GLOSSARY.
The English traveller, in passing through North Wales, will find the following Welsh terms frequently occur in the names of places; to which are subjoined their significations in English.
Ab, or Ap, a prefix to proper names, signifying the son of
Aber, the fall of one water into another, a confluence.
Am, about, around.
Ar, upon, bordering upon.
Avon, or Afon, a river.
Bach, little, small.
Ban, high, lofty, tall.
Bedd, a grave or sepulchre.
Bettws, a station between hill and vale.
Blaen, a point or end.
Bôd, a residence.
Braich, a branch, an arm.
Bron, the breast, the slope of a hill.
Bryn, a hill, a mount.
Bwlch, a gap, defile, or pass.
Bychan, little, small.
Cader, a hill-fortress, a chair.
Cae, an inclosure, a hedge.
Cantref, a hundred of a shire, a district.
Caer, a city, a fort, a defensive wall.
Capel, a chapel.
Carn, a heap.
Carnedd, a heap of stones.
Careg, a stone.
Cefn, ridge, the upper side, the back.
Cell, a cell; also a grove.
Cil, (pronounced keel) a retreat, a recess.
Clawdd, a hedge, a dyke.
Clogwyn, a precipice.
Côch, red.
Coed, a wood.
Cors, a bog or fen.
Craig, a rock or crag.
Croes, a cross.
Cwm, a valley, vale, or glen.
Dinas, a city, or fort, a fortified place.
Dôl, a meadow or dale, in the bend of the river.
Drws, a door-way, a pass.
Dû, black.
Dwfr, or Dwr, water.
Dyffryn, a valley.
Eglwys, a church.
Ffordd, a way, a road, a passage.
Ffynnon, a well, a spring.
Gallt, (mutable into Allt) a cliff, an ascent, the side of a hill.
Garth, a hill bending round.
Glàn, a brink or shore.
Glâs, bluish, or grayish green.
Glyn, a glen or valley through which a river runs.
Gwern, a watery meadow.
Gwydd, a wood.
Gwyn, white, fair.
Gwys, a summons.
Havod, a summer residence.
Is, lower, inferior, nether.
Llan, church, a smooth area, an inclosure.
Llwyn, a grove.
Llyn, a lake, a pool.
Maen, a stone.
Maes, a plain, an open field.
Mawr, great, large.
Melin, a mill.
Moel, a smooth conical hill.
Mynydd, a mountain.
Nant, a ravine, a brook.
Newydd, new, fresh.
Pant, a hollow, a valley.
Pen, a head, a summit; also chief, or end.
Pentref, a village, a hamlet.
Pistyll, a spout, a cataract.
Plâs, a hall or palace.
Plwyf, a parish.
Pont, a bridge.
Porth, a ferry, a port, a gateway.
Pwll, a pit, a pool.
Rhaiadr, a cataract.
Rhiw, an ascent.
Rhôs, a moist plain or meadow.
Rhŷd, a ford.
Sarn, a causeway, a pavement.
Swydd, a shire; also an office.
Tàl, the front or head; also tall.
Tàn, under.
Traeth, a sand or shore.
Tre, or Tref, a home, a town.
Tri, three.
Troed, a foot, the skirt of a hill.
Twr, a tower.
Tŷ, a house.
Waun (from Gwaun), a meadow, downs.
Y, the, of.
Yn, in, at, into.
Ynys, an island.
Ystrad, a vale, a dale.
Yspytty, a hospital, an almshouse.
NORTH WALES DISTANCE TABLE
Distance | Distance | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
46 | Aberconway or Conway, f. (marketday) | 230 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
34 | Abergele | 12 | Abergele, s. | 225 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
39 | Bala | 32 | 45 | Bala, s. | 195 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
61 | Bangor | 15 | 27 | 46 | Bangor, f. | 242 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
68 | Beaumaris | 22 | 34 | 53 | 7 | Beaumaris, tu. and f. | 249 | |||||||||||||||||||||
70 | Caernarvon | 24 | 36 | 41 | 9 | 13 | Caernarvon, s. | 244 | ||||||||||||||||||||
31 | Corwen | 35 | 32 | 12 | 41 | 49 | 50 | Corwen, w. and f. | 194 | |||||||||||||||||||
25 | Denbigh | 23 | 14 | 26 | 37 | 44 | 46 | 18 | Denbigh, w. and s. | 214 | ||||||||||||||||||
57 | Dolgelley | 50 | 58 | 18 | 47 | 51 | 38 | 30 | 44 | Dolgelley, tu. and s. | 213 | |||||||||||||||||
14 | Flint | 34 | 23 | 34 | 49 | 56 | 58 | 26 | 17 | 52 | Flint | 203 | ||||||||||||||||
69 | Haerlech | 45 | 56 | 34 | 36 | 40 | 27 | 47 | 58 | 19 | 64 | Haerlech, s. | 232 | |||||||||||||||
7 | Hawarden | 40 | 28 | 33 | 55 | 62 | 64 | 25 | 20 | 51 | 8 | 63 | Hawarden, s. | 196 | ||||||||||||||
86 | Holyhead | 40 | 52 | 71 | 25 | 28 | 30 | 66 | 62 | 68 | 74 | 57 | 80 | Holyhead, s. | 267 | |||||||||||||
18 | Holywell | 29 | 18 | 37 | 45 | 52 | 54 | 28 | 12 | 62 | 5 | 70 | 11 | 70 | Holywell, f. | 207 | ||||||||||||
23 | Llangollen | 45 | 36 | 22 | 51 | 58 | 60 | 10 | 23 | 40 | 31 | 56 | 31 | 76 | 34 | Llangollen, s. | 184 | |||||||||||
69 | Llanidloes | 82 | 90 | 50 | 81 | 85 | 72 | 65 | 77 | 34 | 77 | 53 | 74 | 106 | 80 | 55 | Llanidloes, s. | 188 | ||||||||||
51 | Llanrwst | 12 | 20 | 20 | 23 | 30 | 32 | 23 | 20 | 38 | 37 | 33 | 40 | 48 | 32 | 33 | 70 | Llanrwst, tu. and s. | 218 | |||||||||
70 | Machynlleth | 64 | 72 | 32 | 62 | 69 | 53 | 44 | 58 | 15 | 66 | 36 | 66 | 87 | 69 | 54 | 20 | 53 | Machynlleth, w. | 206 | ||||||||
12 | Mold | 39 | 30 | 27 | 53 | 60 | 62 | 19 | 16 | 45 | 7 | 60 | 6 | 78 | 10 | 24 | 77 | 36 | 59 | Mold, (by Wrexham), w. &s. | 189 | |||||||
49 | Montgomery | 79 | 72 | 43 | 87 | 93 | 84 | 45 | 58 | 44 | 58 | 63 | 55 | 112 | 61 | 35 | 23 | 66 | 37 | 51 | Montgomery, th. | 169 | ||||||
58 | Newtown | 76 | 77 | 44 | 87 | 93 | 85 | 51 | 63 | 41 | 63 | 60 | 62 | 112 | 66 | 41 | 14 | 64 | 28 | 56 | 9 | Newtown, tu. & s. | 175 | |||||
21 | Pwllheli | 45 | 57 | 43 | 30 | 34 | 21 | 68 | 67 | 37 | 79 | 25 | 85 | 51 | 75 | 65 | 71 | 37 | 52 | 70 | 76 | 78 | Pwllheli, w. & s. | 243 | ||||
21 | Ruthin | 31 | 22 | 18 | 45 | 52 | 54 | 10 | 8 | 36 | 16 | 48 | 15 | 70 | 18 | 15 | 69 | 28 | 49 | 10 | 50 | 55 | 59 | Ruthin, m. & s. | 206 | |||
28 | St. Asaph | 19 | 8 | 38 | 34 | 41 | 43 | 24 | 6 | 56 | 15 | 64 | 21 | 59 | 10 | 28 | 88 | 26 | 70 | 18 | 64 | 69 | 69 | 14 | St. Asaph, f. | 218 | ||
41 | Welshpool | 67 | 63 | 35 | 79 | 86 | 76 | 34 | 49 | 36 | 44 | 55 | 48 | 104 | 59 | 27 | 28 | 57 | 42 | 42 | 8 | 14 | 85 | 41 | 55 | Welshpool, th. | 171 | |
12 | Wrexham | 48 | 39 | 34 | 62 | 69 | 71 | 22 | 25 | 52 | 19 | 69 | 16 | 87 | 22 | 12 | 58 | 46 | 67 | 12 | 39 | 44 | 78 | 18 | 31 | 30 | Wrexham | 177 |
PANORAMA.
ABER,
(Caernarvonshire.)
| Distance from | Miles. |
| Port Penrhyn | 5 |
| Llanvair Vechan | 2 |
| Conway | 9 |
| Penmaen Mawr | 3 |
| Llandegai | 3½ |
| London | 245 |
Aber, or, as it is called by way of distinction, Aber-gwyngregyn, the Stream of the White Shells, is a small neat village, situated on the Holyhead and Chester road, near the Lavan Sands, at the extremity of a luxuriant vale watered by the river Gwyngregyn, which runs into the Irish sea; it commands a fine view of the entrance into the Menai, with the islands of Anglesea and Priestholme, and the vast expanse of water which rolls beneath the ragged Ormesheads. The pleasantness of its situation, and the salubrity of its air, render this place exceedingly attractive during the summer season, and the beach, at high water, is very convenient for sea bathing.
The church is an ancient structure, with a square tower; the living being in the gift of Sir R. W. Bulkeley.
The Bulkeley Arms is an excellent inn, where post-chaises and cars may be had.
This is considered a very convenient station for such persons as wish to examine Penmaen-mawr, and the adjacent country, either as naturalists or artists. From this place also persons frequently cross the Menai straits immediately into Anglesea, in a direction towards Beaumaris. The distance is somewhat more than six miles. When the tide is out, the Lavan Sands are dry for four miles, in the same direction, over which the passenger has to walk within a short distance of the opposite shore, where the ferry-boat plies. In fogs, the passage over these sands has been found very dangerous, and many have been lost in making the hazardous enterprise at such times. As a very salutary precaution, the bell of Aber church, which was presented for the purpose by the late Lord Bulkeley, in 1817, is rung in foggy weather, with a view to direct those persons whose business compels them to make the experiment. It would be dangerous for a stranger to undertake the journey without a guide, as the sands frequently shift: however, since the erection of the Menai bridge, this route is seldom taken.
The village is situated at the mouth of the deep glen, which runs in a straight line a mile and a half between the mountains, and is bounded on one side by a magnificent rock, called Maes-y-Gaer. At the extremity of this glen, a mountain presents a concave front, down the centre of which a vast cataract precipitates itself in a double fall, upwards of sixty feet in height, presenting in its rushing torrent over the scattered fragments of rock a grand and picturesque appearance.
At the entrance of the glen, close to the village, is an extensive artificial mount, flat at the top, and near sixty feet in diameter, widening towards the base. It was once the site of castle belonging to the renowned prince, Llewelyn the Great, foundations are yet to be seen round the summit; and in digging, traces of buildings have been discovered. This spot is famous as the scene of the reputed amour of William de Breos, an English baron, with the wife of the Welsh hero, and of the tragical occurrence which followed its detection. This transaction, which has given rise to a popular legend, is well told in Miss Costello’s “Pictorial Tour,” published in 1845:—
Llywelyn had been induced by the artful promises of the smooth traitor, king John, to accept the hand of his daughter, the princess Joan; but his having thus allied himself did not prevent the aggressions of his father-in-law, and John having cruelly murdered twenty-eight hostages, sons of the highest Welsh nobility, Llywelyn’s indignation overcame all other considerations, and he attacked John in all his castles between the Dee and Conway, and, for that time freed North Wales from the English yoke.
There are many stories told of the princess Joan, or Joanna, somewhat contradictory, but generally received: she was, of course, not popular with the Welsh, and the court bard, in singing the praise of the prince, even goes so far as to speak of a female favourite of Llywelyn’s, instead of naming his wife: perhaps he wrote his ode at the time when she was in disgrace, in consequence of misconduct attributed to her. It is related that Llywelyn, at the battle of Montgomery, took prisoner William de Breos, one of the knights of the English court, and while he remained his captive treated him well, and rather as a friend than enemy. This kindness was repaid by De Breos with treachery, for he ventured to form an attachment to the princess Joan, perhaps to renew one already begun before her marriage with the Welsh prince. He was liberated, and returned to his own country; but scarcely was he gone than evil whispers were breathed into the ear of Llywelyn, and vengeance entirely possessed his mind: he, however, dissembled his feelings, and, still feigning the same friendship, he invited De Breos to come to his palace at Aber as a guest. The lover of the princess Joan readily accepted the invitation, hoping once more to behold his mistress; but he knew not the fate which hung over him, or he would not have entered the portal of the man he had injured so gaily as he did.
The next morning the princess Joan walked forth early, in a musing mood: she was young, beautiful, she had been admired and caressed in her father’s court, was there the theme of minstrels and the lady of many a tournament—to what avail? her hand without her heart had been bestowed on a brave but uneducated prince, whom she could regard as little less than savage, who had no ideas in common with her, to whom all the refinements of the Norman court were unknown, and whose uncouth people, and warlike habits, and rugged pomp, were all distasteful to her. Perhaps she sighed as she thought of the days when the handsome young De Breos broke a lance in her honour, and she rejoiced, yet regretted, that the dangerous knight, the admired and gallant William, was again beneath her husband’s roof. In this state of mind she was met by the bard, an artful retainer of Llywelyn, who hated all of English blood, and whose lays were never awakened but in honour of his chief, but who contrived to deceive her into a belief that he both pitied and was attached to her. Observing her pensive air, and guessing at its cause, he entered into conversation with her, and having ‘beguiled her of her tears’ by his melody, he at length ventured on these dangerous words.—
“Diccyn, doccyn, gwraig Llywelyn,
Beth a roit ti am weled Gwilym?”“Tell me, wife of Llywelyn, what would you give for sight of your William?”
The princess, thrown off her guard, and confiding in harper’s faith, imprudently exclaimed:—
“Cymru, Lloegr, a Llywelyn,
Y rown i gyd am weled Gwilym!”“Wales, and England, and Llywelyn—all would I give to behold my William!”
The harper smiled bitterly, and, taking her arm, pointed slowly with his finger in the direction of a neighbouring hill, where, at a place called Wern Grogedig, grew a lofty tree, from the branches of which a form was hanging, which she too well recognised as that of the unfortunate William de Breos.
In a dismal cave beneath that spot was buried “the young, the beautiful, the brave;” and the princess Joan dared not shed a tear to his memory. Tradition points out the place, which is called Cae Gwilym Dhu.
Notwithstanding this tragical episode, the princess and her husband managed to live well together afterwards; whether she convinced him of his error, and he repented his hasty vengeance, or whether he thought it bettor policy to appear satisfied; at all events, Joan frequently interfered between her husband and father to prevent bloodshed, and sometimes succeeded. On one occasion she did so with some effect, at a time when the Welsh prince was encamped on a mountain above Ogwen lake, called Carnedd Llywelyn from that circumstance; when he saw from the heights his country in ruins, and Bangor in flames. Davydd, the son of the princess, was Llywelyn’s favourite son. Joan died in 1237, and was buried in a monastery of Dominican friars at Llanvaes, near Beaumaris; Llywelyn erected over her a splendid monument, which existed till Henry the Eighth gave the monastery to one of his courtiers to pillage, and the chapel became a barn. The coffin, which was all that remained of the tomb, like that of Llywelyn himself, was thrown into a little brook, and for two hundred and fifty years was used as a watering trough for cattle. It is now preserved at Baron Hill, near Beaumaris.
ABERDARON,
(Caernarvonshire.)
| Caernarvon | 36 |
| Nevyn | 16 |
| Pwllheli | 16 |
This is a miserably poor village, at the very extremity of Caernarvonshire, seated in a bay, beneath some high and sandy cliffs. On the summit of a promontory are the ruins of a small church, called Capel Vair, or Chapel of our Lady. The chapel was placed here to give the seamen an opportunity of invoking the tutelar saint for protection through the dangerous sound. Not far distant, are also the ruins of another chapel, called Anhaelog. At this spot, pilgrims in days of yore embarked on their weary journey to pay their vows at the graves of the saints of Bardsey.
The original church was a very old structure, in the style of ancient English architecture, dedicated to St. Hyrwyn, a saint of the island of Bardsey, and was formerly collegiate and had the privilege of sanctuary; it contained a nave, south aisle, and chancel, and was an elegant and highly finished building. A new church has been recently built, on the site of the old one, at the expense of the landed proprietors, aided by the church building societies.
The mouth of the bay is guarded by two little islands, called Ynys Gwylan, a security to the small craft of the inhabitants, who are chiefly fishermen. It takes its name from the rivulet Daron, which empties itself here.
This primitive village is noted as the birth place of Richard Robert Jones, alias Dick Aberdaron, the celebrated Welsh linguist. He was born in 1778, and died in deep distress at St. Asaph in 1843. Jones was the son of a carpenter, and always evinced a want of capacity, except in the acquiring of languages by self culture. He began with the Latin tongue when fifteen years of age. At nineteen he commenced with Greek, and proceeded with Hebrew, Persiac, Arabic, French, Italian, and other modern languages; and was ultimately conversant with thirteen. Notwithstanding that he read all the best authors, particularly in the Greek, he seemed to acquire no other knowledge than as to the form and construction of language. He was always in great indigence, and used to parade the streets of Liverpool extremely dirty and ragged, with some mutilated stores of literature under his arm, and wearing his beard several inches long. He was at one time much noticed by the late Mr. Roscoe, who secured him a weekly stipend, which however was not maintained after the death of that distinguished scholar.
Bardsey Island,
Generally called by the Welsh Yr Ynys Enlli (the Island of the Current), and formerly known as the Island of the Saints, is situated about three leagues to the west of Aberdaron; it is somewhat more than two miles long and one broad, and contains about 370 acres of land, of which near one-third is occupied by a high mountain, affording sustenance only to a few sheep and rabbits. The number of inhabitants does not exceed one hundred, and their chief employment is fishing, there being great abundance round the island. It is the property of Lord Newborough.
On the south-east side, which is only accessible to the mariner, there is a small well sheltered harbour, capable of admitting vessels of 30 or 40 tons burden. The lighthouse was erected in 1821; it is a handsome square tower, 74 feet high, and surmounted by a lantern, 10 feet high.
This island was formerly celebrated for an abbey, a few portions only of which are now remaining. Dubricius, archbishop of Caerlleon, resigned his see to St. David, retired here, and died A.D. 612; he was interred upon the spot, but such was the veneration paid to his memory in after ages, that his remains were removed in the year 1107 to Llandaff, and interred in that cathedral, of which Dubricius had been the first bishop. After the slaughter of the monks of Bangor Is-y-coed, nine hundred persecuted men who had embraced Christianity, sought a sacred refuge in this island, where numbers of the devout had already established a sanctuary, and found repose from the troubles which then raged through the Principality.
ABERDOVEY,
(Merionethshire.)
| Aberystwyth across the sands | 11 |
| Barmouth | 16 |
| Dolgellau | 21 |
| Machynlleth | 10 |
| Towyn | 4 |
This is a small sea-port in the parish of Towyn, and about four miles from that place. It is pleasantly situated on the northern side of the mouth of the river Dovey, which here empties itself into Cardigan bay, and is rapidly rising into estimation as a bathing place. The beach is highly favourable for bathing, being composed of hard firm sand, affording a perfectly safe carriage-drive of about eight miles in length, along the margin of the sea. The ride to Towyn along the sands, at low water, is extremely delightful.
Several respectable houses and a commodious hotel (the Corbet Arms) have of late years been erected for the accommodation of visitors; and a chapel of ease has also been lately built by subscription, which affords great convenience to the inhabitants, who are four miles distant from the parish church. Service is performed every Sunday morning in English, and in the afternoon in the Welsh language.
The river Dovey is here one mile in width, and is crossed by a ferry, which leads by a road along the sea shore to Borth, whence is a communication with the Aberystwyth road. During the spring tides the ferry can only be crossed at low water, on account of the sands being flooded, and so rendered impassable. The river is navigable nine miles up a most picturesque country, and affords good trout fishing.
ABERFFRAW,
(Anglesea.)
| Caernarvon Ferry | 3 |
| Mona Inn | 8 |
| Newborough | 7 |
Aberffraw, once a princely residence, is now reduced to a few small houses; it is situated on the river Ffraw, near a small bay. Not a vestige is to be seen of its former importance, except the rude wall of an old barn, and Gardd y Llys, at the west end of the town. It was a chief seat of the native princes, and one of the three courts of justice for the Principality. Here was always kept one of the three copies of the ancient code of laws. This place is of great antiquity, being one of three selected by Roderic the Great, about 870, for the residence of his successors. In 962 it was ravaged by the Irish. An extent was made of Aberffraw in the 13th Edward III, from which may be learned some of the ancient revenues of the Welsh princes. It appeared that part arose from the rents of lands, from the profits of mills and fisheries, and often from things taken in kind; but the last more frequently commuted for their value in money. There is a good inn called the Prince Llywelyn.
Near to Aberffraw is Bodorgan, the seat of Owen Augustus Fuller Meyrick, Esq., which is pleasantly situated, and overlooks Caernarvon bay. The mansion, gardens, and conservatories are worth a visit from the tourist
ABERGELE,
(Denbighshire.)
| Bangor | 27 |
| Chester | 35 |
| Conway | 12 |
| London | 225 |
| Rhuddlan | 5 |
| Rhyl | 7 |
| St. Asaph | 8 |
Abergele, [8] a market town, is pleasantly situated on the great Chester and Holyhead road, on the edge of Rhuddlan marsh, and about a mile from the sea shore. The church is ancient, with a plain uninteresting tower, which the white-washing hand of modern “improvement” has deprived of all pretensions to the picturesque. The town consists only of one long street; and in 1841, its population, with the parish, was returned at 2661.
The coast is composed of firm hard sands, affording delightful drives for many miles. Tradition says, the sea has in old time overflowed a vast tract of inhabited country, once extending at least three miles northward; as an evidence of which, a dateless epitaph, in Welsh, on the church-yard wall, is cited, which is thus translated: “In this church yard lies a man who lived three miles to the north of it.” There is, however, much stronger proof in the fact, that at low water may be seen, at a distance from the clayey bank, a long tract of hard loam, in which are imbedded numerous bodies of oak trees, tolerably entire, but so soft as to cut with a knife as easily as wax: the wood is collected by the poorer people, and, after being brought to dry upon the beach, is used as fuel.
The salubrity of the air, the pleasantness of situation, and the superiority of its shore for sea-bathing, have rendered this town a favourite resort for genteel company, and it has long been a fashionable watering place. The environs are picturesque, the scenery beautiful, and many interesting excursions may be made from this locality. The Bee Hotel, one of the best in the kingdom, is a most comfortable house, and possesses superior accommodations; and there are some excellent private lodgings to be had in the town: for those who would prefer a more immediate contiguity to the sea, there are cottages close to the beach, fit for respectable families, and apartments may be had from farmers, who are in the habit of accommodating visitors for the summer season. Bateman Jones, Esq. has a handsome residence on the road between the town and the beach. Besides the Chester and Holyhead and other mails that pass through Abergele, there is an omnibus which runs daily to Voryd, to meet the Liverpool and Rhyl steam-packet.
The pretty villages of Bettws and Llanfair are in this immediate neighbourhood: near the former is Coed Coch, the residence of J. Ll. Wynn, Esq. Llanfair is most picturesquely situated on the Elwy, a little way above its conflux with the Aled. Close to the village is Garthewin, the sylvan residence of Brownlow W. Wynne, Esq. embowered in trees; and following up the Elwy and its narrow but beautiful valley, is the village of Llangerniew; near to it is Llyn Elwy, the pool from which issues and gives name to the river Elwy. Havod-unos, about a quarter of a mile from the village, is the seat of S. Sandbach, Esq. an eminent Liverpool merchant, who some time ago purchased it and the estate, once the property of a long list of ap Llwyds. Two or three miles to the south-east, lies the village of Llansannan, at the head of the pretty vale of Aled. Close below the village is the elegant modern mansion of the Yorkes, called Dyffryn Aled: it is built of Bath free stone, and presents a very beautiful and classical structure. These are places a little out of the common track of tourists, but they will not be disappointed at visiting them; and from Abergele is the most convenient start to them. The roads are good; the country very beautiful; trout fishing is excellent in the Elwy and Aled from their sources, the Aled and Elwy pools, to Rhuddlan; and the villages afford very good passing-by accommodations.
On the hills above Abergele, grow some of the more uncommon plants; geranium sanguineum, rubia peregrina, halloboris fœtidus. In the shady wood, paris quadrifolia, and ophrys nidus avis; and on the beach, glaucium luteum, and eryngium maritimum abundantly. The hills are interesting to the geologist as well as to the botanist; and command remarkably grand and extensive views of the ocean, and of the adjacent mountain scenery.
About a mile from Abergele, on the left of the road towards Conway, stands Gwrych Castle, a modern castellated mansion, the property and residence of Henry Lloyd Bamford Hesketh, Esq. The situation is admirably chosen for a magnificent sea view, which, owing to the constant passing of vessels for the ports of Liverpool and Chester, is extremely beautiful and animated. Very near to this singular but ambitious looking structure, is a huge calcareous rock, called Cefn-yr-Ogo (or the Back of the Cavern), an inexhaustible mine of limestone, where a multitude of labourers are constantly employed in blasting the rock, and breaking the masses, which are exported to Liverpool and other places. But what chiefly renders it curious is the circumstance of a number of natural caverns penetrating its side in different places; one of which, called Ogo (or the Cavern), is well worth a visit. It is celebrated in history as having once afforded a place of retreat to a British army. Its mouth resembles the huge arched entrance of a Gothic cathedral. A few feet within this, and immediately in the centre of it, a rock rising from the floor to the lofty roof, not unlike a massive pillar rudely sculptured, divides the cavern into two apartments. The hollow to the left soon terminates; but that to the right spreads into a large chamber, 30 feet in height, and stretching to a greater depth than human curiosity has ever been hardy enough to explore. Making a short turn a few yards from the entrance, and sweeping into the interior of the mountain, the form and dimension of the abyss are concealed in impenetrable darkness, and its windings can only be followed about forty yards with prudence, when the light totally disappears, and the flooring becomes both dirty and unsafe. Stalactites of various fanciful forms decorate the fretted roof and sides of this extraordinary cavern. [10]
From Cave Hill (Cefn-yr-Ogo), is an extensive and varied prospect. The city of St. Asaph, the Vale of Clwyd, the mountains of Flintshire, and in clear weather, a portion of Cheshire and Lancashire, with the town of Liverpool, are distinctly seen to the eastward; and to the north is visible the Isle of Man; to the west, the Island of Anglesea; and to the south-west, the mountains of Caernarvonshire. Just below is the small village of
Llanddulas.
In this little village or glen it is supposed that Richard the Second was surrounded and taken by a band of ruffians, secreted by the Earl of Northumberland, for the purpose of forcing him into the hands of Bolingbroke, who was at Flint. Here enterprise has discovered the means of realizing wealth. A railway, several miles long, has been constructed from the sea to Llysfaen limestone rocks, being on a remarkably steep incline down the side of the mountain. It is a stupendous work, and highly creditable to the projector, Mr. Jones.
About two miles nearer Conway, is the increasing and respectable village of Colwyn. A new church has lately been erected here. Glan-y-don, the seat of H. Hesketh, Esq., is in this neighbourhood; Mr. Wynne and Dr. Cumming have cottages here, and many other genteel residences have recently been built. The sea bathing is very good, and the place is pleasant and salubrious. Up the valley, to the left of the bridge, is the village of Llanelian, with its calm green meadows, and its far-famed holywell, or Ffynan Fair.
Returning to Abergele, and at the opposite end, is a good and direct road to Rhuddlan, through a number of excellent and extensive corn farms. The road crosses the celebrated Morva Rhuddlan (or Rhuddlan Marsh).
About three miles on the St. Asaph road is the neat and clean little village of
St. George, or Llan Saint Sior; [12]
And about a quarter of a mile before you come to it, you pass on your right Pen-y-Parc Hill, on the top of which is a Roman encampment, afterwards occupied by the famous Owen Gwynedd, during his struggles against English encroachments; and it was here he pitched his tents after his “fine retreat before Henry the Second, whom he here kept at bay.” The curious may visit it from the village, inquiring for Park Meirch, where the old battles were fought. And close to this place is Dinorben, an ancient manor-house, from which is the title of Lord Dinorben, whose residence, Kinmel Park, is a little beyond, and close to the village. About six years since the mansion was destroyed by fire; but has now been rebuilt in a style of princely elegance, and has once more become the home of that hospitality for which the respected proprietor is famous. The park is finely wooded and well stocked with deer. The scenery from the house is rich, varied, and beautiful; the gardens and grounds are extensive, and tastefully laid out. His royal highness, the Duke of Sussex, for several years before his death, annually spent some weeks at Kinmel in the shooting season.
The church at St. George is a neat structure, and has recently been restored by Lord Dinorben, the patron. In the church-yard is a costly stone mausoleum, in the Gothic style, erected over the remains of Lady Dinorben, a lady beloved for her virtues, and eminent for her charities. The architect was Mr. Jones, of Chester: the design and workmanship are chaste and elegant.
Not far from Kinmel, towards St. Asaph, is Bodelwyddan, the modern elegant mansion of Sir John Hay Williams, Bart., one of the most lovely spots in Wales; and in the plain below is Pengwern, the hospitable seat of Lord Mostyn.
ABERYSTWYTH,
(Cardiganshire.)
| Aberdovey | 11 |
| Devil’s Bridge | 12 |
| Llanidloes | 30 |
| London, by Ross | 217 |
| Machynlleth | 18 |
[It may be necessary to apprise the reader, that though this work is professedly a description of North Wales only, it has been thought advisable to deviate from the letter of its title, so far as to include within its pages the above distinguished town, and that great and attractive curiosity, the Devil’s Bridge; both of which, situated in Cardiganshire, the North Wales tourist usually visits, the town being only 18 miles beyond Machynlleth, and the cataract the same distance from Llanidloes.]
Aberystwyth has long been esteemed a fashionable watering place; the gently sloping beach, the clearness of the water, and the salubriousness of the air, have all conspired to render it an inviting spot for sea-bathing; and within the last few years, the efforts of art have been sedulously employed in seconding the works of nature, by furnishing to its visitants excellent roads, superior accommodations, and suitable buildings for fashionable amusements. Pleasant walks have also been formed in the environs. The town, which owes its origin to the erection of the castle, is described by Leland as having been encompassed by walls, (the last remains of which were removed some years since,) and as being in his time a better market than Cardigan; and Camden, who ascribes the building of its walls to Gilbert de Clare, earl of Strongbow, states, that it was then the most populous town in the county. Since that time it has materially increased, both in extent and importance, and may be still regarded as the most flourishing place in this part of South Wales, its population in 1841 being returned at 4916. It is pleasantly situated at the lower extremity of the valley of Rheidiol, amid lofty hills, and on a bold eminence overlooking the bay of Cardigan, by which it is bounded on one side, while on the other it is environed by the Rheidiol, over which is a stone bridge of five arches, forming an entrance to it from the south.
The houses are in general well built, and of respectable appearance, several of them being large and handsome, especially such as are of modern erection, which are entirely of stone. The streets are disposed with considerable regularity, and well paved and macadamised. The inhabitants are supplied with water from the river Rheidiol, which is brought into the town on carriages in the form of small carts, drawn by one horse, each holding two barrels, and sold at a low rate. About the commencement of the last century, it began to rise into notice as a bathing-place, and from a series of progressive improvements, is now one of the most frequented places of fashionable resort on this part of the coast.
The beach affords a pleasant and interesting walk; and the shore, consisting of lofty and precipitous rocks of dark-coloured slate, is worn by the action of the waves into caverns of romantic and picturesque appearance. The beach is composed of fine pebbles, among which are found many valuable stones; the water in consequence is always peculiarly clear, and uncontaminated with any admixtures. In sandy situations, the contrary is frequently the case. The fine stones are picked up with great avidity by the numerous visitors residing here in the summer months, and afford ample employment to several lapidaries in the town. Hot sea-water, vapour, and medicated baths are provided with every requisite accommodation; several bathing machines are in attendance, and from the convenient sloping of the beach, a facility of bathing is afforded at almost any state of the tide, within a very short distance of the shore. For the reception of the increasing number of visitors, many additional lodging-houses have been built, of which the Marine Terrace, a handsome range of modern buildings suitable for private families, is situated on the margin of the bay, commanding a fine marine view. The Belle Vue is a spacious and commodious hotel; in front of which is a fine promenade. On the south-west of the Marine Terrace, is a gateway leading to a spacious castellated mansion, called the Castle-house, commanding an extensive view across the bay: it was originally built as a private mansion by the late Sir Uvedale Price, Bart. of Foxley hall, Herefordshire, and consists of three octagonal towers, connected by ranges of apartments, and having a light and elegant balcony on the side towards the sea. Beyond this, on one side is the Castle Hill, crowned with the venerable ruins of an ancient fortress, and forming another favourite promenade, affording from different points various extensive, romantic, and interesting views of the sea, the neighbouring hills, and the surrounding country.
On the other side of the Castle Hill, separated only by the churchyard, are the new public rooms, handsomely built in the Grecian style of architecture, on ground given by W. E. Powell, Esq., of Nant Eös, from a design by Mr. Repton, at an expense of £2000, raised by subscription in shares of £10 each, and opened to the public in 1820. The suite consists of a very handsome assembly and promenade room, a card-room and a billiard-room. There is a good library in the new market-place; a new theatre has been built on the north parade, and was opened for the first time in the summer of 1833. The church, dedicated to St. Michael, was built by subscription in the year 1787: it is a plain structure, situated within the precincts of the castle, and separated from the walks along the ruins of that edifice by a stone wall erected at the expense of the inhabitants. A gallery was erected in the church at its western end in the year 1790, at an expense of £104 14s., which was defrayed by Mrs. Margaret Pryce. The service is performed in the morning and evening in the English language, and in the afternoon in Welsh; there is likewise service on the evenings of Wednesday in the English, and on the Thursday in the Welsh language.
The augmented population of this place, and the increasing number of visitors during the season, having rendered the erection of another place of worship necessary, a church or chapel has been recently built upon a large scale by subscription, after a plan by Mr. Haycock, of Shrewsbury, in the modern Gothic style, at an expense of £3600, including a grant of £1000 from the parliamentary commissioners, and £400 from the society for the enlargement of churches and chapels: it was consecrated in September, 1833. The parish church is situated at Llanbadarn, at about a mile distant from the town. There is a peculiarity regarding the grave-stones at this place: they are generally fixed in a stack of bricks built up for the purpose, and white-washed, the tablet appearing in front. The surface of the grave is usually paved with a kind of small marble stones, which are found in abundance on the beach. There are also several places of worship for dissenters. Aberystwyth likewise possesses the advantage of a chalybeate spring, situate at a very short distance east of the town. This spring was discovered by a kind of accident in 1779. It is highly spoken of, as containing valuable medicinal properties, and much resembling the Tunbridge waters; but it is always advisable that a physician should be consulted as to the season and extent of its use. To complete the circle of attractions which this interesting place presents, the annual races are here rising into repute; these usually take place in August, in a field near Gogerddan, about three miles from the town. Archery and cricket clubs have also been established, and are upheld with great spirit; and here the lovers of angling may be gratified with their favourite diversion. The Ystwyth and the Rheidiol are in the immediate vicinity; the autumnal fishing for salmon and sewin is excellent; and within a day’s excursion, a variety of lake-fishing will afford capital sport.
Aberystwyth contains many interesting relics of antiquity, and was evidently in the “olden time,” a place of some renown, as well as a scene of some of the unhappy troubles which darkened the reign of Charles the First.
In queen Elizabeth’s reign a company of Germans reaped a large fortune in working the silver mines in the vicinity of this town. Sir Hugh Myddleton, after them, was equally successful, and accumulated £2000 a month out of one silver mine at Bwlch yr Eskir, which enabled him (in 1614) to bring the new river to London. He, again, was succeeded by Mr. Bushell, a servant of Sir Francis Bacon, who also gained such immense profits, that he made Charles the First a present of a regiment of horse, and clothed his whole army; he also furnished the king with a loan of £40,000, which was considered as a gift to supply his necessities; and when that unfortunate monarch was pressed, his devoted subject raised a regiment among his miners at his own charge.
On Pen Dinas, a very high and steep hill, near the bridge over the Rheidiol, is a large entrenchment, still in a good state of preservation, and where, Caradoc informs us, Rhŷs ap Gruffydd, in 1113, encamped his forces, which, by a manœuvre of the English, were enticed from the hill over the bridge, to besiege Aberystwyth castle, where they were surrounded and cut off almost to a man. The tradition of the town attributes this entrenchment to the forces employed by Cromwell to besiege the castle. Opposite this, on a hill at the extremity of the town, are two other entrenchments, in a bad state of preservation and destitute of the tumuli or barrows, often found contiguous to such vestiges in Wales.
Aberystwyth is a place of considerable trade; but the harbour, being a bar harbour, is of uncertain and often dangerous navigation, and frequently choked up, until the land freshes come down, after heavy falls of rain, and force a passage. The trustees, acting under the harbour act passed in 1780, being empowered to raise the sum of £4000 for its improvement, upon mortgage of the dues, and seeing the necessity of doing something more effectually than the works they were occasionally enabled to erect by the expenditure of the annual revenues, which were constantly being swept away by the sea, determined upon employing that eminent engineer and hydrographer, the late Mr. Nimmo, to survey the harbour, and to give his report thereon. The report having been published, by which it appeared that a sum of £10,000 was necessary to carry his suggestions into effect; a committee was formed, who issued a prospectus, soliciting subscriptions from those disposed to aid them in the accomplishment of so desirable an object, and the following munificent donations were immediately made: the Duke of Newcastle, £1000; the Earl of Lisburne, £500; Colonel Powell, M.P. £500; Pryce Pryce, Esq. M.P. £500. The works have since been completed.
The walks and drives in the vicinity are numerous and engaging; and from the number of eminences by which the town is environed on the land side, views the most varied and interesting present themselves to the lover of the picturesque. From the summit of Pen Dinas, he at once beholds three beautiful valleys, with the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidiol winding their devious course on either side beneath his feet. On turning round, he is gratified with a magnificent view of the expansive bay of Cardigan, with its bold coast stretching out on either hand to the extremity of Cardiganshire on the southern side, and that of Caernarvon on the northern; the latter embracing within its range the rocky ridge of Cader Idris and the lofty peaks of Snowdon. The prospect from the summit of Craig-lâs is equally beautiful and diversified. The new line of road to Hereford and Shrewsbury, completed at an expense of £4000, along the opposite bank of the Rheidiol, to the Devil’s Bridge road, and nearly parallel with it, passes through some fine scenery, and the course of the river from the excellent new inn at Ponterwyd is wild and terrific, particularly about the spot called the Parson’s Bridge, half a mile therefrom.
The hotels and inns at Aberystwyth afford every comfort for the entertainment of visitors, and there is every facility of coach travelling to various parts of the country.
THE DEVIL’S BRIDGE,
(Cardiganshire.)
| Aberystwyth | 12 |
| Havod | 4 |
| Llanidloes | 19 |
Pont-y-Mynach, or Pont-ar-Fynach, vulgarly the Devil’s Bridge, near the Havod Arms inn, is a single arch, about 30 feet in the chord, thrown over another arch of less than 20 feet, which spans a dark and tremendous chasm. The under arch is said to have been thrown across by the monks of Ystrad Florida Abbey, about the year 1087; but the country people, thinking so bold an effort above the reach of those ghostly fathers, ascribed it to his Satanic Majesty. The present bridge was built in 1753, at the expense of the county, over the original, which was left standing; and the railings were put up in 1814, by Mr. Johnes, of Havod. It is a most romantic and extraordinary structure.
The scenery in this neighbourhood is inexpressibly grand and sublime—what Byron would call, “a blending of all beauties;” a combination of all those lovely charms and impressive wonders, which Nature has scattered with such exuberant prodigality throughout the mountains and valleys of Wales.
The Havod Arms inn stands on a most interesting site in this locality, and affords excellent accommodation to tourists.
Few persons, whether from North or South Wales, who visit the falls of Pont-y-Mynach, but will be desirous of seeing the celebrated seat of the late Mr. Johnes, at
Havod,
Which is about four miles distant. The mansion was built, and the estate laid out in its present paradisaical state of loveliness, by the late Mr. Johnes, of whom it has been truly said, he made the barren wilderness around him to smile, and converted the worthless heath into waving woods, luxuriant corn fields, and pastures. From October, 1795, to April, 1801, Mr. Johnes planted more than 2,065,000 trees, besides a great number of acres that he sowed with acorns. Since this period the plantations have been extended on the same scale with equal spirit; from one to two hundred thousand trees being planted every year.
The mansion is built of Portland stone, in a somewhat novel mode of architecture, from designs by Mr. Baldwyn of Bath; it combines the distinguishing features of the Moorish and Gothic styles, with turrets and painted windows. It is situated near the banks of the river Ystwyth, and beautifully environed by lofty hills, clothed with oak. The interior of the house corresponds in elegance with the exterior.
A correct idea of the enchanting beauties of the scenery has been left on record by the elegant pen of Mr. Cumberland:—“Havod is a place in itself so pre-eminently beautiful, that it highly merits a particular description. It stands surrounded with so many noble scenes, diversified with elegance as well as with grandeur; the country on the approach to it is so very wild and uncommon, and the place itself is now so embellished by art, that it will be difficult, I believe, to point out a spot that can be put in competition with it, considered either as the object of the painter’s eye, the poet’s mind, or as a desirable residence for those who, admirers of the beautiful wildness of nature, love also to inhale the pure air of aspiring mountains, and enjoy that santo pacé, as the Italians expressively term it, which arises from solitudes made social by a family circle. From the portico it commands a woody, narrow, winding vale; the undulating form of whose ascending shaggy sides are richly clothed with various foliage, broken with silver waterfalls, and crowned with climbing sheep-walks, reaching to the clouds. Neither are the luxuries of life absent; for, on the margin of the Ystwyth, where it flows broadest through this delicious vale, we see hothouses and a conservatory; beneath the rocks, a bath; amid the recesses of the woods, a flower-garden; and within the building, whose decorations, though rich, are pure and simple, we find a mass of rare and valuable literature, whose pages here seem doubly precious, where meditation finds scope to range unmolested.
“In a word, so many are the delights afforded by the scenery of this place and its vicinity, to a mind imbued with any taste, that the impression on mine was increased after an interval of ten years from the first visit, employed chiefly in travelling among the Alps, the Appennines, the Sabine hills, and the Tyrolese; along the shores of the Adriatic, over the Glaciers of Switzerland, and up the Rhine; where, though in search of beauty, I never, I feel, saw any thing so fine—never so many pictures concentrated in one spot; so that, warmed by the renewal of my acquaintance with them, I am irresistibly urged to attempt a description of the hitherto almost virgin-haunts of these obscure mountains.
“Wales, and its borders, both North and South, abound, at intervals, with fine things: Piercefield has grounds of great magnificence, and wonderful picturesque beauty; Downton Castle has a deliciously wooded vale, most tastefully managed; Llangollen is brilliant; the banks of the Conway savagely grand; Barmouth romantically rural; the great Pistyll-y-Rhaiadr is horribly wild; Rhaiadr-y-Wennol gay, and gloriously irregular; each of which merits a studied description. But at Havod and its neighbourhood, I find the effects of all in one circle; united with this peculiarity, the deep dingles, and mighty woody slopes, which, from a different source, conduct the Rheidiol’s never-failing waters from Plinlimmon, and the Mynach, are of an unique character, as mountainous forests, accompanying gigantic size with graceful forms; and taken altogether, I see ‘the sweetest interchange of hill and valley, rivers, woods and plains, and falls, with forests crowned, rocks, dens, and caves,’ insomuch that it requires little enthusiasm there to feel forcibly with Milton—
‘All things that be send up from earth’s great altar
Silent praise.’
“There are four fine walks from the house, chiefly through ways artificially made by the proprietor; all dry, kept clean, and composed of materials found on the spot; which is chiefly a coarse stone, of a greyish cast, friable in many places, and like slate, but oftener consisting of immense masses that cost the miner, in making some parts of these walks, excessive labour; for there are places where it was necessary to perforate the rock many yards, in order to pass a promontory that, jutting across the way, denied further access; and to go round which you must have taken a great tour, and made a fatiguing descent. As it is, the walks are so conducted that few are steep; the transitions easy, the returns commodious, and the branches distinct. Neither are there too many; for much is left for future projectors; and if a man be stout enough to range the underwoods, and fastidious enough to reject all trodden paths, he may, almost every where, stroll from the studied line, till he be glad to regain the friendly conduct of the well-known way. Yet one must be nice, not to be content at first to visit the best points of view by the general routine; for all that is here done has been to remove obstructions, reduce the materials, and conceal the art; and we are no where presented with attempts to force the untamed streams, or indeed to invent any thing, where nature, the great mistress, has left all art behind.”
To this lively delineation, we shall only add one sentence of the Rev. Mr. Warner, who, after visiting this spot, remarks:—“The whole together forms a scene so striking, that while wandering through its ever-changing beauties, we felt no inclination to tax Mr. Cumberland with enthusiasm when he declared that in ten years’ travelling through the Alps, the Appennines, the Sabine hills, and the Tyrolese; the shores of the Adriatic; the Glaciers of Switzerland; and the banks of the Rhine; he never saw any thing so fine—never so many pictures concentrated in one spot.”
The splendid library at Havod was adorned with a most valuable collection of books and manuscripts, which Mr. Johnes had, at an immense expense, brought together, many of which were unique and of the highest historical importance, including those of Sir John Sebright’s collection, in the Welsh language, together with some splendidly illuminated manuscripts of Froissart. These, with several thousand volumes, comprising a complete Don Quixote’s library, with other works of equal rarity, which cannot be replaced, were unfortunately consumed by a fire which destroyed the mansion on March 13, 1807. The origin of this calamity has never been satisfactorily ascertained, neither is it possible to estimate, with any approach to accuracy, the extent of the loss: it has been stated at £70,000. However, Mr. Johnes determined to restore his mansion in the best manner he could, and another collection of books was soon made, founded by the Pesaro library, which Mr. Johnes had purchased in Italy, and was on its way to Havod at the time when the fire occurred.
This highly esteemed, accomplished, and public-spirited gentleman survived the destructive visitation about nine years, during which he was engaged in promoting improvements on his estate. He died at Exeter, and his mortal remains were interred in the family vault at the new church built by himself within the precincts of Havod grounds. His widow survived until October, 1833, when she also died at Exeter, and was buried in the same tomb with her respected husband and their only daughter, who died on the 24th July, 1811, in the 27th year of her age. The family becoming extinct upon the death of the widow, the vault, after her interment, was completely arched over.
The whole of the magnificent estate of Havod was put up to auction by Mr. Robins, in the spring of 1831, and became the property of the Duke of Newcastle, together with the timber, the splendid collection of books and furniture, and the large cellar of choice wines, for which that nobleman is said to have paid about £62,000. The noble duke expended a very large sum in enlarging and improving, and became a most munificent benefactor to the neighbourhood. In 1843, however, it was again submitted to the hammer of Mr. Robins, but no sale was effected. The estate has since been bought of His Grace by H. Bold Houghton, Esq. The purchase-money is said to have been £150,000.
AMLWCH.
(Anglesea.)
| Beaumaris | 16 |
| Holyhead | 20 |
| Llanerch-y-medd | 6 |
| Menai Bridge | 18 |
This is a market town on the coast, chiefly supported by the copper mines, with which the surrounding district abounds. About the year 1766, Amlwch had not more than half-a-dozen houses in the whole parish, but now it contains a population exceeding 6000. It has a capacious harbour, cut out of the solid rock or slate, executed at the expense of the mining companies, capable of admitting thirty vessels of 200 tons burthen, where originally there was only a cleft or opening, too small to receive a single vessel. There are large smelting works for copper erected near the harbour, the property of the mining companies.
In conjunction with Beaumaris, Holyhead, and Llangefni, this town returns one member to parliament. The church, consecrated in 1801, is an elegant building, erected by the Parys mine company, at an expense of £4000. The situation of Amlwch is most salubrious.
The immense treasures contained in the Parys mountain, which is in the immediate vicinity of Amlwch, and to which the town owes its prosperity, were unknown and lay neglected until about the year 1765, when one Frazer, a Scotch miner, came in search of ores, and gave encouragement to other adventurers. Though he discovered copper ore by sinking shafts in the mountain, he was discouraged from proceeding by the influx of water. Sir N. Bailey, grandfather of the Marquis of Anglesea, who had leased the lead mines at Penrhyn-dû, in Caernarvonshire, to the Macclesfield company, bound them to make a spirited effort to work the Parys mine. This they did, but with so little success, that after some time they sent positive orders to the agent to discontinue his operations, and discharge the miners. The agent, however, fortunately disobeyed the injunction; and as a last attempt, collected all his mining force to one spot, where he sunk a shaft, and within seven feet of the surface discovered a body of ore which was worked with great success for many years. This happened on the 2d of March, 1768, whence St. Chad has ever since been a venerated patron of the Anglesea miners.
In the Parys mountain are two mines: of these, that upon the eastern side is called the Mona mine, the entire property of the Marquis of Anglesea, who works it, and also the smelting house at Amlwch. The Parys mine is the joint property of the Marquis of Anglesea and Lord Dinorben, and is now worked by a company. The stranger, in order to see the mines to advantage, should first furnish himself with a guide, to avoid danger, and follow the steps of Mr. Bingley, who thus describes his efforts to gratify his curiosity:—“Having ascended to the top, I found myself standing on the verge of a vast and tremendous chasm. I stept on one of the stages suspended over the edge of the steep, and the prospect was dreadful. The number of caverns at different heights along the sides; the broken and irregular masses of rock which everywhere presented themselves; the multitudes of men at work in different parts, and apparently in the most perilous situations; the motions of the whimsies, and the raising and lowering of the buckets, to draw out the ore and rubbish; the noise of picking the ore from the rock, and of hammering the wadding when it was about to be blasted; with, at intervals, the roaring of the blasts in different parts of the mine—altogether excited the most sublime ideas, intermixed, however, with sensations of terror.
“I left this situation, and followed the road that leads into the mine; and the moment I entered my astonishment was again excited. The shagged arches and overhanging rocks, which seemed to threaten annihilation to any one daring enough to approach them, fixed me almost motionless to the spot. The roofs of the work, having in many places fallen in, have left some of the rudest scenes that the imagination can paint; these, with the sulphureous fumes from the kilns in which the ore is roasted, gave it to me a perfect counterpart to Virgil’s entrance into Tartarus. To look up from hence and observe the people on the stages, a hundred and fifty feet above one’s head; to see the immense number of ropes and buckets, most of them in motion; and to reflect that a single stone, casually thrown from above, or falling from a bucket, might in a moment destroy a fellow-creature—a man must have a strong mind not to feel impressed with most unpleasant sensations.”
The mines are still prolific in their production of copper ore, and afford a great revenue to their proprietors.—There are also alum works, and a green vitriol manufactory in the neighbourhood of these mines. The principal inns at Amlwch are Ty Mawr and the Castle. About four miles distant is Llysdulas, the hospitable seat of Col. Hughes, brother to Lord Dinorben.
BALA,
(Merionethshire.)
| Corwen | 12 |
| Dinas Mowddwy | 18 |
| Dolgellau | 17 |
| Ffestiniog | 19 |
| London | 207 |
| Mawr Twrog | 22 |
Bala, or the Outlet of the Lake, is a small neat town consisting of one long street, with two or three others crossing at right angles, and a population of about 2500. There are two good inns here, the White Lion and the Bull’s Head, the former being an excellent posting house. This town is noted for its trade in woollen stockings, woollen comfortables, and Welsh wigs. Mr. Pennant remarks, that in his time, on a Saturday, their market-day, from two to five hundred pounds worth of these goods were disposed of; but this staple appears to have greatly decreased since that period. Still, however, knitting is here an almost universal employment; and whether you walk in the town, or the country around, you will scarcely ever meet a female unemployed, even while they carry water, or other burdens upon their heads.
Near the south-east end of the town is a high artificial mount, called Tommen-y-Bala, supposed to be of Roman construction: in the summer time it is usually covered, in a picturesque manner, with knitters of all ages. From the summit there is it fine view of Llyn Tegid and the adjacent mountains, which present a particularly grand and majestic aspect in this vicinity, successfully rivalling the glories of Snowdonia. The quarter sessions for the county are held here; and also the spring assizes. The town-hall is a plain building, standing in the principal street. A chapel-of-ease was erected in 1811 by subscription: it is a plain structure, with a low tower, surmounted by a spire. The parish church is situate at Llanycil, about a mile from the town: the service is performed there in the morning, and at Bala in the afternoon. The Rev. Thomas Charles, Calvinistic Methodist, the founder of the Bible Society, resided here. He was a great promoter of education and Sunday schools amongst his countrymen; and compiled a Welsh biblical dictionary in four volumes.
Bala Lake,
Llyn Tegid, or Pimblemere, (for this pool has these various names) is within a quarter of a mile south of the town, and is a fine expanse of water, with well-cultivated, sloping boundaries, clothed in many parts with verdant woods.
Bala and it fine lake (says Mr. Roscoe in his “Wanderings through North Wales,”) have attractions peculiar to themselves. To appreciate them as they deserve, the traveller should first ascend the craggy summit of the neighbouring mountain, and gaze upon the rude glens beyond, through which the boisterous Twrch rushes in a succession of resounding falls. It is by contrasting the wilder and fiercer tracts of the landscape, with its milder features round the quiet hamlet and lake, that we add fresh zest to the interchange of feelings ever open to the Cambrian traveller. Bala lake is the most extensive in Wales, being nearly four miles in length, and three quarters of one in breadth, its banks consequently embracing a circuit of about nine miles. Its greatest depth is forty feet; and the water is said to be so pure, that the nicest chemical tests can detect scarcely any foreign admixture.
Be this as it may, the lake has abundance of pike, perch, trout, eels, and roach, with shoals of a fish called gwyniad, so named from the extreme whiteness of its scales. It is a gregarious fish, often found in the Alpine lakes, more especially those of Switzerland, and dies soon after it is taken. Its weight rarely exceeds four pounds, and its flavour is by many persons considered rather insipid; a circumstance that by no means recommends the gallantry of the late Lord Lyttelton, when he assures his friends that it is so exquisitely delicate as to more than rival in flavour the lips of the fair maids of Bala themselves. But, being so very good, and like the ladies of Bala, perhaps, sensible of their attractions, these fish have the shrewdness to keep out of harm’s way, as we are told, by remaining at the bottom of the water, where they feed on small shells and aquatic plants, from which scarcely any bait will induce them to emerge; they are, therefore, principally taken by nets. The angler may always be certain that, while a cloud rests on Aran, he may save himself the trouble of fishing in the lake. In former times the fishery is stated to have formed part of the possessions attached to Basingwerk Abbey, but has since fallen into the hands of Sir Watkin Williams Wynn, who has pitched his tent, in the shape of a neat sporting-box, quite according to the Irish rule, ‘convanient to the spot.’
Though now so calm and beautiful,—reflecting all the quiet and clearness of the heavens upon its breast, as the swallow skimmed its glassy surface, and the wild-fowl sought their home in its little bays and creeks,—the aspect of Bala Lake, when the storm is up, and ‘the winter wild’ puts on his terrors, can assume a very different kind of beauty. To see it when the autumnal winds ruffle its broad expanse with billows, or the clouds discharge their contents as fiercely as the torrent from the hills,—when the drifting rack and snow-storm mingle the last leaves of the year with the scattered beauty of the meads and gardens, the observer can no longer recognise the least resemblance in the characteristics of the two landscapes, the Bala of the opposite seasons.
Upon the north-east side, the water sometimes rises many feet above its usual level. When the winds and the rains, as I was informed, ‘meet and combine the whole of their forces,’ it is a grand sight to see the lake overshoot its banks, and rush beyond into the valley of old Edeirnion. Once, in the month of June, 1781, a part of the vicinity is believed to have been inundated by one of those singular occurrences, the bursting of an overcharged cloud, called a water-spout, which, however frequently beheld at sea, seldom visits the land. It was attended by terrific lightning and continuous rain, which caused the Twrch—fed by torrents from the Bwlch-y-Groes hills—to overflow and sweep every thing before it. The spoils of fields and villages, and even human life, marked the progress of the flood; and as far as Corwen the rising of the rivers suddenly burst on the ear of the affrighted people. The scene round Bala is recorded by the old inhabitants as heart-rending and terrific. The deep and dismal chasm, spanned by the one-arched bridge through which the stream of the llyn pours its flood down the wildest rocky falls, exhibited a magnificent sight, swelled by the mountain rains into one immense volume of foaming cataract, which again bursting from its black and caverned bed through the wooded glens beyond, rolled its unusual mass of burdened torrents to join the waters of the Twrch. Along the course of the Dee, huge branches, and some of the large forest-trees themselves, which threw a gloomier shadow over the stormy scene, were uprooted by the maddening storm and launched into the yawning flood. The lake rose with the impulse of the storm, till it assumed the aspect of a wild and restless sea, keeping stern music with the crashing of the neighbouring woods and the whistling of the blast, while, drowning the roar of the torrent, the thunder, ever and anon, startled the ear, and occasional flashes illuminating the sky exhibited for a moment the lurid and dreadful scene to view.
Bala is an excellent station for anglers, who are sure of good sport, and a delightful ramble on the banks of the lake.
The River Dee.
The name of the wizard stream is thought to have been derived from the Welsh word Dwfr-Dwy, that is, the waters of the two rivers. Some centuries ago the Dee was held in superstitious veneration by the inhabitants of the country, from what were then believed the miraculous overflowing of its banks at times when there had been no preceding heavy rains: and from its being believed to have foretold some remarkable events by changing its channel. History informs us, that when the Britons, drawn up in battle-array on its banks, had been prepared to engage with their Saxon foes, it was their custom first to kiss the earth, and then for every soldier to drink a small quantity of the water. The name is certainly not derived, as many have supposed, from dû, black; for, except when tinged by the torrents from the mountain morasses, its waters are perfectly bright and transparent. In Spenser’s description of Caer Gai, the dwelling of old Timon, foster-father of Arthur, the colour of the Dee is considered very different from black:
“Lowe in a valley green.
Under the foot of Rawran mossie o’er,
From whence the river Dee, as silver clene.
His tempting billows roll with gentle roar.”
That lover of the marvellous, Giraldus Cambrensis, informs as very gravely, that the river Dee runs through Bala lake, and is discharged at the bridge near the town without their waters becoming mixed. He, doubtless, means to say, that the river might be traced by its appearance from one end of the lake to the other. Giraldus has the reputation of being very credulous.
The Dee, descending from Bala lake, passes under a small bridge, at the opposite end of which it enters, and from which the channel of the river is formed. It then winds along the beautiful vale of Corwen, about four miles below which it washes the eastern side of Denbighshire, and passing the bridge at Llangollen, it very soon forms the boundary division between England and Wales. Its chief tributaries are the Alwen, which has its rise in one of the lakes on the western part of the county; the Ceiriog, which descends from the slate mountains near Chirk; the Clywedog, which it receives below Bangor Is-y-coed; and the Alun, which rises in the mountains about Llandegla. It flows northward to Chester, Flintshire, and the Irish sea.
Close to Bala, on the Corwen road, is Rhiwlas, the seat of R. W. Price, Esq.: the house is situated on an eminence, in the midst of extensive grounds, and forms an interesting object, being profusely decorated with an evergreen, which likewise adorns the lodge-gates. A considerable stream, called the Tryweryn, which runs through the domain, adds much to the general beauty of this pretty retreat.
BANGOR.
(Caernarvonshire.)
| Abergele | 27 |
| Beaumaris, by the bridge | 6½ |
| Caernarvon | 9 |
| Capel Curig | 14½ |
| Conway | 14½ |
| Holyhead | 24 |
| London, by Chester | 251 |
| — by Shrewsbury | 237 |
| Plas Newydd | 5 |
| Penmaen Mawr | 8½ |
Bangor, (from ban côr, the high and beautiful choir,) is a small but neatly built town, and the most ancient see in the Principality. Its present population, 7232. It has been much improved within the last few years, especially since the erection of the Menai Bridge, which has attracted numerous visitors anxious to see one of the finest works of human skill, though still inconsiderable in comparison with its importance in ancient times, when it was denominated Bangor Vawr, or the Great Bangor, probably to distinguish it from Bangor Is-y-coed in Flintshire. The town is delightfully situated in a sheltered vale, between two high ridges of slate rock, at the mouth of the Menai Straits, of which it commands a beautiful prospect.
Bangor and its environs have the advantage of an almost inexhaustible diversity of walks, rides, and sea excursions; and in addition to these highly interesting facilities, several new roads and path-ways have recently been completed and generously thrown open to the public by the spirited proprietors of the Pen’r-allt estate, who disposed of that valuable property to various persons, for the erection of villas, ornamental marine residences, lodging houses, and public baths.
Garth-point, the eastern extremity of the Pen’r-allt property, a short distance from the city, where a ferry crosses to the Anglesea shore, is unrivalled for the sublimity, picturesque beauty, and variety of its surrounding objects, consisting of an immense expanse of seas, mountains, lowlands, and plantations. To the left, on the Anglesea coast, are seen an extensive sloping wood and a pretty marine cottage, forming part of the domain of Baron Hill, the splendid mansion of Sir R. B. W. Bulkeley, Bart. M.P.; the town, castle, church, and bay of Beaumaris; and about five miles further, to the north-east, Puffin or Priestholm Island, with its tower and semaphore. To the right, on the Caernarvonshire coast, the majestic promontory of Great Orme’s Head (abounding with copper ore) stands boldly forward, apparently isolated, its rugged front protruding like a rocky fortress into the sea, to guard the entrance to the Menai Straits; Little Orme’s Head, Conway Bay, Penmaen Bâch, Pen-dyffryn, the residence of Sir Chas. Smith; Penmaen Mawr, Bryn-y-neuadd, the seat of John Wynne, Esq.; Prince Llywelyn’s Tower, the Pass, village and church of Aber, the property of Sir Richard Bulkeley. To the south-east of which appear, in pre-eminent height and grandeur, the cloud-capt Carnedd Llywelyn and Carnedd Dafydd, in “Snowdon’s Alpine range;” Penrhyn Castle, the superb mansion of the Hon. Col. Douglas Pennant, M.P.; Port Penrhyn with its numerous shipping; the spacious Penrhyn Arms Inn and pleasure grounds; Hirael quay and shore; forming altogether, in one expansive view, a glorious panorama of at least thirty miles in circuit.
At the egress of the river Cegid into the Menai, a commodious harbour has been formed, called Port Penrhyn, which is capable of admitting and securing vessels of three hundred tons burden. The quay is upwards of three hundred yards long, and an immense tonnage of slates brought by railway from the quarries about six miles distant, is thence shipped to all parts of the world. A neat stone bridge over the river Cegid connects the quay with the city. The market at Bangor is held on Friday.
There are several excellent inns, where the traveller will find the best accommodations, as well as post-chaises and cars, with “good horses and careful drivers.” The Penrhyn Arms Hotel, a short distance from the town, is really a princely establishment, on an extensive and admirable scale of management. The Castle, Liverpool Arms, and Royal Oak inns, have also a good reputation.
The following extract from Dr. Johnson’s diary, when he visited this city in 1774, in company with Mr. and Mrs. Thrale, will exhibit the progress of improvement at Bangor in a very advantageous point of light:—“At evening (says he) the moon shone eminently bright, and our thoughts of danger (on passing Penmaen Mawr) being now past, the rest of our journey was very pleasant. At an hour somewhat late, we came to Bangor, where we found a very mean inn, and had some difficulty of obtaining a lodging. I lay in a room where the other bed had two men.” What a contrast to the splendid accommodation now obtainable by tourists at this popular watering-place! Within the last twenty years, the population has been quadrupled, almost all the town built or rebuilt, all the old roads altered or widened, and new ones formed in the direction of London and Holyhead.
The facilities for travelling are abundant:—In summer there are steam-packets everyday to and from Liverpool; and in winter, two or three every week. The London mail passes through Bangor each way every day, also the Chester and Liverpool mail; and besides these, there are daily coaches to London, Chester, Liverpool, Caernarvon, Pwllheli, and Barmouth.
Three banks have been recently established at Bangor, one of which is a branch of the Chester bank of Messrs. Williams and Co., at the Cottage, the bottom of Waterloo-street; another, a branch of the North and South Wales bank, in High-street, nearly opposite the Market-place; and the third, a branch of the National Provincial, in the same street. By the Reform Act, Bangor was made a contributory borough in returning a member of parliament for Caernarvon; W. B. Hughes, Esq. is the present member.
The Cathedral
stands on a low piece of ground near the centre of the town, and externally has but a humble appearance. It was founded about 525, by Daniel, son of Dinothus, abbot of Bangor Is-y-coed, in Flintshire, under the auspices of Maelgwm Gwynedd, king of Wales, founder of Penmon, patron of Taliesin, and the most liberal prince of his time, though much abused by Gildas, who calls him Insularum Draco, because he resisted the innovations which Pope Gregory wished to introduce into the British church by means of Augustine the monk, and which gave rise to the denunciatory ode of Taliesin—
“Gwa ’r offeiriaid mud.”
The mother church suffered greatly at different periods during the civil commotion. It was destroyed in 1071, but soon afterwards rebuilt; and in 1212, when King John invaded the country, having passed Conway, he halted at Aber, and sent part of his army to burn Bangor. The city was destroyed, and Robert of Shrewsbury, then bishop of that see, carried prisoner to the English camp. He was afterwards ransomed for two hundred hawks. The prelate was, however, suffered to remain here, although incapable of performing his duty effectively, on account of his ignorance of the language of the people. At his death, in accordance with his own request, he was interred in the market-place at Shrewsbury. He was the original compiler of the wonderful legend of St. Winifrede, afterwards enlarged by Bishop Fleetwood. In the year 1402, the sacred edifice was again reduced to ruin by the rage of Owen Glyndwr (who was infuriated by his wrongs and sufferings), and lay in ruins ninety years, when the choir was restored by Bishop Deane or Deny. The body and tower now existing were built by Bishop Skeffington in 1532.
Some considerable improvements were completed in the cathedral in 1827, by the outlay of £2000 from the tithes of Llanddinam, in Montgomeryshire, appropriated by an act of James the Second, 1685, for the repairs of Bangor cathedral, and £2000 collected in different parts of the united kingdom, by the praiseworthy and indefatigable exertions of the Rev. J. H. Cotton, LL.B., then precentor and senior vicar, but now dean, the whole of which has been expended in the most advantageous manner, under his superintendence, and will remain a lasting monument of his zeal and perseverance. Some years ago, the citizens of Bangor originated a subscription to this estimable dignitary, in acknowledgment of the many good services he had rendered to the city and neighbourhood. The worthy dean, with his characteristic regard for the fabrics as well as the doctrines of the church, devoted the sum to the ornamenting the cathedral with a splendid painted window,—a lasting memorial of the respect and veneration in which he is held, and of his praiseworthy disinterestedness.
The 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 Henry the Third, various manors, ferries, and grants from the revenues of the Principality, allotted to the see.
Here was anciently a parish church, built in 975, by king Edgar, situated about 400 yards north-east of the cathedral, and called Llanvair Edward Vrenin. Bishop Skeffington, in Henry the Eighth’s time, caused it to be taken down, and repaired the present church with the materials. Here, likewise, near the sea shore, Tudor ab Gronwy, of Penmynydd and Tre’r Castell, in Anglesea, founded a house of Black Friars, and was interred there in 1311. In an old monody to this individual are the following lines:—
For Tudor dead, the tears incessant flow,
And Bangor suffers in the general woe.
The free school was founded in 1557, by Dr. Jeffrey Glynn, upon the site of this building. It has long enjoyed reputation as a training seminary for Oxford, Cambridge, and Trinity College, Dublin. The environs are well cultivated and picturesque, and are interspersed with handsome residences, amongst which is that of the bishop’s palace.
On the summit of a steep rock, opposite Friars’ School, are to be traced the remains of an ancient castle, supposed to have been built by Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester, in the reign of Henry the Second. Several pieces of scoria have been found on the spot, which leave no doubt that arrows have been manufactured there at some very distant period. On the extreme height of the opposite hill, at the back of Friars’ School, are the remains of a British encampment, on an extensive scale, of more ancient date than the preceding. These interesting objects will be found, on investigation, well worthy the notice of the antiquary. It is conjectured, that the British encampment alluded to, communicated, to the southward, with Dinas Dinorwic, near Llandeiniolen, as that renowned British station is distinctly seen from this spot; and also with another to the east, called Braich-y-Ddinas, situate on the summit of Penmaen Mawr.
An elegant Roman Catholic chapel has recently been erected in the suburbs of the city, on the Caernarvon road.
Pleasant excursions may be made from Bangor to Conway, Caernarvon, Beaumaris, Amlwch, Plâs Newydd, Aber, Port Penrhyn, Priestholm or Puffin Island, Penrhyn Castle, the Llandegai slate quarries, and Snowdon. In fact, the locality abounds with objects of natural beauty and historical interest.
Great Suspension Bridge.
Within about two miles from Bangor, near the spot where the old ferry was, stands that stupendous monument of human skill, the Menai Bridge.
The erection of this bridge was for several years in contemplation before it was finally determined upon. In 1810 and 1811, several plans were submitted to a committee of the House of Commons, and particularly one in the latter year, by Mr. Telford, proposing a bridge of cast iron, the expense of which was estimated at £127,000; but the difficulty of fixing a proper centring, owing to the rocky bottom of the channel, and the depth and rapidity of the tide-way, caused this project to be abandoned. In 1818, a new plan was presented by the same engineer, for a bridge on the suspension principle. In developing this plan, Mr. Telford remarks, “The iron hanging bridge over the Menai to consist of one opening of 560 feet between the points of suspension; in addition to which there are to be seven arches, four on the coast of Anglesea, and three on that of Caernarvonshire, each 60 feet in the span, making the total length of the bridge 910 feet; the height above the level of high water line to be 100 feet. The road-way will embrace two carriage ways, each twelve feet in breadth, with a foot-path of four feet between them. The whole is to be suspended from four lines of strong iron cables, by perpendicular iron rods placed five feet apart, and these rods will support the road-way framing. The suspending power is calculated at 2016 tons, and the weight to be suspended, exclusive of the cables, is 343 tons, leaving a disposable power of 1674 tons.
“The four sides of the road-ways will be made of framed iron work, firmly bound together for seven feet in height, and there will be a similar work for five feet in depth below the cables. The weight of the whole bridge between the points of suspension will be 489 tons. The abutments will consist of the masonry, comprising the extreme stone-work, the two piers, and the seven arches before mentioned: each of the two piers will be 60 feet by 40½ wide at high water mark, having a foundation of rock. Upon the summit of the two main piers, will be erected a frame of cast-iron work, of a pyramidal form, for the purpose of raising the cables from which the bridge is to be suspended.” The probable cost of erecting this structure Mr. Telford estimated at £60,000, or, allowing for any unforeseen charges, at most £70,000, about one-fourth of the calculated expense of the cast-iron bridge on the old plan.
The following particulars we extract from Dr. Pring’s Narrative of the Grand Menai Suspension Bridge, published immediately on its completion. “The first stone of this national bridge was laid without any ceremony on the 10th August, 1820, by Mr. Provis, resident engineer. On the 26th April, 1825, the first chain of this stupendous work was thrown over the straits of Menai, in the presence of an immense concourse of people. At half-past two o’clock, it then being about half flood tide, the raft prepared for the occasion, stationed on the Caernarvonshire side, near Treborth mill, which supported the part of the chain intended to be drawn over, began to move gradually from its moorings, towed by four boats, with the assistance of the tide, to the centre of the river, between the two grand piers. When the raft was adjusted, and brought to its ultimate situation, it was made fast to several buoys, anchored in the channel for that purpose. A part of the chain, pending from the apex of the suspending pier on the Caernarvonshire side down nearly to high-water mark, was then made fast by a bolt, to the part of the chain laying on the raft; which operation was completed in ten minutes.
“The next process was the fastening of the other extremity of the chain on the raft to two blocks of immense size and power, for the purpose of hoisting it up to its intended station, the apex of the suspension pier on the Anglesea side. When the blocks were made secure to the chain (comprising 25 tons weight of iron), two capstans, and also, two preventive capstans, commenced working, each capstan being propelled by thirty-two men. To preserve an equal tenison in the rotatory evolutions of the two principal capstans, two fifers played several enlivening tunes, to keep the men regular in their steps, for which purpose they had been previously trained. At this critical and interesting juncture, the attention of every one present seemed rivetted to the novel spectacle: the chain rose majestically, and the gratifying sight was enthusiastically enjoyed by all present in ‘breathless silence!’ At ten minutes before five o’clock, the final bolt was fixed, which completed the whole line of chain, and the happy event was hailed by the hearty acclamations of the spectators. Not the least accident, delay, or failure, occurred in any department during the whole of the operation. From the moving of the raft to the uniting of the chain, only two hours and twenty-five minutes transpired. Upon the completion of the chain, three of the workmen passed along its upper surface, which forms a curvature of 590 feet; the versed sine of the arch is 43 feet. The sixteenth chain, completing the whole line of suspension, was curried over on the 9th of July following.
“The general opening of the bridge took place on Monday, January 30th, 1826. The royal London and Holyhead mail coach, carrying the London mail-bag for Dublin, passed over at one o’clock, a.m. and the first carriage that passed was that of Augustus Elliott Fuller, Esq., one of the commissioners, drawn by four beautiful greys; the first stage coach was the Pilot, a Bangor and Caernarvon day coach; the first London stage coach was the Oxonian. These were followed by the carriage of Sir David Erskine, Bart., late proprietor of the ferry, drawn by four elegant greys, decorated with ribbons, and by several gentlemen’s carriages, landaus, gigs, cars, &c. and a long train of horsemen. Numerous flags were flying; and cannons, stationed on each side of the bridge, were discharged at intervals during the day.
“The dimensions of the bridge are as follows:—The extreme length of the chain, from the fastenings in the rock, is about 1715 feet; the height of the road-way from high water line, is 100 feet; each of the seven small piers from high water line to the spring of the arches, is 65 feet; the span of each arch is 52½ feet. Each of the suspending piers is 53 feet above the road; the roads on the bridge consist of two carriage-ways of 12 feet each, with a foot-path of four feet in the centre; the length of the suspended part of the road from pier to pier is 553 feet; the carriage-road passes through two arches in the suspending piers, of the width of 9 feet by 15 feet in height to the spring of the arches. To counteract the contraction and expansion of the iron from the effects of the change of the atmosphere, a set of rollers are placed under cast-iron saddles on the top of the suspending piers where the chains rest; the vertical rods an inch square, suspended from the chains, support the sleepers for the flooring of the road-way, the rods being placed 5 feet from each other. The chains, sixteen in number, consist of five bars each; length of the bars 10 feet, width 3 inches by 1 inch, with six connecting lengths at each joint, 1 foot 4 inches by 8 inches, and 1 inch thick, secured by two bolts at each joint, each bolt weighing about 50 pounds; and the total number of the bars in the cross-section of the chain is 80. The total weight of iron-work is 4,373,281 pounds.”
The pen and pencil of genius have frequently been employed to delineate the Menai Bridge, and whatever difference of taste may have prevailed in determining the character of the various sketches, all writers have been unanimous in their admiration of the intellect which could devise, and the skill which could erect this magnificent and astonishing structure. The approach by water has been thus described:—“When, on entering the straits, 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 shews 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 it 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.”
Another tourist gives the subjoined outline, while surveying the attractive object on the spot:—“Having landed by means of boats on the Anglesea side, we proceeded to the bridge, the visiting of which is a new era in the lives of those who have not before had that pleasure, and is a renewed luxury to those who have seen it again and again. Our party walked over the bridge slowly, because there was something to be admired at every step;—the effect of a passing carriage; the vibration caused even by a hand applied to the suspending rods; the depth to the level of the water; the fine view of the straits in both directions; the lofty pillar erected in honour of the Marquis of Anglesea; the diminutive appearance of persons on the shore; the excellence and strength of the workmanship; the beauty of the arches over the road through the suspension piers, and the echo in them; all conspired to delight and to detain us. Many of our party then went down the steep bank to the foot of the bridge, from which point, certainly, the best view is to be had of the whole structure, inasmuch as by being in contact, as it were, with its proportions on terra firma, a better idea can be formed of its real, and indeed wonderful dimensions. We actually lingered about the spot careless of time, or of aught but the scene we were contemplating.”
From the Suspension Bridge to Beaumaris, the road is exquisitely beautiful: it follows the line of the winding and indented shore of the Menai: now commanding an extensive view of the noble bay, and its lofty encircling mountains—now entering the woods of Baron Hill, scarcely protected from the precipice, the base of which is washed by the waves, which are heard chafing against the rock below—again it emerges from the woods, and the whole glorious panorama bursts on the sight: the beautiful town of Beaumaris lying at your feet, whilst the Ormeshead, Penmaen Mawr, the Nant Francon mountains, and the more distant range of Snowdonia, with Penrhyn Castle and Bangor, terminating with nature’s great rival, the Bridge, form a prospect of remarkable beauty and sublimity.
The Menai Straits, which separate Anglesea from the main land, although bearing the appearance of a river, are formed by an arm of the sea; the navigation of which is peculiarly dangerous at particular times of the tide, and in stormy weather. At each extremity, during the flood, it has a double current, from the concussion of which, termed Pwll Ceris, it is perilous to encounter it; and so tremendous are the storms with which the straits are occasionally disturbed, that before the erection of the Menai Bridge, a tempestuous day has been sufficient to suspend the intercourse of England with Ireland, the high road to which, via Holyhead, lies through Anglesea. Within the range of the coast, a distance of about fifteen miles, there are six ferries; the first of which, to the south, is Aber-Menai, nearly opposite Caernarvon, and the sixth, and widest at high water, is between the village of Aber and Beaumaris.
Nicholson, in his Cambrian Guide, says, “There appears but little doubt of Anglesea having been once connected with the main land, as evident traces of an isthmus are discernible near Porthaethwy ferry; where a dangerous line of rocks nearly crosses the channel, and causes 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.” In support of this hypothesis, the author of Beaumaris Bay quotes the following historical facts:—“In the year 61, the Roman infantry, under Suetonius, crossed the Menai on a bridge of boats, to Pant-yr-Ysgraffiau (the inlet of the skiffs) under Porthamael, while the cavalry forded it below Llanidan. Edward the First also crossed the strait in the same manner at Moel-y-don, but suffered severely from an unfortunate attack, on the return of the tide; several of his leading warriors now lying in the chapel of the Friary, near Beaumaris.”
Railway Bridge across the Menai.
In the original prospectus for the construction of the Chester and Holyhead railway, it was proposed to carry the line across the suspension bridge which has just been described; the engines to be detached from the trains at each end of the bridge, and the carriages to be conveyed over by horses. The government very properly objected to an arrangement which would have been in all respects a great public inconvenience. It was then proposed to cross the Straits in the vicinity of the Britannia rock, a little to the southward of the suspension bridge, by a bridge of two cast-iron arches supported on piers of masonry. This project was opposed by the trustees of the Caernarvon harbour, as a dangerous interference with the free navigation of the Straits, which had always been of a difficult and intricate character. A long and anxious investigation of this matter ended in a proposal by Mr. Robert Stephenson, the eminent engineer to the railway company, to construct a mode of transit, which should be perfectly unobjectionable. In May, 1845, that gentleman explained to a committee of the House of Commons, to whom the Chester and Holyhead Railway Bill had been referred, that the engineers sent down by the Board of Admiralty to Bangor having reported that the proposed two-arched bridge would be injurious to the navigation, and recommended one of a much greater width, and of a flat surface, without any arch; he (Mr. Stephenson) had been under the necessity of preparing himself to carry out those suggestions. He was apprehensive that owing to the expansion and contraction of iron, in a position where the ends, as in an arch, are jammed down on immovable piers of masonry, the fabric of an iron arch of such great width might not be free from danger; and a suspension bridge would not be safely available as a railway for locomotive engines. He had therefore come to the conclusion, that a tube or tunnel, of wrought iron, large enough for the passage of trains, would be the most feasible plan, embracing safety for the navigation, and creating no delay to the transit of the railway carriages over the straits. The tube would be 900 feet in length, supported at the centre in a pier of masonry, about 100 feet high, erected on the Britannia rock. The ends would not be jammed, as in the case of an arch, but left free, so as to admit of expansion in the metal arising from the change of temperature. The practicability and safety of this novelty in engineering science, were attested by several witnesses of competent skill and ability; and the plan was ultimately sanctioned by Parliament. The pier of masonry to be erected on the Britannia rock, which lies about mid-way across the stream, is to have four sides, each of 50 feet width; the water-way on each side of the pier to be 450 feet wide; the height and shape of the Menai suspension bridge to be maintained in the construction of the proposed tunnel, with the same clear headway for the free passage of vessels navigating the straits. At a meeting of the Chester and Holyhead Railway Company, in August 1845, the report presented by the board of management contained the following passages:—
“With reference to the magnitude, as well as the novelty of the work, your directors deemed it essential that the plan of crossing the Menai Straits, proposed by Mr. Stephenson, the company’s engineer, should be subjected to the test of experiments. Those experiments have been in progress for some time, and are now nearly completed. The results as at present shewn are extremely satisfactory, confirming most strongly the soundness of the principle, and giving the most perfect confidence to your directors, with regard to the proposed stupendous structure, that its erection will be easy, and that its security will be complete and lasting. So satisfied is Mr. Stephenson with the comparative strength, durability, and economy of this new method of bridge-building, that he purposes adopting it also for the crossing of the river at Conway.”
In the spring of 1846, contracts for the erection of this novel bridge over the Menai were entered into; the works are now in progress; and this singular triumph of engineering skill will afford another extraordinary instance of the achievements of railway enterprise; and add another to the many wonders of nature and art, which abound throughout this attractive district of the Principality.
Penrhyn Castle,
The magnificent seat of the Hon. E. Douglas Pennant, M.P. for Caernarvonshire, is within an easy walk of Bangor. The present castle is said to have been built on the site of a palace of Roderic Molwynog, prince of Wales, who began his reign in 720, and long continued in possession of the Welsh sovereigns. This ancient demesne has been a favourite subject of the British muse from the earliest times.
Abode of native chiefs, of bards the theme,
Here princely Penrhyn soars above the stream,
And phœnix-like, in rising splendour drest,
Shews on its wide domain a regal crest;
Here Cambria opes her tomes of other days,
And with maternal pride, the page displays—
Dwells on the glorious list, and loves to trace
From Britain’s genuine kings—her noblest race.
The estate came into the family of Pennant, partly by the purchase of the late Lord Penrhyn’s father (John Pennant, Esq.), and partly by his own marriage with Anne Susannah, daughter and sole heiress of the late-General Warburton, of Winnington, in Cheshire. By this matrimonial compact, the two moieties, which had for some time been divided, became united: and his lordship having no issue, the immense estates devolved upon the late George Hay Dawkins Pennant, Esq., whose daughter married the present respected possessor. The lady with whose hand so wealthy a dowry was bestowed, died in the year 1842, and in January, 1846, the Hon. E. D. Pennant married Lady Louisa Fitzroy, the accomplished daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Grafton. Lord Penrhyn made very considerable alterations in the mansion; and his immediate successor, whose public spirit well accorded with that of his lordship, and whose generous munificence endeared him to the surrounding district, was long engaged in rebuilding it, in a magnificent style, so as to render it one of the most complete edifices in the kingdom. It is erected in the boldest style of castellated architecture, of Mona marble, and displays a magnificent range of buildings, crowned with lofty towers, of which five are circular; the keep, and another of the principal towers are square, with angular turrets. The internal decorations correspond with the grandeur of the exterior; the mantle-pieces and other ornaments being made of Mona marble, which admits of a very high polish: the furniture is also extremely elegant. The situation is most picturesque and imposing, and commands a glorious, extensive, and diversified prospect of marine and mountain scenery. There are several lodges forming entrances to the park, all elegant in their design, and lofty in their elevation; the principal one, which is near the junction of the London and Chester roads, being a stately and beautiful specimen of the architecture of the whole. A grand massive substantial gateway, on a corresponding plan, has been completed; together with a handsome park wall, thirteen feet high, and seven miles in circuit.
There is an elegant chapel near the castle, for the accommodation of the family; and on the beach are handsome and commodious hot and cold baths. The stables are upon a noble and extensive scale. The building has a handsome façade, fronted with patent slate, and the pilasters which divide the stalls, as well as the mangers, are of the same material. Indeed, this very valuable article appears to be converted, on the Penrhyn demesne, to every possible use. The park is fenced with narrow upright slate slabs, cut in imitation of palisadoes, and fixed by pins to oaken railings, which find their support in posts formed of cubic slate.
In this mansion is still preserved a hirlas, or drinking horn of the hero, Piers Gruffydd, perhaps the only elegant specimen of that kind of utensil, elucidatory of ancient manners, at present existing. It is a large bugle, of an ox’s horn, ornamented with enchased silver, and suspended by a chain of the same metal, having the initials of his own name and family engraved at the end. Piers Gruffydd owned Penrhyn estate in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and joined the fleet of Sir Francis Drake, in a vessel which he purchased and equipped at his own cost. He was afterwards in the gallant action with the Spanish Armada. In the royal court of Cambria, there were legally three sorts of horns for the purpose of public or private libations. The first was y corn ydd yuo y brenin, or the one solely appropriated to the king’s use; second, corn cyweithas, by which the domestics of the palace were summoned to duty; and third, corn y pencynydd, committed to the custody of the chief huntsman. On grand occasions, the domestics of the palace were permitted to drink out of the sovereign’s horn; and the chamberlain or high steward, on such occasions, furnished handsome potations of the generous metheglin. The contents of the horn at these times assumed the name of the sacred potion, similar to the wassail bowl, or the apostle’s cup, in use among the Saxons. Ulphus, when he conveyed certain lands to the church at York, is said to have quaffed off the contents of such a vessel, drinking a health, Deo et sancto Petro (to God and St. Peter). On festive days, the imperative custom was to empty the horn at one tip, and instantly blow it, as a testimony that it had been thoroughly drained.
The improvements made by the late Lord Penrhyn in this very interesting parish and its flourishing neighbourhood were most comprehensive and important. The aspect of the country has, in fact, been thoroughly changed; and profitable employment found for thousands of the working population. About forty years ago, this part of the country bore a most wild, barren, and neglected appearance; but it is now covered with handsome villas, well-built farm-houses, neat cottages, rich meadows, well-cultivated fields, and flourishing plantations; bridges have been built, new roads made, bogs and swampy grounds drained and cultivated, neat fences raised, and barren rocks covered with woods.
Slate Quarries.
The slate quarries at Cae Braich-y-Cefn (about six from Bangor), in the vicinity of Nant Francon, the most considerable in Wales, are the property of the family of Penrhyn Castle. The rock has been opened at vast expense, and the quarries are worked with great judgment and enterprise. There are more than 2000 persons continually employed; and it is computed that about two hundred tons of slates are daily conveyed down to Port Penrhyn, whence they are exported to various parts of the kingdom, to Ireland, and to America. These quarries were discovered so far back as the time of Queen Elizabeth. In 1740 the slates were all of one size, and very small. But when Lord Penrhyn took the quarries into his own hands, about 1782, his lordship cleared the rubbish, which had been accumulating for ages, and opened these quarries in a judicious and scientific manner. His lordship also constructed an iron railway from the quarries to Port Penrhyn, a distance of six miles, which is said to have cost £170,000. The weekly wages now paid to the workmen engaged in these quarries amount to about £1700.
On the arrival of a visitor, he should, if possible, obtain permission to accompany one of the overlookers of the works in his round, rather than trust to the casual guidance of any idler who may be found lurking about with the intention to profer assistance; as the sole object of the latter is to procure payment, without giving himself much trouble in pointing out the wonders of the place. Should he be successful, the intelligent and communicative spirit of his guide will amply repay the difficulty he may have experienced in finding him.
He will be conducted to every ledge of the mountain, up an inclined plane, till he reaches the summit, and will have an opportunity of seeing the whole process of the slate manufacture. In one place he will discover the workmen aloft, suspended by ropes against the precipitous side of the rock, busily employed in splitting down every projecting shelf of the blue steganium; in another, persons employed in the laborious occupation of boring for the purpose of filling the orifice with gunpowder, to rend the rock from the immense mass to which it is attached; others occupied in removing the rubbish, of which so many years’ labour has produced a wonderful accumulation; and numbers in splitting the detached masses, and cutting them into a variety of sizes, denominated duchesses, countesses, ladies, &c. which names were bestowed by General Warburton about the year 1765. This process is executed with astonishing rapidity. Then may be heard the alarum shout, betokening that a fusee is lighted and will soon explode, warning those employed in the vicinity to secure themselves from danger; and in a few moments, the explosion itself rattles through the extensive levels with terrific grandeur. It cannot be expected that accidents amongst the workmen are of rare occurrence; on the contrary, they too frequently happen, for scarce a week passes without some poor fellows meeting with severe bodily injury; but this is solely attributed to their own negligence of the proper precaution.
Portions of the mountain are farmed by individuals, who pay a price consonant with the value or quality of the substratum, and employ workmen to remove and fit it for exportation; when they receive so much per thousand, in the same ratio, for their labour. There is a strong spring of water at the top of the mountain, which is conveyed by a large wooden pipe to the bottom, and there rendered serviceable in turning an immense cutting mill. A few hundred yards distant, also, are several mills of this description, where large pieces of rock are cut into grave-stones, and into the requisite sizes for roofing houses, and for the use of schools, &c.
St. Ann’s chapel, near the quarries, was erected and liberally endowed by the late Lord Penrhyn; and Lady Penrhyn left a sum for an organ, and a suitable stipend for the organist.—Within a short distance of the slate quarries is the charming cottage of the late Lady Penrhyn, called
Ogwen Bank.
It is now used by Mr. Pennant’s family as an occasional resort on paying a morning visit to the quarries, or other objects of curiosity in the neighbourhood. The style is florid Gothic, and shows great taste in the design. The centre contains an elegant room, the front of it forming a segment of a circle; the wings contain a coach house and stabling. Over the river Ogwen is a bridge corresponding with the architecture of the house. This beautiful cottage is hid from the road by the trees and plantation; Llwyd calls it “the Eden of the Mountains.”
Before quitting this remarkably interesting vicinity, we take leave to quote the following description from the graphic pen of Miss Costello:—
“From Bangor the lofty towers and turrets of Penrhyn Castle are conspicuous in the scenery, and have a very grand and imposing appearance, more so than any modern erection of the kind I ever saw. The building stands on a commanding height, and from its elevation has a magnificent view of Beaumaris Bay, and all the wide sweep of the sea, Puffin or Priestholm Island and a great part of Anglesea, the fine bold rock of the Great Orme’s Head, said to have once been dedicated to Serpent worship, and the range of the Caernarvonshire mountains.
“So stately, so massive, and so stupendous is this castle, that it scarcely seems the work of a modern architect; and if there had been more simplicity observed in its construction, it might well pass for a genuine Roman castle. The enormous profusion of ornament with which the doors, windows, staircases, halls, and ceilings are covered, betray the effort made to render that complete which would have been more so with less pains. The involved pillars, the redundant zigzags, the countless grotesque heads, of all sizes, grinning from all heights, the groves of slender columns, the circular arches, the semi-pointed arcades, form a maze of architecture such as never could have before, in any age, appeared on one spot.
“To wander through the wondrous halls of Penrhyn is like struggling along in a bewildered dream, occasioned by having studied some elaborate work on the early buildings of the Saxons and Normans. The eyes are dazzled and the mind confused with the quick succession of astonishing forms; but the result is rather wonder at the imagination or close copying of the artist, and at the enormous wealth which could repay such an exertion of skill, than admiration of the beauty created. Mona marble and fine stone furnish materials for all these sculptured treasures, and slate enters into much of the adornment; for close by are the famous slate-quarries, which have produced the enormous sums expended on this erection. In order to shew what can be done with slate, various articles of furniture are placed in the rooms occupying the places usually filled by carved wood and marble; chimney-pieces and tables of polished slate are seen, but the great triumph is a bedstead, beautifully carved, which, though far from elegant, is yet exceedingly curious.
“The library and drawing-rooms are very fine, and have even a comfortable appearance: all the house is gorgeously decorated, and all its laboured splendour announces such immense riches, that it seems as though the gnomes who work gold and silver in the neighbouring hills had all been made slaves of some potent lamp or ring, and had worked incessantly for years in the construction and adornment of the most gigantic mass of architecture that ever was beheld. There are, however, very few specimens of the higher order of art; a few portraits are to be found in one room, which are curious. In particular I was struck with a likeness of the celebrated Anne Clifford, of Cumberland, when a child: she is dressed in a stiff black dress, all over buttons and ornaments, and from under her arm peeps a hideous little dog. As, in her memoirs, she dwells a good deal on her own beauty, one cannot but smile at this comment on her vanity, for, unless the artist did her great injustice, she must have been a singularly ugly child. Two portraits of the Countess of Derby are remarkable: one has a child’s doll lying on a table near her, and in the other she is represented holding a feather fan, and covered and half smothered with elaborate ruffs which seem to bristle up in every part of her attire.
“The famous hirlas horn, belonging to an ancient Cambrian prince, the treasure of the castle, we had not an opportunity of seeing, as we found it was carefully locked up from public view. It held the same place as the Saxon wassail bowl, and it was customary that those who had the honour of drinking from it should empty the horn at one draught, and then blow it, to prove that they had performed the feat expected of them. One of the most picturesque objects on the way to the famous slate quarries, is the little mill of Coet Mor, whose wheel is turned by a rushing stream breaking wildly over heaps of rocks.
“The slate quarries of Penrhyn are situated near Nant Ffrancon, at a spot called Cae Braich-y-Cefn, and are exceedingly curious, and even picturesque. We were conducted over them by a very loquacious Irishman, the only person of his nation employed in the works, all the others being Welsh.
“Most of these places, where enormous labour produces enormous wealth, are to me displeasing to contemplate; but there is nothing here that conveys an idea of over-tasked workmen, no horrible underground toil and dark dungeon-like caves, where human creatures are condemned, like souls in penance for some hideous crime, to drag heavy weights and chains through frightful chasms, and delve and dig for ore in spaces not large enough for them to stand upright; here are no deadly vapours, no fatal gases mortal to humanity, all is wide and open in the pure light of day, high, and broad, and healthy. The mountain is cut into ridges of slate, and here and there the projecting edges have formed themselves into graceful shapes: in the very centre of the quarry rises a beautiful conical pillar of slate which the admiration of the workmen has spared, now that their labours have brought it to the shape which it bears. It is a great ornament to the area, and it is to be regretted that in time it must fall, as the slate of which it is composed happens to be of the purest kind. The huts of the workmen scattered over the quarry have a singular effect, and the wild aspect of the men accords well with their abodes. The thundering sound produced by the occasional blasting of the rock is very grand, as it rolls and echoes amongst the caves, and along the heights; and the grey masses glowing in the sun, and reflecting the sky through their rents, have an imposing aspect.”
In July, 1844, the King of Saxony made a tour through England and Wales; a narrative of which, written by His Majesty’s Physician, Dr. Carus, has been published in the present year (1846). From that journal of the royal travels, we extract the subjoined passages—which may serve to show the impressions made upon the mind of an intelligent though somewhat prejudiced foreigner, by the more striking objects of interest in this locality.
“As the road approaches Bangor, it runs near the sea, and brings us close to the end of one of the most extraordinary structures of modern times—the vast iron suspension bridge which forms the junction between the mainland and the island, universally known and celebrated as the Menai Bridge.
“The drivers were ordered to stop, and we dismounted, in order to pass over and examine this splendid work, and endeavour to gain as accurate an idea as possible of its nature and size. The coasts of Wales and Anglesea at both sides of the strait, are rocky, and about 100 feet high, and the breadth of the channel by which they are separated, is about 1600 feet. The object was to connect the two coasts by a bridge, and it has been fully attained. Two very stout columns of solid masonry are built in the water, one on each side, over the summits of which are stretched the immense chains, from which the bridge itself is suspended. The channel between the columns is about 600 feet wide, and over this stretches the horizontal line of the road-way, which is supported and made fast by means of about 800 strong iron rods. Each of the sixteen chains which constitute the suspending power, is stated to be 1714 feet long, and consists of large massive links, joined and bound together by strong iron bolts. These chains pass over the tops of the supporting columns, on moveable iron rollers of great strength, and are thus in a condition readily to accommodate themselves to the changes of temperature, without risk. The greatest difference in length between the strongest summer heat and most intense winter cold, is said to amount to sixteen inches. The work was begun under the direction of Mr. Telford, in the year 1819, and finished in 1826. Such is the general idea of the whole structure. When seen from the side, it is very difficult immediately to form a notion of the magnitude of the work; and besides, the simplicity of the outline gives at first an impression of very moderate extent. The feeling is very much the same as that with which strangers are impressed on the first view of St. Peter’s in Rome. They find it extremely difficult to believe that a structure of such magnitude is before them. And as the banks on both sides are very uniform, it requires to be compared with some other object—such as that of a large ship sailing through beneath, in order to gain a correct notion of its real magnitude. On viewing the bridge, and passing over it, through its long uniform alleys of ever-recurring iron rods, another observation forced itself upon my mind. This immense work, which in all its parts is regulated by the principle of utility, is totally deficient in all the charms of beauty. It cuts the landscape like a black uniform line, concave on one side, and perfectly horizontal on the other; and when viewed closely, the columns by which the bridge is supported, are wholly destitute of every description of architectural or sculptural ornament. Those perpetually recurring iron rods, which follow one another in monotonous rows, only serve to suggest the feeling of despair to which a painter must be reduced in any attempt to delineate the structure, and to give any thing like an accurate drawing of this tedious iron lattice-road. True, it may be very difficult to combine the demands of taste with the strict principles of utility in such an undertaking, where the grand object is strength. There is, properly speaking, a genuine English, dry, pedantic character usually exhibited in such structures as this. And, after all, what style should art here apply in order to introduce the charms of beauty into a work of this character? Neither the Egyptian nor Grecian style is at all appropriate to works in iron—the Gothic is quite as little applicable to such a purpose—and I have already remarked that in addition to these three, there can be as little pretension to introduce a fourth, really distinct from them, as to add a new kingdom to those of the recognised mineral, animal, and vegetable ones. This makes the task of the architect a very difficult one to accomplish. It is for them to see how the difficulty is to be met.
“Having passed over the bridge to the Anglesea side, we descended to the shore, and took a boat, in order to have a view of this immense structure from beneath. By far the clearest idea of the vastness of the work is thus obtained, by viewing it from the green sea, which flows beneath with a gentle southerly current; the true magnitude and proportions of the bridge are then most deeply impressed upon the mind; but even here, no idea of beauty is suggested. Other bridges, with their various arches and ornamental buttresses, may, and frequently do present objects of great beauty to the eye. This, however, is, and must always remain, a great mathematical figure.
“After having thus examined the bridge from all parts of the river, we descended into the vast cavern on the Anglesea side, in which the ends of the chains are made fast in the rocks far under ground. The whole is planned with great ingenuity and skill. The rock, which forms the resisting power, is armed, as it were, with huge masses of iron, containing deep mortices, into which the bolts that bind the ends of the chains are made fast.
“In this manner, therefore, the sixteen powerful chains are fastened in the deep rocks on both sides of the strait; and assuredly, no human power or weight can be well conceived sufficient to tear them from the depth in which they are anchored. Even the long Macadamized bridge itself presents such a degree of stability, as to be very little moved by the carriages which pass over its surface.”
* * * *
“On the morning of the 13th, (July, 1844,) the birthday of my dear mother, I enjoyed a beautiful view of the little port of Bangor, from the garden terrace of the hotel, from which a view is obtained of the northern opening of the Menai Strait, of the bay of Beaumaris, and the more distant mountains of Wales. The weather, too, was tolerably fine in the morning; but at the time of our departure it had become cloudy, and it was raining hard when we arrived at the remarkable and extensive Penrhyn slate quarries, which are of great importance to the whole of Wales. They are situated about six miles to the N.E. of Bangor, on the slope of the hill, and have been particularly rich and productive for the last fifty years. When one arrives at this quarry from below, it presents the appearance almost of a crater open towards the front, along the lips of which, twelve or fourteen terraces run, one above another, each of which is from forty-five to fifty feet high, and upon which the works of blasting and digging are carried on by about 2000 workmen. The stone is of a reddish-brown; sometimes, also, greyish slate, of fine grain, which splits well into plates, and takes a fine polish. The mass never contains organic remains, but is frequently traversed by strata of quarry or limestone, in which crystals of some metals, principally copper and iron, occur.
“The manner in which these quarries are worked is the following. On the galleries, or terraces, large masses of slate are first detached by means of powder, and then roughly hewn into shape. There are laid along each of these terraces tram-roads formed of rails loosely laid down, upon which the masses of slate, in waggons with suitable wheels, are thrust along by men to the little houses situated on the declivity of the mountain, at the extremities of the galleries. Here they are split into smaller plates; and it is curious to observe how regularly the slate splits into fine and still finer plates, down to the thickness of three or four lines. Several pieces are allowed to retain a thickness of an inch or an inch and a half, and are used for tables and flagstones, the thinner ones for covering roofs, &c. The manner, too, in which they are squared, being cut out at once by a sort of hatchet, according to a line made by means of a ruler, is very curious. The plates thus formed are distinguished by very amusing names. Thus the largest are called queens, the next princesses, then duchesses, ladies, and so on. The enormous quantity of slate produced may be estimated from the facts, that a railway has been constructed specially from these quarries to Penrhyn harbour, at an expense of £170,000, which every week takes down between 500 and 600 tons, or about 12,000 cwt. of slate; and that the yearly net produce has sometimes brought in as much as £60,000 to the owner of the quarry, the Hon. Douglas Pennant.
“The quarrying itself is attended with considerable danger. The workmen, when a portion of the rock is to be blasted from the upper part of a gallery, are obliged to bore the hole, suspended in mid-air by ropes, to load the hole so bored, to set fire to the match, and then to place themselves beyond the reach of the explosion. They are also exposed to the chance of accidents from the falling of portions of the sharp slate; and it was carious, even yesterday—on which, being pay-day, the work was not regularly going on—to hear now and then the explosion of the blasting of some part of the rock, at the same time that it was almost difficult to pass along the galleries, without falling over the little railways or some of the sharp pieces of stone. The manner in which Queen Victoria was received here, on her visit some years ago, must have produced a curious effect. As soon as she arrived, 1300 explosions were heard from all parts of the quarry, having been all previously prepared for this purpose. After having (the greater part of the time in the rain) inspected all the parts of this immense quarry, and, besides, a saw-mill, for cutting up the thicker plates of the slate, we returned towards Bangor, and visited Penrhyn Castle, the property of the Hon. D. Pennant. In olden times, a castle belonging to Roderic Molwynog, grandson of Cadwallader, stood on this spot. It was rebuilt in the time of Henry the Sixth, and has been quite lately renewed (under the direction of a London architect, of the name of Hopper) by the father-in-law of the present possessor. It is a remarkable and splendid building, such as could only be completed with a revenue like that proceeding from the quarries.
“On entering the park, the castle is seen on a wooded height, grey, like Windsor, with large towers and high turrets, without any apparent roof, quite like an old fortress. Through the castle-gate we entered the court-yard, ornamented in the Norman style: but this style is much more splendidly and grandly exhibited in the entrance-hall, from whence staircases conduct to the upper rooms. Every thing here is in the Saxon style of building; the columns with their curious ornaments, and the upper parts covered with arabesques. Tall stone candelabra and a splendid chimney-piece, all in the same style, increase the magnificent appearance of the hall; the windows with their round arches are filled with stained glass; the staircase winds over arches supported on columns, and beside Norman statues; in a word, the whole sight is grand and imposing. The internal arrangements of the whole place, the drawing and dining rooms, the library, the bed-rooms, are all on a similar scale of magnificence; several wainscotted with beautiful carved oak: the furniture and beds all harmonising with the prevailing style of the building. We remarked a curious object in the state bed-room (almost all such castles appear to have such a state room, with a bed in it); namely, a bed, of which the whole of the bedstead and the posts which supported the canopy were made of the finest black slate, beautifully polished and manufactured. This reference to the principal foundation of the wealth of the possessor, appeared to me to show his gratitude rather than his taste. It may easily be supposed, however, that other curious objects were to be seen here; among these, we were shewn one of those curious drinking horns, formerly general in this district, as also in Scandinavia. I was sorry that we entirely lost the view from the continued rain; for this view, both towards the sea and towards the mountains, must be of a very splendid description.”
BANGOR IS-Y-COED,
(Flintshire.)
| Chester | 13 |
| Ellesmere | 8 |
| Holt | 7 |
| Overton | 3 |
| Whitchurch | 10½ |
| Wrexham | 5 |
Bangor Is-y-coed stands in a detached part of the country, on the banks of the Dee, over which is a good stone bridge of five arches, from the vicinity of which a beautiful landscape is presented. This place is celebrated as the site of the most ancient monastery in Britain, founded, as old writers assert, by Lucius, the son of Coel, and first Christian king of Britain, prior to the year 180. Lucius formed it into a university, for the increase of learning, and the preservation of the Christian faith in this realm; and it produced many learned men even in that early age. At the arrival of Augustine about 596, on a mission from Pope Gregory I. to convert the English Saxons to Christianity, this monastery appears to have been in a very flourishing state. The monks at Bangor were independent of the Romish church; and in a conference between St. Augustine and its governors, the imperious missionary demanded of them that they should keep the feast of Easter at the same time that the Papists did; that they should administer baptism according to the ceremonies of the church of Rome; and “preach the word of life with him and his fellows.” In other things, he said, they would be allowed to retain their ancient customs, insolently concluding, that “if they would not accept of peace with their brethren, they should receive war from their enemies.” They refused obedience to his injunctions, and resolutely maintained the original rites of their church. Shortly after this period followed the dreadful massacre of the monks of Bangor.
Not long after this event, the monastery became neglected, and went entirely to decay. William of Malmsbury, who lived shortly after the Norman conquest, asserts, that even in his time, there remained only some relics of its ancient magnificence: there were, he says, so many ruined churches and such immense heaps of rubbish, as were not elsewhere to be found. Leland says of it, in the time of Henry the Seventh, that its site was in a fertile valley on the south side of the Dee; but that the river having since changed its course, then ran through the middle of the ground on which it stood. The extent of its walls, he affirms, was equal to that of the walls round a town; and the two gates, the names of which had been handed down by tradition, had been half a mile asunder. Within the memory of persons then living, the bones of the monks, and pieces of their clothes, had been ploughed up, in the cultivation of the ground.
BARMOUTH OR ABERMAW,
(Merionethshire.)
| Aberdovey | 16 |
| Dolgelley | 10 |
| Harlech | 10 |
| London | 225 |
| Towyn | 12 |
The town of Barmouth is seated near the bottom of some high mountains, many of the houses being built on the steep sides; and viewed from the sea, it resembles a fortress of some strength, hanging immediately over the sands. The town stands near to the sea, at the mouth of the Maw or Mawddach, and takes its name of Barmouth, i.e. Abermaw or Mawddach, from that circumstance. At high water, the tide here forms a bay above a mile over, but the entrance is rather hazardous, on account of the sand-banks. This is the only port of Merionethshire, but its commerce is not very extensive. The chief manufactures are flannels and woollen stockings; and of these Mr. Pennant observed sixty years ago, that £40,000 worth of the former have been exported in a year, and £10,000 worth of stockings.
The parish church is distant about a mile and a half from the town, but in 1830 a chapel of ease was opened here for Divine service, which is principally performed in English. A national school has recently been erected at the outskirts of the town, on the Harlech road, from an excellent design by Mr. Jones, of Chester. There are also chapels in the town occupied by the Wesleyans, the Calvinists, and Independents.
The town is generally well filled with fashionable bathers in the summer season, for whose convenience, accommodation, and amusement, the inhabitants have made ample provision. There are two excellent inns: the Cors-y-gedol Arms, where post chaises and cars, as well as guides to Coder Idris, and the lakes and waterfalls, may be obtained; and also the Commercial Inn, with stabling and coach-houses. During the summer months, stage-coaches leave and arrive every day in the week, except Sunday, from different places, including Liverpool, Shrewsbury, and Caernarvon. There is a mail every day to and from the latter place, passing through Harlech, Tan-y-bwlch, Tremadoc, and Beddgelert. A four-horse mail-coach between Chester and Barmouth has lately commenced running daily. There are several good shops; and for the accommodation of visitors, circulating libraries have been established. Here, also, are two baths, a billiard-room, and a bowling-green. The lodging houses are excellent. The town, and the turnpike-roads throughout the district, have lately been greatly improved, and are still improving. The population is about 2000.
“The beach,” says Mr. Bingley, “is one of the most delightful walks I ever beheld. The wide river Mawddach winds among the mountains, forming many and elegant promontories. These rise to great heights on each side, some clad with wood, and others exhibiting their naked rocks, scantily covered with purple heath. The summit of the lofty Cader Idris is seen to rise above the other mountains, in the back ground.” From Barmouth a delightful excursion may be made along the banks of the Maw, or in a boat up the river, for about eight miles. The beach also affords a beautiful drive of six miles. From this place a projecting causeway, called Sarn-Badric, runs 15 miles into the sea, which tradition says, though her evidence alone is but slight authority, once surrounded one hundred cities. The upper part is perceptible at low water.
In the neighbourhood of Barmouth are several gentlemen’s mansions and other pretty residences, of which Bryntirion, the property of Charles Henry Harford, Esq., was the most beautiful: it was destroyed by fire about the latter end of 1840, and has not yet been rebuilt.
The Rev. Mr. Newell, in his Scenery of Wales, observes that while at Cors-y-gedol Arms, at Barmouth, he was introduced to a Welsh harper, whose performance he did not seem much to admire. Mr. Newell then adds, “It is a curious circumstance that we owe Gray’s Bard to a Welsh harper—blind Parry, Sir W. W. Wynn’s harper. In a letter from Cambridge, Gray says:—‘Mr. Parry has been here, and scratched out such ravishing blind harmony, such tones of a thousand years old, with names enough to choke you, as have set all this learned body a dancing, and inspired them with due respect for my old bard, his countryman, whenever he shall appear. Mr. Parry, you must know, has set my ode in motion again, and has brought it at last to a conclusion.’”
The angling stations are, Arthog Chapel, three miles distant, and Llyn Bodlyn, four miles from Barmouth; Llyn Irddin and Llyn Geirw, near to the town; and Llyn Raithlyn, in the neighbourhood of Traws-fynydd.
BEAUMARIS,
(Anglesea.)
| Amlwch | 17 |
| Bangor, by the bridge | 6½ |
| Caernarvon | 12 |
| Conway | 14½ |
| Holyhead | 27 |
| London, by Chester | 258 |
| — by Shrewsbury | 243 |
| Mona | 14 |
| Snowdon | 12 |
Beaumaris, a most respectable and well-built town, in Anglesea, is a corporate borough, where the assizes for that county are held. The town and liberties are included in the parishes of Llandegvan and Llanvaes: the whole occupying a district nearly semi-circular in form, and presenting to the Menai a bold rocky cliff of three miles, and an indented beach of more than two. This place, like many others on the Welsh coast, has lately become a most fashionable resort for bathing visitors, for which it is admirably adapted, the sands being firm and the water clear. In 1805, hot baths were erected here, and accommodations of the first class abound.
The church, formerly called “the Chauntry of our Lady of Beaumaris,” is considered as a chapel of ease to Llandegvan. It is situated on an eminence in the centre of the town, and consists of a nave, isles, and chancel, covered with lead, and embrasured; having a ring of six bells, a clock, and an organ, all the gift of the late Lord Bulkeley. In the chancel is a beautiful monument of a knight and his lady, in white alabaster, recumbent on an altar-tomb. Mr. Llwyd says, they represent Sir Richard Bulkeley and his lady; the former was appointed Chamberlain of North Wales, and was in great favour with Queen Elizabeth. In the church, a white marble monument, executed by Westmacott, in memory of the late Lord Bulkeley, who died June 3, 1822, stands on the left side of the altar: this beautiful piece of sculpture represents Faith directing the view of the dejected widow towards the bust of her husband and to heaven. Also a beautiful monument of a female kneeling in an attitude of devotion, on a pedestal, by Ternouth, to the memory of Charlotte Mary, first wife of Sir R. B. W. Bulkeley, Bart., and daughter of Lord Dinorben. There is likewise a tablet to the memory of David Hughes, erected in 1812, by some persons who had been educated in the Free School of which he was the founder. There are also several other monuments and tablets, but not possessing any peculiar attraction. On a plain stone near the east entrance into the church is the following quaint inscription to the memory of Meredith Davies:—
Who has been our parish clerk
Full one and thirty years, I say,
Must here, alas! lie in the dark
Bemoaned for ever and for aye.
Near to the church is the Free School, founded in 1603, by David Hughes, Esq., who also endowed alms-houses for six poor persons, to whom he granted annuities; the late Lord Bulkeley added four to this number; they are situated about a mile from the town, near the entrance of Baron Hill Park. Near the castle are the shire hall, and other suitable offices, where the assizes are held. The town-hall is a good building, comprising the assembly-room and a suite of civic apartments. A custom-house and a national school are also included among the public institutions of Beaumaris.
The Williams Bulkeley Arms Hotel is a magnificent establishment, and most admirably conducted. The Commercial and Liverpool Arms Inns are also houses where good accommodation may be had. The market-days are Wednesday and Saturday. Population, 2299.
Beaumaris enjoys a most beautiful and sublime prospect, with the distinguishing peculiarity, that the eye at the same time rests on a noble expanse of the ocean, and an extensive range of some of the loftiest mountains in Wales. A grander or more interesting scene it is impossible to imagine. From the spacious piece of ground called the Green, which, landward, is enclosed by the hotel, a splendid range of houses called Victoria Terrace, and the old Castle, this enchanting view is seen to the best advantage; seaward, at full tide, it presents to the eye an infinite variety, in numbers of trading vessels, yachts, and smaller pleasure boats, constantly passing close to the beach, whilst at low water the sands afford many delightful and extensive drives.
“Ever charming, ever new,
When will the landscape tire the view?”
The Castle.
Beaumaris castle was the last of the three great fortresses erected by Edward the First, to hold in awe his new and unwilling subjects on both sides the Menai. For this purpose he fixed upon a flat near the water side, with the view of surrounding it with a fosse, for the double purpose of defence, and bringing small craft to unload their cargoes under its walls; part of which canal, called the Llyn-y-Green, was till lately remaining; and the large iron ring, to which the vessels were fastened, is still in its place at the great east gate.
Within the present ruins of the castle is an area or square, of 190 feet, with obtuse corners; on the right is the chapel, an admirable piece of masonry, and the only entire room in all Edward’s buildings; its stone arched roof having saved it at the general dilapidation. Opposite to the south-east entrance is the great hall, 70 feet long and 23 broad, with a range of five elegant windows, and forming a front (its turreted angles excepted) that has rather a modern appearance; and though, upon the whole, a fortress of prodigious magnitude, yet its low situation, and the great diameter of its Moorish towers, cause its ample proportions to appear of less height and extent than is really the case. This castle is reputed to be the scene of the massacre of the bards by Edward the First, who does not appear to have felt secure in his newly-acquired dominions so long as this influential order remained to raise the song and string the lyre to deeds of patriotic resistance. The same system of persecution seems to have been acted upon after the death of the bardicide; for in the reign of Henry the Fourth, Rhŷs Gôch, speaking of Gruffydd Llwyd, says—
“The best of bards is interdicted.”
Within the area of this ancient castle, in the month of August, 1832, was held a splendid Congress of Bards, or Eisteddfod, under the munificent patronage of Sir R. B. W. Bulkeley. It was attended by most of the nobility and gentry of the neighbouring counties; and the meeting derived peculiar importance from the presence of Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, and her illustrious daughter, then Princess Victoria, now the Queen of these realms. During several months of that summer, the royal party had honoured the Principality with their residence, fixing their domicile for the time at Plâs Newydd, the elegant seat of the Marquis of Anglesea. A grand regatta in the bay followed the literary and musical contests in the castle; and the evenings were agreeably enlivened with splendid concerts, balls, and other festivities.
Baron Hill.
On an eminence behind the town stands this charming residence of the late Lord Bulkeley. At his death, it descended to his nephew, Sir R. B. W. Bulkeley, Bart. M.P., by whom it is now occupied. It has recently been rebuilt and modernised, and is delightfully situated on the declivity of a richly-wooded hill, commanding a fine prospect of all the northern mountains of Caernarvonshire, of the bay of Beaumaris, and a vast expanse of sea. This place has been in possession of the Bulkeley family from the date of the second charter of the corporation of Beaumaris, procured in the reign of Elizabeth. The house was originally built in the reign of James I., for the reception of Henry, the eldest son of that monarch, when on his way to Ireland. But his untimely death so much affected Sir Richard Bulkeley, the owner, that he gave up his original and magnificent plan, and used the part only that was then completed for his family seat. The old house was greatly enlarged and improved by its late noble possessor. The extensive grounds are finely wooded, and laid out with great taste and judgment. The gardens have been extended and beautified, and the liberal owner generously allows them to be thrown open for the accommodation of the public. Sir R. Bulkeley is deservedly esteemed for his efforts to improve the agriculture of his native county, by the introduction of modern and scientific culture.
At a short distance east of the house, in a sylvan recess, is the stone coffin of the Princess Joan, consort of Llywelyn ab Iorwerth, Prince of Wales in 1105. It had originally been deposited in the subjacent monastery of Llanvaes, and, on the dissolution of that religions establishment, was placed to receive a watering brook, like that of Richard III. at Leicester, after the fatal battle of Bosworth field. In 1812 it was discovered, in its ignoble uses, by Mr. R. Llwyd, author of Beaumaris Bay, after being lost for 290 years, when it was removed to its present situation by the late Lord Bulkeley.
A few hundred yards distant from Baron Hill is Henllys Lodge, the residence of Captain Lewis Hampton, containing a valuable collection of curiosities, which any respectable person is at liberty to inspect. Contiguous to it is The Fryars, the residence of the late Lady Williams, relict of the late Sir R. Williams, Bart., of Nant, Caernarvonshire, and mother of Sir R. W. Bulkeley, Bart.
Six miles from Beaumaris is the village of Pentraeth, delightfully situated in the vicinity of Red Wharf. Near it are the mansions of Plâs-gwyn, the seat of Lord Vivian, who married Miss Panton, the heiress and grand daughter of the late Jones Panton, Esq., and thus became possessed of this fine property, which he has greatly unproved; Rhiwlas, the seat of the Rev. Gethin Williams; and Red Hill, the seat of — Sparrow, Esq. The neighbourhood is worthy of a visit, being the direct road to Amlwch.
The church at Pentraeth was thought worthy of an engraving by Mr. Grose, the antiquary. The Panton Arms is a good country house of entertainment. Not far from Pentraeth, and near the sea-side, is Tre’r Castell, formerly the residence of Marchudd, founder of one of the royal tribes of Wales. It is now an ancient castellated mansion. It was also the residence of Sir Tudor ap Goronwy, who did homage to Edward the second, when Prince of Wales, at Chester. On this domain is supposed to have been fought, in 818, the “sore battle of Llanfaes,” between Egbert, King of the Welsh Saxons, and Merfyn Frych, King of Wales. From this place Queen Elisabeth received annually a large supply of metheglin or mead, a favourite Welsh beverage. Close by is Castell Aber Lleiniog, where are the vestiges of an ancient fort, founded by Hugh Lupus and the Earl Hugh of Shrewsbury, when they took possession of Anglesea. The neighbourhood, in fact, is rich in scenic beauty and historical associations.
Beaumaris Bay,
Which stretches itself before and on each side of the town forms a well-sheltered harbour, and in stormy weather affords security to vessels of considerable burthen. The depth of the water near the town is six or seven fathoms even when the tide is out; but this deep channel scarcely extends more than a quarter of a mile in width. All the rest of the bay, for several miles, is left dry at low water, and has the name of Lavan Sands. Among the intelligent natives an opinion is prevalent that these sands once formed a habitable hundred of Caernarvonshire, and were first overflowed during the sixth century.
The sea of the Menai occasionally produces very singular fish. That called the Beaumaris Shark sometimes appears; a curious species of mussel; and creatures of forms that astonish the fishermen;—
“Strange things come up, to look at them,
The monsters of the deep.”
This may perhaps account for the marvellous legend, preserved in “The Triads of the Isle of Britain,” concerning “the Palug Cat of the Menai.” A remarkable whale was captured in this Bay in the spring of 1846, and sent to Liverpool for exhibition. The whole shore throughout the district is said to be “a mine of fish.”
Llanvaes Abbey.
About a mile from Beaumaris, near the seat of the widow of late Sir Robert Williams, Bart., and not far from the shore, are yet to be seen, in the walls of a barn, the poor remains of the house of Franciscan friars, founded in the thirteenth century by Llywelyn ab Iorwerth, Prince of Wales, still called by the above name. At the dissolution, the establishment maintained eight friars, of whom two only were allowed to be Welshmen, when the convent and its possessions were sold: they are at present the property of Sir R. B. W. Bulkeley.
Penmon Priory.
Two miles north of Llanvaes Friary, stands this ancient and decayed ruin, consisting at present of little more than the ruinous refectory and part of the church. This was a priory of Benedictine monks, dedicated to St. Mary, founded in the sixth century, and re-endowed in the thirteenth by Llywelyn ab Iorwerth. At its suppression by Henry the Eighth, the revenues were valued at £48 per annum.
Priestholm, or Puffin Island,
A small island, divided by the narrow channel called the Sound from the eastern extremity of Anglesea: its British name, Ynys Seriol, is derived from the residence of St. Seriol upon it in the sixth century: the compound name of Priest-holm originated in its being the occasional retreat of the religious of the neighbouring priory of Penmon. It is also called Puffin Island, from its being annually resorted to by these birds for the purpose of breeding.
This island will afford a day of sport to the disciple of Colonel Hawker—or of information to the industrious antiquary—or amusement to a pic-nic party; and indeed, to all visitors in search of health, pleasure, or the picturesque, who may be sojourning at Beaumaris. It is nearly a mile from the shore, to the edge of which it slopes in verdant turf on each side from its lofty central eminence. In shape it resembles a lemon, extending a mile in length and half a mile in breadth. Near the centre are the ruins of an old square tower, supposed to have been a portion of a religious house, once subordinate to the priory of Penmon; which, from “the odour of sanctity” thrown around it by popular tradition, attracted many devotees, and penitents, and dying persons, to its sacred shrine, either as the subjects of pilgrimage or prayer, or to obtain interment within its holy walls. Giraldus says, “the island was inhabited by hermits, living by manual labour and serving God.” The superior reputation which this monastery enjoyed, induced the Welsh princes, Llywelyn and David, and (after the conquest of the country) Edward the First, to grant to it the revenues of Penmon. Prince Owen Gwynedd, who lies buried here, was the founder; and its sanctuary became the refuge at once of the oppressor and the oppressed, in that lawless age to which it belonged. Little remains to attest the presence of the crowds of devout men that thronged it, or of the noble, the wealthy, or of the poor, that once were interred in its consecrated cemetery. A colony of rabbits has usurped their territory; and swarms of cormorants, stormy petrels, curlews, and puffin auks, and, even though but comparatively seldom seen, peregrine falcons hasten to these shores in the summer months, to breed and nurture their young. There is a small house on the island for the man who attends a signal staff erected here in 1826, to form part of the telegraphic communication between Liverpool and Holyhead.
A pleasant aquatic excursion may he made from Garth Point to Puffin Island, passing through the picturesque bay of Beaumaris, the distance being nine miles.
A melancholy interest attaches to this neighbourhood from a most calamitous event which occurred in the bay of Beaumaris, on the night of the 17th August, 1831. On the morning of that day, the Rothsay Castle steamer left the pier-head, Liverpool, for Beaumaris, the number of passengers and seamen being between 120 and 140 souls. After passing the floating light, stationed about 15 miles from Liverpool, the sea became very rough and the wind adverse; and some of the passengers, apprehensive of danger, in vain urged the captain, Lieutenant Atkinson, to return. Between the Great and Little Ormeshead the vessel was beating about for three hours, and soon after passing the latter, night had come on, the sea running high, and the tide ebbing. It was near twelve o’clock when she arrived at the mouth of the Menai Strait, about five miles from Beaumaris. When opposite the tower on Puffin Island, suddenly the steam got so low that the engine would not keep the vessel on her proper course; and she struck on what is called the spit of the Dutchman’s Bank, where she remained immovable till she went to pieces. At least one hundred persons are known to have perished, and twenty-one were ascertained to be saved.
A strict investigation into the causes of this dreadful calamity was subsequently instituted, from which it appeared that the vessel itself was unfit for the station; that there were no guns on board to make signals of distress; that the captain and mate were in a state of intoxication during the time of peril; that there had been great mismanagement and obstinacy on the part of the former, and criminal negligence in omitting to furnish the vessel with necessary apparatus for such an emergency. The most praiseworthy activity is ascribed to the gentry and other inhabitants of Beaumaris, as well as the boatmen belonging to the bay, in rescuing the surviving sufferers, and providing places of decent sepulture for the dead. On this subject, the following testimony, from the pen of Lieutenant Morrison, of the Royal Navy, who has published a Narrative of the unfortunate wreck, is truly valuable:—“The meritorious efforts made by Sir Richard Bulkeley, Bart. and other gentlemen of the neighbourhood, to insure respect to the remains of the unfortunate sufferers, I believe to have been attended with perfect success. Indeed, I saw numerous valuable and portable articles which had been saved, and lodged in the hands of the authorities of Beaumaris, and which might have been very readily abstracted by the finders, to whom they offered great temptation. I was never among the inhabitant of North Wales before, and I must observe that the very excellent conduct of the lower orders on this occasion forms a strong contrast to that I have witnessed on the coasts of Devonshire and the south of Ireland.”
The many accidents in this bay at length induced the corporation of the Trinity House to erect a lighthouse on the south-westerly point of the island, at a part called Trwyn-du, or Black Point, which was finished in the course of the summer of 1838. It is a splendid work of art in the bell form; and contains more courses of masonry under low-water mark than the celebrated Eddystone lighthouse. The light is thrown out to sea by means of a strong reflector erected on the opposite or Anglesea coast. It is worthy of attention, and visitors will find it a pleasant sail from Bangor and Beaumaris.
From April to October, first-class steam-packets regularly arrive from Liverpool every afternoon (except Sunday) about five o’clock at the Bangor Ferry inn (which has lately been much improved and enlarged), and return the next morning between eight and nine o’clock, calling each way at Garth Point and Beaumaris. And we may here add that this is the cheapest and most interesting marine excursion which can be enjoyed from Liverpool.
BEDDGELERT,
(Caernarvonshire.)
| Aber-glaslyn | 1½ |
| Caernarvon | 13 |
| Llanberis | 12 |
| Snowdon Summit | 6 |
| Tan-y-Bwlch | 10 |
| Tre-Madoc | 7 |
Beddgelert, a village most charmingly situated in a beautiful tract of meadows, at the junction of three vales, near the conflux of the Gwynnant and the Colwyn.
The church is erected on the site of an ancient priory of Augustine monks, with which a convent for nuns was also incorporated. Part of the arches and clustered columns which supported the nave of the priory are still visible in the wall of the church, and there are other remains which prove the original religious establishment to have been of considerable extent. In 1194 it was endowed with lands by Llywelyn the Great; and it is recorded that in those days the prior had fifty cows and twenty-two sheep. In 1283 it suffered from fire, and Edward I. repaired the damages. In 1535 Henry VIII. bestowed it on the abbey of Chertsey, in Surrey; and in 1577 it was made appurtenant to that of Bisham, Berks.
Moel Hebog (the Hawk Hill) rises boldly from the vale in front of the village, which takes its name—Beddgelert, or the Grave of Gelert, from an affecting tradition, which has been made the subject of an admirably pathetic ballad by the Hon. W. R. Spencer. Miss Costello gives this romantic legend with her wonted taste and effect:—
“King John had given to Llywelyn the Great, not only his daughter Joanna in marriage, but as a prize little inferior, a fine greyhound, of superior breed and great beauty, who was wont to take the lead in all his expeditions, and to bring down the game in gallant style. The usual season of the chase arrived, and the prince, his wife, and children had repaired to the hunting-ground in this valley: one day Llywelyn set forth, and had not gone far when he discovered that Gelert, his favourite hound, had lagged behind; he called him in vain, and, out of temper and impatient, he continued his way, and occupied himself in his sport, still, however, dwelling with vexation on the absence of his constant companion. On his return, as he was about to enter his dwelling, he was met by Gelert, who leaped upon him and shewed every demonstration of delight. The prince angrily drove him off, and, as he did so, remarked that the jaws of the dog were covered with blood, that blood was on the floor and on the walls—a strange foreboding of evil stole over his mind: his infant son had been left in the cradle—no attendant was near—he tracked the crimson stairs—they led him to the spot where his child reposed—the cradle was overturned, the infant gone, and a pool of blood was at his feet.
“Llywelyn allowed himself not a moment’s time for reflection—Gelert was fawning beside the couch of his murdered child—his fangs were red with gore—he could not doubt but that the wretched animal had torn the sleeping babe, and drawing his sword, he plunged it into the body of the hound. At this instant he heard a cry—he darted forward, removed the confused heap before him, and, struggling beneath, he beheld his child uninjured, his tiny hands resting on the body of a gaunt wolf, which had been killed by Gelert in his defence.
“What was now left for Llywelyn but remorse and late repentance?—he erected a tomb over the remains of the faithful dog, and the spot is called ‘the Grave of Gelert’ to this day.
“There is a Welsh adage which alludes to this legend, ‘he repents as much as the man who killed the dog’—and this would naturally lead one to imagine that the sad tale were indeed true; nevertheless, the same is told in many places, and seems originally to have come from the far East, where almost all beautiful stories had their birth.
“It is said to be engraven on a rock in Limerick; it is told in an old English romance; it is repeated in France; and it is the subject of Persian drama!”
Some chroniclers assert, that Prince Llywelyn founded the church of Beddgelert to commemorate the preservation of his son, and as some atonement for slaying his preserver, the faithful hound.
In a field contiguous to the churchyard, is a large stone, which is said to mark the spot where Gelert was buried. Near the stone is a building, now used as a cow-house, which is reputed to have been the residence of the prince.
There is an excellent inn here, the Goat, recently enlarged and improved, not inferior in accommodation to any in Wales. The Caernarvon and Tan-y-Bwlch mail coach passes twice a day through the village. Behind the old public house opposite is an interesting view of a solemn dell. The eye, in surveying this chasm, is relieved now and then by spots of verdure, patches of heath, thinly-scattered sheep, and the beautiful curvature of the mountain. In the Welsh annals this region is styled the Forest of Snowdon. A guide to the many objects of interest in the locality may be procured at any time at the Goat inn. When Mr. Nicholson traversed this part of the country, the name of the guide was William Lloyd, who was also the village schoolmaster, and who thus explained his occupation in a placard stuck upon the door of the inn:—“William Lloyd, conductor to Snowdon, Moel Hebog, Dinas Emrys, Llanberis pass, the lakes, waterfalls, &c. &c.” The name of the present guide is Richard Edwards.
On the road towards Aber-glaslyn, a stone is pointed out by the name of the Chair of Rhŷs Gôch o’r ’Ryri, the famous mountain bard, contemporary with Owen Glyndwr. He was of the house of Havod-garegog, at the entrance into the Traeth Mawr sands, whence he used to walk, and sitting on this craggy seat, composed his poems. Among others is a satire on a fox, for killing his favourite peacock. He died about the year 1490, and was interred in the holy ground at Beddgelert, escaping the vengeance of the English, for inspiring his countrymen with the love of liberty, and animating them by his compositions into a long and gallant resistance to the galling yoke.
The neighbourhood of Beddgelert abounds with objects worthy of the tourist’s attention; and of several of these we will now add a few particulars.
Nant Gwynnant.
Turning to the right hand on crossing the bridge leading from the inn, you follow up the course of a stream that waters one of the most beautiful valleys in Wales. On the left, about half a mile up the valley, is a lofty wood-clad rock, called Dinas Emrys, the fort of Ambrosius, or Merlin Emrys, a magician who was sent for to this place from Caer Merddin (Carmarthenshire) by Vortigern, who was king of Britain from 449 to 466. It was to this place that Vortigern retired, when he found himself despised by his subjects, and unable to contend longer with the treacherous Saxons, whom he had introduced into his kingdom. It is probable that this insular rock afforded him a temporary residence, till be removed to his final retreat in Nant Gwrtheryn, or Vortigern’s Valley, not far from Nevyn, in the promontory of Lleyn. Speed says that Vortigern married his own child by Rowena, daughter of Hengist, the Saxon prince, and had by her one son.—On passing round the foot of another beautiful isolated rock,
Llyn Dinas
(The Pool of the Fort), a lake about a half to three-quarters of a mile in extent, is spread before you. It is entirely surrounded by lofty mountains, the tints of which being of a deeper and browner shade than the generality of Welsh hills, gives a peculiar richness to the confined valley. The road runs close along the shore, overhung by one of the magnificent buttresses of Snowdon: to the right the eye stretches across the lake to the hills which rise from the water’s edge, above which a second tier of mountains appears, the great chain which separates you from the vale of Ffestiniog. The river which feeds the lake winds through the verdant and undulating grounds which spread themselves, a miniature park, between the cottage and the lake. A romantic pass, affording space for the river and road only, leads to a valley totally different from, though not less beautiful than that of Llyn Dinas: the valley forms a bowl among the hills, the bottom is a small grassy plain, here and there dotted with trees, through which the river winds; the sides are magnificent mountains: it is beauty sleeping in the lap of terror.—On the left, the eye is led to
Cwm Llan,
among the deepest recesses of Snowdonia. The immediate boundary of the valley is succeeded by heights rising successively above each other. Immediately above this deep and gloomy gorge towers the monarch of hills, sublime and terrific in his precipitous height, yet presenting in its conical summit, its cairn and landmark, a graceful object, filling up the mountainous gap, the sides of which form a suitable frame to this noble picture. You follow up the course of the stream, through the same enchanting scenery, the road gradually ascending, till you catch through the plantations on the left a view of
Llyn Gwynnant,
stretched below at your feet. This lake and valley are deeply set among the loftiest mountains of Wales or England, and form one of the loveliest pictures in this country. Two or three gentlemen’s residences render this valley cheerful, without destroying its character of seclusion.
Shortly after leaving the lake, the most striking view of Snowdon presents itself; you look across the valley on a huge precipice, over the edge of which, through a wide sweeping dip in the hill, a very picturesque waterfall, Rhaiadr cum Dyli, is projected. Plain indications of its source,
Llyn Llydan,
a highly elevated mountain lake, are apparent; above this rises a dark perpendicular wall of rock, towards the summit of which craggy and sharp ridges run up, and at the junction the towering peak of Snowdon rises: shortly after, you join the road from Capel Curig to Llanberis. Let no inconvenience induce the tourist to relinquish this route.
In the vale of Colwyn, and nearly two miles from Beddgelert, is a small pool, about the size of a good horse-pond, called
Llyn-y-Dywarchen
(Or the Pool of the Sod), first celebrated by Giraldus Cambrensis, in the account of his journey through Wales in the twelfth century, as containing a floating island. This is still in existence, but not more than eight or nine yards in length, and evidently appears to be a detached piece of the turbery of which the bank is composed. There is a small willow-tree growing upon it, and it is carried to and fro by the action of the wind and water. Sometimes it remains near the side of the pool for a considerable while, and it is so large and firm as to bear cattle on it. When it has been dislodged by the wind, a few sheep have often been borne by it to the other parts of the bank.—Within two miles of Beddgelert is situated
Pont Aber-glaslyn
(Or the Bridge of the Conflux of the Blue Pool); it is also called by the inhabitants the Devil’s Bridge; on which account it has sometimes been confounded with the bridge of that name near Havod, in Cardiganshire. In approaching this spot from Beddgelert, the rocks on each side become incomparably grand. The road winds along a narrow stony vale, where the huge cliffs so nearly approach as only just to leave width sufficient at the bottom for the road, and the bed of the impetuous torrent that rolls along the side of it. Here these lofty rocks, which oppose nothing to the eye but a series of the rudest precipices, “raised tier on tier, high piled from earth to heaven,” seem to forbid all further access, and to frown defiance on the traveller.
The bridge crosses the Glaslyn, and unites the counties of Merioneth and Caernarvon. In the span it is thirty feet, and from the water to the parapet forty feet high. There is excellent fishing in this river; it abounds with salmon and trout. Some years ago, there was a noted salmon leap a few yards above the bridge, and in the course of an hour, twenty or thirty fish have been seen attempting to spring over the barrier, but it is now broken down and fallen into decay. The salmon come up the river in the latter end of the year, sometimes as early as the beginning of October, in order to deposit their spawn on the sandy shallows, and are here very plentiful. The fishery belongs to the Wynn family. When the tourist has passed the bridge, and proceeded about one hundred yards on the Tre-Madoc road, he will then see the view to perfection. The elegant and venerable arch clothed with ivy—the foam of the little waterfall almost beneath—the majestic rocks to the right, combining to form one of the finest pictures in Wales.
It was probably from this place that Giraldus Cambrensis asserted of Merionethshire, that “it was the roughest and most dreary part of Wales, for its mountains were both high and perpendicular, and in many places so grouped together, that shepherds talking or quarreling on their tops, could scarcely, in a whole day’s journey, come together.”
There is very good fishing in this neighbourhood, at a lake called Llyn-y-Dinas, about two miles from Beddgelert; the fish are good for the table, of the weight of about half a pound; however, trouts of five or six pounds weight have been taken. There are two boats kept by Robert Roberts; the flat-bottomed one is considered the better and safer for angling. Another lake appears, somewhat smaller, called Llyn Gwynnant, which has been injured by being netted, but still affords fair sport for the angler.
BETTWS-Y-COED,
(Caernarvonshire.)
| Capel Curig | 5 |
| Cerniogau Mawr | 9½ |
| Llanrwst | 4 |
Bettws-y-Coed (or Station in the Wood), a small village, pleasantly situated on the Shrewsbury and Holyhead road, not far distant from the junction of the Llugwy and the Conway. The church stands in a little cemetery in the centre of the vale, enclosed by a few stately forest trees, and forms a venerable and interesting object. It contains an old monument in memory of Griffith, the son of David Gôch, who was a natural son of David, brother to Llywelyn, the last prince of Wales. He died in the fourteenth century, and is here represented by a large armed recumbent figure in a recess in the north wall. On one side of the figure, there is yet left this inscription,—“Hic jacet Gruffydd ap Davyd Gôch: Agnus Dei, misere mei.” Within a mile distant is a bridge, consisting of a single arch of iron, of 105 feet in the span, and called the Waterloo Bridge from the circumstance of its having been erected in the same year in which the battle of Waterloo was fought. It carries the Holyhead road over the Conway.
Near Bettws-y-Coed is also Pont-y-Pair, a most singular bridge, flung over the Llugwy, consisting of four arches, placed on the rude rocks, which form most durable piers. These rocks are precipitous, and in high floods exhibit to the passenger most awful cataracts below the bridge. The scenery beyond, composed of rocky mountains fringed with woods, is very striking. The river Conway affords good salmon and trout fishing. The remarkably picturesque character of this district is particularly attractive to artists who delight to make sketches from scenes of natural beauty and grandeur.
CADER IDRIS,
(Merionethshire.)
| Dolgelley | 5 |
| Dinas Mowddwy | 11 |
| Machynlleth | 13 |
| Towyn | 15 |
These distances are computed from the summit of Cader Idris.
The mountain of Cader Idris, in height the second in Wales, rises upon the sea-shore, close upon the northern side of the estuary of the small river Disynwy, about a mile from Towyn. It proceeds with almost a constant ascent, first northward for about three miles, then for ten miles further runs E. N. E., giving out from its summit a branch nearly three miles long in a south-westerly direction, parallel to the main ridge. It is very steep and craggy on every side, but the southern descent, especially to the border of Tal-y-llyn lake, is the most precipitous, being nearly perpendicular. Its breadth bears but a small proportion to its length, a line passing along its base, and intersecting the summit, would scarcely equal four miles and a half; and in the other parts it is a mere ridge, whose base hardly ever exceeds one mile in breadth.
Cader Idris is the beginning of a chain of primitive mountains, extending in a N. N. E. direction, and including the Arrans and Arrenigs. It is much loftier and more craggy than the slate and secondary mountains which surround it. Dolgelley is the place from which the ascent to this mountain is usually made.
Several tourists of literary eminence have made the ascent of Cader Idris, and have left on record graphic and animated descriptions of the sublime views which its summit discloses. Mr. Roscoe says—“The following morning promising a fine day, I determined upon making an excursion over Cader Idris. This mountain is one of the most lofty in Wales, and forms a part of the great chain of hills which runs nearly parallel with the coast for many miles, in connection with the Arrans and the Arrenigs, and more inland, towards Corwen, with the Berwyn range. Proceeding over the hill which leads to Towyn, I reached a small lake, and turning to the left, commenced the ascent. After great labour for three or four hours, and consequent fatigue, I reached the summit; and the pool Llyn-y-Cae shewed itself, situated among high rocks, whose weather-beaten cliffs overhang the water; but thick mists, wafted from the sea, prevented an extended view. Mr. Aikin has enriched his narrative with a description of this grand and picturesque scene he witnessed, the following extract from which leaves nothing to be desired:—‘We were now above all the eminences within a vast expanse, and as the clouds gradually cleared away, caught some grand views of the surrounding country. The huge rocks which we before looked up to with astonishment, were now far below our feet, and many a small lake appeared in the valleys between them. To the north, Snowdon and its dependencies shut up the scene; on the west, we saw the whole curve of the bay of Cardigan, bounded at a great distance by the Caernarvon mountains, and nearer, dashing its white breakers against the rocky coast of Merioneth. The southern horizon was bounded by Plinlimmon, the bay of Swansea, the channel, peeping through the opening of the Brecon mountains; and on the east, the eye glanced over the lake of Bala, the two Arrenig mountains, the two Arrans, and the long chain of Berwyn mountains, to the Breiddin hills on the confines of Shropshire. Dimly, in the distant horizon, was beheld the Wrekin, rising alone from the plain of Salop.’
“At the foot of the mountain is the little village of Tal-y-Llyn, which borrows its name from the church at the head of the lake, not unmeetly denominated by the people ‘the Charming Retreat.’ The church, a simple antique building, is dedicated to St. Mary. The parish extends about eight miles, embracing in its circuit a large portion of the mountainous chain. The whole vicinity, wood, and hill, and lake—stirred by the winds, or clothed with the yellow hues of autumn—wore a highly picturesque yet dreary aspect; and I took great delight in exploring a number of bold, romantic streams and falls, all within the limits of this interesting district. Tal-y-Llyn (the Head of the Lake), with its little church, dedicated to St. Mary, stands at the west end of the pool, in a long valley lying below the lofty ranges of Cader Idris. Looking north-east, the vale is contracted by the mountain bases, with their sides broken into a thousand crags, some sharp and conical, and others overhanging, as if ready to fall upon the heedless traveller, who wends his way beneath their shadows. Pen-y-Delyn (or the Harp Rock) is there, bearing a resemblance in its figure to that instrument, with its indented and perforated summit, ready to receive the first breath of the morning, and to herald the rising beam of the great luminary with the fabled music of Memnon; and Llam-y-Ladron too, (or the Thieves’ Leap), the Tarpeian Rock from whose fearful top, it is said, the ancient Britons used to cast their felon brethren.”
Of the heights of Cader Idris, of Arran Vowddwy, and of the Arrenig Vawr, says Mr. Pennant, I am enabled to give a very exact account, by the assistance of the ingenious Mr. M. Hughes, of Bala, who assures me that the Pen-y-Gader is 2858 feet above the level of Dolgelley-green; Arran-Vowddwy, 740 above Llyntegid; and the Arrenig, only 20 yards short of Arran; that the fall from the lake to Dolgelley-green, is 180 yards; so that the real difference of height between the Cader and the Arran is only thirty yards. Two graves, where human bodies were deposited, have lately been discovered at the foot of Cader Idris, under two immense carnedds.
Within the last few years, for the accommodation of visitors, a cottage has been erected on the summit of the mountain, by Richard Pugh, who resides at Dolgelley, and who acts in the capacity of a guide. This has proved of great advantage to visitors, who were not unfrequently assailed by the teeming shower, without an opportunity of shelter; and who had no spot for temporary refreshment while waiting for the dispersion of misty clouds in order to enjoy the exquisite prospect. Here parties or individuals may have all convenient refreshments. The road up the mountain on the Dolgelley side has lately been much improved, so as to enable ladies and gentlemen to ride up to the very top with the greatest ease and safety, which cannot be done on the other side of the mountain without great danger. The charge of the guide for conducting a party to the summit is five shillings, and the same sum is paid for each of the ponies employed in the ascent.
For angling stations, see Dolgelley and Tal-y-Llyn.
CAERGWRLE,
(Flintshire.)
| Chester | 12 |
| Hawarden | 6 |
| Mold | 6 |
| Wrexham | 5 |
Caergwrle was once a flourishing town, but has dwindled into an insignificant village. Its parish church is about a mile distant. There is good reason for believing that Caergwrle was a Roman station, probably an outpost to Deva. Camden discovered here an hypocaust, hewn out of the solid rock, six yards and a quarter long, five yards broad, and somewhat more than half a yard in height. On some of the tiles were inscribed the letters, “Legio xx.” which seem to denote the founders. This is further corroborated by the name of the place, “Caer gawr lleng,” (the camp of the great legion), Cawr lleng being the name by which the Britons distinguished the twentieth legion.
The castle stood on the summit of a high rock. Its present remains are very inconsiderable; they are, however, sufficient to indicate that it never could have been a fortress of any great importance.
Hope, [73] or Queen’s Hope,
Is an inconsiderable village, little more than a mile from Caergwrle; it also has the remains of a castle, at which Eleanor, queen of Edward the First, made some stay on her way to Caernarvon.—Within a short distance are the mansions of Bryn Yorkyn and Plâs Têg. Caergwrle and Hope, in conjunction with Flint, Caerwys, Rhuddlan, Overton, and Holywell, send a member to Parliament.
Angling station:—the river Alun.