A Tour throughout South Wales and Monmouthshire Part 13

{98} Near Penrhyn a British gold coin was found, of about equal weight with a guinea, a little hollowed on one side, and different from any of the coinage of the Romans, or their successors: whence, and from other instances, it is inferred, that the Britons had gold and silver coin before the arrival of the Romans. In the church-yard is a large rough-hewn stone, bearing an inscription that has not yet been interpreted.

{106} At Lhanar, a small village two or three miles distant, on the right bank of the river, there was a Cistercian nunnery, a cell to Starflower Abbey, of which I understand some imperfect vestiges remain.

{123} According to Tanner, Leland, and Dugdale. Camden says it was for Cluniacs.

{130} The mansion of Mr. Vaughan, the greatest landholder in Caermarthens.h.i.+re. We did not visit this seat, or Middleton hall, also southward of the valley a few miles nearer Caermarthen, but without commanding any of its beauties. The latter place, built a few years since by Mr. Paxton, formerly a banker at Bengal, I understand to be the most splendid specimen of modern architecture in Wales; but, unfortunate in its situation, it is already neglected.

{131} The ruins of Gruslwyn castle occupy a bold conical hill about half-way between Llandilo and Caermarthen, in the Vale of Towey. Nearer Caermarthen, until lately, stood the venerable remains of Green castle, built by Uchtred, prince of Merioneths.h.i.+re, in 1138; but the ruin is now reduced to a few unimportant walls: both these fragments of antiquity are within view of the road.

{135} "Dim Sarsnic" (no Saxon) is a common expression, grounded on their anciently confounding all foreigners with their mortal enemies the Saxons; as the lower cla.s.s in England consider every foreigner a Frenchman. This is said to be connected with a marked dislike and incivility to strangers; yet, so far as my observations extend, a greater disposition to acts of kindness is not to be met with in any part of the kingdom than in South Wales.

{140} Along with the degeneracy of social affections, manly prowess, and other n.o.ble affections, that hang on nations and places absorbed in the pursuit of trade, the dereliction of chast.i.ty is greatly conspicuous. In Manchester, for example, an almost promiscuous intercourse prevails in the great cla.s.s of the people: insomuch that the Magistrates attempt to check the increase of b.a.s.t.a.r.d children by inflicting stripes and imprisonment on the women who bear above a certain number! But why enumerate particular instances of the debasing tendency of too much trade, when the history of the world furnishes abundant proofs to establish the fact as an axiom.

{145} Rail-ways are so called, from being constructed of iron (in some places wooden) rails, placed in such a manner as to receive the wheels of a sort of low cart, used in the conveyance of metal and coals. These cars, as they are called, are of very ponderous structure; their wheels, grooved round, with a shoulder dipping on the inside, pa.s.s with great facility over the rails; which latter, projecting an inch or two above the ground, are kept in their places by a sunken frame of wood. The advantages of these roads are very considerable for the purposes to which they are applied; insomuch that many persons have suggested their usefulness for public ways; but perhaps without considering the numerous practical objection that would encounter the project.

{150} _Single stones_ may be considered among the remotest monuments of antiquity: we read of such in the Old Testament, raised in commemoration of signal victories, and as noted sepulchres. Jacob erected one at Lug; and placed another over the grave of Rachael.

{153} They were wrecked on the Margam estate upwards of a century since.

{155} This is called part of the Abbey church in Grose's Antiquities; but, as the foundation of that edifice is demonstrable near the chapter-house, it appears to be an error.

{163} In this neighbourhood several Roman coins have been dug up, among which were some very scarce ones of aemilia.n.u.s and Marius.

{164} Llancarvan, about three miles from Cowbridge, is said to be the site of a Monastery built by St. Cadocus in the year 500.-Boverton, a village a short distance from Cowbridge in the road to Cardiff, is thought to be the Bovium of the Romans.

{173} From this place a turnpike-road extends through the mountains to Brecon, a district so wild as not to present a village, and scarcely a habitation in an extent of eighteen miles.-In the neighbourhood of Merthyr-tydvill I find described Morlashe castle, a ruin.

{174} An outwork that defended the drawbridge.

{175} The external staircase entrance to the hall spoken of by Camden, "the roof whereof is vaulted and supported by twenty arches," is now rendered nearly impa.s.sable by rubbish.

{177} On a mountain near Caerphilly is a monument known by the name of _Y Maen hir_. It is a quadrangular stone pillar, rather inclining, and about eight feet high: close to the base is a mound, inclosing the s.p.a.ce of six yards; and in the midst, a square area. On the pillar is an inscription in Welch, which signifies, "May'st thou awake;" from which it is inferred to be a funereal monument.-Grose's Antiquities.

{181} This is called the magazine, from its having been applied to that purpose in the civil wars of Charles the First.

{184a} There is no cross aile to this cathedral, as there is to all the others in England and Wales: nor any middle steeple, as there is to all the others except Bangor and Exeter.

{184b} Castle coch, or the Red castle, situated upon a high bank of the river Taffe, about four miles above Landaff, is a small ruin which we neglected to visit.

{185} Monmouths.h.i.+re has been separated from Wales by the judicial arrangement of later times; yet the character of the county throughout is so entirely Cambrian, that I cannot consider myself out of Wales until after having pa.s.sed the Wye. Indeed, this highly-varied and interesting district may be considered as an epitome of the whole princ.i.p.ality. The mountains stretching over the north-west of Monmouths.h.i.+re s.h.i.+re may vie with any in South-Wales, and even aspire to the majestic wildness of some in North-Wales; the rich fertility, or broken precipices accompanying the course of the Severn, Wye, and Usk, with much contrastive grandeur, possess the highest pretensions to picturesque fame; and its numerous ruins and other monuments of antiquity are among the most celebrated in the kingdom.-An elegant and able work, in two volumes, quarto, has been lately published, descriptive of Monmouths.h.i.+re, and ill.u.s.trated by no less than 90 excellent plates. The researches of its author (Mr. c.o.xe) have been so accurate and complete, as to leave little more for a succeeding tourist to do than to select and transcribe. The descriptions I always found highly satisfactory and just; I have therefore, in the generality of instances, thought it unnecessary to follow any other authority for doc.u.ments in history and antiquities.

{192} An officer who had the superintendance of the walls, and collected a toll for keeping them in repair.

{195} We did not visit Rogeston castle, about two miles north-west of Newport, a fortress of the Stradlings who came over with Fitzhammon.

Part of its remains appear in the foundation of the mansion built on its site, belonging to the Morgans, but tenanted by Mr. Butler of Caerleon, and employed as a manufactory of iron bolts and tin plates.

{200a} In ancient military architecture "_circinatio angulorum_;" a plan condemned by Vitruvius, because it rather sheltered the besiegers than the besieged, "_quia hostem magis tuentur quam civem_."

{200b} A decent little inn, and the only one in the town.

{208} These ruins are attributed to the ravages of Owen Glendower, who sacked and burnt the town.

{209} From Usk to Abergavenny, the road pa.s.ses several objects worthy of a tourist's notice. I must here borrow from Mr. c.o.xe's survey, not having travelled on the road. The church of Kemys Commander, between three and four miles from Usk, to the left of the road, is a small Gothic structure; its cemetery is remarkable for a hollow yew-tree, fifteen feet in girth, within which is inclosed an oak not less than seven feet in circ.u.mference; its branches shadow the parent trunk, forming a singular combination of foliage. The church of Bettus Newydd, on the right of the road in the same neighbourhood, is noticeable for the entire state of its ancient rood-loft. A mile and a half further the road is graced with an elegant Gothic gateway, of modern execution, appertaining to Clytha house, the seat of William Jones, Esq.; and near it is Clytha castle, a structure erected by Mr. Jones to the memory of a beloved wife. At seven miles from Usk, to the right of the road, is the old mansion of Lansanfread, a residence of James Green, Esq. M.P., for Arundel.

Colebrook, about two miles further, and nearly the same distance from Abergavenny, is a seat of Sir John Hanbury Williams. The house was an irregular old pile, with square towers at each angle, until about fifty years since, when the present front and Doric portico were erected, from a design of Sir Charles Hanbury Williams, of diplomatic and facetious memory.

{214} The walls here and in many other parts of the ruin are not deprived of their facing stones, as is generally the case with these remaining monuments of baronial splendour; but, constructed of a superior sort of light grey stone, they still exhibit a specimen of exquisite masonry; and where they have not been wilfully dilapidated appear as perfect as if just finished.

{219} List of the household, and method of living, at Raglan Castle, by the Earl of Worcester, in the reign of Charles the First, 1641.

At eleven o'clock in the forenoon the castle gates were shut, and the tables laid; two in the dining-room; three in the hall; one in Mrs.

Watson's apartment, where the chaplains eat (Sir Toby Matthews being the first); and two in the housekeeper's room, for the ladies' women.

The Earl entered the dining-room, attended by his gentlemen. As soon as he was seated, Sir Ralph Blackstone, steward of the house, retired. The comptroller, Mr. Holland, attended with his staff, as did the sewer Mr.

Blackburne; the daily waiters, Mr. Clough, Mr. Selby, Mr. Scudamore; and many gentlemen's sons, with estates from two to seven hundred pounds a year, who were bred up in the castle; my lady's gentlemen of the chamber, Mr. Morgan and Mr. Fox. At the first table sat the n.o.ble family, and such of the n.o.bility as came there.

At the second table, in the dining-room, sat knights and honourable gentlemen attended by footmen.

In the hall, at the first table, sat Sir Ralph Blackstone, steward; the comptroller, Mr. Holland; the secretary; the master of the Horse, Mr.

Dolowar; the master of the Fish-ponds, Mr. Andrews; my Lord Herbert's preceptor, Mr. Adams; with such gentlemen as came there under the degree of a knight, attended by footmen, and plentifully served with wine.

At the second table in the hall (served from my Lord's table, and with other hot meats) sat the sewer, with the gentlemen waiters and pages, to the number of twenty-four.

At the third table, in the hall, sat the clerk of the kitchen, with the yeomen officers of the house, two grooms of the chamber, &c.

Other officers of the household were, chief auditor, Mr. Smith; clerk of the accounts, George Whithorn; purveyor of the castle Mr. Salisbury; ushers of the hall, Mr. Moyle and Mr. Cooke; closet-keeper; gentleman of the chapel, Mr. Davies; keeper of the records; master of the wardrobe; master of the armoury; master grooms of the stable for the war-horses, twelve; master of the hounds; master falconer; porter and his man. Two butchers; two keepers of the home-park; two keepers of the red-deer park.

Footmen, grooms, and other menial servants, to the number of 150. Some of the footmen were brewers and bakers.

Out Officers: Steward of Raglan, William Jones, Esq.; the governor of Chepstow Castle, Sir Nicholas Kemys, Bart.; housekeeper of Worcester-house in London, James Redman, Esq.; thirteen Bailiffs; two counsel for the bailiffs to have recourse to; solicitor, Mr. John Smith.

{222} The Romans constructed their roads with large ma.s.ses of stone closely layed together: each piece was often six or seven feet long and carefully squared. The road to Caerwent, formed on such a foundation, though pa.s.sing through a low swampy country, is observed to be uncommonly compact and dry. Thus the utility of that once great people's work is transmitted through the constant wear of fifteen centuries; and excites the admiration of even our own enlightened age.

{236} Camden's Britannia, p. 714, ed. 1722.

{238} About half a mile from the sh.o.r.e is a rocky islet called Charston rock, much esteemed for the durability of its stone: it has lately been employed in the lower part of the piers of Newport-bridge.

{244} The stone coffin, containing the remains of St. Theodoric, was discovered some time since: upon removing the lid, the skeleton appeared perfectly entire, except a large fracture on the skull, which probably occasioned the death of the hero.

{251a} Owing to a neglect of the roof, the upper stories of the building were swimming with water, and peris.h.i.+ng very fast. It is to be hoped, that before this the Duke of Beaufort's agents have looked to their charge, and adopted proper means to prevent the entire loss of a useful habitation, and an interesting remnant of antiquity.

{251b} Southey's Poems, p. 378.

{252} Several of the glazed figured tiles used by the Normans, commonly called Roman tiles, patched up in different parts of the ruin, and a few Roman bricks built in the heterogeneous ma.s.s that composes the grout-work of the walls, have occasioned many persons to consider the castle as of Roman foundation. But these circ.u.mstances, standing alone, afford very inconclusive grounds. On the Normans building the castle, the Roman fragments were most probably brought from the then decaying town of Caerwent, and with other rubbish applied to the work.

{255} In the garden of a house in Bridge-street is the phenomenon of a well of soft water that ebbs and flows regularly is an exact opposition to the tide.

{261} Col. Wood is about to dispose of this estate.

{264} She was a niece of lord Peterborough.