we crossed the little stream of Ebwith, near the Park of Tredegar House, belonging to Sir Charles Morgan. The grounds are well planned, and command the hills of Machen and Twynbarlwm, with the Church of Bassaleg rising in the centre, on an eminence. The whole valley, indeed, lies prettily. Passing through the villages of Pediston and Castletown, we soon reached the bridge of two arches, over the river Romney, which divides England from Wales.
The situation of Cardiff is on a low flat, near the mouth of the Taff, over which is a bridge, built by Mr. Parry, in the year 1796: it consists of three large and two smaller arches. The tower of the Church is very light, and of elegant workmanship; but there is nothing in the inside worthy of notice.
The Castle derives its name from the river Taff, which washes its walls; Caertaph signifying the town or castle upon Taff. Robert Fitzham, on having conquered Glamorganshire, divided the country into different portions, among the twelve Norman knights, as a reward for their service, and took for his own share the town of Cardiff; and erected, in the year 1110, this Castle, in which he generally resided, and held his court of chancery and exchequer. In the beginning of May, 1645, during the troubles under King Charles I., it was in the possession of the Royalists, but it was surrendered to the Parliament before August, 1646.
We entered the Castle by two strong gates, which still remain in great preservation, but we were displeased with the modern architecture of the new-built mansion; the neat shorn grass and the gravel walk were circumstances that ill accorded with the mutilated walls of an ancient ruin, which has braved the storms of so many centuries. The circumstance which tends to ensure this castle a melancholy place in history, is the unjust confinement of Robert, Duke of Normandy, brother to William Rufus, and King Henry I. The accounts, however, of his confinement have been greatly exaggerated by historians; but a dark vaulted room beneath the level of the ground, measuring nearly a square of fifteen feet and a half, is still pointed out as the place of his confinement; a small crevice in the top, about half a yard in length, and three inches wide, was the only place to admit the air. In this situation he died, after an imprisonment of twenty-six years, and was buried in Glocester Cathedral, where his effigy as large as life, carved in Irish oak, and painted, is yet shown.
The Keep, which is still very perfect, of an octagon shape, stands on an eminence in the centre of a large square. Having walked round the ramparts, which command extensive views of the adjacent country, we visited the castle itself, which has within these few years, been repaired, but still remains in an unfinished state.
In the dining-room are some portraits, in length, of the Windsor family: the most striking are, Sir William, who first raised forces for Queen Mary. Sir Edward, who first entered the breach, at the taking of St. Quintin, in Flanders, where the famous constable De Montmorency was taken prisoner.
In the breakfast parlour is a family piece, consisting of seven figures: it was painted in the year 1568. Holbein, I rather imagine, was the painter: it consists of two sisters playing at cards, and two brothers at drafts, with Edward, Earl of Windsor, and his lady looking on. The style is stiff, with ruffs, small black caps and feathers.
Andrew Windsor, to the right of the fire-place; general inthe reign of Queen Anne, serving in the twenty-eighth regiment offoot | Kneller. |
Thomas Windsor, to the left, who served in several wars ofWilliam and Queen Anne, and was colonel of the third regiment ofDragoon guards, in the reign of King George I. | Kneller. |
Lady Ursula Windsor | Ibid. |
Hon. Master Windsor | Unknown. |
A good painting of Ursula, Countess of Windsor, with hergrand-daughter Ursula Windsor | Kneller. |
Thomas, Lord Windsor, governor of Jamaica | Vandyke. |
Hon. Charlotta Windsor | Dahl. |
Hon. Ursula Windsor | Ibid. |
Hon. Dixia Windsor, storekeeper of theordnance, and for six successive parliaments member forCambridge. | |
This Castle belongs to the Marquis of Bute. In this place, Robert, Earl of Glocester, founded a priory of White Friars, and another of Black, which continued till the reign of King Henry VIII. Only the shell of the White Friars is now extant, and the ruins of the Black Friars are inhabited by fishermen. It has only one church, which is of Norman architecture, with a rich and handsome west door, and an elegant tower.
The races at Cardiff, in October, are very good, and with the balls, are frequented by a brilliant display of beauty and fashion; the ordinaries are likewise well attended by the principal nobility and gentry of the country, and are very good.