PLAS-NEWYDD,
the elegant seat of the Marquis of Anglesea, situated in the Isle of Anglesea, and distant about six miles from Caernarvon. If the wind and tide prove favourable, the picturesque scenery of the Menai will be viewed to great advantage by hiring a boat at the quay. [191] But if this most advisable plan should not be approved of, the walk to the Moel-y-don ferry, about five miles on the Bangor road, will prove highly gratifying. The Menai, whose banks are studded with gentlemen’s seats, appearing scarcely visible between the rich foliage of the oak, which luxuriates to the water’s brink, is filled with vessels, whose shining sails, fluttering in the wind, attract and delight the observing eye; whilst the voice of the sailors, exchanging some salute with the passing vessel, is gently wafted on the breeze.
Crossing the ferry, we soon reached the ancient residence of the arch-druid of Britain, where was formerly stationed the most celebrated of the ancient British academies: from this circumstance many places in this island still retain their original appellation, as Myfyrim, the place of studies: Caer Idris, the city of astronomy; Cerrig Boudin, the astronomer’s circle. The shore to the right soon brought us to the plantations of Plâs-Newydd, consisting chiefly of the most venerable oaks, and noblest ash in this part of the country:
—“Superior to the pow’r
Of all the warring winds of heaven they rise;
And from the stormy promontory tower,
And toss their giant arms amid the skies;
While each assailing blast increasing strength supplies.”Beattie’s Minstrel.
Beneath their “broad brown branches” we discovered several cromlechs, the monuments of Druidical superstition; several stones of enormous size support two others placed horizontally over them. [192] For what purpose these ancient relics were originally erected, it is not for us puisne antiquarians to discuss; and with eager impatience we hurried to visit the noble mansion, which has not yet received the finishing stroke of the architect; sufficient, however, is accomplished to form a conjecture of its intended splendour and magnificence. The whole is built, stables included, in a Gothic castellated form, of a dark slate-coloured stone: on entering the vestibule, we, for a short time, imagined ourselves in the chapel, a mistake, though soon discovered, to which every visitor is liable; the ceiling having Gothic arches, with a gallery suitable to it, and several niches cut in the side walls: we were next conducted through a long suite of apartments, the design of them all equally convenient and elegant. The landscape from the Gothic windows is both beautiful and sublime: a noble plantation of trees, the growth of ages; the winding strait of the Menai, gay with vessels passing and repassing: and, beyond this tranquil scene, the long range of the Snowdon mountains shooting into the clouds, the various hues of whose features appear as beautiful as their magnitude is sublime. The house is protected from the encroachments of the sea by a strong parapet embattled wall; in fine, this magnificent seat of the gallant Marquis seems to possess many conveniences peculiar to its situation: the warm and cold baths, constantly filled by the Menai, are sequestered and commodious, and every part of the house is abundantly supplied with water.
Since the last edition of this work was published, this splendid residence has been finished in a style corresponding to the promises it held forth, and now ranks amongst the first in the principality.
The park, though small, is well wooded, and laid out with taste; and the woods extending along the bold cliffs of the Menai, with the parapeted bastion wall, which supports the terrace at the bottom of the lawn, cause this elegant edifice, with its turrets and gilded vanes, surrounded by its venerable groves, to be viewed to great advantage from the water or opposite shore. The front is composed of a centre nearly semilunar, with two wings semioctagonal; these receive a bold and happy finish from octagonal turrets rising from the basement of each angle of the front and wings, several feet above the embattled parapet, finishing in small spires surmounted by gilt vanes.
Behind the house are two of the largest cromlechs; the upper stone of one is twelve feet seven inches long, twelve broad, and four thick, supported by five upright ones; the other is close to the first, and is only about five feet and a half square.
Not far from these is a carnedd, part of which is destroyed; within was found a cell, about seven feet long and three wide, covered with two flat stones. On the top of the stones were two semicircular holes, for what purpose intended I leave to others to determine; some conceive they were places of confinement, and these holes served as stocks, in which to secure the victims of the Druidical sacrifices; but let us rather hope not; for as the learned of those days here for a period found a shelter, and as these woods
“Were tenanted by bards, who nightly thence,
Rob’d in their flowery vests of innocent white,
Issued with harps, that glitter to the moon,
Hymning immortal strains:”Mason’s Caractacus.
we may as reasonably conceive that learning, poetry, music, and religion, would soothe and soften the angry passions of the soul, as that they would rouse to the horrid immolation of human sacrifices.
Being unavoidably prevented at this time from visiting the celebrated Parys Mountain, the property of the Marquis of Anglesea and Colonel Hughes, we again returned to the hotel at Caernarvon; purposing to stay the following day (Sunday), with the intention of making a strict enquiry into the religious sect, settled here, and in many parts of Wales, called Jumpers. [195]
The account we had received from our landlord, we imagined, was exaggerated; and this more strongly induced us to visit the chapel, that we might be enabled, in future, to contradict this ridiculous report.
At six in the evening the congregation assembled; and, on our entrance into the chapel, we observed, on the north side, from a sort of stage or pulpit, erected on the occasion, a man, in appearance a common day-labourer, holding forth to an ignorant and deluded multitude. Our entrance at first seemed to excite a general dissatisfaction; and our near neighbours, as if conscious of their eccentricities, muttered bitter complaints against the admittance of strangers. The chapel, which was not divided into pews, and even destitute of seats, contained near a hundred people: half way round was erected a gallery. The preacher continued raving, and, indeed, foaming at the mouth, in a manner too shocking to relate:—he allowed himself no time to breathe, but, seemingly intoxicated, uttered the most dismal howls and groans imaginable, which were answered by the congregation, so loud as occasionally to drown even the voice of the preacher. At last, being nearly exhausted by continual vociferation, and fainting from exertion, he sunk down in the pulpit. The meeting, however, did not disperse: a psalm was immediately sung by a man, who, we imagined, officiated as clerk, accompanied by the whole congregation. The psalm had not continued long before we observed part of the assembly, to our great surprise, jumping in small parties of three, four, and sometimes five in a set, lifting up their hands, beating their breasts, and making the most horrid gesticulations. Each individual separately jumped, regularly succeeding one another, while the rest generally assisted the jumper by the help of their hands. The women always appeared more vehement than the men, and infinitely surpassed them in numbers: seeming to endeavour to excel each other in jumping, screaming, and howling. We observed, indeed, that many of them lost their shoes, hats, and bonnets, with the utmost indifference, and never condescended to search after them; in this condition, it is not unusual to meet them jumping to their homes. Their meetings are twice a week, Wednesdays and Sundays. Having accidentally met with a gentleman, at the hotel, a native of Siberia, we invited him to our party; and, induced by curiosity, he readily accompanied us to the chapel. On the commencement of the jumping, he entreated us to quit the congregation, exclaiming “Good God! I for a moment forgot I was in a Christian country. The dance of the Siberians, in the worship of the Lama, with their shouts and gesticulations, is not more horrid!” This observation so forcibly struck me, that I could not avoid inserting it in my note-book.
With disgust we left the chapel, and were given to understand, by our landlord, they celebrate a particular day every year, when instances have been known of women dying by too great an exertion; and fainting is frequently the consequence of their excessive jumping.
This sect is by no means confined to the town of Caernarvon; but in many villages, and several market towns, both in North and South Wales, they have established regular chapels. “They have (says a correspondent to the Gentleman’s Magazine) [197] periodical meetings in many of the larger towns, to which they come from thirty to forty miles round. At one held at Denbigh, about last April, there were, I believe, upwards of four thousand people, from different parts. At another, held at Bala, soon afterwards, nearly double that number were supposed to be present.” The last number appears rather to be exaggerated, though the letter, being dated from Denbigh, should be considered as authoritative.
Another correspondent to the Gentleman’s Magazine gives the following information respecting the sect: “That they are not a distinct sect, but Methodists, of the same persuasion as the late Mr. Whitfield; for though there are several congregations of the Wesleyan Methodists in this country, there is no such custom amongst them. But jumping during religious worship is no new thing amongst the other party, having (by what I can learn) been practised by them for many years past. I have seen some of their pamphlets in the Welsh language, in which this custom is justified by the example of David, who danced before the ark; and of the lame man, restored by our blessed Saviour, at the gate of the temple, who leaped for joy.” How far this gentleman’s account may be accurate, I leave for others to decide: it is certainly to be lamented, in a country where the Christian religion is preached in a style of the greatest purity and simplicity, that these poor ignorant deluded wretches should be led to a form of worship so dissonant to the established church of England, by a poor ignorant fellow, devoid of education and common sense.
The same road we had so much admired the preceding Saturday, soon brought us to
BANGOR,
the oldest Episcopal see in Wales; being founded in 516.
The situation is deeply secluded, “far from the bustle of a jarring world,” and must have accorded well with monastic melancholy; for the Monks, emerging from their retired cells, might here indulge in that luxurious gloominess, which the prospect inspires, and which would soothe the asperities inflicted upon them by the severe discipline of superstition. The situation of Bangor appears more like a scene of airy enchantment than reality; and the residences of the Canons are endeared to the votaries of landscape by the prospect they command. On the opposite shore, the town of Beaumaris was seen straggling up the deep declivity, with its quay crowded with vessels, and all appeared bustle and confusion; the contrast, which the nearer prospect inspired, was too evident to escape our notice, where the
“Oak, whose boughs were moss’d with age,
And high top bald with dry antiquity,”
afforded a seat for the contemplation of the wide expanse of the ocean, which is seen beyond the little island of Puffin, or Priestholm; so called from the quantity of birds of that species, which resort here in the summer months.
The cathedral has been built at different times, but no part very ancient; the church was burnt down by Owen Glendwr, in the reign of King Henry IV.; the choir was afterwards built by Bishop Henry Dene, (or Deane), between the years 1496 and 1500; the tower and nave by Bishop Skevington, in 1532. The whole is Gothic architecture, and the interior of the cathedral has, within the last six years, been altered, and now presents a most imposing effect. The choir, which formerly was only fifty-two feet in length, has been extended into the nave, and is in length 110 feet from the east window; the remaining part of the nave has been neatly fitted up with free pews, for the Welsh congregation, and will accommodate about 700 persons. The choir will contain about 600 persons. The late improvements were done by a public subscription, which amounted to nearly 4000l. and the money has been expended in the most beneficial and tasteful manner, under the superintendance of the Rev. J. H. Cotton, Precentor and Senior Vicar, by whose praise-worthy exertions, the money was collected in different parts of the United Kingdom. There are several bishops [200] buried in the choir. I could dwell with pleasure on the picturesque beauties of this little episcopal see; but a repetition of the same epithets, grand, beautiful, sublime, fine, with a long catalogue, which must necessarily occur, would appear tautologous on paper, though their archetypes in nature would assume new colours at every change of position of the beholder.
This bishopric owes the chief of its revenues and immunities to Anian, bishop of the diocese, in the reign of Edward the First; who, being in high favour with that monarch, and having had the honour of christening the young prince, born at Caernarvon, afterwards Edward the Second, had, as a compensation for the temporalities confiscated in the reign of King Henry the Third, various manors, ferries, and grants from the revenues of the principality allotted to the see.
Mr. Evans, in his valuable work, the Topography of North Wales, has clearly refuted the improbable charge made against Bishop Bulkely, of having sold the cathedral bells; and, on the contrary, proves from documents, that the cathedral was indebted to him for considerable repairs, and that likewise by his will he was a benefactor to it; this falsehood, which originated with Godwin, in his Treatise, entitled “De Presulibus,” as a piece of scandal against the church, met with but too ready a belief from former tourists, whose false records Mr. Evans deserves great credit for refuting.
Bangor is governed by the Bishop, whose steward holds the courts. From being a quiet, retired place, it has now become a scene of commercial bustle and activity, and is rapidly rising into an important town. The opening of Lord Penrhyn’s slate quarries, and the great increase of travelling through it since the union with Ireland, have been the great causes of its increased and growing prosperity. From the convenience for sea-bathing, the excellent new roads which branch from it in every direction, the beauties of scenery which surround it on every side, its proximity to many of the finest objects which Wales can boast of, and the great interest which is excited by the suspended bridge over the Menai Strait, it has become a place of fashionable resort; and during the summer exhibits a scene of gaiety and cheerfulness, that forms a striking contrast to its ancient monastic gloom. The tourist will find this a fit spot for his head quarters, as he can branch out in various directions, and each affords him ample scope for his sketch-book or his contemplation.
Public baths are much wanted here; and it is to be hoped that the spirit of improvement, which has lately manifested itself in this neighbourhood, will not rest till these are accomplished.
The castle is said to have been built by Hugh, Earl of Chester, in the reign of William the Second; it stood on a steep hill, on the south side of Bangor, called Castle Bank, but there is not at this time a vestige remaining.
A pleasant walk leads to the Bangor Ferry Inn, delightfully situated, overlooking the Straits of