Letters written during a tour through South Wales ... containing views of the history, antiquities and customs of that part of the Principality, etc

Front matter

LETTERS WRITTEN DURING A TOUR THROUGH SOUTH WALES, IN THE YEAR 1803, AND AT OTHER TIMES j CONTAINING VIEWS OF THE HISTORY, ANTIQUITIES, AND CUSTOMS OF THAT PART OF THE PRINCIPALITY ; AND INTERSPERSED WITH OBSERVATIONS ON ITS SCENERY, AGRICULTURE, BOTANY, MINERALOGY, TRADE AND MANUFACTURES. BY THE REV. J. EVANS, RA. LATE OF JESUS COLLEGE, OXON. AUTHOR OF LETTERS WRITTEN DURING A TOUR THROUGH NORTH WALES. LONDON.- PRINTED FOR C. AND R. BALDWIN, NEW BRIDGE-STREET. 1804.

ADVERTISEMENT.

For thi correction of some errata which were unavoidulle, as the proof sheets could not be submitted to the ei]? of the i Author, the reader is referred lo a list of t'-'-m printed ni Flip, end of the volume. Sti-Jt £f_o6f--^*Tect, Lot* ton. Laudahint alii claram Bhodon ant Milylenen Ant Ephesum, himarisve Corinthi Mœnia, vel Baccho Thebas, vel Apolline Delphos, Insignes out Thessala Tempe. Sunt quibus unitm opus est, intactœ Palladis urlern Carmine perpetuo celelrare et Undique decerptœ frondi prceponere olivam. Plurimus in Junonis honorem Apt itm dicit equis Argos ditesque Mycœnas. Me nee tam patiens Lacedæmon, Nee tam Larissæ percussit campus opimœ, Quam domus Albuneœ resonantis, Et præceps Anio et Tiburni lucus et uda Mobilibus Pomœria rivis. Horace, Lib. i. Od. 7. f As in my lonely pilgrimage succeeds Each sylvan view, mild or ot grace severe, That charms with loveliest interchange, I hail Thee Albion ! favour'd isle, sublimely rise, Towering o'er bleak Helvetia, rocks on rocks ; Thro' the deep vales, in wide expansion rush Impetuous streams ; and from the mountain brow Dashes tbe foaming torrent : o'er thy skies, Ausonia ! suns without a cloud diffuse Rich tints of glowing lustre; and the wreck Of times remote, fanes and triumphal arcs Strew thy historic ground : yet not the less, Albion ! o'er thee profusely Nature showers Her gifts ; with livelier verdure decks thy soil j With every mingled charm of hill and dale,.

Preface

. _L HE remarks made in a Tour through North Wales having met with a very flattering reception, it was suggested by friends, that unless I paid an equal attention to South Wales, I should justly stand charged with partiality to one part of the principa lity : especially as I had traversed both with similar views of information and research. I have been thus induced to submit the following: observations on a very important part of the country to the public view ; fully sensible that if they possess any claim to attention it must be found in accuracy of investigation, and faithfulness of description. Most of them having been made with the objects in sight ; and while present at the places to which they refer. If it should be urged, that many have travelled over this country, and that even Gleanings have been published on the beauty of its scenery, and the peculiarity of its customs, I must reply by an observation made on a former occasion.

Every man sees, or fancies that he sees, something unob served before, and that error is detected, and truth confirmed by plenitude of information. In describing a beaten tract the utmost caution is necessary to escape animadversion; and if in such a case the de scription should possess any novelty, the author can not justly be charged with indolence or inattention. It may be added that few have travelled over this country in a scientific view : little therefore has been added to the stock of general information, which VI Preface. Wales, from its numerous productions, # calculated to afford. The remarks of those who have travelled for pleasure have generally partaken of the nature of their motives; and the inaccuracy of their descrip tions has, too often, resembled the rapidity of their steps.

Useful travel has a twofold object. It endeavours to benefit the country it visits, while it labours to accumulate advantages for its own. If in ascer taining facts I have sometimes slightly animadverted upon authors, who fancy themselves entitled to more veneration and respect, and who conceive I have been too free with their works, I say, disclaiming every idea of personality, " Amicus Plato, Amicus Socrates, sed magis arnica Veritas." The detail of castles and battles may, to the super ficial reader, appear tedious and dull ; but it was impossible for a mind awake to the reminiscence of the past not to advert to such eventful periods ; and with the proud remains of other times in view not to recur to such extraordinary transactions. The investigation of antiquities of a still more early date, if not calculated to please, are interest ing in a more important view; as tending to illus trate the obscure parts of British history ; ushering into view facts mistated or suppressed ; raising up heroes inadvertently or politically consigned to oblivion ; and thus giving to historic truth its just celebrity.

In this respect the otherwise puerile know ledge termed numismatology rises into consequence in the scale of science. For any digression of this nature therefore utility must be my apology. CONTENTS.

Letter I

The Author, leaving Bristol, visits Clifton — Roman station — t Abone of the Romans — Beauty of the rocks — Extraordinary chasm ridiculously accounted for — Cooke's Folly — Anecdote of Charles II. — King's Weston Park — Pill — Harbour of Kingroad — Forts — That at Portishead originally Roman — The Statio Trajectus — Dangerous pass in the Severn Sea, called the Shoots — Anecdote of Charles I. — New Passage — Portscewit a Roman ferry — A fort built here by Harold — Inscription explained — Land ofthe Silures — Caractacus Page 1 LETTER H. Wales an historic country — Seat of the Silures, opinions respect' ing — Roman camp of Sudbrooke — Remarkable inundation — Caldecot Castle — Very large cherry trees— Julia Strata — Village of Caerwent a Roman station — Curious tesselated pavement found there — Caerleon the seat of the Roman government — Its ancient splendour — Cock-fighting a sport introduced by the Romans — A curious sculptured stone, with the figure of Amphitrite— Christianity early preached here — Pelagian heresy — Synod convened for its suppression — King Arthur, his existence proved — Castle — Charity school — Reflections on the past and present state of Caerleon 28

Letter III

Fine view from the Gam — Superstitious pilgrimage to a tomb in Christ-church — Newport — Tale of Mrs. Williams — Its castle — Treachery of the English under Henry II. — Ryd pen karn ' — An oracle of Merlin respecting that ford — Goldcliff — Pyritous roqks— Tredegu3r — Caerdiff — Its Canal — Castle — Fitzhainon's invasion, and consequent partition of the country among his twelve knights — Description of the Castle — Anecdote of RobertCurtoise Duke of Normandy — Llandaff — Its Cathedral — Errors of Architects — River Taaffe — Scenery of its vale — Pont y Prydd — William Edwards, a remarkable genius — Sengennith Castle confounded by antiquarians with the more modern edifice of Caerphyli — Harrington's errors respecting Wales — Iron Contents. VIII Works at Myrthir Tydvil — The deterioration of this invaluable metal by the process called puddling — Caerphyli Castle, founded by Edward I — Description of — The retreat of the unfortunate monarch Edward II. — Reflections PagesiO

Letter IV

Roads in Wales formed by nature — Caeron a Roman station — Island of Barry — A curious phenomenon said to have existed here — Delightful scenery about Porth cwm Cerrig — Castles of Penmarck and Fonmon — Cruelties exercised by the inhabitants of this coast towards people shipwrecked — Accounted for — Evils arising from a want of due execution of the laws — Boverton — Llan Ilted — Place of great antiquity — A British university — Burial place of the great Cambrian legislature Howel Dha — Lines on seeing his monument — Monuments in the church-yard erroneously ascribed to — Singular monument not noticed by Camden 103

Letter V

St. Donat's Castle — Singular cross in the church-yard — Origin of crosses — Epitaph of the Stradling family — Dunraven — Hospitality of its owner — Surrow Down — Cove — Caves under the cliffs — Reported dip of the river Ogmore — Remarkable stream issuing from under the hill — Abbey of Ewenny — Bridgend — Woollen Manufactory — View from Newton Down — Village of Newton, a bathing place — Extraordinary ebbing and flowing spring, called Sandford's Well — Cynfeg — Its Pool and Castle ■ — Margam — Ancient Cross — Its oaken Grove — Orangery — Ruins of its far-famed Abbey — Monuments, &c. — Y maen Llythyrag, or the lettered stone — Aggera, their design — Aberavon, superstitious Tale of a Salmon's regular appearance on Christmas day — Briton Ferry — Seat of Lord Vernon — Canal — Neat church of Llansawel — Its cemetery — Respect paid to the departed here 124>

Letter VI

Neath, its castle and abbey — Gnoll Castle — Observation on artificial rivers — Cadoxton — Pedigree of the Williams's family — Family distinctions not peculiar to the Welsh — Vale of the Nedd — Pont Nedd Vychan — British fortifications — Various waterfalls — Porth Ogo — Bwa Maen, or the curved rock — Valuable Contents. IX marble — Swansea — Origin of the name — Its Castle, Abbey —Its port and commerce — Coal works — Copper works — Smelting — Bathing place — Contrast to Weymouth — Hot and cold baths — Effects of the effluvia from the neighbouring works — Beauty of its bay — Evening's walk on the beach — Reflections and lines on the occasion Page 147

Letter VII

. Peninsula of Gwyr or Gower — Village of Oystermouth — Sum . mer oyster — Light-house — Bay of Caswel — Caves — -Penrice Castle — Wonder of the world on Gower — Nature of Druidical worship — Ffynnon Vair, or holy wells — Lychwr, a Roman sta . tion — Its Castle — Gower, a barren tract, yet enjoys peculiar privileges — Retrospect of the vale of Glamorgan — Called the garden of Wales — Mildness of the climate,, formerly more fruitful than at present — Mode of white-washing the houses, &c. generally practised — Remarks — System of husbandry bad — Price of Land — Observations on the comparative value of the ox and the horse, for the purposes of agriculture — Breed of black cattle, sheep, &c. — Excellent butter — Early invention of making it — Cheese for the most part very indifferent — Some from sheep's milk equal to Parmesan — Origin and manners of the inhabitants in this district ; very different from the Welsh — Error respecting them t 175

Letter VIII

Llanelly — Ironworks — Its Priory — Cidwelly — Its Castle — Prowess of Gwenllian, wife of Gryffydd ap Rhys — New town, coal works — Canal — Shifting sand — Marsh famous for feeding sheep — Vales of Gwendraeth Vawr and Vychan — Iron mines — Source of these two rivers — Caer Cennin Castle, a British fortress — Another wonder of Wales — Slovenly state of husbandry — Exceptions — Cultivation of furze as food for cattle — Improved mill for bruising it — Two species of furze — Failure of watermeads accounted for — Lead and copper ore — Welsh mode of brewing and fining Cwrw, or ale, a liquor of ancient use — Cocklers — Mode of taking cockles — Salmon fishing in coracles —Baskets and wicker-work of Celtic origin — Caermarthen Anecdote of Sir Richard Steele — Quay — Trade — Religious houses — Birth-place of Merlin — Of Roman origin — Castle Mendicity prevalent — Observations on the administration of Contents. X justice, and the evils arising from want of a proper publicity of the laws Page 198

Letter IX

Upper vale of the Towy delightful — Reflection on early rising— Dryslan Castle— Grongar Hill— Golden Grove— Dinefawr Castle, seat of the latter South Wallian princes — Its fate — Ruins now inclosed within Newton Park — Seat of Lord Dinevawr— Laugharn- — Hovilles used as fuel — Green bridge of Wales — Abbey of Whiteland — Tygwyn, the royal residence of Howel Dha — His code of laws nearly equal to the Justinian code — Character of this great man — Circle of stones, a Druidical temple, like that near Rolright, Oxfordshire —Tenby, a celebrated bathing place — Its port — Castle — The birth-place of Gyraldus Cambrensis — Island of Caldey — Safe anchorage for shipping — Oyster fishery — History of this fish, and mode of taking, fattening, &c. — Reflections on luxury \i2<§

Letter X

Different dress, language, aud manners of the people of Pembrokeshire from the other counties — Little England beyond Wales— A race of Flemings — Road to Pembroke — Fine view from it — Pembroke — Its Castle, description and history— Milford Haven — Description — Its local importance considered — The key to Ireland — Picton Castle — Landing of Henry Earl of Richmond, afterwards King Henry VII. — Anecdote of Rice ap Thomas — Coal works — Observation on the direction of mineral veins — Manner of procuring coals — Fire damp — Haverfordwest — Its Castle — Reflections on the late scarcity and monopoly of the corn trade — Its iniquity 235

LETTER XL

Sterility of the country about St. David's — A. curious phenomenon illustrative of the advances made by the sea on the western and south-western parts of the kingdom — Pebidiog or St. David's Head — Y Maen Sigl, or the shaking stone — Anecdote of Henry II. — Isle of Ramsey — Peculiar breed of sheep — Bishop and his clerks — Birds which frequent these cliffs various — Falconry — Account of this ancient fashionable amusement — ' Christianity early preached here — Cathedral of St. David's Contents. . XI —Description — Bishop's palace in ruins — City of St. David's — Insidious remarks of a former tourist — Llaivan, or dark but ter, mode of making — Peculiar tenure called Redwal — Tether ing cattle, fowls, &c. — Fishguard might be made a safe and advantageous port — Stumming fires — Herring fishery — Town small — Valuable stone in the vicinity — Mineral spring, with a Roman inscribed stone — Custom of marling grass lands in the barony of Kernes — Newport—Various monumental stones — Percelly mountains — Peat bogs— Reflections on the woollen trade — Fogging land — Inoculating for the small-pox, a custom from time immemorial. , '. page 284

Letter XII

This part of the country destitute of woods — Reflections on their decay, and the want of planting-. — Abbey of St. Dogmeal's — Cardigan, Castle — Eisteddfod held here by Prince Rhys — River Teifi — Cilgerran Castle, bold and impregnable situation — Great cattle fair— Llechryd — Salmon leap at Kennarth — New Castle Elmlin — Teifi nearly dry — Mode of quickly preparing new corn for the mill — State of agriculture wretched — Indolence of the inhabitants accounted for — Spirit of emigration — Patriotism of the nobility and gentry — Hints for improvement -—Aber porth — Fine Cove of Traeth Saith — Anecdote of the Earl of Richmond — Ne\v Quay — Reflections on smuggling — Inn at Aber-airon — Curious reception 314

Letter XIII

Llanrysted — Its Castle — Remarkable productive land near — Aberystwith, a fashionable summer resort — Castle — Slate quarries in the vicinity — Lead mines — Silver mines — Welsh Potosi — Llanbadern Vawr — Romantic situation of Pont y Pren — Vale of the Rheidol Pont ar Mynach — Variety of the attendant scenery — Hafod — Istrad Meirig — Remarkable spot of Cragnaullin — Effects of thunder amidst surrounding mountains — Superstition productive of tormenting fear — Picture of a Welsh peasant's family, reflections on — Abbey of Strata Florida — British history — MS. of Brut y Brenhined — Custom of the lit— •tie wedding — Llan Dewi Brevi — Rich pastures — Grass literally jots on the ground — Guirden, or knitting matches Contents.

Letter XIV

Llanwrted Wells, a fashionable resort— Nature of the Springs- Spot where the last Llewelyn fell— Llanymdovery — Extraordinary number of attornies— Castle — Birth place of Rees Prichard — Some account of him, his popular work of Cynwel Cymru — Fine pass of Cwm Dwr — Trecastie — Unnatural depravity of Princess Nest — Witch of Maiscar — The game of Quintin — The Gaer — A curious monumental inscription — Superiority of the ancients in outline — Brecknock — Roman remains near — Castle — Mynich Denny hill — Lyn Savathan — Description of the Abbey of Llantony, in the Vale of Ewias — Skyrid Vawr and Cwmyoy mountain — Abergavenny, Castle- Iron mines in its vicinity — Fanciful building of Clytha — Ragland Castle — its fine ruins — History of the siege — Loyalty and bravery of its most noble owner the Marquis of Worcester — Anecdotes of cruel treatment — Author passes Strygil Castle ; and at Beachly quits the Principality Page 35S

Letter XV

Geological remarks — Direction and escarpment of mountains, not fortuitous, but uniform — The table land of England, Scotland, and Wales confirm the observations of travellers — Observations of the directions the mountains take in Wales — Primitive, secondary, and flotz mountains — Proofs adduced of theNeptunean theory of the earth — Miserable shifts infidel writers are reduced to — Their great effrontery — The goodness of God discoverable in the distribution of minerals — Account of those found in Wales — Origin of coal — Early working of mines — Imposture of the Rosicrusians — Little advancement that has been made in mineralogy and metallurgy — Further remarks on the stats of agriculture — Errors pointed out, and methods of improvement suggested — Remarks on the decrease of woodland — The necessity and duty of plaining — Atteution to lands under wood recommended — Trade — Character of the Welsh — Popular sports — Credulity and superstition — Enthusiasm — Decay of rational religion — Causes assigned — Remedy to this evil suggested — Persecution deprecated, and a tolerant conduct recommended 39^ A TOUR THROUGH SOUTH WALES.