Part 1 (2/2)
Cardigan
Lampeter 14
Aberystwith 14
56
Aber Bechan to
Montgomery
Newtown 2
Montgomery 7
52
Abercwhiler to
Denbigh
Denbigh 4
St. Asaph 3
54
Aberavon [C] bo. & pa
Glamorgan
Neath 6
Bridgend 14
48
Aberbaidon am
Brecknock
Abergavenny 5
Crickhowel 3
50
Aberconway [D] m.t.
Caernarvon
Bangor 15
Llanrwst 12
+--+---------------------+----------+--------------+---------------+
Dist.
Map
Names of Places.
Number of Miles From
Lond.
Population.
+--+---------------------+-------------------------+-----+---------+ 11
Abbotsham m.t.& pa
Barnstaple 10
204
386
44
Abbotside, H.&Low pa
Richmond 12
208
762
34
Abbotts Isle pa
Taunton 10
133
380
11
Abbotts Kerswell pa
Torquay 6
189
442
18
Abbotts Langley[A] pa
Hemel Hemp 6
17
1980
34
Abbots Leigh pa
Keynsham 9
116
360
15
Abbotsley pa
Potton 4
58
369
42
Abbots Morton pa
Persh.o.r.e 6
99
236
12
Abbots Stoke pa
Bridport 6
143
587
16
Abbotston pa
Winchester 9
57
248
33
Abdon pa
Ch. Stretton 9
153
170
53
Abenbury Fecham to
Mold 7
187
111
52
Abenbury Vawr to
Mold 8
187
214
50
Aber[B] pa
Caernarvon 15
240
552
51
Aberaeron to
Cardigan 23
208
...
51
Aberarth vil & pa
Tregaron 13
222
976
56
Aber Bechan to
Welsh Pool 11
178
...
52
Abercwhiler to
Caerwys 4
208
487
54
Aberavon [C] bo. & pa
Swansea 11
192
572
48
Aberbaidon am
Brecon 14
148
1781
50
Aberconway [D] m.t.
Caernarvon 24
236
1245
+--+---------------------+------------------------+------+---------+
[A] ABBOTTS LANGLEY. Before the Conquest, and till the dissolution of the monasteries, this place was in the possession of the abbots of St.
Albans. About the time of Henry I., Nicholas Breakspear, a native of this place, was advanced to the rank of cardinal, and at length became pope, by the t.i.tle of Adrian IV.; being the only Englishman that ever attained that dignity. He died, not without suspicion of poison, in 1158.
[Sidenote: Englishman made Pope.]
[B] ABER (which signifies the mouth of a river, port, or harbour) is situated on the river Gwyngregyr, which here discharges itself into the Irish Sea. The native Welsh princes had a palace at this place, some remains of which are shewn as the residence of Llewelyn ap Griffith. It is one of the ferries to Anglesea, and a convenient place from which to visit the formidable Penmaen Mawr mountain. The pa.s.sage from hence across the Laven Sands to Beaumaris is by no means safe, as the sands frequently s.h.i.+ft; but the large bell of this village is constantly rung in foggy weather, in the hope that its sound may serve to direct those whom imperious necessity obliges to cross under all disadvantages. Two miles from this pleasing village, following the banks of the stream, which flows through highly picturesque scenery, there is a most romantic glen, and a very fine waterfall; the upper part of this cataract is sometimes broken into three or four divisions, by the rugged force of the impending cliff, but the lower one forms a broad sheet, and descends about sixty feet, in a very grand style.
_Mail_ arrives 3.15 A.M., departs 9.32 P.M.--_Inn_, Bull.
[Sidenote: Ferry to Anglesea.]
[Sidenote: Laven sands dangerous. The bell constantly tolled in foggy weather.]
[Sidenote: Romantic glen, and waterfall.]
[C] ABERAVON is situated at the mouth of the river Avon, on Swansea Bay, and has a harbour for small vessels. Although no charter exists for a market, one has been held here, more than a century past. There is a ridiculous belief, amongst the people of this place, that every Christmas Day, and that day alone, a large salmon presents himself in the river, and allows himself to be caught and handled by any one who chooses; but it would be considered an act of impiety to detain him.
_Fair_, April 30.
[Sidenote: Singular account of a Salmon.]
[D] ABERCONWAY is an ancient fortified town, beautifully situated upon the estuary of the river Conway. The town is nearly of a triangular shape, and is thought by some to have been the Conovium of the Romans.
The annals of this place commence no earlier than with the history of its castle, which was erected in 1284, by command of Edward I., as a security against the insurrections of the Welsh. Soon after its erection, the royal founder was besieged in it, and the garrison almost reduced by famine to surrender, when they were extricated by the arrival of a fleet with provision. At the commencement of the civil wars, it was garrisoned on behalf of the king, by Dr. John Williams, Archbishop of York. In 1645 he gave the government of the castle to his nephew, William Hookes. Two years after, Prince Rupert superseded the Archbishop in the command of North Wales. He endeavoured to obtain redress from the king, but failed. Enraged at this injury, he joined Mytton, and a.s.sisted in the reduction of the place. The town was taken by storm, August 15, 1646, but the castle did not surrender till November 10. This fortress remained in tranquillity till a grant was made of it, by King Charles, to the Earl of Conway and Kilulta; when he had scarcely obtained possession, before he ordered an agent to remove the timber, iron, lead, and other materials. It was held on lease, by Owen Holland, Esq. from the crown, at an annual rent of six s.h.i.+llings and eightpence, and a dish of fish to Lord Holland, as often as he pa.s.sed through the town. Thus, unprotected, it has suffered material injuries from wind and weather, and is reduced to a state of rapid decay. The ruins are remarkably picturesque, and very extensive. The town was surrounded by high ma.s.sive walls, twelve feet thick, strengthened at intervals by twenty-four circular and semi-circular towers; these, with the four princ.i.p.al gateways, remain in tolerable preservation. There are scarcely any remains of the Cistercian Abbey, founded by Llewelyn ap Jorwerth, in 1185. The church contains a few modern monuments, belonging to the family of the Wynnes, formerly of this place. The font appears ancient; it is composed of black marble, curiously carved, and supported by a cl.u.s.ter of pilasters, standing upon a pedestal. In Castle Street is a very old house, called the college, which has a singular window, decorated with several coats of arms of the Stanley family. A day school is also kept in an ancient mansion, called Plas Mawr, situated near the market place, which was erected in 1585, by Robert Wynne, Esq. of Gwyder. The river Conway rises out of Llyn Conway, at the south extremity of the county, in the mountains of Penmachno. The ferry is of importance, as it lies upon one of the great roads from London to Ireland, but is justly considered a dangerous pa.s.sage, and many are the accidents which have occurred. On Christmas Day, 1806, the boat conveying the Irish mail coach, was lost, and all the pa.s.sengers, including the coachman and guard, were drowned, except two. At the Ferry-house a n.o.ble bay is formed where the tide enters the river. In this view, indeed, there are all the ingredients of a sublime and beautiful landscape. Few rivers, in England or Wales, in so short a course as twenty-nine miles, present so great a variety of beautiful scenery. Below Luna Hall, the falls of the Conway exhibit a n.o.ble cataract, about fifty feet; the stream of water, shooting directly from one aperture in the solid rock to a considerable distance, descends into a rocky basin, surrounded by hanging woods. One mile below this town, at Trefriw, the river becomes navigable, and contributes to the supply of the surrounding county. In Conway town there still exists a pearl fishery, and a chain suspension bridge has been recently erected in lieu of a dangerous ferry. The vale of Conway teems with interesting objects.
Upon the west side is the abrupt termination of the Snowdon chain, down the declivities of which, through innumerable chasms, fissures, and channels, rush the superfluous waters of the lakes above, to mingle with the parent ocean. The princ.i.p.al employment of the poor, in this neighbourhood, is gathering the different species of fuci, commonly called sea-wreck, thrown up by the tide, or growing upon the breakers.
This wreck they put into a kind of square fireplace, made upon the sand, and heat it till it becomes a liquid and forms a cake; when further baked or burnt it resembles cinders, and is called barilla or impure fossil alkali; in this state it is sold to manufacturers of soap and gla.s.s.
_Market_, Friday.--_Fairs_, March 26, April 30, June 20, August 19, September 16, October 20, and November 15.--Inns, Harp, Bull's Head, and White Lien.--_Mail_ arrives 2 A.M., departs 10-3/4 P.M.
[Sidenote: The Conovium of the Romans.]
[Sidenote: Town taken by storm, in 1646.]
[Sidenote: Curious tenure--6s. 8d. and a dish of fish.]
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