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 |