Under the guidance of the countryman we proceeded to Red Wharf. Passed more of the Cytiau Gwyddelhod at a place called Trescifion. Near here is an ancient mansion house called Glynn now belonging to Mr. Meyricke (fol. 129a) the name of Glynn a title common in many parts of Wales I find implies a situation lying in a narrow valley overgrown with trees. Not far beyond was a house in which Mr. Hughes resided before his vast acquisition in the Parys mountain. Arrived at Red Wharf a little before dark and the house promised but very bad accommodations we were obliged to put up with them. Our eating was of the least importance but on retiring to my sleeping apartment although the woman had provided clean linen the toute ensemble was so dirty I passed the night without taking off my cloaths.
Sunday, Decr. 12
We were not sorry to leave this wretched alehouse as soon as there was sufficient light to see our direction three miles across the sands of Traeth Gôch to the village of Llanddona whose church stands on an eminence above the (fol. 130) bay and was first founded by Ddona grandson of Brychfael ys Cythrog (who fought the Saxons when the monks of Bangor Iscoed were slaughtered) anno six hundred and ten. About half a mile to the left are the traces of a large entrenchment supposed to have been thrown up by the Britons as a defence against the northern invaders. This is on a rising knoll called Dyn Sylwyn [84a] or Round Table Hill. This we had not leisure to see being obliged to hasten to Llainestan [84b] about a mile in the contrary direction in order to have sufficient time to notice an ancient monument, mentioned by Mr. Rowlands, before service began. Fortunately the church door was open and we met with no interruption during the half hour we stayed there. The object in question covering a cenotaph rose about two feet above the pavement near the communion table. A person in a sacerdotal habit holding a pastoral crook in his right hand and in his left a scroll is here represented, whereon is inscribed (fol. 131a) hic jacet sanctus Jestinus cui &c., round the border of the slab towards the head the characters in parts are much defaced but I read Gryffydd ap Gwyllym in oblationem istam imaginem pro salute animarum suarum. The style of workmanship appears very similar to that of Pabo post Prid and by the way tends to confirm the opinion we there formed that the sculpture is many centuries posterior to the time of the persons they are designed to represent and offered as an oblation to the church for the purpose of securing the favour and mediation of the patron saint. That the family of this Gryffyd ap Gwyllym resided in this neighbourhood appears from a document still extant dated at Rhayder Gadog June the twentieth in the twenty seventh year of Henry the sixth by which seven villaines or vassals were made over and granted by Ednyfed Fychan ap Ednyfed Dafydd ap Gryffydd and Howell ap Dafydd according to the feudal system still obtaining to (fol. 133) William Gryffyd ap Gwylym free tenant of Porthamel probably the very same person who presented the effigies of St. Jesten to the church. This Jesten founder of the church is supposed to have been the son of Gerennius or Geraint grandson of Constantine duke of Cornwall successor to king Arthur. The font is certainly very ancient probably coeval with the original building. The present structure differs nothing from other Welsh Churches. From hence proceeded across a swampy heath for a mile and a half to an old mansion called Fotti [85] Rhydderch or Roderick’s summer house having been directed thither to see an inscription cut over an arched chimney piece in the kitchen. The characters appear to be about the time of Henry the eighth or his successor and are read Si deus nobiscum quis contra nos. This place formerly the residence of a gentleman’s family like most others we have had occasion to notice in the island is now tenanted by a farmer (fol. 133a) who has a fine family of nine children. The eldest a lad of only eleven years old engaged to conduct us to the cromlechs at Cremlyn and Trefor. At the former place there is little worthy of notice but at the latter I took two sketches of a very perfect cromlech the upper stone measuring about three yards across supported by two uprights the larger six feet high the other not above four and a half which cause the cap stone to recline in a slanting direction. Another long stone now lying on the ground appears to have been formerly used as a supporter. Near at hand also are three or four flat stones lying promiscuously.
Whether these were ever employed in the formation of a second cromlech like at Praes Addfed [86a] I cannot pretend to determine. About two fields from hence in our way to Penymynnedd [86b] we traced one of very small dimensions, the cap stone not being above a yard across and its two supporters a foot and a half high.
(fol. 136) After a toilsome walk we arrived at Penymynnedd a place formerly in possession of the Tudor family whose descendant Owen became of such consequence in the British history by marrying Catherine widow of Henry the fifth. In the church we perceived a handsome marble monument said to belong to that family whereon are the effigies of a knight in armour with his lady by his side. There being no inscription we could not determine its exact date but from the workmanship I should imagine it was posterior to the time of Owen who if I mistake not was buried in the cathedral of St. Davids but of this I shall inform myself hereafter.
The church of Penymynnedd formerly went by the name of its founder whose tomb they pointed out under a kind of gothic nitch in the north wall without any kind of inscription. I did not copy the monument on account of there being a good many people in church (fol. 136a) and I wished not to put a stumbling block in my brother’s way but I afterwards made a sketch from memory just to notice the place. After a homely meal we walked half a mile across the fields to the turnpike, and in the course of an hour arrived at Bangor ferry completely soaked a heavy rain having accompanied us all the way. Crossed the water about two with the design of reaching Capel Cerig to sleep but in this we were disappointed through the inattention of our guide who having stopped behind on some pretence we mistook our way and deviated nearly four miles before we got to Llandegai.