“After visiting these circles, the traveller may either proceed to the top of Pen-maen-mawr, or descend to the high road, near Dygyfylchi church, not far from which, just at the foot of Pen-maen-bach, is Pendyffryn, the seat of T. Smith, Esq. In the clefts of the rocks, above the turnpike-gate, near Pen-maen-mawr, grows the Cratægus Aria, or white beam-tree. Mr. Pennant observes, the Swiss procure a good kind of ardent spirit from the berries. The summit of this mountain seems to have been fortified by two or three walls, one within the other; and there are still visible the remains of a great number of huts, or small buildings, most probably at one time, the habitations of soldiers; it was, no doubt, a strong military post, and is supposed to have been made use of by the Britons and Romans. The Roman road from Segontium to Conovium must have passed near it, probably on the south side; and this high mountain, so conspicuous and so easily distinguished at a distance, formed a kind of link, no doubt, in the military chain of communication between this county and Denbyshire, as it is very visible from Dinorwick, (now called Pen Dinas), a Roman encampment in the parish of Llandeiniolen, near Caernarvon on the west, and from many fortified eminences in the other county, on the east. The usual signals in ancient times were fires by night, and a particular kind of flag by day. Having examined the immense ruins of Braich y Dinas, we now proceed along the high road, through the parish of Llanfairfechan; and leaving that small church, on an eminence, a little to the left of the road, and on the right, Brynn y Neuadd, an old neglected family seat, at one time the property of Humphrey Roberts, Esq. and afterwards conveyed to the Wynnes of Plas Newydd, near Denbigh, by the marriage of his daughter to a son of that family; we soon pass Gorddinog,” &c. Williams.
Pursuing a good turnpike-road from Mrs. Crawley’s, we presently came in sight of the towers of
CONWAY CASTLE,
standing on a rock, so picturesquely alluded to in the Bard of Gray.
“On a rock, whose haughty brow,
Frown’d o’er old Conway’s foaming flood,
Robed in a sable garb of woe,
With haggard eyes the poet stood.”
The castle, built by Edward I., is a magnificent fortress, in the form of a parallelogram.
An air of proud sublimity, united with singular wildness, characterises the place. The evening was far advanced; and part of its ruins were shining with the purple glow of the setting sun, whose remaining features stood in darkened majesty, when we entered this monument of desolation. Passing over a plank, originally the site of the drawbridge, we came into the outward court, strongly defended with battlements; from thence we examined the grand entrance of the castle, with several abutments projecting forward, similar in style to Caernarvon. On the south side of the court is the grand hall, measuring an hundred and thirty feet by thirty-two, with eight light Gothic arches, five of which are still in good condition. At one end is the chapel, with a large window, a beautiful specimen of Gothic architecture. It was founded on the solid rock, by Edward I. in the year 1284; the walls are from eleven to fifteen feet thick: all the towers are defended by small round ones, projecting two or three feet over, with a regular communication round the whole castle by galleries, on the same plan as at Caernarvon. The steps are decayed and broken, and the looseness of the stones rendered a footing very insecure; but, impelled by an irresistible curiosity, we ascended the most perfect tower, and an extensive prospect presented itself to our view. The foundation of one of the principal towers, looking towards a small river, which here joins the Conway, has lately given way, and torn down with it part of the building; the remainder now hangs in an extraordinary manner. The whole town is enclosed with strong walls, and defended by a number of towers, which communicate with the castle by a gallery; there are likewise several gateways at certain distances.
The ancient church next attracted our attention, but did not detain us long, as the monuments for the Wynnes are the only things worthy of inspection, except the following inscription, which is engraved on a flat stone, in the nave of the church: “Here lyeth the body of Nicholas Hookes, of Conway, gent., who was the 41st child of his father, William Hookes, Esq. by Alice, his wife, and father of 27 children; who died the 20th day of March, 1637.” Few districts in the world can, perhaps, produce a record similar to the preceding.
From thence we surveyed the remains of the college, which in the reign of King Edward I. was intended for the instruction of youth. It is now in complete ruins: the workmanship curious, with several sculptured arms. In this town is an ancient house, built in the form of a quadrangle, by the Wynnes, in the time of Queen Elizabeth, now inhabited by poor families. The house is adorned after the fantastical fashion of the times in which it was erected; the roof is singularly carved, and the front decorated with the arms of England, with several curious crests, birds, and beasts: it bears the date of the year 1585. The arms of Elizabeth are carved over the door, fronting the street.
The river Conway has been celebrated from the earliest period of British history, for its pearl fishery. Pliny asserts that Julius Cæsar dedicated to Venus Genetrix, in her temple at Rome, a breast-plate, set with British pearls; and other authorities go so far as to assign the desire to get possession of these jewels, as one of the reasons of his invading the British isles. The shell in which they are found is called the pearl muscle, and is the same which by Linnæus is termed Mya Margaritifera.