Transcribed from the 1828 Geo. B. Whittaker edition by David Price.

THE
CAMBRIAN TOURIST,

OR,

Post-Chaise Companion

THROUGH WALES;

CONTAINING CURSORY SKETCHES OF

THE WELSH TERRITORIES,

AND

A DESCRIPTION OF THE MANNERS, CUSTOMS, AND GAMES
OF THE NATIVES.

SIXTH EDITION.

THE WHOLE CORRECTED, AND CONSIDERABLY ENLARGED.

LONDON:
PRINTED FOR GEO. B. WHITTAKER,

AVE-MARIA LANE.

1828.

LONDON:
PRINTED BY R. GILBERT, ST. JOHN’S SQUARE.

ACCOUNT OF THE WELSH LANGUAGE.

THE FORCE OF THE LETTERS—LIST OF PRIMITIVE WORDS—CHARACTER OF THE LANGUAGE AND OF THE POETRY.

It is supposed, that there were anciently, in the Welsh or British language, [0] no less than thirty-six letters, sixteen of which were radicals, that expressed the primary sounds; and the rest, modulations or dependents on them. For each of these, it is probable that there was formerly a simple appropriate character; but, since the invention of printing, and the introduction of Roman letters, it has been necessary, for want of a sufficient variety of cast for the purpose, to adopt two, and in one instance even three, of those letters, to express one sound or character, by which much of the simplicity and beauty of the proper alphabet has been lost.

The present printed books contain only twenty-seven characters: A, B, C, Ch, D, Dd, E, F, Ff, G, Ng, H, I, L, Ll, M, N, O, P, Ph, R, S, T, Th, U, W, and Y; having neither J, K, X, nor Z. C answers the purpose of K, when joined with W or Q; and when placed with S, of X. It is said that Z is used in the Armorican language, which is a dialect of this, but the Welsh disown it.

No letter has any variation of sound, except the accented vowels â, ê, î, ô, û, ŵ, ŷ, which are lengthened, or otherwise, according to the power of the accent, and all are pronounced, as there are no mutes.

A has the same sound as the English open a in the word bard.

C is always hard as k.

Ch, which is accounted but as one consonant, is a guttural, as Chi in Greek, or ch, Cheth, in Hebrew.

Dd is an aspirated d, and has the sound of th in the words this, that. Dda, good, is pronounced Tha.

F has the sound of an English v.

I is sounded as in the Italian, or like our ee in been: thus cîl, a retreat, is pronounced keel.

Ll is an aspirated l, and has much the sound of thl. Llangollen is pronounced Thlangothlen.

R, as in the Greek language, is always aspirated at the beginning of a word.

U sounds like the i in limb, him, &c.

W is a vowel, and has the power of oo in soon.

Y is in some words pronounced like i in third; in others like o in honey; and again, in others as the u in mud, must, &c.

V is sometimes used instead of f. B and P, C and G, and U and Y, are used promiscuously, as were formerly V and M.

The following is a list of primitive words, which as they very commonly occur in the names of places, &c. the tourist may find them of use.

Aber, a confluence; the fall of one river into another or into the sea, as Aberdovey, the conflux of the Dovey.

Avon, what flows; and from thence a stream or river.

Allt, a cliff; the steep of a hill.

Ar, upon; bordering or abutting upon.

Bach, and Bychan, little: these are of the masculine gender, and Vychan and Vechan are feminine.

Bôd, a dwelling, residence, or station.

Bryn, a hill.

Bwlch, a gap or pass between rocks.

Cader, a keep, fortress, or strong hold.

Caer, a fort, or fortified place, generally constructed with stones and mortar.

Castell, a castle.

Coed, a wood.

Carnedd, a heap of stones.

Cefen, a ridge; a high ground.

Clawdd, a dike, ditch, or trench; and sometimes a wall or fence.

Clogwyn, a precipice.

Craig, a rock:—from this the English word Crag is derived.

Cwm, a great hollow or glen; sometimes a valley.

Dinas, a fort, or fortified place, constructed in general with a rampart of loose stones and earth without any cement.

Dôl, a meadow or dale in the bend of a river.

Drws, a door, pass, or opening.

Dû, black.

Dyffryn, a wide cultivated valley.

Ffynnon, a spring, well, or source.

Garth, a mountain that bends round, or that incloses.

Glan, a bank or shore.

Glyn, a deep vale, through which a river runs:—from hence was derived our word Glen.

Gwern, a watery meadow.

Gwydd, a wood; woody or wild.

Gwyn, white.

Goch, or Coch, red.

Llan, a smooth plot; a place of meeting; the church, place or village; and figuratively the church.

Llech, a flat stone or crag; a smooth cliff.

Llwyn, a grove or copse.

Llyn, a pool, pond, or mere.

Maen, a stone.

Maes, an open field.

Mawr, great:—Vach, little.

Moel, fair; bald; a smooth mountain.

Morfa, a marsh.

Mynydd, a mountain.

Pant, a narrow hollow, or ravine.

Pen, a head, top, or end.

Plâs, a hall, or mansion.

Pont, a bridge.

Porth, a port.

Rhiw, an ascent.

Rhôs, a moist plain, or meadow.

Rhyd, a ford.

Sarn, a causeway.

Tal, the front, head, or end.

Traeth, a sand on the sea-shore.

Tref, a township.

Ty, a house.

Ynys, an island.

The Welsh language is possessed of numerous beauties. Its copiousness is very great; and it has no rival in the variety of its synonymous forms of expression, principally arising from the rich combinations of its verbs; for every simple verb has about twenty modifications, by means of qualifying prefixes; and in every form it may be conjugated, either by inflexions, like the Latin, or by the auxiliaries, as in English. It rivals the Greek, in its aptitude to form the most beautiful derivatives, as well as in the elegance, facility, and expressiveness of an infinite variety of compounds. The author of letters from Snowdon has justly remarked, that it has the softness and harmony of the Italian, with the majesty and expression of the Greek. Of these I will give two singular and striking instances, one of which is an Englyn, or epigram on the silk-worm; composed entirely of vowels.

O’i wiw y ŵi weu ê â, a’i weuau
O’i ŵyau y weua;
E’ weua ei ŵe aia’,
A’i weuau yw ieuau iâ.

“I perish by my art; dig mine own grave:
I spin my thread of life; my death I weave.”

The other a distich on thunder, the grandeur of which is scarcely to be surpassed in any language.

Tân a dŵr yn ymwriaw,
Yw’r taranau dreigiau draw.

“The roaring thunder, dreadful in its ire,
Its water warring with aërial fire.”

The metre of the Welsh poetry is very artificial and alliterative, possessing such peculiar ingenuity in the selection and arrangement of words, as to produce a rhythmical concatenation of sounds in every verse. The old British language abounded with consonants, and was formed of monosyllables, which are incompatible with quantity; and the bards could reduce it to concord by no other means than by placing at such intervals its harsher consonants, so intermixing them with vowels, and so adapting, repeating, and dividing the several sounds, as to produce an agreeable effect from their structure. Hence the laws of poetical composition in this language are so strict and rigorous, that were it not for a particular aptitude that it has for that kind of alliterative melody, which is as essential as harmony in music, and which constitutes the great beauty of its poetry, the genius of the bard must have been greatly cramped. To the ears of the natives, the Welsh metre is extremely pleasing, and does not subject the bard to more restraint than the different sorts of feet occasioned to the Greek and Roman poets. From the reign of Llywelyn to that of Elizabeth, the laws of alliteration were prescribed, and observed with such scrupulous exactness, that a line not perfectly alliterative was condemned as much by the Welsh grammarians, as a false quantity was by the Greeks and Romans.

THE CAMBRIAN TOURIST.

These are the haunts of Meditation, these
The scenes where ancient bards th’ inspiring breath
Ecstatic felt.

Thomson.

As a centrical situation from which to undertake a Tour to either North or South Wales, and to which conveyances are now established from all parts of England and Scotland, I fixed on Oxford. And should the Tourist’s undertaking be commenced early in the season, and his time to enjoy it be ample, he will have the opportunity of viewing this seat of learning and nursery of the arts to advantage; the elegant piles of building which Oxford exhibits, the stores of learned wealth which it possesses, and the beautiful paintings which adorn its halls and colleges, are so cheaply and so fully described in the Oxford Guides, that to attempt to do it in this work would be superfluous, if not ridiculous: still I may be excused for pointing out to those whose period of stay may be limited, the objects more particularly worthy their attention. The three churches generally viewed are St. Mary’s, All Saints, and St. Peter’s in the East. St. Mary’s is the church used by the University on Sundays and holidays: All Saints is a beautiful modern structure, in the High-street: St. Peter’s in the East is very ancient; it was formerly the University Church, and is now, during Lent, attended by the members of it, for afternoon service.

The Bodleian or University Library, one of the largest in Europe, as well as the Picture Gallery, are to be seen in summer, from eight to two o’clock, and from three to five; in the winter only till three in the afternoon. The Arundel marbles are placed in a large room on the north side of the Schools. The Theatre, in which are held the Public Acts, called the Comitia, and Encænia, and Lord Crewe’s annual commemoration, in June or July, of the benefactors to the University, when the prizes adjudged to particular performances are publicly recited, is a superb edifice, and was built by Sir Christopher Wren, at the expense of Archbishop Sheldon: it cost 16,000l.; its roof has been greatly admired. Near this, on the west, stands the Ashmolean Museum of natural curiosities, coins, &c. &c. and on the other side of the Theatre, the Clarendon Printing-house. Southward of the Schools stands in a fine area the celebrated Radcliffe Library, a noble building with a handsome dome.

St. Mary Magdalene College at the east end of the city, near the river Cherwell, is particularly worthy of attention, were it only to see the picture of our Saviour bearing his cross; supposed to be painted by Guido. Such is the awful solemnity of the place, and the impressive beauty of this painting, as well as of the windows, particularly of that representing the last judgment, that none can be better calculated to give a favourable bias to the mind of youth; for should religion waver in the mind, the sweet benignity of Him who died to save mankind

Shall on the heart impress such grateful love,
That Atheist ne’er can shake, or Deist move.

The Cloister of this College, which remains in its primitive state, is the most venerable of the University; the interior is ornamented with curious hieroglyphics, the key to which is very fully given in the Oxford Guide, from an ancient manuscript in the College.

Passing by numerous other Colleges and Halls, all interesting, if the time and inclination of the Tourist permit him to visit them, I shall proceed to Christ Church, which merits particular attention. This College consists of four courts: 1. The great Quadrangle; 2. Peckwater square; 3. Canterbury court; 4. The Chaplain’s court; and some other buildings. The noble west front is 382 feet in length. Over the great gate in the middle of this front is a beautiful tower, designed by Sir Christopher Wren, erected by Dr. Fell, in which is hung the great bell, called Tom, the weight of which is eight tons and a half: on the sound of this bell, the scholars of the University are to retire to their respective Colleges.

The great Quadrangle is 264 by 261 feet in the clear. The Hall takes up more than half the south side: we ascend to it by a spacious and stately staircase of stone, the roof of which, supported by a single pillar, is beautiful. The staircase, lobby, and entrance into the hall, have been altered under the direction of Mr. Wyatt. The Hall is by far the most magnificent room of the kind in Oxford. There are near 300 compartments in the cornice, which are embellished with as many coats of arms, carved and blazoned in their proper colours. At the upper end of the hall the beautiful gothic window merits attention.—For the long list of portraits of eminent persons that adorn the walls, vide Oxford Guide.

Christ Church, which is the cathedral of the diocese, formerly belonged to St. Frideswide’s Monastery; for the roof of the choir, which is of beautiful stone-work, it was indebted to Cardinal Wolsey.

The east window was painted by Mr. Price, senior, of London, from a design by Sir James Thornhill. The window at the north corner of the west end is curiously painted, representing St. Peter delivered out of prison by the angel. It was executed by Oliver, in his eighteenth year. The fine ring of ten bells in the steeple, as well as Tom before described, were brought from Oseney Abbey. Choir service is performed every day at ten and five; except on Sundays and holidays, when it is at eight in the morning.

Three sides of Peckwater court are uniform, designed by Dr. Aldrich. On the fourth side is the Library, 141 feet long, built in the Corinthian order. In the lower apartments to the right and left are deposited the celebrated collection of pictures, given to the College by Gen. Guise. Amongst these is the celebrated performance of Annibal Caracci, representing his family in a butcher’s shop. St. Francis in a vision supported by angels, by ditto. A Medusa’s head, by Rubens. Two Nativities, by Titian. A Nativity, by Raphael. The flight into Egypt, by Guido Rini. Two half-lengths of women, by Dominichino. Jesus and Saint John embracing, by Raphael, &c. &c.

For a farther account of the various beauties of Oxford, I must again recommend the Tourist to refer to the Oxford Guide, as well as for information with respect to Heythrop, the seat of the Earl of Shrewsbury, 17 miles N. of Oxford; Ditchley, the seat of the Right Honourable Lord Dillon, about four miles and a half from Heythrop; or Nuneham Courtney, the seat of Earl Harcourt, which affords the richest treat to the admirers of fine paintings that the country affords.

But if a soldier’s ardour warms his soul, and he would fain be led to deeds of arms, pursue the road to honour, and seek the pinnacle of fame, to Blenheim’s towers let him turn his steps; and let the gentle Rosamond’s hard fate midst Woodstock’s bowers beguile him of a sigh; for love and war should still go hand in hand. Here well-earned honours have been well repaid; and great as Marlborough’s noble deeds in arms shall shine in the historic page, still shall a sovereign’s and a nation’s gratitude outvie the hero’s deeds.

Blenheim, the princely residence of his grace the Duke of Marlborough, is situated about eight miles from Oxford, to the west of Woodstock, from which town you enter the Park by a spacious portal of the Corinthian order. The noble view of the castle of Blenheim, the extent of the park, the lake, valley, and richly varied scenery, are from hence highly impressive. The architecture of this noble pile of building, the interior finish and display of the arts, increase rather than diminish the first impression. The circumference of the park is about eleven miles: the gardens are tastefully displayed, owing much to nature, whose beauties are here happily blended with art.

The distance from Woodstock to Witney is eight miles and three quarters, by a turnpike road; thence to Burford, seven miles and a quarter; Northleach, nine miles; Cheltenham, twelve miles and three quarters.

CHELTENHAM.

’Twas from hence with a friend, an equal admirer of Nature’s landscapes, and attached to pedestrian independence, that they agreed to visit the wild and impressive scenery of the Cambrian mountains. The outlines of their route being arranged, they sallied forth in the month of July from this place so much resorted to, and celebrated for its mineral waters. Since it has become a place of fashion, the lodging-houses have been considerably improved, and rendered comfortable for the company, who make this place their residence. The season usually commences about May, and frequently continues till the beginning of November. The majority of the company who frequent Cheltenham resort here not so much for the purpose of water-drinking, as to enjoy the delightful walks and rides, and partake of the sociability of the neighbourhood.

The Walk at the Pump-room, well planned, and kept in excellent order, is planted on each side with limes; at the end is a small square, where the pump is situate, with a room on the left for the accommodation of the company to promenade, measuring sixty-six feet by twenty-three: on the opposite side a reading-room, with a billiard-table over: and a house, the residence of the attendant at the Spa: beyond that is a similar walk which leads to another serpentine walk; from the end of this, the spire of Cheltenham church forms a beautiful object. Near these walks stands, on an eminence, the seat of the Earl of Fauconberg; which was the royal residence during their Majesties’ stay from July 12 to August 16, 1788.

In respect to the Rides, Cleave Hill, Dowdeswell, &c. Tewkesbury and Glocester, are most admired.

Speaking of the history of the place, we find Cheltenham was a town in the reign of King William the Conqueror; Edward likewise is supposed to have marched through it, before he encamped his army on the field of Tewkesbury, previous to the battle of the houses of York and Lancaster.

Three days may be passed very pleasantly at this place, in viewing the various improvements that have been made in the last twenty-five years, tending both to increase the health and pleasure of its numerous and respectable visitors: for these improvements the town is greatly indebted to the exertions of Messrs. Moreau, King, and Fotheringham, the masters of the ceremonies. Duty with such men scarcely required the additional stimulus of interest to render it efficacious; but with so powerful an auxiliary it was irresistible: thousands have been expended after thousands; public spirit was roused, and competition excited. The public as well as Messrs. Thompson, Skillicorne, Capstack, Smith, Barrett, Watson and Co., and all others who have spiritedly adventured their property, will, I hope, derive mutual advantage, if not checked by the high charges of some of the head inns, and the enormous establishments of the overbearing, monopolizing barrack lodging-houses, apparently better calculated for workhouses or houses of correction, than places of residence for valetudinarians.

The wells and baths are numerous, and calculated, under proper medical superintendance, for all chronic disorders and constitutions; but they are not to be trifled with: professional advice, for their proper use, is absolutely necessary.

Of the efficacy of the water, to which this town is indebted for its present celebrity, I refer my readers to a Treatise published by Dr. Fothergill, of Bath.

The church is a respectable old building, by far too crowded and encumbered with galleries, and what are intended as accommodations for a large congregation, to allow all parties to participate in and profit by the excellent and elegant moral and religious discourses there delivered.

The rooms and public receptacles for company, it should be the business of some party to see closed, at all events on Sunday, and particularly on Sunday morning, against those errant gamblers, that will eventually be the bane of Cheltenham.

Libraries and Banks are numerous, as are conveyances to London through Oxford, and to Bristol through Glocester: here likewise are conveyances to Hereford, Worcester, Birmingham, &c., and by that route to North Wales; but this is not to be depended upon: but to South Wales, through Glocester and Hereford, the conveyance by coach and waggon for passengers or baggage is ready and convenient.

For further particulars relative to this splendid modern establishment, for such Cheltenham certainly may with propriety be designated, I must refer the reader to the Cheltenham Guide; the information derived from which will amply repay him for its trifling cost. From hence to Glocester, eight miles one furlong, the road excellent; and if time allows, Tewkesbury is worthy of a visit, being only nine miles from Cheltenham, and ten miles and an half from Glocester.

Its ancient abbey is a venerable building, founded in 715 by two brothers, Odo and Dodo, who endowed it with the manor of Stanway in Glocestershire, &c. &c. sufficient to maintain a prior and four monks of the order of Benedictines: this priory was afterwards, about the year 980, subjected to the priory of Cranbourne, in Dorsetshire, but being subsequently rebuilt in 1102, by Robert Fitz-Hamon, and its endowments greatly enlarged, Girald the Abbot of Cranbourne, on account of the fruitfulness of the soil and superiority of its situation, removed his establishment to it, leaving only a prior and two monks at Cranbourne. From this period it appears to have risen in consequence as a town.

The ashes of many noble characters are here deposited; and amongst the rest, amidst the mingled heap of slain and murdered at and after the battle of Tewkesbury, those of the accomplished and lamented Edward, Prince of Wales, son of King Henry the Sixth; Edmund, Duke of Somerset; his brother John de Somerset, the Earl of Devonshire; Lord Wenlock, master of the horse to the Prince, with numerous others. Here likewise rest in peace, where all animosities are forgotten, the remains of false, fleeting, perjured Clarence; as also those of Isabel his wife, who was buried with great pomp and solemnity.

Further particulars of this ancient town, the reader will obtain by reference to a small but interesting historical work, on the Antiquities of Tewkesbury, by W. Dyde of that place; who, after giving a very full and explicit account of the contest betwixt the houses of York and Lancaster, concludes by saying, “The local memorials of this very decisive battle are but few. The principal scenes of the action are the meadow, which has received the appellation of Bloody Meadow, and the Vineyard. The former lies between two gently descending banks, about half a mile south-west of the town, and was the spot where the slaughter was the greatest. The latter was the place where Queen Margaret lay, and where some intrenchments are still to be traced.”

Stebbing says, “to the monastery and convent of Tewkesbury, King Henry the Seventh granted the parochial church of Towton to pray for the soul of Edmund Duke of Somerset, his brother John, and others, who lost their lives in the quarrel of the house of Lancaster.”

The entrance to Tewkesbury from Worcester, or Hereford and Malvern, after a heavy fall of rain, presents to the eye the largest moveable body of inland water I have witnessed in England; the junction of the Severn, and the Warwickshire Avon, each overflowing their banks, rushing down two beautiful vales to join their currents opposite the town, and augmenting their volume by the two tributary streams of the Carron and the Swilgate, impress you with the idea of the vicinity of the sea, and the power of the tide, to collect so large a body of that fluid element in such overpowering currents. The drive or ride from Tewkesbury to Upton, and from thence to Malvern hills, is beautiful; indeed not one inch of this delightful country should be missed or slighted, by travelling over it in the dark or in bad weather: the view from Malvern hills over Worcester, and the rich vale through which the Severn’s current rolls, is perhaps as fine a one as the eye of the painter could wish to be indulged with. Winding round the Malvern hills by a good turnpike road, you gain the Herefordshire view, with the mountains of Wales in the back ground, having Ross on the left, and Bromyard, Leominster, and Salop on the right; descending the hill, you soon reach Ledbury, scarcely remarkable for any thing but the antiquity of its houses, and the fine quality of the cider and perry made in its vicinity. Malvern is about an equal distance from Ledbury and Upton, and those places are nearly equidistant from

GLOCESTER.

The pin manufactory was established here by John Tisley, in the year 1626, and the business is now become so extensive, that the returns from London alone are estimated at near twenty thousand pounds per annum. Before the introduction of pins into England, anno 1543, skewers of brass, silver and gold, and likewise thorns curiously scraped, called by the Welsh women pindraen, were used. Though the pins themselves are apparently simple, yet their manufacture is not a little curious and complex. The wire in its most rough state is brought from a wire company in the neighbourhood of Bristol: till the year 1563, English iron wire was drawn out by manual strength. The first operation attending this curious process is the fixing the circular roll of wire to the circumference of a wheel, which in its rotation throwing the wire against a board, with great violence, takes off the black external coat: vitriol is next applied to bring the brass to its common colour. The brass wire being too thick for the purpose of being cut into pins, is reduced to any dimension the workman pleases, by forcibly drawing it through an orifice in a steel plate, of a similar diameter. The wire being thus reduced to its proper dimensions, is next straightened: it is then cut into portions of six inches in length, and afterwards to the size of the pin, and each piece respectively sharpened on a grinding-stone, turned by a wheel. We now come to a distinct branch of the manufactory: the forming the heads, or, as the workmen term it, head spinning: this is accomplished by means of a spinning-wheel, which, with astonishing rapidity, winds the wire round a small rod: this, when drawn out, leaves a hollow tube between the circumvolutions: every two circumvolutions, or turns, being cut with shears, form one head. The heads thus formed are distributed to children, who, with great dexterity, by the assistance of an anvil, or hammer, worked by the foot, fix the point and the head together. The pins, thus formed, are boiled in a copper, containing a solution of block-tin pulverized, and the lees of port; and by this last process, it changes its yellow brassy colour, and assumes the appearance of silver or tin. The labourers are all paid according to the weight of their work.

Near Glocester, at the small island of Alney, formed by the river Severn dividing itself into two branches, historians relate that Canute and Edmund, after many bloody engagements in Essex, determined to prevent a farther effusion of blood by a single combat. Neither, however, as the story relates, obtaining a victory, peace was concluded, and the kingdom divided between them. We paid, however, little regard to the supposed place of this contest, as it was not for us puisne antiquarians to discuss points, on which the greatest historians had so materially differed.

The roads round Glocester have been greatly improved of late years, more particularly the one to Ross and Hereford, which was hilly, rocky and generally dangerous: their texture and surface are now totally changed, and, winding the hills, the gradual ascent removes both danger and difficulty; the expense must have been enormous, and the traveller pays proportionally in turnpike tolls; they are, generally speaking, round Glocester and Hereford, the highest in England. Nothing can surpass the excellence of the road from Glocester to Bristol, to which conveyances are constantly going; and to such parties as have not visited that eager bustling mart of trade, two or three days may be afforded with a certainty of meeting with the most ample return for the trouble and expense bestowed. The Church of St. Mary Redcliff, which is both ancient and beautiful; the Abbey Church or cathedral; the docks; the charities, and particularly that for teaching the blind to work; the hot wells at Clifton; St. Vincent’s rocks, and the diminished vessels gliding on the Avon; the beautiful views, mansions, villas, and pleasure grounds in every direction in its vicinity, evincing at once the taste and opulence of its merchants and citizens, but particularly those going to and returning from King’s Weston, the view of Lord de Clifford’s mansion, and the varied prospects it commands, as well as those from the park and plantations, which are open to the public, constantly varying the scenery on the Avon, Kingroad, and the distant Cambrian Alps, afforded pleasure so exquisite to my romantic fancy, that for ten times the labour and expense bestowed, I would not have debarred myself of them. Here most happily are blended commercial riches and the life of trade with all that nature’s bounty can bestow to please the fancy or delight the sight.

The antiquity of Bristol is recorded by Gildas, who has set it down as one of the principal fortified cities in Britain, when the Romans abandoned the island in the year 430. But little mention is made of it again in history till the year 1063, when Harold, the son of Earl Godwin, embarked from Bristol with an army to wreak his vengeance on Griffith, King of Wales, who had committed divers aggressions. After sailing along the coast and landing his men at various points, he reduced the country to yield obedience to King Edward, and having compelled the Welsh to cut off the head of their king and give him hostages for their fidelity, he returned again to England.

The Castle of Bristol was formerly of great extent and strength, and is repeatedly mentioned by historians for the gallant defences it has made, and the noble prisoners it has held in safe custody; but it was not till the time of Charles the First that it belonged to the city, when being found to be a harbour and receptacle for rogues and vagabonds, it was first added to the jurisdiction of the county of the city of Bristol, and afterwards sold to the mayor and burgesses for 959l., to be held under the manor of East Greenwich in Kent, at the yearly fee-farm rent of 40l.

Both Henry the Second and Henry the Third, during their minorities, were placed at Bristol as a place of security, at which they might receive their educations. It was here in the year 1211 that the following infamous act of tyrannic cruelty was exercised by King John. That monarch having laid a heavy tax upon all the Jews throughout his dominions, one of that race, named Abraham, having refused to pay the tax, was fined in the sum of ten thousand marks; this the obstinate Jew likewise refused to pay, which so much exasperated the King, that he commanded one of his teeth to be drawn every day till the sum was paid; the unfortunate Jew had seven of them taken out of his head, and then submitted to the payment, rather than lose his last tooth, he having but one left.

Bristol sends two members to Parliament; the first regular summons by writ was issued by King Edward the First, directing that two proper persons should be sent as its representatives to the Parliament at Shrewsbury.

“King Henry the Seventh visited Bristol in 1490, and held his court in St. Augustine’s Back, when the citizens, willing to shew the King all the respect they could during his residence, arrayed themselves in their best clothes; the King thinking some of their wives rather too well dressed for their station, ordered that every citizen who was worth 20l. in goods, should pay twenty shillings, for that their wives went so sumptuously apparelled.”

The present Cathedral was the collegiate church of the monastery of St. Augustine, originally founded by King Henry the Second, and Robert Fitzharding, father of Maurice, the first of the Berkeley family. At the suppression of the monasteries by King Henry the Eighth, after that of St. Augustine had been destroyed, with the exception of the gate, and the west end of the collegiate church had begun to share the same fate, the King changed his mind, and resolved upon erecting it into a bishopric, directing the church to be repaired, and thenceforth termed the cathedral church of the holy and undivided Trinity, appointing Paul Bush, rector of Winterborn, to be the first bishop, appropriating the revenue of the suppressed monastery, amounting to 765l. 15s. 3d. per annum, partly to the bishop and partly to the chapter; consisting of a Dean and six Prebendaries. He likewise took the county of Dorset from the see of Salisbury, transferring it to that of Bristol.

The interior of the Cathedral, though not to be named with those of Glocester and Worcester, is still worthy of attention; particularly its vaulted roof, those of the side aisles, and an emblematic picture of the Holy Trinity, by Vansomers, over the altar. The windows of the side aisles, which are of enamelled glass, are said to have been the gift of Nell Gwynn.

On the south-west of the cathedral are the cloisters; and at the south-east corner of the cloisters is the bishop’s palace, which was in great part rebuilt in 1744, when the following extraordinary circumstance happened. “A parcel of plate, supposed to have been hidden during the time of the civil wars, fell through the floor in the corner of one of the rooms; this accident occasioned the floor to be taken up, when, to the surprise of those persons present, a dungeon underneath was discovered, in which were found many human bones, and instruments of iron for torture; at the same time was laid open a private passage to this dungeon, which passage was part of the original edifice; it was an arched way only large enough for one person to pass, and was made within the wall; one end led to the dungeon, and the other end to an apartment of the house, which by appearance had been made use of for a court of judgment. Both the entrances of this mural passage were walled up, and so concealed, that no one could suspect the wall to be hollow.”

St. Mary Redcliff Church, which is supposed to be one of the most beautiful gothic structures of a parish church in England, next merits attention. The present edifice was erected by William Caning, an eminent merchant of Bristol, about the year 1456; the foundation having been commenced by his grandfather of the same name, on the site of the former church, built by Simon de Burton, in the year 1294. Caning having been rendered unhappy by the death of his wife, and being pressed by the King to a second marriage, he took holy orders to avoid an act so repugnant to his feelings; he was afterwards Dean of Westbury, to which he was likewise a great benefactor. He died in 1474, and was buried in the south end of the aisle of this church, in which are two monuments erected to his memory; in the one he is represented in his magisterial robes (he having been five times Mayor of Bristol) with his lady by his side, with a long inscription on two tables. In the other monument he is habited as a priest.

The roof, which is of stone displaying many curious devices, with much good workmanship, and the lofty pillars which support it, are beautiful; the interior, which consists of a middle and two side aisles, has a light and highly pleasing effect, and is generally much admired. The altar is very elegant and richly decorated, and over it are three capital paintings by Hogarth. The organ, which is of great size and compass, contains upwards of one thousand speaking pipes, and for richness of tone is scarcely to be equalled. It was in a room over the north porch entrance in an old chest that Chatterton, then a youth of seventeen, gave out that he found the poetical manuscripts, ascribed to Rowley and others, and said to have been written in the fifteenth century. Chatterton’s father was sexton of St. Mary’s Redcliff and master of a charity school in Pile-street, in which school, under a Mr. Love, who succeeded his father, and at the Colston Blue-coat school, he received his education.

The Exchange in Corn-street is a noble building of freestone highly finished; it cost upwards of 50,000l. The principal front is 110 feet; it is of the Corinthian order upon a rustic basement. Next to the Exchange stands the Post-office, and higher up on the opposite side of the street, the Council-house, where the mayor or some other magistrate sits daily to administer justice, from twelve till two o’clock.

The charities of this city are numerous and extensive; the Infirmary is a noble building, situate in Earl-street, St. James’s; it is conducted on the most liberal plan.

The port of Bristol has of late years been greatly enlarged and improved, principally on a plan suggested by the Rev. William Milton, Rector of Heckfield, Hants; an excellent engineer, and a man of most extensive mechanical abilities, whose only reward for so great a service rendered to this wealthy port was a present of a piece of plate; had he rendered as great a service to the merchants and corporation of Liverpool, he would most likely have obtained a handsome independence for life; for although the charities of Bristol speak highly in its favour, still its high spirit, its hospitality, or its generosity are not quite so proverbial as those of Liverpool.

The Hot-well is distant about a mile and a half to the west of Bristol, in the parish of Clifton: the water is too well known for its great efficacy in pulmonary complaints, and cases of general debility, to require any recapitulation of its virtues, in this slight sketch of the Hot-well and Clifton.

As a place of fashionable resort, not only for invalids, but for pleasure, its beautiful situation, both for walks and rides, the gentility of the company that frequent it, the easy and well regulated expence with which persons may with comfort and respectability reside here, must always ensure it an overflow of company in the season. The Avon below St. Vincent’s rocks is but little wider than it is at Bristol; but as the spring tides rise from 30 to 36 feet, the heaviest ships can navigate it at such times.

St. Vincent’s rocks, overhanging the Avon, afford to the pedestrian, and particularly to the botanist, an infinity of amusement; a great portion of the plants, if not peculiar to this spot, are but rarely to be met with elsewhere.

These rocks are chiefly composed of a species of chocolate-coloured marble, bearing a good polish; it is worked into chimney-pieces, &c., with good effect, the refuse burning into a strong and beautiful white lime. The reverberation of sound occasioned by the miners blasting these rocks, and the dreadful crash of the masses thus hurled from their native beds down the craggy precipices is grand and terrific; it is in the fissures of the rocks thus opened that those beautiful crystals, called Bristol stones, are found.

CLIFTON

is one of the most charming villages in England. On every side the views are beautiful; and although its population is great, still it has not lost its rural appearance. From the salubrity of the air, numerous respectable families have taken up their residence in the village and its vicinity; but these elegant mansions being surrounded by their gardens and shrubberies, they have prevented the ground from being too much covered with buildings.

KINGSWESTON,

the seat of Lord de Clifford, is about four miles north-west of Bristol. It is a noble mansion, built by Sir John Vanbrugh, somewhat in his usual style; but the situation according with the style better than usually fell to the lot of that architect, it has a grand and noble effect. The collection of paintings here are by esteemed masters, and very fine; the gardens, hot-houses, &c. are kept up in very great style. The park, which is richly wooded and beautifully diversified, offers a rich treat to the painter; the varied prospects obtained at every turn and opening of its numerous walks and vistas are as rich and extensive as nature in this climate can afford. The whole, under very trifling restrictions, are most kindly and liberally left open by his Lordship, for the public to enjoy. Kingsweston inn, just above the park, is a comfortable house, delightfully situated.

To the west of Kingsweston, on a hill called Penpold, is a pleasure-house: from this hill, which is of great height, the most beautiful prospects are to be enjoyed. You look down on that fine sheet of water, Kingroad and the Severn Sea; commanding alternately views of Somersetshire, Glamorganshire, and Monmouthshire, with Wales in the back ground; Glocestershire and Wiltshire: this with the bustle of the shipping in the nearer sea view, so engage the attention, that time flies unheeded by.

From hence proceed to Shirehampton, a pleasing village, leading to a good inn, called Lamplighters’ hall, a place of considerable resort, during the summer months, to witness the busy scene at the mouth of the Avon: it is situated close to high water mark, on the bank of the river, opposite to Pill or Crockern Pill, where is a Custom-house, at which all vessels leaving the port of Bristol are obliged to take their last clearance in going out, and from which they are furnished with pilots inwards. The ride from hence, when the tides are not too high, over turf to the mouth of the Avon, is very fine. The house is built purposely to enjoy the busy scene which the river and Kingroad here present; and its accommodations are remarkably good, and the charges reasonable.

Frenchhay, in Glocestershire, is about four miles north-east of Bristol; the drive this way is beautiful, from the numerous noblemen and gentlemens’ seats and highly cultivated grounds, which occupy both sides of the road. It was here, during the war, that the great depôt of French prisoners was established.

At the east end of the common is a remarkable lusus naturæ, which was taken out of a stone quarry at Downend; its form is an entire perfect muscle, consisting of the upper and under shell, which are closed together; its weight is nearly two tons.

Bristol is but one stage from either the Old or New Passage; it is eleven miles to the New, and nine to the Old. The mail and most of the coaches pass their passengers, &c. by the New Passage, as saving a stage on the Milford road. Chaises or horses are generally charged at the rate of twelve miles to either.

At Aust (or the Old Passage) it is about two miles over to Beachley, in the parish of Tidenham, Glocestershire. This is the direct way to Chepstow, Newent, and all the forest of Deane, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, and the upper part of Monmouthshire.

At the New Passage, it is about three miles over at high water to Port Skewith, near St. Pierre in Monmouthshire. When the wind is S.E. or N.W., it is directly across the river, therefore you must be at the passage where you intend to cross, an hour before high water, as they can only go over then, and that but once, there being no passage during the flood or ebb.

Should the traveller have before visited Bristol, or decline this excursion, he will find the walk from Glocester to

WESTBURY

is by no means uninteresting; the distance eight miles and three quarters, through Highnam and Minsterworth; the country is studded with half-seen villas, and animated with churches, whilst the retrospect commands a fine view of Robin Hood’s hill, with the dark tower of Glocester cathedral, just rising in the perspective.

At Westbury is the seat of Maynard Colchester, Esq. The church, with a detached spire, stands close to the house. Near this place mineralogists will be highly gratified by visiting a cliff, called Garden, or Golden Cliff; which is most beautifully encrusted with mundic and crystals. This rock, standing close to the Severn, is only accessible at the reflux of the tide: and when illuminated by the sun wears a most beautiful appearance.

Between Westbury and Newnham, in an extremely delightful valley, bordering on the forest of Deane, is situate

FLAXLEY ABBEY,

the seat of Sir Thomas Crawley Bovey. This valley was formerly called Castiard, or the Happy Valley; and a monastery for Cistercian monks was founded here by Roger, the second Earl of Hereford, and the charter confirmed by King Henry II. The abbey was standing till the year 1777, when part of it was unfortunately consumed by fire; since that a considerable portion of building has been added, and it is become a very desirable summer residence. The views from the park, behind the house, are very extensive, commanding the vale of Glocester, and the river Severn, gay with vessels; whilst the extensive forest of Deane, and Flaxley Abbey, form nearer objects for admiration. This wood abounds with the most charming walks; and while it affords refreshing shelter from a summer’s sun, admits partial views of the adjacent country. Camden, in speaking of the forest of Deane, derives its name from Ardene, a wood, in the Gaulic and British languages. It lies between the two rivers Severn and Wye, and contains thirty thousand acres. The soil is well adapted for the growth of oaks and forest timber; and the situation particularly commodious for exporting it for ship-building, and other purposes. The immense quantities of wood annually felled for the use of the navy have so thinned this forest of its timber, that it is now preserved till a certain growth, by act of parliament. Camden observes, that the oak of this forest was so considerable, that the Spanish armada had orders to destroy the timber of it in the year 1588. It suffered considerably in the great rebellion.

The iron manufactory has long been carried on in this forest; and to this day immense beds of iron cinders are found, the reliques of the Romans. These cinders are not half exhausted of their ore, and are consequently worked over again: a proof that the Romans knew only the weak power of the foot blast. As we drew near

NEWNHAM

the Severn became more considerable. The town, situated on the banks of the river, and backed by the forest of Deane, is very ancient, and in the year 1018, this manor was granted by King Canute to the Benedictine abbey of Pershore, in Worcestershire. [23] The churchyard affords a variety of objects worthy the attention of the passing stranger, amongst which the church of Westbury forms the most conspicuous feature in the landscape. The view, previous to our descending the hill to

LIDNEY

is extensive and beautiful. In this place iron-works are carried on by Mr. Pitchcock. About a mile from Lidney, the Old Passage.—King’s Road, with the merchant ships lying off Bristol,—Glocestershire and Somersetshire hills, studded with gentlemens’ seats, churches, and half-seen cottages, form a cheerful landscape.

CHEPSTOW.

The weather prevented our seeing the celebrated walks of Piercefield, but we promised ourselves the pleasure of visiting them on our return down the Wye. The castle of Chepstow, called Cagwent, or Castell Gwent, stands on a rock washed by the river Wye, near its influx into the Severn. Topographical writers differ in their accounts concerning the antiquity of the castle, but it is generally supposed to have been built at the same time with the town, appearing at that period to have been a kind of citadel to Chepstow. [24] The castle was formerly of great extent, as, according to Leland’s account, the “waulles began at the end of the great bridge over Wy,” yet, “in the castel ys one tower, as I have heard say, by the name of Langine.” Little now remains of its former grandeur: but, impelled by an irresistible curiosity, we ascended the decayed steps of the tower, from whence the eye traced with pleasure the windings of the Wye, till it was at last lost in conjunction with the Severn. We examined the apartments in which Henry Marten, one of the regicides, who sat to condemn King Charles I., was confined twenty years.

Grand views of the Bristol Channel still continued to form interesting objects from the road; but about three miles from Chepstow, we turned into some fields on the right, to examine the ivy-mantled walls of

CALDECOT CASTLE.

On our first entrance, we gazed with that rapt astonishment, which fears to disturb, or be disturbed, by the mutual communication of thought. Mr. Warner, in his survey of this ruin, was much disappointed; but I cannot help allowing, although the view from it was inferior to Chepstow, that its antiquated walls wear a nobler appearance; and the gloom that reigns around it forces a sigh, and evinces the transitory nature of sublunary greatness. The antiquity of the building is very obscure. Passing through the village of Caldecot, we soon entered

CAERWENT,

on the western side, through the broken fragments of its walls, of which one immense mass has recently fallen. This ancient town is now a village, with a few scattered cottages, but was formerly celebrated, under the auspices of Agricola, for its temples, theatre, porticoes, and baths; few vestiges of its former splendour are now extant. A few fragments of loose stones only remain to point out its former extent. In an orchard, adjoining a farm-house belonging to Mr. Lewis, is the beautiful tesselated Roman pavement, discovered in the year 1777. The tesseræ or dies, about an inch in breadth, and half in depth, are nearly square, consisting of four colours, red, yellow, blue, and white, [25] which are still in great preservation; the whole is surrounded with a border, much resembling a Turkey carpet. The daily depredations on these curious remains of antiquity are greatly to be lamented.

In the road from Caerwent, amongst other objects for admiration, the mansion of Sir Robert Salusbury, on the left, commanding an extensive view, attracted our notice. Passing through the neat village of Christchurch, animated with white-washed cottages, and graced with its simple church, which stands on an eminence, we left the turnpike-road at the thirteenth mile-stone; and following a footpath through some fields, near the banks of the Usk, soon entered the ancient city of Caerleon.

CAERLEON

has been celebrated in all ages of British History. It was a Roman city of great power, strength, and importance, under the name of Isca Silurum, and their chief station in the country of the Silures; and equally, and perhaps still more known, for having been King Arthur’s seat of government: a prince, equally renowned in history, chivalry, and poetry. This city was formerly a metropolitan see, but Saint David, the national saint of Wales, thinking the noisy intercourse of a populous city, like Caerleon, ill adapted for contemplation, or the solitary cast of his mind, removed it to Minevia, which from that period has been called Ty Dewi by the Welsh, and Saint David by the English. [26] The remains of its ancient grandeur are still discernible. Whilst tracing the extent of its amphitheatre, surrounded by a circular entrenchment, we took a retrospect on the exertions of man, the fate of kingdoms, and of rulers; and, marking the grand destruction of ages, it seemed to convince us of the transientness of human worth and happiness!

Reascending Christ-church hill, we had a fine view of the county of Monmouth like a map beneath us. Near

NEWPORT

a new stone bridge has been erected by contract for ten thousand one hundred and sixty-five pounds, by Mr. Edwards, son to the Edwards, who built the famous Pont-y-pridd. It consists of five arches.

The commerce and population of this town are greatly increased of late years. As a sea-port it is safe; its chief trade is in iron and coal. The Monmouthshire Canal communicates here by a basin with the Usk river, and by that means with the Bristol Channel; and as the Monmouthshire Canal again communicates with the Brecon Canal and the Avon, Ebwy and other rail roads, Newport becomes the grand depôt for the heavier articles of trade of that part of the interior of South Wales. The Crumlin bridge branch is eleven miles five furlongs, its falls, three hundred and sixty-five feet. Pontypool, eleven miles, falls four hundred and forty-seven feet. Brecknock, thirty-seven miles seven furlongs.

A circuitous, but more romantic route from Chepstow to Newport, is recrossing the Wye, passing over the forest of Deane, through Saint Briaval’s to Monmouth. The road is not bad, but narrow; if travelling with a carriage, it will be necessary to be provided with a horn, which, upon your sounding, if you find answered, you must wait till the party so answering comes past.

The views to the right over the Severn and Glocestershire are most rich and extensive, and those from the summits of the overhanging rocks of the Wye, awful and terrific: before you reach Monmouth the country becomes thickly inhabited, which the beautiful situations it affords readily accounts for; and from Monmouth to Ragland and Usk, the same continues to be the case.

RAGLAND CASTLE,

one of the finest ruins in Wales, (for although Monmouthshire is now an English county, it formerly was Welsh,) stands near the village of that name: it may be pleasantly and leisurely viewed in the day, with Usk and Caerleon, affording time to reach Newport.

The first view of it is considerably impeded by the surrounding trees, but the closer inspection presents such a mass of ruin as well proves its ancient strength and grandeur. From the citadel, which lies to the south of the main building, the communication was by a drawbridge over the moat, by which it was surrounded; it was a hexagon, apparently five stories high, and of much strength, with bastions.

Round the citadel were raised walks, and in the walls are small recesses. A stone staircase still remains, leading to the top of one of the towers, from which not only the ruins, but the adjacent country, are viewed to much advantage. The two courts of the castle both communicate with the terrace.

The main entrance is magnificent, much overhung with ivy; the gothic portal is defended by two massive towers, and the building being faced with hewn free-stone, exhibits a less desolate aspect than it would otherwise do. The whole range of offices and apartments appears to have been on a splendid scale, and the building shows various specimens of architecture, from the time of Henry the Fifth to that of Charles the First.

The large banquetting hall divides the two courts; it still retains the arms of the Marquis of Worcester, with the motto “Mutare vel timere sperno.”

During the civil wars, Henry, first Marquis of Worcester, several times afforded a refuge to Charles the First, but at length, when that monarch’s fortune was past retrieving, Ragland Castle, after having been various times summoned by detachments of the Parliamentary forces, was regularly invested and taken by Sir Thomas Fairfax; a window is still shewn, through which a girl in the garrison, by waving a handkerchief, introduced his troops. The aged Marquis was sent prisoner to London, where he died in the 85th year of his age, and his property having been confiscated, and the castle dismantled, it became a prey to his own tenantry, who pulled it down for the sake of the materials, but more particularly for the staircases, of which they removed above twenty.

At the Restoration, this with other estates was restored to the family, but in such a state of ruin, that being considered unworthy their repairing, it was left as an object of pillage to the vicinity, which it has but lately, since its ruins have become venerable, ceased from being. It appertains to the noble house of Beaufort.

The library, which was here destroyed by the mad fanatic soldiery of Cromwell, is greatly to be regretted, as it possessed Welsh manuscripts of great importance; the collection was very large, and the loss not to be estimated, many being unique.

The domain appertaining to this princely residence was very extensive and well arranged, and in Ragland Church are still to be seen the vestiges of splendid memorials erected for Marquisses of Worcester, and other noble personages.

USK, or CASTRUM ISCA,

which is the next place of note on the route, is believed to be the Burrium of the Romans. It was formerly a place of much note; its situation is low, but capable of being rendered most beautiful, its surrounding scenery holding forth the most tempting lures to improve nature by art, at a trifling expense.

The Usk is here become a noble river, and its fish, particularly its salmon, are held in the highest estimation. Along the river is a beautiful walk to the ruins of the castle, from which you gain a fine view of the town, and the surrounding slopes and heights, and in few places is to be seen so large a body of clear water, in so expanded and rapid a stream. When I visited it, it was not the season for fishing, but I must confess, I sighed to leave it behind me. To the flyfisher few places hold forth such inducements to settle as Usk. I fancied myself in a Swiss valley where I could cultivate my vines, my lavender, and my roses, supply my table with exquisite fish and game, enjoy pure air, and a fine climate.

The best and pleasantest road to Caerleon is over the bridge to Llanbaddock, three furlongs; by Llangibby castle, and Llangibby, one mile two furlongs; to Llanhenock, three miles; Caerleon, two miles seven furlongs; Newport, five miles.

CAERLEON

boasts numerous inducements to stay the progress of the antiquary; it is by some called the Isca Augusta, or Isca Colonia of the Romans, and was a principal garrison, being the head quarters or main station of the second Augustan legion, having under it numerous other stations.

Mr. Cox states the shape of this ancient city to be an oblong square, three sides straight, the fourth curved; the south angle is near the end of the Round Table field, where the walls are nearly twelve feet thick; the south-west side passes the amphitheatre parallel to the Usk; the walls are again to be traced by the Broadway along the Benhouse field; the west angle runs alongside the Malpas road; on this flank a gateway leads to Goldcroft common; the north angle forms part of a stable in the New Inn yard, is again visible in the Castle yard, and turns the east angle near a rail-road by the Castle ditch; hence the line curves again, touches on the foss of the Castle, passes through gardens, &c. and is lost in a lane near the quay till it again becomes discernible near the south angle. The circumference of the walls, in which there appear to have been four gates, one in the centre of each flank, was about 1800 feet.

It was a station of the Prætor, and its splendid palaces, its stately edifices and gilded roofs, might, according to Giraldus Cambrensis’ exaggerated account, have vied with those of Rome itself; its baths, its aqueducts, its stoves, and proofs of ancient grandeur, were even in his time amply displayed in their ruins; numerous are the coins that have been here collected and the riches this spot has afforded to the cabinets of the curious.

Between Caerleon and Newport is St. Julians, once the residence of Lord Herbert of Cherbury: the walk to it in fine weather is pleasant, and although now converted into a farmhouse, traces of its former respectability are evident. In a small barn near to it are likewise to be seen the remains of St. Julian’s abbey. According to some accounts, such was the extent of Caerleon in the days of its grandeur, that it extended as far as Christ Church and this place, and covered a tract of country nine miles in circumference.

Ascending the Gam, the ships in the Bristol Channel, with the islands Flat and Steep Holmes rising in the midst of the sea, and the shores of Somerset and Devon, formed pleasing objects in the distant view, whilst the mellow green of nearer woods and meadows, watered by the Usk, made a combination of views gay and beautiful.

Newport Castle, standing on the bank of the river Usk, is a small distance from the bridge: it evidently appears to have been once a place of considerable extent, and built for the defence of the passage over the river; three strong towers commanded the Usk, but towards the town, a common wall, without any flanks, seems to have been its sole defence. Some of the windows still remain, the relics of Gothic architecture, and appear to have been elegantly decorated. From the tower is a fine view of the Usk. Between Newport and

CARDIFF

we crossed the little stream of Ebwith, near the Park of Tredegar House, belonging to Sir Charles Morgan. The grounds are well planned, and command the hills of Machen and Twynbarlwm, with the Church of Bassaleg rising in the centre, on an eminence. The whole valley, indeed, lies prettily. Passing through the villages of Pediston and Castletown, we soon reached the bridge of two arches, over the river Romney, which divides England from Wales.

The situation of Cardiff is on a low flat, near the mouth of the Taff, over which is a bridge, built by Mr. Parry, in the year 1796: it consists of three large and two smaller arches. The tower of the Church is very light, and of elegant workmanship; but there is nothing in the inside worthy of notice.

The Castle derives its name from the river Taff, which washes its walls; Caertaph signifying the town or castle upon Taff. Robert Fitzham, on having conquered Glamorganshire, divided the country into different portions, among the twelve Norman knights, as a reward for their service, and took for his own share the town of Cardiff; and erected, in the year 1110, this Castle, in which he generally resided, and held his court of chancery and exchequer. In the beginning of May, 1645, during the troubles under King Charles I., it was in the possession of the Royalists, but it was surrendered to the Parliament before August, 1646.

We entered the Castle by two strong gates, which still remain in great preservation, but we were displeased with the modern architecture of the new-built mansion; the neat shorn grass and the gravel walk were circumstances that ill accorded with the mutilated walls of an ancient ruin, which has braved the storms of so many centuries. The circumstance which tends to ensure this castle a melancholy place in history, is the unjust confinement of Robert, Duke of Normandy, brother to William Rufus, and King Henry I. The accounts, however, of his confinement have been greatly exaggerated by historians; but a dark vaulted room beneath the level of the ground, measuring nearly a square of fifteen feet and a half, is still pointed out as the place of his confinement; a small crevice in the top, about half a yard in length, and three inches wide, was the only place to admit the air. In this situation he died, after an imprisonment of twenty-six years, and was buried in Glocester Cathedral, where his effigy as large as life, carved in Irish oak, and painted, is yet shown.

The Keep, which is still very perfect, of an octagon shape, stands on an eminence in the centre of a large square. Having walked round the ramparts, which command extensive views of the adjacent country, we visited the castle itself, which has within these few years, been repaired, but still remains in an unfinished state.

In the dining-room are some portraits, in length, of the Windsor family: the most striking are, Sir William, who first raised forces for Queen Mary. Sir Edward, who first entered the breach, at the taking of St. Quintin, in Flanders, where the famous constable De Montmorency was taken prisoner.

In the breakfast parlour is a family piece, consisting of seven figures: it was painted in the year 1568. Holbein, I rather imagine, was the painter: it consists of two sisters playing at cards, and two brothers at drafts, with Edward, Earl of Windsor, and his lady looking on. The style is stiff, with ruffs, small black caps and feathers.

This Castle belongs to the Marquis of Bute. In this place, Robert, Earl of Glocester, founded a priory of White Friars, and another of Black, which continued till the reign of King Henry VIII. Only the shell of the White Friars is now extant, and the ruins of the Black Friars are inhabited by fishermen. It has only one church, which is of Norman architecture, with a rich and handsome west door, and an elegant tower.

The races at Cardiff, in October, are very good, and with the balls, are frequented by a brilliant display of beauty and fashion; the ordinaries are likewise well attended by the principal nobility and gentry of the country, and are very good.

From Cardiff we walked to inspect the remains of the once celebrated city of

LANDAFF.

The ruins of the old Cathedral are very beautiful; the door-cases are all Norman architecture, elegantly moulded; two of which, on the north and south sides, are fine specimens of that æra. All the other parts are Gothic: the nave is unroofed. Within these ruins we entered the Cathedral, which carries with it more the appearance of a modern theatre than a place of divine worship, so erroneous was the taste of the architect, in combining with the sacred Gothic a fantastical work of his own. Among several ancient monuments, are two very elegant ones of the Mathews family, [35a] whose descendants own the site of the bishop’s castle, of which only the gate remains: the rest, with the archdeacon’s house, was destroyed by Owen Glendour. [35b] There are likewise the monuments of two Bishops, with another, and the figure of Lady Godiva, full length, carved in marble on it.

The present cathedral was built by Bishop Urban, about the year 1107: its length is two hundred and sixty-three feet and a half, breadth sixty-five feet, and height one hundred and nineteen feet; like Bangor, it has no cross aisle.

Near this city is the rural village and the castle of St. Fajans, celebrated for a sanguinary battle, fought in its vicinity between the Royalists and Republicans during the Protectorate of Cromwell, in which the former were defeated with the loss of nearly the whole of their troops. Landaff, although it ranks as an episcopal city, and was one of the first places in the British dominions in which a religious establishment was founded, boasting the erection of its first church A.D. 186, is now little better than a village dependant on Cardiff for its supplies: even its clergy find few inducements to draw their attention to it, beyond what duty requires: they possess a chapter-room, kitchen, and office for the Proctor-general, yet seldom meet more than once a year for the audit.

Landaff stands on a small eminence, commanding a view of Cardiff and the surrounding country.—We returned again to Cardiff, and the first six miles of our road to

CAERPHILY

were not very interesting, till ascending Thorn Hill, the beauties of the vale below, with the Flat and Steep Holmes rising in the distant prospect, the ruins of Cardiff Castle, and the ivy-mantled walls of Landaff cathedral, amply compensated for the trouble of climbing this eminence. A little farther on, Caerphily Castle burst upon our sight, and

—“seemed to frown
In awful majesty on all around.”

The founder, and the time of its erection, are very uncertain; but I refer my readers to the first volume of the Archæologia; to an ingenious Dissertation, by Daines Barrington, where it is satisfactorily proved to have been the work of King Edward I. This castle is one of the noblest ruins of ancient architecture now remaining in the kingdom, and exceeds all in bigness, except that of Windsor. The hall and the chapel may still be traced; the former measures about seventy feet in length, thirty-four in breadth, and seventeen in height. The roof is vaulted about eight feet high, and supported by twenty arches. On the north side is a chimney ten feet wide, with two windows on each side, extending down to the floor, and carried above the supposed height of this room. At each angle was originally a round tower of four stories, communicating with each other by a gallery. On the west side of the hall stairs is a low round tower, of one story, called the Mint-house, with three painted arches on the south side, and a square well on the west. The leaning tower, towards the east end, more particularly engaged our notice: it is divided into two separate parts by a large fissure, which runs from the top down almost to the middle. Its lineal projection is supposed to be on the outer side about eleven feet and a half. On the west and north are visible vestiges of a draw-bridge.

The east wall, on the south side of the principal entrance, is fluted between the buttresses, with battlements on their tops, to protect the intermediate walls.

This castle was that to which the Spensers retired in the reign of Edward II. but being taken, there were discovered within the walls, 2,000 fat oxen, 12,000 cows, 25,000 calves, 30,000 fat sheep, 600 horses, 2,000 fat hogs; besides 2,000 beeves, 600 sheep, and 1,000 hogs salted: 200 tons of wine, 40 tons of cider, and wheat for 2,000 men for four years.

We now came to the celebrated

VALE OF GLAMORGAN,

so justly styled the Garden of South Wales: the rapid Taff forms an almost continued uproar for many miles; on the opposite side the mountains rose almost perpendicularly in a massy wall, and sometimes to the water’s edge, finely clothed with wood. Every circumstance conspired to heighten the solitary grandeur of the scene, and to prolong the luxurious melancholy which the views inspired. In this celebrated vale is found the famous Pont-y-prid, or New Bridge, about three quarters of a mile from the Duke of Bridgewater’s Arms. This wonderful bridge of one arch is the segment of a circle; the chord of it is one hundred and forty feet, and the height of the key-stone from the spring of the arch, thirty-two feet and a half. It was erected in the year 1750, by William Edwards, a country mason, who failed in his attempt three times, till, on lightening the abutments, it has resisted for many years the torrents of the Taff.

This bridge, which in its present state is nearly useless, might, at a very trifling expense, be made as useful as it is wonderful; but the river, which is at most times fordable, renders this perhaps unnecessary. Till this bridge was erected, the Rialto at Venice was esteemed the largest arch in Europe; its span or chord being ninety-eight feet: but this bridge is forty-two feet wider; being, it is supposed, the largest arch in the world.

Wales is generally remarkable for its white-washed cottages, the origin of which custom is attributed to Glamorganshire: the cleanliness, as far as this county is concerned, is chiefly on the outside; but so great is their attachment to lime white, that even the stone garden-wall, the pig-sty, or any stone within moderate distance of the cottage receives its due share of attention; in some parts even the blue slate roof, which to the eyes of an Englishman forms a happy contrast to the whitened wall, is offensive to the eyes of the Welsh, and the roof undergoes the same process as the walls.

The intrusion of art in this romantic valley, where nature has been so lavish of her beauties, is much to be lamented. A canal, for the purpose of conveying the iron from the Merthyr works to Cardiff, renders that a place of frequent business and confusion, which was originally so well adapted to retirement and reflection.

Not only the road from hence to Merthyr, but all the way from Cardiff to that place, the road is esteemed amongst the best in Wales; the views along it are likewise such as to keep the attention alive, nature and art combining to give effect: in one place the rapid Taff is seen breaking its way through the woody cliffs, to the lowest level of the vale, and in the next instant the boats are seen navigating the canal, which winds its course most strangely round the mountain’s brow, three hundred feet above the current of the Taff.

Long before you reach Merthyr, the blackened atmosphere points out the site; but when immediately upon it, you are obliged to inquire where it is, and the way to it: from Cardiff you approach it by the Plymouth works, belonging to Mr. Hill: these lie wide and scattered, and are still extending, the road passing through them for a considerable distance; they are altogether worked by water, forming various fine falls from the same source, viz. the Taff.

After passing these, you appear entering on an extended suburb to a large town; but the town itself is nowhere visible: it is without form or order; in short, to get to your inn you can scarcely find your way along the main road; for to dignify it with the name of street, is more than it merits; yet here is collected together a larger and more bustling population than any other town in the principality can boast; its markets are large, well attended, and more than reasonable; its shopkeepers are numerous and thriving; and all that seems to be required to make this town one of the most respectable in the principality, is, a little attention to order and cleanliness: the lower classes, it is true, are miserably poor; still, even about the iron-works, there are so many better provided for, and so much money is monthly put into circulation, that but little trouble would be wanted to make it assume the appearance, as well as enjoy the reality, of being a populous busy town of trade.

The largest works at Merthyr are the Cyfartha, belonging to Mr. Crawshay: these now consist of six blast furnaces, and two near the town, with fineries, air and puddling furnaces, mill forges, &c. in proportion. The blast is furnished by a steam engine of eighty horse power and an immense overshot water-wheel, fifty feet in diameter, by seven feet in width: this wheel rests on gudgeons which weigh one hundred tons: it consumes about twenty-five tons of water per minute; part of the water is brought a considerable distance along a trough supported by stone pillars; the rest is furnished from the Taff.

The gudgeons of all the wheels, and of such parts of the machine where there is any friction, have water continually running over them, to prevent their taking fire. It is the particular office of one man to grease every part of the machine whilst in motion; to accomplish which, he is frequently obliged to ride on an iron bar, similar to the lever of a pump when in motion, a considerable way from the ground. The whole of this machinery is worked by water, not more than a foot deep, which is conveyed by a long spout to the top of the wheel, where it discharges itself. The ore, lime-stone, and coals, which they use to promote the fusion of the ore, are all found on the spot. The ore, previous to its being thrown into the furnace, is burnt in a common lime-pit, the goodness of it is afterwards proved, by its adhesion to the tongue: the coal is all charked, and continually put into the furnace with certain proportions of ore. From the pigs, the iron is rolled into flat plates by a cylinder; this is performed with the greatest despatch. The gaunt figures of the workmen excite both pity and terror, and the sallow countenances and miserable air of the people prove it is a labour very prejudicial to their health.

Mr. Crawshay employs upwards of five thousand men in his works only; but to form an estimate of the numbers employed, and the produce of iron afforded, I subjoin the following list of the principal works in the vales from Abergavenny to Neath, each furnace producing, on an average, from forty-five to seventy tons of iron per week. The two large furnaces belonging to Messrs. Crawshays, near to Merthyr, are said to have furnished, for a short period, upwards of one hundred tons each per week.

FURNACES.

The immense collections of cinder, or refuse from the ore, astonish the beholder: it appears almost incredible, that the labour of man could transport such quantities of materials; but when, added to this, you reflect that nearly the whole has passed through the furnaces, and been moved two or three times, how much is the wonder increased! In short, to witness what immense capitals, indefatigable industry, and human ingenuity can accomplish, in dragging forth the bowels of the earth, the vales of the Taff from Brecon to Cardiff, and the very numerous vales running parallel with the Taff, betwixt Abergavenny and Neath, should be explored, both above ground, and in the mines; the value of the inclined planes and rail-roads only would be immense.

About three miles to the north-east of Merthyr, are the remains of Castle Morlais, an extensive and singular ruin: it was originally a British post, afterwards rebuilt by Gilbert, Earl of Glocester, in the reign of Edward I., and the source of a quarrel betwixt that nobleman and Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford, which brought down the anger of the monarch on both their heads to such extent, as to subject them to fine and imprisonment: it was so completely destroyed by the Parliamentary army in the seventeenth century, that its form and extent are difficult to trace; a small keep, or look out, on the most elevated part of its scite, still however remains: its upper story is much dilapidated; and the walls as well as roof, nearly destroyed, except the door-way and window, which are of freestone: from the top of one of these, the view of the Black Mountains, &c. is most extensive: the lower apartment (part of the vaulted roof of which has at length yielded to time, and the injuries of the animals who have resorted to the upper apartment for shelter) has once been curious; the arches, twelve in number, which supported its roof sprang from a pillar in the centre; the rib of the arch is freestone, and shows good masonry; the wall is likewise rubbed stone, part of which has been defaced, apparently to see if it communicated with any other part of the castle, or contained any thing worthy the searching for. The pleasantest way for an active person to ascend to this ruin, is at the bridge above the Cyfartha works, to take the right bank, ascending the little Taff: for some distance you pass along the quarries, and at length reach a path cut through the woods, along the banks of this romantic stream: the termination of the path obliges you to incline to the right, and passing two fields, you begin to ascend the hill between a stone wall and extensive lime-stone quarries, belonging to the Pendarren works. The ascent is steep; but if fine, you are amply repaid, on reaching the summit, by the extensive views you command. Dowlass works, which, as well as Cyfartha, have eight furnaces, are seen from here to great advantage. The descent to Merthyr, along the rail-road from the lime-stone quarries you passed in ascending, is easy and pleasant, running alongside the beautiful grounds of Mr. Forman, formerly belonging to Mr. S. Homfray, and which a former tourist describes as containing all of elegance or comfort that Merthyr can boast of. From hence we travelled the road to Pont Neath Vechan, the first part of which is hilly, rough, and through a barren country; but the latter half is rich in scenery, sublime and awful, from pendent rocks and gushing cataracts, and worthy the time and observation of the admirer of nature’s beauties.

PONT NEATH VECHAN.

About a mile and a half from Vechan, we unexpectedly descended by an excellent road through a wood into a rich romantic valley, watered by Neath river. In this retired situation we found the Angel inn, of Pont Neath Vechan. Description can scarcely suggest the full grandeur and magnificence of this valley: woods, rocks, and waterfalls, all unite to render it beautiful. Our Cicerone first conducted us to the fall of Scotenogam, on the river Purthen, about a mile and a half from the house. This fall we saw to great advantage, the river having gathered in its course the accumulation of many torrents after the rain, precipitated itself into one majestic expanse of water, near seventy feet high; whilst the dark lowering rocks, on each side, contrasted finely with the varied vegetation around us. The descent is by no means easy; but the grandeur of the scene amply compensated for all difficulties. Our Cicerone next conducted us to a very inferior one, called the Lady’s Cascade, on the river Neath; but of this we caught a very indifferent prospect, the ascent of the mountain being inaccessible, and the water too high to admit of our obtaining a due inspection of it. We then returned to our inn, and set out on a different road, in quest of nature’s landscapes.—Having walked about three miles, we heard the angry roar of small cascades; these we considered preludes to scenes of nature’s grandest cast, where the rushing waterfall swells into a torrent; and accordingly we soon found ourselves near the fall of Lower Culhepste. The character of this cataract differs very much from that of Scotenogam; being broken in its descent from projecting rocks, of an immense size. About a quarter of a mile from hence we descended a rugged and steep rock, to examine the fall of Upper Culhepste, about fifty feet high. The singularity of this fall invites the curiosity of the traveller more than any other in Wales: the whole river precipitates itself with such violence, as to leave a space between the rock and the fall sufficiently wide for a horse-path. Though in less than two minutes we were completely wet by the spray, yet the effect was awful and sublime; and it was necessary to remember the fixed foundation of the rocks above our heads, to soften the awe they inspired. “The effect of sunshine on the cascade,” says Mr. Malkin, “when behind it on a fine day, is both grand and beautiful. The particles of water glittering with a silvery brightness, as they fall; the uncommon brilliancy of every thing without, seen through such a medium, contrasted with the dark green of the moss, everlastingly wet with spray; the corroded dinginess of the rock; the damp and vaporous gloom of the atmosphere within; altogether form a singularly mingled scene of awe and gaiety.”

Near this fall is Porthogo Cavern, through which the river Vendre runs. The water was too high to admit our entrance; our conductor, however, informed us, he had penetrated about half a mile, but found the river wind so many ways, he judged it safer to return, lest he should share the fate of a poor man, who lost himself in this cavern for the space of three days. On our return, a very intelligent gentleman, staying in the neighbourhood, strenuously recommended us to descend a steep mountain, on our left, to survey a curious quadrangular strata of marble in the rock below. With some difficulty we effected our purpose, having waded twice through the river. This strata in Welsh is called bwr maen, which signifies a stone bow: it is situated close to the river Dynnas, which, forcing its way through some broken fragments of the rock, forms a cascade a little above. The price offered for this grey marble, in London, is fifteen shillings a foot square.

About five miles from Vechan, is the seat of Mrs. Holbrow, on the right. We were prevented visiting the waterfalls of Melincourt and Aperdulas, the river, owing to the late floods, being too deep to ford. Our route still continued through the valley we had so much admired the evening before. As we drew near

NEATH,

the tower of Knole Castle had a pleasing effect from a distance: it was built by Sir Herbert Mackworth, and is at present in the possession of H. I. Grant, Esq. The windows from the banqueting-room command a circle of many miles in diameter, composed of Neath valley and river, with the smoky town of Neath—the Mumbles’ Point—Swansea, and the Channel. The artificial cascade is well contrived; but, after the foaming torrents of Scotenogam and Culhepste, appears very tame.

The site of the refectory, the chapel, the hall, and several other rooms, in the ruins of Neath Abbey, may still be traced. It stands on the east of the river, and was formerly, by Leland’s account, the “fairest abbay of all Wales;” but in his Collectanea [47] he seems to give Margam the preference of all the Cistercian houses in these parts. It was founded for white monks, by Richard de Granville. About the time of its dissolution, it contained only eight monks and was valued at 132l. 7s. 7d. per annum. In this abbey the unfortunate King Edward II. secreted himself in the year 1326, when prevented, by contrary winds, from his intended escape to Ireland; he was soon, however, discovered, and confined in the castle of Kenilworth, under the custody of the Earl of Leicester. Near the ruins are the copper-works: the ore is chiefly imported from Cornwall and Wicklow in Ireland; being calcined, and thereby losing its sulphur, it is refined by the simple process of frequent melting, and taking off the dross, which forms a scum: lastly, being moulded into small plates, or pigs, it is shipped for the market. The method of reducing the metal, when melted into small particles, is by pouring it into water; and when thus reduced, it is called copper-shot. Brass is a compound of copper thus reduced, and lapis calaminaris pulverized in crucibles, and moulded or cast into plates. Lapis calaminaris is dug in great quantities near Holywell in Flintshire.

Neath, although surrounded by beautiful scenery, is itself unpleasantly situated: it is low, the streets narrow, the buildings old, and there is in the first view of it an air of desertion and poverty, that sets the traveller against it; yet it possesses some trade as a sea-port, in coals, iron, and copper, for which it is now considerably indebted to its canal, which communicates betwixt Aberdare and Britton Ferry. The ruins of the castle still exist, but possess no particular merit, derived either from strength, beauty, or antiquity. A navigable canal has been made to communicate with all the interior parts of the country to Pont Nedd Vechan. The market days at Neath are Wednesdays and Saturdays. It is one hundred and ninety-six miles one furlong from London. Near Neath is Cringell, the residence of Wm. Davis, Esq. author of a History of this County; and about a mile up the vale of Neath, is Cadoxton Lodge, near which is a cascade. The road from hence to Swansea is very good, and not incommoded by the smoke of the copper-works, as it was formerly; but for horse or foot passengers, though more circuitous, there is a pleasant way by

BRITTON FERRY.

This village is much resorted to, on account of its beautiful situation; and many a white-washed cottage straggles through the hamlet. The plantations of the Earl of Jersey, late Lord Vernon’s, are well disposed, and edge the water’s brink: the river is constantly filled with vessels, whose gay streamers glittering to the sun-beam, present to the eye a constant moving object. The richness and beauty of this spot is scarcely to be equalled in all the principality: and the climate is so mild, that myrtles, magnolias, fuschias, and other tender exotics, grow luxuriantly in the open air. The church-yard is very beautiful, and beneath the shade of its trees a friend of the Editor of the present Edition wrote the following lines:

When death has stolen our dearest friends away,
Some tears to shed is graceful:—but to mourn
Loudly and deeply, that their pains are o’er,
Is but to prove, we lov’d ourselves far more,
Than e’er we cherish’d, lov’d, or valued them.
To bear misfortune with an equal mind;
To mount the aspiring pinnacle of fame,
With a warm heart, and temperate resolve;
To curb the rage that prompts to wild revenge;
To pay the malice of an envious throng
With pity and forgiveness; and to weep,
With tears of joy, that our most “useful” friend
Has paid the debt Eternity demands,
Alike bespeak nobility of mind,
And the proud hope, that heaven’s decrees are just.
Stranger! of peasant or of royal line;
Treasure these thoughts, and Autumn’s yellow leaf
Shall never fill thine aged eyes with tears!

Having crossed the Ferry, we proceeded on the sands to

SWANSEA.

The whole of this walk commanded a boundless view of the ocean to the west, whilst to the south the faint hues of the Somersetshire coast skirted the horizon.

Swansea, or Abertawe, is a well-built sea-port town, on the river Tawe, much resorted to during the summer months. The machines for bathing are kept about half a mile from the town. The castle is supposed to have been erected by Henry, Earl of Warwick, in the reign of King Henry I.; and is at present the property of the Duke of Beaufort; the small arches round the top of it are exactly similar to the building of Lantphey castle, and King John’s Hall, St. David’s, Pembrokeshire. This castle is now turned into a gaol and workhouse. The market-place is said to be covered with the lead of St. David’s cathedral, given by Cromwell to a gentleman of Swansea.

The clay used for the pottery, long carried on in this place, is brought from Corfe, in Dorsetshire: having been mixed with finely-ground flint, and dissolved in water, it is passed through sieves, till it has lost all its coarser particles; then exposed to heat, which evaporates the water, and leaves the clay of a consistency sufficient for working. The vessel is first rudely formed by the hand, the clay being stuck to a circular board, which has an horizontal rotation. The other operation consists in the more perfect forming of the work by various processes, and the colouring, glazing, painting, and stamping; drying and baking kilns complete the work.

The harbour of Swansea, which is large, has had great sums expended upon it, without much judgment having been evinced in the expenditure: the piers, which are extensive, are already frequently wanting considerable repairs, and will always be a source of emolument to those who know how to make the most of a good job. Swansea Bay is beautiful, and the sail from Swansea to Ilfracombe, one of the pleasantest and cheapest I ever enjoyed. The entrance into the latter harbour is grand and terrific; the stupendous rocks by which it is sheltered and enclosed, impressing the mind, on a temperate day, with that pleasing awe, which in a more tempestuous time, “when the raging billows roar,” would amount to horror and dismay. Ilfracombe affords comfortable accommodation to remain at; but to remove inland, you have to send to Barnstaple for a conveyance: it is a most romantic situation. Swansea is seen to great advantage from the bay, its best front being towards the Channel; it is a mixture of good and bad, of old streets and new, wide and narrow, pride and poverty, much show and little wealth. The market, which is on a Saturday, is greatly improved of late years, and not only affords comforts but luxuries; yet Swansea, except to those who are acquainted with it, is a more expensive place to reside at for a short time than an English watering place: still those lodgings, which are so highly rated during the season, are comfortable retreats to half-pay officers during the winter months; and from the mildness of the climate, and many families taking up their residence at it during that period, Swansea, were it not for the faults and greediness or mismanagement of some of its inhabitants, would rise to wealth and respectability. The playhouse is respectable, and the performers generally good, but badly repaid for their exertions. The post-office is here very regular, and conveyances to Bristol, Gloster, or London, although expensive, regular and safe. A walk may be comfortably enjoyed in five minutes after a shower, or between showers, without wet feet; and both drives and rides in the vicinity are numerous and beautiful. The libraries are good, well-supplied, and civil, and the shops accommodating, and plentifully stocked: still I should think the traveller would take more money at Merthyr than Swansea, and four times as much at that little high-spirited place, Caermarthen, as at either; such at least must be the case, if any criterion is to be formed from the quantum of circulating medium required, as gained from the requisitions for the exchange of the new for the old coinage, Caermarthen having wanted upwards of 20,000l. and Swansea not having required 4,000l. The mail road to Caermarthen is by Pontarddylais, nine miles; Llanon, four miles; Caermarthen, thirteen. Swansea is about two hundred and five miles from London. Its population consists of 10,255 inhabitants. It has some trade to the Baltic; and more than 100,000 chaldrons of coals are annually exported.

OYSTERMOUTH CASTLE,

about five miles from Swansea, is finely situated on an eminence, commanding a delightful prospect of the surrounding country, and the Mumbles’ Bay. The ivy-mantled walls of this castle are sufficiently perfect to distinguish what the apartments were originally designed for. It formerly belonged to the lords of Gower, but is now in the possession of the Duke of Beaufort. It is a majestic ruin, standing in a bold position, commanding a beautiful view of the country, the Bay of Swansea, and surrounded by broken cliffs. The walls are so little injured by time, that the design of the apartments may easily be traced. The general figure is polygonal; the ramparts lofty, but not flanked with towers, except just at the entrance. It is a good specimen of the Gothic style; and is ascribed to the Earl of Warwick, in the reign of Henry the First. Our curiosity being satisfied, we hastened to the

MUMBLES,

celebrated, far and near, for the goodness and abundance of its oysters. This village stands at the extremity of Swansea Bay, on a vast mass of splintered rock: from this elevation the wide expanse of the ocean and Swansea Bay are viewed to great advantage. These rocks are inaccessible at high-water, except in a boat; on the farthest is erected a light-house, serviceable to the navigation of the British Channel. The lodging-house above Oystermouth, called Thistle-boon, commands a fine view of the Peninsula of Gower; the Bay of Swansea on one side, and that of Caermarthen on the other.

At Pennard we descended some immense sand-banks, which led us into Oxwich Bay: at the head of the sandbanks are the small remains of an old castle, [53a] scarcely worthy of observation. The sands in this bay are extremely fine, and the bold projections of the rock exhibit nature in her most awful and impressive attitudes. To the right of Oxwich Bay is situate, at Penrice, [53b] the seat of Mr. Talbot: the grounds are well planned, and command extensive views of the sea: the old castle, rising behind the house, gave the whole a fine effect. It has been converted into an aviary. Lady Mary Talbot, (now Cole), has the most beautiful flower garden in the whole principality.

Between Penrice and the neat village of

CHERITON,

we observed to our right, on a hill, a large flat cromlech, several tons weight, resting on about six smaller ones, placed perpendicularly, and standing about five feet high: this is vulgarly called King Arthur’s stone. The lifting of this stone in its present place is mentioned in the Welsh Historical Triades as one of the three arduous undertakings accomplished in the Island of Britain. On a hill, opposite our inn, we discovered evident vestiges of a Roman encampment. From this elevation the eye caught a fine view of Caermarthen Bay, and the bold promontory of Worm’s Head, to the south-west: this rock is only accessible at low water.

The country through which we traversed for the four or five last miles, is inhabited by a colony of Flemings, who settled here in the reign of King Henry I. In the reign of this King’s father, a great number of Flemings having been driven out of their habitations by a very extraordinary inundation of the sea, sought protection in England, where they were cordially received. But so many of these people being dispersed in different parts of the kingdom, began, by the increase of their numbers, to create some uneasiness; which King Henry I. removed, by settling them as a colony in South Wales, and gave them the country adjoining to Tenby and Haverfordwest. By this wise policy, the king rid his own dominions of an incumbrance, and curbed the insolence of the then rebellious Cambrians. [54] The little territory they inhabit is called Gwyr; and by the English, Little England beyond Wales: because their manners and language are still distinguishable from the Welsh, and in point of speech assimilate the English. These Flemings, to this day, seldom or never intermarry with the Welsh: they speak good English, and are very much averse to the manners and language of the country they inhabit; both sexes generally distinguish themselves by wearing a short cloak, called gowyr wittle.

In preference to a long walk, of near thirty miles, we crossed the river Bury, at Loughor, in the church-yard of which village we found the following epitaph:

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.

From Loughor we proceeded to

LLANELLY,

a miserable dirty place, filled with miners and sailors. From hence to

KIDWELLY,

the road leads over the Penbree hills; and from this elevation, the scenery is viewed to great advantage.

The castle of Kidwelly, otherwise Cathweli, was formerly, I imagine, of great extent, and is still the most perfect we had hitherto met with in Wales. The extent of the apartments is distinguishable; some of the staircases accessible; and the four round towers, keep, gateway, and yard, spread an awful gloom around, whose beauties time had just sufficiently impaired, to heighten its grandeur and sublimity. To this castle King John retired, when at war with his Barons. Our guide expatiated much on the history and events of the castle, and told the story with as much agitation and interest, as if it had happened yesterday. The road to

CAERMARTHEN

we found unpleasantly hilly, but occasional valleys to our left enlivened our walk. Near Caermarthen we crossed a bridge of freestone over the Towy. This river, running through the middle of this shire, falls into the British Sea at Caermarthen Bay, and is navigable for small vessels as far as the bridge. Immediately over it, upon a hanging rock, stand the remains of a once renowned castle. This town was the site of a Roman station, Maridunum, and, according to Giraldus’s authority, was anciently a place of great strength, and fortified with brick walls, which are yet partly extant, near the river. This place, now considered as the capital of the county, was formerly the residence of the Prince of South Wales; and the ancient Britons here held their parliaments. The chancery likewise, and exchequer for South Wales, were kept here, when this territory was first erected into a principality, by the crown of England. In the thirty-eighth year of King Henry VIII. it was created a borough-town.

No part of Wales can boast a more generous or higher-spirited people than the gentry in the vicinity, and the inhabitants of Caermarthen. Its trade is likewise considerable, as the circumjacent country, for a very considerable distance, is dependent upon it for the common luxuries, and what are now deemed, even in Wales, necessaries of life, for which they bring for sale or barter the most simple article of the native produce; and you may frequently see the basket that has been brought for miles, not contain a sixpenny-worth of herbs, eggs, &c.; yet this trifle is to them of consequence, and enables them to add to the little stock of tea, tape, or pins, which they require. The busy scene of a Caermarthen market is highly interesting, particularly to one fond of the study of political economy.

“Man wants but little here below,
Nor wants that little long.”

How cheap must be the subsistence of a party who can walk twelve or fourteen miles to earn sixpence, or disburse a shilling or eighteen-pence, and how few must be their weekly wants which so small a sum can satisfy! It is true, they divide this labour, and each take their turn of village or neighbourly duty. The market of this place is not only extremely reasonable, but excellent; hardly excelled in quality by any but Worcester, the cleanliness and beauty of the exhibition of which beats all England. Caermarthen has abundance of good meat, fish, poultry, butter, wild-fowl, and game. In December, 1819, I bought three fine turkeys for nine shillings, fowls from eightpence to one shilling each, and other things in proportion; still the taxes are the same as in England, and good land is high rented; but the wants of the tenantry are fewer; small farms are abundant, and every cottage has its garden and plot of ground, as well as waste land generally: fuel is likewise cheap.

The view from Caermarthen over the Towy is beautiful, and not to be enjoyed any where to greater advantage than from the back rooms of the Ivy Bush inn, or the terrace walk in the garden. Its population is rated at between 7 and 8000, and its houses at about 1200. The market days are Saturday and Wednesday. It is 231 miles from London, by Bristol, and 216 by Glocester.

The mail arrives from London at nine in the morning, and departs at two o’clock in the afternoon generally. I should feel it the height of ingratitude, if I failed to notice the great attention paid to strangers who attend divine service at the church: not only are they immediately accommodated in comfortable pews, but prayer-books are supplied to them by the son of the clerk. In short, I witnessed that courtesy and attention to strangers, and backwardness to receive remuneration, that I never saw evinced at any other place.

The late Ivy Bush was the house of Sir Richard Steele, who obtained it and his property in this neighbourhood by marriage with the heiress of Jonathan Scurlock, Esq. After the death of his wife he retired to a small farm-house, called the White House, lying about a mile from Caermarthen, and there he wrote his celebrated comedy of the Conscious Lovers.

At some distance from Caermarthen are several very remarkable caves: whence Merlin is supposed to have delivered his oracles.

Of Merlin and his skill what region doth not hear?
Who of a British nymph was gotten whilst she play’d
With a seducing spirit.

Drayton, Polyolbion, s. v.

Caermarthen gave birth to Merlin, who is styled, by an ancient author, “the sonne of a badde angell, or of an incubus spirit, the Britaine’s great Apollo, whom Geoffrey ap Arthur would ranke with the south-saying seer, or rather with the true prophets themselves; being none other than a meere seducer, and phantastical vizard.” He flourished in the year 480.

Some few years after this tour, I took the road to Caermarthen from Ragland, through Crickhowel, Brecon, Llandovery, and Landilo. Passing through Abergavenny, we paused for a few days at Crickhowel, where we amused ourselves in fly-fishing in the river Usk.

Crickhowel stands in the centre of a vale, scarcely surpassed by that of the Towy; and is supposed to have been built in the time of Howel Dha, about the year 940. The castle presents little to attract attention. The church contains some few ancient monuments; but the principal objects for a traveller are to be found at a short distance from the town; viz. a remarkable cave south of Langattock; a waterfall in a dingle, leading to Llanelly iron-works; the remains of a castle, on what is called the Camp Hill; and the beautiful village of Lambeter, the walks of which are, of themselves, almost worthy a journey into Wales. The society around Crickhowel is highly respectable; but there are no noblemen’s seats, and only one park within the distance of many miles. The natural scenery, however, amply compensates.

From Crickhowel we proceeded to a village, named Cwmdu, situated between two chains of mountains. The village is poor to the last degree, but the land is rich; and the valley, in which it is situated, may be called the granary of Brecknockshire. There is scarcely a field on the lower sides of the hills, that does not present a spot favourable to build upon. From the farm and house, called Cwmgû, is one of the most beautiful views in all Wales; commanding, as it does, the vale of Usk, the river winding through it, innumerable fields, a high mountain towards the north, the town of Crickhowel on the east; the ruins of Tretower below; a woody hill rising above it; and, from a field at a short distance from the house, the double head of the Beacons, towering, as it were, into the clouds.

Brecon, or Aber Honddu, is a very romantic town; with good inns, and every accommodation for a respectable family. The views around it are beautiful; the Priory groves, as a public walk, are the most delightful in all Wales, perhaps in Britain; while the castle, the priory, and other fragments of antiquity, afford ample materials for the contemplation of those who connect scenes with former events. For within the walls of the castle was planned the union of the two houses of York and Lancaster.

Passing through Trecastle, a miserable village, once a large town, possessing the ruins of a castle, we entered a valley, winding for six or eight miles at the feet of mountains, and presenting at every step something to admire, we arrived at Llandovery, or Llanymddvri, situated on the banks of the Brane, near the head of the upper vale of Towy. Here we found the remains of a small castle, once in the possession of Richarde de Pws; small in dimensions, and uninteresting in its history; but the town derives some notice from its having produced Rhys Prichard, author of a book, well known in almost every Welsh house by the name of the Vicar’s book. He sleeps here without inscription or monument.

From Llandovery the road and the Towy proceed to Llandilo through a country at once rich in fertility, and beautiful in point of scenery. Llandilo is remarkable for a battle, fought in 1281, between Edward the First and Llewellyn the Great. It has no feature in itself worthy of attention; but its environs are beautiful to the last degree.

About a mile from this town, on the road to Caermarthen, are the ruins of Dinevawr Castle, the most celebrated spot in the principality. This castle was erected by Roderique the Great in the year 877. So much have been written of these ruins, of the noble park, belonging to Lord Dynevor, and the country round, that I shall merely observe, that, after passing a few hours in admiration, we passed on to Grongar Hill, and sate beneath the hawthorn, under which Dyer is supposed to have written his beautiful poem. I cannot, however, refrain from quoting a passage from Spenser, where he describes the Cave of Merlin, which he places near the rocks of Dinevawr.