which is rendered more striking by the summits of the Castle Towers, Coedhelen Summer-house, as well as the extensive Bay and foaming Bar, being distinctly seen in the rear of the Town.—Caernarvon is situated at the month of the Seiont, on a small Peninsula, formed by that river and the brook Cadnant, on the verge of the Straits of the Menai, which separate this County from the Island of Anglesey; this Town is justly the boast of North Wales, for beauty of situation—goodness of buildings—regularity of plan, and above all for the grandeur and magnificence of its Castle. Here an admirer of nature may forget his cares, in contemplating the greatness of her works, or rather the stupendous operations of His hand, whose Almighty fiat, and creative energy, formed this terrestrial Globe, and called into existence the “everlasting mountains.” This place, from its proximity to these wonderful and impregnable barriers, and its central and salubrious situation, will be found to be a most eligible station, from which the stranger may make various and pleasant excursions, some of which will be pointed out at the end of this article. The town is a square, inclosed with embattled stone walls on three sides; the Castle defending it on the South. In the West wall are two round Towers, and two others protecting the Gate at that point, called by the Welsh Porth-yr-aur, where there it a battery of 7 guns; three on the North, one on the N.E.; two supporting the Eastern entrance, or Porth-mawr, and two to the S.E. making in the whole twelve Towers.
The town is well built, the streets being at right angles, with the principal one, (the High Street). Near the Cross formerly stood the old Town Hall, which continued many years in ruins, but it has lately been re-built in a more specious and handsome manner, and is converted into a commodious Market House, containing Butchers’ Shambles, Fish Stand, and Corn Market; over these is a large room, which is made use of for the boys of the National School, until the building now erecting shall be completed; another containing at present a Depot of Arms, and a smaller one, where the gentlemen of the Savings Bank Committee, together with their Clerk and Treasurer, sit from twelve till two o’clock every Saturday, to receive the weekly deposits; this is a most excellent institution, and ought to be universally known and encouraged.
The Castle is founded on a rock, and is almost entire; the enter walls are of dark grey hewn stone, (a species of lime stone) with an edging of red ones at the corners and about the windows, as also in several fascias, which gives it a handsome appearance. Edward I. built this Castle in a singular and elegant style, (and probably the Town likewise, on the site, and out of the ruins of one more ancient, and bearing the same name [69]) with the revenue of the See of York, then vacant; a deep narrow foss or ditch, which has been filled up some years, once defended it on the North side, or in front, over which there was a drawbridge, leading to the King’s or principal Gate, which had four Portcullises, and was a grand and elegant entrance; above it stood the figure of the Royal Founder, in the act either of drawing or sheathing his sword, probably the latter, in allusion to the Welsh war being ended,—under his feet is a defaced shield: this Gate leads into an oblong Court, originally divided into two parts, the lower, or that end containing the Regal apartments, seem to have been again protected by another Wall and Gateway, now demolished. At the West end of this area is a Polygon Tower, with three hexagon Turrets issuing from its top, on whose battlements were eagles, one of which only now remains, (which is shamefully mutilated and disfigured) whence it was called the Eagle Tower;—we have the authority of Mr. Pennant for saying that the Eagle upon the top of this Tower is with good reason supposed to be Roman, and that Edward found it at old Segontium.—In a small room, within this Tower, eleven feet by seven, Edward the Second is supposed to have been born, April 25th, 1284; a passage separates it from a similar apartment, called the nursery.—The correctness of this statement is however doubted by many, for if we may be allowed to judge, from the small dimensions, and present gloomy and uninviting appearance of this apartment, it does not seem probable, that the Queen of England would select it for the place of her accouchement, when other parts of the Castle afforded much superior accommodations; on the other hand it may be objected, that she might have fixed upon it as the place of greatest security and seclusion,—this however is certain, that tradition, which is often correct, is in favor of the small room.
From the top of the Eagle Tower, which most strangers ascend, the traveller will be able to command a grand, varied and extensive view, comprehending a great part of the Island of Anglesey, the Straits of the Menai, Carnarvon Bay, St. George’s Channel, with the whole range of Carnarvonshire Hills, from the Peaks of the Rivals, on the S.W. to the huge Pen-maen-mawr, on the N.E. being about 36 miles in extent. On the South side, next the River Seiont, are three Hexagon and three Octagon Towers, and others on the North. On the East is a magnificent entrance, called the Queen’s Gate, and through which she is supposed to have entered, with a lofty round Arch and small Postern; leading to which also, there was, no doubt, originally a draw-bridge, over the Moat, which formed the communication between the Seiont and the brook Cadnant, or present mill stream. These Towers communicate all round, by noble galleries, and several of them are surrounded by smaller Towers, peculiar to this and Conway Castle, which seem to have been the Architect’s two Chef d’œuvre. In the North East Tower is a deep well, half filled up, and this, or some other is said to have contained a dungeon, where it is pretended a man being once let down to bring up a dog, found a hammer, and that he saw a wooden door which he was afraid to open; the common people have a tradition, that there was a subterraneous passage either from this place or some other part of the Castle, to Coed Helen wood, on the other side of the river. Some statements assert that this immense Fortress was completed in one year; others, with more probability, assure us that it was twelve years in building. Henry Ellerton, or de Elreton, was appointed master mason, and perhaps was the Architect, and under him must have been numbers of other skilful workmen. The Welsh peasants were employed, no doubt, in waiting upon them, and supplying them with materials, great part of which was brought from the ruins of Segontium, and tradition says that much of the limestone, with which it is built, was conveyed from Twr Kelyn, near Plas Newydd, in Anglesey, and of the grit stone from Vaenol.—The Menai greatly facilitated the carriage from both places. The exterior walls are in general about three yards in thickness; and from its situation and strength, it seems to have been well adapted to overawe the newly acquired subjects of its founder.
This noble and venerable pile, from whatever point it is contemplated, or at whatever distance it is viewed, forms a most interesting object, particularly when it is considered that it was once the residence of Royalty, and gave birth to the first Prince of Wales, of the English line,—what wonder and astonishment must it not have excited in the minds of the poor peasants, dwelling at the foot of Snowdon, and unused to see any other habitations than their own humble dwellings, when beholding this vast and magnificent Castle, advancing by slow degrees, to its present height and magnitude. When it is considered that it has withstood the shocks of more than five hundred winters, it seems wonderful that it should still appear so perfect and entire; for what is there that does not at last fade and decay, and yield by degrees to the war of elements, and the siege of time:
— The Tower, that long hath stood
The crash of Thunder, and the warring Winds,
Shook by the slow but sure destroyer—Time
Now hangs in doubtful ruins o’er its base;
And flinty pyramids, and walls of brass
Descend; the Babylonian Spires are sunk;
Achaia, Rome, and Egypt moulder down.
This huge rotundity, we tread grows old;
And all those Worlds that roll about the Sun,
The Sun himself shall die and ancient night,
Again involve the desolate Abyss.
After this Monarch had subdued the Welsh, he began to secure his conquests, by erecting several strong holds, in different parts of Wales, and it appearing that Carnarvonshire, on account of its Mountains and Morasses, was a County very likely to encourage insurrections, he determined to guard as much as possible against such an event, by erecting this and Conway Castle, two of the completest and strongest Fortresses in the Principality, and perhaps not inferior to any in the Kingdom.
The reason generally assigned for the King’s conduct, in bringing his beloved Queen, Eleanor, to such a distance, and at such an inclement season of the year, (for it was in the winter) to lie in, is the following: viz. that perceiving the Welsh remembered but too keenly the oppressions of the English Officers, who in former reigns had been placed over them, they peremptorily informed the King, that they were determined not to yield obedience to any Prince, except one of their own nation; he found it necessary to make use of an innocent artifice, and a pardonable piece of policy: he therefore concealed his intentions for a time, and secretly dispatched trusty messengers to the English Court, in order to conduct the Queen into Wales; and it is related, that soon after the birth of the young Prince, he summoned together the Welsh Nobles, and persons of the greatest rank and influence in the Principality, and asked them whether they would submit to be governed by a young man born in Wales, and one who could not speak of word of English, and that when they answered him in the affirmative, he presented to them his own son, saying to them at the same time (as well as he could pronounce the words) Eich Dyn, [74] i.e. this is your man—corrupted afterwards into Ich Dien. It ought however to have been previously mentioned, that the King was at Rhuddlan Castle, during the Queen’s confinement, and we are informed by Leland, that when Griffith Lloyd, of Tregarnedd in Anglesey, brought him the joyful intelligence of the birth of a son, he was immediately Knighted, and rewarded with one of the Manors of the Welsh Princes, called Llys yn Dinorweg, in the Parish of Llanddeiniolen, now the property of T. A. Smith, of Vaenol, Esq.—The first Governor of this Castle, appointed by Edward, was John de Havering, with a salary of 200 Marks; with which he was obliged to maintain constantly, besides his own family, fourscore men, of which fifteen were to be cross-bowmen, one Chaplain, one Surgeon, and one Smith; the rest were to do the duty of keepers of the Gates, Centinels, and other necessary Officers. In 1289, Adam de Wetenhall was appointed to the same important office. The establishment for Town and Castle was as follows: The Constable of the Castle had sometimes £60. at others only £40. The Captain of the Town had £12. 3s. 4d. for his annual fee; but this office was sometimes annexed to the former, and then Sixty was the Salary for both. The Constable and the Captain had Twenty-four Soldiers allowed them for the defence of the place, at the wages of fourpence per day each. This was considered as the amount of the establishment during peace. The Porter of the Gates of the Town had for his annual fee, £3. 10s. The following are the only instances known, of this place having suffered by the calamities of war, viz. in the great insurrection of the Welsh, under Madoc, in 1294, when they surprised the Town, during the time of a Fair, and put many English to the sword, got possession of this as well as Conway Castle, and made themselves masters of all Anglesey. During the rebellion of Owen Glyndwr, about the year 1404, Ieuan (Evan) ap Meredith, of Eifionydd, and Meredith ap Hwlkyn Llwyd, of Glynn Llifon, had the charge of the Town of Carnarvon, (as Sir John Wynne informs us), and an English Captain defended the Castle; when the said Owen Glyndwr and his party, in revenge at not being able to gain possession, burned Ievan ap Meredith’s two houses, Cefn y Fann, and Kesail gyfarch. Captain Swanly, a Parliamentarian Officer, took the Town, in 1644, made 400 prisoners, and got a great quantity of arms, ammunition, and pillage. The Royalists afterwards repossessed themselves of the place,—Lord Byron was appointed Governor,—was besieged by General Mytton, in 1646, and yielded the place on the most honorable terms. In 1648, the General himself, and Colonel Mason, were besieged in it, by Sir J. Owen, who, hearing that Colonel Carter and Colonel Twisselton were on the march to relieve the place, drew a part of his forces from the siege, in order to attack them on the way; the parties met at Dalar Hir, near Llandegai, Sir John was defeated, and made prisoner; after which, all North Wales submitted to the Parliament.
After this concise History of the Castle, we shall now endeavour to give a short description of the Town, within the walls, and then proceed to the suburbs; the former consists principally of seven streets, viz. The High Street, 2. King Street, or Castle Street, 3. Market Street, 4. Red Lion, or Plas-mawr Street, 5. Black Boy Street, 6. Newgate Street, and 7. Church Street; to which may be added, 8. Pen y Deits, or the head, or end of the Ditch or Moat; 9. Hole in the Wall Street, and, 10. Pepper Alley.
The High Street, which is the handsomest, consists principally of Shops and Lodging-houses, and has in its centre, (or rather at the entrance into Market Street) the old Town Hall, and, present Market House, already noticed; and at the upper or East end, over the Gateway called Porth mawr, is the present Guild-Hall, formerly an Exchequer Office, it was re-built in the year 1767, at the joint expence of Sir William Wynn, and Sir John Wynn, Baronet, as appears by an inscription in front of it; in the interior are handsome Portraits of each, as also of the late Earl of Uxbridge, father of the present Marquis of Anglesey. Here the Member for the Borough is elected; their present Representative is the Hon. Captain Paget. This place is also used as an Assembly Room, where the Michaelmas and other Balls, such as those given by the High Sheriff, during the Assizes, and by Members at elections, are held; and in order to light it up in a handsome manner, the late Lord Uxbridge presented the Corporation with a beautiful glass lustre.