We now returned with good appetites to do justice to the fare provided by our host of the Hand, and here I was first destined to hear the sounds of the Welsh harp. As we discussed our fare, the harper in the hall played up his liveliest tunes.
Breakfast being despatched, we slung our pistols, i.e., leathern bottles, filled with eau de vie, to our sides, and started to view the ruins of Dinas Brân, an ancient fortress up the summit of a conical mountain, which forms the principal feature of this portion of the vale, and is indeed a striking object from almost every part of the neighbourhood. The ascent begins near the foot of the ancient bridge opposite to the town, which was built in the early part of the fourteenth century, by the first John Trevor, Bishop of St. Asaph. The view through the arches, either up or down the river, is extremely picturesque.
My companion was strongly built, and being accustomed to rambling amongst the Welsh vales and over its steepest mountains, far outstripped me in the ascent, which was by no means easy. We took a zig-zag direction up the hill, which was too precipitous to mount in a direct way, and as we approached the summit the ascent became more difficult; at length, after some little toil, we stood by the side of the Well, whose pure water gave joy to the inhabitants of this ancient fortress many hundred years ago, and still offers a welcome draught to the pilgrim who possesses sufficient perseverance to seek it.
The view from the summit of this mountain is beautiful in the extreme; commanding the vale east to west, with the widely spreading plains beyond its eastern extremity, and the grand and picturesque mountain scenery which forms the western boundary. Chirk Castle, Wynnstay, Valle Crucis Abbey, and Glyndwrdu, are distinctly visible from this elevation, while the romantic Dee is seen winding beneath, in light and shadow beautifully varied by the hills and woods that droop over its banks.
CASTELL DINAS BRAN.
The present remains of this ancient fortress are a few scattered walls. There is little doubt that it is of British origin, but the period of its erection, as well as the name of its founder is buried in oblivion. The original dimensions of its walls were about 300 feet long and 150 feet broad.
In the reign of Henry the Third it afforded an asylum from his enraged countrymen to Gruffydd ab Madoc, who basely betrayed his country to that monarch.
In 1390 this castle was inhabited by Myvanwy Vechan, a most beautiful and accomplished female. She was of the house of Tudor Trevor, and her father, Ednyved Vychan, then held the castle under the noble Earl of Arundel, in the reign of the unfortunate Richard the Second. She was beloved by Howel ab Einion Lygliw, a celebrated bard, who addressed her in a most charming ode.
On the north-west side of the hill is an adjacent rock called Craig Eglwyseg, or the Eagle’s Rock. For more than half a mile this rock lies stratum upon stratum, in such a manner as to form a kind of steps, parallel with the horizon, called by naturalists saxa sedilia, affording a remarkable geological phenomenon.