During the last century a singular custom was observed at Capel Lochwyd, on the celebration of the annual wakes at Holyhead. This joyous festival then continued a fortnight and a day,—commencing the Sunday before the 25th of July, and ending the second Sunday after. On each of the three Sundays of the wakes, all the inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood, old and young, repaired to the chapel, which is situated on a very high part of the mountain, on the west side, close to a cleft, or ravine, that leads down, or rather led down, to the sea shore, (as the pass is now partly obstructed by loose stones); the old to be spectators, and the young, of both sexes that were or thought that they were marriageable, to be actors. On the shore, just above high water-mark, there is a well of most delicious water, called Ffynon (well) of Lochwyd,—having fine gravel at the bottom; and the custom was, for the lasses and lads to take a mouthful of the water, and fill both their hands with the gravel from the bottom of the well, and then endeavour to ascend the ravine (which must at all times have been very difficult,) to the chapel. Whoever succeeded, without spilling a drop of the water or dropping a single pebble, in arriving at the chapel, and casting the water and gravel on the altar, was esteemed certain of being married before the moon had attained its greatest age. The distance between the well and the chapel is about a quarter of a mile; and those who had been unfortunate in either spilling the water or dropping the gravel, were obliged to return; and, to defeat the endeavour of others to ascend, they used all their wit, resorting to grimace and buffoonery to excite laughter in those they met; by which means, very few ever reached the desired goal with the freight they started with from the well. And even, some of those who were successful, I opine, would have another difficulty to grapple with, perhaps greater than that of carrying water and pebbles from the well to the chapel, viz., that of obtaining a suitable “help-mate” in so short a time. As this ceremony took place only on the Sundays of the wakes, it was called “Suliau y Creiriau,” (Sabbaths of the Relics.) The altar disappeared many years ago, and there is scarcely a vestige of the chapel left.
DANCING MATCH.
During the week-days of the wakes at Holyhead, as many musicians were collected together as could be found in and around the town; and one of them played till he was tired, when he was relieved by a fresh one; so that there was music without cessation. To this music twenty young women danced till they were tired; and who ever held out the longest gained the prize of a complete suit of apparel; if it was not decided in one day, the whole twenty commenced again on the following day, and so on to the end of the wakes. This prize, like the “Suliau y Creiriau,” was left sometimes undecided, as the girls would dance till they fainted, rather than acknowledge a defeat. There was an old woman living in this parish in 1826, and who was then nearly a hundred years of age, who, in her youth, assisted in the performance of both the above customs. These barbarous usages were suppressed by a pious Curate of Holyhead, of the name of Ellis, about the year 1748.
HOLYHEAD PIER—OLD HARBOUR.
The first stone of this great national work was laid in the month of August, 1810. The Pier extends from the small island called Ynys Halen, or Salt Island, in an east-south-east direction into the sea; and is about 1000 feet in length. On the south side it is faced with a perpendicular wall of cut stone; near the east end a spur projects 60 feet at right angles with the wall, so as to afford shelter from the east winds. The back of the Pier, or part towards the sea, is on an inclined plane from the top of the parapet, and is built with large rough stones placed edge-ways, as close together as possible, and wedged with smaller ones, so that the sea has no power over it. A morning or evening walk on the parapet, which is used as a promenade, is strongly recommended; it will have a tendency to enliven the spirits, and brace the nerves. On the south side of the Harbour is a fine Graving Dock, admirably constructed, and one of the first in England. The Dock gates are protected by a spur projecting from Turkey Shore to the northward 330 feet, on the east side of the gates. The whole of the above improvements were effected for about £130,000—the Graving Dock about £12,000. Formerly the road to the Pier was through the town; but Government constructed a new road on the margin of the Pool or Basin, which covers an area of fifty or sixty acres, and is filled with water at high tide, but dry at low water.
The anchorage ground outside the Harbour having been so much raked by use that the anchors would not hold, several vessels were in consequence lost. In 1831, a very strong chain of 300 feet in length was laid down across the entrance; so that when a vessel now drags her anchor before the gale, she drives forward until she grapples the chain. This plan has been the means of saving a number of vessels, and none have been on shore since it was adopted. On the Pier there is a large capstan of great power, for the use of the Government Packets and other vessels. Many large ships, by the aid of a plentiful supply of warps, have been brought into the Harbour during heavy gales, evidently snatched from destruction by the prompt assistance thus rendered. A Life Boat reposes on a frame furnished with wheels, in order that it may be moved at an instant’s notice; a gratifying proof that the cause of humanity is not suffered to slumber.
GRAND TRIUMPHAL ARCH.
The Triumphal Arch was erected to commemorate the arrival of His Majesty George IV. On the 7th of August, 1821, His Majesty landed at Holyhead, on his passage to Ireland; an event which forms an epoch in the history of the Principality, and of Anglesey in particular. Upwards of six centuries had elapsed since a British Monarch was seen in Wales; but his Majesty’s visit was under circumstances widely different from those which attended the visit of the first English King. This auspicious day had been anxiously expected by the natives of Holyhead for some time previously; and preparations for His Majesty’s reception had been made with enthusiastic loyalty by every class of people. On the appearance of the Royal Yacht, about half past four in the evening, a signal was made from the top of Holyhead Mountain; but the tide being contrary, and the wind light, the yacht and attendant squadron could not approach the bay until 12 o’clock, when they anchored directly opposite the town, which was immediately illuminated. On the following day, His Majesty landed on the shores of Cambria, and was enthusiastically greeted by the cheers of thousands. The confidence which His Majesty felt in the attachment of the loyal and patriotic Cambro-Britons is strongly evinced in the circumstance, that this was the first time of his being abroad without a military escort. After remaining a short time on the Pier, His Majesty and suite proceeded in three of the Marquis of Anglesey’s carriages to Plas Newydd. On His Majesty’s return to Holyhead, he was received at the entrance of the town with similar attention and marks of respect as were evinced on his landing; and he was conducted to his barge amidst the reiterated cheers of the assembled multitude. The squadron immediately manned their yards, royal salutes were fired, and the town was again illuminated. Being detained in the bay by boisterous weather, the King left the Yacht, and embarked in the Steam Packet Lightning, commanded by the unfortunate Captain Skinner, (see page [21],) and proceeded to the shores of Ireland.
As the visits of Monarchs are “few and far between,” such an event was not to be lightly passed over. A public meeting was held on the 9th of August, and a general subscription was resolved to be entered into, for the purpose of erecting a Triumphal Arch, commemorative of the landing of His Majesty. On Wednesday, the 7th of August, 1822, the foundation stone was laid, with every circumstance that was calculated to produce an impressive effect. On the 6th of August, 1824, this elegant monument of loyalty was opened. It is a chaste and beautiful structure, in the Doric style, formed of Mona marble. It consists of four handsome pillars, twenty feet high, which are placed two on either side of a carriage-way, fourteen feet wide. Outside of the pillars, and of the same height, are two rectangular pillars, twelve feet by three feet six inches, leaving a footpath on each side of the carriage-way of five feet. The whole is surmounted with a bold and projecting cornice, and covered over by three diminishing tiers of masonry, forming a platform. Over the carriage-way, on either side, are empannelled inscriptions, in Welsh and Latin, commemorative of the event.