MENAI.
This Strait, which separates Anglesea from the main land, although bearing only the appearance of a river, is an arm of the sea, and most dangerous in its navigation at particular periods of the tide, and in boisterous weather: during the flood, from the flush of water at each extremity, it has a double current, the clash of which, termed Pwll Ceris, it is highly rash and dangerous to encounter. In the space of fifteen miles there are six established ferries: the first of which, to the south, is Abermenai, the next near Caernarvon, and three miles north from the first is Tal y foel; four miles further, Moel y don; three miles beyond which is the principal one, called Porthaethwy, but more generally known as Bangor Ferry; it is the narrowest part of the Strait, and is only about half a mile wide; this is the one over which the mails and passengers pass on their route to and from Holyhead, and near which is the bridge, of which a particular description and plan is for the first time given; a mile further north is the fifth, Garth Ferry; and the sixth, and widest ferry at high water, is between the village of Aber and Beaumaris.
There appears but little doubt of Anglesea having been once connected with the main land, as evident traces of an isthmus are discernible near Porthaeth-hwy; where a dangerous line of rocks nearly cross the channel, and cause such eddies at the first flowing of the tide, that the contending currents of the Menai seem here to struggle for superiority. This isthmus once destroyed, and a channel formed, it has been the work of ages, by the force of spring tides and storms, gradually to deepen and enlarge the opening; as it appears by history, that both Roman and British cavalry, at low water, during neap tides, forded or swam over the Strait, and covered the landing of the infantry from flat-bottomed boats.
The violent rush of water, and consequent inconvenience, delay, and danger, when the wind and tide are unfavourable to the passage over Bangor Ferry, in the present state of constant and rapid communication with Ireland, gave rise to the idea of forming a bridge over the Menai. Various estimates and plans were submitted to the public consideration by our most celebrated engineers, and men of science; when, after numerous delays, Mr. Telford’s design for one on the suspension principle was adopted, and money granted by Parliament for carrying it into effect. The first stone of this magnificent structure was laid on the 10th of August, 1819, without any ceremony, by the resident engineer, Mr. Provis, and the contractors for the masonry.
“When on entering the Straits,” [204] says a recent author, “the bridge is first seen, suspended as it were in mid air, and confining the view of the fertile and richly-wooded shores, it seems more like a light ornament than a massy bridge, and shows little of the strength and solidity which it really possesses. But as we approached it nearer, whilst it still retained its light and elegant appearance, the stupendous size and immensity of the work struck us with awe; and when we saw that a brig, with every stick standing, had just passed under it,—that a coach going over appeared not larger than a child’s toy, and that foot-passengers upon it looked like pigmies, the vastness of its proportions was by contrast fully apparent.” The whole surface of the bridge is in length 1000 feet, of which the part immediately dependent upon the chains is 590 feet, the remaining distance being supported by seven arches, four on one side and three on the other, which fill up the distance from the main piers to the shore. These main piers rise above the level of the road 50 feet, and through them two archways, each 12 feet wide, admit a passage. Over the top of these piers, four rows of chains, the extremities of which are firmly secured in the rocks at each end of the bridge, are thrown; two of them nearly in the centre, about four feet apart, and one at each side. The floor of the road is formed of logs of wood, well covered with pitch, and then strewn over with granite broken very small, forming, by its adhesion to the pitch, a solid body, impervious to the wet. A light lattice work of wrought iron to the height of about six feet, prevents the possibility of accidents by falling over, and allows a clear view of the scenery on both sides, which can be seen to great advantage from this height. Having expressed our admiration of the skill evident in the construction, at once so simple and so useful, and having satisfied our curiosity on the top, we descended by a precipitous path to the level of the water, and gazed upwards with wonder, at the immense flat surface above us, and its connecting gigantic arches. The road is 100 feet above high water, and the arches spring at the height of 60 feet from abutments of solid masonry, with a span of 52 feet. These abutments taper gradually from their base to where the arch commences, and immense masses as they are, show no appearance of heaviness; indeed, taking the whole of the Menai Bridge together, a more perfect union of beauty with utility cannot be conceived. It has been erected to bear a weight upon the chains of 2000 tons; the whole weight at present imposed is only 500, leaving an available strength of 1,500 tons; so that there is an easy remedy for a complaint which has been made of its too great vibration in a gale of wind, by laying additional weight upon it. The granite, of which the piers and arches are built, is a species of marble, admitting a very high polish; of this the peasantry in the neighbourhood avail themselves, and every one has some specimen of polished marble ready to offer the tourist. There is so much magnificence, beauty, and elegance, in this grand work of art, that it harmonises and accords perfectly with the natural scenery around, and though itself an object of admiration, still, in connection, it heightens the effect of the general view.
MONA, OR ANGLESEA, [206]
which forms one of the six counties of North Wales, was to that principality what the island of Sicily was to Italy, its granary, and chief dependence for subsistence; it was likewise the favourite spot, and the last asylum of the Druids in Britain; it was to their venerable and sacred groves, in this their last sanctuary, that they fled from Roman tyranny; and it was here, around their altars, defenceless and undefended, save by firebrands snatched from beneath the sacrifice, that these venerable bigots fell, on the score of their religion, under the murderous swords of Pagans, who, their means of attaining knowledge being considered, were more ignorant than themselves. Neither have we a right, on the bare testimony of these their bloody tyrannical persecutors, to believe them to have been guilty of the horrid rites and human sacrifices of which they are accused. In what portion of history do we find the state, the hero, or the conqueror, wanting a good and sufficient reason to cover the plea for conquest or aggression; and, above all, do we ever find the Romans, throughout their history, wanting in such plea to cover the basest of their actions? It was the religious stimulus by which the Druids urged the Britons, even the females, to deeds of heroic madness, to which the Romans owed the dear purchase in life and blood of their British conquest; and which, whilst that stimulus existed, they were but too well aware, must ever be insecure: no wonder then, that to cover the inhumanity of a cold-blooded warfare of extermination against a priesthood, that controlled and guided the energies of a daring people, they should represent them in their bloody orgies as immolating human victims: nay, most probably, even the accusation was founded in truth, but grossly and wilfully misrepresented; for the ministers of religion being, most probably, the administrators of justice, and sole keepers of traditionary laws, the sacrifice of guilty culprits to such laws, to make a deeper impression on the minds of hardy but superstitious barbarians, was made a religious act. When we reflect on the late horrible sacrifices that have been made in this country in the nineteenth century, to its offended laws, and on those disgusting, though less dreadful exhibitions, which are made so frequently, in a leading street of the metropolis of Britain, that they, from their business-like, unceremonious mode of execution, no longer deter from similar offences: and when we see the culprits come forth attended by ministers of religion, who may appear to uninformed by-standers to superintend the ceremony, as to the lot of one of them it falls to give the fatal signal; we should reflect how such a spectacle may be misrepresented by an Indian, a Chinese, or an Esquimaux, and then judge with due candour of the religious rites and actions of the Druids.
Anglesea can no longer, with propriety, as it did of old, bear the title of Ynys Dowyll, or the Shady Island; for those sacred groves, those venerable oaks, which fell not under the harsh mandates of its Roman, Saxon, or English invaders, have yielded to the hand of time, or the avarice of man; and the late appearance of the island was unsheltered and exposed, almost with the exception of the respected hallowed shades of Plas-Newydd and Baron Hill; but numerous and thriving plantations are now springing up, doing away with that sterile appearance; and the better and more speedily to accomplish this desirable end, public nursery grounds have been established in the centre of the island, to afford facilities for, and to encourage, planting. It has had the desired effect; and by an improvement in smelting the ore, and extracting the sulphur from it, vegetation is no longer injured, even where there is any soil on the Parys Mountain.
It was formerly divided into seven districts, or comots, but at present its divisions are only six. It contains about two hundred thousand acres of land; is in length, from north-west to south-east, about twenty miles; in breadth, from north-east to south-west, about sixteen miles; and in circumference about seventy-six miles: has seventy-four parishes, and four market-towns, and is in the diocese of Bangor. The number of houses are estimated at 7183; the inhabitants at 37,045. It sends two members to parliament, one for the county and one for Beaumaris.
From its too great deficiency of wood, and live fences, the sterility of the Parys Mountain and its vicinity, and the rocky appearance of the soil, there was formerly no semblance of that exuberant fertility that would allow this small partially cultivated island to export to the extent it does, both in live stock and grain, viz. about 15,000 head of black cattle, about 5000 hogs, great numbers of sheep, and nearly 4000 quarters of corn, besides numerous other articles of produce and manufacture. Its climate is more mild than that of Wales generally, but it is at the same time subject to fogs and damp; the advantage and disadvantage both attributable to the sea breezes. It is well watered by numerous rivulets, and has abundance of harbours: among the first is that well known and highly useful one of Holyhead, which has of late been greatly improved: that of Beaumaris is likewise good, and capable of carrying on considerable trade. Besides these, there are the minor ones of Red Wharf Bay, Dulas Bay, Amlwch, from which the copper ore, &c. obtained from Parys Mountain is shipped, and which might be greatly improved, Cemlyn, Aberfraw, &c.: most, or all of them, might, at a small expense, be rendered still more safe and useful. Besides its exports in corn and cattle, this small island carries on great trade in copper, ochre, sulphur, mill-stones, lead, &c. &c. It likewise produces various specimens of marble (well known in London as Mona marbles,) and amongst others the asbestos: it yields potter’s clay and fullers’ earth, as well as coals, which are now worked in the neighbourhood of Llangefni. Neither is the sea less bountiful than the land, affording a bill of fare that would not disgrace the table of a London alderman.
On account of the great thoroughfare which this island has become since the Union, from the exertions made by government to afford safety and facility in the forwarding the principal Irish mails and despatches, the roads are kept in excellent order.