Slowly proceeding down a steep declivity, and admiring the prospect before us, we soon reached Striguil, or Troggy Castle, as it is generally called, standing in a marshy field at the bottom of the hill. The small remains of this fortress are so profusely overspread with ivy, and the pendent foliage of wide-branching trees, that an accurate judgement can scarcely be formed of its architecture: but where the structure can be seen, pointed arches with neat facings appear throughout; from which circumstance the accuracy of Iceland and Camden may be questioned, who date the erection of this castle prior to the Conquest: certainly the parts now standing were not constructed within a century subsequent to that event. An octagon tower and some broken walls are the only standing parts of the ruin; but the form of its area may be traced, which is oblong, with towers defending each angle, and a broad moat surrounding the whole.
Reascending the Pencamawr, a ride of four or five miles, upon the site of a British way that led from Cardiff to Monmouth, brought us into the turnpike-road between Newport and Caerwent. In this interesting progress, on the ridgy summit of the high hills bordering the Usk, our prospects were delightful. Occasionally excluded by the close thickets of the forest, and re-appearing under different circumstances, new scenes were continually creating; and that satiety in consequence avoided which would possibly have resulted from the long possession of one species of scene, however excellent. Not far distant from the Pencamawr, appear the antiquated mansion, the hanging groves, and dark mantling woods of Bertholly, impendent near the limpid Usk, which here makes one of its boldest curves, forming nearly a complete circle in its romantic meander. About two miles further, in a field on the right of the road, is a building called Kemys Folly; from the summit of which, a range of prospect is obtained, scarcely to be equalled for extent and diversity. The views described from the Pencamawr here appear, with all the added charms of the scenery of the Usk, in this part eminently beautiful: from this spot also the Bristol channel displays its silvery surface with uncommon effect; while the distant shores of Somerset and Devon follow its course in bay and promontory, until the receding confine, too remote for the distinction of sight, appears dissolved in the blue ethereal.
From these charming scenes we descended, and in a short time left the British way, in joining the Newport turnpike near a public-house called Cat’s Ash. This road is for the most part constructed on the Julia strata of the Romans. Where it leaves the absolute site of the ancient road it closely follows its course, and the foundation of the causeway may be traced in the adjoining fields; particularly in a meadow near the spot, where a lane from Lanvair to Caldecot level crosses the turnpike. Proceeding on this road somewhat more than a mile, we turned off into a bridle-road on our right, to inspect the remains of Pencoed castle and manor-house. These ruins are situated on the extreme boundary of that hilly tract bordering Caldecot level, over which and the Bristol channel it commands a comprehensive view. Of the castle very inconsiderable vestiges appear, in a gateway with a circular arch and two small pentagonal turrets, a round embattled tower, and some dilapidated walls; yet, decorated with a profusion of verdure, the ruin, though small, is picturesque and pleasing. The architecture of these fragments is of a more distant date than most of the small castles in Monmouthshire, and may be considered coëval with the first establishment of the Normans in Gwent, i.e. Monmouthshire. The mansion, occupying the site of the baronial fortress, built with its materials and engrafted on its foundation, is of an architectural date between Henry the Eighth’s reign and that of Elizabeth. This neglected edifice is now partly occupied as a farm-house; but indications of its former importance appear in the grand dimensions of the apartments, and the great general extent of the building.
Upon regaining the high road, we soon approached Penhow Castle, seated on an eminence, and commanding the pass of a wild hollow beneath: a square embattled tower is the leading feature of this ruin, which is very inconsiderable, and chiefly converted into a small farming habitation:
“There in the ruin, heedless of the dead,
The shelter-seeking peasant builds his shed;
And, wond’ring man could want the larger pile,
Exults, and owns his cottage with a smile.”
Thus having surveyed five out of the six castles that formerly surrounded the forest of Wentwood, and learning that no traces remained of the fortress at Lanvasches, we returned to Caerwent from a circuit of about twenty miles.
At an early hour in the morning we set out from our lowly quarters at Caerwent, and traversed a fruitful country, pleasingly varied with wood and pastures, in our way to Caldecot Castle. The situation of this ruin in an undiversified swampy plain, is not calculated to set off its importance: viewed from a superior elevation in the approach, the towers and citadel, in themselves sufficiently high, appear sunk, and undistinguished from the curtain wall of the fortification; but on a nearer inspection the ruin rises in consequence; and the aspect of its chief entrance, a large Gothic gateway guarded by two massive projecting towers, is truly noble. The light grey masonry of this entrance is agreeably relieved by a profusion of ivy, overspreading nearly the whole of one tower, and throwing the broad shadow of its pendent foliage upon part of the other. Within the portal the grooves of two portcullisses are apparent; and a further means of defence is visible in holes through the arch, down which boiling lead might be poured on the heads of the besiegers. On entering the court some remains of the baronial hall, and the foundations of other buildings, appear within the area of the walls. A small artificial mount at the north-east angle of the ruin sustains the citadel, a lofty round tower; to which dernier resort of the garrison a ready communication seems to have been conducted on the walls, from the different towers and other parts of the fortress; the whole of which is surrounded by a broad and deep moat.
The early history of this castle is uncertain: some have conjectured that part of it was built by Harold; and indeed a round tower on the south-west side of the castle, with a circularly arched entrance, has a Saxon character; but the general architecture of the building is Gothic. Caldecot castle, in the different accounts of Monmouthshire, has been attached to the lord high constableship of England, upon the authority of Camden; [236] but it appears very satisfactorily, from Mr. Coxe’s illustration, that it was the private property of the great Bohun family possessing the earldom of Hereford, who were hereditary constables of England. Caldecot church is an extensive and highly-ornamented Gothic structure, which may appear somewhat disproportioned to the scanty flock that it has to fold.
Leaving the little village of Caldecot, we passed the Nevern brook, and soon after the small hamlet of Portswit, formerly washed by the sea, though it has since receded upwards of a mile. This place brought to our recollection a tale of outrage and cruelty that strongly characterizes the state of society at the time, and may serve as a buoy to mark the lawless violence of military dominion. It is related in Powell’s translation of Caradoc’s history, that Harold, after wresting part of Prince Gryffith’s possessions from him, built a magnificent palace at Portascyth (Portswit) in Monmouthshire; “and, stowing it with a great quantity of provision, splendidly entertained the king, who honoured him with a visit. This was by no means pleasing to Tosty, to see his younger brother in greater esteem and favour with the king than himself; and, having concealed his displeasure for a time, he could not forbear at length but discover his grievance; for one day at Windsor, while Harold reached the cup to King Edward, Tosty, ready to burst with envy that his brother was so much respected beyond himself, could not refrain to run furiously upon him, and, pulling him by the hair, dragged him to the ground; for which unmannerly action the king forbade him the court. But he, with continued rancour and malice, rides to Hereford, where Harold had many servants preparing an entertainment for the king; and, setting upon them with his followers, lopped off the hands and legs of some, the arms and heads of others, and then threw them into the butts of wine and other liquors which were put in for the king’s drinking; and at his departure charged the servants to acquaint him, ‘that of other fresh meat he might carry with him what he pleased; but for sauce he should find plenty provided for him.’ For which barbarous offence the king pronounced perpetual banishment upon him. But Caradoc ap Gryffydth gave a finishing stroke to Harold’s house, and the king’s entertainment at Portascyth; for, coming thither shortly after Tosty’s departure, to be revenged upon Harold, he killed all the workmen and labourers, with all the servants he could find; and, utterly defacing the building, carried away all the costly materials, which, with great charges and expence, had been brought thither to beautify and adorn the structure.”
Proceeding through an agreeable undulating tract towards the sea-shore, we soon arrived at the New Passage, the principal entrance into Monmouthshire from the south-western counties. [238] The breadth of water from this place to the Bristol coast is three miles and a half, while the ferry of Aust, or the Old passage, four or five miles higher up the Severn, is only two miles across; but this advantage is considered to be overbalanced by the more commodious landing at the former. Both these concerns, being monopolies, are, like all other monopolies, hostile to the interest of the publick; for there being no competition for preference between the boatmen, they are extremely rude in their manners, indifferent to the accommodation of the publick, and by no means unpractised in various arts of extortion. But these exclusive privileges have existed from time immemorial. The title of the New Passage arose from its renewal in the year 1718, after an abolition in consequence of the following remarkable incident.