaser of the gold found at Kildonan in Sutherlandshire, as published by the “ Times," in their special correspondent's report on the diggings. Mr. Wilson desires to call attention to the fact, that while his goods are of the best quality, his charges are not higher than those of inferior establishments, his object being to secure a large amount of patronage, and at the same time the approval of his patrons. 44 MISCELLANEOUS. “ANCHOR” LINE. REGULAR STEAM COMMUNICATION BETWEEN CrREAT Britain, the United States, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Norway, Sweden, France, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Sicily, Egypt, the Adriatic, and India. By the First-class Powerful Clyde-Built Screw Steam Ships Acadia, Capt. Tannoch. Alexandria, Capt. Lees. Anglia, . Capt. Craig. Assyria, . . . Capt. Smith. Australia, . . . Capt. Hedderwick. Britannia, . Capt. M*Lellan. Caledonia, . . . Capt. Ovenstone. California, (Now building.) Columbia, . . Capt. Small. Dacian, . Capt. Laird. Despatch, . Capt. Dewar. Dido, . . Capt. Simpson. Dom Pedro, . . Capt. Rutherford. Dorian, Capt. Yoking. Europa, . . Capt. Campbell. Genova, . . . Capt. Taylor. India, . Capt. Munro. Iowa, . . . Capt. Ovenstone. ATLANTIC Ismailia, . . . Capt. Brown. Livorno, . . . Capt. Lucas. Macedon, . . Capt. Murdoch. Messina, . . Capt. Eaglesome. Napoli, . Capt. Edwards. Olympia, . . (Now building.) Bom A, . Capt. Ramsay. Scandinavia, . . Capt. Harvey. Scotia, . Capt. Lawson. Shamrock, Capt. Livingstone. SlDONIAN, , Capt. Mackay. Spartan, . Capt. Upton. Trinacria, (Now building.) Trojan, Capt. Thomson. Tyrian, Capt. Greig. Valetta, . Capt. McQueen. Victoria, . (Now building.) Venezia, . . Capt. Henderson. SERVICE. Steamers leave Glasgow for New York (calling at Moville, Lough Foyle, to embark passengers only) every Wednesday and Saturday. From New York for Glasgow every Wednesday and every Saturday. From Glasgow, Liverpool, and London, for Halifax, N.S., and St. John, N.B., once a month from March till September. Bates of Passage for New York — Saloon Cabin, Saturday’s Steamers, £13, 13s. and £15, 15s. ; Wednesday’s Steamers, £12, 12s. and £14, 14s., according to the accommodation and situation of Berths. Beturn Tickets, Twenty, Twenty-Two, and Twenty-Four Guineas. For Halifax, N.S., and St. John, N.B.— Saloon Cabin, £13, 13s. INDIAN SERVICE. Steamers leave Glasgow Monthly for Alexandria, in connection with the Peninsular and Oriental and British India Steam Navigation Companies, Passengers being forwarded from Suez for Bombay, Colombo, Madras, Cal- cutta, Bangoon, Moulmein, and all the Principal Seaport Towns in India. MISCELLANEOUS. 45 MEDITERRANEAN SERVICE. Steamers leave Glasgow Weekly for Lisbon, Gibraltar, Genoa, Leg- horn, Naples, Messina, and Palermo ; Fortnightly for Trieste and Venice ; and Monthly for Algiers, Tunis, Malta, and Alexandria. Cabin Fares to Lisbon, £6, 6s. ; Gibraltar, £8, 8s.; Genoa, £12, 12s.; Leghorn, £13, 13s.; Naples, Messina, and Palermo, £14, 14s.; Trieste and Venice, £16, 16s.; Algiers, £10, 10s.; Tunis and Malta, £12, 12s.; Alexandria, £16, 16s. Return Tickets Granted at Reduced Terms. — These Tickets entitle Passengers to break the journey at any Port or Ports, proceeding by the succeeding Steamers of the Company, till they reach their destination, and are available to return within Six Months from date of issue. — Liberal Terms will be allowed to Tourist Parties number- ing Four and upwards. The Round Voyage by these Steamers, usually occupying about Seven Weeks, pre- sents a Route of unequalled interest — Lisbon, Gibraltar, Genoa, Leghorn, Pisa, Florence, Rome, Naples, Sicily, Venice, and Trieste, being all embraced within the circles of their Sailings — and Passengers visiting the Holy Land will lind this Route via Egypt, to be the cheapest and most expeditious. MEDITERRANEAN AND ATLANTIC SERVICE. Steamers are despatched from Genoa, Leghorn, Naples, Messina, Palermo, Marseilles, and Gibraltar, for New York, Once a Fortnight ; and from Trieste and Venice, for New York, Once a Month. Steamers also leave Malaga, Almeria, Valencia, and Denia, for New York, Once a Fortnight during the Months of August, September, and October in each year. Fares from Gibraltar, £16, 16s.; from Marseilles, Genoa, Leghorn, Naples, Messina, Palermo, Trieste, and Venice, £21 ; from Malaga, Almeria, Valencia, and Denia, £18, 18s. NORTH SEA SERVICE. Steamers leave Granton Weekly, during the Season of open Navigation^ for Christiania, Christiansand, and Gothenburg. Cabin Fares, £3, 3s.; Return Tickets, £5, 5s. The Passage from Granton to Christiansand occupies only a day and a. half ; from Granton to Christiania or Gothenburg, two days. Excursionists can spend either two, twelve, or twenty- two days in Norway or Sweden, making the trip extend to one, two, or three weeks respectively ; or, varying the route, if landed at Christiania, Passengers can proceed by land or sea to Gothenburg, arriving at the Port in time to overtake the Steamer sailing for Granton, or vice versa, and thus be able to travel through a consider- able part of both countries, with opportunities of visiting the capital cities of Norway and Sv'eden, and of enjoying the delightful summer climate of Scandinavia, amidst some of the finest scenery on the Continent of Europe. Apply to Henderson Brothers, New York, Chicago, Liverpool, Dundee, Leith, Gran- ton, Drontheim, Christiania, and Gothenburg ; Steinmann & Ludwig, Antwerp ; Morris & Co., and Behrens & Wertheim, Hamburg ; C. Clark & Co., Bordeaux ; Rosenkilde Brothers, Christiansand ; Lowe Brothers, Civita Vecchia ; William Miller, Florence and Leghorn; Charles Figoli, Genoa; James Glasgow & Co,, Gibraltar; Mascarenhas & Co., Lisbon; Thomas MacCulloch & Son, Malaga; WTlliam Jaffray, Almeria; Dart d l> s. 6d. Do. (Diamond ednl) is. Skye. I s. Spain (O'Shea's). 15 ^*. Surrey, 5 ^*. Sussex. 2 s. 6d. Pros Sachs. ij*. Wales, ^s. North Wales, ^s. 6d. South Wales, 2s, 6d. Warwickshire. 2s. 6d. York City. is. Yorkshire. 5 ^*. A Complete Guide to the Watering-Places. Price 2s. 6d. ; Cloth, 3 ^-. EDINBURGH : ADAM AND CHARLES BLACK. INDEX MAP ^ TO ACCOMPANY BLACK'S GiriBE TO VALES, ’Note. Thr, rajmhcrs aft/ir th£ names refer to the j>age Gtu/leBook 'where the (hscrmtion is to he fou^. Raihvay^^ — Only those are inserted 1 are, descriled in the Guide Booh, V- « t • UNWtHbl HttrOvoiamM E3xf\T