CONWAY QUAY.

CONWAY QUAY.CONWAY QUAY.

Thedistrict of Conway is mostly agricultural, and possesses no distinct manufactures by which the prosperity of the town and its population can be greatly promoted. A few small trading-vessels belong to the port; and here also ships of burden are occasionally repaired. The great improvement to the harbour is the erection of the quay; and the channel of the river having been deepened, and every impediment to the navigation removed, it may be anticipated that a speedy increase of trading intercourse will succeed its former languor and inactivity. The exports consist chiefly of timber, slate, and lead; and the imports, of coal from Flint and Liverpool, and of tea, sugar, cotton, with various other articles of domestic consumption.

The chain-bridge, which constitutes so beautiful a feature in the picture of Conway, was erected by Mr. Telford, of whose genius Wales possesses several of the noblest monuments. That immediately under notice—constructed on the same principles as the bridge over the Menai, but much smaller in its proportions—is three hundred and twenty feet between the supporting towers, and eighteen feet above high-water mark. Nothing can be more elegant and beautiful, as it appears lightly spanning the river, and suffering the eye to penetrate its net-like fabric, so as scarcely to offer an obstruction to the landscape which shines through it. The scenery at this point is exceedingly interesting, and presents the works of nature, and art, and human genius, in striking combination.

The town of Conway, before the formation of the railroad, was one of the most old-world places imaginable, unique for its faded and forlorn appearance, small as is the area enclosed, a considerable portion being occupied by open spaces and gardens. Everywhere entered by gothic portals, and as its interior was traced, with the defensive wall everywhere in sight, it transported the beholder back to the middle ages, more than any other walled city in England. There is a singular and picturesque variety of ancient houses; some at the head of the street leading to the castle, curiously carved, appear almost as old as the castle itself; others with their gable roofs, and black rafters, are of later date, and the Plas Mawr, or great mansion, in the principal street, prominently challenges the traveller's attention with its air of faded magnificence and singular construction. It is of Elizabethan architecture, and the arms of England, with initial letters E. R. and R. D., supposed to be Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, as well as those of R. W., Robert Wynne of Gwydir, sheriff of Carnarvon in 1591, and founder of the house, occur frequently, and the place is lavishly adorned with various decorative devices of the age—swans, owls, ostriches, mermaids, ragged staves, &c. The church contains little to interest beyond its front, and an inscription to a certain Nicholas Hooker, of Conway, gentleman, of a very anti-Malthusian import, the said Nicholas, though the father of twenty-seven children, being but a degenerate copy of his father, who could boast—O si sic omnia!—of no less than forty-one.

Numerous and delightful are the rambles about this most picturesque place, which is backed by bold heathy hills and green sequestered valleys. One of the prettiest is to Gyffin, about a mile distant, which may be reached by following up the shores of the creek, south of the castle, and the small stream coming down into it. The little church is very ancient, and contains some curious paintings worthy of inspection; it is half buried, and so unpretending is the building in aspect, that it may be passed almost without noticing its sacred character. There is an excellent view of the town and castle from the upper road on the return; the long line of walls may be traced from the highest point, as they sweep round and join the castle, the whole space thus enclosed resembling in its outline the Welsh harp, as often suggested. The river and hills appear finely beyond. The artist especially should not omit to view Conway from this, perhaps its finest point of view.

So unique is, or rather was, Conway Castle in picturesque effect, that it is difficult to mention any particular point from which it appears to greater advantage than another. From the quay, or the river, from every eminence around, seen in front or flank, near or distant, either by itself, or where the walls of the town prominently enter into the composition, it is, or rather was, alike unequalled. The tourist who is not pressed for time, and delights to hover around so magnificent a memorial of past ages, will study it at every point. On taking a solitary walk round the walls, he may fancy himself tracing the abandoned battlements of some old gothic town of the Orient, Rhodes, or Antioch, or the Saracenic defences of Jerusalem; a dream which may hardly be long indulged at present; for now, as Hood says,

"That iron age, which some have thoughtOf mettle rather overwrought,Is now all overcast,"

and its crumbling memorials are sharing the same fate. Furness Abbey is turned into a railway station, and the passing train thunders through the very centre of old, castellated Conway, reminding us, while it indeed scares away all romantic daydreams, of the happy change from feudal oppression and border warfare, to the fusion of jarring interests, and the progress of enlightened civilization.

THE MENAI BRIDGE, BANGOR.)THE MENAI BRIDGE, BANGOR.(North Wales.)

TheMenai Bridge, one of the many triumphs of modern engineering, arose from the following circumstances. During the summer of 1818, Mr. Telford, the engineer, was engaged on a survey of the extensive line of road from the metropolis to Holyhead—that point of the Welsh coast nearest to Ireland, and situated in the Island of Anglesea. Between this island and the Caernarvon coast flows that arm of the sea familiar to every reader as the Menai Straits, through which the tide rushes with great velocity, owing to local peculiarities well known to all who have navigated that portion of the Channel. There were at this time five or six ferries across the strait; but these, owing to the circumstances mentioned, were generally difficult, and seldom without danger; so that the intercourse between the opposite shores being much impeded, was a source of daily inconvenience to the inhabitants. This was more particularly felt from the fact that one of the staple productions of Anglesea was its cattle, which, when sold for the inland counties or the London market, had to be driven into the water, and compelled to cross the strait by swimming, which was attended with risk of property as well as inconvenience. These circumstances were brought before the eyes of Telford, and his ever-active and ingenious mind set instantly to work, in order to remedy the evil by providing new facilities of intercourse. The result of his reflections and mature calculations on this engrossing topic was the possibility of throwing a bridge across the Menai.

The grand obstacle was a deep rapid tide-stream with high banks. To have erected a bridge of the usual materials would have obstructed the navigation; and any attempt to erect piers in the shifting bed of the sea must have inevitably proved a failure. Telford therefore recommended the erection of a suspension-bridge; and the plan, after due consideration, being approved by government, the work was commenced in 1820, carried on with great spirit, and in 1826 brought to a most successful termination. It is partly of stone, partly of iron, and consists of seven stone arches. These arches connect the land with the two main piers, which rise on an elevation of fifty-three feet above the level of the road, over the top of which the chains are suspended, each of which measures from its fastenings in the rock, one thousand seven hundred and fourteen feet. The topmasts of the first three-masted vessel which passed under the bridge were nearly as high as those of a frigate, but they cleared twelve feet and a half below the level of the roadway. The suspending power of the chains is calculated at two thousand and sixteen tons; and the total weight of each chain is one hundred and twenty-one tons.

Since the day it was first opened, the Menai Bridge has been the wonder of every traveller, an object of pilgrimage for scientific men of all countries, and a source of daily advantage to the United Kingdom, which no other work would have supplied. "The visiting of the Menai Bridge," says Mr. Smith, in hisGuide to Snowdonia, "forms a new era in the lives of those who have not had that pleasure, and is a renewed luxury to those who have. There is something to be admired at every step: the effect of a passing carriage; the vibration caused by the mere application of the hand to the suspending-rods; the depth of a hundred feet to the level of the water; the fine view of the Straits in both directions; the lofty pillar erected in honour of Lord Anglesey; the diminutive appearance of persons on the shore; the excellence and strength of the workmanship, the beauty of the arches over the road through the suspension-piers, and the echo in them, all conspire to fascinate and detain the spectator. There is so much elegance, beauty, and magnificence, in this grand work of art, that it harmonizes and accords perfectly with the natural scenery around; and although in itself an object of admiration, still, in connexion with the features of the landscape, it heightens the effect of the general view."

"Seen, as I approached it," says Mr. Roscoe, "in the clear light of an autumnal sunset, which threw a splendour over the wide range of hills beyond, and the sweep of richly variegated groves and plantations which covered their base; the bright river, the rocky picturesque foreground; villas, spires, and towers here and there enlivening the prospect—the Menai Bridge appeared more like the work of some great magician than the mere result of man's skill and industry." Such were the encomiums lavished upon the first bridge which crossed the Menai; but men have since learned to view this structure with diminished admiration. Telford's great work no longer stands alone. The tubular bridge of his great successor, Stephenson, has taken its place beside the older and lighter work, and the very fact of its existence tends to diminish the wonder with which the first was looked upon.

PORT PENRYN AND BANGOR.PORT PENRYN AND BANGOR.

Bangor, although a city and the oldest see in the principality, is inconsiderable in size and population; but the natural beauty of its situation, the advantages which it commands from its inland as well as maritime connexion, and its excellent society, render the town and environs a most desirable place of residence, as well as a favourite resort for those families and individuals who employ the summer months in the pursuit of health, recreation, or improvement. The numerous walks, rides, and drives in the vicinity, all enhanced by their immediate and varied prospects of the sea, offer those facilities to health and enjoyment which cannot be too highly appreciated either by the tourist or resident. The city consists principally of one irregular street, fully a mile in length, with a fine vista towards the Menai—a name which the genius of Telford has rendered familiar to all the admirers of science and art. The houses are well-built, of a moderate size, neat in their appearance, and present to the stranger's eye a pleasing air of domestic comfort and progressive improvement. In the latter respect, no year passes away without contributing something to the public ornament or utility—objects which are zealously patronised by the influential inhabitants, and encouraged by those numerous and spirited visitors, estimated at fifty thousand annually, whom business or relaxation attract to the place. But to convey the best proof of the advances which Bangor has realised in the scale of provincial importance, and in all that has immediate reference to social and local improvements, we need only state that at the commencement of the present century the number of houses was only ninety-three, but that now it amounts to nine hundred or upwards. During three-quarters of the year a regular communication between Bangor and Liverpool is kept up by the steamboats that ply along this romantic and much-frequented coast, and which contribute greatly to the interests of the place. The environs are enlivened by many picturesque villas, and every accommodation is provided in the hotels and private lodging-houses for the reception of visitors.

The great object of general interest at Bangor is its cathedral,—a very ancient and venerable structure,—the foundation of which was among the earliest of those primitive temples which marked the triumphant progress of Christianity on the British soil. It is understood to have been founded by St. Daniel, at the commencement of the sixth century, and bears the sainted name of the founder. The choir was built by Bishop Deane, in or about 1496, and is used only for the cathedral service. The nave, built by Bishop Skivington in 1532, is fitted up as a parish church; and in one of the transepts the service is read in the Welsh tongue.

The free school,—founded in 1557 by Dr. Glynn, brother of the bishop of that name,—five daily schools within the parish, the central National school, four Sunday-schools, and almshouses, give a most favourable impression of the religious and civil advantages enjoyed by the inhabitants of Bangor, who evince a spirit and zeal worthy of those blessings which, in comparison with other and far more populous towns, place them in so enviable a position.

The principal export is the product of the slate-quarries, which is conveyed on a railway from Llandegai, six miles distant, to port Penrhyn, at the egress of the river Cegid into the Menai. This port is now capable of receiving vessels of large burden. It is nine hundred feet in length, and in all respects well adapted for the trading-craft which here take in their cargoes. The slates are of all dimensions, from large tombstone slabs down to the smallest size for roofing. For cyphering-slates, inkstands, and other fancy articles, there is a manufactory near the port. At a short distance is a handsome building containing hot and cold sea-water baths, with rooms for dressing and refreshment. The construction of this establishment, with its terrace and other appurtenances, is said to have cost the late Lord Penrhyn thirty thousand pounds. In the straits of Menai there is a good fishery, near Garth Ferry. There is a weekly market every Friday; and fairs are held in April, June, September, and October. No stranger should neglect to visit Penrhyn Castle, one of the finest baronial mansions in Europe.

BEAUMARIS.BEAUMARIS.

"I have stood gazing on Snowdon and Plinlimmon, the vale of Clwyd, the straits of Menai—lake, river, sea, and land—till they seemed of themselves to say, Stranger, well mayst thou gaze! we merit thine admiration—we are ofGod!"

Beaumarisis finely situated on the picturesque banks of the Menai, where it opens into the bay, and presents many attractions derived from its historical monuments, its natural advantages, and modern improvements. As the principal town in the island and county of Anglesea, it has long been a place of fashionable resort, and being at the same time the borough and market-town, it is a scene of considerable activity, cheerfulness, and animation. It is in general well built; particularly one street, the houses of which are large and commodious, and of superior design and execution. Of the original wall by which it was once enclosed, considerable portions still remain—sufficient to demonstrate, by their massive strength and durability, the iron features, and the no less iron policy of feudal times. The castle—erected by Edward the First, and now an imposing ruin close to the town—covers a large space of ground, but stands too low to produce that effect upon the spectator which it would have done had it, like so many of its cotemporaries, occupied an isolated and commanding position. It is surrounded by a deep fosse, with an entrance between two embattled walls on the east, with round and square towers. The gate opens into a spacious court, measuring fifty-seven yards by sixty, with four square towers, and an advanced-work on the east, called the Gunner's Walk. Within these was the keep—the body of the castle—nearly square, having a round tower at each angle, and another in the centre of each façade. The area forms an irregular octagon, of the dimensions above named. In the middle of the north side is the hall, twenty yards long by twelve broad, with two round towers, and several others about the inner and outer walls, built of a bluish stone intermixed with square stones, which produce a rather novel and pleasing effect.

There appears to have been originally a communication round the whole buildings of the inner court by means of a gallery two yards broad, and which still remains nearly entire. In various recesses in different parts of the sides of this gallery are square apertures, which appear to have had trap-doors or openings into a dungeon beneath. The two eastern towers served also as dungeons, with a dark and narrow descent to each—sufficiently characteristic of the dark and despotic purposes to which they were applied. On the east side of this building are the remains of a very small chapel, arched and ribbed with painting and intersecting arches; also some Gothic pilasters and narrow lancet-headed windows, and various compartments, with closets constructed—after the manner of those times—in the centre of the massive walls.

When Edward the First built the town, and erected it into a corporation, he endowed it at the same time with various lands and privileges of considerable value, in order to secure more firmly his possessions in the island, and changed its name from Bonover to Beaumaris, in allusion, it is supposed, to its low but pleasant situation. He caused also a canal to be cut, in order that vessels might be brought up close under the battlements to discharge their cargoes, as the iron mooring-rings affixed to the walls clearly indicate.

The church, which forms a prominent feature in the picture of Beaumaris, is a spacious and very elegant structure, having a lofty square tower, visible at a great distance, and presenting in all its proportions and compartments a fine specimen of ecclesiastical architecture. The other public buildings consist of the county-hall, the town-hall, the free-school, and the custom-house; each possessing, in an eminent degree, every ornament and accommodation befitting buildings of their class and destination. The view from the green commands a striking prospect of the most interesting portion of the Menai Strait, bounded in the distance by the Caernarvon mountains, which gradually overtop each other till they unite in the majestic Snowdon, whose summit—now belted with clouds, and now glittering in the sunshine—asserts his claim to undivided empire as "Sovran" of the British Alps.

With respect to trade, Beaumaris can hardly be said to enjoy any exclusive advantages: the vessels belonging to the port are generally hired by neighbouring merchants and others, who have trading connexions with Liverpool and other ports on the English and Irish sides of the Channel. The bay, though not spacious, is safe and commodious, and affords shelter and good anchorage for vessels that take refuge here in tempestuous weather. The town has a weekly market on Wednesdays, and three annual cattle fairs in February, September, and December. During the season it is much resorted to as bathing-quarters, and has everything to recommend it as a summer residence. A steam-boat plies regularly between this and Liverpool, thereby affording every facility to visitors, and presenting in the passage a rich succession of beautiful, picturesque, and sublime scenery, which successively invites and fascinates the eye of the spectator.

HOLYHEAD.HOLYHEAD.

Holyheadis familiar to every reader as the favourite point of rendezvous for all who are on their way to the Irish capital. By the admirable arrangements of the Post-office, and the sure and swift-sailing packets that are here in regular attendance, a passage across the Channel is now a matter of as much certainty, as to time, as that of the mail from London. The perfect order and the surprising expedition with which passengers and despatches may thus be forwarded to and from Dublin are the general theme of admiration amongst foreigners, and a means of vast accommodation to our own commercial houses. During a long series of years the improvement of Holyhead has engaged the special attention of Government; every suggestion, entitled to the approbation of skilful and experienced engineers, has been liberally carried into effect: so that in the present day it seems hardly possible that any packet-station can offer greater facilities for all the purposes of Government, or for the interests of social and commercial intercourse, than Holyhead. The steam-vessels which carry the daily mails are of the best possible construction, commanded by experienced naval officers, and affording excellent accommodation for the passengers who are constantly passing to and fro between the British and Irish shores.

The harbour of Holyhead is shaped by the natural cliffs which overhang the sea, on the verge of which stand the ancient sanctuary of the place and its cemetery. The foundation of this church—originally a small monastery—dates from the close of the fourth century: it was long afterwards remodelled into a college of presbyters by one of the Lords of Anglesey; and, after undergoing many alterations suitable to the varying taste of the ages through which it has passed, it assumed its present appearance—that of an embattled edifice built in the shape of a cross.

Under the Head—the mountain from which the harbour takes its name, and which overshadows the town—are two rocky eminences nearly opposite the church, both of which are crowned with ruins which carry the mind far back among the bright days of Cambrian independence. In the rock is a wide and lofty cavern, supported by natural columns, on which tradition has conferred the title of the Parliament-house; and it is not to be denied that patriotic legislators have been often worse accommodated. This curiosity requires to be visited in a boat. On the highest point stands an uncemented circular stone wall, about ten feet in circumference, which is conjectured to have served as apharosin ancient times; for this coast has a perilous celebrity attached to it, and no vessel could safely approach the haven by night without a warning signal of this kind.

The pier of Holyhead is admirably constructed. It is built on a small island north of the harbour, called Inys-halen, and combines in an eminent degree the requisites of security and accommodation in a work of such importance to the interests of trade. The foundation was laid in 1809, under fortunate auspices; and the grand object, which had been so long and anxiously cherished, was happily accomplished, under the able direction of Mr. Rennie, within a comparatively short period. It has a depth of four fathoms water, so that vessels of heavy burden can ride at anchor in perfect safety. At the extremity is a lighthouse, finely proportioned, substantially built, and highly ornamental as well as useful to the pier and harbour.

The pier extends a thousand feet in length; and close adjoining to it are the Custom-house, with several respectable family houses, among which are those for the harbour-master and resident engineers. The lighthouse contains twenty lamps and reflectors, at an elevation of more than fifty feet above the sea, and exhibiting in every direction a steady blaze of light. At the present time, works for improving and enlarging the harbour are proceeding on a very extensive scale, and bid fair, upon completion, to render Holyhead one of the first harbours of the United Kingdom.

BRIDGE TO THE SOUTH STACK LIGHTHOUSE.BRIDGE TO THE SOUTH STACK LIGHTHOUSE.(near Holyhead.)

"Approaching it from the water, its singular aspect, its wild site and deserted air—the lighthouse towering seventy feet in height—the neat, comfortable dwellings close under its guardian wing—the sounds of life and industry mingled with the lashing of the sea—and the cry of innumerable birds, ever circling above and around—were altogether of so unwonted a character, that, had I been transported to the antipodes, I could not have felt more unfeigned surprise."—Roscoe.

Fewobjects on the British coast excite more individual interest than the subject of this illustration. The singularity of its position, the difficulties which attended its erection, the grand objects of humanity to which it has been made subservient, are all calculated to interest the heart, and afford scope for the imagination.

The Southstack islet is about thirty yards from the rock known as the Head; and on this the lighthouse was erected in 1809, under the direction of Captain Evans, of the Royal Navy. Its form is that of a round tower, the foundation of which is a hundred and forty feet, and the light two hundred feet above the sea—so that it embraces within its sphere the whole bay of Caernarvon. The approach by water to this remarkable sanctuary of human life is well calculated to make a lasting impression upon every visitor, and should never be omitted where a favourable opportunity is presented by the state of the weather. It is here that the extremes of natural desolation and human industry are brought into juxtaposition; where human enterprise has established an asylum amidst the ruins of nature, the war of waves, the wreck of tempests, to shed the "light of hope" over the heart of many a despairing mariner.

Happily for the cause of humanity, vast efforts have been made, and are continually making, to diminish where they cannot entirely remove the dangers which have so long invested our native coast; and it is impossible to calculate the number of lives and the amount of merchandise which have thus been saved from imminent destruction. Much, however, still remains to be effected—much that is really practicable—and it is earnestly to be desired that the attention of Government should be constantly directed to those points on which the science of the engineer can be most beneficially employed. Holyhead in particular is still susceptible of vast improvements; and with the addition of a capacious outer harbour, sufficient to admit merchant-vessels and others of larger size than those now frequenting the port, it would speedily realize all that could be wished for by those most interested in the welfare of the place, and in the prosperity of trade. This is also a subject well deserving of attention on the part of the Admiralty; for, with proper accommodation, her Majesty's ships, in the event of a war, might be advantageously stationed at this port, so as to secure free intercourse, and serve as a protection to the coast, which is now in a defenceless condition and open to any attempt at hostile aggression. We are happy that this question has received the consideration of her Majesty's Government; and feel assured that the steps which are now making towards the accomplishment of so great a desideratum will ensure the grateful approbation of the public, and the increased prosperity of Holyhead.

The Southstack, as already mentioned, is cut off from the promontory by a deep chasm thirty yards in width, through which the sea roars and boils with great force and impetuosity. To cross this formidable ravine an oriental rope-bridge was formerly employed, that is—a sliding basket was attached to the cable, which was secured at either side of the abyss; the passenger entered the basket, and by the ingenious working of lateral pulleys it was sent off or hauled in, according to the arrival or departure of visitors. This hempen apparatus was replaced in 1827 by a handsome suspension-bridge, on the same principles as that over the Menai. It was suggested by the intelligent veteran already mentioned, Captain Evans, and has answered every purpose contemplated in its erection. The roadway is five feet in width, and its height above high-water mark is about seventy feet. The airy span of this bridge is highly graceful and picturesque, and adds greatly to the interest of the picture. On the rock, close under the walls of the lighthouse, are several cottages for the use of the Superintendent and those under his command. The different points of view which it comprises are all deeply interesting to a stranger, particularly from the lighthouse, where the sphere of vision is greatly enlarged.

THE EAGLE TOWER, CARNARVON CASTLE.THE EAGLE TOWER, CARNARVON CASTLE.

Caernarvon Castle, of which the Engraving annexed presents so faithful and striking a resemblance, is a subject of no ordinary interest: it generally engrosses the attention of all strangers in these parts, and is, in every sense, one of the noblest specimens of castellated architecture in existence. Like so many others of similar design and execution, this fortress owes its origin to the policy of Edward the First, who built it, according to contemporary history, by appropriating the revenues of the See of York, then vacant, to the purposes of warlike enterprise and ambition. The town is understood to have arisen under the same auspices. The Castle defends it on the south by means of a narrow, deep moat in front. In its west wall are three circular towers, with two others on either side, and a narrow gate or entrance, over which is placed a bare-headed figure with flowing locks,—the statue of the founder,—holding in his left hand a sword, which he draws with his right hand,—or rather, perhaps, is returning to its scabbard, in allusion to the subjugation of the Welsh,—and a defaced shield under his feet. This gate leads to a narrow, oblong court. At the west end is a polygon, or many-sided tower, with three others of hexagonal form above, and eagles sculptured on the battlements, from which it received the name, preserved in the Engraving, of the "Eagle Tower." It is a noble structure, having ten sides, and a staircase of three hundred steps to the battlements. In this tower is the birth-chamber of Edward the Second,—the first Prince of Wales,[1]—whose nativity, on the 25th of April, 1284, was an humiliating epoch to the spirit of Cambrian freedom. The room measures only eleven feet by seven,—dimensions little in accordance with the importance attached to that event,—but still in some measure characteristic of the fortunes of the royal heir, who, after an eventful reign, was destined at last to perish by a horrible death in the dungeon-room of Berkeley Castle. Adjoining this chamber is a semicircular apartment, traditionally described as the King's Nursery.

The Castle and the court which it encloses are very nearly a mile in circumference. From the outside, twelve towers are seen; out of which, as observed in those of Conway Castle, issue several smaller angular turrets, which, relieved against the horizon, produce a very picturesque effect. A gateway on the south side of the Castle is called the Queen's Gate, from the circumstance of Queen Eleanor having entered the fortress through this gate, by a temporary bridge erected for the occasion.

Our limits do not permit us to indulge in more minute description of this vast and imposing fortress, which, from the state of repair in which it is still kept, may brave the changes of season and the fury of the elements for many generations to come. Externally it is still entire, and challenges the admiration of all who have the least taste for what is sublime and striking in architecture. The castle-walls are still washed by the sea on the north and west, as they formerly were on the south. Founded upon a rock, and occupying so strong a position, it might well have been considered impregnable in the absence of gunpowder. Immense as the structure appears, it is said to have been built within the short space of twelve months; a fact which would appear incredible, did we not reflect that in those days of bitter vassalage thewillof the sovereign was a law that could not be transgressed without certain destruction to the offenders. If a work was considered impracticable, or of doubtful accomplishment, all hesitation was removed—all difficulties cancelled—by these expressive words,Le Roi l'a voulu!And under the more than magical influence of this laconic phrase, the "towery fortress" of Caernarvon may have sprung into sudden existence.

CARNARVON.CARNARVON.

——"Rifled towersThat, beetling o'er the rock, rear the grey crestEmbattled."

Thefirst royal charter granted in the Principality of Wales was that conferred on the town of Caernarvon by Edward the First. It is a place of great historical interest and importance, and, in connexion with its magnificent castle, presents one of the most imposing features on the British coast. The town is not large; but the recent improvements—public and private—which have been carried into effect have materially contributed to its internal convenience and outward embellishment. Of these the Baths demand especial notice, as one of the principal recommendations to strangers and invalids who resort to this part of the Cambrian shore either for health or relaxation. The building in itself is a good specimen of classical taste—combining elegance of design with excellent workmanship, and presenting, in the distribution of its apartments, every convenience for the reception of visiters and invalids, a choice of hot and cold sea-water baths, with the appendage of comfortable dressing-rooms. For those who have the pleasure in the "cold plunge," as the means of bracing the relaxed system by the exercise of swimming, there is excellent accommodation in a capacious bath, appropriated to that salutary purpose, which is refreshed by a constant supply of water drawn by a steam-engine from the sea through iron pipes, and received into large reservoirs of the same metal. This edifice, which combines in an eminent degree the useful and ornamental, was built at the expense of the Marquess of Anglesey, and is said to have cost upwards of ten thousand pounds.

Within the walls this ancient town is intersected by ten streets, crossing each other at right-angles, which, at various points, fix the stranger's attention by those features and recollections of "other times" with which they are so closely associated. Of these, the main or high street runs from the land to the Water-gate, and is a very fair specimen of that architecture which characterises almost all town buildings of the feudal period. Beyond the walls the town assumes a very different character; elegance, taste, and comfort, and those features which mark the progress of art and refinement, are brought into immediate view; while numerous cottages, and several villas of handsome design and finely situated, throw an air of luxury and domestic comfort over the rural suburbs, the natural character of which is highly favourable to buildings of this description. The town is well paved, lighted with gas, and abundantly supplied with water.

The Port of Caernarvon has accommodation for shipping not exceeding four hundred tons burden, and is frequented by a great number of vessels in the coasting-trade, as well as by others in connexion with London, Liverpool, Glasgow, Dublin, Cork, Bristol, and various port-towns in the United Kingdom. The principal exports consist of slate and copper-ore, the inland transport of which has been greatly facilitated since the construction of the railway. The imports are chiefly colonial produce, Birmingham and Manchester goods, and various articles of home-consumption from the London markets. The quay and harbour of Caernarvon, which formerly presented serious obstacles to the shipping interest on account of thebarat the entrance, have been so improved that the danger, if not entirely removed, is at least so far diminished as to excite little apprehension for the safety of the ordinary craft in connexion with this port. To defray the expense of these public works, Government has levied additional port-dues; and it is much to be wished that, in all other harbours of difficult or dangerous access, the same advantages could be obtained on similar conditions.

The town is now, agreeably to the Municipal Act, divided into two wards, and governed by a mayor, six aldermen, and eighteen councillors. In addition to the picturesque civic retreats already alluded to, as giving so much animation to the native scenery, the neighbourhood is embellished with the baronial seats of the Marquess of Anglesey, Lord Boston, and Lord Newborough. The ruins of Segontium, several Roman stations, part of a military road, and a considerable number of primitive domestic edifices, are among the chief objects of antiquity which deserve the attention of visiters to this neighbourhood.

HARLECH CASTLE.HARLECH CASTLE.

"The tower that long had stoodThe crash of thunder and the warring winds.Shook by the slow but sure destroyer—Time,Now hangs in doubtful ruins o'er its base."

Harlech Castle, according to the Welsh historians, derives its origin from Maelgwyn Gwynedd, prince of North Wales, who flourished at the commencement of the sixth century. The present castle appears to have been rebuilt by Edward I., on the foundations of the original fortress, portions of which are still observable in the masonry of the latter epoch, so well known as the "castle-building reign" in England. In the reign of Henry IV. the castle was seized by Owen Glendower, but was retaken four years later; and, after the battle of Northampton, in 1460, afforded temporary shelter to Margaret of Anjou.

In 1468, the castle of Harlech was captured, after a short siege, by the Earl of Pembroke; of whom Sir John Wynne, in his history of the Gwydir family, quotes some Cambrian lines expressive of the ravages committed by him in the counties of Merioneth and Denbigh at that unhappy period. The last of the many tempestuous scenes with which this fortress has been visited occurred in 1647, when William Owen, with a garrison of only twenty men, surrendered it to Cromwell's forces under General Mytton; but this was not accomplished till every other castle in Wales had deserted the royal cause.

This castle is a strong square building, with a round-tower at each angle, and one of the same form at each side of the gateway. Besides these there are four other turrets, smaller and higher, which rise above the towers at the angles, and are in a more dilapidated state. The entrance is under a pointed arch, which formerly contained six gates of massive strength and construction. Although the roofs, doors, and casements of this interesting stronghold have long disappeared, it still presents in the distance an air of even habitable preservation. There are the remains of stone staircases in every tower, and in the area one of these, leading to the top of the battlements, is still entire. In all the rooms fire-places, with pointed arches, are visible, as well as window recesses, which in the state apartments are three in a row, and of spacious dimensions; while those in the smaller rooms gradually contract outwards till they terminate in a "slit" or loophole, as in most other castles of this style and period.

The view of Harlech Castle is among the finest in this picturesque and interesting country; the situation is commanding, and the effect of these venerable towers and battlements, as they first burst upon the traveller's eye, is strikingly bold and impressive. His fancy is hurried back to the days of other times: the shades of native harpers and native heroes flit before his eye; history and romance divide the empire of his mind; and for a time he rests with mute but intense interest on these castellated landmarks of Cambrian history.

The rock upon which the fortress is built rises from the Gamlas,—a level marsh, resembling water in the distance, nearly a mile in breadth, and which it is probable was once covered by the sea. On the side overlooking this marsh, the rock is precipitous, and steep at either end. In front it is on a level with the town of Harlech, from which it is separated only by a deep trench or moat, and overlooked by a group of magnificent mountains in the rear, from which the view is sublime. The whole platform of the rock is occupied by the castle, except a narrow belt of about four or five feet in width, forming a beautiful green path, which winds round the outer walls, skirting the very brink of the precipice.

The town of Harlech is an ancient free burgh, and originally one of the chief places in the county of Merioneth. It is now reduced to the condition of a secondary village, has a corporation governed by a mayor, is one of the polling-places for the county members, and is enlivened during the year by several periodical fairs and weekly markets.

Various objects of antiquity have been discovered from time to time in the neighbourhood of Harlech. In 1692 an ancient goldtorquewas dug up in a garden near the castle. It is in the form of a wreathed bar, or several rods twisted together, about four feet long, flexible, bent in the form of a hat-band, neither sharp nor twisted, but plain, evenly cut, an inch in circumference, and in weight about eight ounces. This interesting relic is an heir-loom in the Mostyn family. Several coins of the Roman empire have also been found in and near this town, which afford indisputable evidence of its great antiquity. The distance of Harlech from London is two hundred and twenty-nine miles.

BARMOUTH.BARMOUTH.

"Here, beneath the mountain's brow,Hygëia hears the pilgrim's vow;Here the breath of summer seas,The balm of morn, the evening breeze,The charms of a romantic land,Refresh and gem the Cambrian strand,—Where still the muse of Cymry lingers,And strikes the harp with raptured fingers."

Barmouth, the only port in Merionethshire, occupies a romantic situation at the mouth of the river Mawddach, where the tide at high-water forms a bay of about a mile across, but rather hazardous, owing to the shifting sandbanks by which the channel is interrupted. Overhung by lofty mountains, which leave no adequate space for the horizontal expansion of the village, the houses appear to hang almost perpendicularly from the steep side of the cliffs, so that the chimneys of the one appear to be the foundation of the other. They form eight successive tiers or terraces, to which there is no better approach than by steps hewn in the rock.

This romantic village, which consists of only one irregular street, is much frequented as sea-bathing quarters, for which it has every accommodation, and, in respect to bold and picturesque scenery, has few rivals in the whole Principality. The sea-beach affords every facility for pedestrian exercise; the walks along the banks of the river are numerous, and command the most striking points of view; while regular assemblies, and some of the best Cambrian harps, promote social intercourse and hilarity among the visitors, and give a stir and animation to the whole neighbourhood.

Barmouth, says Mr. Roscoe, is considered to the north-west part of the kingdom, much like Weymouth and other fashionable watering-places to the south, and is resorted to during the summer months, not only by numbers of families in the Principality, but by many others residing in the surrounding counties. The sands are very fine and hard, extending along the beach for several miles, and the bathing is at all times as excellent as can be desired. The restless tides of the Channel dashing against the surrounding coast produce that constant and salubrious motion, which is extended to the waters of the bay. There are two convenient inns, the "Commercial," and the "Cors y Gedol Arms," besides a number of respectable lodging-houses.

The town has the benefit of weekly markets, with an excellent supply of fish and poultry, at a cheap rate, and is further enlivened by two annual fairs, in October and November. The native manufactures consist chiefly of flannel and hosiery, a great quantity of which is exported. The otherexportsconsist of corn, butter, cheese, oak-bark, timber, &c.; theimports, of coal, culm, and other articles for the use of the interior.

The number of small coasting-vessels, and others belonging to this haven that trade with Ireland, is stated at a hundred or upwards; and commercial business, upon the whole, is considered to be in a flourishing state.

The distance of Barmouth from London is two hundred and twenty-two miles, and it communicates with Caernarvon by a cross-mail. The resident population is considerably under two thousand, but is greatly augmented during the bathing season. The shipping at the pier communicates to the place a particular air of prosperity and cheerfulness, and gives employment to a very considerable portion of the inhabitants.

"The beauties of the road from Llanilltyd to Barmouth," says Mr. Pratt, "are so manifold and extraordinary that they literally beggar description. New pastures of the most exuberant fertility, new woods rising in all the majesty of foliage, the road itself curving in numberless unexpected directions,—at one moment shut into a verdant recess, so contracted that there seems neither carriage nor bridle-way out of it, and at another the azure expanse of the main ocean filling the eye. On one side, rocks glittering in all the colours of that beauty which constitutes the sublime, and of a height which diminishes the wild herds that browse, or look down upon you from the summit, where the largest animal appears insignificantly minute. On the other hand, plains, villas, cottages, or copses, with whatever belongs to that milder grace which appertains to the beautiful."

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