Part 8 (1/2)
Charles the First, being pursued by a strong party of his enemies through Share Newton, got into a boat at the Black rock (the New pa.s.sage), and was ferried to the opposite sh.o.r.e. His pursuers, to the number of sixty, with drawn swards compelled other boatmen belonging to the pa.s.sage to ferry them after him; but these, being in the king's interest, landed them on a reef of rocks in the Severn called the English stones, near the Gloucesters.h.i.+re coast, to which they were instructed to ford: indeed, the strait was fordable at low water; but, the tide flowing in very rapidly, they were all drowned in the attempt, and the king for that time escaped.
Cromwell, informed of the transaction, abolished the ferry; nor was it renewed, until after a long chancery-suit between an ancestor of the present proprietor, Mr. Lewis, of St. Pierre, and the guardians of his Grace the Duke of Beaufort, proprietor of Aust ferry.
A walk of a mile, on the sh.o.r.e westward of New Pa.s.sage inn, led us to SUDBROOK ENCAMPMENT, crowning the brow of an eminence which rises in an abrupt cliff from Caldecot level. This work, consisting of three ramparts and two ditches, forms a semicircle, whose chord is the sea cliff; but it is evident, that part of the eminence has mouldered away; and most probable, that the figure of the fortification was once circular. Harris conjectures it to be of Roman origin, and intended for the defence of the port of Venta Silurum (Caerwent). Eastward of the encampment is SUDBROOK CHAPEL, a small Gothic ruin, which was formerly attached to a mansion of Norman foundation. No traces appear even of the site of this structure, which has in all likelihood been swept away by the encroachment of the sea: but several piles of hewn stones near the ramparts are probably its relics.
We had another pleasant walk of about a mile from the New pa.s.sage across the fields to ST. PIERRE, an ancient residence of the Lewis family, descended from Cadivor the great. This mansion exhibits rather an incongruous mixture, in which the modern refinements of sash-windows, &c.
are forced upon a Gothic structure upwards of four hundred years old: an embattled gateway, flanked with pentagonal towers, is still more ancient, and is recorded as having belonged to the feudal castle that occupied the site of the present building.
Nearly opposite this spot, the great estuary of the Bristol channel, contracting in width, takes the name of the Severn. The appellation of this river arises from the story of a British princess. Geoffry of Monmouth relates, that she was the daughter of Locrine king of Britain, by Elstridis, one of the three virgins of matchless charms whom he took after he had defeated Humber king of the Huns, to whom they belonged.
Locrine had divorced his former queen Guendolin in her favour. On his death, Guendolin a.s.sumed the government, pursued Elstridis and her daughter Sabra with unrelenting cruelty, and caused them to be drowned in the river, which with some alteration took the name of this innocent victim. Our poets have made a beautiful use of this story: Milton, in his description of rivers, speaks of
”The Severn swift, guilty of maiden blood;”
but in the Mask of Comus he enters fully into her sad story:
”There is a gentle nymph not far from hence, That with moist curb sways the smooth Severn stream: Sabrina is her name, a virgin pure; Whilome she was the daughter of Locrine, That had the scepter from his father Brute.
She, guiltless damsel, flying the mad pursuit Of her enraged stepdame Guendolin, Commended her fair innocence to the flood, That stay'd her flight with his cross-flowing course.
The water-nymphs that in the bottom play'd Held up their pearled wrists and took her in, Bearing her strait to aged Nereus' hall; Who, piteous of his woes, rear'd her lank head, And gave her to his daughters to imbathe In nectar'd lavers strow'd with asphodil, And through the porch and inlet of each sense Dropt in ambrosial oils till she reviv'd, And underwent a quick immortal change, Made G.o.ddess of the river.”
Crossing the grounds of St. Pierre, and pa.s.sing Pool Meyrick, a brook falling into the Severn, we turned to the right in search of MATHERN PALACE, formerly a seat of the bishops of Landaff. This building, situated in a gentle hilly country pleasingly diversified with wood and pasturage, in its present appearance conveys but a very faint idea of the splendour and good cheer that no doubt reigned there when it was the seat of the episcopacy. The structure surrounds a quadrangular court, and was raised by different bishops; the north and north-east parts, comprising the tower, porch, &c. are supposed to have been erected by John de la Zouch, who was consecrated anno 1408. Miles Salley, who came to the see in 1504, built the chapel, hall, and other apartments. Some specimens of dilapidated grandeur appear in the east window; and until lately the entrance was through a lofty ornamented porch; but this is now destroyed, and the building only occupied as a farm-house. In the north side of the chancel of Mathern church, a Gothic structure, but of British origin, is the following epitaph written by bishop G.o.dwin; the substance of which accounts for the manor of Mathern's becoming ecclesiastical:
Here lyeth entombed the body of Theodorick, king of Morganuck, or Glamorgan, commonly called St. Thewdrick, and accounted a martyr because he was slain in a battle against the Saxons, being then Pagans, and in defence of the Christian religion. The battle was fought at Tintern, where he obtained a great victory. He died here, being in his way homeward, three days after the battle, having taken order with Maurice his son, who succeeded him in the Kingdom, that in the same place he should happen to decease a church should be built, and his body buried in the same; which was accordingly performed in the year 600. {244}
Within a short distance of Mathern is MOINSCOURT, another deserted ecclesiastical mansion, attributed to the erection of Bishop G.o.dwin, and also occupied as a farm-house. This exhibits a handsome Gothic porch defended by two lofty turrets: within the court-yard are the two Roman inscribed stones mentioned by Gibson in the supplement to Camden, and said to have been brought from Caerleon: one of these appears to have been a votive altar; the other records the repairing or rebuilding of the temple of Diana by T. H. Posthumius Varus.
CHAP. XVI.
CHEPSTOW-FINE SCENERY OF ITS VICINAGE-THE CASTLE-CHURCH, AND BRIDGE-PIERCEFIELD-CHARACTER OF THE LATE MR. MORRIS.
Upon meeting our horses at the village of St. Pierre, we proceeded towards Chepstow, and in a few minutes were surprized with a range of naked cliffs, rising in appearance from the tract of verdure before us; a venerable wood shadowed the brow of the rocks, in front of which rose a forest of masts with waving pennants. This singular combination resulted from the position of CHEPSTOW and its port, in an abrupt hollow, inclosed by considerable heights in every direction. The whole unfolded itself like a map beneath us, as we descended to the town; an irregular-built trading place, but where the well-furnished houses and opulent establishments of many of the inhabitants engaged in business prove the success of their commercial enterprize: yet the town, having no manufactories, depends altogether on the carrying trade.
[Picture: Chepstow Castle]
We hastened from an excellent repast at the Beaufort Arms, to enjoy the scenery in the vicinity of Chepstow-bridge; where an a.s.semblage of objects was disclosed, highly interesting, imposing, and beautiful.
Below the bridge, and on the opposite side of the deep and rapid Wye, enlivened by numerous s.h.i.+pping, a series of cliffs appeared issuing from the water, whose rocky surface, warmly tinted with various hues of red and yellow, was pleasingly diversified with the vivid green of aspiring ivy, while the lofty summits were fringed with impendent oaks. This trait was highly agreeable; but directing our attention up the river, the princely ruin of Chepstow Castle, stretching along a grand perpendicular cliff, which proudly emerges from the stream; and the steep hills of Piercefield rearing their varied plantations, in leafy majesty, from the river to the clouds; were features too n.o.bly impressive not to stamp an interest in the coldest observer. A transient gaze did not satisfy us: we paused a long time over the rails of the bridge; advanced to the opposite sh.o.r.es; compared the varying effect at different distances and elevations; and, as we changed our points of view, discovered fresh gleams of picturesque beauty at every movement. Nor were the leading objects of this scene less gratifying when examined in detail, than the striking _coup-d'il_ of their general composition.
As we advanced toward the ma.s.sive battlements and lofty turrets of Chepstow's ancient castle, the grand entrance, a Norman arch flanked by circular towers, figured all the repulsive gloom of feudal reserve and violence; even the very knocker was emblematical of hostility; for we thundered at the portal for admission with a cannon-ball suspended by a chain. The warder of the castle did not wind his horn in reply, nor, raising himself on the ramparts, did he demand our quality and business; but a pretty smiling damsel, conjuring up all her rosy dimples, bade the gate, or rather made it, revolve on its creaking hinges, and welcomed us into the castle.
Upon entering the court, our attention was somewhat divided, between the remains of the baronial hall, numerous apartments, and the kitchen, which surrounded the area; and the well-turned arm that pointed to the several objects. A number of rooms in this court are kept in repair, and form a commodious residence, which is tenanted by Mr. Williams under a lease from the Duke of Beaufort. From this we pa.s.sed to the second court, now laid out as a kitchen-garden. The third court contained the chapel, a fine remnant of antiquity, possessing a greater degree of decoration than any other part of the castle; a range of niches appear within the walk of this structure, at some distance from the floor, which is said to have been filled with statues; and the mortices of beams seem to indicate, that a gallery was conducted round the room. The style of the windows and enrichments is Gothic; but the original part of the building is Norman. Indeed, a unity of design and architecture appears throughout the fundamental parts of the castle; although, as may be expected, the continual alterations and additions of successive proprietors have left us several specimens of the intermediate modes of building between the Norman foundation and the present age. Among the undecorative additions of the latter period, are the deserted works of a gla.s.s-house, and a dog-kennel. Beyond the chapel we ascended a flight of steps to the battlements, shadowed by wide branching trees of various descriptions, issuing from the moat beneath. Opposite to us, beyond the moat, appeared the low embowered ruins of the fourth and last court, separated from the princ.i.p.al ma.s.s of building by a drawbridge.
Returning, our fair guide conducted us to a subterraneous chamber with an engroined roof, excavated in the rock, beneath the ruin, and opening to the overhanging brow of the cliff. Here several old ivys darted from stony fissures that seemed to forbid vegetation, binding the mouldering summit of the cliff in their sinewy embrace; and, shedding their light tendrils round the cavern, embowered its aperture as they aspired in frequent volutions to the loftiest turrets of the pile. Here, and from several points in our perambulation of the ruin, we timidly looked down on the rapid Wye, rolling its swelling tide at an immense depth perpendicularly beneath us; and at other times the green waving hills of Piercefield rose in all their peculiar grandeur to our view, darkening the river with their widely projected shadows.
Before we left this baronial fortress, we did not fail to explore a large round tower in the first court, that was the ancient citadel; but is more noticed for having been the prison of Harry Martin the regicide. We entered a Gothic doorway, and, following the taper heels of our gentle conductress up a spiral staircase, visited each apartment in the tower; all of which proved s.p.a.cious and commodious. {251a} Here the parliamentary colonel was confined near thirty years; but not in the ”durance vile” which his sympathizing biographer represents: {251b} his family lived with him, and he had offices for his servants; he had the free range of the castle in the day-time; and, with a guard, was allowed to visit the neighbouring gentry. Even in the tottering state of royalty, on Charles the Second's restoration, this sort of confinement was found sufficient to answer the ends of justice, and security to the ruling powers; although the republican leader, the turbulent and enterprising Harry Martin, was the prisoner; ever glorying in his principles, and declaring, that were the treason of which he had been legally convicted to be repeated, he should enter on his part without reluctance.
The building of Chepstow (or Estrighoel) Castle, although carried by some antiquaries to the aera of Julius Caesar, {252} appears to have taken place in the eleventh century, when William Fitzosborn, Earl of Hereford, built the castle to defend the ample possessions granted him in this quarter by William the Conqueror, his relation. His son and successor, Roger de Britolio, taking up arms against his sovereign, was deprived of his vast inheritance; and Chepstow castle became soon after transferred to the n.o.ble family of Clare. This fortress is remarkable in history for the gallant defence that it made, with a slender garrison, against a considerable force headed by Oliver Cromwell; but after a long siege it was taken by an a.s.sault, in which nearly all its defenders were sacrificed.
The church of Chepstow, situated at the extremity of the town, below the bridge, exhibits a curious specimen of Norman architecture, in the ma.s.sive arches resting on piers within, and the richly ornamented mouldings of the western entrance. The tower was erected during the last century. This church formed the nave of a much larger structure which belonged to a priory of Benedictine monks, founded by the builder of the castle. Some remains of the priory walls may be traced near the church, and of several other religious buildings in different parts of the town.