Part 5 (2/2)
Dorset
Blandford 7
Bere Regis 3
7
Anderton pa
Chester
Northwich 2
Warrington 9
22
Anderton pa
Lancaster
Wigan 3
Bolton 4
36
Andover[D] m.t. & pa
Hants
Salisbury 18
Stockbridge 7
+--+--------------------+---------+------------+-------------+
Dist.
Map
Names of Places.
Number of Miles From
Lond.
Population.
+--+--------------------+----------------------+-----+-------+ 57
Amroth[A] pa
Llaugharne 10
251
654
18
Amwell, Great[B] pa
Hertford 3
20
1321
18
Amwell, Little chap
Hertford 3
20
369
24
Ancaster[C] pa
Newark 14
116
491
13
Ancroft chap
Wooler 10
253
1384
24
Anderby pa
Saltfleet 12
142
217
32
Anderson, or
Anderstone pa
Poole 12
110
54
7
Anderton pa
Knutsford 6
175
327
22
Anderton pa
Chorley 5
201
343
36
Andover[D] m.t. & pa
Whitchurch 7
64
4843
+--+--------------------+----------------------+-----+-------+
[A] AMROTH. The castle of Amroth, now modernized, from the house formerly called Eare Wear, was in the 15th century, a settlement of the Elliott's. The present proprietor is Captain Ackland, by purchase, from a female representative of the Elliotts. The most judiciously a.s.similating additions have been made so as to give it every appendage of convenience and luxury. The antique porch is nicely preserved. The conservatory and grapery are entered from the dining-rooms, which was once a vaulted roofed ale cellar, or castle prison. A portion of this vault remains unaltered. From the lawn is a beautiful and interesting view of Tenby. The church of Amroth, on the road to Ludchurch, is situated on a limestone rock, which has been reduced on every side, and is remarkable for a curiously disposed tower.
[Sidenote: View of Tenby.]
[B] GREAT AMWELL is supposed to have derived its name from Emma's Well, a pure water-fountain that issues from a hill, and forms one of the sources of the New River. Here is a monument erected by Mr. Milne, to the ill-requited Sir Hugh Middleton, in a small islet formed by the said river. Sir Hugh, notwithstanding the a.s.sistance afforded him by Parliament, and the City of London, ruined himself by procuring supplies of water to the metropolis. Great mystery envelopes the latter period of his life. It is traditionally reported that he retired to the village of Kemberton, near s.h.i.+ffnall, in Shrops.h.i.+re, where he resided some time in great indigence, under the a.s.sumed name of Raymond, and it is said that during such residence he was actually employed in paving the streets.
The poet Warner, author of ”Albion's England,” lies interred here. The church is situated on an eminence, the picturesque beauty of which has been justly celebrated by the admirable poet, usually denominated Scott of Amwell, from his residence in the village, and the t.i.tle of his poem.
[Sidenote: Emma's Well, one of sources of the New River]
[Sidenote: Indigence of Sir Hugh Middleton.]
[C] ANCASTER. This parish is situated on the great Roman road, called Ermin-street, and bears strong evidence of having been a Roman station; many authors unite to fix here the ancient Causennae. It occupies a low situation, and at the north end flows a small brook. From the vestiges which remain of military works it has certainly been a place of great strength. A great number of coins, and other antiquities, have been found here in such quant.i.ties, as to become a source of considerable emolument to the inhabitants of the place; so much so, that at one time many became extensive dealers in them. These coins are of various Emperors. Several mosaic pavements have also been discovered here. It is highly probable from these circ.u.mstances, that Ancaster was the Causennae of Antoninus. About the town are several quarries of stone, which is found very near the surface. Ancaster once gave the t.i.tle of Duke to the head of the Bertie family, but that Dukedom is now extinct.
[Sidenote: Mosaic pavements.]
[D] ANDOVER, situated on the river Anton, is supposed to have been the Andaoreon of the Romans; and this opinion seems to have been countenanced by the remains of several ancient encampments in the neighbourhood, and by the Roman road, which runs from Winchester to Cirencester, and pa.s.ses through the town. The antiquity of the corporation is as remote as the reign of John, but the present charter was granted by Queen Elizabeth; the town is extensive, and two of the streets are handsome and wide. There is a s.p.a.cious town-hall, supported by arches, under which the weekly market is held. The church, situated at the north of the town, is a large Gothic building, consisting of a nave, side aisles, and chancel, with a transept on the north, and a low tower rising from the centre; it existed in the time of the Conqueror, and is dedicated to St. Mary. Within four miles of the town is held the great annual fair of Weyhill, which, as it lasts for a week, causes much circulation of money in Andover. In addition to the many small Roman encampments in the immediate neighbourhood, there is a very large one on the summit of Bury Hill, about two miles to the S.S.W.
_Market_, Sat.u.r.day.--_Mail_ arrives 2-3/4 A.M., departs 11-3/4 P.M.--_Fairs_, Friday and Sat.u.r.day after Mid-Lent, for cheese, horses, and leather; May 17, November 13, for sheep, horses, leather, and cheese.--_Bankers_, T. & W. Heath, draw on Masterman and Co.--_Inns_, Star and Garter, and White Hart.
[Sidenote: Weyhill Fair.]
Map
Names of Places.
County.
Number of Miles From
+--+-------------------------+-----------+-----------+--------------+ 54
Andrew, St. pa
Glamorgan
Cardiff 5
Llandaff 5
54
Andrew, St. Minor pa
Glamorgan
Cowbridge 3
Bridgend 6
36
Andrew, St. Ilketshall pa
Suffolk
Bungay 4
Beccles 4
34
Angersleigh pa
Somerset
Taunton 4
Wellington 4
29
Angerton (High) to
Northumb
Morpeth 9
Hartburn 1
29
Angerton, (Low) to
Northumb
... 9
... 2
57
Angle pa
Pembroke
Pembroke 9
Milford by W 6
47
Anglesey, Isle of[A]
North Wales
22
Anglezarke to
Lancaster
Bolton 6
Chorley 5
+--+-------------------------+-----------+-----------+--------------+
Dist.
Map
Names of Places.
Number of Miles From
Lond.
Population.
+--+-------------------------+-----------------------+-----+--------+ 54
Andrew, St. pa
Cowbridge 8
165
474
54
Andrew, St. Minor pa
Cardiff 15
175
16
36
Andrew, St. Ilketshall pa
Halesworth 7
106
512
34
Angersleigh pa
Ilminster 11
145
54
29
Angerton (High) to
Rothbury 12
290
64
29
Angerton, (Low) to
... 13
289
55
57
Angle pa
The Lightho. 4
264
458
47
Anglesey, Isle of[A]
48328
22
Anglezarke to
Blackburn 9
203
168
+--+-------------------------+-----------------------+-----+--------+
[A] ANGLESEY (Isle and County of), forms one of the six counties of North Wales, and is situated at the north western extremity of the princ.i.p.ality. It is watered on three sides by the Irish sea, and separated on the eastern side from Caernarvons.h.i.+re, by the serpentine strait of Menai, from three-quarters to half a mile broad. Its form is irregular, being indented with many small bays and creeks, which gave it some maritime importance under its native princes. It has received numerous appellations from the ancient Britons; the most approved of which was Mon, signifying remote, Latinised by the Romans into Mona, the ”nurse of Wales,” from its fruitfulness; and changed by the Saxons into Angles-ey, or the Englishman's Island. It was the princ.i.p.al establishment of the Druids in Britain, until this island was invaded by the Romans, A.D. 59, under Suetonius Paulinus, who ordered their groves to be cut down, and stationed a garrison to insure obedience. The climate of Anglesey is mild, and the sea-breezes render the weather more temperate here than in the other counties of North Wales, although from the same cause it is less clear: that portion of the island which borders on the Menai, the site of the terrific Druidical groves, is richly wooded. The interior, on the contrary, owing to the great scarcity of fuel, has been rendered nearly devoid of wood; and the greater part of the island possesses little of hill and dale beyond a gentle and undiversified undulation of surface; its general aspect is uninviting and cheerless. The land, however, is good, and under proper management very productive, as respects both tillage and pasturage.
About 25,000 head of black cattle (exclusive of sheep and hogs), are annually supplied to the English market, where they are much admired for their flavour and tenderness, occasioned by the short bite of the pasturage on which they feed. Before the erection of the suspension bridge, the pa.s.sage of the numerous droves of cattle at the five authorized ferries of the Menai, was a very extraordinary sight; they were made to swim over, guided by the drovers in boats. b.u.t.ter, cheese, hides, tallow, wax, and honey, form also great articles of trade here; throughout the island there are but few manufactures of any importance.
The sh.o.r.e abounds in some of the most highly prized marine productions, and is especially celebrated for the variety and beauty of its sea sh.e.l.ls. Anglesey is as interesting to the antiquary, as to the natural philosopher. The ancient British vestiges are very numerous; comprising no less than twenty-eight cromlechs, or Druidical altars, together with circles, monumental stones, entrenchments, and other remains of a similar description, both British and Roman, which will receive attention in their proper places; several of the parish churches (of which the whole, seventy-four, stand near the coast), with various monastic remains, also deserve examination on the score of antiquity.
Mona, now Anglesey, was the chief seat of the Druids, A.D. 59. Suetonius Paulinus, in the reign of Nero, was invested with the command of an army, and prepared to signalize his name by victories over those barbarians. Finding this island the chief seat of the Druids, he resolved to attack it, and bring into subjection a place which was the centre of their superst.i.tion, and which afforded protection to all their baffled forces. The Britons endeavoured to obstruct his landing on this sacred island, both by the force of their arms, and the terrors of their religion. The women and priests were intermingled with the soldiers upon the sh.o.r.e; and running about with flaming torches in their hands, and tossing their disheveled hair, they struck greater terror into the astonished Romans by their howlings, cries and execrations, than the real danger from the armed forces was able to inspire. But Suetonius, exhorting his troops to disregard the menaces of a superst.i.tion which he despised, impelled them to the attack, drove the Britons off the field, burned the Druids in the same fires which those priests had prepared for their captive enemies; destroyed all their consecrated groves and altars--and having thus triumphed over the religion of the Britons, he thought his future progress would be easy in reducing the people to subjection; but in this expectation he was disappointed. The circ.u.mference of the island is seventy-six miles. The sea-pa.s.sage from Holyhead to Dublin, is about sixty miles, which is now traversed by steam packets daily. Next to agriculture, and the rearing of cattle, mining affords most employment to the labouring population; a great number of persons are also engaged in fis.h.i.+ng and catching wild-fowl, round the coast. It comprises 200,000 acres of land.
[Sidenote: Originally the princ.i.p.al establishment of the Druids.]
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