0^ \i A U V t' i UNIVKHSITV i)¥ I CALlFOiiMA. . LONDON- JOHN MUEEAY, ALBEMAKLE STEEET. 1868. Th£ right of Traraiaiion is reserved. tON'DON: PRrXTEr> BV W. CXOWES AND SONS, STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS, PREFACE. Within the last few years botli portions of the Principality have been completely metamorphosed, as far as travelling arrangements, by the completion of many new lines of rail- way, and the consequent abandonment of many of the coaching routes. The Editor has endeavoured, by personal visits and research, to make this Handbook as reliable as possible. He begs that any inaccuracies or misstatements which may occur may be communicated to him to care of Mr. Murray, 50, Albemarle Street. 1868. a CONTENTS. Introduction PAGE V ROUTES. *,* Toe names of places are printed in italics only in those routes where the places are described. ROUTE PAGE 1. Shreicsbury to Chester, by Ruabon and Wrexha)7i — Great Western Railway . . 2 2. Whittington June, to Whit- church June, by Ellesmere —Rail 16 3. Ruabon June, to Dolgelley, bv LlarujoUen, Corwen, and Bala — Kail and Coach . . 17 4. Chester to Bangor, by Flint, Abergele, and Conv:aij — Rail 27 5. Abergele to Denbigh, by Bettvcs and Llanfair Tal- haiarn — Pedestrian ... 48 6. Conway to Llandudno and the Orme's Head 49 7. Bangor to /folyhead, by Menai Bridge — Rail 51 8. ^lenai Bridge to Beaumaris, Fenmon, and Amlwch, by E. Coast of Anglesea .... 64 9. Gaerwen June, to Amlwch, by Anglesea Central Railway . 70 10. Chester to Ruthin, by Jfold — liail and Coach . . . . 73 11. Corwen to Rhyl, by Jiuthin, Denbigh, and St. Asaph . . 77 12. Conway to Bangor, by Llmi- rirst, Bettws - y - coed, and Capel Curig — Rail and Coach 85 13. Bettws-y-coed to Corwen, by Pentreroelas 95 14. Bangor to Pwllheli, by Caer- luirvon — Riiil 96 15. Caernarvon to Pwllheli, by C'/^;mof/— Road 102 ROU 16 17 PAGE 105 108 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. TE Pwllheli to Bardsey Island, by Nevin and Aberdaron. . Caernarvon to Capel Curig, by Llanberis and Penygwryd — Ascent of (S^iowJo/i . . Penygwryd to Beddgelert, by Nant Gwynant 118 Caernarvon to Tanybwlch, by Beddgelert, Tremadoc, and Porthmitdoc Porthraadoc to Ffestiniog Quar- ries, by Rail — Moelwyn . . Tanybwlch to Oswestry, by Ffestiniog, Bala, and Llan- rhaiadr Tanybwlch to Machynlleth, by Maentwrog, Tntwsfynydd, and Dolgelley — Cader Idris Dolgelley to Binas Mowddtoy by Road, and to Cemmaes Road June, by Rail . . . Pwllheli to Dolgelley, by Porth- madoc, Harlech, and Bar- mouth — I\ail Dolgelley to Machynlleth, by Towyn and Aberdovey — Kail ; on to Llanidloes by Road. Oswestry to Machynlleth, by Llanfair and Mallwyd . . Oswestry to Llanidloes, by Welshpool {Llanfyllin) and Xewtown — liail ; and on to Aberystwith by Road . . . Slirowsbury to Aberystwith, by Welshpool, Newtown, and Machynlleth — b'ail . . • 120 126 128 133 141 143 150 155 1.' ;^9 16" Index 1^'' INTRODUCTION. PAGE I. Physical Features OF North Wales Y 11. Geology - -- •• ^^ in. Commerce AND Manufactures ^V] IV. Antiquarian View ^]^ V. Travelling View ^^^X VI. Glossary OF Welsh Words ^^\]] VII. Points of Interest FOR the Geologist xxviii VII r. Comparative Heights OF Mountains xxi^ IX. Chief Places OF Interest -• ^^}?^ X. Skeleton PtOUTES :i.xx.m I. Physical Features. North Wales, consisting of the counties of Flint, Denbigh, Caernarvon, the isle of Anglesea, Merioneth, and Montgomery, presents varied attrac- tions to the visitor, though none so powerful as the grand features of nature —the rivers, the mountains, and the sea. In Wales he may recruit himself in the tranquillity of the green valleys and salmon-haunted streams, by the waves that break under Penmaen Mawr, or among the sheep- bells on the bare hill-side, on moorland soUtudes so wild that a passing crow makes an incident in the landscape, on the platform of Cader Idris, or where the Dee cleaves its separate way through the depths of Bala. He will also find, if he pleases, many things capable of attracting and employing serious inquiry, and none more so than the_ apparently barren hills themselves, teeming with mineral riches and with produc- tions of varied use, which increasing railway facilities make available for all parts of England. For examining the physical features of North Wales it will be best to divide it into 2 great portions, lying respectively N. and S. of an imaginary Kne drawn from Porthmadoc to Llangollen through Bala and Corwen, comprising the counties of Anglesea, Caer- narvon, Denbigh, and Flint in the N. section, with Merioneth and Montgomery to the S. A. The former may be roughly subdivided into 2 large groups, lying E. and W. of the Conway river. 1. Commencing from the river Dee, near Hawarden, in Flintshire, we find a tract of high ground, running parallel with and overlooking the estuary. This tract, which has its highest points about Halkm mountain and Gwaunysgaer, runs in a general direction from N.W. to S.E., and is remarkable^ for its rich and valuable mineral treasures; to the W. of this broken region, and separated from it by the valley along VI Physical Features. Introd. which runs the Mold aud Denbigh road, rises the Clwydian range, a magnificent and continuous line of conical hills separating the vale of Chvyd on the E. from the adjacent county. They approach the sea near Dyserth and Rhuddlan, and run nearly due S. to Llanarmon in Yale — that district which, according to the poet Churchyard, " Hath hilles and mountaynes hyo, Small valleys thei-e, save where the biookes do ron." The principal eminence in this range is Moel Fammau (1845 ft.). S. of Llandegla the uniformity of the chain is broken, and an irregular block of mountain, named Cyin-y-brain (1857 ft.), presenting many fine fea- tures, fills up the gap between Wrexham and Llangollen. The range of hills at Minera and the picturesque escarpments of the Eglwyseg rocks at Llangollen are in reality the outcrops of this mass of limestone. The rivers of the N.E. group are few. On the E. coast are the Holywell and Wepre brooks, while the circuitous Alyn, rising in the pretty valle3's of Yale, meanders through the broken uplands of Flintshire, and finally, " to Dee most inly deere," joins that river near Gresford. 2. The second of the N.E. group may be generally stated as occupying the country between the Clwyd, the Conway, and the Dee as far as Bala. Although comparatively little visited, it contains scenery of a romantic character, especially towards the coast. Here it is marked by abrupt escarpments of mountain limestone, such as the Great and Little Orme's Head and the Llysfaen mountain. To these succeeds a large tract of well-wooded region, abounding in lovely dells, the watercourses of the Elwy, Aled, and Ahven — the 2 first of which find their way into the Clwyd, the latter into the Dee. All of them take their rise in the Mynydd Hiraethrog, a long desolate range to the S. of the move fertile district, which, with its outliers, occupies a large part of Denbighshii'e. Bronbanog (1572 ft.) and Moel Eithin (1660 ft.) are the highest points. The dreary slopes on the S. are crossed by the Great H(jlyhead road between Bettws-y-Coed, Pentrevoelas, and Corwen. Between them and the ima-^inary line from Ffestiniog to Bala is another irregular group, filling up the space between the source of the Conway and that portion of the Dee which runs through the vale of Edeyrnion. Of this group Carnedd-y-Filiast (2127 ft.) and Moel-y-Darail (1934 ft.) are the loftiest heights, and dve birth to the Geirw and a few smaller streams flowing into the Dee. On the eastern side of the Hiraethrog the Clwyd takes its rise, and, after a short circuitous route, flows steadily, though it must be confessed rather sluggishly, to the N., past Ruthin, Denbigh, and St. Asaph, to join the sea "at Ivhyl. "Its banks are deep cuts in the dejiosited stratum of rich earth, with rare breaks down to fords or watering-places. Three days' rain up the valley will not bring the water to the brink of these banks, or increase the dei)th of the river ; but a 4th wet day spreads it over acres of meadow, and a 5th marks the whole vale with a broad band of silver. The Elwy, on the otlier hand, has scarcely an acre of meadow to flood, but it becomes a torrent with a few hours' rain, and roars along its stony bed, breaking out here and there, but nowhere spreading far, even if charged with a week of water-spout. " — Cathrall. Introd. I. Physical Features. vii The southern boundary of the N.E. division is the valley of the Dee, which, issuing from the lake of Bala, flows with " silver clsre " tide through the lovely vale of Edeyrnion to Corwen, and on by Llangollen and Overton into the broad alluvial plains of Cheshire. B. The north-western district is, with the exception of some isolated heights in Anglesea, almost entirely included in the couuty of Caer- narvon, and embraces the finest of all Welsh scenery, as offered in the ranges of Snowdonia, called by some the Arvonian Alps. Its eastern boundary is the river Conway, which, rising in the desolate and high table-lands of Michnant, soon flows due N. past Bettws-y-Coed and Llanrwst to Conway. For the first 8 or 10 m. of its course the boundary of this mountain region is more imaginary than real, as at this corner the connection between the N.W., N.E., and S.E. districts is nearly unbroken, although on travelling further westward we find that the division is again well marked between the N. and S. by the valley of the Dwyryd and the wide estuary of the Traethmawr. As 7-lOths of this district is the locale which attracts all tourists, it is better to subdivide it into groups formed by the principal masses of mountain, which are characterised by rugged precipitous escarpments and wild passes, instead of the wooded valleys and heathery slopes that mark the former district. 1. Travelling westward, the tourist first arrives at a triangular block of mountain, formed by Carnedds Dafydd (3427 ft.) and Llewelyn (3469 ft.), which on the N. spread their wide shoulders to the coast at Aber, ending in the mighty cliffs of Penmaen Mawr. From their recesses the Afon Forthllwyd, Afon Ddu, Llugwy, and some smaller streams issue to join the Conway, which forms the boundary on the E. Southwards they are suddenly brought up by the wild and deeply-cut pass of Nantffrancon. The principal lakes of this group are Llyniau Dulyn, Melynllyn, Crafnant, Cwlid, Geirionydd, Llugwy, Ogwen, with others of less size. 2. Immediately opposite and to the S. of this group is a far more pre- cipitous and savage range, dividing it from Snowdon. This is the Glydei- Vawr (3300 ft.), the Glyder Yach (3100 ft.), and the Trifaen (3000 ft.), which are prolonged to the N. and N.W. by the side of Llanberis lakes, and on the W. side of Nantffrancon. It is in this latter portion that the great Penrhyn slate-quarries are situated. The gloomy character of this group is well supported by its 3 boundary valleys, viz. Nantffrancon, Nantgwryd, and Pass of Llanberis. 3. Directly opposite and separated only by this pass rises the great Snowdon group, symmetrically placed almost in the centre of Caernar- vonshire. As it is fully described in Ete. 17, a very brief mention is all that is here necessary. Its glories have ever been a fertile theme with all the writers and poets of N. Wales : — " For Snowdony, a hill, imperiall in his seat, Is, from his mighty foote unto his head, so greate. That were his Wales distrest, or of his helpe had neede, Hee all her flocks and heards for many months coulde feede." Drayton's Polyolhion. viii I. Physical Features. In trod. From the centre of the group Moel-y-Wyddfa rises in a sharp peak to the height of 3571 ft., sending off its subordinate ridges of Moel Eilio ^2870 ft.) and Moel Cynghorion on the N.E., Llethog and Yr Aran (2473 ft.) on tlie W., and Lhwedd on tlie S.E. — the whole forming a triangular series, of wiiich the base is Nant Gwynant, and tlie sides the Pass of Llanberis and the valleys of the Gwrfai and Cohvyn re- spectively. It is in this Alpine district that the most beautiful lakes arc met with — Llyn Gwynant and Llyn Dinas, Llyn Cwellyn, Llyn-y- Gader, Llyn Llydaw, and the lakes of Llanberis. Nant Gwynant and the Glaslyn river cut off this range from 4. The S.E. district, which may in some sense be considered a con- tinuation of it. Here we have the great bulwark of Moel Siabod (2870 ft.), which is prolonged above the valley of the Lledr into an irregular though well-marked line of hills, terminated on the S. by the volcanic-looking peak of Cynicht (2372), and the more rugged Moelwyn (25G6), in the eastern spurs of which mountain we find the locale of the large Ffestiniog slate-quarries. Still further, this range is again finely developed in the Manods and the Michnant hills, which give birth to the Conway. 5. Immediately to the W. of Snowdon, and separated only by the valley of the Gwrfai, is another precipitous range, commencing on the Caernarvon side of Llyn Cwellyn, in the magnificent escarpment of Craig Cwm Bychan and Mynydd Mawr (2300 ft.), and thence running S. to Drws-y-coed, where a deep pass runs up the Llyffni valley to the Nantlle lakes, and on to the head of the Colwyn. The continuity is carried southward by Mynydd Craig Goch (2358), and Moel Hebog (2850), which rises immediately from behind Beddgelert. From this point the mountains gradually decline in height until they finally end in the picturesque line of rocks overhanging Tremadoc. 6. The remaining hills of the promontory of Lleyn are comparatively isolated, though presenting as fine scenic effects as any of the preceding. From C/lynnog a series of round-topped eminences run S. towards Pwllheli. They are Gyrn Goch (1823 ft.), Bwlch Mawr (1073), and Moel Penllechog. Separated from them by the pass of Llaneliiaiarn are the singular heights of Yr Eifl (1886), which, for their magnificent rock scenery and ]M"\3historic remains, are worthy of being visited oftener than they are. llising directly above Nevin is Cam Boduan, and a little to the S. the still higher Carn Madrvn (1205), both of which, from their comparative isolation, ]»resent sjilendid panoramic views of the adjacent country. Tiiese are the highest points in Llryn, although the general character of the promontory is that of elevated table-land, arising at Mynydd IHiiw to 1113 ft., and terminated all round the coast by temi)est-riven rocks and preci])ices. 7. The only remaining ])ortioii of this division is Anglesea, which may be also described as a vast sheet of very uninteresting table-laud, relieved here and there by rocky patches of mountain ; consequently Anglesea is not a beautiful county, excejit in some few favoured s]iots. The most important hills lie in the neighbourhood of Kcd Wharf Bay Introd. I. Physical Features, ix and the Parys Mountain, near Amlwch, which appears, especially in distant views, of greater height than it really is, from the general uni- formity of the surface. The W. coast of Anglesea, which is seldom or never visited, contains coast scenery of a high order. At the extreme point of the island is the Holyhead Mountain, important both in a picturesque as well as a commercial point of view. C. The S.W. division may be bounded by the road from Ffestiniog to Bala on the N., and by that from Bala to Dinas Mowddwy and Mach- ynlleth on the E. and S.E. 1. The most prominent group commences at Maentwrog and runs due S. past Harlech to Barmouth, parallel with and close to the sea-coast. Craig-dwrg (2100 ft.), Rhinog Vawr (2463) and Yach, Diphwys (24i'2), and Llawlech, are the principal heights, which, rising ruggedly above their fellows, impart considerable grandeur to this range. The exploring tourist will find in the recesses of these mountains some of the finest scenery in the country, particularly in Glyn Artro and Cwm Bychan. With the exception of the Artro, scarce any river flows from the W. sides ; but the opposite slopes, not so broken in character, give birth to the Eden and Camlan rivers, which, soon uniting with the Cain and Mawddach, flow towards Dolgelley through a valley remarkable for its rich beauty and the number of its waterfalls. 2. These two latter rivers rise in an irregular and confused mass of mountains, which, although of no great height on the W., gradually increase in size until they reach the watersheds of the Dee and the Wnion. Conspicuous in the southern portion of this district are Rho- ballt (2469 ft.) and Benglog(1844). As we travel northwards towards Bala we find the same group becoming more wild and lofty until it reaches its culminating point in the ArenigVawr (2809) andthe Arenig Vach, which form some of the most striking features in Merionethshire scenery. From thence as a central point several streams, though none of any size, flow in different directions : the Cynfael and the Dwyryd to the W., the Cain to the S., the Lliw and the Tryweryn toward the lake of Bala ; and we may also include the Conway to the N., althongh it belongs more particularly to the foregoing divisions. 3. To the W. of this group, and separated only by the narrow ravines of the Dee and Wnion, rise majestically Aran Mowddwy (2955 ft.) and j^ran Benllyn, a continuation of the same mountain, which, com- mencing in narrow spurs at the S. of Bala Lake, soon becomes one of the most savage of Welsh mountains, as it overhangs the valley of the Dyfi, in which Dinas Mowddwy and Mallwyd are situated. To the S. of the former place they again decline in importance as they approach Machyn- lleth, but to the W. they throw out a lofty range following the valley of the Cowarch, and soon uniting with 4. The Cader Idris mountain, which, like Snowdon, constitutes a group in itself. This glorious giant amongst hills takes a curious zigzag course to the S.W., and is characterised by the very limited extent of plateau at the summit and the fearful wall of precipices which it presents a 3 X I. Physical Features. Iiitrod, for the greater part of its course. It has 3 principal points, of which the Cader par excellence attains the height of 2914 ft. ; so that this celebrated mountain does not found itsjiretensions so much on its height, which is exceeded by 7 others in N. Wales, as on its siniiular and unique position, form, and character. Towards the !:>.W. it throws out a series of broad wild hills to the coast at Llwvngwril and Llane2;rvn ; but to the S., after p-assing the deep vale of the Dysynni, we find again a very lofty chain which fills up the whole area to the Dyfi and Machynlleih. On tlie slopes of Taren-y-gesail (2224 ft.) and Mount Faden (1864) are the important slate-quarries of Corris. Towards Towyn and Aberdovey these hills gradually sink into low ranges covered with woodland. D. The grand feature of the S.E. division is the Berwyn mountain?, which commence near Llangollen, and, winding to the S.W. past Corwen, Llandrillo, and Bala Lake, may be considered as terminating at the Pass of Bwlch-y-groes. But as the road that runs up the pass is some 1200 ft. high, they may with more propriety be said to join the chain of the Arans. The character of these mountains is essentially different from most of those that have been hitherto discussed : instead of the lofty peak and savage precipice, we have a more uniform line, with rounded shoulders breaking off on each side and overlooking pastoral glens. Nevertheless there are some very fine and rugged cliffs on the S.E. side above Llanrhaiadr which equal anything in the country. 'J'he princiiial hei'jlits in this ran'j;e are Moel Ferna (2050 ft.), Cader Ferwvn or Berwyn (2715), Cader Fronwen (2563), and Trim-y-Sarn (2027). With the exception of the Hirnant, but few rivers are given off on the N. ; but on the S. the Tanat, the Vyrnwy, and the Banw soon become important streams, and water a large extent of rich farming country. In fact, the whole of the luxuriant champaign district as far as W\'lsh- pool, as well as the bleaker hills towards Newtown, may be regarded as connected with the great chain of the Berwyns. 2. The valley of the Severn at once cuts off this district on the N. from the Breidden hills (1199 ft.), that rise shaiply uj) from cait of the rich alluvial plains, and also from the Long Mountain (1330), wliich we may regard as the Welsh outskirts of a range of mountains occujtying the borders of Montgomeryshire, Shropshire, and Radnorshire, in which latter county, near Xewlown, they take the name of the Kerry Hills, and are prolonged E. to Bishop's Castle, S.W. to Llanidloes, and S. towards Bui 1th. 3. The district to the W. of Llanidloes is entirely occupied by the unsha]>ely mass of Flinlymmon, which, though pro()orly a Cardiganshire mountain, enters sufliciently into N. Wales t(> inlluence some of its physical features very considerably. It is hard to say where to put a limit to the offshoots of Flinlymmon, though the valleys of the Clywedog and the Tarnnnon will jmibahly .«;erve best for the lines of demarcation. All the country between Machynlleth and Aberystwith, LlanidU)cs and Llangurig, is occupied by it; and from the centre of it, indeed so near together that a single walk may embrace them all, fl(nv the Rheidol, In trod. II. Geology. xi Severn, Wye, and Llyffnant. In this resume of the Physical Geography of N. Wales there are, of course, numberless minor ranges and isolated hills, which it would be tedious to mention, but which will be found in detail under their respective routes. II. Geology. The labours of Sedgwick, Murchison, and after them of the Geolo- gical Survey, have correlated and brought into connection the apparently confused geology of North Wales. Commencing with the uppermost strata, we find : — A. The Trias, or New Red Sandstone, for the whole distance between Shrewsbury and Chester, skirting the N. Welsh coal-field in the neigh- bourhood of EUesmere, Oswestry, Holt, and Wrexham. It_ in fact constitutes the most westerly portion of the great belt of triassic strata that runs from Liverpool and the fertile plains of Cheshire into Wor- cestershire and the S. It is also seen in the vale of Clwyd, commencing at a point between Ruthin and Llandegla, and running up to Rhyl, when it extends each way along the coast at the foot of the hills of Dyserth and Abergele. The trias is separated from the coal-field by B. Permian beds, which skirt the coal-measures on the E. between Oswestry and Wrexham, as well as the northern border of the Shrews- bury field nearly as far as the Breidden hills. They may be studied on the banks of the Dee, near Overton. ' C. The Coal-measures extend in a strip of no great breadth from a little to the S. of Oswestry to the mouth of the estuary of the Dee in Flintshire, and are overlaid on the E. by Permian and new red sand- stone, while on the W. they repose conformably on millstone grit and carboniferous limestone. In consequence of a great fault and upheaval of the last-mentioned rocks, there is a separation of the coal-field to the N. of the river Alyn into the Denbighshire and Flintshire fields. a. The former is about 18 m. in length and 4 in breadth, and may be divided into 3 series of nearly 3000 ft. in thickness. The upper series is comparatively worthless, being composed of sandstones,^ with a few thin beds of coal. The lower series, though of more value, is but little worked ; but the middle beds, about 800 ft. thick, comprise all the valuable coals. There are 7 principal seams, of which the Two-yard, Brassy, and Main coals are respectively 5 ft., 5 ft., and 6 ft. thick. The commercial importance of these beds will be alluded to in the sequel. So far as yet studied, the fossil remains of the N. Welsh field seem to resemble those of the S. Welsh and Lancashire fields, in its fish, such as Rhizodus, Caelacanthus, and Pal^oniscus, together with the bivalved Anthracosian shells, while, as in them, the lower beds are full of marine remains, as Aviculopecten and Goniatites, &c. xii u. Geology, Introd. 1). The Flintshire fields are neither so extensive nor so productive ; but, geologically speaking, they are interesting, as evidently forming part of the Lancashire measures, the intervening portion being covered over by the new red sandstone. The principal coal-seams, 6 in number, corre- spond pretty nearly with those of Denbighshire, although they are somewhat thicker. The Two-yard coal is here represented by the Hollins vein, 6 ft. 6 in. c. The Anglesea coal-field is a very thin belt, stretching for 9 m. from near the'llolland Arms inn to Maldraeth Bay. The measures are overlaid unconformably by Permian beds, and repose on millstone grit and mountain limestone, which in their turn rest on crystalline or metamorphic schists. " The existence of this field is entirely due to an enormous fault, having at one point a downthrow on the N.W. of 2300 aj'—IJuU. The coal-measures, with their accompanying sand- stones, are 1309 ft. thick, and the scams themselves are 8 in number, ranging in thickness from 2 to 7 ft., the uppermost, or " Glopux" coal, attaining to 9 ft. d. There are two very small patches of coal-measures, one on each bank of the Menai, near Caernarvon. D. The Millstone Grit underlies the Denbigh and Flint fields on the W., constituting the broken uplands near Minera, Mold, FHnt, and Holywell. The same occurs in the Anglesea field. It is succeeded by E. The Mountain Limestone^ to wdiich a great portion of the pic- turesque scenery in Denbighshire is owning. A tract of considerable breadth commences on the N. coast of Fhntshire, near Dyserth, and accompanies the coal-measures and grit, wdiich it underlies, as far as Llandegla. Southwards of that point it becomes narrower as it curves round to the E. in the Eglwyseg and Trevor rocks. Although there is here an hiatus, yet the limestone again appears in a still nar- rower band, and runs past Oswestry to Llanymynach, where it forms the beautiful escarpment of Llanymynach hill. Reverting again to Dyserth on the N. coast, we find that the Clwydian range of hills is formed of mountain limestone, wdiich, turning sharj) round to the S. of Ruthin, is found occupying the hills on the western or op]H)site side of the valley. Between Denbigh and S. Asa]ih they are strikingly de- veloped in the Cefn rocks, and are thence carried northwards to Abergele and Colwyn, finally ending in the massive prumontorios of the (^iroat and Little Orme's Heads. The district immediately between theClwyd hills and the limestone of the Mold district is occupied by a narrow ]iro- longation of Wenlock shale. Although separated by the bay of Beau- maris, there is an evident continuation of the limestone of the Llandudno jn-omontory with that of IJcd Wharf Bay in the N.E. ])oint of Anglesea. Jt is also observed forming a prominent belt on either side the ^lenai Straits on the E. from Bangor to a little lielow Port Dinorwig, and on the W. from Menai Bridge to Caernarvon. It is once more seen in Anglesea occupying a broad belt on the coast at Llanallgo and l\loelfre Bay, from whence it runs S., gradually diminishing as it reaches and Introd. ' n. Geology. xiii accompanies the coal-measures described before. Close to it, on the western border, is a thin strip of F. Old Bed Sandstone, almost the only trace of it in N. AVales, which in this respect affords a marked contrast to S. Wales, where the old red is so largely developed. G. The Upper Silurian is observable over large areas in the counties of Denbigh and Montgomery. 1. The Ludlow Rocks are only visible in the strata of the Long Moun- tain, near Welshpool, and on the southern border of Montgomeryshire, in the Kerry Hills. From thence they cover a wide district extending to Eadnor, Hay, and Builth. 2. The Wenlock shale ranges from Conway and Abergele, on the N. coast of Denbighshire, over an irregularly-shaped area, to Llangollen. The picturesque country of the Elwy, Aled, and Alwen, lying between Llanrwst and Denbigh is of this formation, which near Llandegla sends up northward a thinner prolongation, lying unconformably between the carboniferous rocks of the Clwydian hills and those of Flintshire. It thus surrounds the vale of Clwyd like the rim of a basin. It is seen in large patches between Llanfyllin and the Banw river, and again between Llanfair, Guilsfield, and Welshpool on the N., and Montgomery, Newtown, and Bishop's Castle on the S,, and on the eastern side of the Severn running up and surrounding the Ludlow rocks of the Long Moun- tain, until suddenly brought up by the Shrewsbury coal-field. S. of Newtown a thin prolongation is carried on towards Radnor Forest and Llandrindod Wells. It is remarkable that in all this district there are no bands of Wenlock limestone. 3. Subordinate to these rocks and on their western border is a belt of conglomerates and grits, known as Denbigh grits, which follows closely the valley of the Conway, becoming more extended in the neigh- 30urhood of Cerrig-y-druidion. S. of Corwen, where the Wenlock shale disappears, the Upper Silurian rocks are still represented by these jrits, which connect the shales of Denbighshire and Montgomeryshire, and accompany them all the way southwards to Newtown and Radnor- shire, themselves being underlaid by the Caradoc or Bala beds. The Denbigh grits are usually considered to be the sandy base of the Wen- lock formation, and consequently of the Uppei- Silurian series. 4. Next below come the Tarannon shales, which occupy an inter- mediate space between the Pentamerus or Llandovery rocks and the Upper Silurian, although some geologists differ as to which class they ought to belong. " 'Jliey are of a hard, slaty character, in some places so pale or grey as to have been termed pale slates, in others of purple colour." — Siluria. They are principally and best exhibited in the district fed by the Tarannon river, between Llanbrynmair and Llanid- loes. Fossils are rare. The Llandovery and Pentamerus rocks, which form so marked a feature in Caermarthenshire, are only seen to a small extent in the neighbourhood of Montgomery and Bishop's Castle. xiv II. Geology. Introd. 5. The remainder of the Lower Silurian rocks, including the Caradoc or Bala, Llandeilo and Lingula formations, are so intricately connected, that tiiey will behest understood if described together. In that western portion of Montgomeryshire through which the great igneous (though stratified) chain of the Berwyn mountains runs, we tind that their eastern slopes are occupied by the slates of the Llandeilo age, which are blackish, of great thickness, and at one spot contain a limestone full of the characteristic fossils of the formation. They are well exposed in the gorge of the 'i'wrch above Llnnrhaiadr. These slates pass with much uniforniity underneath the shelly sandstones of Caradoc or Bala forma- tion, which are continued southwards into the vale of Meifod, and in a narrow strip along the Severn to Welshpool, "These rocks in the valleys of the Vyrnwy and Tanat have been affected by a transverse slaty cleavage." All this district is sei)aratcd on the W. from the simi- lar rocks of Merionethshire by the Wenlock shales and Denbigh grits before mentioned. If the traveller will carefully study a geological map of N. Wales, he will perceive various ])atches of igneous eruptive rocks standing out from amidst the great Lower Silurian formation. Begin- ning from the N., he will be able to trace the great rugged Snowdonian range from Penmaenmawr to Moel Hebog, above Tremadoc. Singular as it appears, this range " is composed of rocks which are the equi- valents of the strata occupying the comparatively low-lying hills of the Bala district E. of Arenig." In other words, the lavas and volcanic ashes of this great chain were erupted in the Caradoc or Bala epoch. They will be mentioned again when speaking of the igneous rocks. To the W. of the flanks of this range we have, then, emerg- ing from under these altered Caradoc strata, and much traversed bv pofphyries, Llandeilo beds, overlying the Lingula flags, bencatli which again lie the great mass of Cambrian grits and slates which supply the quarries of Penrhyn and Llanberis. To the S. of Moel Hebog we have the same series rejieated, with the dilference that the Lingula flags at Tremadoc abut upon the great i\Ierionethshire mass of Cambrian rock. Immediately on the E. of Snovvilon is a narrow anticlinal axis of slate and sandstone, full of Caradoc or Bala fossils, which separates what may be called the great porphyritic basin of the Snowdon range from the minor basin of Dolwyddelan, of precisely the same age. " The fossiliferous calcareous ash in this valley is of Bala age, and the great mass of felspar por[)hyry that lies below it between Dolwyddelan and Yr Arddu is clearly connected with the same set of volcanic causes tliat produced the thin volcanic beds underneath the limestone at Bala." — l.amsay. This basin of Dolwyddelan is, in fact, an outlier of the Snowdon basin. Reverting io the map again, we see that to the E. of Tremadoc com- mences another singular chain of mountains, which extends in a wide crescent sliape to the S., and is formed by Moelwyn, the Manods, the Arenigs, Rhobell Vawr, the Arans, and Cader Idiis. Now, this great range of volcanic hills is of a considerably older date than the Snowdonian range. In fact, it was formed during the Llandeilo age, while the latter oniv dates from the Caradoc time. Introd. II. Geology. xv On the western flanks of these mountains we find the Lingula flails, which, emer2;ingi: from this interbedded ioneous series of Llandeilo age, in their turn immediately he upon the flanks of the great Merio- nethshire Cambrian boss. "Down the Bala valley and along the course of the river Wnion, towards Dolgelley, there runs a great fault — a downthrow — to the N.VV., and on its western side all the rocks of Cader Idris and the Arans ai'e repeated. Thus fi-om Penmaen to the Arenigs we have a repetition of the interbedded felspathic traps and ashes of the Arans, and under- neath them the Lingula flags crop out beneath the W. sides of Arenig and the Cambrian strata of Dolmelynllyn and Trawsfynydd." On the S.E. of Cader Idris and E. of the Arans are black slates of Llandeilo age far beneath the Bala limestone, which commences S. at Dinas Mowddwy, runs N. to Bala in broken lines, and from thence to Cerrig-y-Druidion, where it turns to the W. to Penmachno. This lime- stone is highly prolific in fossils similar to those found in Shrop- shire, but is so impure that it is never used for burning. The whole country to the S. of Cader Idris and Dinas Mowddwy is formed of Caradoc sandstone, which imparts to the mountain ranges that rounded and somewhat monotonous outline which is so characteristic of the Mont- gomeryshiie hills. The greater portion of the promontory of Lleyn is composed of Caradoc and Llandeilo rocks, interrupted by large patches of eruptive igneous mountains. In Anglesea a large tract of Llandeilo beds commences on the S. flanks of the Parys mountain, and runs !S.W. immediately to the coast on the opposite sitle of the island, sending off a narrow prolongation to the N.W. coast opposite the Skerries. The tyi)ical fossils are tolerably abundant along this line. 6. The Cambrian rocks are very well defined and occur in 2 large patches, one of Avhich is met with running parallel with the eastern coast of the Menai Straits. On the N.E. it commences between Bangor and Carnedd Llewelyn, and terminates at the sea near Clynnog. "Between the Menai Straits and the E. flank of the Snowdon range we find huge buttresses of ver}^ ancient grit, schist, slate, and sandstone, having the same direction from S.S.W. to N.N.E., in which, though their sedimentary character is obvious, and though they have not been so much altered as in Anglesea, but one obscure fossil has been detected throughout a thickness of many thousand feet." — Murcliison. These rocks are the equivalents of the Longmynd or Bottom rocks of Shropshire, and their commercial importance will be duly estimated as being the locale of the Llanberis and Penrhyn quarries. The second great mass of Cambrian rocks runs from Maentwrog by Harlech to Barmouth, filling up all the district between the coast and the Trawsfynydd road. This^is the Merionethshire anticlinal line of Prof. Sedgwick, which, rising in an immense dome, throws off Lingula flags in all directions. Besides these well-defined areas, there are also large tracts in Anglesea, and a smaller one extending along the Lleyn promontory from Kevin to Abevdaron, of altered metamorphic rocks, generally know^n as the crystalline schists of Anglesea. For a long time they were considered xvi II. Geology. Introd. to be of even older date than the Cambrian ; but they are now recognised as the equivalents of it, ''altered at one spot into chlorite and mica schist, at another into quartz rock, accomi)anied by most extraordinary flexures of the beds." These are well shown at the S. Stack Rocks at Holyhead Island. 7. It only remains, lastly, to recapitulate the principal igneous rocks, whether eruptive or stratified. The Snowdonian range has been already mentioned as being principally of Caradoc age. " The strata which constitute the lower part of Snowdon itself, and re- pose upon the older slates and Lingula flags, consist of dark bluish- grey slaty schists, representing the inferior part of the Llandeilo forma- tion. They are traversed by masses of eruptive rock, consisting of porphyry and greenstone, or compact felspar or felstone. In the next overlying accumulations are many Caradoc fossils, although the original beds alternate rapidly with volcanic dejections of ashes and felspathic materials." — Sihiria. Prof. Ramsay considers that most of the intruding bosses of greenstone, porphyry, and syenite, which traverse the rocks W. of the Snowdon chain and the great Merionethshire district of Cambrian rocks, &c., date about the close of the Lingula flag ]ieriod, i. e. in the epoch of the Llandeilo rocks. The trap-rocks of Arcnig, the Arans, and Cader Idvis are of this date. A period of comy)arative re[)Ose succeeded, followed by those eruptions which produced the porphyries of Snowdon. " All these Snowdonian porphyries," he says, " are true lava-beds, accompanied by volcanic ashes of the same period." Rhobell Fawr, near Dolgelley, is considered by Prof. Ramsay to be the largest mass of greenstone in Wales, " being more than 2 miles wide, rising in great broken and bare undulations to the very top, near which it is^overlaid by a strip of highly porcelained slate." For further details the tourist should consult Prof. Ramsay's original Paper in the ' Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society,' vol. ix. p. 170 ; also a Panoramic Sketch of the Geology of Caernarvonshire and Merioneth- shire, by the same author, in the ' Geologist,' vol. i. No. 5. The con- nection of the gold-bearing strata with the rocks will be alluded to in the next chapter. While examining the mountain-ranges of N. Wales, the geologist will keep his attention ahve to the numerous traces of glaciers in the different valleys, which in many places are plainly visible in the shape of moraine heaps, blocs perche's, roches moutonne'es, and striations. In Rte. 17 will be found a full account of these interesting phenomena, as observed by Prof. Ramsay and detailed in his interesting work on the ' Glaciers of N. Wales.' The Drift, too, is often to be seen, "generally in its native state, consisting of clay, angular stones, gravel, and boulders; sometimes, as inCwm Llafar, on the W. flank of Carnedd Llewelvn, arranged in terraces marking ])auses in the re-elevation of the country. Shells were' found by ISIr. Trimmer on ISIoel-Tryfan, near KantUe, 1300 ft. above the sea, in sand and gravel, and again at about the fame height, 2 m. W. of the peak of Snowdon, on a sloping plain of drift charged with erratic blocks, one of which, of great size, is known as ' Maenbras,' or the large stone." Introd. m. Commerce and Manufactures. xvii Til. Commerce am) Manufactures. The trade and commerce of N. Wales, taken as a whole, is not to be compared in extent with that of S. Wales, although in some particulars, such as lead and silver, it is perhaps more prolific. 1. Coal is produced in considerable quantities in the Denbighshire and FHntshire fields. Taking the area of both fields at 82 m., Mr. Hull estimates that down to a depth of 2000 ft. the deposit of coal amounted to 781 miUions of tons, of which 510 miUions remain to be worked — a sufficient quantity to last nearly 1000 years. — Coal-fields of Great Britain. The total niunber of collieries in N. Wales for the year 1866 is as follows : — Anglesea 5 Flint - 40 Denbigh 35 80 Producing — Tons. From Anglesea 12,000 Denbigh 1,500,000 Flint 570,000 2,082,000 The coal in the two latter counties is free-burning, or bituminous, leaves a white ash, and is valuable as a steam-coal. 2. The Ironstones of the Denbighshire district consist of the usual argillaceous and black-band varieties, which generally accompany coal- seams, &c. The locality of Brymbo, near Minera, obtained some celebrity as being one of the earliest seats of the iron manufacture, which was commenced here in 1780, by John Wilkinson. " It was to this field that the first Boulton and Watt steam-engine ever erected in Cornwall was sent, travelling on road-waggons the whole of the distance, 300 m. ; and here (at Bersham) much of the ordnance used by our armies in the Napoleonic wars was founded." The number of furnaces throughout N. Wales is 10 (all in the neighbourhood of Wrexham), of which 5 only are in blast, producing a total of 25,515 tons of pig-iron. The whole coalfield yielded 56,682 tons of iron-mine in 1866, the value of which was upwards of 17,O00Z. — BunVs Mining Becords. 3. Copper. — With the exception of the Parys Mountain, in Anglesea (Rte. 9), no great amount of copper is worked in this country. The copper-mine at Llandudno, near Conway, produced, in 1862, 1154 tons (but has since fallen off), besides which a small quantity was extracted from Drws-y-Coed, in the pass of Nan tile. The Mona and the Parys mines, near Amlwch, where the smelting-houses are situated, yielded, in 1866, 7369 tons of ore. Besides this amount, there are in the same locality precipitate-works where copper is precipitated from the xviii III. Commerce and Manufactures. Introd. J mineral watur to the extent of nearly 100 tons annually. The ores, both here and at Llandudno, are found in the forms of sulphuret, sulphate, and green carbonates of copper. 4. A more important item in the mineral products is Lead-Ore, of which, in 1866, u|)\vards of 15,105 tons were raised, producin-j 11,531 tons of lead, and 71,765 oz. of silver. Denbighshire, Flintshire, and ISIontgomeryshire, are the chief repositories of this valuable metal, and immense fortunes have at diHerent times been realized from the mines, which, however, from the fluctuations which always attend these adven- tures, have, if the truth was known, impoverished more than have heen enriched. Of the more fortunate \mdertakings are the Minera mines, which, after varying success, and after being more than once abandoned, have been since 1853 jroducing profits to the amount of 30,000?. a-year, so that the original 25Z. shares sell at 120/. each. From these mines more than 3000 tons of lead-ore are annually raised. Holywell is the centre of the Flintshire district, and the head-quarters of the " ticketings," which are held in the hotel at stated days, when samples are produced, and large quantities of ore are sold. The ?ant-y-go mine, from whence the Grosvenor family obtained their fortune, is now exhausted. The principal of those now in work are the Holywell Level (access to the workings of which can be only obtained in a boat) ; the Rhosasmawr, producing 1000 tons annually ; and the Talargoch mines, yielding, in addition to the ore, a large quantity of zinc. There are, besides these, a great number of others more or less prosperous. The Llanidloes and Llangynog districts, in Montgomeryshire, have also yielded largel}'- at different times. The whole of the coast from Flint to ]\Iostyn is lined at frequent intervals with lead-smelting works, and at Bagiilt are larger establishments, where the ore is desilverised and manufactured into sheets, pipes, litharge, red-lead, &c. 5. Gold, though it cannot be considered as a staple product of N. Wales, has nevertheless been found in sufficient quantities to warrant its mention. The chief locale of its discovery is in the valley of the Mawddach, near Dolgelley, at the mines of Y Cdogau, Prince of Wales,* Dol-y-lfrwynog, kc.'-'- At the latter place the quartz gold-bearing vein traverses a talcose schist, which is a metamorphosed part of the Lingula flags, intimately associated with neighbouring ramifying intrusive masses of greenstone ; and here, for a time, gold was found in such quantities that in the lode itself it was visible, speckling the surface of the quartz." — Ramsny. The gold thus extracted is worth about Zl. 17.S, per oz. These facts are so far valuable inasmuch as Professor Ramsay points out the frequency of gold in strata of the same age in the Ural Mountains. The strings of ore, or "bunches," as they are technically called, were fornu-rly worked as poor copper ore, and sold to the Flintshire smelters, who were so averse to its discontinuance that they even olfered 5s. a ton more for the purchase of it. Mr. Headwiu, who experimented largely on the ores of this district, considers the * The mines of Visrra, Clofrau, ami Castoll Tarn Dochiin, in 18i5G, yielded, from '1^11 tons of ciusl'.ot' i|naitz, 74"J oz. of gold. Introd. IV. Antiquarian View. xix average yield of gold to be about half an ounce' to the ton of quartz. Several companies were formed to work these mines in a systematic manner, both by the mechanical mode of crushing and by the chemical one of amalgam, but the greater number of them speedily took the benefit of the Winding-up Act. 6. The Slate quarries are practically the El Dorados of this country ; and the value and magnitude of these concerns will be at once recognised by the traveller who visits the Llanberis, Penrhyn, or Corris quarries. Those which are most worth seeing are described under their respective routes; but the statistical returns of the amount of slates may be not uninteresting. They are— from Montgomeryshire 3000 tons ; from Merionethshire, Mdiich includes the Ffestiniog quarries, 57,730 tons ; from Denbighshire (Llangollen), 5000 tons ; and Caernar- vonshire, 281,320 tons ; in all making a total of 347,050 tons. Besides these there are at Minera extensive quarries of mountain limestone, at Penmaen Mawr of greenstone and whinstone, and at Pwllheli of granite. IV. Antiquarian Yiew. North Wales is particularly rich in early British remains, more especially in the cromlech, of which upwards of 28 examples are to be found in Anglesea alone. The most comm.on form is that of a slab or table-stone, placed ui;on 3 or more upright supporters, and the generally received opinion is that they were sepulchral, although a few antiquaries still consider that they were erected for sacrificial purposes. A feature worth noticing in the geographical position of cromlechau in Wales is, that they are almost always found on elevated table-land overlooking the sea, but comparatively rarely inland or amongst the mountains. For instance, we shall find that 9-lOths of the Wejsh cromlechau are grouped on the table-lands of Anglesea, Merionethshire, Caernarvonshire (Lleyn), and Pembrokeshire, nearly all commanding or contiguous to the coast. The most perfect specimens in N. Wales are at Plas Newydd, Brvn Celliddu (evidently sepulchral), Bodowyr (the smallest known), Henblas (the largest), Dlanailgo, and Presaddfed, in Anglesea ; Capel Garmon, near Llanrwst, Cefn Amwlch, Dolbenmaen, Bach wen at Clynnog, and several others on the same line of coast, in Caernarvonshire ; and a group of at least 4 or 5 in the parish of Llanddwywe, near the coach- road from Harlech to Barmouth. Many others have fallen vicdms to the utilitarian views of farmers and landowners, although the efforts of the Cambrian Archa^.ological Association have doubtless saved some from destruction. Besides the cromlech, we meet with the Bedd or Grave, which admits of no doubt as to the purposes for which it \yas constructed. In many of them the only trace of its former tenant remains in the name, which has been handed down from tradition ; in some cases further marked by the addition of an upright stele or stone, or a carnedd or heap of stones. Such examples may be found in the district of the Llyfni, near Clynnog, where an unusual number of heroes were buried. In other instances cistvaens, or rude chests formed of stouts. XX IV. Antiquarian View. Introd. have been discovered, containing the funereal remains of the dead. These are found connected with carneddau or in a tumulus. As examples of the tomb may be cited that of Bronwen, on the banks of the Alaw, in An;T;lesea, from which a square cistvacn has been removed ; Bedd Taliesin, near Aberystwith ; Beddau gwyr Ardudwy, or the Graves of the men of Ardudwy, near Ffestiniog ; Bedd Porus, near Traws- fynydd, &c. In contradistinction to the carnedd or cairn — which is nothing but a heap of stones piled up — is the barrow or tumidus, a large mound of earth usually heaped together either to commemorate some great battle, or, still more likely, to cover the ashes and serve as a vast funeral monument for those heroes who fell in the engagement. In some of these tumuli cistvaens have been found. As an instance of the sepul- chral tumulus we may mention the Gop at Newmarket, in Flintshire, and the Capel Towyn, near Holyhead ; although there are others Avhich, instead of being sepulchral, appear to have marked the site of some building, as Owain Glyndwr's Mount, near Corwen; — or the Tomcn, Avhich were usually looked upon as elevated mounds for defensive purposes ; as 1 omen-y-Rhodwy, near Llandegla, in Denbighshire ; Tomen-y-Bala, in Merionethshire, &c. Before quitting the subject of sepulchral me- morials we must not omit the Inscribed Stones, upon which, with cha- racteristic brevity, the name of the commemorated person is rudely sculptured. Many of these stones have been discovered in positions which they were evidently never intended to fill, such as watering- troughs, gateposts, lintels of windows in churches and farm-houses. The principal of these are Eliseg's Pillar at Yalle Crucis ; the stone at Llanrug ; the Lovernus stone at Llanfaglan ; the stones at Llanor, near Pwllheli ; the stones at Llangian, in Lleyn, and at Llanvihangel- y-Traethau, near Harlech ; at Brondeg, in Anglesea ; the Catamanus stone at Llangadwaladwr ch. ; the Culidorus stone at Llangefni ; St. Cadfan's stone at Towyn ; the Vinnemaglus stone at Gwytherin. Other stones, which have some legend attached to them, are without any inscription, as Lech Idris, near Trawsfynydd ; Maen Beuno, near Welshpool, &c. Lastly, we have the Maen Hir, or Long Stone, which was generally used to commemorate either some particular action or event, or else as a boundary-mark. 'i'he dykes or roads of N. Wales are of great importance, and, as regards the latter, are tolerably numerous. OffiCs DyK-e was the great boundary-line, or line of demarcation, con- structed, as is generally supposed, by tlic king of that name. Some antiquaries, however, are inclined to think that it was raised at an earlier period, and was only adopted by Ofia. At several jwints the line of the dyke is crossed by Boman roads. Commencing on the N. coast of Flintsliire, near Prestatyn, it runs S. in the direction of ]\Iold, Minera, Jtuabon, Chirk, Sclattyn, Llanymynaclt, soon after which it crosses the Severn to traverse the Long ^tountain. From tlience it runs past Montgomery to the high grounds of the Clun Forest, tra- versing the counties of Radnor, parts of Hereford and Gloucester, where Introd. IV. Antiquarian View, xxi it eventually terminates in the grounds of Sedbury Park, which over- look the Severn estuary. Running in a parallel line, though varying in distance from a few hundred yards to 3 miles, was WaWs Dyke^ supposed by some ^to have been a second dyke constructed by Offa. It is neither so clearly made out nor so persistent as the former. It is probable that it commenced at the sea-coast near Ba- singwerk Abbey, from whence it ran S., past Halkin, Hope, the gorge of the Alyn, Wrexham, Wynnstay (which was formerly called Watt- stay from this circumstance), and Oswestry, finally disappearing in the flats to the N. of the Vyrnwy. It has been conjectured with great probability that the ground between the two dykes was neutral. The Roman Stations were very important, and we are enabled to identify many of them, accurately from their position, the roads leading to and from them, and the buildings and remains found at many of them. They were — Segontium, or Caer Seiont . . Llanbeblig, near Caernarvon. Heriri Mens Tomen-y-Mur, near Ffestiniog. Conovium Caerhun. Deva Chester. Bovium Bangor Iscoed. Rutunium Ruyton (?) Uriconium Wroxeter. Maglona Machynlleth. Mediolanum Mathrafal, near Welshpool. Varje Bodfari. They are all described in the different routes, together with other places known to have been occupied by Roman forces, as Caergwrle, near Chester ; Caersws, near Newtown ; Caegai, near Bala, &c. A Roman road can be traced in places (1) between Heriri Mons and Segon- tium, running past Beddgelert through Nantgwynant ; (2) between Heriri Mons and Conovium, by Dolwyddelan, where the Sarn Helen may be plainly traced running down Cwm Penamnaen ; and again (3) between the sarae stations down the valley of the Mawddach as far as Dol- melynllyn. Another Roman road may be followed from Conovium to Aber, through the pass of Bwlch-y-ddeufaen, but it is not unlikely that it was, in still earlier times, a British trackway. A probable continuation of the Sarn Helen is traceable over Cader Idris to Pennal, near Machyn- lleth. A road is said to have been at times uncovered on the sandy coast of Anglesea, from the so-called station of Caerleh to the ferry of Moel-y-Don ; 4 or 5 roads are very distinctly marked from Caersws, radiating in different directions to the stations around : the one to the S. connecting the country of the Ordovices with that of the Silures, and running down to Caerfagu, near Penybont, in Radnorshire. ) Traces of early mining- works are not so common in N. as in S. Wales, which \ probably presented in its iron greater inducements. Nevertheless, the j Romans have left their marks behind them, both in the copper-mines I of the Orme's Head, near Llandudno, and at Llanymynach, near | Oswestry. [ \ :^xii IV. Antiquarian View. In trod. Camps and earthworks are to be found tliroughout the whole of N. Wales, occupying nearly every available height, and testifying sufficiently to the offensive and defensive capabilities of the inhabitants. The largest and most perfect are Moel-y-Gaer, in Flintshire ; Caer Gybi, camp at Porthhamcl, and Bwrdd Arthur, in Anglesea ; Pen-y-Cloddiau, ]*en-y-Garden, Caer Drewyn, and the camps on Moel Ffenlli and the Chvydian Hills, in Denbighshire ; Castell Caer Seiou, Dinas Dinorwig, Caercarregyfran, Dinas "Emrys, Dmas Dinlle, Tre'r Ceiri, Carn Madryn, Castell Odo, Forth Dinlleyn, in Caernarvonshire ; Ffrid Ffal- win, iVloat, Gaer Fawr, Caer Digol, in Montgomeryshire. A common feature in the earliest hill-fortresses is the occurrence of " cyttiau," or circular huts, erected for the convenience of the garrison. Tre'r Ceiri, on Yr Eifl, is the finest example of these. Of Castles there is a " goodly store." The finest and most perfect were erected by Edward I. to ensure a complete mastery over his Welsh con- quests, and, as a consequence, exhibit a strong likeness to each other in plan, the differences being chiefly in detail. Conway, Beaumaris, Caernarvon, and Harlech, are generally supposed to have been built by the same architect, viz. Plenry de Elreton, and may rank as the 4 finest of K Welsh fortresses. Besides these, there are Hawarden, Ewloe, Flint, Dyserth, Rhuddlfin, Dinas Bran, Denbigh, Dinorwig, Dolwj-ddelan, Criccieth, Dolbadarn, Castell Lleiniog, Dolforwyn, and Montgomery ; together with the still inhabited castles of Shrewsbury, Powis^ and Chirk. The finest examples of town-walls in the kingdom may be seen at Chester, Conway, Caernarvon, and, in a less degree, at Shrewsbury. Ecclesiastical— 1^. Wales cannot boast any cathedral church at all equal to Llandaff or St. David's, or even — to descend a step lower — to St. John's priory church at Brecon. In fact, the 2 cathedrals of St. Asaph and Bangor are surpassed by mapy collegiate churches in size, grandeur, and detail. Nevertheless, they are both interesting, particularly the former, which, although plain, has a good effect from the massive appearance of the tower, which in that point is similar to the tower of Llanbadarn Vawr, near Aberystwith. Of ruined ecclesiastical structures, the Abbey of Yalle Crucis, with its delicate E. E. windows, is the gem of the country, both from its superior state of preservation and its exquisite situation. It has had, besides, the advantage of a careful restoration at the hands of zealous archaeologists. It would be well if the same boon had been extended to Basingwerk Abbey (12th cent.), which, though not to be compared with the former, yet presents many good examples of the architecture of that ])eriod. Of Cymmer Abbey, near DolgcUey, the remains are much smaller ; and of Llanddwyn, near Anglesea, there is only the bare shell. The following churches will be found best worth visiting by the archaeologist. The numbers denote the route : — 4. St. John's, Chester — double row of 1. Abbey Church, Shrewsbury. triforium arches. 1 . Old St. Chad's, 1. St. Mary's, Shrewsbury. 1. Atcham— Norm, doorway. Introd; i\% Antiquarian View. xxtii 1. Wroxeter — Mon. 26. Oswestry, , 1. Kuabon — Mon. 1. Wrexham — Tower, apse, Mon. (Perp.) 1. Gresford — Mon. tower (Perp.). 4. Northop — Tower, Mon. 10. Mold. 10. Cilcain — Roof. 11. Llanarmon — Mon. chandelier, ■ 11. Llanfwrg — Arcades. 11. Ruthin. 1 1 . Llanrhaiadr — Window. 11. Efenechtyd— Rood-loft. 7. Cerrig Ceinwen — Font 12th cent, 7. Llanvair Cwmmwdd — Font 12th cent, 12. Llanrwst — Gwydir chapel (Perp.), Mon. 11. Whitchurch — Mon. (late Perp.). 3. Llangollen. 4. Conway. 21. Yspytty Evan — Mon. 1 2. Llandegai — Mon. 19. Beddgelert — Old Priory Ch., E. Engl. 1 5. Clynnog — Roof, tower. 1 6. Aberdaron — E. window. 8. Beaumaris — Mon., carving, brass. 7. Kewborough. 8. Llaniestyn — (E, Perp.) Font. 7. Aberfraw. 8. r.lanvihangel — Pulpit. 8. Llanallgo. 8. Llanwenllyfo — Brass, 8. Llandyffnan —Sculpture. 7. Holyhead — Sculpture, 7. Llang-adwaladr — Windows. 7. Llangwyfan. 7. Penraynydd — Mon, 24. Llanaber — E, Engl, 24. Llanddwywe — Mon. 24. Llandanwg. 25. Towyn — Norm. 25. Llanegryn — Screen, 25. Llanvihangel-y-Pennant — Mon. 3. Llanuwchliyn — Men, 4. Llanasa — Stained glass, 28, Llanwrin. 27. Welshpool. 27. Guilsfield. 26. Meifod. 27. Newtown — Old church. „ New church, screen. 27. Llanidloes — Roof, pillars of Mon. 2 1 , Pennant Melangell — Screen. 26. Llanyblodwell. 8, Penmon — Priory (church restored), Norm, chancel, early part of 15th cent. Together with churches we may associate holy wells and crosses. Wells are very common throughout the country, though in many cases they have fallen into neglect and disuse, so that the rules which guided the devotees are now traditionary. The religious estimation in which they w-ere held is shown in the Holy Well of St, Winifred and the Ffynnon Wigfair, near St. Asaph, both good examples of Late Perp. architecture. Crosses are comparatively rare. Specimens occur at Newmarket (Maen Achwyfan, 12th cent,), Penmon, Llanvihangel, Tre'r Beirdd, and Llanfair Mathafarneithaf, in Anglesea, Derwen near Euthin, &c. Caernarvonshire and Anglesea abound in instances of domestic archi- tecture, many farmhouses presenting perhaps the only traces of a good old Welsh family which has died out : Mostyn Hall ; Pengwern, near Llangollen; Tower, near Mold; Gloddaeth, near Llandudno ; Bodowen, Plas "Penmynydd, Plas Coch, and Henblas, in Anglesea; Corsygedol near Barmouth ; Plas Mawr and the College at Conway ; Bodwrda, near Aberdaron ; Bodidris, near Wrexham ; Rhiwgoch, near Traws- fynydd. The Parliament-house at Dolgelley and the garrison at Mac- hynlleth may also be enumerated as good specimens. xxiv V. Travelling View. Introd. V. Travelling View. The traveller in Wales, otherwise than by railway, will find in the frequent occurrence of turnpikes a proof, for which he will not always be grateful, of the attention which for many years has been paid to the imjirovement of the communications of this country. He will also find wild roads among the mountains, which he may follow if he pleases, especially if gifted with the faculty of making his way without speaking tlie language, which some adventurous persons possess ; for it is along these tracts of ancient days that he must expect to hear the short and sometimes contemptuously-sounding expression of " Dim Saesneg," " No English," as the only reply to his questions from man, woman, and child. The great Holyhead road, however, will present none of these difficulties, and the pedestrian or the traveller on horseback, if so sensible an individual were now easily to be met with, would find it the best basis of his operations, and the most convenient route from which to diverge into the valleys and upland regions, appropriate to each, on either side. "To be able to travel a distance of 83 miles, namely, from the bridge at Chirk to Holyhead, through the most mountainous district of the United Kingdom, along a road, not made as roads usually are, but actually built over all varieties of rugged surface, unitbrm in shape, perfect as to its smoothness and solidity, free from a single inconvenient inclination, and in its progress passing over the great chasm of the Menai Strait, is to do that which cannot be done even in those countries where the most profuse expenditure on roads has been directed by the greatest talents and enterprise." This road, being the great highway between England and Ireland, was once traversed by a large number of conveyances ; but the railways have banished them nearly all, and in a short time a coach of any descrip- tion will be a curiosity in the Principality. The following are the roads at present accommodated by coaches : — 1. a daily coach each way from Bettws-y-Coed Station to Bangor, through Capel Curig and Nant Ffrancon, thus enabling the traveller to see the main features of one of the finest portions of the country ; 2. from Corwen to Caernar- von, through Tentrevoelas, Bettws-y-Coed, Capel Curig, and Llanberis ; 3. from Bala to Dolgelley ; 4. from Beaumaris to Bangor ; 5. from Caernarvon to Bettws-y-Coed by Capel Curig ; 6. from Caernarvon to Beddgelert and 'i'anybwlch ; 7. from Aberystwith to Devil's Bridge. Kailway communication, however, which of late years has so inter- sected S. Wales with its iron net, is going considerably forward in the N. ; and as new lines, or even new portions of them, are opened, the intentions and arrangements of the tourist will receive large modifi- cations from time to time. Bradshaw's Kailway Guide and skek'ton map must be his best reference. The lines at })rescnt constructed are — 1. The Shrewsbury and Chester, which, although of narrow gauge, is worked by the Great Western Company. The southern half of the route is flat and uninteresting, but the remaining portion runs Introd. V. Travelling View, xxv tlirough scenery of very romantic and striking character, particularly in the neighbourhood of Chirk. A consequence of passing through this romantic and broken country has been the necessity of some expensive and magnificent railway works, such as the viaducts over the Dee and Ceiriog. The tourist will notice with pleasure the very prettily-arranged stations, which, with their rustic woodwork and gardens, look more like the lodge to a gentleman's seat than stations. The average cost of this railway was about 23,000Z. a mile. ^ 2. The Chester and Holyhead line, which was opened in its entireness in 1850, is also famous for its splendid engineering works, even were we to leave out of the question the Britannia Bridge, which, until the erection of the bridge at Montreal, was unequalled in conception or size. The peculiarity of this great trunk-hne is, that, with the exception of its inland course through Anglesea, it is carried almost entirely at the brink of the shore, seldom out of sight of the sea, and in many places so close that the waves in rough weather dash over it. The works most worth particularising on this line are— the long sea-wall which protects the rails on the estuary side, running through a great part of the county of Flint ; the tunnels and cuttings at Colwyn and Penmaen Mawr ; the Conway and Britannia Tubular Bridges ; and the Stanley embankment entering Holyhead island. 3. A line runs from Chester to Mold, principally to accommodate the mineral traffic, which is considerable. 4. A short line from Hope to Buckley and Wrexham. Branch lines from the Chester and Holyhead railway to, 5, Llandudno, and 6, Bettws-y-Coed. 7. Anglesea Central from Gaerwen to Amlwch. 8. The Oswestry, Welshpool, Newtown, and Llanidloes, opened in 1860, bids fair to become a great trunk-line ; on the one hand in connection with the Ellesmere and Whitchurch line, which communicates at Whitchurch directly with Manchester by way of Crewe ; and on the . other hand with the Mid- Wales and Central- Wales Eailways, by which a continuous and uninterrupted route is furnished to Ehayader, Builth, Brecon, Merthyr, Llandovery, Llandeilo, and Caermarthen. 9. The Vale of Clwyd Railway commences at Rhyl with a junction with the Chester and Holyhead, and, as its name imports, accommodates the towns of that vale— Rhuddlan, St. Asaph, Denbigh, Ruthin, and Corwen.^ 10. The Dolgelley Rlwy. begins at Ruabon and runs as far as Bala, joining at Corwen with the Rhyl line. 11. From Moat Lane the Aberystwith line is given off, passing through Machynlleth, and sending a branch to Dinas Mowddwy. At^'Glandyfi Junction (12) the main hne oi the Welsh Coast Rly. commences to Towyn (from whence there is (13) a short branch to near Tal-y-Llyn), Dolgelley, Barmouth, Harlech, Porthmadoc, and PwllheU. At Afonwen there is a branch (14) to Caer- narvon. 15. From Porthmadoc the Ffestiniog Rly. diverges to the slate quarries. For the convenience of those who have but little time at their dis- posal, the London and North- Western Rly. and Great Western Rly. Companies issue circular tourists' tickets, which enable the holders to proceed to Caernarvon, breaking their journey at Rhyl, Abergele, [N. TFaZes.j & xKvi V. Travelling View. Introd. Conway, and Bangor, and proceeding to Beddgelert, Barmouth, Dol- gelley, Machynlleth, and Aberystwith. Besides these means of communication, steamers from Liverpool to Rhyl, Beaumaris, and IMenai Bridge, weekly dej-osit a large amount of excursionists of all classes from the northern towns. Hotel accommodation as a rule is plentiful, varied, and good in X. Wales, and far exceeds that with which the tourist meets in S. Wales. What may be termed the pleasure-seeking localities — Bangor, Llan- dudno, Beaumaris, Caernarvon, Capel Curig, Llanberis, Beddgelert, Tauy- bwlch, Menai Bridge, Dolgelley, Llangollen — are provided with hotels of the most comfortable character, and most of the towns possess two or more, offering more or less comfort at more or less cost. But as a general rule the tourist will find it most advantageous to go to the best hotel, for the difference is rarely very considerable, and the tout ensemble is generally very superior. A single person living in the coffee-room ought usually to live for 10s. to 12s. a day, of course not including wine or any such additional expenses. Every hotel and inn provides cars, for which the charge is almost always Is. a mile and Qd. for the return, drivers and postboys expecting about Sd. per mile. A tour on a good hack, which the traveller should bring from his own stables, and be well accustomed to ride, is the pleasantest, the healthiest, and the best of all modes of locomotion. This may or may not involve the necessity of a servant in a light driving cart with another horse, and the charge of lugaage, rugs, &c. Another good way of seeing N. Wales is by a pedestrian excursion, with an occasional lift by rail or coach when the road is uninteresting, has been travelled before, or when the Aveather is bad — a probability which nmst always be taken into consideration in a mountainous country ; but he knows not how to travel who is afraid of weather, and many of the finest effects of landsca|)e are lost by stay-at-home people, on what they are pleased to call a bad day. To ascend moun- tains, however, on such, it must be owned, is a waste of time. Many tourists have waited patiently at Beddgelert, Llanberis, and Capel Curig, for many days together, in the hopes of a tolerable day for the ascent of Sni3wdon, and liave after all gone away unrewarded, or been compelled to go uj) in the midst of fogs and clouds, with the faint hope that they might clear away, if only for a few minutes, and reveal a portion of the magnificent panorama. The pedestrian should provide himself with thick boots or shoes, a stout walking-- stick, a change of socks, a flannel shirt, a flask of whisky, a com] 'ass, and an ordnance ma[) ; and these will suffice until he gets back to his temporary quarters. Every tourist, and more especially the pedes- trian, should also remember that many a beautiful scone will be quite wasted on him if he does not cultivate in himself the faculty of enjoyment. Come from which side of his disposition it may, some, like Mr. Speaker Onslow, or, in these days, like Mr. Borrow, observe life with interest from a wayside public-house ; some from a mountain- top. Introd. VI. Glossary of Welsh Words. XXVI 1 *' N. Wales should be studied for itself and by itself. If then we would desire to a|)preciate it as it deserves to be appreciated, let us in the first place banish from our minds a desire to have our senses astonished by mere exhibitions of magnitude. . . . The effects of Niagara Falls depend on their magnitude : those of many an insignificant streamlet, such as are those of Nant Mill, make a more charming picture, and one of more enduring power of giving pleasure. Bear something of these considerations in mind ; let not the want of great magnitude prevent a calm and just observation ; and the charms of N. Wales will grow upon us day by day, ever yielding new combina- tions to surprise and delight." — Halliwtll. VI. With the Welsh language this Handbook does not propose to meddle ; yet a glossary of words which occur generally in the names of places will not be inappropriate, and the traveller will add, perhaps almost 'insensibly, to the sources of his interest and amusement, if he carries with him a good Welsh dictionary, and the Church-service in Welsh, with the English on the opposite side. The children of Gomer have spoken this speech from their beginning, and in the names of places it marks their passage yet through many lands. London (Lyndyn), "the city of the wide water ;" "Dover (Dwfwr), "the water;" Win- chester, " the white city,"' and many others, are ancient British names. The first word in this short glossary (" aber ") we meet with across the Channel in Havred, with "cefn" in the Cevennes, with "pen" in the Apennines ; and the list might be extended greatly. Aher, a confluence or fall of a smaller river into a s;reater. Afon, a river. Allt, a woody cliflp. Bach, or, by mutation, Fach or Vach, small. Banaii, eminences. Bedel, a grave. Bett'Ds, a station in a vale. Blaen, the head of a valley. Bod, a dwelling. Bryn, a hill. Bwlch, a pass or defile. Bgchan, little. Cader, a chair, a seat. Cae, an enclosure. Caer, a fort, a camp, Capel, chapel. Carnedd (pi. Carneddau), heap of stones. Carreg, rock. Castell, a fortress. Cefn, a back, a ridge. Clawdd, a dyke. Clogwyn, a precipice. Coch, red. Coed, wood. Cors, bog. Croes, cross. Cwm, a glen, dingle. Cymmer, confluence. Dinas, a fortified hill. Ddl, a meadow by the side of a river. Dries, a door or pass. Du, black. Bwr, water. Dyffryn, valley. xxvm VI. Glossary of Welsh Words, In trod. Eglwys, church. Ffijimon, well, Gaer, same as Caer. Garth, a swelling knoll. Gliin, shore, bank. Glas, blue, green. Glyn, a glen. Giceni, a watery meadow. Gwyn, white. Gwrydd, green. Gvoynnedd, a pit. Jlafod-tai, summer farms. Havod, a summer residence. Hen, old. Hir, long. Llan, an enclosure, hence a churchyard or church. Llech, a flat stone. Llwyn, a grove. Llwyd, grey. Llyn, a lake. Mcien, stone. Maes, field. Mawr^ or, by mutation, Fawr^ gi-eat. Melin, mill. Melyn, yellow. Moel, a bare head, a couicjil smooth hill. Morfa, a sea-marsh. Mynach, a monk. Mynydd, a mountain. Nant, a brook. Neuydd, new. Pen, a head. Fenmaen, stone end. Pentre, a hamlet. Pistyll, a cataract, a fall. P/as, a hall, a seat. Ponf, a bridge. Forth, a gate. Fwl, a pool. Fhaiadr, a cataract. Ehiw, an ascent. Fhiidd, purple. PAos, moist place. Bhyd, a ford. *5ar?i, a causeway. Tal, the head. J(7uam, tavern. Traeth,a sand. T/'e, 7><)wning. Point of Air T-ighthouse. IMywrll. Cii. **Wfll. *Ba.sing\vc-rk Abbey. Flint. **Ca.stlo. Halkin IMountain. ]\bH'l-y-gaor. *N"orthop Ch. Ewloe Castle. *JIatnird('n Castle and Ch. **Mold Ch. Maes Garmon. *Tower. *Cairgwrl(> Castle. Hope Ch. (monument). Colitiiieudy. Loggerheads. **Cilcain Ch. "'llesp Alyn. Pen- bed w. Introd, IX. Chief Places of Interest. xxxi Caerwys. Roman streets. Overton. *Views over the Dee. Molt. Ch. Hanmer. Ch. Village and Mere. 5. Caernarvonshire. Conway. *Cli. **Castle. *Walls. *Plas Mawr. The College. Tubular Bridge. Gyffin Ch. View from hill above Benarth. *Castell Diganwy. *Falls of the Porthllwyd and Afon Ddu at Dol-y-garrog. Llyn Geirionydd. Caerhun. Llandudno. **Great Orme's Head. Llandudno old Ch. Telegraph Station. Copper-mines. Gogarth. Little Orme's Head. Glodd- aeth. Llandrillo-yn-rhos Ch. Penmaen Maior. Castell Caer Seion. Braich-y-dinas. Aher. **Waterfalls. Ancient road to Caerhun. Bangor. *Penrhyn Castle. *Cathedral. Port Penrhyn. *View from hill at back of Penrhyn Arms. *Llandegai Ch. and village. **Penrhyn Quarries. **Menai Bridge. **Tubular Bridge. Port Dinorwig. Caernarvon. **Castle. *Twthill. *Walls. Inscribed Stone at Llan- rug. *Llanbeblig Ch. Site of Segontium. Inscribed Stone at Llanfaglan Ch. Antiquities on banks of the Gwrfai. Clynnog. *Ch. Cromlech. Waterfall. *Dinas Dinlle. Nantlle. *Lakes. **Drws-y-Coed. Copper-mines and Slate- quarries. -- Pwllheli. *Beach. Carreg-y-Wimbill. Coast scenery at Mynydd Cilan. *Llanengan Ch. and Screen. Inscribed Stone at Llan- gian. *Carn Madryn. Carn Boduan. Llanor Inscribed Stones. Bardsey Island. *Aberdaron old Ch. Bodwrdda; Castell Odo. *Llangwnadl Ch. *Cefn Amwlch "Cromlech. Nevin. Porth- . dinllaen. **Yr Eifl. *Tre'r Caeri. *Nant Gwrtheyrn. Ahererch. Ch. Criccieth. *Castle. Dolbenmaen and Cromlechs. Tremadoc. Penmorfa Ch. *Portlnnadoc Embankment and Slate- wharf. Beddgelert. Ch. *Moel Hebog. **Pont Aberglaslyn. *Dinas Einrys. **LlynDinas and Llyn Gwynant. *LlynCwellyn. Nant Mill. **Snoiodon. **Pass of Llanberis. *Waterfall of Ceunant Mawr. *Llanberis Ch. *Slate-quarries. *Dolbadarn. Caer-carreg-y- fran. Dinas Dinorwig. Llys Dinorwig. Camps. *Nant Gwynant. *Llyn Llydaw. Capel Curig. *Moel Siabod. *Dolwyddelan Castle. **Ehaiadr Wenol. *Fors Noddyn. **Bettws-y-coed. Pont-y-pair. **Falls of the Conway. Falls of the Machno. *Glyder Fawr. Trifaen. **Llyn Idwal. **Llyn Ogwen. **Falls of the Ogwen. Car- nedds Davydd and Llewelyn. Nant Ffrancon. 6. Merionethshire. Corwen. *Ch. (Effigy of Sulien ap lorwerth). Moel Ferna. Caer Drewyn. Eug. Watertall on the Trystion. **Vale of Edeyr- nion. *Llandderfel Ch. and Screen. xxxii IX. Chief Places of Interest. Introd. Ta7iyhu'Jeh. **Mrs. Oakley's Grounds. **Slate-quarries of Ffes- tiniog. Llyn Edno and Adar. *Moelwyn. *Cynicht. *View from Ffestiniog Ch. Bedd gwjT Ardudwy, **Falls of the Cynfael. **Illiaiadr Cwm. Castcll Tomeu-y-mur. Maenticrog. *Kliaiailr-ddu. *lvaven Fall. Bala. *Lake. Arenig Mountains. LlanuwchljTi Ch. and Mo- nument. Caergai. *Aran Mowddy, **C\vm Twreh, *Peimant and Vale of Dyh. Vale oi" the Hirnant. Barmouth. **Llanaber Ch. **Scenery of the Mawddach. Harlech. **Castle. Llandanwg Ch. *Llanddwye Ch. *Llanbedr. ♦Cors-y-gedol. *Vale of Artro. **Bwlch-y-Tyddiad. *B\vlch Drws Ardudwy. **C\vm Bychan. Antiquities on Llawlech. Llanvihangel-y-Traethau Inscribed Stone. Dolgelley. *Cymmer Abbey. Parliament House. **Torrent "Walk in grounds of Caerynweh. **Cader Idris. **Valley of the Mawddach. *N'annau. Moel Orthrwm. **Falls on the Cain, Mawddach, and Camlan. Bedd Porus. Rhiwgoch. Castell Prysor. **Tal-y-Llyn. **Llyn-y-Cae. Llanvihangel-y-Pennant Ch. (monu- ment). CastellBere. *Craig Aderyn, *Llanegryn Ch. Llys Bradwen. Camps near Llwyngwril. ♦*To«-?/u Ch. and Stone. *Aberdovev. Corris Slate-quarries. Pennal (Roman traces). **Dinas Mowddwy. *MaUwyd. **Waterlall3 on the Dyfi. 7. Montgomeryshire. Llanfyllin. Ch. Camps in the neighbourhood. Llansantfraid Ch. **JMeifod Ch. Remains at Mathi-afal (Mediolanum). Castell Caer Einion. Tumulus. Guilsfield. Ch. and Camps. Welshpool. *Ch. **Powis Castle and Park. Leightou Hall and new Ch. Buttington. Font in Ch. **Breidden Hills and Rodney's Pillar. Long Mountain. Caer Digol. Oflfa's Dyke. Berriw. ]Maen Beuno. Moat at Nantcribba. Montgomery *Ch. and Castle, Fridd Faldwyn Camp. *Lymore Park. Newtown. *01d Ch. *Screen in new Ch. Kerry Ch. Castell Dolforwyn. Bettws Cede wen. Llanhrynmair. * Waterfalls. Scenery of TwjTuyn and lal. Catrsim. *Roman remains. Llandiuam Ch. Llnnldloes. **Ch. Source of the Severn. *Phidymmon. **Marhynll(th. Parliament House. Llanwriu Ch. *Waterfall on I.lyllhant. *Llyn Penrhaiadr. Llyn Bugeilyn. Llangyitog. Berwyn Mountains. ♦*Penuant Melangell Ch. Scenery of the Tauat. 8. Anglesea. Beauviaris. ♦*Castle. *Ch. Hen Bias. *Baron Hill. *Llanfnes Cli. and remains of Priory. ♦*Pennum Priory. *Putrin Island. Llaniestyn Cli. *Bwrdd Arthur. Pentraeth. Castell Lleiniog. ♦Anglesea M(mument. *P('nmynydd Cii. and Monastery. Llan- gaflb new Ch. *Antiquities at Lhinidan. *Cromlech at Plas Newydd. Llanddwyn Abbey. *Newborough Ch. Stone at Introd. X. Skeleton Eoutes. xxxiii Brondeg. Llangefni Ch. **Llangadwaladr Ch. (stained glass) Llyn Coron. *Bodorgan Gardens. *Aberfraw Ch. *Llan- gwyfan Ch. Holyhead. **Harbour of Kefuge and Quarries. Port and Pier. **Telegraph Station. *Caer Gybi. **Stack Eocks and Light- house. **Ch. Stanley Embankment. Llanerclnjmedd. Ch. Rocking-stone at Llwydiarth. Llantrisant. Tomb of Bronwen. Llyn Llywean. Cromlech at Pres- addfed. t t,t- Amlwch. *Port. **Parys Mountain. Copper-works and JVlmes. Llanbadrig. Llan Lleiana. *Coast Scenery at Cemmaes. Llan- elian Ch. and WeU. *Llanllewenllyfo Ch. and Brass. Point Lynas Lighthouse. **Llanallgo Ch. (grave of persons drowned in the wreck of the ' Royal Charter '). *Moelfre Bay. Cromlech. Llaneugrad. Pigeon-house. Llanfair Mathafarn- eithaf Cross. X. Skeleton Routes. A. TOUR OF ONE MONTH, starting from Chester. 1. Chester: see Rows, Walls, Cathedral. In afternoon to Eaton Hall by road or water. 2. Rail to Holywell : see Well and Basingwerk Abbey ; go on to Ehyl : see Rhuddlan ; sleep at Rhyl. 3. Excursion to Denbigh by rail. Drive back to St. Asaph by way of Cefn, and, if time, to Abergele by Bodelwyddan. Take tram in evening fi-om Abergele to Llandudno. 4. Orme's Head. Llandudno. Afternoon, see Castle and town of Con- way. 5. By rail to Bettws-y-Coed, and Capel Curig by coach. Afternoon, ascend Moel Siabod, or visit Castle Dolwyddelan. ■6. Llyn Ogwen, Llyn Idwal, Penrhyn Slate Quarries. From Capel Curig the coach, en route for Bangor, will pass these places. 7. Bangor Cathedral. Llandegai Ch. 8. Penrhyn Castle. Aber Waterfall. 9. Excursion to Beaumaris and on to Penmon Priory and Puffin Island. Menai Bridge and Britannia Bridge. 10. Excursion by rail to Holyhead. 11. Rail from Holyhead to Caernarvon— Castle and town. In after- noon to Llanberis. 12. Ascend Snowdon and down to Beddgelert. In evening excursion up Nant Gwynant or Drws-y-coed. 13. Beddgelert; by coach to Porthmadoc (passing Pont Aberglaslyn), and on by rail to Criccieth and Pwllheli, 14. To Nevin. Ascend Yr Eifl. Visit Clynnog Ch., and in afternoon back to Caernarvon. 15. By coach from Caernarvon, via Llanberis, up the Pass, Capel Cung, Pentrevoelas, Corwen, and by rail to Llangollen. Ascend Dinas Bran. 16. By rail to Chirk and Ruabon (Wynnstay) ; back to Llangollen. xxxiv X. ^Skeleton Routes. Introd. 17. Visit Valle Crucis. By rail to Corwen. Drive tlirough the Vale of Eieyrnion to Bala. 18. Bala to Ffestiniog (no conveyance"). Rhaiadr Cwm. Falls of the Cvnfael. Slate-quarries. Tanybwlch. 19. Tanybwlch by rail to Harlech. Vissit Cwm Bychan ; in evening to Barmouth. 20. Barmouth to Dolgelley. Visit Cymmer and Valley of the Mawddach. 21. Ascend Cader Idris. Visit the Torrent Walk. 22. Dolgelley to Tal-y-Llyn and Towyn. 23. Towyn to Aberdovey by rail. On across the Ferry or by rail to Aberystwith. 24. Aberystwith. Devil's Bridge. Hafod, if time. 25. Aberystwith by rail to Mach^Tilleth, and post on to Mallwyd and Oswestry, or from IMallwyd to Cemmaes Road, where the train may be taken to Welshpool. 26. From Oswestry by rail to Welshpool. Visit Powis Castle and Breidden Hills, or excursion to Montgomery. 27. Welshpool to Slirewsbury. Visit the Churches, &c. 28. Excm-sion to Wroxeter. In afternoon leave Shrewsbury. B. TOUR OF SEVEN WEEKS, commencing at Shrewsbury. 1. Shrewsbury. Visit town. Afternoon to Wroxeter. 2. By rail to Cliirk and Ruabon Wj-nnstay , and sleep at Wrexham. 3. See Wrexham Ch. Gresford Ch. and to Chester. See city. 4. Chester. Cathedral, &c. Afternoon, Eaton Hall. 5. Excursion by rail to Mold. Visit Ch. ; Tower. Drive or walk through Northop to Flint, and back by rail. 6. Visit Holywell by rail. Basingwerk. Mostyn Hall or Downing to Rhyl. 7. Excursion by rail to Rhuddlan. Dyserth. St. Asaph and Denbigh. Visit Cefn Caves en route. 8. By rail to Ruthin. Ascend ]Moel Fammau. 9. By rail to Corwen. Pentrevoelas. Bettws-v-Coed and Llanrwst. 10. Visit Ch. Gwydir House. Waterfalls. By rail to Conway. 11. Excursion to Abergele bv rail. Afternoon to T.landudno. 12. Great Orme's Head or Penmaen Mawr. Abe'r Wateriall. In evening to Bangor. 13. Cathedral. Penrhyn Castle. Slate Quarries of Bethesda. 14. Excursion to Dinas Dinorwig and Pentir. 15. Excursion to Beaumaris via IMeuai Bridge. See Tubular Bridge. Sleep at Biauniiiris. IG. Excursion to IViimon. Puffin Island. Pentraeth. 17. From INlenai Bridge by rail to Amlwch. See I'lu-ys INIountain. 18. To Ilolvli.ud bv rail. 19. Visit Llangadw'aladr Ch. Alnrfraw, Newborough, Llangwyfun, and across the ferrv to Caernarvon. 20. Caernarvon. Afternoon to Lhinbcris. Slate Quarries. 21. Ascend Snowdon and down to Capel Curig. Introd. X. Skeleton Routes, xxxv 22. Capel Curig. Ehaiadr Wenol. Falls of the Conway. Dolwyddelan. Home by Moel Siabod. 23. Visit Llyn Ogwen. Llyn Idwal. Ascend Oarnedd Llewelyn. Pass of Llanberis. 24. Nantgwynant. Beddgelert. In afternoon, if time, ascend Moel Hebog. 25 to 27. By coach to Tremadoc, and on by rail to Pwllheli. 28. Excursion into Lleyn. Aberdaron or Carn Madryn. 29. To Nevin. Ascend Yr Eifl. Clynnog Ch. Sleep at Clynnog. 30. To NantUe Lakes, and back to Caernarvon by Llyn Cweliyn. 31. By coach to Tanybwlch. Ffestiniog. Waterfalls. 32. Slate Quarries. Afternoon to Harlech, 33. Excursion to Cwm Bychan and Bwlch-y-Tyddiad. 34. Visit Llanaber. Barmouth. Llaneltyd and Dolgelley. 35. Visit Mawddach Valley. Waterfalls. Nannau. 36. Cader Idris. Torrent Walk. 37. By coach to Bala. Vale of Edeyrnion. Corwen. And by rail to Llangollen. 38. Valle Crucis. Castle Dinas Bran. 39. To Oswestry. Llanfyllin. Llanrhaiadr. 40. Pistyll Ehaiadr. Llangynog. Pennant Melangell. Over the Berwyns to Bala. 4L By Bwlch-y-groes to Dinas Mowddwy, Mallwyd, and Machynlleth, or else sleep at 42. Mallwyd, and up the Ceryst to Tal-y-Llyn, Llanegryn, and Towyn. 43. To Aberdovey and Aberystwith. 44. Aberystwith. Hafod. Devil's Bridge. 45. Plinlymmon. 46. To Llanidloes. See Ch. By rail to Newtown. Visit Old and New Ch. 47. Visit Montgomery. Afternoon to Welshpool. 48. Breiddens. Powis Castle. Excursion to Guilsfield. 49. To Shrewsbury. The Sundays shoidd be spent at Ehyl (for St. Asaph\ Bangor, Caernar von or Llanberis, Beddgelert, Barmouth or Dolgelley, Bala, Welshpool. C. PEDESTKIAN TOUE OF ONE MONTH, commencing at Ruahon Station. 1. Arrive at Euabon. Walk to Llangollen. Visit Aqueduct and Castle Dinas Bran. 2. Walk to Valle Cnicis. Climb the hill at the back, and follow the path to Craig Aderyn, and thence to the turnpike-road at Bwlch Ehiwfelyn, and on to Euthin ; about 17 m. 3. Euthin. Ascend Moel Fammau from Bwlch-pen-Barras, descending by Llangynhaval, and on to Denbigh ; 14 m. (rail to St. Asaph and back by Cefn, if time\ 4. Denbigh to Llanrwst, through Llansannan and Gwytherin, across the valleys of the Aled and Elwy ; 18 m. xxxvi X. Skeleton Routes. Introd. 5. Visit Llanrwst. Gwytlir. Take coach to the Waterfalls and walk to Conway, or else walk to the Falls and coach to Conway, and on to Llan WREXHAM— GREAT WEST- ERN RAILWAY. Shrewsbury, capital of Sliropsliirc, and a borougli town sending 2 repre- sentatives to Parliament. (Hotels: Eaven, first class ; — Lion ; George ; Ijotli good.) Wales may well be approached by the Severn-girded Shrewsbury, one of tlie most beauti- ful and still among tlie most im- portant of the frontier towns. Here lived Telford, whose road to Holy- head yet invites and charms the traveirer, and here converging rail- ways place him in immediate com* municution with many parts of the princi]>ality, whose border he may cross forthwith, or skirt for a long distance, as his taste directs or con- venience serves. The Station, a liandsome Tudor building near the Castle, stands in a picturesque posi- tion, with the river winding below it, and the si)ire3 of St. Mary and St. Alkmund crowning the height on rt. The square red tower seen from the end of the. platform is tliat of the Abbey eh. of St. Peter and St. Paul, whose mitred ablx)ts sat before the Ileformation in the House of Lords. From the station the chief objects of interest in the town inay be conveniently visited in a short time. The antiquity of Shrewsbury is considerable, and its British iiame (Pen-gwern, " the head of the Alder- wood") indicates its jxvsition above the fertile meadow-lands which were then cuvere-d witli tries and Ituslu-s. Its Saxon name " Scrol)esbyrig " is <>viorate town, possessing various ancient charters from the time of "William I. to James II., and continues to.give the title of earl to the lineal descendants of tho great John Talbot, wlio was lirought to be buried at AVhiteliureh (lite. 2) fi-om the field of Cliatillon. Slirewsbiuy is situated on a pen- insula of rising ground, eneirelcHl by the Severn on all sides but the N., and locally termed " the Island :" in fact, so nearly do the windings of the river approach each readth : — K. Wales. Route 1. — Shrewsbury — Castle — Churches* 8 " Edita Penguenii late fastigia splendent Urbs sita lunato veluti mediamnis in orbe, Colle tumet modico, duplici quoque ponte superbit Accipiens patriS, sibi linguii nomen ab alnis."' The main approaclies are by 2 bridges on tlie E. and N.W. called respectively the English and Welsh Bridges. The former, erected in 1769, at a cost of 15,000^., is a handsome structure of 7 arches surmounted by an open balustradCj though the ele- vation is remarkable from the height of the central arch^ which was con- structed thus to allow of the great volume of water brought down in rainy weather. The Welsh Bridge, across which runs the " reddie waye " to Wales, has little remarkable in its architecture, but replaces an old one pulled down in the last centy., on which was a picturesque gateway tower, of which many engravings are extant. The Castle stands on the isthmus, and is conspicuous from its lofty position, "builte in such a brave plott that it could have espyed a byrd flying in every streete," and from the deep red colour of the buildings, though ite architecture, except in some of the outer walls, is considerably modernized. It is rented by its present inhabitant (Kev. G. Downward) from the pro- prietor, the Duke of Cleveland, and contains nothing remarkable but the turret in the garden, overlooking the river, and first meeting the eye of the stranger as he arrives at the station. This was the work of Telford, for Sir W. Pulteney, his early patron, and former proprietor of the place. The prospect from the Castle, however, is magnificent, embracing the blue ridges of the Norman Mons Gilberti, tlie Saxon and Eng- lish Wrekin, in which the name of Vr-ikon, " City of Iconium," whose ashes moulder beneath its slopes, is verbally enshrined ; the South Shropshire hills, along whose val- ley and sides went the last battle of Caractacus, the beautiful Breidden, " hills of the robbers/' in the mother tongue, but now tenanted by small farms, and surmounted by a pillar in honour of Lord Eodney's victory, with the Berwyns and the Welsh ranges rising in terraces to the W. Nearer to the N. and E. are the more modest eminences of Grinshill, Hawkstone, and Haughmond, rising from a rich and well-\yatered coun- try, rivalling Yorkshire, till within these few years, in the excellence of its horses. The earthquake which shook Shropshire and North Wales 10 or 12 years since was particularly felt at Grinshill and the Wrekin. The Toivn Walls were fii'st com- menced by Koger Belesme, son of Earl Koger de Montgomery, and were afterwards finished by Henry III. to protect the inhabitants from the in- cursions of the Welsh. A small portion only remains on the S. side of the town, where they are in good preservation, and form an agreeable promenade. Here also is a square tower of 2 stories of the same date, the only one remaining out of 20 which formerly strengthened and defended the walls. The fortifica- tions were for the most i^art destroyed in ]64.'i, when the town yielded to the Parliamentary troops under Gen. Mytton. The churches are interesting, par- ticularly that of St. Mary, a noble pile of building in the centre of the town, whose lofty spire (220 ft.) serves as a landmark for many a mile around. It is a cruciform ch., of va- rious styles of architecture, and con- taining a nave, side aisles, chancel, transepts, and 2 chantry chapels. The basement of the tower is Norm., as are also the S. and N. porches of the nave and the doorways of the N. and S. transepts, which are ornamented with lozenge and chevron mould- ings. In the S. porch observe the pointed windows of the side, as ex- amples of rudimentary mullions. The 13 2 lioute 1. — Shrewabury — Churches. K^. AValES. E. Enp:. stylo is vi.silile in the beautiful luucot windows of the transepts. Tliose of the chTestorT jire Pi'ip., us arc also the pointed winilows in the S. ehiipel, uud the larijc cue of 8 lip^hts at the end of the chancel. The si)ire is octa.i^onal, and said to be tlie ord lii^hcst in the kingdom. Intcruallv Norm, scinicir- cular arelies separate the nave from the aisles, s|)rinLi:in.i:; fion» elcirant clustered columns of later date. Similar arches lead from the aisles 1() tlie transepts and also to the cliapels. The ceilini;- is oak, beauti- fully fretted and carved ^vith flowers and li^ures. In the nave is a di'co- rated pulpit of Caen stone, rc]ire- sentin.L:; incidents in the life of Christ. One of the chief l>eautics of the eh. arises from the profusion of its stained .:;lass. Tlie large E. window ^M'hich once belonged to the Franciscan Friaiy, the gift of Sir John de Charlton, oirc. IJl.'iO; is occupied with tlie genealogy of Clirif^t froju the Root of Jes.se, in which the patriarch is reclining in sleep, while from his l(»ins a stem ascends, enelos- ing in its branches a king or i»rophet ])clonging to the series, whicii num- bers altogether 47 figures. In the N. transe|it is a memorial window to the Ilev. J. IMakeway, to whom a decorated ultar-toml* has been cu'ccted close liy. 'J'here is a lancet window on the N. side of the altar, with scenes in tlie life of St. ]{«r- iiard ; and a iMight window of tiie Orucifixioii on the N. .side of tiu' ba|>tislery. In the S. transept is a memniial window to llev. W. liow- land, formerly vicar and a munitieent restorer of this ch. Tiic Trinity Cliapel contains a tine organ by IJytield, 1721* ; a niutilateenbow,a nativeof the town. St. Mary's Church was originally col- legiate, having a dean and 9 canons, and at its sup])ression the ivvenue was given by Edward VI. for the maintenance of Shrewsbury school. A short distance S. is St. Alk- ini'.ruVs Ch., also collegiate, and said to have been fovnided in 912, by Ethclfleda, daughter of Alfred the (Jreat. It was once a venerable cruciform ch., but Avas taken down in 179-1, leaving oidy the tower and graceful s]»ire. The remainder of tlic building is in the church- wardens' style of the last cent. Almost adjoining St. Alkmund's is the ancient Norm. ch. of St. Julian. It was demolished in 17.jO and the present structure erected, tliough considerably altered again in 184C). The most ancient portion of the ch. is tlie basement of the tower; the main body being also in the church warelens' st^'le. In the interior is a gravestone with an in- seription of the 13th cent, on its rounded edge, in memory of E Iward Troumwyn, a member of a family living in the time of Edwaiil 11. Old St. Clicids, situated near the town walls, was founded originally about 780, by one of the ]N[erciaii kings, on the site of a palace of a Prince of I'owis, and was said to have been a very line building of the reign <»f Ih-nry III. It was much damaged by lire in 12%), and finally gave way in 17SS, in eonseipicnci' of some of the ]»illars yielding. The former catastro])he was t)wing to a plumber working in the cli. ; the records of tiie iiKpiest upon him stating that, while endi-avonring to tiee the conlla- gration lie had caused " contra volun- tatenisuam, demissus fuit in (piodam stagno llimiinis Sabriine, el sic uku- tnusfnit." The small i)ortion which remains was almost entirely relmilt in l."»7l, and is now used as a chapel N. Wales, Route 1. — Shrewshiirij. for tlie cemetciy, which contains tho t^Taves of some of tho most distin- guished Salopian families. New St. Chad's, some distance AV., built 1792, is chiefly remark- ahle for its situation at the head of tlie Quarr^y Avenue, and for the very questionable taste of the architec- tural details. The body of tho cli. is formed by tho intersections of 2 cir- cles, at the E. end of which is a Doric jxntico and tower, the solo feature wliicli prevents the building being mistaken for a theatre or exchange. It contains some stained memorial windows, and a moniunent to the memory of the members of the oHrd regt. who fell at the battle of Sobraon. Notwithstanding its extra- ordinary appearance. New St. Chad's is considered tlie v\\. of Shrewsbury. Across the English Bridge, and on the other side of the Hereford rly., is the venerable Ahheij Ch., in interest and beauty scarcely surpassed by St. Mary's. It was formerly a large cruciform ch., having a central as well as the present W, tower ; but tlie E. portion was destroyed at the time of tho dissolution of tlio monas- teries, while part of the clerestory fell at a subsequent date. The base- ment of the tower is Norm. ; the re- mainder being Dec. and adorned with :i muguili'-'-iit Dec. windon'. >:ur- iiMMiutC'i iiv ;i I'icli (MXii'-lci't ;iiicl Itiiiiil. Alx'N '• il. ;huI Ijelvveeu the 2 helliowcL' v\ imliiw -. i- :i iijrlie i-oiitidniug (lie -liiilli- I'l' :i iu;iili-il ivLiiuiiI. ^llp|iii>r(i l<> i'i-jiit_'.>iMil I'aIw iir E. Eng. tit- ! iViil an-iif-. jiaiTly tilietl in l)y panel.--. 1,111 wliic-li art' sciiljil iii-i'"i figni'es i>\' :<[. I'ci.'i- a,ii(i St. J'aul, Ac The CI,. \ (if St. (:ili\<. \\\{.' oldest in Sln>'\v.>- luiry, was buiil early in tJie reign of Henry I., for the iise of a Leper Hospital. It stands on the Acton Burnell road, find preserves, amongst modern additions, some Norm, work, and a good Norm. font. Shreicshiiri/ School, near tlie Castle, long esteemed among the public scliools of England, was founded in 1551 by Edward VI., since whose time many persons of varied emi- nence have received their educ^i lioute 1. — Shreicsluri/. N. Wales. lion hero. The scak^ ranges from ►Sir IMiilip Sidney to Judge Jelii-ries, without ealling in question others of later days. Tlie original buihhng was of wood, hut was r(]thT,ceutk'r, liisliop of Liehticld, an eminent Greek scho- lar, to wliose learning and talent it is so highly indehted for its position as an educational estahlishment. A little above the school, and on the opposite side of the road, are the shght remains of St. NicJudas Cliajttl, now used iis a coach-house, hut for- merly erected by Eoger de Mont- gomery as a chapel for such of las retainers as lived outside tlie castle- court. Close hy are some ancient houses known as the Council House, or liOrd's Place, and now converted into private residences. Here Charles I., with his nepliew Prince lluprrt, took lip their quarters when on a visit to Shrewsbury, as also did the unhai)py James II. in 1G87. The en- trance-hall is still preserved, nearly in its original conditit)n. It rcceivcil its name from having been the liall t(f Hie Court of tile IMarches of Wales, wliich held its meetings al- ternately liere, at Ludlow, and Jlere- ford. tShrcwsbury is rich in ancient houses, the ])rincipal of which are Jrtldiiil'ii M(iiii>ion, ;i haU'-tiniheied gabled building, at the corner of the irigh-st. ; a line timber house of tln! irjlh^ cent., in JlntchtrH lUnc (near St. Alkmnnd'.s ch.), "a (plaint but rei)ulsive locality, in whieh sweeps and slaughlernien divide the habitation ol" the eliantry priests of the aneiunt guild of tiie Jbdy Cross :" the ])n(jn'rH' Hall, mar St. ISbiry's Ch., an Kli/abetiiaii building, with a Ihie old wainscotcil apartment ; Viiuqltau's riiict 'in College! Hill, now the Museum^ of which a por- tion of the interior, erected in the 14th cent., is in good preservation ; liou'lei/s Mansion, 1G18, near the Mardol, which still keeps its ancient doorway; and across the river, White- hall (Rev. T. Lloyd), an Elizabethan mansion of the same date, standing — " So trim and finely, tbat it graceth All the soil that it is on ;" There are also slight remains of a Grey Friary near the town wall. Nearly opposite St. Mary's ch. is a handsome and commodious Butter- murhet, close to which once stood the High Cross, where Dafydd ap Grufydd, brother to Llewelyn, met liis fate of hanging, binning, and quartering, after being dragged at a horse's tail through the streets. This was the prince whose revolt against King Edward met with the furious and almost rhytlnnical denuncia- tion — " (>ucm nutrivimus orphanum, l^iom recepimus exulom," itc. The Marhet S'piare is the focus of all the most important buildings, and contains Assize Courts and ('ountv Hall, from a design bv Smirke, Music and Assembly liooins, and an ancient Marhit House, an interesting building with an open arcade and square mul- lioned wimlows. Over the AV. front are the arms of Queen Elizabeth, and over the N. arch is a statue in armour of Pichard Duke of York, which fornurly graced the old tower on the Welsh Bridge, but was re- moved in 171)1, when the new bridge was built. A prc)ininent object in the IMarktt Square is the statue of /.(/;•(/ ('//(•(, placed tlu're in tliis age of monuments ilStJU , a full-length bronze ligure, by ^laroclu-tti, on a pedestal of polished granite. Clive, considered tlu- founder of all empire that was extended and upheld aller- wanls by greater men, invested a large portion oihis Indian gains in land and N. Wales. Route 1 . — Shrewsh ury. politics in the county of Salop ; lie represented the town 3 times in parliament, and was elected mayor in 1762. His naive declaration in tlie House of Commons, when de- fending himself against the accusa- tion of laying- the native princes under contribution, " I wonder, Mr. Speaker, that I didn't take more," will often occur to those who pass by the sombre effigy of this remark- able man, whose family now bear the title of Earls of Powis. Lord HllVs monument in the London road commemorates another and a better Shropshire liero — the hero of Douro, Talavera, Vittoria, Waterloo, and many other battles — who concluded his virtuous and honourable life by several years' service as Commander- in-Chief of the British army. The column, of Grecian-Doric style, and 133 ft, high, was erected at a cost of nearly 6000^. in 1816, and is sur- mounted by a statue of Lord Hill, It is worth while ascending to the balcony at the summit for the sake of tlie view. Other points worth notice in the town are the Infirmary ; the County Gaol, a massive brick bnilding close to the station ; and tlie Museum of Natural Ilhtory, interesting as being the receptacle of tlie Eoman articles found at Wroxeter. The visitor should not omit the Quarry, a series of public walks of a beauty and extent that few tov/ns can boast. It is bounded on the S, by tlie Severn (here crossed by several ferries), and lined by avenues of lime-trees. Like Coventry and Preston, Shrewsbury has been famous for the glories of its sJiow or pageant, held every year on the Monday after 1st Sunday in Trinity, when the asso- ciated tradesmen, in gay attires, parade through the town to the suburb of Kingsland, where arbours are erected, one for each guild. Here they spend the rest of the day in festivity. Formerly these pro- ceedings were accompanied by dra- matic representations. " This yeare, 1568, at Whytsuntyde, was a notable stage playe, played at Shrosbury, the which was praysed gTeatley, and the chyffe actor thereof was one Master Aston, beinge theheade scoole master at the Free Scoole there." — (MS, account of the Eeception of Sir H. Sidney at the Free Schoo].) Amongst natives of Shrewsbury may be mentioned Eobert of Shrewsbury, Bishop of Bangor, who by his own desire was buried in the Shrewsbury market-place, 1213; Thomas Church- yard, the poet ; Admiral Benbow ; Job Orton, an eminent Nonconformist ; and Taylor, the translator of ' De- mosthenes.' A striking peculiarity of the streets of Shrewsbury is the retention of so many quaint and ancient names — such as Murivance, Pride Hill, Mar- dol. Shop Latch, Wyle Cop, &c. " Your trunk, thus dismember'd and torn, Bloudie Jack, They hew, and they hack, and they chop ; And to finish the whole They stuck up a pole In the place tliat's still call'd the Wylde Cuppe." — Ingoldsby Legends. These names offer curious corrup- tions of appellations that were once appropriate. Wyle Cop = Hill Top, it being a steep ascent from the river ; Dog-pole — Duck-pool, in the hollow near St, Mary's ; Mardol or Mardefol = Dairy Fold or Grazing Ground; Pride Hill, from an ancient family resident there; Shop Latch =Sliutto Place, the seat of an old Salop family ; Murivance, an open space in front of the walls, &c. The visitor should not omit to pay attention to the famous cakes, ale, and brawn, the former of which, in particular, have been in request since the days of Queen Elizabeth. Railways. — To London, 171 m, ; Birmingham, 42 ; Wolverhampton, 27 ; Wellington, 12 ; Oswestry, 20 ; Chester, 42 ; Welshpool, 20 ; Church Stretton, 12 ; Ludlow, 27 ; Hereford, 51; Crewe, 32; Wem, 11; Staftbrd, 29 ; Newtown, 34 ; Aberystwith, 8 Route 1 . — Wroxeter — Baf^chnrcli. N. Walks. 81 i; ^[insterlev. 0; Llnnvmvnach, IS." Dldancen. — Montu:oincrv, 22 m. : AVroxctcr, :.; Uffini^ton, 2^; Hawlc- [Ill addition to many pleasant ex- cursions in tlio neigliliDurliood of Shrowsbiu'v, whieli would Lc Ibrui.i^n of couiti? and hypocausts, supposed by ^Iv. Wright to have been the public baths. In all tlie latter Ihe connecting pillars or eolunnis of IJo- inan bricks, as well as the llms, are in high preservation, and altbrd a clear ilhistration of the nietliods by wliicli the Jiouians wanned their to tlie purpose of a Handbook to i houses. In one of the ]iy[>ocausts N. "Wales, the tourist should not omit to visit M'roxoltr, tlie site of tlie an- cient I'r-i-eonium. It can lie reached either by rail to Upton ]\Iagna stiit. on Ihe Shropshire Uuion lily., from whence it is 2 m. of rather intricate lanes, or by direct road tliither (5 m.), cros.siug the Severn at :5 m. Atcham, where there is an exceed- ingly iticturesqne eh. close to the river-side. Tlie lower portion of the tower is of good Norm. work. At- e.ham was the birthplace of ()rdericns A'italis, th(j historian and chajjlain of AVlUiam the Conqueror, 4 m. 1. AtfinijlKdii Hull Lord Ber- wick). A chanuing landscape is ]>roduced by the junction of the Tern with Uw Severn near this house. Tht- former river is crossi'd by a handsome o)>en bidustraded bridge. 5 m. M'roxder. Here is a fine old Nunn. ch., with later :.lt.rotions ; in the interior are .«ome unique idi;n-li>mbs ot llie Mltli rent., I Ik- iigines )»|' wllieh ill'- relli;irkid>le luf III! fre»liiii'>« .illd vixiilne.^- ol'llir • ■idoiiririi:. .\l ilie giil' <'t" th'' r-li.- Viird iiri- ■_' }t\iiiiiOi jtilhir- nitli hisjlds «)riiauienii-.| cjipiinU, iliseovereil in ihe lit-rl i,\ the ri\er. \vliit:li elorte \i\ . 'J'he remains i»f L'r-i< oiiiuin are lo be found by the side of the Watling-st. roud in a lii-ld a few liundred yards to the N., wiiich lias been excavated over an area of 2 acres, at the expense of lh can be judged from a mediil ofiliai tMi|..ror fonii*] in l.'^ll onilx'dded in a >mI1). aU'l J'r'>l>al>l\ bv niilihirv ei.|oni>ls fruin the .\-i:.iii- |»iirl of lliC itonian eni|tiri'. NN >■ Un'»\\ thai ii divi>ion oj' >*:iilliian hoi^i \N;t> llows , sii( tinned iheie. '^narding tlie ei.m- munieutioiis of the Jkoman ioad> And the jiasses of the Severn. Tt was destroyed by tin; Sa\"t)ns in tlu» nth cent., when Uomani/ed l>ritons nlone remained as its defenders, and probably in om- of those irruptions so pathetieally tUplored by Llywareh lien. Since that epoch the city has never risen again, but has remaiiu'd for centuries in ruins, mostly covered by the .soil, and only visited at times by tlie Imilders of the middle ages, who seem io have made use of them N. Wales. Route 1.— Watt's Byhe— Of as Dyle. extensively as a ready-made quarry, from whence they might extract materials for the erection of the abbeys and clmrchcs in the neigh- bourhood. The tourist should not visit Wrox- eter without Mr. Wright's Guide.] Quitting Shrewsbury by the Gt, AVestern Ely., 1 m, 1. is Berwick Hall (Hon. H. W. Powys). Observe the fine iron gates here. 2 m. on each side of the line is a sheet of water, known respectively as Almond and Heucott Fools. Tliese small meres are rather a peculiar feature in the portion of country between Slu'ewsbury and Ellesmere. .4^ m. Leatou Stat. ll m. Baschurch Stat. On Berth Hill, 2 m., are some ancient fortifica- tions, surrounded by a circular val- lum, the whole defended by a deep pool at the bottom of the eminence. The ch. contains some Norm, work in the tower and S. aisle. Bas- church is the place mentioned as tlie " Churches of Basa" by Llywarch Hen in the elegy on the fall of Cyndelan, and, strange to say, an eminent Sin-opshire antiquary found proof in this against the authenticity of the poem, for he says " Bass ' is a Saxon name, forgetting Martial's epigram " Ad Bassam," and that there were no Christian churches in England then. [2^ m. 1. Raijton of the 11 towns, thought by many antiquarians to be identical with tlie Roman station Rutunium.] 9 m. 1. Boreafton Park (R. Hunt, Esq.) VSh Bednall Stat,, to rt. of which is Woodhouse (W. M. Owen, Esq.) ; and 1. Aston, the beautiful seat of Mrs. Lloyd. IG m. Whittington Juxot. for Ellesmere and Whitchurch (Rte. 2). On rt. are the ruins of the castle, held after the Conquest by Earl Roger de Montgomery. It still possesses fragments of 8 towers (4 of which are attached to the keep), moat, and vestiges of other defensive works. It is said to have been the birthplace of Fulke Fitzwarine, a legendary baron. IS m. GoBOWEN' JuNCT. for Os- westry, 'SA''clshpoo!. Newtown, and Aberystwith 'Rte. 27':. Aftej- quitting Ciobowen, tlie line speedily approaches tlie outskirts of the hills whifh Imvc Ijcen for many miles looming in the distance, and the country now becomes broken and varied. 19 m. rt. Belmont (T. Lovett, Esq.) ; to the E. of which runs WcdVs Dylce. This ancient bound- ary, or more probably a line of de- fence, commences, or at least is visible for the first time, about B m. S. of Oswestry, and runs northward into Flintshire, keeping tolerably- parallel with Offa's Dyke, which is plainly discernible on the high grounds in the parish of Selattyn, 3 m. W. of Gobowen. Its course is marked near Craignant by a tower built for that purpose by Mr. West. It is generally considered to have been a line of demarcation, for as a. defence it must have been useless :— " There is a famous thing Callde OfFae's Dyke, that reacheth farre In lengfthe. All kind of ware the Danes might thether bring ; It was free ground, and callde the Briton's strength. Wat's Dyke, likewise, about the same was set; Between which two both Danes and Britons met."— Churchyard, Selattyn is the burial-place of John Hanmer, Bishop of St. Asaph, temp. James I., who left doles to the poor here. 20 m. 1. Qumta (T. Barnes, Esq.). The line now crosses the river Celriog, the boundary between Shropshire and Denbighshire, which the traveller now enters for the first time. The banks of this river are historically celebrated as being the theatre of a bloodv fight between B 3 10 JRoute 1. — Chirk Castle. X. Wales. tlio Knglisli and Welsh iu 1JG4. Dafydil, sou of Owuiu Uwynedd, prince of N. "Wales, eiicdurau'cil Ly tlio successes of tlio South AVelsh, made a raid upyn Flintshire, carryinj::; oft* many prisoners and cattle to the Vale of Clwyd, upon which Henry II. advanced a large army as far as Oswestry. The. Welsh retreated to Corwen, and were driven back to the Berwyn ]Mts., though Hinry, in liis turn, Avas so harassed that he ■was obliged to decamp and march back to England. The scenery of the dingle is veiy picturesque, and is further enhanced l»y the engineering works by which the Ellesmere Canal and the railway are cariied across. The Aqueduct, designed by Telford, consists of 10 circular arches, 65 ft. high, supported by pyramidal piers ; while the Viaduct, constructed by Mr. Robertson, the engineer of the line, has 12 arches of 45 ft, span, and is lUU ft. in length. Telford seems to have been the first who introtluced spandrel walls into bridges in this country, in place of the former practice of cramnung the spaces with earth and rubbish, which retained the water, and was liable to expand and burst the siile walls. In his atpieducts also he dis- pensed witli clay puddle, liable to the same objection, and employed ])lates of cast iron, as mav be seen here. This aqueduct cost 20,898/. 21 m. Chirk Stat. On rt. is lin/n- kinalt, the seat of the late L()ril Dun- gannon, so honourably known in con- nection with Cambrian undu'eohigy •and the restoration of ecclesiastical ruins. Yalle Crucis Abbey, luar LlungoHen (lite. 3), is one of the many instances of his .s]»irit ami energy. At llryidciualt llie late Duko of Wellington sjxut many of his earliest days, being related on the maternal sitle to the 'I'revor fa- mily, who belong to the once numer- ous sept or family of Trevors, de- scended, with many of otlnr names, from Tudor Trevor. .John 'J'revor, a gentleman of St. [Martin's parish, in whi(th Brvnkinalt is situated, trans- lated the Life of St. Martin of Tours from Latin to Welsh, A.D. 1488 ; tlu; MS. is at Mostyn. Sir John Trevor, Speaker of the House of Commons in the reign of AVilliam III., pos.scssed, and proljably created, most of this estate. Chirh Castle (Col. R. Myddleton Biddulph, M.r. and Lord Lieutenant of the county of Denbigh) is situated in the midst of a very extensive and beautiful ]xirk, reaching to the foot of tlio Berwyn moinitains. It is certainly among the most ancient inhabited houses in the kingdom, and unites the arrangements of a modern dwelling with the grandeur of a Norman mansion. In form, the castle, " whose walles were greate," is quadrangular, strengthened at the angles with round towers, and en- tered l)y a gateway in the N. front, which AViis formerly defended by a portcullis. The apartments, which have been r(\stored and embellished by the late Mr. Pugin, are of con- siderable size, and occupy the N, and E. sides of the quadrangle. On the opposite side is a long picture gallery, containing many good por- traits ; the most interesting of which are Charles Duke of INIonmouth, Duke of Ormond, William and ]Mary, Duchess of Shrewsbury, Sir Thomas ]Myddleton in armour, and others of the same family. Tliough the pre- sent liuilding is much modernised, it occupies the site of the ancient for- tress of Ca.stell Crogi'U. and was conunenccd by Kogi-r IMortimer in till' reign of Edward I. It after- wards pa-ssed into the hands of the Arunilels, !Mowbrays, P>i'aui'hamps, Diulley (the favourite of Eli/abetli;, and sub.sequently of Lord St. John of Bletsoe, tVom whom it was j)ur- chased in I.")'.*") by Sir Thos. ^Myd- tlletoii, Loril INIayor of London, and brother of the famous Sir Hugh, the jirojector of the New Rivi'r .schenu'. During the Civil Wars it experienceil N. Wales. Route 1 . — Chirk — Cefiu 11 many vicissitudes, amongst vv^hich not the least singular was its being- besieged by its own possessor, at that time a Parliamentarian, who endeavoured to dislodge a party of Eoyalists ensconced there. Sir Thomas ultimately changed sides, and in his turn was besieged and forced to surrender ; the repairs of that portion of the castle destroyed liy Cromwell amounting to 8000L Adam's Tower, the oldest part of the Castle, built by Roger Mortimer, Lord of Wigmore, after murdering, it is said, liis ward Gruxfydd ap Madoc, in order to obtain the estate, still retains its deep dungeon. The view from the terrace will alone repay the visitor, who on a clear day is enabled to descry from thence 13 counties. The park contains a large lake, on both sides of which Olfa's Dyke can be traced. The village of CliirJc {Inns : Chirk Castle ; Hand, where tickets of ad- mission to the Castle can be obtained) is prettily placed on the high ground on the 1. bank of the Ceiriog. In the cli. are some monuments of the Myddleton family, chiefly of the time of Charles II,, and in the church- yard some magnificent old yew- trees. Distances. — Llangollen, 5 m. ; Cefn, 2; Chirk Castle, 2^; Elles- mere, 10 ; St. Martin's, 5. Near Cefn the rly. is carried across the valley of the Dee on a remarkably beautiful viaduct of 19 arclies of 60 ft. span, at a height of 150 ft. above the river. For sim- plicity of design, and solidity, few viaducts in England can compare with this, the architect of which was Mr. Robertson, formerly M.P. for Shrewsbury. A series of arches is a fine object anywhere, from the meadows below or from the hills around; and here, even in- rough weather, the contrast of nature and art, the mists and the rain, and the rly. train rushing by, may present a picture calling up recollections of our great landscape-painter. Turner. As the train slackens speed, a very charming view opens up of the vale of Llangollen, in which the river and the aqueduct of Pont-cysylltau (Rte. 3) are promi- nent features. To the tourist cross- ing this viaduct on a fine summer evening, when the purple glows of sunset are on the mountains, the vale of Llangollen is as lovely an entrance to N. Wales as can be desired. 21 m. Cefn Stat. Overhanging the rly. on the rt. is the Waterloo Towner, situated within the precincts of Wynnstay, and erected by the late Sir W. W. VVynn to commemorate that battle. From hence a lovely walk along the valley of the Dee leads to Nant-y-Belan, " the Mar- ten's dingle." " The steep banks are richly clad with light foliage, while the river runs along the bottom, now foaming over broken and projecting rocks, and presently flowing smooth and noiseless, and reflecting with a softened lustre the rich tints of the pendent trees and grassy knolls." — Roscoe. A mausoleum was erected here by Sir Watkin to the memory of the Welsh officers belongmg to the regiment known as the Ancient Britons, who fell in the Irish re- bellion of 1798. Both towers com- mand varied and exquisite views, which however are by no means improved by the clouds of black smoke so bountifully sent forth from the collieries and iron-works on the 1. of the rly. In the distance ap- pear the mountains above Llangol- len, including Dinas Bran, part of the aqueduct of Pont-y-Cysylltau, and in front Chirk Castle, distant about a mile in a direct line, but G m. round by the road. A road and foot-path lead through the woods along the margin of the Dee to New- bridge, 21 m. distant. A consider- able population is employed in this district at the New British Iron- 12 Pioute. 1. — Biiahon. N. Wales. u'orlca, for whose ncconinioilation a ch. has been erected at Khos-y-medre. Tile Iravi'llcr now, and for a eon- side ruble distance N., .skirts the E. liordcr of tlio N. Welsh Coal-field, which, thoniih very far interior in size and value to its sister field in the S., is nevertheless praetie.dly inexhaustible as regards the snjiply and quality of the c(k\Y ( I nfroihut.), Denbighshire alone ])rodueiug an- nually from GOO.UOO to 700,000 tons. 25 nr. 1. riasmadoc (C. 1 1. Whalley, Es(j.), well known for his connection with the original enterprise i)f several Welsh railroads. 2C ni. lluAiiox JrxcT, for Llan- gollen. Corwen, and Bala (Rte. 3) {Inn, Wynnstay Anns). Thongli the village is l)nt small, it derives imi)ort- ance from the proximity of many ironworks and collieries, as well as from the more agreeabh; neighl)our- hood of tiie princely demesne of "Wynnstay (Sir Watkin W. Wynn, Bart., deseended from, and the representative of, Sir William Wil- liams, in the time of Cliarles II. Speaker of the House of Commons, and afterwards well known as Soli- eitor-Ueneral in the trial of tlie 7 bishops). The Ch., close to the park- gates, contains some interesting mo- numents, principally of the Wynn family. The nujst noticeable are — that of Henry Wynn, 10th son of Sir John AVymi of (Jwydir, in curious short skirts and s(|uan>toed shoes ; a marble effigy in the S. aisle by Kuysbraeek of Sir W. Wynn (killed by "a full from his horse in 1740, with a Latin inscription eh-gantly written, though too long and fulsome ; also a statue l)y Nollekens to i^ady Wynn, daughter of tiie Duke of Buckingham ; and an ultar-tom))near the eomiiiunion-t;il)]e on whicli arc 2 reeumlxiit ligures >q.). From lionec the cluinictcr of the scenery cliauj^ci^, tlie outskirts of tlie liill.s beiui;- si)eedily left l)e- liiiul, as the traveller is rajiidly iMtriie jiIdULT the Hal iilliiviiil luiul.^ of the Dee! ■ At the village of Dodlcstoii the line enters Flintshire. The eh. con- tains the nionmnent of liord Ch;ui- ei'llor I'lllesniere. 41 111., at SaUiui/. a junction is eftected Willi tlic Holyhead line. A ixjpuloiis settlement has grown iq) here within the last 10 years, con- sisting of workmen and their families employed in tin; large rly.-works attaehed to this line, and also in loading and mdoadiug of vessels, which come np the river to this point, Saltney being in fact the port of Chester. It lies in the bed of the ancient estuary of the Dee, on land recovered from the water by theltiver Dee Company, under jjower granted to them by Parliament, 1782. The line dividing the counties of Chester and Flint at this i)lace is in fact the midline, or " medium filum uqtUB " of the ancient channel of the Dee. Crossing the rly.-bridge over the Dee, and gliding under the old walls, the travelh-r arrives at the ancient and time-honoured city of Chester aite. 4,. nOUTE 2. WHITTINGTON JUNCTION TO WHIT- CHURCH JUNCTION, liv ELLES- MERE — H.\1L, This line runs from "W'hitchureh to Oswestry, and furms u coiinecling link between the ^Shrewsbury and Crewe and the Camlniaii Kl\:^. it is therefore a direct route from ^Manchester to Abervstwilh. 1 m. Fern Hill (T. Luvett, Esq.). 13 m. rt, Ilahton, the ancestral seat of the jNIytton family, one of whom, John Mytton, Esq., as sheriit'of the county, had the task of re(xivii)g into custody Henry Stafibrd, Duke of Buckingham, surrendered by the treachery of Humphrey Banustre, his steward. There is a heronry at Halston. It now belongs to E. Wright, Esq. 5 m. Frauldon Stat., where a new ch. has been built. G m. 1. JlariJinicl: Hall, once the seat of the Kynastons, a good house, built in the time and taste of Queen Anne. In the grounds are many beautiful specimens of pines and lirs, and among them j^erhajis the best araucaria in England. 7 m. I'Jlh'smcre Stat. (7/o/^/, Bridge- water Arms\ a pretty town of some 200i) Inhab., placed on the bank of a lake of 150 acres, from whence its Saxon name Aelsmere was derived. It wasoriginally held by Earl lioger de Montgomery, and afterwards by the Crown, who made frequent grants of it, amongst others one to Prince David, formerly mentioned as exe- cuted at Shrewsbury. It after- wards passed into the hands of Lord Strange, and linally the Egerton family. The late Lord Francis Leveson (lower, as one of the rc- ]nvsentativi'S of the last Egerton, Duke of Bridge water (the Canal Dulce), took the name of Egerton and the title of Ellesmere. Its jiro.sjH-rity (h'i)ends almost intin-ly on its markets for corn and agri- i'nltural jn-oduce, which are re- sorted to liy dealers from Livir- pool and Chester to supply the manufacturing districts. ^Malting is the chief business. The site of lh(; rdfille is oci'Ui)ied, as at Denbigh, by a bowling-green, which i.inbraces a grand view, overlooking Chester and the Bioxton Hills, Wn xlium and the Caergwrle heights, Castle Dinas N. Walk '^.■s. Route 3. — Rnalion Junot. to Dolgelley. 17 Bran a ad the Borwyus, tlic liill of Llauymyiiacli, the Brciddens, Pim- liill, Clce-hill, and the Wrekhi. It is said that this view extends into 9 counties. Tlie cli. has a Dec. nave, rebuilt in 1849, and a good E. win- dow. At the S. end of the mere is Oteleij Pari', the modern Elizabetlian mansion of C. Main waring, Esq. The EUesmere and Cliester Canal was considered previously to tlie construction of railways the grand engineering feat of the day. Distances. — Shrewsbury, by road, 1 G m. ; Oswestry, 8 ; Overton, 4, 10 m. Welchainj^toii Stat. The line enters Elintshire near llj m. BettlsfieU Stat. Immedi- ately adjacent is Betfisfield Far!:, an ancient liouse, the seat of Sir John Hanmer, Bart., also containing a considei'al)h! library and rnuny family portraits and pictures. Close by this house is one of the two divisions of the watershed that occur in Flint- shire, the water flowing southward to the Severn, but N.E. and west- ward to the Dee.. A little to the N. of Bettis- field is Gredington, the seat of Lord Kenyon, containing a library collected by the distinguished Chief Justice, founder of that family, :.iul. portraits of himself and of his i-i)ii!,f!nj[ior;Hrv liOr«J "^rjini-law : mi.T to \\\- N. Ill' rhi.-' again i> llir viihi'ju iii.- ■ l/»i ilaiiiila.' I'hf r|(. i II., resident here in liis day, and ancestor of the present owners. In front of the eh. towards the S. extends one of the meres which give so nuich beauty to tliis part of the countiy. The rly. now passes through Feu)i's 3Ioss, a large tract of peaty moorland, grown up on the siti; of one of the original woods cut down by King Edward I. to clear tlie country at the settlement of Wales. A considerable establishment for the manufacture of peat-charcoal exists upon it. Some was sent hence to the English camp in th(^ Crimea. At the further- side of tlie moor is 15 m. Fenn's Bdith Stat. 17 m. the line crosses the English border to 18 m. Whitclaircli Junct. {Hand- hooh of ShropKliirej. ROUTE TO DOLGELLEY, CORWEN, AXD '.I ill ■!"i t lit- rn. :iJX-!l III clurr, cuUiliii-l H' '1 Inr :iJX-!l lliclurr, cuniliii-liiiiJ l(» 111' r'-l'iiih iu 1 he reign of 1 Iciii y \ I I., alter ihe ile.^irnclion of the uhi unu in the Yorlc and Lancaster wars. It euntains some painted windovvs of modern glass by Clayton and Bell, magniticent carved oak ceilings, and various monuments of the Hanmer and Kenyon families. It is most proliable that Owain Glyndwr was married in tliis place, thougii in tlie ch. which was burned down, since his RUABON JUNCTION r.Y LLANGOLLEN, BALA. The road follows the rt. bank of the Dee, crossing at ^ m. Ojfa'sJ)yl:e, in its course between tie' _' ilemesii.',- ()!' < "hirk iiji"! AV\viiii-ia\ . < hi the n.. Ji.wU ln'.v;.i-il- ilii' rl\.. ili'- viaili.ii-l OV'-r llji- l)i'i- i- a \i-i\ |U-iijiiiiM-iit ami giai-i-i 111 ii upon the rushing aial luawliiig Dee ; then returning, descend the bank and walk as far as the river, so as to be able to apl»reciate the magnitude «)f the piers and the iiiight of tlu' i*anal. This bridge, which until cclij)sed by the viaduct was coMsidered as oue of 1007 ft. long, and is supported l)y 19 arches. The drive from hence to Llangollen is a series of lovely views, and has long been celebrated by tom-ists as being the most charming excursion in Wales. There is no doubt but that the Vale of LlaiKjollen possesess all the accessories of a per- fect landscape, though a good deal depends \\[Km the i)articular lights under wliich it is seen. The traveller should by all means ascend the vale, if possilAe, in his route to the hill districts, as after the rugged heights of Snowdonia, the scenery here is necessarily tame and insignificant. The opinions of various writers difter most amusingly about the beauties of Llangollen, from the most extrava- gant encomiums, to Pennanfs asser- tion that the Eglwyseg rocks are actually a disfigurement to the land- scape. On the opposite side of the river are the Waterloo Toicer and the woods of Wynnstay (lite. 1), sadly too near the smoky chimneys of Acrefair. The riy. now passes to Trevor Stat., 2i m., under a promontory of limestone rock, fringed with beauti- ful woods, high U]) amongst which is Trevor HalL formerly the seat of the Lloyds, a IMontgomery .shire family, who obtained it by marriage with the heiress of the Trevors. It now is in the jKissession of T. P. Evans, Esq. There is a small parochial chapel neartlu^ house. The Jujlii-i/aeg rocks and the lofty eminence on which Castell Dinas Ih-an is i)erchcd, are now the 2 jirinciiJal features in the foregrounil, although they are better seen from the road on the S. bank of the Di'C. The former is a very jteculiar wall of limi-stoiie, which stretches from this ])oint to lilan- gollen. and tlu ii, turning to the N.AV., merges in the range t)f Cyrn-y-bniin, cotislituting in fact the geological boimdary of the X. Wales coal-lieUl. riicy ar(> remarkable f(»r the pccu- the greatest engineering works of the . liarly formal and regular ai»pearance day, was built by Telford in 180."), is ! of tlie strata, which makes them at N. Wales. Route 3.- -Llangollen. 10 once conspicuous beyond every hill in the district. The best time for seeing these rocks is at sunset, which lights them up in a very lieautiful maimer. G m. Llangollen Stat. {Hotels : Hand, very comfortable King's Head, good) is a pleasant little Welsh town with a Pop. of some 1500 Inhab., em- bosomed in hills which close it in on every side, and on the rt. bank of the Dee, which brawls over its bed of rock, making "perpetual loud music." Though small, it is a busy, well-to-do place, famous in particular for its brewery and its liarx)er. The Welsh ale and Welsh airs may be simul- taneously enjoyed at the Hand, in the hall of which hostelry a harper frequently performs ' Jenny Jones ' or 'Ar hyd-y-nos.' The town itself is soon exhausted, but the beautiful excursions in the neighbouring hills will not make a stay tedious. The ch. is dedicated to a saint with the modest name of Collen ap Gwynog ap Clyddwg ap Cowrda ap Caradoc Freichfras ap Llyr Merini ap Einion Yrth ap Cunedda Wledig, and con- tains a good carved oak roof of Late Perp., to wliich the usual tradition is appended, that it was brought from the neighbouring abbey of Valle Crucis. It is a curious fact that scarcely a single good painted win- dow, carved roof, screen, or roodloft, is ever found in a Welsh ch. that is not said to have been transplanted from the nearest religious house. The Dee is crossed by a singular bridge of 4 pointed arches — one of the 3 wonders of Wales — erected in 1345 by John Trevor, afterwards Bishop of St. Asaph. At times the river is remarkable for a very sudden rise in the volume of water, even in dry weather, when there has been no rain, a phenomenon said to depend on a particular wind which blows over the lake of Bala and produces an extraordinary efflux of water into tlie Dee. In a dell at the back of the ell. which nms up into the mountains are 2 residences, both remarkable in their way. The nearest is Plus Newydd, i m., a small cottage ornee, which gained a great reputation for having been the well-ordered retreat of 2 maiden ladies. Lady Eleanor Butler and Miss Ponsonby, a member of the Bessborough family. In 1779 they came hither together from Ire- land in the heyday of their youth and charms, influenced only by a ro- mantic attachment to each other, which never was sundered. Here they set up their tent and lived together, neither " the world for- getting " nor " by the world forgot," amidst their books, flowers, and such chosen friends as they admitted to their intimacy, amongst whom were numbered Madame de Genlis and Mademoiselle d'Orle'ans. Their dwell- ing was crammed with curiosities, portraits, memorials, &c., the gifts of friends. In their dress they were as singular as in their mode of life, wearing their hair powdered, short, and uncurled, a man's hat and neck- cloth, and blue riding-habits. Neither lady would sit for her portrait, but each wished for that of the other, and aided Lady Leighton in obtaining the sketches which, upon the success of this double plot, were lithographed. Their deaths happened respectively in 1829 and 1831 at very advanced ages. They were buried in Llangollen chyard, where a monument com- memorates their virtues, as also those of an old and valued servant v.^ho lies under the same stone. The graves of the two postboys are also shown wlio used to drive these ladies, and who died worth 1500Z. and lOOOZ. respectively. Their simple, earnest life, together with the many be- nevolent actions that they did in tliis neighbourhood, has made the "ladies of Llangollen" a chapter of real romance which has not even yet died out. Two other maiden ladies, Miss Lolly and Miss Andrew, tried tlie same experiment soon afterwards. ! The former died in 1854. 20 TioHUi 3. — Castdl Diiuu^ Bran. X. Wales. Te)ui\cern is higher uj) thf* vjih\ It was an ancient seat of the 1-itli cent, belonging to thi- 3Iostyn laniily, to whom it (k'secuded lioni an an- eestor, 'i'mlor Trevor, wlio Imilt the original niau.sion. It does not now eontiiin any remains, save a ehamber ■with a narrow-vanlted root'. It is the residence of J. It. Fi'eme, Esq. The c(»nieal Idll on Avhieli CddcU Diiuix limn in ])liieed rises shari)ly n|» from the hank of the river to the height t)i' i)lU ft., thongh from its very ahrni)tness and isohition it looks liigher than it really is. On tlu; siunmit are the scanty rnins of the eastle, the early history of which is involved in great ol>.scnrity. Indeed but little is known of it at any time, i'.\.eei)t that it was a stronghold of tljc lords of Yale ; that it gave refnge to (JrutVyild aj) !Madoe when he fli-d from his iunntrymen"s righteous anger in oonseqnence of his having (h'serted to the side of Henry III. ; and lastly, that it snstainod an attack nnder Owain (ilyndwr. In softer strains it "was celebrated by a ])oet named lolo (Joch, for being the resi- lience of [Myvanwy, a great beanty, who held his lieart in K)ndage. From present api)earanees the eastle wouhl -ftom to have been about 300 ft. long liv l."o D. VtPtild : :omI idthongh the (•iiiii> as tliev at |ire>eiil -i.iipi nI'- rnil«- iiiid >eiiiil\'. llti-i'<- ai'f ei-iniiM H:ne.- of it> liaxim; miet heeii a -irxo'^ly liiiilt. vvell-iiui.-hed fiirtre.**.'. : :iiid iii lhi> ili.-taiice, as Well ;i> in lllah^ I'iiar \\ cUli eii»lle>. llie |« of lijiie i> ia,»l the nidy agent tii ilestriictioii. but it is «-onsiderably helpcil by the |iraetit cro.ss the bridge and take the road to the 1., following the canal as far as the .•^late- wharf and trann-oad. The road on rt. goes to linabon. 5 m. rt. is a farm-honse, containing a sqnare tower among its buildings, and ])iithrea Hall (It. Jones, Escp). 1 h m. a road 1. contiimcs to I^lanty- silio. ]m)11ow the one which turns abrui)tly to the rt. for a short dis- tance, and th«'n take a ])ath acro.ss the iiehls leading to the farm-house in wIkjsc ]»recincts stand the venerable ruins of the abbey. In the year 12U0 a religious hoiLso of the Cistercian order was founded here by Madoe a]i (iruffydd jNIaehtr, lonl of iJromfield and Yale, who was then endeavour- ing to assist Llewelyn in his struggle for AVelsh independence with King .rolm. The eh. went by many name-, iis MonaehloL;-y-( ;lyii, AConaehl-'L- l.liiii Kv;*> e>tl, and .Nloiiaeldo-j Puni- v-i^roe-. rite ui li< l;ii slvle i>I :i|i-|ii- tei'tme i- )•'.. !•'... :iild in >uiin- p;>rl- l.al<- Noiiii.. ci>rre.-j)Oiidim: l<' tin- < DnimelieenienI ol the KWll eelll. The ill. (•oii>i>ts ol nave with :iisles. i choir, and 2 transe])ts. eai-h of which had an aisle dividetl iid(» 2 «'ha]H-ls. I From the appearance (d' the ]tier>. ] and from the descrii>tion given by , the poet l.'lnn-chyard. there must have i been a ceiUral tower. 'I'lu' western enil, which is a very perfect E. E. i example of tin- middle of the KUh cent., has a central d»»orway with deejtiy-reci's.sed nuaddiiigs and dog- j tooth «)rnament. Above it are 3 lolty ' windows, the middle being the largest, >[. AValms. iioute "d.— Voile Crucis Abbey. 21 which arc all remarkable for their bold splays. In tlie upper portion of the galjle, above these windows, is a delicate wlieel-window of 8 trifoliated compartments, and at the extreme ])oint is anotlicr small cpiatrefoliated liglit. On the external face, just bc- l(»w the wheel- windoNY, is the inscrip- tion, " QUIESCAT AM 15 -f ADAM ABBAS FECIT HOC OrUS I PACE." Tlie clioir is lighted by 3 lofty lancet windows, and 2 smaller ones al)0ve. During the excavations there was found on tlie N. side of the choir " a ruined arcade of 5 arches, having every api)earance of sedilia ; but the arches were found to be too narrow to have admitted tlie officiating priest within tiiem." In the S. chapel of the aisle of the S. transept is a double trefoil-headed piscina and an ogee- headed canopy, which must have de- corated some place of burial. The base of the high altar was discovered in tlic choir, as also 3 or 4 tomb- stones, which are now placed side by side. A painting, which is believed to have adorned the high altar, is now in tlio possession of W. Ormsby Gore, Esq., of Porkington, near Os- Avestry. On one tombstone is in- scri))cd "EDWAT.T. riL. yOR[wERTn]," and on another " jmyvanwv," pro- bably tlic fair maiden of Castell Dinas Bran. The visitor to the abbey can have but little conception of the state of the interior previous to the exca- vations carried on by Lord Dungan- non and Mr. Wynn. For a depth of ]4 or 15 ft. the rubbish had accumu- lated, and a thick grove of ash-trees Jliiurislied on the surlace. In the buildings adjoining the S. of the nave are the al)l)atical offices, Avhicli, how- ever, being now tenanted by a farmer, are not generally shown to the visitor. They were entered by a round-headed doorway from the S. aisle of the nave. " Altout a cent, ago they were con- verted into a iarm-house, and the cheese of the tenant is now elaborated beneath the groined roof of the an- cient refectory, and that favoured in- dividual reposes in a room where the mantelpiece had been skilfully con- structed with a monumental slab) bearing the inscription 'nic jacet.'" "That court coutains uiy cattle ; swine arc there ; Here fowls and fuel ; luiderncath is beer. Snug in that chamber, sir, my corn is ke]it, ]\Iy clover yonder, where a king has slept. My dame her curds does in the chapel squeeze ; In chancel salts her chines; the font holds cheese." The ruins now belong to 5 ladies, daughters of the late Eice Thomas, Esq., of Coedhelen, near Caernarvon, to whom it came by marriage with the heiress of Mr. Lloyd, of Trevor. The interior is well preserved, and the visitor's curiosity amply attended to ])y Miss Lloyd, as intelligent an antiquarian guide as any one could wish. About J m. above the abbe.y is the Fillar of Eliseg, erected in the 7th cent, or thereabouts by Concemi or Cyngen, in memory of his great-grand- father Eliseg, father of Broclnntiel, prince of Powis, who we tire told was engaged in the battle of Bangor Iscoed, A.D. G03. The inscription is long, and consists of 4 paragrai)hs, each of thcin commencing with a cross, which, together Avith the pro- bable cruciform shape of the pillar, might have given name to the vale. It lias, however, been shorn of its ancient proportions. It was once 24 ft. high, Imt was throAvn down and mutilated during the rebellion, and afterwards replaced in 1770 as it at l)resent stands bv Mr. Llovd of Trevor Hall. From the abbey a road continues u]) the vale to meet the Itutliin and Wrexham rotid, at the Crown Inn, netir Llandegia (Etc. 11), 8J m. from LlaugoUen. " The scenery is very beautiful, especially in the neighbour- hood of the slate-quarries and the pass ')0 lloute 3. — Llangollen to Coricen. N. Wales. of IBwlch Rliiw-fclin, Avliich crosses the limestone ranp^e of Cyrn-y-brain. The pedestrian may improve very much on tliis excursion by soalinj^ the hills abore the abl)ey, and fol- lowing a path along the escarpment to Craig Aderyii and Craig Furwyn, locallv called bv Llangollen excur- sionis'ts " The World's End." From lienee a track leads across the hills for about 4 m. E. to Minora. The mas- ter mountain of the district is IMoel y Gamelin, 3j m. as tiic crow flics to the N.W. of Llangollen. It may be included in the same day's excur- sion as Yallo Crucis; iMit tlie diuib should only be attcmjitetl by a good raountaineur. Follow the Ruthin road for a mile beyond Valle Crucis, where, at a point where a cottage divides the road into two, the path to tlie 1. should be taken. This winds along the S. side of a wild glen, at the head of which is a slate-quarry ; at the quarry leave the road and climb tlie mountain; the view from the siun- mit is very fine, looking on the N. and X.W. over the vale of Llandegla and Bryn Eglwys, on the S. thi'ough the vale of Llanlysilio and the Dee, and eastward up to the crest of the Creigjau Eglwyseg. Descending now to the S., at a few hundred yards from the sunmiit, at the head of the Glen of Blaen Goran, is the most exquisite view down the Vale of Llantysilio, confirming the in-aciisi-d mountaineer in the often su.spected fact that the finest prosi)ects are to be found, not on the sunnnits, but on th(> slopes of great mountains. Fol- lowing the stream down tlie glen, we come to the village of Llantysilio, and eruss the eh. -yard, from wlience a charnjing jjathway leiids to the bridge over the river.] The rly. continues along the S. bank of thf; Dee to Corwen ; lint the traveller who has time at his com- mand is recommended to drive or walk along The terrace mad, whicii is full of beauties, and in itself, as forming u l^ortion of Telford's great Holyhead road, is well worthy of observation for its breadth, regularity, and ."^filen- did construction. These qualities should obtain for it a considera- tion similar to that bestowed on the Itoman roads. The scenery is cer^ tainly very striking. " As the road suddenly comes into the vale of Llan- tysilio, you feel that you have quite shaken off the Lowlands ; and every yard you go heightens the feeling of freedom which the mind associates with a mountain region. Presently brown heathy-grown hills, the ends of the Berwyn chain, come right down to the road, and you begin t<3 taste the delicious aromatic air of a moorland region." — Cliffe. For the first o m. the road ascends the rt. bank of the Dee, which, changing the character of its rocky bed, now flows sedately in a thici:ly-wooded glen. 8 m. Beriivjn Stat, and Pins Ber- wyn, the seat of Col. Tottenham ; on the opposite bank are the charming woods and glades of Llantysilio JIall (Capt. Reid). The river now takes a considerable horseshoe bend, whieh is to a great extent cut across ]jy the new road. The corner ouce turned, a very lovely view of the whole vale up to Corwen is gained — a view, in the eyes of many, superior to that of the vale of Llangollen. At a bend of the road, a little before arriving at the tnrn])ike, we enter Merionethshire, whieh the Holyhead road traverses for lU m. Hi m. is the New Iini, a small roadside hostelry oftering con- venient tpiarters for the angler, who will find good si)ort in the streams that deset-nd to the Dee from the lierwyn mountains. Tliat river itself is pri'scrved from near Corwen to lilantysilio. i;! m. rt. is a tnnndus elos(> to the roadside, known as Oiraiti Gli/niJn-r's Mount, sui)posed tt> have been the site of his dwt'lling ealled Syehart. What Robin IIimhI is in Nottinghamshire, and Beelzebub in Gcnnanv, Owain K. Wales. Boute 3. — Owahi Glyndwrs Mount — Comen. zo Glyndwr is in tliis part of Wales, the constructor of every eccentric monument, the hero of every wild tale, and the godfather of every lusus naturge. It is, however, certain that he owned a large portion of this district, and it is said that on one spot on the Berwyns, above Corwen, he was accustomed to seat himself and survey more than 40 square m. of his patrimony. His very appella- tion, Glyndwr or Glyndy vwrdwy, was derived from the " Glen of the waters of the Dee," as his real name was Owain ap Gryfydd. He was the great-grandson of the last Llewelyn, and was, as Shakespeare makes him declare, " brought up in the English court." He was a witness in the famous Scrope and Grosvenor con- troversy, and was a personal at- tendant on King Kichard, when that unhapi^y monarch was betrayed into the hands of Bolingbroke. The river separated his property from that of Lord Grey of Kuthin, who claimed the hills to the N. of the Dee as his property ; and although a lawsuit settled the case in favour of Glyndwr, Henry IV. so manifestly took the part of Lord Grey that "the quarrel Avas constantly fomented, and attacks and reprisals perpetually carried on, to the great destruction of life and property. Upon the attainder of Owain Glyndwr, the manor of Glyn- dyvwrdwy was sold by Henry lY. to a 2nd son of Salisbury of Bachym- byd, a younger branch of Llewenni ; and passing through the Salisburys, the Pughes of Mathavarn, and Pryses of Gogerddan, it now rests with the heir of the late Sir Robert Vaughan. There are stations at Glyndyvwrdwy and Carrog, 14 m., on the opposite bank of the Dee, is the pretty village of Llan- santfraid. 15 m. rt. Bhagalf, the seat of E. Lloyd, Esq. 16 m. Corwen Junct. (Ete, 11) [Hotel: Owain Gljnidwr, comfortable), a quiet little town, scarcely more than a village, which derives its im- jDortance from its situation at the junction of several important roads ; viz., to Llangollen, Euthin, Wrex- ham, Llanrwst, and Bala. For fisher- men, too, it is a capital station, but the general tourist will not find much to detain him. It is situated imme- diately at the foot of Moel Fenni (2050 ft.), the most northerly emi- nence of the Berwyn range ; and though the valley is very pretty, it is rather monotonous and far from attaining the beauty of Llangollen. Nevertheless, the views from the hills are very charming, and offer plenty of inducement to the explorer. Cot- wen is historically associated in many ways with Glyndwr, as it Avas the prin- cipal rendezvous of the army which he raised to oppose Henry IV. Caer Drewyn is a large fortiiied post on the 1. bank of the Dee, surrounded by a circle of loose stones. This was made use of as an encampment by Glyndwr, and previous to his time by Owain Gwynedd in his struggle against Henry II. The ch. contains a monumental semi-efligy to Sulien, at one time a vicar of Corwen, The upper and lower parts of the figure are in relief; the intermediate por- tion of the monument is flat, having the ecclesiastical vestments ex- pressed by incised lines only. The inscription runs, "hic iacet iob- WERTH SULIEN VICARIXIS DE CORVAEN OR A PRO EG." In the churchyard is a cross called the Sword of Glyn- dwr, and in the ch. a hole in the wall ascribed by tradition to his dagger, when he flung it from him in a pas- sion caused by some quarrel with the townsmen. There is in Corwen an almshouse, founded in 1709 by Mr. Eyton, for 6 widows of Merioneth- shire clergymen. Distances. — Rlys. to Llangollen, 10 m. ; Ruthin, 12 ; Bala, 12— by Vale of Edeyrnion, 13 ; Pentrevoelas, 15 ; Cerrig-y-druidion, 10 ; Wrex- ham, 21 ; Pont-y-glyn, 5J ; Rug, 2. The rly. to Dolgelley (opened only to Bala, 13 m.) follows the rt, bank 24 J^oufe o. — LJandnlh — JRug. \. AVales. of the Dec, a route Icnown as the vale of Edeyniiuu, whieh shoiiM be liikcn by every pcdestrimi, :nul every traveller wjiu is nut in a hurry to get on : for thoujj;h the road is not .so .!;ood, tlie views are incoin])arably ilner, a. Piuss 17 HI, Jjhuiijdr or Llan;^aer eh. 18 ni. at Cyinvjidd Stat, a road on rt. erosses the Dee to join the route to reutrevoelas. Tliere is some very line seencry in the glens to the 1. espe- cially in that of the Tn/xtian, ^vliieh Ibriiis a beautifid Avaterfall. A bridle- road runs uj) the glen, and erosses the Ik'rwyns into the vale of the (leiriog. 21 m., at the village of Jjlaiidiilln 'Stat.), a road on 1. as- cends the glen of the Afon Dinani, to join at :■) ni. that bleakest of all l)leak iiiountiiin-roads, tlie ]\Iiltirgerig, ^v]lieh crosses the Berwyns between Bala and Llanfyllin (lUe. 21). An excnrsion of al)()ut '.)ni. iiinybe made Irom LlaiidriUo to I'i.styil Ifhaiadr, above lilanrhaiadr IMoehnant (lUe. 21). 22 m. the Dec is very closely apiiroaclied as the valley contracts, the road Minding at the toot of a lirow of great height covered ■with wood. 2:? ni. i"t. Croijaii (a seat of I A in 1 Ward's, now occu])ied by ]\Ir. Ivo- .Ivrtson). At 23^ ni. the tourist may cross the Dee at r I. bank. A little iiway from the liver is the village of Llauderftl. "The eh. was cmee remailcable for containing a vast woodrn image of Dcifd (litdani, its jialroii saint. The W'elsii had a pro]thecy tliat this iuiage should .s'et a whole forest on tire. On the condemnation of Dr. Forest, for treason in laiiS it was sent Jbraiid ]»laeed nnder him as fuel when he was l)urned in Smilhlield." — Nichol- xiin. The ch. is a good specimen of Late Perp.. about till- time of Henry YIN., and contains a remarkably good screen ; also a curitais wooden liorso in urecumbent ])osition, known us St. Dervel'a horse, wliich, together with the Sidnt's staff, still preserved, used to be held in great vem-ration. On 1. is Fi-tmhnnlog 'INIrs. Davies , and on the opi)Osite bank /V(/^ (\Mrs. Tiloyd). Soon after pa.ssing JJandtr- fel Stat, the valley almost closes, and at (Jalettwr it liiushes with a nobly- wooded eminence, alx)vc whieh soars the vast mass of the Arenigs. 27A m. the other road fiom Corwen is joined at lilanvo)-. 2'J m. JUdci Stat. h. 17 m. at T?ug a road on rt. goes to Jluthiu (Kte. 11 . llutj was the tine fajuily seat of the Vaughans, but, that title having l)eeonie extinct l)y the death of Sir Iiobert Vaughan, it has descended to the Hon. Charles Henry Wynn, the sou of TiOrd Newb(u-ough. It formed part of the pro})(Mty of Olyndwr, but on the forfeiture it ]iassed into the hands of the Salis- burys and the Vaiighans like the re.-it. Owain's knife, forlc, and dagger are still lu'cserved here. A memorial ch. is about to be built in memory of Sir Robt. Vaughaii. Butweeu 2 and ',\ m. to the N'.W. of lUig is the eh. t>f Bettws (iwerful (ioch, which contains a very interesting screen. 18 m. the Ahren is crossed, and a road on 1. runs into the ])ee valley to join the one through tlie vale of Kdeyrniou. 18^, at Dniid Inn, the Bala road turns to the 1., following the eoiu'sc of tlie NanttlVauan to iUs verv source ; on rt. to I'entrevoelas ']{te. i:;,. 21i rt. on Ccfii (^nn/ii! is the British jiost of I'aer I'rwyid, and a towir on liie sunnnit of tlie hill to c()nuncuiorat(.' the coming of age ot Sir W. W. Wynn. Bart., who is a larg*' landholder in this part of tlie country. 27 m. 1. the ch. oi' JJam-or, said to have been the burial-place of Tjlywarcli Hen, a venerable i)0(>t, who died, full of grief at the loss of his 24 sons in Iwdtle, at the advanced age of 1 .")(). On the opposite side of the road is Jiluirlds, \\iv line old seat ()f the I'rice family, through Ihcgrounda X. AV ALKS, liotite 3. — Bcdia — fJie Lake. 25 of wliic-h tiic ra})i(l Ti'ywcryn runs to join the Dec. •IS m. Bala ( lUe. 21). (Hoteh : Vlas- cocli, good ; White Lion, comfortable : Bull) is a regularly-huilt town of one long-, broad street, Avitli others inter- secting it at right angles. It formerly jiossessed a considerable bnsiness in tlic malvhig of socks and stockings, wliich has been to a great extent an- nihilated by the machinery of the northern manufacturing towns. Knit- ting is still a favonrite method of employ Avith most of the country folk, and the hands of the old women coming to market are rarely mioc- cupied. Uala shares witji Dolgelley the assize business of the comity of IMerionetli. The town itself has no history attached to it, althongh it has been conjectured fli'i-t it was a Itoman summer station on the great line of road which ran from IJrico- nium (Wroxeter) and Mediolanum (Meifod) to Heriri IMons (Tomen-y- ;^Iur) and Segontium (Caernarvon). A Tomeii, or tumulus, by the side of the road, at the entrance of tlie town, is supposed to be of lioman origin, and there are also in tlie neighbourliood the station of Caer Gal, and the encampment of Caer Gronw, fortified by rironw, a Welsh chief, in the time of Maelgwyn Gwyncdd. Bala i)0s- sesses a good granuuar-school, and a college for Calvinistic Methoarons of Kinderton as late as tlu; last centy., and Were so descrihed Avhen servinj.;; in Parliiuncnt in the Jonrnals of the lI«Aise of Commons. The ¥.\\\\ I'ala- tino held sway imtil 1237, when ]Ienry HI. united the earldom to the crown, since which time the Prince of Wales has heen himself created by jiatcnt Earl of Chester. Im the reign of Charles I. the loyal town was besieged and Ibrced to sur- render after a determined resistance by the inhabitants, who held out for the king until famine drove them to terms. The lirst charter was granted to Chester in IPJS by Ptanujph, tlie .'»rd earl. Cliester, or West Cliester, as it Avas called, was long a seaport among those of cliit'f importance in the kingdom. The Watergate was on the west side (^f tlic city, and the AVatiT Tower, now standing on the rising bank of a garden bineath the walls, shows where shi))S and vessels were inoored in ancient days. It is still a l)ort, and a considerable number of ships are built ni)()n the river, and, amongst others, was the unfortunair ' Koyal Charter.' The form and arrangement of tlu- city is simph^ enough, four main streets intersecting each other, as Avas doubtless the ease in its earliest cr)ustru<'tion. " It is built in the Ibrm of a ipiiidrant, and is almost a just s'piare ; th<; -1 <-ardintd streets thereof (as [ may call them) meeting in tiie iniddlc of the city, at a jjlaee ealhd till! Pentisc, which atlbrdeth a ph^a- sjinl prospect at once into all four." — Fnllrr. 'J'he Wallx, one of its most jieculiar features, entirely surroinul the city at a height varving from 111 11. to 40 ft., Jiitbrding a very pleasant walk of nearly 2 m. ; though, as the pojiii- lation has consideraljly increased, a large and important district is ne- cessarily extramural. The entrance through the walls is maintained by its principal gates, the X., E., bridge, and water gates, but these havi* all bei'U rebuilt witliin the last cent. The gates of the city were confided t(j the guardianshij) of the valiant and wise licails of the noblest families; for foes threatened the city from every quarter, and vi- gilant watclnnen ever looked al)road from its walls. Besides the many objects of interest well seen from the walls, they contain in themselves some valuaV)le anti- quarian remains, especially the Vhcc- nix Tower, so called from its being marked Avith a phcenix, the crest of tJie Painters and Stationers' Com- pany, the tower having been used as a chamber of business by various city companies. From the summit, as the visitor is informed by the in- scription, Charles I. had tlu^ grief of seeing his army, under Sir !Marma- duk.' Jjangdalc, defeated at llowton IMuor, Sejjt. 27, lG4o. by the Par- lianu'ntary IbrcL' inider Genenil Pointz. The Ellesmcre canal flows imderneuth, throngh a dre]i cut- ting in the new red samlstone. Between the toAvcr and the E. gate remains f»f Poman masonry art' visible. " The walls enclose an oblong ])arallelograni, and most un- doubtedly stand, for a large portion of their extent, on Ivoman founda- tions, as is indisputably jiroved by the remains of the ancient Iv gate discovered in erecting the ]»rLsent anrh, and some relics of masonry >till exist ini;." — OrnirnxVs Chcuhiri'. At the X.W. angle is the ]\'(thr Toircr, i>roje(>ting somi' lit tie distance from the wall, and approached by a tinwet known as Jlninrithlcxthnnit's Dnn'r, from which there is an open embattled galU'ry, having below it a cireuhirarcli, bent-ath which the tide N. Wales. Route 4. — Chester — Boxes. 29 flowed previous to tlu^ oinbauknient of tlio Dee. llio Water Tower was erected in 1322 Ijy a masou named Ilelpstono for lOOZ., and still preserves tlie niarks of the mooring- plaees for vessels. There are now a }nnsenni and camera in it. The Chester and Holyhead Ely. is carried nnderneath tiiis angle of the wall. The other mural remains are Mor- fiaa's Mount, near the X. gate, a l)latform Avitli a chamber underneath, as though for a' sentry station ; and remhertons Farlour, a portion of its ohl tower having Leon repaired to- gether with some of the wall in Queen Anne's reign. AVith such a distant panorama as the mountains of the vale of Clwyd, the Uee, the plains of Cheshire, the hills of Beeston, and the ancient city for a foreground, the inhabitants may well feel pride and pleasure in their walls, PerhajDS the most strilcing feature in Chester — indeed almost unique and peculiar to it — are the Iioirs ; according to Fuller, "a property of l)uilding peculiar to the city, being galleries, wherein the passengers go dry without coming into the streets, liaving shops on botJi sides and im- 'ifrneath,- tlie fashion thereof being »i)incwtiat liiird to ••oneeive."' .Prom lli'Ir -!ii'lrere ^ll■r■^ suuji- lil't; I') !><■ fiMDi'l 111 :l)'iii. jiiirriciihtrly in lliu.se t>i l']M.5iti)r liKiV e\|)-(.-l V*' lili'l tli<' «l|i'('i.- "iiMi- j);ir:ili\ t^ly dr>erli'd. AvhiJe nil lliai is i'u^hioiiabie in ( ■hesler congregates in tlie liows. The Eows are merely a continuous passage formed by cut- ting away the fronts of the lirst floor rooms of all the houses for public traffic. The same kind of building may be seen in country townships in Clieshire and elsewhere ; and it is notliing but a rude api^roximation to the mode of architecture in many towns in the north of Italy, Tliat they may be a relic of the Eo- man arrangements, as is sometimes .supposed, is far from impossible. In addition to the general old- fashioned ai^pearance of the Eows, many of the houses show interest- ing examples of timber-Avork and carving, including that iiarticuhir stylo of ornamented plaster-work, known as "pargetting," inwhicli the })atterns are raised or indented upon it. Many shops have been rebuilt in the same antique fashion; hut tlicre are still old timbered gal)le houses with their carving and orna- ments as originally designed. One of these old tcmements is on the S, side of Watergate-street, and lias carved on a beam " God's Providence is mine inheritance, 1G52," alluding to the time when the plague devas- tated the city, the inhabitants of tliis house being almost the only ones who escaped. In the same street, but lower down, is Bisliop LloijcVs resi- dence 1(304, of which the whole front is emiched with carvings of scrip- tural subjects and armorial bearings. Near this again is another orna- mented house, known as the Palace of the Stanley family, 1591. It i-i approached through a narrow passage nearly opposite Trinity Ch., and is parcelled out into Avorkmen's cot- tages. Near this is the Yacht Tavern, tlif renrporary (piaitf-rs of /^"m;. Sirii'l. wild WL'i'I*- (i\\ lli^ wiiiiluw tin- r iMi ll|. e;i tliedrai Itody ; — '■ lliitieii willioiii iiicl iiu'iiKl'i iiiu v^liliih, I iiU-jiiaci! and ii.> clcrjiv ;irc iifiui.v akin." Ill .Bridge-street is un old Jhxi.-e where Charles I. Avas lodged during the siege of Chester bv the Par- liamentary forces; also an ancient inn, knoAvn as the Falcon, In the same street are antiquities of still earlier date, viz, an hypocaust and remains of a Eoman sweating- bath, Avhich may be seen in a cellar belonging to an earthemvare-shop in Bridge-street. A chapel or crypt Avith an .E. E. doorAvay Avas also discovered in 1880 in the same street, on the 30 Route 4. — Chester — Cathedral. X. Wales. })iemi.s('.s of Messrs. Powell and Edwards, ironmongers. A second crypt was cleared in ISoS in East- gate-street, containing a good E. E. groined roof. It is .sui)poscd to have been the basement iloor of some baronial mansion. Tlic Cathedral, though not to be ccMUjiared with many others in tlu; kingdom, is nevertheless a veneraljle pile, an additional ap]narance of ago being acquired from the mouldering churac-ter of the new red sandstone of whicli it is built, and whicli. Weathering badly, gives a peculiarly ragged outline. As far back as tlie 2ud cent, a monastery was erected here to St. Peter and St. Paid, which in the 10th cent, was called after St. Werburgh, by Ethelflcda Countess of Mercia. Hugh laipTis changed the monastery into an ablxy of Benedictine monks, in whos(; pos- session it remained luitil l.~>41, when the abbey of St. Wi'rburgh boeame tlie cathedral-ch. of the see of Chester, created by Henry YTII. Its revenues at the Dissolutiou ammuited to 1073/., a large siun in tho.se days. During the feast of St. Werljurgh a great fair was held, at whicli time the privilege of sanctuary was ex- tended to every evil-doer wdio was present at it. It happened that on one occasion during its con- tinuance Earl Randal was besieged by the Welsh in llhuddlan Castle, and, being hard pressed, sunt for help to his constable at Chester, who, having no availabk' forces, marched otf to the rescue with all tiie vaga- bonds wlio thronged the lair, and by mere api»iariince of su])eiior num- Imts put the Welsh to flight (Kte. 4). The cathe(U-al consists of nave, willi side aisles, transepts, clioii-, Jiady chajx'!, and central tower. 'I'he greater portion of the building is of rieli Perp. Tlie most striking feature in the interior is the exci-eding length of the S. transept, which nearly ecpials that of the nave, and exeeetls that ui the choir. It also possesses side aisles, whereas the N. transept has none, and is moreover remarkably short. The interior of the nave is con- siderably marred by the absence of a stone vaulted roof and the substitu- tion of a wooden one, which detracts somewhat from the height. See in N. aisle monument to Capt. John Moore Nai)ier, with epitaph by his uncle, the hero of Meeanei'. The choir, 78 ft, high, 12.5 ft. long, contains very rich tabernacle work IVom tlio organ-loft to the Bi'^hop'.t throne, originally the shrine of St. Werburgli. On one of the finely- carved stalls is delineated the Eoot of Jesse, a favourite sulijeet with ancient carvers and glass-stainers ; see a fine stone screen at the l)ack of the Bishop's throne, on the upin-r part of which is a range of small images supposed to represent the saints and kings of Mercia. The Lady Cliapel has some good memorial and E. E. windows : it was well restored in 1857, and its .stone roof uncovered. Here was held the Con.sistory Court wliich condemned George ]Marsh to be burned at the stake in Queen Mary's day ; and here is the grave of Bp. IVarson, who wrote ' The l^xposition of the Creed.' See his ni( tnument. The S. transept is u.sed as the liarish ch. of St. Oswald, having been set apart for that purpose by Earl Lujnis in 1093. In the S. aisle is an altar-tomb, ascribed to Henry TV., Emperor of Germany ; also 3 collin- lids with wlu'cl crosses, marking the hurial-plact'S of 3 ab]»e.>owder ma.irazine, within whieli is a ehapel with a vaidted and li'roined roof. From its connnand- ini;- i»os;ition on llu; Dee, the castle is an important feature in Clu-ster N iews. IJeyond the Castle ihv J)ei; is crossed by the Grosvenor Bridge, n - niarkahle for the wide span (2()U ft.) of its stone areh, the airhiteet of which was the late Mr. Harrison. Jt eomniands a fine view of the Jiondce or ]iOodeye, famous in the annals of horse-raein;:: as hein,!:^ the j^round on which the Chester Cup is run for. In ] r)4(» a hell of silver, of the \alue of three and sixpence or more, was annually .uiven hy the Sadlers' Com- j)any " to him who shall run the best un horseback." This arran.;;emeid was subsequently ehauged, and it was de- freed that "that horse which with »peede did over-run ric the ]'ost«;> had iIk' b,-sr<- cn|)|te tliere pre.-ni) l\- dc- li\' red: ;iiiil lliat lir \\ liii-|i i:iiiic ><-cuiiclt. iifxl llii lir'. lictnr.' !lii' ri>lc. laid I lie .-.(.'CO nd cii|i|n- llini'idso d<-li\rrar- ticular races and bad accidents have Im'cii of too-frequent occurrence. Xe- vi-rthelc.ss there is ik* liner JOn;;,lish scene tlum the l(oodee, at the jicriud of the cup race in ]\Iay. Tbe other ]»oints of interest for the visitcu* to Chester are the Exclunuje in Xorth- ^ate-street, erected at the close of the 17th cent., and adorned on the S. front by a statue of Queen Anne, and the Music Jhdl, built «»n the site of the ancient ehaiiel of St. Nicholas. iNIystei'ics and itat;eants were at one time, as at Shrewsbury, a .ureat feature in Chester life, and durinii; Whit.^un week a succession of brave si.uhts was enacted Ibr the delight of the s])ectiit(u-s in the Itows. They wert; abolished by the Corporation in 1G78, IUiUa-rarquis of Westminster. It is shown to the public in June, July. Aucr. — on Mond.. T'ues.. and Wed., !(» A.M. to 2 e >r. : to foreij^'ucrs only ou Thurs. — by tickets, to be i)urchased at fixed prices in Chester at the hotels and book.?cller.'?' shop.s. The proceeds go lo tlic cjiarities of Chester. The idii>'f IiI'- lpl!dilili'_ d'->i;^||cd jill'T >l. I A Ui:n-I ill' > (ialcwnv. Caiiliit :i >Iioil distahfc tVoiu the t ; ;u>\ iii'M liiidi:!'. l'*rom ihiiic- a dri\c oT :; m. r\ius' ihroiiuh ih. well-timliered ]iark to tlu' llall. h is one of the most magiiilicent seats in Ihitain, but the style. Florid KcclesiaNlical (»othic. Was a mistake. It was adoi»ted before Cothic was Well understood, and, although nearly a million has been exjiended on it, the re.sidt is not .satisfactory. There are several groups of statuary l)y Udisdit (Amazons) and Sir I!. WcsfDutrott. Tile following is a list of the j)rincipal paintings in tlie house ; — N. Wales. Route 4. — Hawardeiu 33 111 the diiun,a,"-room : The Meeting of Diivid and Abigiiil, lluhens ; The Judgiaent of Paris, after lluhens, by Peters. In the chapel : The Descent from the Cross, after Rubeiis, by Weiser ; St. Michael and the Dragon, after Guido, by Evans. In the draw- ing-room : The Wise Men's Oiiering, Buhens ; Battle of the Boyno and Battle of La Hogne, both by West; Christ and the Woman of Samaria, Mirinard ; Antioehus and Stratonice, F. da Cortona. There are also many family portraits by Sir Feter Lely and others. In a long corridor are many portraits of the racehorses which have belonged to this family, for more than 100 years famous on the turf. The gardens and grounds are of great beauty, part laid out as a pinetum. In tlie garden is a Roman altar found at Chester, and inscribed "Nymphis et fontibus ;" also a Greek sacrificial altar, brought by the IMar- quis of Westminster from Delphi. The visitor may, if he prefer, go by water from Cliester to Eaton Hall, the distance from St. Jolm's Oh. being 6 m.] For the first 2 m. the rly. is carried past the walls, the Roodee, and the outskirts of Chester, to Saltney, from whence it keeps a direct N.W. course through a flat alluvial coun- try to 7 m. Queemferry Stat. (Inn: Ha- warden Arms.) The rly. runs pa- rallel with the Dee, which, by an Act obtained in 1732, was em- banked, and by this means 50,000 acres were reclaimed for agri- cultural purposes. A portion of it is still called Sealand. A consi- derable traffic is maintained across the ferry, as, by going from thence to Sutton Stat., a saving of some miles is effected between the towns on the Welsh side and Birkenhead. Conveyances. — Daily to Sutton; also to Mold and Flint. [2 m. 1., overlooking the siUTOund- ing country, stand the little town and castle of Haivarden {Inn: Glyime Arms). The latter is a modern cas- tellated residence of the last cent., with later additions, and is the seat of Sir Stephen Glynne, Bart., and tlie frequent residence of Mr. Glad- stone. In the park, which is varied and picturesque, are the keep and ruined walls of the ancient Castle, of EdNvardian age, consisting of a drum keep and a curious outwork called the Duugeon, but probably a Sallyport, from which the garrison could issue and outflank the besieger. From the summit of the keep is a very fine view of the Vale of the Dee. It was sur- prised on the night of Palm Sunday, 1282, by the Welsh under David, bro- ther of Prince Llewelyn, who seized in his bed its owner, the Lord Jus- ticiary de Clitford, and carried him oft' prisoner, slaughtering many knights who were among the garrison. The castle was sequestered by the Pai'- liament after its capture by their forces under Gen. Mytton, IG45, and was dismantled by its purchaser, Serjeaiit Glynne (a friend of Crom- well), in whose family it has re- mained ever since. It was originally the seat of the barons of Mont Alt, and afterwards of the Stanleys. The inhabitants of Ha warden (pro- nounced Harden) were formerly dis- tinguished by the sobriquet of " Har- den Jews," gained for them according to a local legend in the following manner : — In 946 the town possessed a temple, in Avhich was an image of the Virgin Mary, holding in the hands a large cross or rood. To this image did the tov\'nsfolk pray long and lustily for rain during a very dry summer. But their prayers w^ere fruitless ; and, more, tlie holy cross fell on the Governor's wife, and killed her. Whereupon the inhabit- ants solemnly tried the Virgin for murder and inattention to their cries, and came to the decision that she should suifer death by drowning ; 3 34 Route 4. — Hawarden. — Ewloe. X. Walks. and, iu fulfilment of this, they car- ried the image to the river aiul left it there to be carried away by the tide. It was found next day by the citizens of Chester close to tlieir gates. This story gave rise to the following doggrel :— " The Jews their Gods did crucify, The Ilardncrs theirs did drown," 4:c. The Ch., Early Eng.. was re- stored after its destruction by fire in 1857. It contains a good memo- rial window to Capt. Uundas, tlie subject being Aiy Schefter's Christus Consolator. Aston' Hall, in the vi- cinity of Hawarden, is the seat of Sir J. Uundas, Trueman's Hill, out- side the town, was an early British post iu the days wlu-n Hawarden was written Haordin in the Saxon Dom. Book. Distances.— Chester, 7 m. ; North- op, 5 ; Flint, 9^ ; Queensferry, 2 ; Mold, 7. 2 m. rt. arc the niins ot Ewloe Castle, at the head of two lovely dingles, through one of which, doubt- less, ran an ancient road tow'ards the Dee, following the course of the Wepre brook. Tlicse ruins are diffi- cult to find, and, when found, to ap- proach, from the denso thieket of un- derwood with wliich tliuy are sur- rounded. One semi-round, one square tower, and some thick walls, of the date of the loth cent., are all that is now left of the *' ruinous castelet" mentioned by Leland. In the ad- joining wood of Coed Fidoe a great defeat was experienced in lloG by u detachment of Henry ll.'s English army, while on its way to surjirisse Uwaiu Gwynedd's camp at Basing- wirk, but which waa attacked by Conon and Dafydd, the sons of () wain, wliile in the reeesse.H of the tlingle, iiuil routed with great slaughter. 'J'lio whole course of the Wepre Brook, from its Mource on Biiekley Mount to its junction with the Dee, is romantic una pretiy. Betwe«'u Ewloo and the rly. it passes Wepre HalKH. A. Jones, Esq.). On 1. of the road to Northop is the busy mining district of Buckley Mountain, where a considerable popu- lation is emi)loyed in the tile-works, collieries, and potteries. Erom Buek- ley a rly. runs to Hope Junct. (Kte. 10), from whence the traveller can diverge either to Mold or to "Wrex- ham. The line was made for the ])urpose of conveying the produce of the mineral district to Connah'sQuay, a small port near Queensferry. From the table-lands, which run fi-om Ha- warden parallel with the coast to Flint and Holywell, extensive views are obtained over the wide estuaiy ex- tending into the Irisli sea. Hero is tlie place where " Lycidas " was shij)- wrecked ; and here, at low Avater, di- vided by an imcertain and dangerous channel, stretch far out the sands know^n to modern literature by the beautiful song in the novel of 'Alton Locke : ' — " JIarj', go and call the cattle home. Across tlie s;uids of Dee." Seen when the tide is in, the Deo appears a magnificent rivir, fit for a commercial navy, which might be attracted by the riches of its .>*hores, the coals of its inmiediate basin, the lead from the limestone hills al)Ove, the ancient smelting trade, which is, as it lias been, one of its prerogatives, —all these might be expeeteil to line its anchorages, -which are, on the contrary, a solitary waste t»f waNes. This requires a remedy, which will never be efficiently applied until its waters as far as Mostyn deeps are cou- lini'd in a .^hij) canal. .") m. North(ip,a pretty village with one of the finest I'erp. t-hs. in N. Wales, next to Wrexham. The tower, \)S ft. high, is of 5 stages, and shoxdd })(• asei'uded for the sake of the vii'w. In the interior, which has been hands(.)mely restored, there is excellent stained glass, some carv- N. Wales. Route 4. — -Nortliop. — Flint. ing of the 17th cent, under the pul- pit, and 4 stone effigies in the N. iiisle in memory of Edwj'n, a Welsh jH-ince, 1073 ; Ithel Vychan ap Bled- dyn, 14th cent. ; and a female, by name Leuci Lloyd, 1482, who was famous for her great beauty. In the immediate neighbourhood are High- field Hall (J. Huntley, Esq.), and Soughton Hall (Kev. E. Bankes). 5 roads diverge from this village, viz.* to Mold, Halkin, Flint, Ha- warden, and Connah's Quay near Queensferry. About 2J m. to the N.W. is Moel-y-gaer, a very perfect fortified British post, the rampart of which encloses a circle of 196 yds. in diameter. It occupies the S. ex- tremity of the Halkin Mount, the most important of the chain of hills which run N. and S., and form the broken outlines of that hill-system of which the Clwydian chain is the back-bone. A large number of silver and lead mines have rendered this district very valuable to the owners, particularly to the Grosvenor family, in whose favour they were alienated from the Crown in the time of Charles I. It is said that from the one mine alone of Pant-y-go they realized more than half a million of money. PPhe largest lead-works in the vicinity of Halkin are Fen-y-bryn, Bltosasmor, and Henhlas. f Halkin ' Castle is a seat of the Marquis of Westminster. The scenery on the road from Halkin to Flint, as also from Northop to Flint (4^ m.), embraces the expanse of the Dee estuary and the opposite Cheshire coast, dotted with villages and seats. The largest of the vil- lages is the watering-place of Park- gate. IJ m. 1. Sryn Edwin (T. Lewis, Esq.), the site of an ancient residence of Edwyn the Welsh prince com- memorated in Northop ch. 3J m. 1. Cornist Hall (Miss Eyton).] 12 J m. from Chester is Flint (Fin : Eoyal Oak), the importance of which is not to be estimated by the rather di- lapidated assemblage of houses which form its lonely street. The popula- tion is in the various adjacent works and mines. A large manufacture of alkali is carried on here ; and when the difficulties attending the silting up of the Dee navigation and the sands are redressed, commerce will return to her ancient outlet. A trade in boxwood for pulleys and manu- facturing requirements is carried on from hence with the Black Sea. The name of Flint does not occm- in 'Domesday,' but in the earliest ex- tant records it is called "Castrum apud le Flynt," a corruption of the Latin word "fiuentum." !"Sere, to the head of an ancient ford and the wide marshes by the estuary side, the Romans brought their ores from Halkin to be smelted, the slag and dross of their hearths being still vi- sible a. little way out of the town, which bears a Welsh name signifying "The town of the fiery furnace."J King Edward I. built the present castle, the bill and accounts of which are extant in the Record Office. The king is also mentioned in an old record to have ridden over the ford when he came into Wales. Flintshire was one of the Welsh counties created by him in the Royal edict commonly called the Statute of Rhuddlan. There are some baths, though the tourist will scarcely imagine that tlie muddy banks of the Dee would attract any but invalids for whom iodine is specially prescribed. The Castle, Avhile partaking of the general aspect of decay, yet sufficiently be- tokens its early importance, and is an interesting example of the castles of the time of Edward I. The design consists of a square court abutting on the sea, with truncated corners and towers at the angles, while the keep is detached from the citadel. This latter, which is formed by a massive round tower, is called the Double Tower, and is connected by a drawbridge. It apparently ob- tained its name from ita having con- 30 notiti' A.—FU.d. N. Wali:>. oontric \vn\h, hciweon wliieh ran a ;i;allcrv o]M'uiiiL,^ into a central area. Tin- (k'slnu-livo action uf the sea has caused some of the towers and a ])ortion of wall to give way. Flint Castle has Lecn innnortalizcd by Shakespeare, from its liavinp: been tile scene of tin- nuf-tinfi- of tlic nn- fortnnate Richard TI. with j'uliui;-- l.ruk.-, A.i). i:]ii9 :— ' CJo to llio nule ribs of that ancient castle ; Thrungh brazen trumpet send tbo breath of parlo Into his rnin'd ears, and thus deliver : Henry 15olhigbrokc, Upon liis knees, doth kiss king Richard's hand." The Earl of Nortlnmiberland, as- smnint; the character of a mediator, persuaded the king to meet him near Conway, declaring that the sole wish of the i)uke of Lancaster was to hold a free parliament and have hi.-; estates restored to liiin. Dnring the ride, however, the king found himself surrounded by an uniixpected 1»o(ly of men, under whose guard he was lairriedly conveyed to Flint, where, though at first received witlt lire- tended courtesy and loyalty, liis de- position was soon effected. Boling- broke, entering the castle fully armed, his basinet excepted, bent his knee for the last time before the king, who, imcovering himself, addressed him — "Fair cousin of Lancaster, you are welcome." " ]\Iy Lord," answered Henrv, " I am come before mv time ; but yoiu" people complain tliat tliey have been governed too rigoronsly for 20 years. If it jjlease God, I will help you to govern them better." "Fair cousin," replied liichard, "since it plcaseth you, it pleaseth me ;" and he was conveyed next day to Chester on "two little nagges not worth 40 frankcs." The next incidents in tlie histor\* of Flint consist in the gar- risoning of the castle on behalf of tin! king by Sir Roger Mostyn during the Civil War. lie was cninprllfd to yield in HjV.i to Sir "W. Brerdon alter a long-continued siege, and the castle was dismantled in lC-17 by ory the Welsh, that the standard of England was left be- hind by its bearer Henry Essex, while the king himself narrowly escaped be'ing taken prisoner. In the very curious book calli';e on the liills. Barjillt Hall, Ibnnerly tlie seat of' the Panton family, is on a slope on 1. 17 m. Holijwell Stat., from ^Yhich the town is (listaiit nearly 2 m. On the brow of the liill, only a few liuiulred yards from the station, are tlie neglected though still beautiful ruins of Basing werk Ahhey, looking sadly out of place amongst the in- trusion of cliimneys, tramroads, and ijiclined planes, which dispute pos- session of the ground with it, causing every visitor to regret that what is left of these venerable buildings is not fenced off and kept in some decent order. The original founder of tlie ahljey, wliich was called b)' the Welsh ]\[aesglas, or the cloister- field, is not known, Imt it is con- jectured from the charters of Llew- elyn ap lorwerth that he was one of the princes of Wales. A society of monks existed here previous to the year 1119, and the Cistercian rule v>'as introduced by Eanulph, 2nd Earl of Chester, in 1131. The present ruins, which are an early form of E. E., corresponding to the latter lialf of the 12th cent., consist of portions of the abbey-ch., a re- fectory, abbot's buildings, barns, and grange. Oidy the >S. transept of the ch. is standing (containing 3 ujoper lancet windows) and a Hinall part of the outer wall of the S. aisle. A low circular-headed doorway leads from the S.W. corner of the transept to tlie refectory, and there is a 2nd circular doorway entering into what were the cloisters from the S. aisle : 2 circular-iieaded arches also lead from the refectory into a parlour. The nave, of which onlj' one pier and half an arch remain, was about SO ft. Ions' bv 25 wide, and the length of the transept 20 ft. by 17. Above the re- fectory was the dormitory, in the S. portion of which 3 broad-splayed lancet windows still remain. W. of the refectory is an E. E. building witli 7 lancet windows, thought by Pennant to have l)e('n a chapel of Kniglits Templars, Init more pi-obu])ly a guesten-hall. A celebrated oak, called the Abljot's Oak, liourished here, wliicli was sulDsequently re- moved to the grounds of Talacrc. Basingwerk Abbey was dissolved in 1535, when the revenues amounted to 150L 7s. 3cZ., but it was temporarily revived in tlie reign of Mary, " being converted into a neast of lubberly monkes " (Drayton) ; and even as late as 1G47 was used by the Ponian Catholics as a place of interment. The corpse of a member of the Petre family was brouglit here all the way from Essex, no doubt on account of the sanctity which accrues to the abbey from its proximity to the blessed well of St. Winifred. Basing- werk came into tlie possession of the Mostyn family by the marriage of Ann, only daughter of Henry ap Harry of the tribe of Edowain, with W. Mostyn of Talacre in the IGth cent. Along the E. side of the ravine, down which the brook rushes, may be oc- casionally traced Watt's -Dijl:e, which had its N. termination at the sea- coast in this neigliliourhood. From hence it ran southward through Nor- tliop. Mold, &c., to Wynnstay (Ete. 1), The view from the wood-crowued eminence on wdiich the abbey is placed is extensive and beautiful, though greatly marred l)y the results of commercial enterprise all round. The presumed sanctity of the brook has been very little reverenced by the owners of the foundries, copper- works, and factories, who have only seen in it an uncommonly good supply of water for motive power. A suc- cession of ugly works and squalid cottages border the steep road to Holy- well (Inns : White Horse, King'sHead ), a strangling though rather well-built town, and the most important m Flintshire. From its being the centre of an immensely valuable mineral district, large numliers of manu- facturing establishments have been set up for smelting lead and copper, 38 Route ■i:.—SL Winifred's Well. X. "Wales. making shot, &c., though the trade of tlie town does not appear to bo iu as prosperous u eouditiori as it pro- Ixibly was at the time of their erection. The first copper-mill Avas started In' .i eompany from "Warring- ton in 17GG, soon after which the Holywell Level mining concern was commenced, and speedily jirodueed large quantities of lead and silver ore. The i)rincipal attraction iu the town is the celebrated well of St. Winifred, .situated immediately Ik'Iow the eh., which, apart from the legendary anil superstitious lore attached to it, i.s a really singular phenomenon on accoiuit of the enormous quantity of water su])plied by it. Its i)eculi- arities are that it never freezes, although intensely cold, and scarcely ever varies in the supply of water, the only difterence after wet weather being a considerable discoloration. It l)ubbles out of the rock with such rajjidity, that the basin, which will ('(jutain 200 tuns of water, was, when emptied, refilled in 2 minute-s proving that there is a continual supply at the rate of 100 tuns a minute. The sweet-scented moss, or Jungermannia asplenioides, grows on the sides of the well, and the stones were coated with a vegetable production called by Linna'us, liyssus iolithus. TJie chapel over the well is an exquisite specimen of late Perji. work, and was erected l)y JMargaret Countes.s of Kichmond and mother of Henry YII. The grttined arches which rise from the polygonal sides of the well are purticulaily rich and graceful, and are alood. which gave to tlie well several other miraculous ])roperties. One of them, as Drayton informs us in his Polyolbit)n, was, that an animal when thrown in was unable to lie drowned — " Ami of licr holy lifi> the innoccnoc to showc, ■Wliiiiever living thing into this well you Ihrowc, Shoe stnmprly bi'uros it up, not sufTcring it to shiki.'." N. Wales. Route 4. — Mostyii Hall. 39 The well belongs to the crown, being- expressly excepted by name out of a grant of certain crown pro- perty, temp. James I. Large numbers of pilgrims have from the earliest times flocked to the holy well : amongst them are names of royal blood, as William the Con- queror, Henry II., Edward I., James II. (in hopes of obtaining the son who was soon afterwards born), and in more modern days the King of the Belgians and Cardinal Wiseman. It is probably the oidy place in Britain wliere ex- vote offerings — the crutch tJiat bore the tottering patient to the healing water, or the barrow on which lie was wheeled — will be seen sus- ])ended on the wall, as is not unfre- quently seen on the Continent. The tower of the ch. rises directly above the chapel of the well. It does not contain much of interest, save a headless effigy of St. Winifred just behind the door. It is situated so low, as regards the rest of the town, that the bell at the time of service could not well be heard ; to remedy which defect, a man, called the "walking belfry," was wont to put on a leathern strap, at the end of which dangled a big bell : as he walked, the bell struck against his knee, cushioned for tlie ijurpose. This singular custom is nt)W done away with. A new E. E. ch. has been erected at Bagillt for tlie accom- modation of the j)eople employed in the works. The seats in the vicinity of Holy- well are Saithelwyd Hall (Capt. Mos- ijn),Co€dviawr (A. Eyton,Esq.),iCm- sale (J. P. Eyton, Esq.), and near the stat. Greenfield Hall (W. Keates,Esq.) . Distances. — Flint, 5^^ m. ; Northop, C)h ; Caerwvs, 5 ; St, Asaph, 10 ; Dow- ning, 3^ ; Mold, 10. A very large wheel, which may be observed by the railway side between Holywell and Mostyn, belongs to the smelting works of Messrs. Eyton, where large quantities of silver are annually refined from lead-ores. 20 m. Mostyn Stat. (Tun, Mostyn Arms). Near it is Mostyn Hall, the ]-esidence of Lord Mostyn. This Elizabethan mansion, which was for- merly called Tremostyn, and partly dates from the time of Henry YL, is approached by a fine old gate- way and avenue of trees. The interior has been much modernized, though still containing an ancient liall, and room hung with tapestry. There are some family portraits of the Mostyns : a Charles I. by Van- dych (?), and Sir Eogor Mostyn and his lady by Mytens. While Henry of Kichmond was lurking from place to place through the jjrincipality, rous- ing the Welsh to take up arms in his favour, as grandson of their country- man Owen Tudor, he was nearly sur- prised at Mostyn Hall by a party of soldiers of Richard III. The room out of which he escaped by leaping from the back window, and the place of the hole through which he passed, are still pointed out ; but new masonry supersedes the old, and the legend is attached to it. Here is preserved a curious pedigree-roll of the family, and a remarkable golden torque. Many of these Druidical orna- ments have been found in Wales and Ireland, and a good collection of them may be seen in the British Museum, It is of early date. It is seen as an ornament on the Persepolitan sculp- tures, and in the Pompeian mosaic on the necks of Darius and his nobles at Arbela. It was familiar to the Ro- mans, who took several from the Gauls as early as B.C. 196, Aneurin eniuuerates 363 torque-wearing chiefs at the Cattraeth, Dr, Pugh says the expression " Ty-nu-torc," "to draw a torque," is equivalent in old Welsh to "contend for the mastery." (See Birch, ' Arch, Journ.') [2 m. S. of Mostyn is Downing, the seat of the Earl of Denbigh, but better known as the former residence of Pennant the antiquary and traveller, whose granddaughter married the 40 Jloute 4. — Dnwninf/. — Nemnayliet. X. A\'ali:.'^. prosont possessor. As tlie uiitlior of tile ' Tour in Wales,' his name; should 1)«! lu-lil ill ri'vcrt'iic-o by every tourist for so ably leading the way in the y./serfh.—FJiul 41 voek, l)ut too mueli (Icc-uvctl to sliow what Avc've tlie aiTaiigemeuts of tlic ibi'tross. Tlie defeneos on tli.' J-', side arc the slroup;e,st, iVoin tliuic liaviiig 1)0011 a deep fosse exit in the solid loek. It does not appear to have had luueli liistoiy attached to it. except that it was fortitied by lleuvy III. in 1241, and destroyed soon afterwards hy the AVelsli luid'er Llewclyu. Dysertli Ch., a burial-place of the (Joiiways in the J 7th cent., contains part of a Je.sso window at the E. end, and also a nnitilated cross said to have lieen erected in memory of Einon, son ot liirid Vlaidd, shot liy an arrow at the tiine of tlie destruction of the eastk'. Just below the castle rock is an ivy-eovered ol)long building-, witli 2 arms or transepts, called by the not unconnnon name oH Siunihr Wen, or the White Chamber, the character of Avhich is obscure. Some have set it down as a reli.Liious cdilice, others as the house of Sir liobert Poinider- liii;;-, tlio coustal)le of tlic castle; while the Eev. H. L. Jones con- siders it with more probability to liave lieen built over a holy well which is known to have existed here. The counties of Flint and Denlncfh are celebrated for tJic num- I.er a.ud efficBcy of thpi'v- .=!ainted \M-lb. F/lJlinO'ii. .i.!'. <;inli. is 1 III. ili.-nnii. :.iiil -nj.- |iiie.- M liliiiik t'll wlliell ihelr i~ ;i|! e.vireineh |>ii-iiv e;i. lli;it ol' 1 Ti >l \' u ■ ■! I ill il.- vulinne ol' waler. I liiuw iiiL: up MM less tliau 7 luiisevei'x iiiinnte. fl is enclosed with stone in a rectangu- lar form, and, according- to Pennant, liad formei'lv its votaries like that of St. Winifred." The visitor will find it more convenient for him to make his way bade from Dyserth to Rhyl, passing 3h m. Talargoch, a noted lead-mine, which lias yielded more ore than any other in Flint- shire.] :'0 m. Wu/1 ^nofels: Parade, ex- eelient; Queen's, I'.elvoir, both good ; Poyal, toleralile ; Mostyii Anus), oO years ago a tisliing village, has risen to the rank of a watering-place, wlii- tlier large inimbers of visitors, prini-i- ])ally from Liverpool, annually resort, together with crowds of excursionists panthig for a breath of sea-air. Con- sidering the barren and, unattractive situation in which it has ari.sen, its builders have done wonders, though nothing can compensate for the liat and monotonous marsh-land in its immediate neighlxairliood. Ehyl, however, has its advantages in its pure air and firm sands, and, last Init not least, the moderate charges of its lodgings when compared with those of its neighl)Ours. It, of course, has no features of antiquity to present beyond the billows of the sea, which conies lumbling in over the wide, llatlicach in front of its lines of small 1 louses ; but for an invalid, to whom the breath of the salt water is as the breath of life, and the comfort of com- munication by rail with the outer world, a great object, Rhyl may be an excellent resting-place, and many huv(! found it so. In clear Aveather the views from the beach are very fine, emln-acing the Great and Little Orme's Head, Peimia.en MaAvr, and Snowdon in the fjir distance. Tlie n.wii >t;i-ds a! lie- liielllll I.I lip- (, I \\ \ 'i. ^^ liieh. a llea. i H'igi iia 1 Iv ;i liial-li. I- |)iulec1ed liiMii llie tides by a;i eiii- i)ankniont nearly 8 m. long, and So I'l. wide at the l)ase. The land is now very valuable. The Vale of Clwyd Rly. from Denbigh runs inhere (Rte. 11 ). Ty-yn-Tilvjh the residence of JMi.ss Lloyd, is of the 16th cent., and was for long the only house in the place. There is some carved woodwork in the hall made out of the bedstead of Grifiitli, the gentleman usher to Catherine of Aragon. Conveyances. — Steamers to Liver- pool, 24 ni. ; vajl to Rhuddlan, ?> ; 42 Jioute -i. — Abergele. — Colwyn. X. Wales. Denbigh, Ruthin, and St. Asaph, 6 ; Con\v:iv, 15 ; Chester, 30 ; Abergele, "Crossing the estuary of the Voiyd by a swing-bridge, the rly. still hugs the coast, which is gradually aj)- proaeht'd by a frosh chain of hills, the outliers" of that range of moun- tains which lies between the Clwyd, Conway, and the upper basin of the Dee, and which is intersected by the Elwy, Alwen, and Aled rivers. 3 m. 1. are Kinmel Park (H. R. Hughes, Esq.), and the beautiful spire of the new ch. at Bodelwyddan (Rte. ]1). 34i m. Aherfjeh'. Stat. ^Rte. 5), dis- tant from the little town of the stune name nearly 1 m. (Hotel: Bee, good.) As a watering-place many persons prefer it to Rhyl, from its greater seclusion and the beautiful scenery in the neighbourhood, in which the carboniferous limestone is iinely de- veloped. Tradition, l)acked up by an inscription on a tombstone, points to the fact that the mainland once extended much further N. than it does uow,and is borne out by the traces of a submerged forest visible at low water. On the summit of the hills I ra. to the S.W. are the British camp and out])ost of Castell Cawr and Gorddyn Mawr, while the hill of Cefii Orjo "is remarkable f«n- a very line cavern abounding in the stalae- tites usually found in this fonnation. In the vicinity of Abergele are Pen- traiiuiicr Olrn. Junes Bateman); and II m. 1. of rly. Own/cli Castle, the imposing mansion of R. Bamford Hesketli, Esq. It has an extensive castellated froiil, and, although in- geniously ealeulated to deceive the spectator as to ifs size and ea])abili- ties, harmonizes wi-ll with the rocky .scenery around. The beautiful grounds which siuTountl th'e house abound with eyitre.sse.s, willi whieli a party of Turks from Liver|)ool were so pleased that they vociferated " Staniboul, SUiiuboul I" 3tU- ni. rt. is tiie pretty village of Llandulas, the spot where Richard II., riding beside the wily Northum- berland, was startled by the sight of armed horsemen among the trees, and tirst learned that his treacherous companion had lured him from Con- way to deliver him to Bolingbroke. The king si)urred his horse to escape, but Percy, assuming the gaoler, seized the bridle, telling lum it was only a guard of honour. Bryndulas is the residence of J. B. Hesketh, Esq. From Lysfaen Hill there is a magniticent view of the mountains in the neighbourhood of Conway. The summit of the hill was marked by a semaphore signal, it being an intennediate station in the Holyhead and Liverpool telegra- phic line. The stations on each side with which it jcommunieated were Prestatyn Hill and the Orme's Head. All the stations are now disused, having given place to the electric wires, which are carried for the whole distance along the hich roads, and by this means the earliest in- telligence ibtran-smitted to Liverpool of the passing of any vessel at Holy- head. The long tunnel of Penmaen Rhos, 1(J2'J ft., leads to Cohcyu, a pleasant and unpresuming little bathing-i)lace, 40.T m. [2 m. 1., in the parish oi Lluu- elian, is the once famous Ffynuoii, or cursing-wi'U of Elian. " Persons who have any great maliet,' against others, and wish to injure them, frequently resort to the minister of the well, who, for a sum of money, mulertidces to oli'er them in it. Various ceremonies are gone through on the occasion ; amongst others, the name of the de- voted is registered in a l>ook, and then a ])in in his name, and a pebble with his initials inscribed thereon, are thrown into the well." — Arch. Cambr.'] A most interesting eha])tor in the liistory of luunan superstition miglit N. Wales. Route 4. — Conway — Bridges. 43 be written on the necromancy of wells. The Witch of Enclor was a well witch, as appears by the etymo- logy of the name, {See Stanley's Falestine^ 41 m. 1. Pivlyr.rocltan. Hotel: late the residence of the Dowager Lady Erskine. The rly. temporarily leaves the shore, which it has been hugging lor so many miles, and cuts across the base of the singular rock- promontory of Creuddyn, soon arriving in sight of tl)o graceful ruins of Conway, 45 m. (Rte. 12). (Hotels : Castle ; Erskine Arms, inditferent.) Junction with the Llandudno and Llanrwst lines. This unique Welsh to^Yn occupies a striking position on the 1. bank of "Old Conway's foamhig iiood," as Gray, with a poet's licence, has described the muddy tidal waters wdiich here empty themselves into the sea. These muddy waters, never- theless, were celebrated even in the Iloman period for their pearls, which for long proved a source of great pro tit to those engaged in the fishery — " Wliose precious orient pearlo, tliat breedetli in the «uide, • Above tlie other Hoods of Britain doth her grace." Drayton's Polyolbion. Tacitus, speaking of Britain, says " Gigiiit et oceanus margarita sed suffusca et liventia;" still, he adds, that avarice never fails, " Ego facilius crediderimnaturam Margaritis deesse quam nol)is Avaritiam." — Vit. Agrle. Spenser also mentions the pearls : " And Conway, which from out his stream dotli send Plenty of pearles to deck his dames withal." They are still found in the Con- way, and ornaments made of them may be procured with some pains and patience. Tliey, however, proved ill coloured, and of small value. The pearls are produced by a species of mussel, called Mya margaretifera. The river, which at high tide is more than ^ a mile in breadth, is crossed by two bridges, botli in their different ways fine works of art, and a striking improvement on the state of things GO years ago, when the only communication on this Irish highway was by means of a ferry- boat. Frequent accidents happened then, and on Christmas-Day, 180G, tlie boat upset with the mail on board, when all the passengers but 2 were drowned. The Suspension Bridge was erected by Telford, in 1826, to complete the undertaking of the Holyhead road, a truly national work, wliich even the rly. will never entirely throw into the shade. The entrances on either side are between 2 towers, built to harmonize with the general style of the castle, the distance of the roadway between them being 327 ft. This consists of layers of planks fixed by vertical bars to suspending chains, which are secured at each end respectively into the cliff below the castle, and a rock which formerly was insulated, but is now connected with the main- land by an embankment 2000 ft. long. The graceful appearance of this bridge is greatly marred by the close proximity of its younger and more sturdy brother the Tubidar Bridge, which, however interesting as a work of science, is nevertheless an intrusion into the rest of the scene. Though called a bridge, it is in reality a rect- angular tunnel, or tube, " in the construction of which Stephenson's scientific knowledge is specially dis- played ; the iron-work above the tube consists of 8 square cells, and has to resist compression ; that below the tube consists of G cells, and has to resist tension ; and that at the sides has to secure the combined action of the top and Iwttom, The Conway end of the tube is immove- able, but the Chester end is free, so that it mav expand by heat and con- tract by cold, as the tube rests on 44 llonte 4. — Conway Castle. X. Walks. cii.sl-iiun n»lli-i>, whifli ,i;ive piny so :is to allow 12 in. of motion. TIu' wliok' luiiss W(i.u:li.s 1140 tons." Tlit- Irii-tli of tlic liilic is -KtU ft. On niK riiinii' from tlic tube the ily. runs flosc lit llic Cadlc WiilU on tlic it., so clo.sc iudccil tliat one of tlic towers :i|t)»iir('ntly overhangs the tniiii as it tilides uiuleiiu-ath. Tln^ town-walls are enterc'il thion;^h a jjointtxl areli, erected as nearly as possible to har- miinize with tlie others. 'riiou.uii Conway walls do not furnish a ])r(j- nienade like those of Chester, yet, in siiiiio rcs[)eet.s, it is even u more jx-eu- liar town, on account of its froedom from suburhs and outskirts. J"]verY jiart of it is inlramural, ami a lari;e amount of .space in the interior is devoted to ij^ardens, Avhieli juesent wlieu viewed from the castle-towers a singular coup-d'ceil. Tliis is, \)vi- haps, the rea.son why the term " ragged town " has .so often been a])i)lieil to it. The walls, which :ire contemi)oraneous with the castl(\ are of great tiiickne.ss, embattled, stitMigtliened at intervals by 21 towcr.s, and entered by o principal g;iteway.s with 2 strong towers. The general shape is triangular, the base line being occui)ied by the Castle, • >MP of the most elegant, of all WeNli i-Mii^-s.'^es. Ji wns erected by K' I Ward I. ill ll'Sl. ii.-ailv idH.iil lb<- -!Oii<- lliii'- -.iiid I'lif I lie salU'- |iiir|ii)M.- ;,,, J|(, liilill t.':iei-|(:,iv (HI :iOil I*.' m Ulna vis, viz. |mi- ^I'liiiiiiL: hi» neu l\ -oblaiiii d |»o<- -.•->iuii mI' Wall-. \\ liil'- (oiiway -« r\ii| ;i> ;i jillMc i>r di'leliic. il idsti liad I he .Miiiiewhal perilous lionmir of being llie inyal lesiilencc, as on one occasi(»n, wiiih' tlie Jving was huldiiig his lestivitie.s, the Welsh tlescended from the hills in great number.s, and so hard pres.sed the gan-i.son Ihat famine had almost caii.scd them to surrender. It was from CJonway that the unforlunate Jkichard II. ccm- nu'iiced his fatal journey to meet licdiugbrokc, wldidi ended in his imprisonmeid within the walls of j''lhit. We uc\t hear of the castle being garri.soued for the king during the civil wars by tlie warlike Arch- bishop "Williams. wh<», however, on being sui)erseded by I'rince liUj)ert, went over to the enemy, and a.-^sisted Cieneral Mytton in his athiek on the city in Kilt!. Finally, it came to an ignominious destruction in the reign of Charles II., who iiuule a grant to the l^aii of Conway, a })rofligate and avaricious nol)lcni!'in, who, Avith a rapacity only i'(pialled by IJishop IJarlow at St. David's, strijtiied the building of all the timber and lead, to convert them to his own use. The creative fancy of a painter could scarcely conceive a more pic- turescpie object of its class than I'on- way Castle. The graceful forms of its towers and turrets, their varied grou])ings as seen from any castle on the IJhine, ^loselle, or Danube. Tn |»lan it is nearly a ]>arallelogram, with 8 drum towers 40 ft. in diameter, 4 at the angles, and 4 intermediate on the N. and S. sides, rising nearly from the edge of the precipice, and eoimocted with li.frv curtain-. In t.dvance of tin I-!, imd \N . end- :.r»- mi.-ed plaltonn.-. .-mIi {liKving '! low b;i,-tion or tuuli/im towers. I'loni ln>- v\. <>n lie V. -idi is a -ally|>oit. |i» wjiieii ae.ei-s \\;i- I gained bv inean> ol a iiver-|»atb I winding \\\> ihe lock; uliiie in lin I .saim- position on the W . i.'- iin- main I gate, ai)i)rttaching ly have served as residences for tile garrison of this (at that time) impregnable position. On a plateau near the eminence of 3foe///r, a little to the S.,are cameddau, meini-heirion, and circles, proving tiie importance in K* AYales. Route 4. — Aher — Castle. 4' which these coast4ieights were held both in military and religious esti- mation. The pedestrian had better make directly for the shoulder of Pen- maenmawr. Still more S. a road runs between Aber and Caerhun (Conovium), through the solitary pass of Bwlch-y-ddeufaen, which was once a Koman road, and very pro- liably a British trackway in still earlier times.] By this pass it is probable that the Roman army, commanded by Agri- cola, api^eared before the -island of Anglesea. He had no ships, Tacitus tells us, but was led by native auxili- aries who knew the fords and were practised swimmers. He suddenly terrified the unfortunate Britons by his presence, who were looking for him by sea. " Qui classem, qui naves, qui mare expectabant." — Vit.Agric. Immediately after roundjng the point the traveller gains lovely views of the coast of Anglesea, Puffin Island, and Beaiunaris, which is no great distance across. On 1. is the pretty village of Llanfairfechan. 54 J m. Aher 8tat. For beauty of situation the village of Aber (Inn : Bulkeley Arms) can hardly be sur- passed. It is placed at the foot of a grand amphitheatre of mountains, whose dark and frowning clefts beckon the pedestrian to explore their recesses. On account of the scenery and seclusion, many villas and residences have been built, al- though Aber does not aspire to the dignity of a watering-place. The river on which the village stands is formed by 2 or 3 small streams, the main one rising in Llyn-ar-afon, a little tarn at the foot of the steep preci- pices of Y-Moel-fras. On the Aber-fawr (about 2 J m. from Aber) is one of the most romantic waterfalls in N. Wales, dashing over the rocks of Maes-y-gaer at a height of 70 ft. " This fail has not with- out reason been compared to the Staubbach in the valley of Lauter- bnmnen." — Eoscnc. Saxifraga stel- laris grows at the foot of the fall. "About I m. to the rt. is another fall, of very inferior volume, but of a greater height, and worth a visit were it merely to note the extremely graceful manner in which the water in some places glides over the fretted rocks, giving the appearance of fine lace. The upper part of this fall appears to form a kind of curved direc- tion over the worn rocks." — HalUwell. The lofty mountains in the back- ground are Carnedd Dafydd and Carnedd Llewelyn, which are some- times ascended from here. It is however a long and fatiguing pull, and the easiest ascents may be made from the Conway Valley, near Llan- rwst (Rte. 12), or from near Llyn- Ogwen. On tiie opposite side of the river, a little above the village, is a tumulus where once stood a watch- tower called Lleioelyns Kitchen, and near it is Penyhryn, an old house of Henry VIU.'s time. The castle of Aber, built by Llewelyn ap lor- werth, was the scene of a tragical tale much dwelt upon by Welsh his- torians. In the reign of Henry HI. Llewelyn took prisoner one William de Breos, a powerful baron of hand- some parts and presence, whom he confined in the castle of Aber. He made the unpleasant discovery that his wife, the Princess Joan (who was also daughter of John King of Eng- land), commiserating the prisoner's condition, and fascinated by his con- versation, had contracted a clandes- tine intimacy with him. De Breos, being soon after liberated by ransom, was invited to Aber under the guise of friendship, and there treacherously hung upon a gallows erected below the castle. To complete his revenge, it is recorded that Llewelyn took the princess to a window and showed her the lifeless body of her lover. He previousl)^ asked her what she would give for a sight of him, to which she made answer in a AVelsh distich — 48 Fioate 5. — Abergele to Deiihu/h. K. AVai.ks. " Walr.s and Knglaiul, and Llewelyn, I'd freely give to sec my ^Villianl." 'I'liis princess Joan was, on licr dcatli 8 vi'iirs al'frrwanls, ])un\'(l at Llanlacs I'liorv, near Baunnaris (lite. S). JJctwofu this latter town and Aber are tlie Lavaii Sands or Sands of Jianientation, -wliieli at low water niay Ik- traversed, aiiurdinj; a. diicet l)as.sap;o to tlie o))])nsite eoast of Aimlesea. Nevertliel(\ss, on no ae- eoniit slioiild any traveller attenii)t to cro.ss withont a unide, as, owin^ to tlie. shifting; of the sands, many fatal aeeidonts have oceurred. To direct i)assen_L,a'rs in i'o.i^.i^y weather u lar<:;e ])ell is rnng at Aher, jjresented lor that i)nr])ose by Tjoi-d IJulkeley. Fnjni henee the rly. takes a eonrse rather iidand, and tlio tourist soon LTains a tine view of the noble woods .and towers of Pr;/ ?•//;/)(, CasfZc' f Colonel the. ]Ion. Don-las' I'ennant, M.V., ble. 8). At 58 h\. tlio OLTwen river is erossed on a lofty viaduct, leavin;;- the villai^e of LlaiuJcfja! on rt., soon after whieli, by ii succession of cut- tini^s and tuiniels, the traveller reaches Bangoi', (JO in. ^Ivte. 7.) JIOUTK r,. ABERGELE To DENBIGH, i;Y BETTWS AM) LLANFAIR TALHAIARN. — n.- jncsTKiAN j;xcui'uSioN 11' ini: 11IVKR8 ALKI) AXn II.WV, J{y those wlio arc t'ond ot' pciie- IratiiiL:; into untrodden districts with sketeh-lxjok oj- lishiuLi^-rod, a veiy teiu|)tin;L;- i)c(h'htrian tour may be taken into the njjper ]»ortion of the romantic valley of tlie FAwij throui:h the villa.2:e i)i' Jjcffii's yihcnjeh; 4,t m. Near it is Coed Coch, tlie scat of J. Wynne, Ks(|. 1 u\. bi-yond, the roads diveri::e, the one to the rt. deseendin;^ tlie hills on the 1. bank of the Ehvy, until LlaiKiern/w is reached (about 11 in. , from whence the bridh'-road to Llanrwst ^Jte. II may be followed up the diii,t;lc of tlie Afon-dyttVyn-.i^allt. The distance from Aberi;-ele to Llanrwst by thi^ cros.s-country route is 17 m. T) m. S. of Llan,i:;erniw is the seclndcil little village of Giri/theriiK at the foot of the lonely Hiraethro.LC Jlills. Here stood the nunnerv of which the holy St. AVinifred of Holywdl <\). oS) was the head TUitil her death, and from hence her relies were ic- moved to the abbey-ch. of Shrew.-s- bury. 'Within the eh., whi(di was oriixinally ]»nilt in conjiniction with the nunnery, are 'I ru Bead. N. "WaleS; tlie niaj(.'.>tic ruins and bridges of Conway, combine to form a prospect of wondrous Itcauty, which, bounded by tlie uuduhitini:: outlines of the mountains, is wortli a pil^'rimagc to contemphite." — Jlirhh'n. Tliere are also copper-mines wliicli luive been worked for a;^es i)ast, as traces of Roman workinp^s have been dis- covered; a cromlecli of 5 upriglit stones surmomitcd by another trans- versely ; and the British fortress of Fen-y-(Jinas overlookini:: the towii, and still prescrvin,!:: portions of wall and numerous circular houses ; at one corner is a rocking-stune, known as Cryd Tudno, tlie cradle of Tudno. The secluded parish ch. oi St. Tudno lay for many years in a neglected and ruinous state, but was thoroughly restored in simple taste by the libe- rality of H. Keecc, Esq., of Birming- liam, in ISoo. As early as the 7th cent, it is sujiposed that 8t. Tudno founded on this spot an oratory on which the original ch. was erected in the 12th cent., and a subsequent Perp. chancel added. In the interior are an ancient circular font and 2 in- cised cofHn-lids of the 13th cent. A short distance to tlie W. of the ch. are the remains of an avenue of iqu-ight. stones, called bv the ■\Velsli " The high road of tlie deer." Tlie prefi])itous clilis of the Great Ornie's Head have olitaiiied me- lancholy notoriety as having Ix^en the scene t)f the shi])wreclv of the Jloruhi/ in 1821, when all on board but one perished. In the rocks at the extreme point of the hciidland is the cavern of Llcrli, of dil1i<-ult access from the siuiimit. On the 8.E. side is Go- liarOi, whert! Die remains of a largo jmilding still exist, partly of early and partly of medianal character, said to liavc been a palace of the Bishoi)3 of Bangor or a monastic institution Milneet t() the AblwiV of (youwav. Leland mentions it in liis Itinerarj', but little ijd known of its liislor^-. The whole of the area extending from hence to Puffin Island is the theatre of a legend similar to that of the Lowland Hundred in Cardigan Bay, viz., that a rich and fertile country lies underneath the sea, which suddenly engulfed it, a con- dition of things by no means impro- bable, though easily accounted for by well-known geological pheno- mena. The geologist will find on the Orme's Head many good casts of fo.ssils. On the top of the head, N.W. of the copper-mine, is a bed of brachiopodous shells, Producti, 8pi- rifene, &;c. From thence "let the collector's walk be extended down the slope that, leaving the telegraph to the rt., leads to the sea, and let him notice the shale-bed aliout G ft. beloAV, which is little else than a mass of delicate fossils, exquisitely preserved through chaleedonization, and comprising the rarest and most beautiful forms of corals and sponges, Knerinites of several s})eeies, Imt chiclly Rhodocrinus, Brachiopodous and Lamelli-branchiate shells, and many species of Gasteropoda." — Jioherts. The Iwtanist will find plenty to occupy him in the micommon i>lants that grow in the neighlx)urliood ; as Arabis hispida, !!>a})onaria otlieinalis, Triglochin palustre, Chenopodium, Serratula tinctoria, Anaeimiptis ]ty- ramidalis, i\lcdiejigo maeiihita, Coton- easter vulgaris (rare), on the rocks "situated at some distance to the \V. of tlie old mine above the nxul which passes the farm-house of Tyn- y-Cae." Excursions may Ik> matle from Tilandudno to the various objects of intiTcst in the peninsula of Crenddvn to thn N. of the Chester and lloiv- head Railway. The scanty remains of Castle Ih'- gantnj, once called Castle Gannock, occupy an eminence just alH)Vc the branch rly. It was formerly a British station of the Ordovice.s subst (pieiitly to which period a cautlc of consider- K, AVales. Uoute 7. — Bangor to Holyhead. 51 able importance was erected by Hu,2:li Lupus, Earl of Chester, which, after undergoing considerable mutations during the stormy times of the 13 th cent., was eventually demolished by Llewelyn in 1262. Previous to its destruction Henry III. was shut up here, and experienced within his garrison great distress, as appears from a letter extant : " We fast for want of meat, for a halfpcnnie loafe is worth od. ; we starve for colde, wanting our winter garments, having no more than a thin linnen cloath betwixt us and the winde." — Powell. On a hill to the N.E. is a ruined tower, supposed by some to have been an outpost of Diganwy. In the valley beneath is the cruciform cli. of Eglwys Bhos, containing an oak roof and stained glass. Maelgwyn Gwynedd, the first who fortified Diganwy, is said to have died of yellow fever in this ch. A.D. 566. Near it arc Boclyscallen (Miss Mostyn), and Gloddaeth, the ancient Elizabethan seat of Lady Augusta Mostyn. It is charmingly situated on the slope of a well-wooded hill, and is a great attraction to the visitors from Llandudno, to whom access to the house and grounds is liberally allowed. In the entrance hall are some fine timber- work and carving. The cli. of Llandrillo-yn-RJws is a handsome double-aisled Perp. ch., with a tower remarkable for having double-stepped battlements. In the interior is a Norm. font. About A m. distant is Capel Trillo, a rude little building, believed to be of immense antiquity, but according to the Eev. H. L. Jones not older than the 16tli cent. Llys Eur Ian, to the S. of Llan- drillo, marks the site of an ancient palace of Maelgwyn Gwynedd prior to his residence at Diganwy. On Puffin Island are remains of a ch., said to be one of the oldest in Britain (p. 68). During the summer months steam- ers from Liverpool, and occasionally Caernarvon and Beaumaris, call off the landing-stage at Llandudno. Distances. — Conway, 4 m. ; Glod- daeth, 3 ; Llandrillo, 3 ; Colwyn Stat., 9.] ROUTE 7. FROM BANGOR TO HOLYHEAD, BY MENAI BRIDGE. Bangor (from Ban Chor, the High Church) (Hotels : Penrhyn Arms, first-class ; George, very good ; Castle, comfortable ; Albion ; Liver- pool Arms ; British, near the station), though containing in itself but little of interest, has always com- manded a large share of tourists' attention, arising from its beautiful and sheltered situation, its proximity to exquisite scenery, and the excel- lent accommodation afforded by its hotels and boarding-houses. Of these the Penrhyn Arms is the most com- plete of the many good houses of call with which N. Wales abounds. It was built by Colonel Pennant, and has been since considerably enlarged, making up 90 beds. The views from the grounds of the hotel, which slope down to the very edge of the water, are as lovely as any in the country, embracing the wooded point of Garth, the shores of Auglesea, Beaumaris, Puffiu Island, the Orme's Head, tlie bay and mountains of Conway. From an eminence at the back of the house this view is further increased by Pen- maenMawr, Carnedd Dafydd,Carucdd J) 2 52 Houte 7. — Bangor. K. Wales. Llewel>m, and the loftiest mountains of the Snowdou ran<;e. Royalty lias frequently patronized this establish- ment in the temporary residenees of Queen Vietoria and the royal families of Portui^al, Belgium, Holland, and Russia. The eity of Bangor, Nvliieh numbers about 1)000 Inhab. and claims to be the capital of N. Wales, is situated partly in a valley running down from the S., and partly midcr a high range of rocks parallel with the sea. While depending in a great measure upon the annual resort of tourists, it possesses a larger amoimt of trade than any other town in X. Wales, shipl)uilding being carried on to a considerable extent, and an enormous nmnber of slates being annually exported. The Cathedral, which is also the parish eh., is the only building worth a visit. Like Llandatt'and St. David's it is situated badly in a hollow sur- rounded by hills, and it consequently loses much of its effect. It is dedi- cated to St. Deiniol, the first bi.'^hop, who lived in the Gth cent, during the reign of IMaelgwyn Gwynedd, King of Wales. It has sustained more than the usual munber of rever.scs, having been destroyed twice — first by the Saxons in 1071, and again during the wars of Owain Glyndwr in 1402, after which it remained in ruins for nearly a century. By far the greater portion of the ch., as it at present stands, is I'erp. work of the IGth cent., although fragments of the 13th cent, work are to l)e found in some Early Pointed but tresses at the exterior angle of the S. transept. The tower, of 3 stages, was liuilt l»y Bishop Skevyngfou in IT).'!!!. He also coritributrd tlie nave and jiart of the transept, as well as the jieal of bells, wliich were sacrilegiously sold by his succes.sor liisliop Biilk<'ley, wh(» is saiil to have l)een punished "with bliiwhiess wlien going to aw. them 8iiipi»ed olV. 'J'lie windows of the transept and K. window of tiic choir are good Perp., and " the latter is the more interesting becau.se it is known to 1)6 of very late date, as much so as the beginning of the 18th cent., when the appearance of any good restoration or imitation of mediaival Avork may be truly consi- dered a i)henomenon of the most rare occurrence." — //. L. J. The choir, erected by Bi.shop Dean in 1496, is plain, and contaiTis but little of that carved tracery which is usually such an ornament to English cathedrals. The nave, which is used as a Welsh eh., is furnished with scuts of a very unsightly character. The only monument of note is that in the S. transept of Owain Gwynedd, sovereign Prince of AVales in 1101). A long inscription and a figure of the Crucifixion mark the spot in the wall in which his remains are said to be interred. In the liln-ary is a collection of state pamphlets and black-lettei" books, also an illuminated missal of Bishop Anian (date 1291), a comtly tavourite who had the honour of christening Edward II. at Caernar- von. A large portion of the materials of the present building is said to have been derived from a still older ch,, formerly existing a little to the N.E., which was finally pulled down by Bisho]) Skevyngttm. Here l)egan the celebrated Bangorian controversy between Bishops Hoadly and Slu'r- lock, named after tliis see. over wliich Hoadly presided from 1715 to 1721. Very slight traces of a castle, built in the reign of William II., are visil)le on the hill at tlie back of the city. Near it is an ancient camp, and there is another on Garth Point. The grauunar-.school. which bears rather a high rejailalion, was I'uunded by Dr. Jetfcry (ilyn in 1537, on the site of an ancient friary. A very neat Roniaji Calholic chapel in the Xorman or Romanc.-^qne stylo has l)een built in the Caernarvon road. N. Wales. Route 7. — Penrliyn Castle. 53 Distances. — Betliesda Slate Quar- ries, 6 m. ; Peni-liyii Castle, 2 ; Llyn Ogwen, 10 ; Llandegai, 2 ; Capel Curig, 14 ; Aber Fall, 6 ; Menai Bridge, 3 ; Tubular Bridge by Llau- vair, 5 ; Llanberis, 18, but by old road through Pentir 12 ; Beaumaris, by road 8, by ferry from Garth 3 ; Moelfre Baj^ 15 ; Conway, 14 ; Dinas Diuorwig, 1^. Railway to Chester, Holyhead, 242- m., and Caernarvon, 10. Coach daily to Bettws-y-Coed, via Capel Curig ; daily to Beaumaris. Near Bangor is Penrliyn Castle, the family residence of Hon. Colonel Douglas Pennant, M.P., to which admission is granted by ticket on certain days, viz. Tuesdays, 2 to 5 P.M., when the lamily is at home ; and 10 to 5 when absent. The tickets are obtained at the hotels, at the rate of 3s. Gd. for two, and so on; the funds arising from this source being partly devoted to the Anglesea and Caernarvonshire In- firmary. Penrliyn is a vast gloomy building in the Norm, style, erected from the designs of Hopper ; 14 years were employed in raising it, and no less a sum than half a million (it is said) expended on its construction. Seated on an emi- nence embowered in trees, it has at a distance a very imposing aspect ; but on a nearer approach, and after entering within its walls, the eftect is far less agreeable. It is to be regretted that, with the beautiful examples of Conway and Caernarvon close at hand, recourse should not have been had to a later style, instead of to one which prevailed ordy dimng the comparatively barbarous jjeriod of the middle ages, and is singularly ill-suited to the comforts and wants of the present time. Want of height and of light is a defect perceptible in almost all the rooms ; generally speaking they are too like vaults, and the excess of decoration lavished on many parts cannot obyiate the gloom. The hall is fine, but is dis- figured by arches of an unusual shape, resembling the top of a coffin or point of a shoe. The painted glass of the windows does credit to Willement. Throughout the house there is a liberal display of the most costly furniture, sculptured chimney-pieces, oak carving and panelling, cabinets of ebony and other precious ma- terials. In one of the bedrooms is a bedstead, the frame of which, down to the posts and tester, by a strange ingenuity, is • formed of slate, and elegantly finished. Tlie chapel is little better than a low dark crypt, a fault into which the architect need not have fallen, since it is a defect I'ather than a characteristic of the style he imitated. The only part that really challenges admiration on the exterior is the tall square donjon tower, 5 stories high, which is copied from Kochester Castle. The stables are remarkable for their extent, and the abundant use made in them of slate — the partitions between the stalls, the mangers, the corn-l)ins, &c., being of that substance. The walls are built of sad-coloured Mona marble, which when polished assumes a black tint. The park, which is intersected by the Ogwen, extends for several miles, and, with its rich woods and undulating ground, forms, with the towers of the castle, a charming addition to the magnifi- cent panorama around. Close to tin; great gateway are the ch. and model village of Llandegai (Ete. 12). The harbour of Port Penrliyn was formed by the late Lord Penrliyn, one of the greatest benefactors that N. Wales ever possessed, at the mouth of the little river Cegid, for the purpose of shipping the slates from the quarries at Betliesda. It is a busy little port, from whence upwards of 120,000 tons of slate are annually exported. [An excursion may be made from Bangor to the head of the vale of the , Cegid and Dinas Dinorwig, though Route 7. — Menai Bridge. N. Wales. from tlic badness of the road it is one more adaptt'd for a pedestrian or ridin'^-party. This fortified post, one of tla- hagcst in Cacrnarvonsliiri', is situated on an eminence a little to the S.E. ;)f the cli. of Llanddeiniolen, and is of oval shaj)e, surrouiukil by 2 ditches with a lofty bank between them. Within the innermost baidc is a licii]) of stones. There are several anli(putitsint lie vicinity — a roeking- stoue, a Druidical circle and cyttiau. Lli/s Dinonvig, supposed by some to bo the tower of some Norwegian 'or Danish cliief, who established himself for a time liy this narrow creek, and Dlnas Mawr, a second fortified ])ost, lie between Dinas Dinorwig and Llyn Padarn. It is evident, from the nu- merous ])0sts with whicli almost every hill in this neighbourhood is crowned, that these hill-districts were jealously defended by their inhabitants. An antifpiary may make a long and inte- resting day of it betwceu Pentir and Llanberis.] Quitting tho Bangor Stat., the rly. is carried through a timncd and some deep cuttings to INIenai Bridge Stat., Gl 5m.,nearwiiieh is tlie George Hotel, a first-chiss and most comfortable establishment, beautifully situated on the l)anks of the Menai, in full view of the bridge. TJie Menai Straits, 12 m. in length, may bo said to conunenco at Beaumaris and end at Caernarvon, occasionally narrow- ing, as at tlie points crossed by the Susj)ension any QUO which t)ccurred in January, 1830, since which it has been thoroughly rejiairecl and strength- ened. Tho weight which the chains N. Wales. Route 7. — Britannia Tubular Bridge. 55 support is calculated at 489 tons, and that which they are capable of sup- porting at 2016 tons, leaving an avail- able power of 1520 tons to resist any- unusual strain. The total cost of the construction of the bridge was 120,000Z. It is difficult with the eye to estimate its colossal proi^ortions, and it is only after observing attentively the vehicles and human figures cross- ing it, which look at a distance like iiies caught in the meshes of a spider's web, or larks fluttering in a net, that it is fully appreciated. By descending the bank on the Anglesea side the best near view is obtained ; here it is easy to approach the piers, and pass under the lofty stone arches ; and seen from this spot, the proportions are truly gigantic. By applying at the bridge- house on the same side, admission may be obtained to see the manner in which the chains pass through the rock and are made fast to it, at the end of a gallery 300 ft. long, by bolts of wrought iron passing be- hind a thick plate of cast iron. The vibration caused on the chains by the passage of a vehicle over the bridge produces a low hunnning sound. The masonry of the bridge is of a hard limestone, brought from Penmon in Anglesea. Beneath the bridge, close to one of the main piers, is a remarkable echo described by Sir John Herschel. Dimensions. — Length of the sus- pended portion from pier to pier 570 ft. ; total length of the roadway 1000 ft. ; height of the roadway above high- water mark 100 ft. ; height of the two main piers 15B ft. ; total length of each chain 1714 ft., or nearly one- third of a mile ; weight of each 121 tons ; total weight of ironwork 218G tons.* The annual average receipts from the tolls are 1500^., 26,570Z. having * There is a bridge at Freiburg in Switzer- land of iron wire, also passable lor carriages of all kinds, which is 325 ft. longer and 44 ft. tigher than this ov§r the Menai. been paid on the completion of the bridge for compensation to the owners of the Bangor ferry. On the Anglesea side is the pojiulous village oiLlandy- ' silio, inhabited for the main part by quarrymen who work in the slate- quarries of Llanberis. A character- istic little Anglesea ch. formerly stood on an island close to the shore, but, owing to the increased popula- tion, a larger though meaner edifice has been erected on the mainland. From the stat. at Menai Bridge the rly. descends by a gentle incline to the banks of the Menai, which is crossed by means of the Britannia Tubular Bridge, at once the most peculiar and wonderful bridge in the world. The difficulties, which ap- peared almost insurmoitntable, of furnishing any means by which a train could be taken across the Straits, were further augmented by the jealous requirements of the Admiralty, who rejected Stephenson's first design of a bridge of 2 cast-iron arches of 100 ft. in height, because the spring of each arch was only 50 ft. above the water. The project of an iron tubular bridge was, however, more favourably received, and a series of experiments was forthwith instituted by Stephenson, assisted by Messrs. Fairbairn, Hodgkinson, and Clark, to ascertain the comparative resisting properties of cast and wrought iron, as well as the form of tube which would be most serviceable. Circular, elliptical, and rectangular tubes were tried in turn, and the latter gained the day, their relative strength being expressed by the figures 13 : 15 : 21. The site of the bridge was chosen on account of the happy position of a rock in the middle of the straits, which it was at once seen would furnish the resting-place for one of the piers, which was forthwith com- menced in May 1846. The bridge is supported from shore to shore by very massive abutments, 2 land towers (1 on each side), and the centre or Britannia tower. The height of the 56 Jioute 7. — Britannia Tabular Bridge, N. Wales. latter is 230 ft., witli a width at the base of 62 by 52 ft., though ns it ascends it tapers awny to 55 by 45 ft. In it.s construction were used more than 148,000 cubic ft. of lime- stone, and H4.0U0 of sandstone, the total weight of wliich was 20,000 ton.s. The land towers are only 190 ft. high, and are connected with the abut- ments by tubes each 230 ft. long, t-ach tower being at a distance of 460 ft. from the central tower. The connection is maintained by 2 enor- mous rectangular galleries or tubes placed side by side to allow the passage of the up and down trains. The sides, top, and bottom of these galleries are composed of wrought- iron plates of ditierent length, width, and thickness, according t(» situation. They are joined together b)"" iron rivets, of which upwards of 2,000,000 were used. For the infor- mation of those who are fond of statistics, it may also be mentioned that the iron rods consumed in these rivets, when placed singly, were 12G miles in length. The plates are further strengthened by T-shaped irons at the joints, forming a complete pillar every 2 ft. Notwithstanding tlic flat and even appearance of the bridge, the upper surface forms a parabolic curve, while the l)ottom is straight, and the whole tube more- over diminishes gradually in height from the centre tower to the shore. A vfo-y peculiar feature in tlui construc- tion of the lube is the employment of series of cells at the top and bottom, ranged in holl(»w e(»nipartnients, and having a parallel direction to the long axis of the tube. There are 8 of these cells above and 6 bel« tw, and they have the effect of i)lacing tiu^ resist- ance of compression and expansion nearly in equililnium with each other. The dellection of the tubes from the passage of a train with 200 Ions of coals was oidy -j^ of an in., it b<-ing calculated that a dellection of l:> inches might be allowed in safi-ty. The tubes were constructed on vast timber platforms, erected by the shore at high-water mark, and the first was floated on June 19th, 1849, just 3 years after the foundation of tho central tower. The flotation was effected by the introduction of 8 pontoons under the jjlatform, which was thus towed away to its posi- tion at high tide by the application of enormous hawsers and capstans. When it arrived at its destination, with such nicety had the details been calculated, that the tube fitted into its place within f of an in. It was subsequently raised to its eleva- tion by an enormously powerful Bramah's hydraulic press jilaced in the central tower, which lifted it up at the rate of 6 ft. a day, the masonry l>eing regularly built up at the same rate to support its weight. The tubes are permanently fixed in the central tower, but at either end they travel on moveable iron rollers, so as to allow for the contraction and ex- pansion of the metal at different tem- peratures, the variation in length for summer and winter being estimated at 12 in. The lateral deflection of the tuljes at any time from gales of wind has never exceeded I of an in. Two colossal figures of lions couchant guard each entrance, and contrilnito to the simple majesty of the whole scene, for, althougli the bridge is un- questionably anything but elegant, nol)ody can view it without being powerfully imi)ressed with itsstrength and security, and witli the wonderftd genius and energy of its builders. Tlie following resume of statistics may be interesting to the tourist : — Rise and full of the tido . 20 ft. Vpli>city .... often 8i ni. an lir. Entiif longtli of briilgp . 1S33 ft. Lcnjjth I't uiIr's between land towers .... 2n0 ft. 1/onntli of main tulves . -JT'i ft. AVfiKhloflWiUnnia tower 20,(M)0 tons. Hciijlit 230 ft. Height of land towers . 190 ft. Amount of timber in i)lat- forms ro.ooo cnbic ft. "Wi-inht of tubes . . . lu.ooo tons. Nunilier of men employed 1,500 t'ostof bridge, more than 500,000f, N. Wales. Route 7. — Llanfair. — Anglesea Column. 57 Visitors are admitted to view the bridge on presenting a pass from the engineer at the station, tliongh not allowed to traverse it at all times on aoconnt of the danger from the passage of trains. A patliway leads from the Menai Bridge Stat, to the bridge. In the middle of the Straits is the small island of Gored Goeh, at which a fishery is carried on. « 63 m, Llanfair Stat. [Close to the water's edge, on the Anglesea side, is the pretty broach spire of Llanfair- pidl-y-gwngyll Ch., which, like many Anglesea chs., has been rebnilt. Tlie old ch. was remarkable for an apse which accommodated not only the altar, but also the pew of the clergy- man, whose family sat within the rails. In the ch.yard is a neat obelisk, erected in memory of the workmen Avho died during the i:)rogress of the bridge. Considering the hazardous nature of tiie employment, the num- 1ier of deaths by accident was re- markably small. On tlie eminence of Craig-y-dinas, on rt, of rly. and turnpike-road, is the Anglesea Column, 100 ft. high, which was erected to commemorate the military career of the late gallant Marquis of Anglesea, who after the battle of Waterloo went to " Eeview, rout, or play, With one foot in the grave." The column is crowned with a co- ' lossal statue in bronze by Noble, put up in the autumn of 1860. The visitor sliould ascend the rock (260 ft.) for the sake of the pano- rama, one of the finest in Wales ; below runs the strait, winding like a broad river, and along the horizon rises the majestic outline of the Welsh Alps, from Penmaen Mawr on the extreme 1. to Snowdon and his contiguous peaks on the rt. The pass of Nant Ffrancon, through which the Holy- head road passes to Slu-ewsbury, is dis- tinctly seen, and in front of it rises Penriiyn Castle. Many residences are scattered about on tlie banks of tlie Straits, which at this particular bend are richly wooded. Close to Llanfair Ch. is Plas Llanfair (Lord Clarence Paget), beyond whicii is the tiny port of Pwll-fanog. Next comes the cele- brated demesne of Flas Neioydd, the modern seat of the Marquis of Angle- sea, though no w tenanted by the Do wa- ger Lady Willoughljy de Broke. The situation of this mansion is all that can be desired, it being sheltered on every side, with the exception of the river front, by fine woods, ",the de- scendants of the ancient Llwyn Moel, one of the principal groves dedicated to Druidic worship." The number of cromlechs and early remains in this neighbourhood testify to the religious importance of this district. Plas Newydd is noted for having been the temporary residence of George IV., who paid a visit to the Marquis of Anglesea on his way to Ireland ; subsequently of her Majesty the Queen, who, as Princess Victoria, spent a summer here in 18P>2. Within the grounds are 2 cromlechs, the largest of which Avas until late years tlie most perfect in the principality, the top stone being 12 ft. long by 10 ft. broad. There are not less than 28 cromlechs still existing in different parts of the island, but this is probably the most j^erfect monument of the soi-t in Britain. At the back of Plas Newydd is Plas Gwyn, the birthplace of the Kev. H. Kowlands, author of ' Mona Antiqua.' It is now called Plas Llwynon (A. 0. Prettyman, Esq.). On the farm of Brijn Celliddu, a little to the N., is another very interesting cromlech or chamber, formerly surrounded by Carneddau, with which it was con- nected by means of a subterranean passage 18 ft. long. Many human bones were found here, which, on being touched, mouldered to dust. To the S. of Plas Newydd is Plas Cocli, a fine old Elizabethan house erected in the 16th cent, bv Hugli d3 " 58 Route 7 . — Llanedwen — Llanidan. N. Wales. Hughes, Attorney-Goncral. It is now the scat of "\V. B. Hughes, Esq., hitf ]M.P. for Caernarvon. The lauiily of Hughes has })een seated m Anglesea ever since tlie 12th cent. Llanechcen Cli. is prettily situated on ji hank sloping down to the water. A good ctfcct is produced in the eh.- vard by planting box round the graves. "Thewholo (»f the narrow earthen mound is covered with thickly-set ])ox-i)lants, which are allowed to grow, and arc trinuncd into a com- pact solid form, having the appear- ance, if it may he so termed, of a vege- table sarcophagus." From hence the tourist who does not wish to i)roceed to Llanidan may return to Gaerwen Stat. (3^ m.), or, if he prefer it, may cross the ferry at Moel-y-don to the little port of Dinorioig (Rte. 14\ on the opposite bank. Both this ferry and Forthamel, a spot a little lower down, have been the scene of great military events. At Moel-y-don part of Edward I.'s army crossed by a bridge of boats, and met with a severe defeat from the Welsh, in 1282 ; and at the latter place the lloman general Suetonius etfected a hmding a.d. GO by the same means. Tlie Druids fiercely ' disputed the attempt, and with sucli loss that a sjxjt bchvcen I'cnthamel and tla- river is still called Bryn Beddau or the Hill of (Iraves. The same passage was chosen a few years later ])y Agricola. The his- torian Tacitus gives a grai)hic ac- count of the engagement, which in factjirovcd tlie dealhblowto Druidic worsiiij) : " l'rajsi(Uunj iiu]t(isitinu vic- tis, excisiquc luci, srovis superstition- ibus sacri." 1 m. lower down is the village of JAan'idan, the ancient ch. of which formerly belonged 1o the Priory (»f ]Ji'ddgeU'rt. It unl'ortuuateiy having fallen into d(!Cay, a pretext was mad(^ for demolishing it altogether and l)uilding a new eh. at Jhyn Siencyu. This ])arish was ccleliralcd for its Maen Morddici/dd, or Thigh-stone, which was endowed with the mi- raculous property of always return- ing to the place from whence it was moved. Giraldus relates that a countrj-man, to try the jxjwers of the stone, fastened it to his thigh, Avhieh innnediately mortified, and the stoue returned to its original position. The (hstrict between Llanidan and the river Braint teems with early remains, all of which are described in Eowland's ' Mona'Antiqua,' though many have disappeared in the course of time. The principal of them are Caer-leh, thought to have been a Eoman stat., as a Koraan road has been at times exposed riiuning in a direction towards the Menai ; Trer Driio, or residence of the Arch-Druid, of wdiich some remains were visible in Pennant's time ; Brein-gwyn, a circular hollow, considered to have been the tribunal under the Druidic dispensation ; a large cromlech 9 ft. long by 7 broad at Ferthi-Duon ; a 2nd cromlech in good preservation at Bodoivyr ; semicircular dykes at Gwydryn and Castell Edris. All these spots are little more than a mile radius from Llanidan, and point out the extreme importance, both in a religious and military point of view, of this portion of Anglesea. In about 3 m. from Llanidan the pedes- trian can reach the Tal-y-foel ferry and cross to Caernarvon (^Kte. 14,.] [Llanfair Stat, is a convenient st;irt- ing-point, for tliose who do not drive from Bangor or Beatnnari.'^, to Penmy- nydd Ch., 3 m., siluatid at the head of the valley of the Braint. It is a j)lain buildingof till' 15th cent., and is chielly rcmarkaltle for containing (in the nave cliai>eh) an elalK>rate ala- baster tomb of a knight and lady, which, tradition states, Kdonged to one of the Tudor family, who had patrimonial estates in this part of the country. It is alst> Siiid to have been lirought from Ijlanfaes after tlu^ spoliation. Her Majesty gave .50/. towards the removal of tlie monu- ment, which was getting sadly nm- N. Wales. Route 7. — Aherfraw. — Liang adwdladwr, 59 tilated, " as the parishioners had long been accustomed to chip off portions of tlie alabaster, and grind them into powder for medicinal puriDoses." From hence it is 2^ m. to Pentraeth. 1 m. 1. is Llanffinan Ch., a modern psendo-Norm. building, in a very picturesque situation. Close by is Flas Fenmynydd, an ancient house of the date of 1370, the birth- place of Owen Tudor, the husband of Catherine of France, widow of Henry V. and Queen Dowager of England.] 66 m. Gaerwen Junct. (Rte. 9), The great Holyhead road runs from the Tubular Bridge almost side by side with the rly., from which it diverges a little before reaching this stat. 69 m. 1. the graceful spire of the modern ch. of Llangaffo, built in 1845, In the parish are slight re- mains of Bodwyr, an old house of the 16th cent. The traveller by rail or road will be struck with the magnificent views of the Snowdonian Mountains, termi- nating in the W. with the abrujit pre- cipices of Yr Eifl Mountains. As the Holyhead side of Anglesea is approached, the appearance of their isolated summits are like clouds in the horizon. At 71 m. the rly. is crossed by a viaduct over the em- banked tidal river of the Mcdldraeth, having on 1. Bodorgan, the seat of F. 0. Meyrick, Esq. 72J m. Bodorgan Stat, f the nearest point for visiting Aberfraw, New- borough, and from thence across the ferry to Caernarvon. Close to the stat. 1. is Llyn Coron, of considerable size, and affording good fishing. From it issues the little river Fraw, which falls into the sea at Aherfraio, 2h m. 1., now a paltry village, but at one time celebrated for being the royal re- sidence of Koderic the Great, a.d. 870, and subsequently of Llewelyn, who had a palace here at the time of his deatli, 1282. The sands have so completely overwhelmed the neigh- bourhood, that no traces of these buildings now exist. The ch., which has been restored, has 2 aisles, and contains an interesting doorway of the 12th cent, in the S. aisle. The font is of the 14th cent. The Frlnce Llewelyn is a comfortable inn, and good head-quarters for anglers in Llyn Coron. Aberfraw was the birthplace of Walter Stewart, ac- cording to Rowlands, the ancestor of the royal house of Stuart. From hence the tourist may extend his walk to the singular E. Perp. ch. of Llangioyfan. It is situated on a small island (which the sea is fast demolishing), connected with the mainland merely by a narrow causeway, which is so frequently flooded as to render the performance of service impossible. In former times "the service was adapted to the state of the tide ; and when the wind blows briskly in the same di- rection the tide will set in earlier than expected, causing an indecorous breaking up of the devotions of the congregation," 2 m, from Aberfraw and f m. 1. of Bodorgan Stat, is the Early Perp. ch, of Llangadivaladiin; consisting of nave and chancel with N. and S. chapels attached, the latter erected in 16G0. On the lintel of the S. doorway of the nave is an inscribed stone of the 7th cent., which has been thus deciphered, "Catamanus Eex Sapientissimus opinatissimus omnium regum." It boasts a pecu- liarly beautiful stained-glass window, a long account of which is given by Browne Willis in his history of Bangor Cathedral. It is of 3 lights, and contains the following subjects : — In the centre the Crucifixion, and a figure in royal robes, suj^posed to be King David. In the N. light the Virgin Mary. In the lower comj^art- ment Llewelyn and his wife. In the S. light St. John ; and below is Meyrick ap Llewelyn and his wife. CO Route 7. — Newhorough. — Valley. N. Wales. The wliolo Avindow has been wcW ' restored by Wilnieshuist. In tlie N. ; or Boilorgan cliupel a good nicinoriul , Avindow lias been i)iit up by Mr. Mey- riek to the iiuiiK^ry ol' his parents. ' 1 ni. rt. is B()dorearance of the jiosts, as they mount up the steep sides of the hill, is very singular. As might bo sup- posed, a magiiiticent j)anorama is visilile from tlu* station, which, if needs be, is exti'uded by the teles- cope of the keeper. To the W., in clear weather, tlie Irish coast and the Wieklow mountains are plainlv visi- bl(>. To the S. the whole uf tlu" Holyliead island and a laige part of Anglisea are spread (tut, backed up in the distance by the Alpine mnges N. Wales. Route 7. — Holyhead — The Stacks. 63 of Snowdonia. To the N.E. are the Skerries Islands, upon which is a liglithouse 117 ft. ahove high- water, showing a steady bright ligTit. The dues received here were so large that the Trinity Board wore compelled to give the owner, M. Jones, Esq., 450,000Z. as compensation for taking the light into their own hands. The rock-scenery at this part of the coast is of the highest grandeur. Just underneath the signal-station are the Ynys Arte, or North Stacks, which are hollowed out into successive caverns by the action of the sea. The largest of them is called the Parliament House, from the noise made by the birds on entering. Th ese caves are, of course, inaccessible to the tourist, except by making a boat- ing excursion from Holyhead at half ebb in very calm weather. From the signal-station a short but steep climb leads to the summit of the Holyhead mountain, or Caer Gyhi, 709 ft. As its name implies, this was a military station, and traces of fortification still remain, together with a rudely-built circular tower, supposed to have answered the purpose of a pharos or watch-tower. Spear-heads and bronze rings have been dug up in the neighboiTrhood at diiferent times, and a gold coin was exhumed at Capel Llochimjd, where a chapel or oratory once existed, though nothing- is left to mark the site. 1 m. to the S.W. is the Soulli StacJc, famous for its magnificent rock-scenery and the lighthouse with which the island is crowned. In the preci- pitous face of tlie cliffs of the mainland 380 steps, known as the Stairs, are cut, at the end of which the path is carried across a fearful chasm by means of a chain suspen- sion-bridge, which, from its light and airy construction, appears as though a thread of gossamer were thrown across. Previous to the erection of this bridge the risk of crossing must have been fearfully groat, as at first the only communi- cation was by means of a rope bridge. The clean white buildings attached to the lighthouse are almost a jDlea- sant relief to the eye on emerging from between these walls of clift'. The lighthouse was erected in 1809. It is 212 ft. above high water, and bears a revolving white light, showing a full one every 2 minutes. The sea is awful here in S.W. gales, fre- quently dashing over the whole rock arid the dwellings of the keepers. There is a passage between the rock and the main, but so narrow that un- less the water is perfectly smooth an experienced navigator might hesitate to attempt it, even in a boat ; and yet through this channel, flanked and fringed as it is with bristling rocks, starting like sharks' teeth from its yawning sides, a large cutter, one of the post-oftice packets conveying the mail from Dublin to the Head, passed in a heavy sea some 60 years ago. The S. Stack, like the N., is also perforated by vast caverns, which the sea has worn out of the chloritic schists, in which the geologist should notice the extraordinary contorted flexures. " The schists of Anglesea are simply an altered portion of the same slates and grits Avhich consti- tute the base of the Silurian series of deposits in the adjacent counties of Caernarvon and Merioneth. In other words, they have been altered into chlorite and mica schists, and in other spots into quartz rock, accom- panied by flexures of the beds," — Siluria. Another singular feature in these rocks is the innumerable quantities of sea-birds — gulls, guille- mots, razor-bills, cormorants, and even peregrine falcons — which breed here without fear or restraint, as they are not allowed to be shot, on ac- count of the services that they render to vessels in foggy weather by sur- rounding them with loud cries im- mediately a gun is fired. If it is early in the season it is a very sin- gular sight to look over the sides of tlie Stairs and watch the long rows G4 Eoufe 8. — Menai Bridge to Beaumaris. X. AVale of young birds, unable to fl}-, pcrclied on the narrow ledges. As the eye gets accustomed to the rock, you can see thousands of lledglings at dilfrreut levels, like Yiitlv. white specks, which l)ut for their move- ments might he taken for stains on the rock. They are said to retain their position on these ledges by means of a gummy secretion. As regards the migration of the gulls, " it is positively asserted by the light- keepers, as an extraordinary fact, that they will return to the S. .Stack during the same night on or about the lUth of February, and retire, with the ex- ception of tliose that, having been rol>be(l on tlie main, had resorted to the island to renew their labours of incubation, about the night of the 12th of August. The keepers state that in the middle of tlie former night they are warned of their arri- val by a great noise, as it were a mutual greeting and cheering, adding that they look to their return as that of so many old acquaintances after a long absence, announcing the winter to be over and spring api)roaching." — Stauh'ij. Until forbidden of late years, an adventiu'ous trade was Ibl- lowed of i»rocuring the eggs of the birds from the elitfs. "A strong shike was driven into the ground at some distance from llie edge of tlu' precipice, to which a rope sutticiently long was attaclied. Fastening the other end round his middle, taking the coil upon his anu, and laying hold with ))()tli liis hands, the man throws himself over the elitis, placing his feet against the sides and eon- stantly shitting his hands. He thus descends to tiie abode of the birds and secures the contents." — Nichol- son. From the Stacks a good road leareserves some good features, particularly the ceiling of the hall. An inscription below one of the upper windows records — ■> '< " If God be for us, who can be against us ? ' Two rooms — one a joiner's shop, the other a bakehouse— have handsome ceilings ; and in an upper apartment is the coat-of-arms of a lord-deputy of Ii'eland, who was there entertained on his way through Beaumaris. Eem- nants of ancient woodwork may bo found upon one of the outer staircases. In the grounds of Baron Hill is the colRu-lid and bust of the Princess Joan (of the date of the IBth cent.), l)rought here from the adjacent priory of Llanfaes, of which her husband Llewelyn ap lorwerth was the founder. Prc^vious to its removal to its i)resent situation it served as a watering-trough. In the wood above the Garth road, formerly " Cerrig-gwyddel wood," are many traces of that ancient ]ieople whom the Cjnnry are believed to have driven out before them. Conveyances. — Daily to Menai Bridge (Ij m.) and Bangor. Steamer to Liverpool, cidling olf Ijlandudno. iJUtauces. — Bangor, by C Jar (h Ferry 3 m., by road 8 ; Tubular Bridge and lilanfair Ch., 15 ; Penmon Priory, 4i; Pullin Island. ^ ; Pentraeth, f) ; MoellVe Bay, 12 ; Penmynydd, Ih. [The road to Penmt)n skirls tlu^ sea-side for a gnater juirt of the way ; 1 m. 1. the Friars, a house be- lon;^^ing to Sir Iv. Williams Bnlkeley. Near it are the rvwvd'mi^ oi' Llanfaes N. Wales. Route 8. — Llanfaes Friary. 67 Friary, a religious lioyse of some importance, founded by Llewelyn previous to the building of Beau- maris. What appears to have been the conventual ch, is now used as a stable, which displays some lancet windows of the 13th cent. In build- ing the present stables a large quantity of human bones were dug out. From the cellars of the mansion, leading towards the shore, and inclin- ing towards the site of a former farm called "Friar's Back," is a curious subterranean passage, wide and high enough for a man to walk upright along it for about 40 yards. It then gradually slopes to a lower level, and the bottom becomes filled with sand and gravel, carried down by a little rivulet rising under the mountains. The passage is of masonry, arched and flagged at the top, and is remarkably sweet and clean ; a cir- cumstance the more remarkable, as the stream only finds its exit at the lower end, bubbling up like a spring. Llanfaes was occupied by Franciscan monks, a somewhat unusual circum- stance, as this house with others at Caermarthen and Cardiff were the only friars of this order in Wales. Le- land mentions it as " Llanvaes coeno- bium fratrum minorum." The 4 monuments described under the heads of Beaumaris, Penmynydd, Llande- gai, and Llanbeblig, were all said to have been carried off frftm this friary at the spoliation, when it passed into the hands of the Whyte family. It is stated that the monastery suffered great damages during the wars of Owain Glyndwr. Its etymology was probably Llan Maes, " the ch. of the battle-field," a bloody engagement having been fought here between the Welsh and Saxons under Egbert. It is said that even now the sea, which is gaining on this portion of the coast, frequently washes out bones and skulls from the face of the cliff. The ch., which has a broach spire, was rebuilt in the Dec. style in 1845, replacing one of the 14th cent. Inside are armorial bearings of the Whyte family, the former owners of the estate. The old mansion of the Whytes of Friars has been recently pulled down, and a similar fate attended that of the Hamptons of Henllys, " the old palace," but in this case a new and handsome house has been built, and is now the seat of Capt. Lewis Hamp- ton. Here are preserved many objects of antiquity, including a bedstead tliat formerly belonged to Owen Tudor. William Hampton, of Hen- llys, was one of the first corporation of Beaumaris appointed by the charter of Elizabeth in 1563. 2 m. rt. near the shore is TreW- castell, a lately built house, incorpo- rated with an old mansion of the time of Edward I., which was said to have been one of the principal seats of the Tudor family in Anglesea. Sir Tudor ap Gronwy, ou being questioned by the king as to his right of assuming the rank of knight- hood, defended his claim on the grounds that he was a gentleman, had an ample fortune, and would fight any man who questioned his right. It is mentioned that the cellars of this mansion were famous for their stock of metheglin, which was regularly supi^lied to Queen Elizabeth, a descendant of this family. 3 m. 1. Tros-yr-Afon (E. Williams, Esq.) ; and on the summit of a densely overgrown bank opposite is Castle Lleiniog, a square fort with a circular tower at each corner, founded by Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester, and Hugh Earl of Shrewsbury, in 1098, when they invaded Anglesea and overran the country. From hence a rather bad road runs close to the water's edge, and passes the mountain limestone quarries which furnished the stone for the Britannia Bridge, to 4-| Penmon Priory, By following the coast the 08 Boute 8. — Penmon Priory. — Puffin Island. K. Wales. pedestrian will cut off a mile, Pen- raon, for the beauty of its situation and its architectural features, is a very interestincf spot. A relij^ious establishment was fomided here ' IVn- mon signifies the head of Mona) as early as the 6th cent, by Ehiion Frenhin, who placed over it his brother Seiriol, after whom Ynys Seiriol or Puflin Island was named. Tlie ecclesiastics of this establish- ment were of the order of St, Au- e^ustine. The conventual ch,, which had fallen into c^reat neglect (the N, transept, which had been used as a sheepfold, having entirely disap- peared), was restored in 1854 in the most simple and judicious manner. It is a cruciform c-h., as the missing N, transept has been rebuilt. The general style is Norm., witli the ex- ception of the chancel, which is of the early part of the 15th cent,, a very prevalent feature throughout Anglcsea. Notice the Nonn. arcades in tlie transe})t, tliose on tlie W. side being on a higher elevation than those on the E. ; also the deeply recessed windows of the nave, and beautifully sculptured arch with Norm, mouldings. In the excava- tions for tlie restoration a curious enanu'llcd jdate of Limoges work of the 13tli cent, was found, A cloister is suj)j)o.sed to have led on the N. Hide of the ch. to the holy well, though the Rev. H. L. Jones con- jectures that it might luive been formed by overhanging limestone clili's. Over the doorway leading out of the ch, is a curious figure of a dnigon with Ik iid recurved, mouth open, and tail twisted over the back. A similar curving appears on one of the pinnacles of Holyhead ch., and is bcdievfd to be a bailge of IMaclgwyn (Jwynedd, It is remarkable that thesf; symbols bear a very strong resend)lan('C to the Salamander of Francis 1., so conspicuous about tlic (Jliateau do Blois. At rt, angles to the ch. is a farm-house, forTiinly llic prior's residence, to whieli llir ruin- ous buildings of the refectory are attached. On a bank opposite the ch, is the ancient pigeon-house, with a singular domical roof of the time of Henry VIII, There is a very graceful and peculiar cross on the hill above covered with zigzag ornaments. The compartments represent the mockery of our Saviour by the soldiers, who arc; depicted with the heads of beasts. Crossing the down on rt. the tourist will descend oppo.site the Lightliouse, erected in 1838. It is approached from the shore by au iron bridge, and it is said contains more courses of masonry under water than even the Eddystone. He may then visit Puj^n Island, otherwise Ynys Seiriol and Priestholm. Pro- bably the first ecclesia.stical esta- blishment was on this island, and was removed to Penmon when it became of more importance. There still exists an ol)long tower 40 ft, in height, with a low conical roof similar to the on(^ at Penmon. of which it was veiy likely a counter- part. Here are also fragments of l)uildings, and fissures in the lime- stone which served as places of burial, "The ch, on Ynys Seiriol was smaller than that on the main- land of Penmon, and was no doubt intended to accommodate only such of tlie monastic brethren as came hither for more perfect seclusion or for those customary retirements from the world, adoi)trd in religious times." Giral- dus Cambrensis mentions a curious legend, that the ishind was invariably overrun ..with miee whenever the monks began to disagree. Even now it is said to l)e imduly infested with the large Norwegian rat, which, together with j)ufHns. ralibits innume- rable, and the signal-station keeper, lorm Die only ]ioitulation. 'i'radition a.ssi-rts lliat a sarn or ancient cause- way exists between PulUu Lsland and ed cvlidoki lACiT siccvNDO. lu tlic neighl)our- hood are llie residences of iV/irra/j/ and llirdrcfaig (J. Priestli'v, Ksq.). I ni. from Llangefni is the old mansion of Tregarncdd, of the time of Henry \'I I., iiuw a farm-honse. on the sife of till' n sidenee of Ivlnyfed Vyehan, the friend and minister of Llewelyn the Great in the 13tli cent. From him was de«cemled Owen Tudor in a K. Wales. Route 0. — LlaneYciiyiMdd. — Parya Mountain. n direct line. Here was also l)orn Sir Grufydd Llwyd, the grandson of Ednyfed, who was knighted for In-inging tidings to the king of the birth of his son at Caernarvon. He snbscqnently sustained a siege in liis fortified mansion of Tregarnedd, but was eventually taken and executed at Khyddlan Castle, The ch. of Hen EglioySt 2 m., re- built in 1845, contains an inscribed stone, and a good font of the lltli cent. Distances. — -Gaerwen, 4 1 m. ; Llan- evchymedd, 7 ; Penmynydd, 4. Tlie rly. now proceeds along the banks of the Cofni through an unin- teresting country to 7 m. LlangiviUog Stat., on rt. of which is Tregaian, remarkable for being the birthplace of William ap Howell ap Jorwerth, an " old Parr " of the 16th cent., who died at the age of 105, leaving beliind him 43 children. 11 m. Llanerchymedd Stat. {Inn: Bull's Head). The ch. of Llanerchymedd has been restored in good taste ; its prin- cipal feature is tlie tower, which has a deep military-looking parapet, si- milar to those of the Pembrokeshire churches. The bell-gable is curiously formed in the E, parapet. The town itself is famous for nothing but its cattle fairs and Welsh snuif in humble imitation of Lundyfoot. [3 m. W. is the little Perp. single-aisled ch. of Llanfihcmgel Tre'r Beirdd. There is an early cross in the ch.yard. From hence it is from 4 to 5 m. to Moelfre Bay.] 12 m. rt. Llwydi'arth, the beauti- fully wooded demesne of the Lloyd family. In the grounds is a famous Maen Chwyf or rocking stone, called locally Arthur's Quoit. To the 1. of Ehosgoch Stat., 14| m.,|nie rugged eminence of Parijs M6untain, the highest hill in Anglesea, and famous for many years for the inex- haustible stores of copper extracted from it. From the traces of old workings, and the fact that a cake of copper was discovered in the neigh- bourliood marked with a Roman stamp, it is probable that a search for minerals had been systematically entered into by that nation. Tlie modern history of these mines, how- ever, does not commence until 1762/ when Sir Nicholas Bayley, father oT the 1st Marquis of Anglesea, began to work them in conjunction with the Rev. E. Hughes, father of the late Lord Dinorben. For some time ill- success attended their efibrts, and they were on the point of giving up the undertaking, when on a final experiment a vein of copper of enormous thickness and value was struck on the 2nd of March, 1708, which has ever since been the " saint's day " of the miners. From this vein the proprietors are said to have shipped 20,000 tons of copper an- nually. Subsequently to this period the work began to flag, and the re- turns dwindled down almost to nil ; Init mining speculation, which has l)een so rife within the last few years» has again been attracted to this mountain, fro]u the 2 mines of which (the Mona and Parys mines) 9370 tons of ore were extracted in 1858, yielding 450 tons of fine copper. The Mona mine on the E. side of the mountain is worked by the trustees of the Anglesea jDroperty, and the Parys mine is in the hands of Lady Dinorben and Messrs. Taylor. The appearance of the excavations on the hill-side are very striking and even pictiuresque, from the extraordinary manner in which the cojiper has been extracted opencast as from a quarry. Besides the portion of ore derived by picking and blasting, a considerable quantity of copper is ob- tained from the waler used in washing it, as well as from that which per- colates through the beds of rock. The copper dissolved and suspended in it, in the state of a sulphate, is obtaiuecl n BoiUe 9. — Amlwch. — Llattfechell. S. Waliis. ])y stooping old iron in the liquor ; the copper is quickly deposited in thick incrustations upon the iron, and in process of time dissolves it, so that a mass of copper takes the place of the iron. The cojjper falls to the bottom of the tanks in which the procc^^s is carried on, and, when a sufficient quantity is deposited, it is raked out in the form of green mud, drieil, and tlien smelted. One ton of iron thus immersed will produce two of copper mud : and the metal obtained from it is more easily smelted, and is of a l)etter quality, than that obtained from tlie solid sulpliatc of copper. In addition to copper, the mountain yields lead, silver-ore, zinc, ahmi, and suli)hur. From Parys a descent of 2h m. !)rings the tourist to 17| m. Amlicch (Rte. 8) {Hotels : Castle, and Dinorben Arms, a dirty though busy seaport ;} ; iMenai Dridgc, IS; iJeaumaris, 17 Mhrough IJanallgoj ; I-ilangefni, 1:5; Gacrwcii, 17. A steamer occasionally calls from Liverpool and Holyhead. Notwith- Btanding the uiqjrcpossessing ap- pearance of Andwch itself, a very pleasant little wutering-place has been set on foot at Bull Boij, 1 m. distant. A good hotel and bathing establishment have been erected, and doubtless the pure air and fine sands will ere long attract its regular quota of visitors. [An excursion should be made from Amlwch to tlie village of Llan- elian, 2 m. to the E. Adjoining the ch. is St. Elian's Chapel, in which is an old wooden altiir of the loth cent, fixed against the wall. " During the wake all the i>eople enter this box : and should they get in and out with ease, having turned round in it o tunes, they believe that they will live to the end of the year at least ; but if their dimensions be too large, they give themselves x\]} as lost." — Nicltolson. The Well of Elian, formerly much visited by pilgrims, is now nearly dried up. About 4 m. from the village is Foint xElUums, eonnnonly called Point Lynas, upon which arc a light- house and a signal-station, which, previous to the new arrangement by electric telegraph, communicated by semaphore with H(dyhead and Puffin Island. From Llanelian the tourist may proceed to IJanwen- llwyfo (3 m.), and so on to Beau- maris.] [Another excursion can bo made on the W. to Llanferhell through Cemmaes ' G to 7 m.\ the principal in- ducements being the beautiful coast- views, and an unusual number of early stones and crondechs. About 1 m. N. of Cennnaes, where there are a small pier and wharf, is Llanhadricj ch., situated on a precii)itous cliff overlooking the sea. It is said to have been foundeil l»y St. Patrick on his way to Ireland. Not far from the ch. is Lhtn-Ui'iann, where slight ruins of a cha])el slill exist. It is believed to have l)een the retreat of a recluse nun. LhvifcrheU is an im- l)ortant little \illage, owing to the (piarrying in the parish of a iieculiarly K. Wales. Route 10. — Chester td Ruthin. 73 rich ore of serpentine marble, known as vercl antique, and considered by statuaries of high value. A cromlech and several meini-hirion are to be found in the neighbourhood.] EOUTE 10. CHESTER TO RUTHIN, PA' MOLD. For the first 3 m. the Chester and Holyhead Kailway is travelled upon, the Mold line diverging to the 1. opposite Sealand Mill. 5 m. Broiigh- ton Stat. On rt., close to the rly., is Broughton Hall, and 2 m. rt. the castle and wooded demesne of Ha- warden (Sir Stephen Glynne) (Rte. 4 ). The level country soon begins to disappear, and the increasing gra- dients of the line show that we are fast approaching the hill districts. 9 m. Hope Junct. [from whence a rly. runs to the mining district of Buckley (Rte. 4) to the N., and on the S. to Wrexham, passing IJ m. rt. the village of Ho^e, formerly a place of some importance, to which Edward the Black Prince granted a charter. In the cli., close to which runs Offa's Dyke, is a monument to Sir John Trevor of Plasteg, Comptroller of the Navy in the time of Elizabeth. 2 m. Caergwrle Stat, (the camp of the giant Legion). Since the \_N. Wales.'] time of Camden several remains have been brought to light, as a hypocaust, inscribed tiles, bricks, and large beds of iron scoria?, at Caer Estyn, all which facts tend to the supposition that Caergwrle was a subsidiary garrison to the main post at Chester. A small portion only of tlie castle remains on a Avell-chosen site — an isolated rock with a pre- cipitous escarpment. Prince Davydd, the brother of Llewelyn, obtained a grant of it from Edward I., but, on throwing otf the yoke of allegiance and rebelling against the king, the castle was taken by siege and the grant recalled. Queen Eleanor is said to have lodged here on her way to Caernarvon, on which occasion the building took fire and was partially consumed. On the opposite eminence is the British post of Caer Estyn, l)eneath which the Alyn flows towards Gresford (Rte. 1) through a narrow and romantic ]-avine. Near the castle is Brynyorlun, an old mansion said to have been built from designs by Inigo Jones. 3i m. Cefn-y-hedd Stat. 5i m. Gwersylt Stat., close to which is Gioersylt Hall (M. Humble, Esq.), occupying the site of an ancient house, burnt down in 1788, and noted for being the residence of Col. Shakerley, a distinguished royalist commander in the time of Charles I. He is said to have crossed 'the Dee in a tub, that he might make a short cut with a despatch to the king, who lay with his army at Rowton Heath. Near this house is a curious petrify- ing spring in the bed of the river. 7 m. Wrexham (Rte. 1)]. 101 ^Yi. Padcsicood Stat., from whence a branch rly. for minerals, 2^ m. in length, rims to the Coed Talwn Ironworks on 1. li m. 1. is Hartsheath (Wilson Jones, Esq.", once the residence of Col. Wardle, who gained such noto- riety in the inquiry that was held on £ Jiouie 10.— Mold. K. Walks* the conduct of Ihc Duke of York and Mrs. Clarke. On the oppo,sitc bank of tlic Alyu is ridi^-tiy, the seat of C. Trevor Ivoper, K.s(]., Iniilt also hy Inii>:o Jones for Sir John Trevor in IGIO. i H- ni. IJonfj Stat. On 1, are the beautiful ■wood.sand mansion of Z/ce?- n-ood JTall J. W. Eyton, Esq. ). The luuabcr of collieries that now come into view sufticiently i)rove to the visitor that he has arrived at the very heart of the eoal district of Flint.^hire, ofwliiehthe llourisliing little town oi Mold (13m.) is the capital {Hotel: Black Lion). It mainly consists of 4 lon;^ streets at right anp^les to each other, possessing no building of any interest save the cli., which has of late years been restored in such a manner as to make it one of the most perfect chs. in AVales. The main body Avas buiH in the latter ]>art of the loth cent., though the S. aisle and the tower were subsequently added. A chancel has been throAvn out by ]Mr. Scott in his restoration, Avhicli cost 20007. The stained glass is un- usually rich and varied. Wilson the painter was buried here. There is also a 'monumental statue to Mr. Kobert Davies of Llanerch, and a singulai' epitaph on the late Dr. "Wynn of Tower. At the top of the town is an eminence called the Bdilcy I J ill, but in old records IMons Altus, Monthault, IMohaud, whence by further corruption comes the name of INIold ; on the simnnit once stood a strong fortress, taken by storm by Owain (Jwyneild in 1144, and again in I'.Vl'l by Sir Grnlydd Llwyd, who had risen in arms against the English. Not )iiany years ago several skeletons were discovered here, supposed to be of those who had falli'U in this aftVay. 1 m. to IheW. isas])ot called M(ies-i/-f](ir))inii, or the Held of ( Jeriiiiinus, the scene of another l)attle in tiie .'"•tii cent., when the ]{riions inider (icrnianus gained the "Victoria Alleluiatica " against tlie Saxons and Picts, " On the appearance of the enemy, the Christian band, having l»een pre- viously instructed by their leadei-, dashed forward with a loud shout of Alleluia, which so frightened the Pagans, that they fled and were put to the rout with great slaughter." A stone column was erected here in 173G to connncjnorate the event. Close by is J2/mo/, an old gable house of the 17th cent., l)elonging to the Grittith familv, Init now the residence of Col. riiiliips. A shire-hall for the service of assizes and quarter sessions, which are held at Mold, was built some years ago in this town. li m. S. of the town is the curious residence of Tower, the main feature of which, as its name implies, is a tall machicolated and finlxittled tower of the early part of the 15th cent., on one side of which is a dwell- ing-house of the time of Queen Anne. In the interior a circular turret staircase at the S.E. angle leads to the roof, and it has o doors within corres]ioiiding to thcditFerent stories. The battlements have loopholes of equal-armed crosses. This tower was noted for a tragical occurrence in 140."), when liein:dt ap Grylydd ap Bleddyn hung Ivobert Bryne, the jMayor of Chester, from a staple in the wall, completing his crimes by fastening the men who had been sent to seize him inside the building, which he then set on fire. In Ten- nant's time this residence l)elonged to the Wynnes, from whom it de- scended to the Eytons. 1 m. S. is Nerqiiis Hall (Iiev. Lloyd Wynne\ Imilt by an ancestor in 1G38. Tjaige ex])eriments in ])lanliiig were successfully tried not far from hence by the late Dr. Thackeray of Ches- ter, by whom many acres l)ctwceu this and I'uthin were covered Avith dilfi-rent kinds of trees, thus in- creasing the value of the ground to a great extent. 'Kail to Chester, 13 m. K. Wales. Rouie 10. — Nannerch. — Caerwyi-. n Distances. — Nortliop, Sm. ; Kiitliin, 10; Caerwys, 10^. Denbigh, 17; Flint, 7 ; Cilcain, 4. [A short route may be followed to Denbio:h through Bodfari, traversing a thinly-inhabited district of con- siderable beauty. 1 m. rt. a road leads to Northop, 3 ni., passing the demesne of Soucjldon (J. S. Baukes, Esq.). The house is of curious architecture, altered on the model of a Portuguese convent by a former proprietor, a great travel- ler, part of wliose voyages are related in the book called ' Memoirs of Gio- vanni Finati.' On rt. is Llwijnegrijn (H. Eaikes, Esq.). Near the cotton-mill the road crosses the Alyn, the course of which is followed for about 3 m. 2 m. rt. Gvnjsaney (P. Cooke, Esq.). On the opposite side of the stream is the once productive lead-mine of Llyn-y-pandu, from which a large quantity of ore has been extracted. 4 m. rt. is the rich mining district of Halkin Mountain, at the S. end of which is Moel-y-gaer Camp (Ete. 2). At Hesp Alyn, a little to the S., the Alyn, which makes a sudden turn upon itself, has an underground course for some distance, thus prettily al- luded to by Drayton : — " Then Alen makes approache — who, earnest to he there, For haste twice under earth her crystall heade doth ruune." 4^ m. 1. Ffijnnon-llcinir, the flowing wellj was remarkable in Camden's time for possessing a regular ebb and flow. The valley of the Churler, through which the road runs to Nan- nerchj is singularly romantic. 6 m. 1. Penheclw Hall (W. Bud- dicom, Esq.) contains in the grounds a circle and a tumulus. The house was formerly noted for its ancient library and collection of illuminated books. A grant was made of this estate to the Mostyn family by Henry VIII. Not for from this place is the second division of the water- shed which occurs in Flintshire, the waters falling one way to the Clwyd and the other to the Dee ; the other has been mentioned (p. 17) near Bet- tisficld, where the division is between the Dee and the Severn. TheClwydian rangeof hills, which have bounded the horizon to the W., now rise up very steeply to the 1. The point a little S.W. of Penbedw is Moel Arthur, a strong British post, defended by 2 ditches of great depth. This range is a marked feature in the physical geography of N. Wales, and runs nearly due N. and S. from Dyserth to Llandegla below Ruthin, without a single break occurring. Advantage was taken of this chain in early times by the Ordovices to jDrotect themselves against the incursions of the Romans. On almost every one of the highest points a strongly fortilied post was planted. They have been minutely investigated by W. W. Ffoulkes, Esq., Avhose interesting de- scription may be consulted in the Archaiologia Cambrensis. 7 m. Nannerch. The eh. contains a monument to Charlotte, wife of R. Mostyn, Esq., of Penbedw, and grand-daughter of Sir Kenelm Digby. 8J m. rt. is the little mountain ch. of Ysceifiog. At Oj m. rt. a road branches oft' 1 m. to Caerivys, a place formerly of importance, and the probable site of a Roman sta- tion. This iraiDression is favoured by the arrangement of the streets, which cross each other at rt. angles, in a similar fashion to that of the Roman station at Caer- went in Monmouthshire. Caerwys was celebrated for being the cradle of Eisteddfoddiau, or festivals of bards and minstrels, which were held here bv royal commissions of Edward I., Henry VIII., and Elizabeth. In later times it was the county town, the assizes being lield here until their removal to Flint. With the excep- E 2 76 Isolde 10. — Bodfari. — CiJcain. K. Wai.es. tion of the scenery of the neigh- j liourhood, which is divcrsiticfl and ! pretty, Cacrwys contains nothing of, inteies^t. Great cattle-tair.s are peri- ' odieally liekl liere, well worth a visit from any tourist ])assing tlirough the country, as lie will see grouped toge- ther no ineonsidora])k> nunilier of tlie peo])le of AValcs intent on those pas- toral jwrsnits whicli liave distin- guished tlieni from time inunemorial. He may also obtain in the neighbour- hood his first sight of the peaks of tlie Caernarvonshire hills. Distances. — IMold, lOj m. ; Holy- well, 5 ; Denbigh, 7.^. lOJ m. rt. Maesmi/nan (J. Webster, Esq.\ fit the entrance of a very ro- mantic dingle. At Four Crosses, 11 m., the road is carried over high ground to cross the Clwydian chain between the heights of Penymynydd and Moel-v- Pare. 13 m. Bodfari, supposed to have been the Varis of Richard of Ciren- cester, is a remarkably pleasant little fishing village overlooking the Clwyd at its junction with the Wheeler or Chwiler. Above it is Moel-ij-cjam, another early fortified post. From JJodfari it is 1 m. to the Dhiorl)cn Arms, and 4 to Denbigh J For the first 2 m. from IMold to Ruthin the country is bleak and barren, like }uost districts of the millstone grit formation. Every now and then magnifieentviewsare gained of the Clwydian range, cimspicuous in which is the lolty IMoel Fammau (J 845 ft. , once rendered even more BO by the Jubilee Column which fMownod tlio summit, but wliidi was blown down in the great storm of 1802, and now lies in ruins. lij.^ m. a .it(H'p liill descends lo the valley of the Alyn, wliieh wiiuls through a sweetly ])retty glen. On 1. is Coloviemh/ 'C-.^A. IJryan Cooke . At the bottom of tlie liill i^ an olil- fashioned roadside inn bearing the singular sign of the Logqerheads, and the inscription "We v> ix)ggerheads be." Should the int]niring traveller seek to know why only 2 are visible on the signlK)ard, the landlord will speedily let him into the .secret as to who is the 3rd. This sign wa« jiainted by Wilson, a native of this eounty, who lies buried in Mold clnnch. Near Colomendy Lodge is 3Tuen Arthur, a stone supposed to bear the impression of a horse's hoof 'IGh m. 1. Glanrafon (H. Potts, Ks(|. ', overlooking the steep and wooded banks of the Alyn. fFrom hence a road on rt. leads to Cilceii or Cilcain, 3 m., celebrated for its ch., which contains the most beautiful carved oak roof in the Principality, Tradition states that it came from ]3asingwerk Abbey ; and from the manner in which the priucijwls are fixed at unsymmetrieal distances over tlie arches in the X. wall, tliere is no doul)t tliat it was not constructed originally for Cilcain ch. The ham- merbeams are terminated with ex- ({uisitely-carved figures of angels. During the restoration of the cli. a very curious nnitilated font was dis- covered of unique design and orna- mentation, as well as some ancient cotlin-lids of tlie 13th cent.] [A 2nd road from the same ])oint leads Ijya bridle-road to Ruthin over the steep pass of Rwlch-jicn-barras. The tourist who wishes to examine the fortified post oi' Mod Ffenlli ( ICUO \'\.\ or the Jubilee Tojrcr on IMocl FannnaTi (1845 ft.), had best follow lliis route. This tower was erected with '^rviii ceremony in 1810 by the gentlemen of Iliutshire to com- memorate tlu' 5(ith year of George II I. 's reign. It was. i)revious to tlie storm which reduced it to ruins, a jiyramidal column 150 ft. in height, and cnniniands such a view as is rarely ul^tained, on account uf the N. Wales. Route 11. — Cor wen to Ehyl. 77 comparative isolation of tlie range, and the immense extent of low gronnd which it overlooks. In clear weather it embraces from Cader Idris and Snowdon to Black Comb in Cumber- land on the N"., and southward as far as the Wrekin, while the whole lenorth oftlie beautiful vale of Chvj-d is spread like a map at one s ieet.j 17 m. rt. the restored ch. of Llan- ferres, of which parish Dr. Davies, a celebrated Welsh scholar and trans- lator, was rector in 1630. From hence the road winds up a considerable hill, crossing the chain between Moel-y- fjlw 1., and Moel Eithwrog rt. Arrived at the summit, an exquisite view of the vale and the town of Kuthin is gained. 21 m. rt. underneath Moel Ffenlli are Llanhedr Ch., and Hall, tlic beautiful residence of the late J. Jesse, E.sq. 23 ra. Buthin (Ete. 11). ROUTE 11. PROM CORWEN TO RHYL, BY RUTHIN, DENBIGH, AND ST. ASAPH— RAIL. From Corwen Junct. CRte. 3) a line of rail runs up the vale of Clwyd to join the Chester and Holyhead line at Rhyl. 2^ m. Gwyddelwern Stat. 5 m. Derioeii Stat. Derwen ch.- yard, which lies to the 1., contains a gQod cross. 7 m. Nantchmjd Stat, and l^ant- clwijd Hall. 10 m. Eyarth Stat., at the end of a very picturesque little pass. 2 m. rt. Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd. On 1. is the quaint little ch. of Efenecli- tyd, containing a wooden font and a good roodloft, which is made use of as a singing-gallery. In the neighbour- hood is Pool Pari; the beautiful demesne of Lord Bagot, in which there are some interesting antiqui- ties, viz. an inscribed stone pillar, and a stone chair locally called " the Queen's Chair." On the hills around the antiquarian enthusiast may in- spect Circles, Cyttian, and Carned- dau, almost to repletion. 12 m. Ruth'ui {Hotels: Lion, com- fortable ; Wynnstay Arms ; Cross Foxes), a pleasant, old-fashioned little town of some 3000 Inhab., situ- ated on' rising ground on the rt. bank of the Clwyd, which runs duo N. in a somewhat sluggish stream. Although it is of great antiquity, its history is scanty. In 1400 Owain Glyndwr committed a raid, and, it being unfortunately f;iir-day, created terrible havoc by setting the town on fire. The Castle (F. R. West, Esq.) is a modern bnildhig, built, like its predecessor, of red sand- stone, from which it obtained the name of Castell Cocli (Red Castle). The old fortress is said to have been built in Edward I.'s reign, but after sustaining a siege by Gen. Mytton during the civil war was dismantled and left to decay. Churchyard thus describes it : — " This castle stands on rocke much like red bricke, The dykes are cut with tooles through stonie crag. The towers are hye, the walles are large and tliicke. The worke itself would shake a subject's ba^^'^'e If he "were bent to buyld the like agayne." Admission to view the mansion is given to strangers on entering their 78 Eoute 11 . — liuthin — Llandegla. N. Wales. nanici? at the gate. The Church was anciently conventual, and was sub- sequently made collegiate ])y Lord Gn-y in 1310, who gave ondowiiiciits lor f priests, ami i-rccteil the liuiMiiig as it stood before its restoration in 1855. The colk'giate portion, how- I'vcr. viz. the choir, U(j longer exists. Adjoining the ch. are the buildings known as the Cloisters, which lornierly coiniected it witli the residence of the canons. They now form a dwelling-house for the warden of Kutliin (llev. Bulkeley Jones;. The most noticeable features in the in- terior of the ch. are the beautiful oak roof ornamented with " much curious workmanship," and the E. window of stained glass, given by the late J. Jesse, Esq., of Llaubedr Hall. The founder is stated to have been buried here, although no tomb- stone at present exists : — " A church thore is at Wrythen at this d:u', ^Ylicrein Lord Gray, that once was Earle of Ivcnte, 111 tombe of stono, amid the chauncel laye." There is an efhgy of Dean Good- man, a great benefactor to the town in the time of Queen Elizabeth. A lofty new spire in the style of the 14th cent, has added nmeh to the external beauty of the building. Underneath the widls of the castle and on the banks of the river is an ancient Mill of the reign of Edward I. It contains some lancet windows and a. red sandstone ero.^^s over the gable. The only other places in Kuthin ■worth mention are the assize-court and gaol, both modern buildings. 1 111. rt. is the small mother ch. of Lhinrhydd, restored by the muuili- eenee of G. Johnson, E-^q., of IMas Llanrhydd. It contains an interest- ing monument to theThelwall family. Ill ilie imiiiediafe iieighbourliood are liatliafarn i'arh. Pool J'arh [u seat of ]i(»rd iJagot), and Ce/n Coch (^Gabriel Koberts, Esq.). JJiHtuiircn.—^hM, 10 m.; Corwen", 12 : Denbigh, 8 ; Cilcain, 7 ; AYrex- ham, IG ; Llandegla, 8. [Several very beautiful excursions may be made to the S. of Euthiu into the " wild hills of Yale," and the broken but diltieult ranges which intervene between the bend of the Clwyd and the valley of the Dee, Taking the most easterly of the 2 roails (that to AVrexham}, the traveller passes on 1. 2 m. the little ch. of Llanfaii- Dyffrijn Clwijd, near Avhich is Plas Nea-ydd 'Miss Baxter , and 3 m. Llaufair Chapel. The road now leaves the Clwyd to the rt., and winds along tlu'ough a very pic- turesque ravine to the Croicn Inn 9 m., though by a shorter road over the hill it "is only 8 m. At 7 m. is a large tunudus known as Tomen-y- rhoda-y, stiid to have been cast up as a foundation for a fortress built by Owain Gwynedd in the 12th cent. On 1. is the village of Llandegla, where there is a famous well, etU- cacious in cases of epilepsj' — so much so, indeed, that the tits became known as St. Tecla's disease. The cure was performed Avith many ceremonies. It was necessary that after ablution in the well the patient should otter fouri)enee, recite the Lord's Prayer, make a second votive ottering of a cock, and iinally enter the ch., make- a pillow of the Bible and a blanket of the connnunion-cloth, and there sleep till break of day. By these means the disease was believed to have been tiansferred to th(3 l)ird. In the neighbourhood is the ancient house of rins Bodidrin, an old re- sidence of the Vaughans of Corsyge- dol. 2 m, N. on the banks of the A1>ti, which risesin the ]iarisliof lilandegla, is (uUyiiyiiiin i \Vilson Jones, Esq.\ and :5 111. Lkmanuoii in Yale, the ch. of which, dedicated to the St. Ger- nianus who led the Cln-istians to victory at 3lold (p. 7-l\ contains the monumental elligy of Grufydd aj) Llewelyn ap Ynyr of Yale, at oni^ time Abbot of Yalle Crncis Abbey ; N. Wales. Eoute 11. — Llaiifwrog — DenhigJi. 79 also a singular brazen cliaudelior supposed to have been brought from the same religious house. Close to the ch. is another mound known as Tomen-y-fanlre. From the Crown the road winds round the base of Cijrn-y-hrain (wliich rises to the height of 1857 ft.) to Minera and Wrexham (Rte. 1). The rly, to Denbigh follows the 1. bank of the Clwyd, 2 m. 1, Llaufwrog, in which parish the town of Ruthin is partly in- cluded. It is one of the usual double- bodied elis. of the district, but contains some rather singular arcades.J 131 m. 7>/,e„,Z Stat. 1 m. rt. is Llanychan ; and under Moel Ffenlli and Moel Fammau are the villages of Llanbedr and Llan- gynhaval, from whence there is a short bridle-road to Cilcen. A singular practice, now abolished, existed af Llangynhaval ch. The elders of the parish liouseholds sat in cliairs before tlio communion-table, whilst the younger and less worthy branches had to perform their devotions from the pews in the rear. The Clwydian hills bound the view on rt. for the remainder of the route to St. Asaph and Rhyl, and, although as a whole they lack diversity, they are a beau- tiful feature in the landscaiDC. The rly. now skirts the Clywedog, a tributary of the Clwyd, having on 1. Bachymhyd, a residence of Lord Bagot. 15J m. Llanrhaiadr Stat., to 1. of which are Brynmorfydd (N. Uniacke, Esq.), and Llanrhaiadr Hall, a plea- sant manorhouse of the Price family. The ch. is rather a large build- ing with portions of Perp. and some earlier work. It possesses a good timber roof and a celebrated E. win- dow with an elaborately painted subject, the Root of Jesse. It is said to have been brought from Basiug- werk, but from an examination of the latter ruins the Rev. H. L. Jones considers it in the highest degree improbable. There is an amusing monument to Maurice Jones, Esq., in which ho is depicted in fashion- able morning-gown- and peruke, and, according to the epitaph, founds his hope of salvation upon the grounds of having "lino parts both of body and mind and diverting conver- sation." ITg m."- Ystrad (Thomas Hughes, Esq.) ; and on the opposite bank of the Clwyd is Glanywern, the seat of J, E. Haddocks, Esq. On the hills above are the villages of Llamjwyfen and Llandyrnog. For the last 2 m. of the way the castle and town of DeiibigJi, 20 m. {Hotels: Crown, Bull), rise proudly in the distance to the 1., nor is the pleasant impression caused hj their appearance dimi- nished by a nearer ajiproach. Den- bigh is situated on a steej:! hill, up which a broad well-built street runs to the summit, which is crowned by the ruins of the castle — " And for thy seate and castle doe compare With any one of Wales, what ere they are." The Castle, which superseded an ancient British fort called Castell Cled fryn yn Rhos, or the Craggy Hill in Rhos, was built by Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, in the reign of Edward I. Pi'evious to this, however. Prince Dafydd, Llewelyn's brother, com- menced hostilities against the king from the "fort of Dynbych." It then passed alternately into the hands of the crown and several noble families, viz. Despencer in Edward II. 's time, the Earls of March and Salisbury during the reign of Edward III., and Dudley Earl of Leicester in that of Elizabeth. In 1645, after the battle of Rowton Moor, King Charles stopped for a short time at the castle, which was soon afterwards besieged l)y Gen. Mytton, to whom the garrison sur- rendered. Its history came to a close during the reign of Cliarles II., who 80 Boute 11. — Denhigh — Castle. K. Wales. ordered it to l)e made tmtenaMo by blasting; it with gunpowder. "In its jircsfiit state it lu'loiii^s to tlic ]»urely luilitary rather Ihaii to tlic architee- tnral antiquary ; so very little of the (K'tail is preserved, and so litth' of tlio i;r(»und-])hin intelli,!;-il)k' to tiie nn- teelmieal eye. But tlic small ])ortion still reniaiuing,a frannientof tlie gate- "vvay, shows that Denl)igh must, wlien jjorfect, have been one of tlie eastles richest in stricth^ architectural mag- niiieenee." Above the entrance, whieli is between 2 octagonal tlank- ing towers, is a statue of the Eai-1 of Lincoln, the fomider, besides a series of niehes which doubtless contained others. In the interior of the gate- way is an octagonal Iniilding, which has been vaulted apparently from a central pillar. This beautiful Dec. entrance was until lately in such a state of decay that it threatened to disappear altogetlier, but it lias l)cen substantially repaired, together with the remainder of tlie Avails and the ramparts. A small fee is demanded on entrance for tlie purpose of kee})- ing the ruins in order. Within tlie neatly trimmed area, grand Eistoddfoddiau were held, one in 182S and another in 1S'e- firwyd (Mrs. Mostyn). 2 m. rt. is Eriviatt {iS. F. Ffoulkes, Esq.). 5 m. the pedestrian who does not wish to go on to Llansannan may turn to the 1. to Nantghju, a little village in a lovely situation. The ch.yard contains some splendid yews. He can return to Denbigh Ijy another way, making in all about 11 m. The excursion to Cefn Ogo will be de- scribed from St. Asaph.] The re- mainder of the route to Ehyl is com- pleted by the Vale of Clwyd Ely., 11 m. in length. 21 m. Plas Clougli and [Ih m. rt. Llewenny, the ancient seat of the Owen family. This mansion has several times been in the hands of ditferent families, con- cerning the first of whom a singular story is extant. In the neighbour- hood the celebrated Catherine Tudor, better known hereabouts as Catherine of Beren, held property as heiress to Tudor ap Eobert Fyclian. She married Sir John Salusbury of Lle- wenny, and on his death bestowed her hand on Sir Eichard Clough, who took the opportunity of pro- posing to her as he gave her his arm at Sir John's funeral. Before the mournful ceremony was finished, another suitor, Mr. Morris Wynn, offered his hand and heart, and was informed by the lair widow that she had just engaged herself, but con- soled him by assuring him that, in case anything happened to Sir Eichard, Mr. Wynn should have the next chance. She ultimately became his wife, and, surviving even him, married for the 4th time Mr. Thel- wall of Plas-y-ward. Li Charles II.'s time Llewenny came into the jios- session of the Cottons, from whom it was purchased by the Hon. T. Fitz- maurice, uncle to the Marquis of Lansdowne. He is said, among other eccentricities, to have built a bleach- ing-factory, the cloth from whicli he used to take to Chester in a coach and six, and there sell it with his own hands. 1 m. beyond Llewenny, the Clwyd is crossed close to its junction with the Wheeler at Font Rufyd. A little further on is Bodlkri 4 m. from Denbigh.] 22 m. 1. is the village of Henllan, in the vicinity of which are several beautiful seats — Fla Heaion dion. Mrs. Heaton), E 3 Si Pioute 11. — St. Asaph. N. Wales. Gam (G. Griffiftlis, Esq.\ and GaUt- faenan (Townshend Maiuwuiing, Esq., M.P.). 2:"} in. Trefnant Stat. A very liamlsomo Dec. cli, has been built here from designs liy Mv. Scott, by tlio mnnificeTunj of Mrs. T. ]Main- waring and ]Mrs. IMainwaring of Oteley Park near EUesmere. It con- sists of a nave and aisles, chancel and chancel-aisle. [A road on rt. leads to 3 m. Tremeirchion, a village conspicuously placed on the slope of the Chvydian Hills. The ch. contains the ligure of the poet "Davydd ddu," at one time vicar of this parish ; also a tomb of Sir Robert Pomider- ling, governor of Dysertli Castle. There is a large Roman Catholic seminary here. A little below the village is Brynhella, built by, and for Bome time the residence of, Mrs. Piozzi.] The rly. now passes tlirough a portion of Llannerch Park (White- liall Dodd, Esq.), arriving at 25 m. the cathedral town of Llauchcij or St. Asaph (Hotel: Mos- tyn Arms, poor", charmingly placed on rising grcmnd between the rivers Clwyd and Elwy, which, for ashoi't distance previous to their junction, run parallel with each other. Both streams are here crossed by bridges. TJio city itself is nothing but a quiet and simple village of oni; street, with the cathedral as its sole object of inte- rest. The see was founded about nijO by Kentigern Bishop of (ilasgow, who, l)eing driven from his own flock, retired hither and founded a monast(,'ry or college for 1)05 monks. On his recall home* to Scollaiid he nominated a jjious monk, Asa or Asaf, io b»( his successor. He, dying in 51)0, was buried in his own eh., which it is mentioned was first built of wood. In Henry I.'s reign it was destroyed, and llie bishop redueetl to HUcli straits that he was forced to live upon alms. After l»eing relniilt it shared the same fate in Jvhvard I.'s time, 1282, during the bishopric of Anian II., when only a portion of the building Avas left standing. Like its sister of Bangor, it again sustained damage at the hands of Owain Glyndwr, which was repaired by Bishop Redman, and, although it suftered fresh insidts at the hands of Cromwell, it has since then remained with pretty much the same features, though considerable modern additions have been made. In the long lino of Bishops of St. Asaph are included many divines eminent lor their learn- ing and goodness, among whom may ]ie mentioned Dr. "William Morgan, the principal tran.slator of the "NVel.'^h Bil)le in 1588, Dr. Isaac Barrow, and the pious Bishop Beveridge. The cathedral, Avhich stands within a well-kept encloisure, is a crucifoini eh., with a central tower remarkal)le for its plain but massive appearance, which gives to the building a degree of venerable dignity. "Conqiarednot only with the great English cathe- di-als, but even with St. Davids and Llaudaff, Brecon and Llanthony, it at once sinks into insignitieance ; but regarded as an ordinary parish ch., it would at once l)e recognised as pre- senting a remarkable majesty of out- line, on which, far more than on any special point of detail, its claim to attention is fomuled."— i:. A . F. The oldest ]X)rtions now remaining are the aisles and the nave, the Dec. work of Bishoj) Anian in the latter part of the 13th cent. Tla^ transei)t!5, nave, and lantern arches ari' of very j^lain and simple architecture, and were Imilt a little later on. The clerestory windows on the N. were destroyed in 1S15. Tlie choir was rebuilt 'in 1770. The wia)le of the liuilding inside and out is rc- markalile for its ixlreme neatui'.*th cent. A ligure of a knight of that period is to l)e seen on one of tlu' walls of an adjacent farmhouse. The eh. is situated close to the Itridgc. It is a rude l)uildiiig with a rather ma.ssive tower and a large Di'c. window, iind contains an eiligy of a n-cumbenl ligure in the S. aisle, besides 2 incised collin slabs an»l a modern monumeid to Dean Shipley. The N. AVales. Route 12. — Conway to Bangor. 85 village itself, though formerly an important borough, is now a decayed little place of only one street. A por- tion of the house in which Edward I.'s I)arliament is erroneously said to have been held still remains. An inscription, written by a Dean of St. Asaph, calls attention to the fact. The marsh of Morfa Rhuddlan, on the other side of the river, is cele- brated in Welsh annals as being the scene of a dreadful battle in 795 between the Welsh under Caradoc and the Saxons under Offa King of Mercia. The former were routed with great slaughter, their leader slain, and the iDrlsoners all i)ut to death, a national disaster which has been commemorated in the plaintive Welsh air of Morfa Rhuddlan : — " Aiitl RhudcUan saw, beneath o'erwhelming foes, The prince and nobles of her country slain." 2 J m. rt. is Dyserth Castle (Ete. 4), and at the foot of the hill 13 odrycldan, the ancient seat of Shipley Conway, Esq. On the 1. bank of ithe Elwy, close to its junction with the Clwyd, is Peugwern, a seat of the Mostyn family, which was unfortunately burnt down in the spring of 1864. The Voryd, or tidal part of the Clwyd river, which is crossed at Ehuddlan by a bridge built in 1595 by Bishop Hughes, is navigable from hence to its mouth. The rly, is carried over a dead level to 31 m. Rhyl (Kte. 4), there to effect a junction with the Holyhead and Chester line. EOUTE 12. FROM CONWAY TO BANGOR, By LLANRWST, BETTWSYCOED, AND CAPEL CURIG. A coach leaves Bettws-y-coed rly. stat. for Bangor. A primitive little steamer sails from Conway, " wea- ther permitting," as far as Trefrhv, 2 1 m. short of Llanrwst ; and if the traveller can spare a morning, it is by no means an unpleasant way of viewing the scenery on both sides of the river. The road usually taken by carriages runs on the 1. bank ; but there is another on the rt. bank, which is more picturesque, but is not convenient for visiting the water- tails. The rly. keeps this side, call- ing at Glan Coniocuj and Tal-y- cefn stations. Leaving Conway beneath the town walls and the Chester and Holyhead Ely., a fine view is gained of the town and castle as we ascend tlio opposite hill. I m. rt. is the secluded village and ch. of GyJJiii, tlie latter -containing a good E. E. font and doorway. For tlie lirst 2 m. the road is un- interesting, as the views of tlie river and vale are shut out by considerable high ground. [Nearly opposite the mansion of Benarth, on the bank of the river, is the village of Llansant- fraid Glan Conway, in which parish there is a cromlech near Ilendre- icaelod (Mrs. Green). 4 m. 1. the road gradually approaches the river near the ferry of Tal-y-eafn. On tlie opposite bank is Bodnod, the scat of W. Hanmer, Esq.] 4| m. 1. Caerhun (H. D. Griffiths, Esq.), whose grounds contain the re- mains of the impoi'tant station of Conovium, distant in the Itinerary 19 m. from Varis (Bodfari, Ete. 10) and 24 m. from Segontium (Caernarvon, 86 Route 1 2. — Caerhun — Trefriw. N. AYales. Rte. 14). The entrance j::ate, nearly ojiposite the moimtiiin road to Aber, k'uds to tlie ch., wliieli stands on tlu- site of the Ivoman stat. Tlie rnins urea little btliind the eh.-yard towards the river. There is an enormous liolly in this ch.-yavd, tlio stem of whicli is about D ft. in cirruni- ference. From hence a lloman road on rt. may be traced over the hills throui^li the solitjnJhj)i, the road crosses at G^f m. the inipetuuus Afon Furth- licijd. The traveller should halt, and visit waterfalls on this and tlie Afon ddu river, a little further on. They are both worth seeing after rain ; indeed the former is considered by some to be the finest cataract in Kuril I AVak'S, and is thus described by liingley: — "From the upper part, 2 streams, one of them nnu-h the broadest, divided at some distance from each otlier. The range of rock down which the Avater was thrown was very wide and extremely rude, being formed inliorizontal ledges into ///u Kiijiau and somi' slate-y having ])een the abode of Talicsin, the father of AVelsh })oets. He is said to have been founil on the shore of the lake, like Moses in the bul- rush(;s,by a son of (i wyddno Garanhir in the Gth centy. ; but other locali- ties, such as Aberysiwith and the Cardiganshire coast, are so mixed up with the htory that we cannot attaeh much belief to it. It is very likily that he liveil here, as h«^ n-fers to Jjlyn (leirionydd in one of his poems. A monument was erected by Lord AVilloughby (I'Eresby to notil'y the place of Taliesins residenee : but N. Wat.es. Route 12. — Llanrwst. 87 even this is said to be put up on the wrong side of the lake. To compli- cate the error, the Ordnance Sur- veyors have named it Bedd Taliesin, or the grave ol" Taliesin ; so that the honour of his birth, life, and death is respectively claimed for this locality. The pedestrian need not descend again to Trefriw, but may make his way by the rude village of Llanrliwcliioyn and through tlie wood of Gwydir to 12 m. Llanrwst {Holds : Victoria, excellent ; the Eagles), a small market-town, so happily placed us always to attract a large number of visitors. And yet the Vale of Con- way, as far as Llanrwst, is by no means grand, but rather the con- trary, as fur as the 1. bank is con- cerned ; but it has been described in such glowing terms by many tourists that the expectation is generally dis- appointed. It takes rank, however, as one of the quietly beautiful val- leys of N. Wales, which whet the appetite for the grander beauties to come. The Conway is crossed by a steep, inconvenient bridge, which was the work of Inigo Jones, and is said to vibrate when pushed in a j)articular manner. "A man is generally at hand to ask strangers if they wish to have a shake, and for bumping his back against the wall he expects to be re- warded by the wondering visitor." {Blach.) The town possesses 2 chs., a modern one, known as the English ch., and an older and more interest- ing building of Perj^. date, with a chapel attached to it, built by Inigo Jones in 1633, and called the Gwydir Chapel. In the interior of this latter are many curious monuments and some good carving. The visitor should notice the carved doorway and oak panelling, as well as the reading-desk and roodloft, said to have been brought from the Abbey of Maenant at its dissolution. Among the monuments are the stone coffin of Llewelyn ap lorwerth, son-in-law of King Jolm of England ; the stone clfigy of Howell Coetmore ap Gruf- fydd Vychan ap Dafyd (these 2 last are on the floor) ; an engraving on brass of Sarah Wynn (17th ceuty.), and of other members of the Wynn family, who were formerly possessors of Gwydir. There is also a very singular pyramidal variegated monu- ment, with enormous heads of an- gels. This chapel is not used for service, but is, prolmbly, the most sin- gular repository of monuments in the kingdom. In the body of the ch. are some panelling on a pew by the ves- try, and a curious stone font. An inscription on an individual who was schoolmaster, lecturer, and rector successively is worthy of record : — " Pi-ope jacet corpus Griffiiii Lloyd de Brynniog, olira Ludimagistri indigni Llan- rwstiensis, nuper Lectuarii indignioris et Pectoris indignissimi, Doegensis sepult. De- cimo quiulo Die Martii, Ann. Dom. 17 19. " Nil de defuncto, die, scribe Putave maligne." The patron saint of the ch. is St. Grwst, alias Khystyd or Restitutus. J m. from the town, across the bridge, is Ginjdir House, the seat of Ijord Willoughby d'Eresby. The grounds and house are open to visitors. A small part of the mansion built by Sir Jolm Wynn in 1555 still exists, the rest being a modern addition of 1816. In the interior are some fine old- fashioned rooms, Avith ancient furni- ture. Sir John also built another house on the rocks above, all of which is demolished save the chapel. The Wynns, who subsequently be- came the Wynns of Wynnstay (Ete. 1), held this property till the latter part of the 17th centy., when the heiress of Sir Richard Wynn married the Marquis of Lindsay, and thus brought it into the family of An- caster. The Baroness Willoughby, daughter of the Duke, married Sir Peter Burrell, afterwards 1st Lord Gwydir, and the estate has since re- mained in the present family of Gwy- dir. The views from the rocks above and the various parts of the grounds are very charming. There are also 88 Pioute 12. — Bettws-y-coed. X. AYalks. a waterfall ami a picturesque lake. The botanist \\'\\\ glean many speci- mens from the woods, and, amongst others,Vaeciuinm nliginosum, Thlas- l)i alpestre, Cc-ntnnenlus miniums, Sec. Conretjancm from Lhmrwst. — Kail to Conway, 12 m., and liettws-y- eoed, 4. Distances. — Trel'riw, 2j m. ; Cacr- hun, 7tj; I^lyn (ileirionydd, 4 ; Capel Curig, 10; I'l-ntrevoelas, 11 ; IMiaiadr AVenol, (ih ; Gwvtlierin, G; JJangor. 25. [An excursion UJay l)e made by a pedestrian through a broken and ro- mantic country to Gwytiierin, and from thence by the valleys on the VAwx and Aled to St. Asaph and Denbigh (Etes. 5, 11).] The road usually taken to Bettws- y-coed and Pentrevoelas is on the rt. ])ank. The scenery rapidly improves in character, the vale becoming much liarrcjwei', and tlic woods on either side feathering down nearlv to the water's edge. [At the turnpike a road on 1. leads through a mountain- ous district of the Hiraethrog Hills to Pentrevoelas 8 m., passing, 1 m., C'jff'^U (1^- O- Diivies, Esq.;.] 14 m. 1. arc the adjoining mansions of lleiidre and Oaldunds (II. Black- wall, Esq.). 10 m. a scene of rare beauty ojjens at the Wdfcrloo Bridfjc, across which the road to Bangor is carried, alter elVecting a junction with tht; great Holyhead r(iad. The bridge is so called because bnilt in 181;"), and is of cast-iron of a single bold arch lOKft. in span. Close by is Beaver (irovo (C. Spooner, Esq.). 17 m. Jli llicn-if-<()c(l, or th<' Sta- tion in the Wood I Jiiiis: llt.>yal C)ak, Waterloo , is a deservedly favourite rendi/.vous for all classes of tonrist.s arli.««L and angler in jjarlicular. It in a very small village, dilieiously situated in th<' angle fornu'tl by the meeting of the Ehigwy with the I Conway. Bounded on all sides 1>y I steep and wooded hills, which rise j almost directly from the banks of I the river, it seems altogether shut ; out from the world. The Llugwy is crossed at Foni-y-palr by a rude bridge of o arches, the piers of which are set on rocks in the bed of tiio stream — a favourite study for paint- ers, and one which has been tran.s- ferred to paper and canvas f»ftener than any scene in Wales. '•Hero the river, forming a tiny reach aronnd a fu'-covered islet, breaks sud- denly down the fractured rocks, and then, diving under the chasm spanned by the centre arch of the bridge, all festooned with ivy, assimies a totally . dilferent,but not less exqui.site, i)ha.so I of expression, as it hurries down to join the Conway in the vale below." ( ]lo!t)d of Capel Curig are endless, and no better head-quarters could bo fixed u[)on for a protracted stay in Snow- donia, and this more ])artienlarly if tlie tourist is a pedestrian, ready and willing for collar-work. Dixtanee^. — Bettws-y-oood, G ni. ; Ehaiadr Wenol, i)^; Dolwyddelan, () ; Llanrwst, 10 ; IJanberis, 10 ; Peiiygwryd, 4 ; Snowdon, 9 ; Glyder, 5 ; Moel Siabod, 8^ ; Beddgelert, 12 ; Llyn Ogwen, 4 ; Bethesda, 9 ; Bangor, 14J. On regahiing the Holyhead road there is a steej) and continued ascent up to 2(j m., where the watershed is crossed dividing the Llugwy from tlie Ogwen. Tlie traveller who has left the Snowdon valley behind with regretful feelings will soon cease to remember it in the magnificent scenery that is now opening before him ; for, with the exception of the Tjlanberis pass, he is now entering the finest gorge in the whole country. On the rt. is the enormous block of mountain of Avhich Carneddau Davydd and Llewelyn are the cen- tres, while on the 1. a still nau-e savage and precipitous eludn inter- vening between Llyn Ogwen and Tilanberis seems as il" about. to closi' ()V<-r the i>ass and entirely to block it up. 1 m. it. from Ca])el Curig a track crosses the shoulders of the hill to Llyn Cwlid. Thenc(; follow the Albn L)du to Dolgarrog and the Conway {\). 8G). 25 m. rt. ''or '^7 as marked on the Ordnan('(j maj)), at a farm-house called 'ral-ybraich, or el.si' at 20 in., wheie the Llugwy is crossed, llie ascent may be made to Caniedd Davijdd or Carnedd Lle>':ehjn — a steep and fatiguing jiull, but one that is amply repaid by the sijlendid views. The Llugwy must be followed up to Glan Llugwy, from whence strike uj) the shoulder of Craig Ijlugwj', and keep along the ridge initil it divides. The one to 1. is Cefn-ysgoliau-dnon, or the ridge of the Black Ladders, and on rt. is Birlch-cij/riic-dryni, a narrow ledge, f m. long, which ends at the summit of Caniedd Llewelyn. On each side art^ treuKnidous abysses, the one to the E. containing a tarn, Ffijmidn Lhujicy. The summit, which is 84G9 ft. in height, is said to have been marked by a fortified camp of Llewelyn, "who from this eminence l)elield Bangor in flames at the hands of the army of King John, to whom he sent his daughter Joan with terms of peace." — Lloijd. But little traces are left of it, though the Ordnance surveyors have left a more permanent memorial in the shape of an enormous cairn. I'robably, for extent, the view is equal to any in AVales, particularly to the N., in which Anglesea and the coast ap- l)ear at oni-'s feet. On the S. the most prominent points are the Gly- ders, the strangely-indented head of Trifaen, and the Snowdon range be- hind them. Aber lies to the N.W., and a descent can be made in G or 7 m. The llyns under Cefn-yr-Arryg to the X.l'. are ]Melynllyn and Ijlyn Dulyn, which supply rivulets to the Conway. The botanist will find Ajuga gencvensis (Alpiiia). Should till' ttnirist not wish to descend to Aber, he can retrace his steps to the Black Ladders and visit Carnedd Davydd (:M27 ft.\ below which then! is a deej) semicircular ewni, con- taining the little Ffynnon-y-Lloer. From Braich-ddu tlu-re is a jnacti- cable discent, though very sti-ep, to the .shons of Llyn Ogwi'ii, where it receives the Afon Idoer, exactly o])- ])osite the Tril'aeii. Or a goiKl d( - I .scent may be made directly into tlu' N. Wales. Eoute 12. — Llyii Ogwen. 91 valley of tlie Afon Lloer, joiniiii^ the road about SJ m. from Capcl Curig. This is shorter than desceiiding by Braicli-ddu or returning by the Black Ladders to Craig Llugwy, The geologist should look out for evidences of iceberg or glacier action on the flunks of the moun- tain. " The higher striations on tlie flanks of Carnedd Davydd may have been produced by icebergs durins; the submersion of the conn- try, and at a time when drift ■was deposited in the valley of the Llugwy, and probably also in Nant Ffrancon. But at a later date, after re-elevation, this drift has been ]3loug]ied out of Nant Ffrancon by a large glacier, while it still remains in the valley of the Llugwy." — Bam- say. Llyn Ogioen is a narrow sheet of water nearly 1 m. in length, occui^y- ing the whole of the pass l^etween Braicli-dclu, a shoulder of Carnedd Davydd, on the N., and the Trifaen and ' Glyder Fach on the S. The Holyhead road is carried along the S. margin. It is a great lake for anglers, though (perhaps from poach- ing) it is by no means as good as it used to be. Shore fishing is nearly useless ; therefore the angler must hire a boat, which, as they belong to one or two hotels — Capel Curig and the Victoria, at Betliesda — practi- cally puts the fishing into the hands of the landlords, and generally en- tails, besides the expense of a boat, the necessity of a car and driver. The lake belongs to Col. Pennant, of Penrhyn Castle, and is perfectly open to all anglers. The trout are large, of bright yellow colour, and look red when cooked. "In former days, before the increase of mining population, the sport in this lake must have been first-rate, as the trout ran from h lb. to 1 lb., or even larger. Now, during the summer months, there are seldom less than 4 boats at wor]£ froin morning til J night on favoiu'able days, and the trout have, in consequence, become wary."' — CJiffe. Flies most useful are the Llyn Ogwen fly, peahen, alder, and fernshaw. The Ogwen issues from the lake through a nar- row savage gorge, called the Pass of the Bengiog, when it is precijiitated in a series of falls for more than 100 ft. From the broken and dis- jointed character of the rocks, it ])ecomes rather a series of short falls than one large cataract — a circum- stance which detracts from its pic- turesque beauty as a cascade, thougli, at the same time, from tlie broken scenery aroimd, it never fails to create a strong impression on the visitor. Before' quitting Llyn Ogwen no tourist slioidd omit to visit Llijn Idwal, the wildest and most savage of Welsh lakes, which lies in a deep crater a little to the S. of the W. end of Llyn Ogwen. For gloomy grandeur it has not its equal : '" bare rocks rising precipitously from it, and darkening by their heavy shadows its calm and quiet surface into in- tensest blackness." It was the re- puted scene of the murder of Idwal, one of the jirinces of N. Wales, who was flung over the precipice by Du- nant, to whose care he had been in- trusted by wain Gwynedd, his father. As a matter of course, many ab- surd fables have at diflerent times been told of the lake — that no bird will fly over it, that no fish will live in it — a great mistake, as they have been frequently caught, though small and not worth eating. On the W. side of the llyn is an extraordinary chasm in the rock, called Tiollddu, or the Black Hole. It is a large cleft in the rock, about 100 yards deep, from which rises a perpen- dicular face of clift', down which the surplus water from Llyn-y-Cwn, on the mountain above, finds its way to Llyn Idwal. To climb into it requires a considerable amount of nerve and steady footing, as the rocks are fear- fully slippery, and a lalse step might 92 PiOute 12. — TJi/n Idwal. N. Wales. put the advonturous touriist hors de comhat. Many rare plants grow in this vicinity, viz. : (Galium boreale, Plantago maritinia, Thaliftrum al- l)inuin, T. minus, Arcnaria vc-rna, Ailoxa nioscliatelliua, Sechnn rlio- (liola, Aspleniuni viridc, Polypudiuni phlcgopteri.s, Oxyria rcniiurniis, Au- tennaria dioica, Leiogyue nivalis, Anthericuni scrotiniun, WooiLsia liyperborea, Mecanopsis Canibrica, llliodiola rosea; while in Llyn-y- Owni, Llyn Ogwen, and the boggy groimds around. ar{'Erio])liorum vagi- iiatura, E. poly.stuchion, ]Molinia caj- rulea. Lobelia Dortniavnia, Subularia aquatiea, Juncus trilidus ; Hioraciuin alpinmn, and Solidago virgaurea. A rough path from the S.AV. side of the lake leads to the summit of Twllddu and Llyn-y-C\vn, from whence a .slanting tlesc'cnt of about 2 m. will briiig the traveller to Llan- beris. The signs of former glaciers are most marked in Ijlyn Idwal. " The rocks consist of interbedded masses of grit and felspathic porphyry, lying in a synclinal curve, and forming ou either side the tall clilfs of Y Garn and Glyder Vawr. The watci-s of the lake are dammed up by a termi- nal moraine, lowest in the middle, the greater amount of debris having, as is usual with short glaciers, been lirought down at the sides of the ice. The progressive decrease of the gla- cier is marked on tlie W. side by the moraines arranged in long synnne- trieal nujunds one witliin another. There is also some appearance of an inner termnial moraine towards the »S. end of the lake, where it narrows; and on the E. are i)atchesof moraine matter and ice-smoothi'd bo.sses of rock rising through the soil." — liain- sni/. A little to the E. of T.lyn-y-('wn is tlie eminence of (IJijikr Vaicr, and connected with it by a range of ])reci pices called Y Wunn Oer is the (iliiihr Vacli, the highest points in this range. The summit com- mands exquisite views over Llan- beris ami the lakes to tlte S.W., the peak of Moel-y-Wyddfa (Snowdon) being directly ojjposite. Immediately to the N. is Y Trifaen, a spur of the (Jlydor Vach. "The summit of the Glyder seems as if it had been washed by a tremendous sea ; the stones lie loose and strewn at hazard, as on some wild coast ; rocks, Ijare, cloven, and jagged, lie cro.ssing each other in ditt'erent directions, while the huge pointed Trifaen, with its sharp angular projections, height alx)ve height, seems like some huge mon.ster with human aspect strangely distorted, scowling upon the Car- nedd-y-Gwynt, or Ilill of StornLs." — ii'oNCoe. The Trifaen is remark- able for the two enormous rocks on its summit, which I'roui the vale below appear like figures. Although this mountain is seemingly inaccessible, it may be scaled without much diffi- culty ou its western side. In Cioni Bochhvi/d, underneath the Glyder, is Lhju iiochhfjjd, one of the most ])erfect examples of a glacier lake in the district. 2S m. The Ogwcn at the Falls i.s crossed at a sudden turn of the road, which immediately begins to de- scend the grand vale of Nant Ffrau- con, "the Glen of Beavers." ' Tiu^ tourist should be thankful for the excellent terrace-road which skirts the rt. of the vale, enal)ling liim to view at his ease the vista of nu»un- tains on each side. In rennant's time the jnurncy thritugh the vale was so formidable that he deseribcd it as the "most dreadful hoi-sepath in Wales.". Indeed, even since the ])risent road has l)een lormed, dan- gers have arisen ; fi»r, in 1831, an innnenso mass (upwards of 1 ()()() tons of rofk was detaclu' liow- cvcr, are sold by the ton. Tlie slates, wlicn dressed, arc paclced close, edges uppermost, in wooden trams, and are tlius taken down to Port Penrliyn, about G m., Avhere they are sliipped for exportation, the annual aAX-rage being 120,()U0 tons. A large pojjulation lias sprung up at Jifthrsda, dei)ending entirely on lh<^ quarries lur support. The owner has nobly endeavoured to provide for the i-eiiuirenicnts, moral and ])hy- sical, of his workpeople, by building a haudsome eh., two schools, and a hospital for the sole care of the (juarrymeu wIk) liavi^ met with acci- dculs. The Douglas Arms llohd lias a boat on Llyn Ogwen for the accomiiKMlation of angling visitors staying here. Two oilier ({uarrie.s of smaller size, arc worked in this district, at Piintdrainog and Coctmore, when; formerly was tbe anciuut rt'si- deiice of the family of I'ligh, who were stanch Romanists at the time of the Eeformation, Between the quarries and ]3ethesda the road crosses the united streams of the Llafar and the Caseg. The latter river, in times of heavy rain, used to be a line object, "visible to the naked eye for a distance of 15 m. ;"' lait the waterworks at Pangor have robbed it of its beauty. The road continues its course down the vale of the Ogwen, which becomes surrounded on each side In- wooded hanks, to 35h m. the model village of Llandegai, a little Ijcforc entering which it crosses the Chester and Holyhead line, just as it enters the tunnel. Neat and well-kept cottages, each forming a part of a design, cluster round the eh., which stands on a slight eminence embo- somed in trees and approached l)y a densely thick avenue of yews. It has been restored by Col. Pennant, and contains a mur.d monument to Archbishop Williams, Archbishop of York and TiOrd Keeper of the (Jreat Seal in the time of James T. There is also an alabaster altar-tomb of great beauty, on which rest the effi- gies of a knight and lady. It is not known wlio are the persons thus commemorated, but the tomb is said to have been brought from the mo- nastery of Llanfaes, after its sj)ulia- tion, in the same manner as those at Beaumaris, Penmynydd, and Ijlan* bcblig. There is also a monument of Lord and Jiady Pcnrhyn, by West- macott. It is supported on one side by a female tigure in tho attitude of grief di'ploriiig her loss, ami on the otlur by a slate-quarrier bear- ing the implements of his i»rofcssion. At the entrance into the village is the line Norm, gateway had- ing into Penrh\ n Park. Lhm- dcgai was the scene itf a battle in 1(!I8, between Sir John Owen, of Clenenney, and Col. IMytton, at the head of the Parliamentary army, in which the former was taken prisoner. The lowers of I'enrhyn Castle N. Wales. Jioute io.' — Betiws-y-Coed to Coricen. 05 form a very imposing feature between Llandegai and Bangor, at the en- trance into which place on 1. is Tanyhryn, the pretty residence of A. AVyatt, Esq. 37 m. Bangor (Penrhyn Arms). (Rte. 7.) ROUTE 13. BETTWS-Y-COED TO CORWEN, BY PENTREVOELAS. From Bettws-y-coed to Pentre- voelas and Corwen it is 20 m., stopping on the way to view the falls of the Maclmo and Conway. 1 m. 1. of Waterloo Bridge,on the high ground, is Ccq^tel Gannon, in which parish, on the farm of Tijn-y-coed, are a carnedd and cromlech opened l>y Mr. Wynn, of Voelas, in 1862, and found to consist of 3 sepulchral chambers, with a passage leading to the central one. It is called in the locality Yr Ogof, "the cave," — a term very commonly given to de- note the subterranean character of the carnedd. The names of places in the vicinity betoken Eoman occu- pation, as Carreg-leon, Dinas, &c., while at Carreg-Goediog an elabo- rately-worked Roman fire-dog was disinterred a few years ago. The scenery in this portion of the Conicay is altogether different from wliat it is lower down after the Llugwy has added its waters. There it becomes sedate and graceful ; here it is pent- up, boisterous, and romantic. About 1 m. above Bettws-y-coed it runs in a deep ravine called Fors Noddyn, which will well repay the scramble down ; and at the junction of the Machno, 2J m., where the road from Ffestiniog (Rte. 21) joins the high road, there is a fine fall. " It rushes throuo-h the ravine with tremendous impetuosity, and, after maknig a short, sharp turn — seeming, indeed, as though it would burst through the rock — flings itself over a long slope of river rocks into a deep pool below." Tlie Ffestiniog road is car- ried over the chasm by a single bold arch. Near this spot are the falls of the Machno, which, though not equal to those of the Conway, are wild and beautiful enough to repay a visit, and to be transferred to many a sketch-book. At G m. the road takes leave of the Conway, which turns suddenly as it flows from the S.W., and reaches, 7 m., Pentrevoelas — a small village more often resorted to by the angler than the tomist, as there is but little to detain any one, Near Voelas Hall, the seat of C. W. G. Wynn, Esq., are an earthwork, the site of the post of Castell Coch, and an uj)right inscribed stone, supposed to have been erected over the grave of LlcAvelyn ap Seisylt, slain here in 1021. Three roads run in here — on the 1. from Llanrwst, on the rt. from Ffestiniog • through Yspytty Evan (Rte. 21), and a little further on 1. from Denbigh {Hotel, Voelas Arms.) Distances. — Llanrwst, 8 m. by short road, and 11 m. by the bridge ; Cor- wen, 15 ; Pontyglyn, 9 ; Ffestiniog, lU ; Llyn Conway, G| ; Yspytty Evan, 3 ; Denbigh, 18. From hence the road folloAVs the course of the Merddwr (a small stream, rising in the Hiraethrog hills, and flowing into tlie Conway), on very high and bleak ground, to 91 96 Hoiite 14. — Bangor to PwIIhelL N. Wales. m, Cerniorje, which, altliougli only a single residence, and tliat, too, ])l!iccd in the midst of de8t)lati', unproduc- tive higldaiuKs, ■was, ])rcvious to the introduction of the locomotive, an important rosting-]ilaoo during the ]ialniy days of coaching on the great liolyliead road. This is generally considered to he the highest grounil on the whole of the route between London and Holyhead, and, in fact, is the waters] led lietween 2 great basins, tliose of tlie ('onway and Dee, into wliich tlie road soon ))egins to descend. [The ranges of liills which liave accompaiued the road to tlie 1. for the whole distance from TJanrwst are the Mynydd lliraetJirog, a wild and bleak mountain-chain which in- tervenes between the Dee and its tributaries, and the Elwy and Aled. The character of the scenery is not such as Avill repay exploration, al- though the valleys on the other side are full of beauty. About 5 m. N. of Pentrevoelas is Llyn Alwen, a considerable sheet of water in which tlie Alwen takes its rise. It is pre- served by Mr, Wynn, of Voelas, and contains large pike and perch. Aliout 2 m. further is Llyn Aled, giving birth to tlie Aled, It is preserved by Mr. Yorke, of Dyffryn Aled. Several of tlie more uncommon plants grow in the neighbourhood of these lakes — Eriophoium, Viola palustris, Andromeda polifolia, &e.] Notwithstanding the general dreary aspect of the road, the views of the Snowdon range which occasionally present themselves will compen- 8ate for everything. ]2^ m. Cerrirj- y-(1rui(h'()ii, erroneously translated " The Stones of the Druids," but. in reality, " The Stones of tlie Daring," is a primitive AVelsh village which will nut defain the traveller long 'Lot, }jhn\/. It was noticeable in Camden's time for containing s(»me "cistvaens," or .ston(> chests. [Here a road on 1. branches oft* passing Llaiiviluoiijcl, (llyn IMyfr, Clocaeiiog, and Pool Park (Lord Bagot), to Eu- tliin.] 13 m. at some little distance on 1. is the eminen(?e of Peuyriaer, a fortified post which tradition assigns to Caractacus. " After he liad been routed by the Pomans he retreated to this castle for safety, but was, witli his whole family, betrayed to the enemy by Queen Cartismonda, and sent ])risoner to Pome, where he delivered that celebrated speech referred to by all oiu* historians." At 1?)^ m. the road is joined by the picturesque little river Geiric, which Hows joyously down to meet the Alwen. 1G| }n. Pont Glyn Difficys is one of the most striking and ro- mantic scenes in the county. A. deep chasm is crossed by a bridge of one arch of 50 ft. span, beneath which the river rushes over a series of rocky slopes into a deep glen. 17:j m. rt. ^laexmawr, the beautifully- wooded seat of INIrs. Kerr, a little beyond which the Geirw joins the Alwen. 19 m. Druid Inn. 22:V m. Cor wen (Pte. 3,. POUTR 14. BANGOR TO PWLLHELI, nY CAER' NARVON. — R.\n.. Tlie line to Caernarvon diverges from the Chester and Holyhead Ifailway at INIenai Pridge Stat., and lakes a course somewhat inland. :U m. rt. Voyitol, the lincly-woodcd N. Wales. Route 14. — Caernarvon — History. 97 demesne of G. Duff Asslieton Smith, Esq., who has inherited it from the late Mr. Thomas Assheton Smith, the noted sportsman, a large landholder in this district, and the former owner of the Llanberis slate-quarries. 41 m. the rly. approaches close to the Menai Straits at Port Dinor- wig Stat., a busy little harbour solely eujployed in the embarkation of the slates, which are brought from Llan- beris by a rly. 7 m. in length. There is safe anchorage for about 120 ves- sels of 200 tons burtlien. Here are Moelydon, and a little lower down Porthamel, the scene of the different " trajectus " of Suetonius, Agricola, and subsequently of Edward I.'s army (Kte. 7). On rt. is Bryntirion (J. Millington, Esq.), 4 m. rt. Dinas, a small fortified eminence opposite Porthamel. 6J m. Griffith's Crossing. On rt. the eh. of Llanfair Isgaer, close to the water's edge, and Flas Llan- fair. On the opposite bank are tiie woods and mansion of Plas Llan- idan, the estate of Lord Boston. [The turnpike-road from Bangor keeps close to the rly. for the whole distance, but from its being on higher ground and obviously free from the necessity of cuttings and tunnels, it commands more beautiful views of the Menai and Anglesea.] 9 m. Caernarvon {Hotels: Uxbridge Arms, close to the station, and Sportsman, excellent ; Castle) is the most convenient and desirable head-quarters for tourists. Indepen- dently of its own attractions, it stands as it were at the portals of the finest scenery in N. Wales, the very heart of which can be reached within a moderate walk, Snowdon itself being not more than 12 m. distant. From the earliest times Caernarvon has attracted attention, which may be set down to the excellence of its situation at the entrance of the [N. Wale^.'] Menai Straits and at the mouth of the Seiont, as well as the facilities for defence offered by the eminences around. The metropolis of the Se- gontiaci, who were of such im- portance that we read of C?esar re- ceiving an embassy from them, Caer Seiont was subsequently occupied by Ostorius Scapula and Suetonius Pau- linus, who, to keep their conquests from recapture, founded the camp of Segontium, which under the later Eoman rule grew up into a city famous for its buildings, its baths, its statues, and the many luxuries which the Eoman governors took care should accompany their exile into Britain, The history of Caer Seiont, after the Romans left the country, is a series of savage raids and incursions, in which the town was repeatedly pillaged and burnt. In 1098 Hugh Lupus Earl of Chester, endeavouring, though unsuccessfully, to bring the Principality under his power, repaired and fortified the place. About this date the people bestowed upon it the name of Caer yn Afvon, " the Camp in Arvon," a title which it has ever since maintained. The year 1284 saw the first visit of Edward I., and the commencement of the erection of the Castle, one of the most im- portant fortresses in Wales. A large amount of antiquarian knowledge has been brought to bear upon it with respect to the time of its build- ing, and more particularly as to the reputed birth of Edward II., the first Prince of Wales, in the Eagle Tower ; but from diligent examina- tions of the public records by the Rev. C. H. Hartshorne, it has been satisfactorily established that he could not have been born there, for the very good reason that the castle was not then built. Though founded in 1284, and indeed as some say in the previous year, it was not finished until 1322, though it may be that the building was retarded about 1291 by a rising of the lately subdued Welsh, headed by Madoc 98 Route 14. — Caernarvon — Castle. N. Wales. and Morgan, the illegitimate sons of Llewelyn. By the terms of tlieir snhmission the people were to be exempt from taxes for the King's French "wars, and, when his ofiicers attempted to levy money for that purpose, tl'.ey took up arms in many places, defeated tlie Earl of Lincoln, and, having stormed the town of Caernarvon, set it on fire. On this occasion Sir Roger Pulesdon, the constable, was then and there seized by the people, and hanged over his own door. Some years after, a second unsuccessful revolt was stirred up by Sir Grufydd Llwyd of Tregarnedd, who suflered death as his reward. Subsequently Caernarvon underwent 2 sieges by Owain Glyndwr in the loth cent., and one by the Parlia- mentariansduring thecivil warsunder Captain Swanby, who took and gar- ri.soned the fortress. It occupies a very large area on the W. and N.W, of the town, and is in shape an irregular oblong, surrounded by high walls, which are surmounted at in- tervals by 13 polygonal towers, with light turrets rising from them. It is said to have been built partly from the materials of old Scgon- tium, and partly with stone from Anglesea. The principal entrance or King's Gate faces the N. nearly opposite Castle-street, and is ap- proached by a flight of steps, and a bridge over what was once the moat. Above the gate, which is flanked by a tower on each side, and was defended by 4 portcullises, is a statue of Edward I., the founder, under a canopy, which, when put up at the completion of the works, " gave great umbrage to tlio still smoulder- ing independence of the nation. " ' Are ye lead— see ye not where Edward sits?' exclaimed a bard in one of his strain.s.und a thou.sand hands quivered ou the blades." — Pugh. The gates are of massive timber, and have been of late years restored liom a design after those at Alnwick Castle. The interior is divided into 2 quadran- gles, but, as the dividing wall has disappeared, it is chiefly marked by a change of level, which is highest on the E. side. The W. portion contains the state apartments, which occupy the S.AV. angle, overlooking the mouth of the Seiont. They are spacious, and lighted with good tra- ceried windows. At the extreme W. is the famous Eagle Tower, which, above all the others, at once com- mands attention from its height and beauty. It is the only one to the summit of which an ascent can be made, as the staircase has been safely repaired. It derives its name from mutilated figures of eagles on the battlements, said to have been brought from Segontium, but erroneouslj', as an item was discovered amongst the charges, for supplying the eagles. A room is shown in which Edward II. is supposed to have been born, though we have already seen that that fiction is quite dispelled. As at Beaimiaris, galleries ^in tolerable preservation") run through the thickness of the walls, which are pierced with oylet- holes. Here the sentinels were posted to keep watch, and, in the event of an attack, the loopholes, by which alone it is lighted, allowed them to annoy an enemy witliout exposing themselves. The loopholes in all cases command the line of the cur- tain, so that no foe could lodge him- self beneatli the walls out of the range of the arrows. Tiiis passage even riuis through the room of Edwards birth, an atklitional reason for rendering the tradition of the locality impro- bable, when there were so many larger and more convenient apart- ments. The tower on rt. of gateway is the Well Tower. The upper quad- rangle contains on 1. the Dungeon Tower, probably the one " in which the stout-lu'iirtcd Williinn Prynne — the persecuted alike of Churchman and Independent, of Laud and of Cromwell — was imjirisoned until the number of eympathibors who resorted N. Wales. Route 14. — Caernarvon — Walls. 90 to Caernarvon in order to catch sight of him caused his removal to a less accessible spot." — Land we Live in. The granary is at the N.E, corner, the Black Tower on the S. side, and between the two is a gateway known as the Queen's Gateway. Although the arch is of very elegant span, yet as a gateway it is inferior to the grand entrance. On the inside the ground so rapidly rises up to it, from accumulations of rubbish, that the effect is lost; while on the outside there is a very considerable drop, owing to the town-wall, upon an esplanade of which the gate opened, being swept away. It appears, there- fore, that the upper court was occupied ■with the buildings necessary for the defence and supply of the garrison, while the lower one contained the apartments. The view from the Eagle Tower is very fine. W. and N. are the Menai opening into a wide ex- panse of sea, and a large portion of the Anglesea coast with its sand- banks, its undulating hills, and w^hite villages. On the S. the Seiont runs through a picturesque dingle, of which the one bank is covered with the woods of Coed-Helen, and the other is lined with long quays by the side of which numerous coasting-vessels are occupied in shipping the in- terminable rows of slates. To the W. lies Snowdonia in all its rugged variety, terminated by the steep cliffs of Yr Eifi and Carreg-y-Llam, which forms such a conspicuous feature in all the Caernarvon views. At the foot lies the town, with its walls, its busy streets, and quays. When viewed from a distance, the castle perhaps raises the expectations higher than are realised by a nearer examination, for, though it possesses so many elements of size and grandeur, it lacks the more interesting details of Beaumaris and Conway. The same architect was employed, viz. Henry de Elreton. 4d. each person is charged for admis- sion. The castle is Crown property, and was much repaired and strength- ened in 1845 by the Commissioner.s of Woods and Forests under the architectural guidance of Mr. Salvin. The Town Walls were about J m, in circumference, and extended from the Eagle Tower (where 2 small posterns gave admittance) directly N. as far as a small turret called "Twr-y-gloch ;" they then turned sharp round to the E. for a short distance, and again to the 8., rejoining the castle near the Queen's Gate. They were formerly strengthened by a moat externally, and 12 semicircular towers. The seaward gate is called Forth yr aur, and leads on to an esplanade, which runs the whole length of the W. side of the town, affording a very delightful and breezy walk. The opposite or land gate was the Forth Mawr. A chapel now- occupied as the Toivn Ch. occupies a portion of the walls in the N.W. angle, the windows of the aisle having been pierced in them. It is, however, only a chapel of ease to Llanbeblig, the mother church. The walls, though in some parts in tole- rable preservation, have been so usurped and built upon by private occupiers of adjoining tenements, that as relics of old Caernarvon they are of very little use to the general visitor. In its main feature the town presents the straight arrangement of streets which bear that evident desig'i always found in Edward I.'s towns. The other buildiugs consist of the North Wales Training Institution, which accommodates from 40 to 50 students ; the Guildhall, over the E. town gate ; the Shire-hall, nearly opposite the castle entrance. One of the finest possible views is obtained from the summit of Tiut Hill, an eminence at the back of the Uxbridge Arms, from whence the tourist can study, as from a map, the external outlines of the hill country. Besides the esplanade before men- tioned, there is also a timber-pier and V 2 TOO Route 14. — Segontium — Penygroes. X. Wales. a long slate-pier by the banks of the Seioiit. Immense quantities of slates (fr()mOO,000 to 100,000 tons annually), as well as a considerable amount of copper, are brought down from the vale of Nantlle by rly. Tlie site of Segontium lies at Llanheblig, about i m. outside the town on the Beddgelert road, which indeed runs right through it. The excavations at this spot brought to light a Roman well or cloaca, where the vicarage now stands ; also portions of a street and h^-pocaust, together with numerous coins of the reigns of Domitian, ]\Iaximus, Aurelian, Constantine, and Tetricus. The walls are in tolerable preserva- tion on 2 sides, about 10 ft. in height and 6 in thickness. Several out- works kept up the communication, particularly towards theSeiont, where, " on the opposite bank, under Bryn Helen, remains existed to the close of the last cent." Between them ran the causeway of Helen or "Sarn Helen," which led to the fortified post of Dinas Ddinlle (p. 102). The excavations are now filled up, and the visitor will have some dtlticulty in tracing the external features of the defences. The total area of the station was about 7 acres. IMany of the places in the vicinity bear the name of Helen, such as Bryn Helen, Sarn Helen, Ffynnon Helen, Coed Helen, &c. They were so called in honour of tlie Princess Helena, daughtei-. of Octavius, the Duke of Cornwall, and wife of Maximus, first- cousin of Constantine, who was born at Segontium. Coed Helen, on the opposite side of the Seiont, is the seat of Rice Thomas, Esq. From the excellent society in the neighhourhood, tlie beauty of the surrounding sceneiy, and the plenty and clieapness of the markets, Caer- narvon has jjecome the residence of a number of families, who impart a degree of animation unusual in Welsh towns. Dititances. — Bangor by road f) m , by rail 9 ; Llanberis, ]0 ; Dolbadarn Castle, 8 ; Snowdon, 12 ; Capel Curig, 18 ; Llangollen, 47 ; Corwen, 42 ; Pwllheli, 20 ; Tremadoc, 20 ; Beddgelert, 13 ; Pont Aberglasllvn, 14* ; Clvnnog, 10 ; lAya Cwellyn,"7 ; Bettws GarraoTi, 5 ; Yr Eifl, 14 ; Tu- bular Biidge, 10 ; Xewborough, 3§ ; Beaumaris, 13; Drws-y-coed, 11; Menai Bridge, 8 ; Nant Gwrtheyrn, 15. Conveyances. — Coaches daily to Bettws-y-coed, via Llanberis and Capel Curig; to Beddgelert, Porth- madoc, and Tanybwkh ; to Nevin and Edeym. The " Faiiy" steamer frequently makes excursions during the summer up the Menai, and sometimes as far as Llandudno or Moelfre Bay. The Caernarvonshire Ply., by which the tourist proceeds S., is, in a portion of its course, the same as the old Xantlle Ely., which was worked by horse-power. The line crosses, 1st, the Seiont, and 2nd, the Gwrfai, before a halt is made at 2f m. Llamcnda Stat, i m, Groeslon Stat., on the bor- o.^ ders of Glynllifon, the noble domain of Lord Ne^Yborough. 5h m. Tenygroes Stat., the nearest point for the Nantlle Lakes, slate- quarries, and the pass of Drws-y-coed. [The views, as the ttmrist approaches the 2 lakes, are among the finest in N. Wales. The valley is a narrow am- phitheatre, occupied almost entirely by the Llynian Nani-y-llef, along the N. side of which tlu^ road and rly. are carried. The hills on either side, but more partii-idarly on the S., are grand and preeijiilous, where the escarpments of Llwydd ^lawr ter- minate in the black slaty clifts of Craig Cwm Dulyn and Craig Cwm Silyn. From the W. end of the lakes, Snowilon is seen closing the pass, in one of its most beautil'ul aspects — a scene well known from tlie celebrated picture of AVilson, which w;is t.'ilcon iVoni a spot called N. Wales. Boute 14. — Penygroes to Pwllheli. 101 Dolbebin, a little to tlie rt. Nantlle (9 m. from Caernarvon) is a cele- brated quarrying and mining district, the scenery of vvliicli is undoubtedly marred by the heaps of rubbish, the smoke issuing from the chimneys of the slate-works and the cottages of the workmen, of which there are a goodly number. Nothing, however, can spoil the cliffs of Drivs-y-coed, which overhang the pass, as if to forbid further progress. A fair road skirts the northern side of the gap, until the head of the pass is reached at Bwlch-y-felin, directly in front of which Snowdon lies with outstretched arms in all its magnificence. The time in which the scenery of Nantlle and Drws-y-coed is seen to the best advantage is when a storm is gather- ing and about to burst, when each mountain and each ravine seems to rival the other in intensity of black- ness. On crossing the head of the pass Llyn Cwellyn is opened out on the 1. : on rt. is Llyn-y-gader, situated in the midst of the most desolate of moors. Close to the road is the little Llt/n DyivarcJien, which has attained a celebrity far beyond its deserts for posses^ng a floating island, which, however, in reality, is nothing more than an erratic piece of turbary. Giraldus Cambrensis mentions of it that " the island is often driven from one side to the other by the force of the winds ; and shepherds behold with astonishment their cattle, whilst feed- ing, carried to the distant parts of the lake. A part of the baidis naturally bound together by the roots of willow or other shrub may have been broken off and increased by the alluvion of the earth from the shore ; and being continually agitated by the winds, which in so elevated a situation blow with great violence, it cannot reunite itself firmly with the banks." A little further on the road joins at Pont-rhyddu fKte. 19) the Caernarvon and Beddgelert road, i;o either of which places the tourist vian proceed. Pont-rhyddu is 4 m. from Nantlle, 9 from Caernarvon, and 4 from Beddgelert. The distance of the excursion from Caernarvon by Penygroes and back by Pont-rhyddu will be 23 m.] From Penygroes the line keeps due S., passing the village of LlanUyfm. In this parish is an old liouse, supposed to have been built on the site of a residence of Edward I., who is asserted by tradition to have lived here in 1284:. A long incline is now ascended, skirting the western slopes of Llwyd Mawr, and the rly. then descends the valley of the Dwy- fach to 11 m. Bryrildr Stat. On the rt. are the noble masses of Bwlchmawr and Gyrn-ddu. 16 m. CTiwilog Stat., to 1. of which is Gwynfryn, the seat of 0. J. Ellis Nannery, Esq., and the village of Llanystumdwy, charmingly placed on tiie border of the Dwyfawr. 17 m. Afonwen Junct. with the Cambrian line, by which the tra- veller completes the remainder of his journey to 21 1 m. Fiollhell (Ete. 15;. 102 Route 15. — Caernarvon to Pwllhdi. N. Wales. "ROUTE 15. CAERNARVON TO PWLLHEU, BY CLYNNOG.-K0.U). Soon after quitting Caernarvon, the road to PwlUieli crosses (| m.) the Seiont, which flows through a very picturesque dingle. A road on rt. leads to the village of Llanfaglan, the eh. of which contains a stone inscribed "lovernts fil." Many uncommon marine plants grow on the sandy waves of the coast, at the extreme point of which is Belan, a miniature fort and bathing-place of Lord Newborough, guarding the en- trance of the Menai. 2 m, at Pontneimjdd the road crosses the Gwrfai, which issues some miles up from Llyn Cwellyn (Rte. 19). On rt. is the ancient post of Dinas Di- noethni. There are traces of several forts in this neighbourhood. At Gaerwen, 1 J m. 1., is a double stone fort, within the area of which a number of flint ariow-heads were discovered. In the farm of Bodaden a quantity of bones were ploughed up, and several graves ol>served, showing that it had been the scene of frequent conflicts 1 oth in Roman and Saxon times. 3 m. rt. Llanwnda, near which place a road is given otf to the 1. to Porth- madoc. From hence an interminably straight road leads to Clynnog, pass- ing (till. (7///;t////V//j, the miigniticently Wuudcd jiark of Lord Ncsvborough, into whose family the estiite came by marriage of the heiress of tlio Glynns Avith 'I'hos. AVyini of Bodvan. Its bciiuties, however, are screened from I)ul)lic view by an immensely high wall. This long road may be cir- cumvented bv fcause diseases are uni'ounuon, and scarcely any die excejit from extreme old age. Tiie name is Enhli in Welsh, and Bcrdesey in the Saxon language ; and many bodies of saints are N. Wales. Route 16. — Llamngan. 107 said to be buried there, and amongst them that of Daniel, Bishop of Bangor." •• Ad Nevyn in North-Wallia Est insula permoilica Qnse Bardiseia dieitur: A monacliis incolitur; Ubi tam diu vivittir. Quod senior pramonitur Ibi Meiiinus condiiur Silvestris ut asseritur." Higden's Polychronicon. The present inhabitants number about 100, and obtain their living mainly by fishing. They pay a rental to Lord Newborough, but beyond that own no government but their own, " cultivating a spirit of mutual independence, and electing from themselves a king, who also ^ goes througli the duties of minister." At the S. end of the island is a lighthouse, from whence on a clear day St. David's Head is visible at a distance of 62 m. Although there is no ch. or any religious establishment now, Bardsey was famous in former times for its abbey of St. Mary, of which a portion is still left. It was founded in 516 by Cadvan King of N. Wales, and speedily attracted numbers o-f devotees, to the number it is said of 20,0 UO saints, "to whom it afforded an asylum during life, and after death graves to as many of their bodies. Well, therefore, it miglit be called Insula Sanctorum, the Isle of Saints ; but, with Dr. Fuller, I must observe that it would be much more facile to find graves in Bards- eye for so many saints, than saints for so many graves." Amongst re- other religious characters who sorted here was the holy Dubricius, Bishop of Llandaff. The only re- mains of this once extensive building is a portion of a tower of the 13th cent. An inscribed stone was dis- covered during a visit of the Cam- brian Archseological Association in 1818. An interesting account is given by the Eev. H. L. Jones in the * Archasologia,' vol. i., 1st series. On the return to Pwllheli the coast- road to the S. should be followed, passing the villages of Llanfaelrhys and Rhiw, which is situated on high rugged ground overlooking the sweep of Forth Nigel, or Hell s Mouth, a bay much dreaded by mariners on account of certain currents. The ' Transit ' was wrecked on the E. side of the bay in ] 839. The parish of Llanengan, in which this occurrence took place, is remarkable for its fine ch. of the early part of the 16th cent. Having fallen into decay, like many of its neighbours, it was restored by Mr. Kennedy. It contains a very richly-carved screen running across the aisles, which for ornamentation of design is unsurpassed in Wales. The bells are said to have been brought from Bardsey. In Llangian church- yard, a little to the N., is an inscribed stone, round which is a curious sunk pavement. The scenery in the neighbourhood is well worth exploring, particularly at the headland of Trwyn-cilan. There are a number of camps and for- tified posts all round. Nanlioran, on rt. of road, is the seat of E. L. Edwards, Esq., very lomantically situated at the entrance of the dingle through which the Bodlas fiows. IJ m. from Llanengan is Abersoch, a small fishing harbour. From hence the road skirts the bay, passing rt. Llanbedrog, to Pwllheli. 108 Route 17. — Caeriiarwn to Capel Cun'g. X. Wales. ROUTE 17. FKOM CAERNARVON TO CAPEL CURIG, BY LLANBERIS AND PENYGWRYD. — ASCENT OF SNOWDON. Coaches leave Caernarvon daily for Llanberis and Capel Curig, en route for Llanrwst. The road I'uns at the foot of the Twthill, passing 1 m. 1. Coedmore E. G. Powell, Esq.), and at 2:j m. crossing the Seiont. 3 m. a little to the rt. is the ch. of Llcmrng. In the grounds of the vicar- age is an inscribed stone. 4 ra. at Halfway, a road 1. lA m. leads to the fortified post of iJinas Dlnorwig, of an oval shape, formed with earthen mounds, which were probably subsequent to others, as earthen forts are generally of later date than stone ones. On rt. is Bryn- bras, the castellated modern seat of T. Williams, Esq. Overhanging the road is Caer Carreg-y-fran. " A strong wall of cyclopean masonry was carried along the edge of the cliif; the entrance faced to the "VV., and had a projecting bastion on each side." The road now runs close alongside of the Seiont (or, as it is called in the Ordnance maps. A/on Rothell), which, issuing from Llyn Padarn, flows into the Menai at Caernarvon. On the other side of it is a rly., which conveys the slates from Llanberis quarries to Port Dinorwig (lite. 14 , a distance of 7 m. Tlie locomotive seems somewhat out of place here, as it glides past rock and lake with its long train of slate- trams. T)^ m. the mountains, wliich have been gradually drawing nearer, now come down close to tlie road, leaving but a small vantage ground between them and the W. shore of Llyn Pudarn. Tiiey are, in fact, the spurs of Snowdon, whicli is seen piercing the sky with its sharp peak. On rt. are the slate-quarries of Glyn, the property of Lord Newborough. 7J m. Dolbndarn Inn, and a little farther on the Victoria Hotel, a more pretentious establishment. They are both very comfortable, and during the season are thronged to repletion with visitors, who largely patronize the ascent of Snowdon from Llan- beris, as being the easiest, most gra- dual, and cheapest. Llyn Padarn, so named after the saint Padarn or Paternus, who it is said had a cell in these parts, is the lowest and largest of the 2 lakes that till up t])e valley. It is about li m. in length, though seldom of any breadth. It is inferior in beauty to Llyn Peris, which is considerably smaller, but is surrounded by grand hills emanating from Moel Eilio and the .Glyders, which descend to the very brink of the water. A short neck of land intervenes between the 2 lakes, which are, however, con- nected by a stream. They are of great depth, and were formerly cele- brated for their fish, particularly char ; but the refuse from the slate- quarries and the copper-mines have driven the greater part away, aided, no doubt, by the poaching propensities of the quarryraen, wlio have generally a sharp eye for game in any shape. On a rocky eminence at the back of the Victoria Hotel, and overlook- ing the lower end of Llyn Peris, is the round tower of Dolbudarn, a very striking and beautiful feature in the scenery of the glen from its isolated and commanding posi- tion. This post is known to have been possessed by INIaelgwyn Gwy- nedd in the llth cent. For 2:5 years it was the prison-house of Owen Goch, inunurcil here by his brother Llewelyn up lorwcrth, as a punish- ment for rebellion ; and in the time of Edward I. it sustained a siege at the iiands of the Earl of Pembroke, when garrisoned by Davydd, brother of Llewelyn ap Grufydd. From its position at the mouth of the pass, it N. Wales. Route 17. — Dinorwig Quarries — Llanheris. 109 played an important part in defend- ing the mountain districts, wliich were guarded on the other sides by Dolwyddelan, Cricceith, and Har- lech. In form it is a cylindrical tower of 3 stages entered on the 2nd stage by a stair against the wall outside. It is of rude masonry, but from its wall stair, pointed arch, and general proportions, may be pro- nounced to be of E. E. or Dec, date. It has long been in ruins, the tower only being left in Leland's time. The botanist will find Hyme- nophyllum Tunbridgense growing at the foot of the castle. The hills on the opposite side of the lake are disfigured by the slate-quarries of Dinorwig, which, next to those at Penrhyn, are the largest and most important in Wales, employing nearly 2000 men. They were commenced by the late Mr. Assheton Smith, of Vaenol, and are now the property of his heirs. " The rock in these c^uar- ries has been worked to the depth of 300 pei-petidicular feet. The roofing slates are split and dressed in nume- rous sheds, while the slabs are manu- factured at powerful steam and water mills in the neighbourhood. Con- venient tramways, about 23 m. in extent, are laid along the various workings and quarry banks ; upon these small waggons are run, into which the slates and slabs are loaded and taken to the inclines, whence they are let down by wire ropes to the rly. The inclines are 18 in num- ber, averaging 600 ft. in length. The tourist is permitted to ride up them, and thus to visit the quarries. The slate is cut by piece-work, the bar- gainers, as. they are called, taking each a certain number of feet in width ; and to such a nicety can they blast the sides of the quarry, that they have been known to continue on their ' lines ' for 25 years without en- croaching an inch on the adjoining bargainer's tenure. The machine for dressing the slates is called the guil- lotine, and is almost as dangerous to handle as its formidable namesake : after cutting away clean the tour sides of the slate, it pushes the latter from the block into the basket. The num- ber of tons annually carried away by the rly. averages 1,200,000. It is . a singular sight to watch the quarry- men who live along the line of rly. returning home. This they accom- plish by the aid of 30 velocipedes, which are placed on the rly. and worked by the men themselves by means of a windlass. Each velocipede contains 8 persons, and, proceeding in the direction of the port, deposits the labourer at the nearest point to his respective dwelling." — Life of Assheton Smith. 9f m. Llanheris village is roman- tically situated at the entrance of the gorge, mountains towering on every side of it. Several neat lodging- houses have been erected for the convenience of those who wish to make some stay in the district, and can devote more time to exploring Snowdonia. The ch. is a little to the rt. of the road, and is one of the most interesting and picturesque buildings in the county. It contains a very singular timber roof of the 15th cent., which has been likened to a ship with the keel uppermost. The whole has been well restored by Mr. Kennedy, the Diocesan archi- tect. Excursions ad infiyiitum may be undertaken from Llanheris, of course commencing with Snowdon, which is described in p. 112. The pedestrian should also scale the Gly- ders, which may be easily done by striking up one of the ridges of Esgair Felen; or he may climb the slopes of Elidyr Faivr, and from thence visit the lakes of Marchllyn, and over Car- nedd Filiast to Penrhyn quarries. The rocks on both sides of Llanheris and Dolbadarn exhibit in the faces of the cliffs flexures of the oldest strata, viz. Cambrian rocks, the equi- valents of the Longmynds. "Con- taining the best roofing-slates in the 110 Route 17, — Pass of Llanheris. X. Wales. world, and subordinate courses of grit, with rocks of igneous origin inter- mixed, they are seen to fold over and plunge to the E.S.E., so as to pass under the great and massive succes- sion of schists whicli constitute the distant heights of the Snowdon range. The unfossiliferous slaty rocks of Llanheris pass into the overlying strata, which, by their imbedded or- ganic remains, are known to be of Lower Silurian age." — Silnria. More recent, but not less interesting, are the frequent and clear signs of glacier action all through the valley. " The rocks when xinweathered are round and mummillated, and their smooth surface sometimes grooved, the stria- tions running N.W. in the direction of the valley and the length of the lake. A beautiful glaciated surface of hard Cambrian grit may. be seen by the bend of tlie road near the copper-mine above Llyn Peris, close to the small octagonal building marked 'Office' on the Ordnance map, where the striations running down the valley are as fresh as if the ice liad but lately disappeared." — Bamsay. Quitting the village, the road now ascends tlie ftimous pass of Llanheris, the wild grandeur of wliich is scarcely exceeded in Great Britain. Fur nearly 4 m. the road is carried at the foot of precipitous mountains, which rise up on each side in clifi's some 2U00 feet high. Stern, black, and rugged peaks bound the valley, those on the rt. being strewn with fragments of dark rock which have fallen from the toppling crags above, strewing tljc slopes and ]x)ttom of the valley for miles with debris of shattered slate, to the prejudice of all vegetation. Since the day.s of the older tourists, (iili)in, Warner, Bingley, and rennunt, travelling through this pass ha.s become a very dilferent allair to what it was then. Then the road from Caernarvon stopped short at the end of the lower lake, leaving nothing but a bad horse- path to the village and up the pass, which was constantly choked up and covered with masses of rock and rubbish detached from the hills by frost and rain. Now a broad turnpike- road, as smooth as any in England, winds up with a gradual ascent for the convenience of those tourists who prefer seeing N. "Wales from the inside of a carriage. At 11 J m. the road crosses the river at Pont-y- Cromlech, " where bosses of felspathic porphyry rise like little hills in the middle of the vallej' , some- thing like miniatures of that behind the Grimsel." On 1. is a large block of fallen stone miscalled a cromlech. It was once called Ynys Hettws, or Hetty's Island, from the circumstance of an old woman of that name taking up her abode in the angles formed by the blocks. She occupied herself during the summer by tending sheep and milking cows. Opposite this spot the deep ravine of Cicm Glas runs up into the very heart of Snowdon, terminating with the precipices of Crib-y-Ddysgyl. This was one of the most extensive glacier valleys, and many signs plainly betoken it to the observant eye, such as moraine heaps, boulders, and "roches moutonnc'es." The pedestrian should ascend this cwm, for at the extreme end of it lies an upland valley declared by Pro- fessor Ramsay to be immatched for wildness in all Wales, "bounded on 3 sides by tall elites and moimtain peaks, in the midst of which lie 2 little deep, clear tarns, 2200 ft. above the sea, each in a perfect basin of rock, resembling on a small scale the Todten See and the lake behind the hotel of the Grimsel." This valley is separated from the lower part of the cwm by a steep escarpnn nt of rocks, isome 800 ft. in heifrht. From hence he mav climb the ridge of Crib Goch, and so to the summit of Snowdon. 12f m. Corphtrysfa, "the resting- N. Wales. Route 17. — Penygwryd to Capel Curig. Ill place," where a roadside inn, with fair accommodation, at the smnmit of the watershed, invites 5 minutes' rest to recover one's breatli. The view both before and behind is per- fect for severe mountain landscape — not a tree, not a token of cultivation, but wild, bare, rocky peaks rising one above the other until tliey are lost in the clouds. Here you turn off to ascend Cwm Dyli and 8no\vdon (p. 115), the route always taken by tlie Capel Curig guides. Glacier mark- ings are plainly visible close to path going up Cwm Dyli. Llyn Lhjdaiv is about 1 5 m. distant, and the summit of the mountain be- tween 4 and 5 m. No sooner does the road descend than the view opens over the valley of Nant-y-gwryd, at the end of which the enormous mass of Moel Siabod fills up the picture. To the rt. the lovely valley of Nant Gwynant opens out, showing signs of softer beauties that are very gra- tifying to the eye after so much de- solation. 14 m. Penygtvryd Inn (Ete. 18), a roadside tavern of no pretensions, but thoroughly comfortable for those who do not require superfluous luxuries. It is a capital station for fishermen in consequence of its proximity to the Mymbyr lakes, Llyn Gwynant, Llyn Llydaw, and several smaller ones. Henry Owen, the host, is a good guide to them all, as well as to the neighbouring mountains. The nearest lake is Llyn Cwmffynnon, about f m. from the inn, at the foot of the Glyder- bach. It is, however, small, and the trout are smaller, not more than I lb. There is better fishing in the Givryd, the little river which runs down to the Mymbyr lakes. " The angler, fond of bottom-fishing, may soon fill his basket by merely keep- ing out of sight of the quick-eyed trout, and begin his pursuit at less than 5 minutes' walk from the inn." — Cliffe's Angler. Distances. — Dolbadarn, 6| m. ; Capel Curig, 4 ; Snowdon, 5 ; Bedd- gelert, 8. From Penygwryd, a gradual de- scent of 3| m., through the valley of Nant-y-gwryd, brings the tourist to Capel Curig, 17 J m. (Ete. J 2.) The scenery is desolate and severe, un- relieved by foliage and cultivation, although every now and then a farm- house gives the appearance of life ; but the farms in these upland regions are very different to the snug, wooded homesteads of English counties, as the most valuable part of them con- sists in extensive mountain pasturage and sheepwalks. At the end of the valley the Llyniau Mymhyr, two fine sheets of water, are the principal ob- jects of attraction, especially as the hotel, that most comfortable of Snow- donian resorts, is situated close to them, embosomed in almost the only trees in the district. These lakes, at one time full of fish, are now worth nothing to the angler, owing probably to the too free use of the net, which, however satisfactory to the landlords who rent the pools, is ruinous and impolitic to a gi-eat degree. Capel Curig is a central and excellent sta- tion for exploring Nant Ffrancon, Carnedds Davydd and Llewelyn, the Glyders, Trifaen, Llyn Idwal, all of which are described in Ete. 12. One of the most extensive views in the whole district is obtained from Moel Siahod, which rises a little to the S. of Capel Curig to a height of 2870 ft. On the N. and W. it is easily as- cended, as on these sides it is rounded and covered with smooth grass until near the summit, which is broken and rocky ; but the eastern face is grand and precipitous, with a crater- shaped escarpment, at the bottom of which lies the small tarn of Llyn- y-foel. Notwithstanding the easy ascent of Moel Siabod, accidents have happened through want of caution, a gentleman of the name of Homer having perished from exhaustion 112 Route 17. — Snowdon. X. Wales. during a storm a few yonrs ago. It is easy to descend from the summit in a S.E. direction to Castle Dol- wyddelan, and thence down the Lledr to Bettws-y-cood, Snowdon, with the vast numbers of subordinate peaks and shoulders that belong to it, occupies a very consi- derable area, of which Llanrug, Beltws Garraon, Beddgelert, Nant Gw5'nant, Capel Curig, and Llanberis may be taken as the outside points. This, of course, will not include the district of Snowdonia generally so called, which extends from the Con- way to the Irish Sea ^Introd., p. vii.), but merely that portion of Snowdon proper which is divided from the rest by some distinctive valley or pass. The area within these points mav be roughly estimated at from 10 to 12 m. N. to S. by 6 m. E. to W. The principal attraction in this enor- mous block of mountain is, of course, Moel-y- Wyddfa ( " the conspicuous summit"), the loftiest eminence in England and Wales, which towers up to the height of B.571 ft. above the level of tlie sea. From the summit run 8 narrow ridges, which soon sub- divide into others more prolonged, and enclosing within their precipi- tous recesses deep cwms, in which a number of tarns and Alpine lakes lie emljosomed. Of these primary ridges the most northerly is (1.) Crih-y- Ddysguyll (the Toothed Dish \ which sends oif on each side the branches of CriJ) Goch to the E., and Clogicyn d'erArihlu to the W. ; while between these 2 last the LJechoq, or Llech- ■wedd-y-Re ( the rapid ascent\ slopes down towards lilanbtris. Between the Clogwyn and Llechwedd is Ctnn JBrwyiiocj, containing Ihe lam of Llyn d'er Arddu. Ciiuii Clas lies between Crib Ooch and Llechwod