Chapter 3

The Mother or Parish Church of Carnarvon, called Llanbeblig, is situated about one hundred yards beyond, or to the East of old Segontium, and according to our Historians, is dedicated to St. Publicius, Son of Macsen Wledig, (Maximus the Tyrant) and his Wife Helen, Daughter of Endef, Duke of Cornwal.—It is said that he retired from the World, and took a religious habit. Richard II. bestowed this Church, and the Chapel at Carnarvon, on the Nuns of St. Mary’s, in Chester, in consideration of their poverty; and in the recital of another Charter of the same Prince, it is mentioned that his Grandfather, Edward III. had bestowed on those Religious, the Advowson of Llangathen, in Carmarthenshire; both which on the Dissolution, were annexed to the See of Chester, and remain to this day, under the Patronage of the Bishop of that Diocese. In a recess to the North of the Communion Table, is an elegant Altar Tomb, with the following inscription: Here lieth the body of William Griffith, Esq. the Son of William Griffith, Knight, who died Nov.28, 1587, and Margaret his Wife, Daughter of John Wynne ap Meredith, Esq. who built this Tomb, 1593.[95]—Their figures are in white Marble, lying on a mat, admirably carved; he is in armour, she has on a short quilled ruff, and ruffles at her wrists, in a long gown, and a sash around her waist. And in the Churchyard, some years ago, was the following, which it may be useful to preserve, as it is very probable that a house in this neighbourhood,Cae Bold, took its name from this family:—Here lyeth the body of Ellin Bold, Daughter of William Bold, Esq. and Wife to John Ranshcraf, of Breton, Gent. who died 1st day of April, 1663. And near it the following: Here lyeth interred the body of John Smyth, of Carnarvon, the elder, who died the 23d day of May, A.D. 1645. In the late Mr. Foxwist’s pew, in the said Church, on a brass plate, is the following inscription;

In quo præ multis, scribend i gloria fulsit,Ricardus Foxwist, hic pede tritus adest,Annus Christi tutus fuit M.D: luce patriciDum tenet expirans, vulnera quinque tua;Corporis atque tui, tandem pars, aditur alt’ra,Dum conjux uno, clauditur in tumulo,Hæcque Johanna fuit, acSpicernata Johanne;Pauperibus larga, justa, pudica; fuit,

Several pleasant excursions may be recommended to the Tourist, whilst resident at Carnarvon:1st. He may either cross the Strait by the Carnarvon Ferry, called Tal y Foel, and examine Newborough, (once the seat of our ancient Princes) and that part of the Anglesey coast, or, engage a boat, and sail down to Aber Menai; visit the Barracks, called by the Welsh Y Belan, and proceed from thence to the once celebrated Peninsula of Llanddwyn, which, though in the time of Edward III. it contained only eight small houses, (then calledWeles,) yet in the reign of Henry VIII. was one of the richest Prebends in the Cathedral of Bangor; its wealth arose not from the real fertility of the place, but from the superstition of the common people—from pilgrimages to crosses, reliques, Holy wells, ordeals, and what Mr. Rowlands callsichthuomania, or divination from Fishes.—In the time of Owen Glyndwr, one Yorwerth Vychan, Rector of Llanddoged, made pretentions to the Offerings, and sacrilegiously seized on them; but Griffith le Yonge, Chancellor to that Chieftain, interfered, and by a decree of his, put a stop to the invasion of the rights of the place: Here are still visible the ruins of the old Church, dedicated to St. Dwywen, Daughter of Brychan, one of the holyColidei, or primitive Christians of Britain, who distinguished themselves by living in seclusion and retirement.—Near it are some of the remains of the prebendal house:—The first appears to have been noinelegant building; the last is noted for the residence of Richard Kyffin, Rector of this place, and Dean of Bangor, before mentioned. The Barracks, above alluded to, were created about 35 or 40 years ago, by the late Lord Newborough, of Glyn Llifon, when he was Colonel of the Militia of this County, for the accommodation of the men when called out on permanent duty.

Some of the Inhabitants of Carnarvon are frequently employed in fishing, during the greatest part of the year, both in the Menai and Carnarvon Bay; the fish principally taken are the following, viz. Cod, Turbot, Soles, Salmon, Mullet, Bream, Ray, &c. all excellent in their kind; Oysters are also taken on the Anglesey coast. There is a small Creek, or Harbour near the point of Llanddwyn, where vessels frequently put in to await the return of the Tide. A red and a black Buoy, and also a Perch, have been placed near the entrance of Carnarvon Bar, for the direction of Navigators. The Botanist, Naturalist, Sailor, or Sportsman, would find sufficient employment, and meet with considerable amusement during a short voyage of this description, as there are varieties of Shells on the sea shore, some scarce Plants on the rocks, and Rabbits in the sand banks. The Straits of the Menai have frequently been the scene of many a bloody encounter between the Welsh, Irish; Danes, &c. and the reader may not probably be displeased withour introducing here, a part of Gray’s spirited version of the Rev. Evan Evans’s translation of Gwalchmai’s Ode,[98a]celebrating the victory of Prince Owen Gwynedd, over three fleets of Irish, Danish, and Norman Pirates, at Tal y Foel, nearly opposite Carnarvon, on the Anglesey Coast, about the year 1158: “Ardwyrëaf hael o hil Rodri,” &c.

Owen’s praise demands my Song,Owen swift and Owen strong,—Fairest flower of Roderick’s stem,—Gwynedd’s shield, and Britain’s gem:He nor heaps his brooded stone,Nor on all profusely pours;Lord of every regal art,Liberal hand, and open heart.Big with hosts of mighty name,Squadron’s three against him came;This the force of Erin hiding,Side by side as proudly riding;On her shadow, long and gayLochlin plows the wat’ry way:There, the Norman sails afar,Catch the winds, and join the war;Black and huge along they sweep,Burthens of the angry deep.Dauntless on his native sands,The Dragon[98b]son of Mona stands,In glittering arms and glory drest,High he rears his ruby crest.There the thund’ring strokes begin,There the press, and there the din;Tal y Moelfre’s[98c]rocky shoreEchoing to the battle’s roar;Check’d by the torrent tide of blood,BackwardMenairolls his flood;While heap’d the Hero’s feet around,Prostrate warriors gnaw the ground:Where his glowing eye-balls turn,Thousand banners round him burn;Where he points his purple spear,Hasty, hasty rout is there;Marking with indignant eye,Fear to stop, and shame to fly:There Confusion, Terror’s child,Conflict fierce, and Ruin wild,Agony, that pants for breath,Despair, and honourable death.

Big with hosts of mighty name,Squadron’s three against him came;This the force of Erin hiding,Side by side as proudly riding;On her shadow, long and gayLochlin plows the wat’ry way:There, the Norman sails afar,Catch the winds, and join the war;Black and huge along they sweep,Burthens of the angry deep.

Dauntless on his native sands,The Dragon[98b]son of Mona stands,In glittering arms and glory drest,High he rears his ruby crest.There the thund’ring strokes begin,There the press, and there the din;Tal y Moelfre’s[98c]rocky shoreEchoing to the battle’s roar;Check’d by the torrent tide of blood,BackwardMenairolls his flood;While heap’d the Hero’s feet around,Prostrate warriors gnaw the ground:Where his glowing eye-balls turn,Thousand banners round him burn;Where he points his purple spear,Hasty, hasty rout is there;Marking with indignant eye,Fear to stop, and shame to fly:There Confusion, Terror’s child,Conflict fierce, and Ruin wild,Agony, that pants for breath,Despair, and honourable death.

The next expedition we shall recommend is a visit to the Llanllyfni Slate Quarries, and the Nantlle (or as they were formerly called the Bala Deulyn) Lakes, then proceed by Drws y Coed, to the Bethgelert road, and return by Quellyn Lake and Bettws Village to Carnarvon. Part of this rout, particularly from the Quarries to the main road, leading from Carnarvon to Bethgelert, will not admit of a four-wheeled Carriage, and it would be difficult to take even a Gig along that portion of it. The whole of this circuit, as before described, round the huge Mynydd-mawr, (a mountain which forms so remarkable a feature in the landscape from Carnarvon) will make a distance probably of about one and twenty miles. Persons who may be induced to examine this interesting part of the County, would do well to hire ponies at Carnarvon, and set off after an early breakfast; they would then be able to return by three or four o’clock. The first part of the journey, for two miles and a half, is along the Pwllheli road; about that distance, (a few yards beyond a small bridge) the turn on the left must be taken, afterwardsthe Slate Carts (of which the stranger will meet with a great number) will be a sufficient direction. It is thought necessary to mention these particulars, as there are neither mile stones nor finger posts to point the way, and but few of the country people understand the English language; the stranger would therefore act wisely to engage a good intelligent guide, well recommended by some gentleman resident at Carnarvon. Pont Seiont (above and below which the Scenery is very beautiful) is a bridge within a short mile of the town, and between which and Pont Newydd, (another bridge over the River Gwyrfai, a mile further,) there is a Manor belonging to the Bishop of Bangor, calledCastellmai, the principal Freeholders in which, 1647, were the following, as appears by the Extent Book: Dr. Williams, late Archbishop of York, W. Glynn, Esq. John Bodvell, Esq. Hugh Gwynn, Esq. John Robins, Esq. William Spicer, Esq. Sir W. Williams, Bart. Richard Prytherch, Esq.; Parish of Llanfaglan, ditto, John Bodvell, Esq. Wm. Foxwist, Esq. Thomas Glynn, Esq. Hugh Griffith, Esq. Richard Prytherch, Esq. John Robins, Esq.: Llanwnda Parish,—William Foxwist, Esq. Hugh Gwynn, Esq. Thomas Williams, Esq. and Thomas Glynn, Esq.

There is a called Gwaredog, a little to the S.E. of the last mentioned bridge, which is celebrated (according to our Welsh Pedigrees)as the birth-place of the renowned Patrick, the Patron Saint of the Irish; has genealogy is thus given, in Bonedd y Saint, published in the Myvyrian Archaiology: Padric Sant ap Alfryd ap Gronwy ap Gwdion ap Dôn o Waredawg yn Arvon. Several other places contend for this honor, such as Abergwaun, or Fishguard, in Pembrokeshire; Ystrad Clwyd, (or Clyde’s Dale) in Scotland, and several places in Ireland. The riverGorfaiis the boundary between the two Commots of Uwch and Is-Gorvai, in the Hundred or Cantrev of Arvon. About half a mile beyond Pont Newydd, on the right, is Dinas Dinoethny, the residence of Captain Jones.—This appears to have been one of the principal Roman Encampments in this neighbourhood, and to have had several small out-posts connected with it, which was the case also with Dinas Dinlle, a remarkabletumulus, or eminence, on the sea-coast, about two miles further, as well as with Craig y Dinas, on the river Llyfni, and Dinorwig, in the parish of Llanddeiniolen, before mentioned; a list of which, together with the subordinate Posts, connected with them, we shall hereafter insert. About a quarter of a mile beyond Dinas Dinoethwy, on the right, is Llanwnda, a small Church, dedicated toSt. Gwyndaf. The Rectorial Tithes are annexed to the Headship of Jesus College, Oxford, and the small Vicarage, which is discharged and consolidated with theChapel of Llan Faglan, dedicated to St. Baglan, situated near Aber menai, is in the Patronage of the Bishop of Bangor. The population of Llanwnda, in 1801, was 826, and of Llan Faglan 102. Near a small bridge, (as before-mentioned) called Glann y Rhyd, the Tourist will follow the left hand road until he arrives within a mile of the village of Llanllyfni, when he will again turn on the left, near a smithy, and proceed towards the Slate Quarries; and he will soon perceive, when he enters this little vale, that the Scenery here, as well as in most parts of North Wales, unfolds its beauty gradually as the traveller advances, until at last it displays itself in all its grandeur and magnificence. This Defile is bounded on the South and East by mountains of considerable height and magnitude, which assume a variety of shapes and characters as we proceed. It was from this narrow vale, which is but little known to strangers, that Wilson took his celebrated view of Snowdon, which has been so much and so deservedly admired; the situation was probably near the Nantlle Lakes, where Edward I. in the summer of 1284, resided for some days; and from thence issued several of his Edicts, some dated July 17, and others the 20th, and one from Carnarvon, as late as the 22nd of October in the same year, which shews what attention he paid to the establishment of governments in his new Dominions. The place which he occupiedhere during that time, was called Bala[103]Deulyn, and had been in the possession of the descendants of the Welsh Princes, ever since the time of Owen Gwynedd, as appears from authorities mentioned in Sir John Wynne’s History of the Gwydir Family, to which we have before alluded.

The principal Slate Quarries (which are near these lakes) are the Cilgwyn and Havodlas; here there is a Steam Engine, to supply the place of another, which lately fell into the quarry, and was broke; they are situated in the Parish of Llandwrog, (which we soon shall have occasion to notice in our progress to Clynog) and their produce is conveyed to Carnarvon. The variation in the size of the Slates took place about 75 years ago; before that time, they were all nearly of the same dimensions, and very small; but a larger sort having been introduced, it became necessary, for the sake of distinction, to give them a new name, and beingdoubledin size, and also in price, they were denominatedDoubles, and one thousand of these were considered and accounted by the Workmen as equal totwothousand; the first sort was therefore distinguished by the name ofSingles.—Some time after, another sort was introduced, increasingstill in size, so as to double those calleddoubles, and were therefore calledDouble doubles, and the men counted every thousand of these as four thousand: afterwards a still larger sort was found necessary, and General Warburton, the proprietor of the Penrhyn Estate, being in the country about that time, is said to have given these last, the honorable name ofCountesses; and the former, viz. the double doubles, he denominatedLadies; since that time two others of still greater magnitude have been added, which are distinguished by the names ofDuchessesandQueens. The colour of these States, as well as those of Cefn Du, in the Parishes of Llanbeblig and Llanrug, though of an equally good, if not better quality, differ a little from those of Cae Braich y Cafn, or Mr. Pennant’s Quarry, the former being either of a brown cast, or red tinge, while the latter are of a dark blue. Some of the Welsh have supposed that an ancient prophecy of Merddyn ap Morvran, (or Merlinus Caledonius) received its accomplishment when these Quarries were discovered, and so many men employed, viz. That the time would come, when the rocks of Carnarvonshire would be converted into bread. It is to be regretted that the proprietors of these numerous Slate Quarries, do not unite together, and form a good Iron Rail Road, or tram-way, to Carnarvon, which though it may be attended with greatexpence in the execution, would eventually be productive of considerable advantage to the adventurers.—And as we are upon this subject, we cannot help lamenting another circumstance which proves a considerable diminution of the benefits arising from these sources of support and employment to the labouring Poor, viz. that so many accidents, by the sudden explosions of charges of Gunpowder, the falling of Stones, rubbish, and fragments of Rocks, &c. and breaking of ropes, whereby many of the workmen are lamed and maimed, and others lose their sight, and thus become chargable to different Parishes. It would be desirable therefore, to have a Fund for the relief of these poor sufferers; and for this purpose, the Proprietors, or their Agents, might easily establish a Club, or Friendly Society, towards which they should contribute liberally, themselves, and also make such an arrangement, that a small sum should be allotted, either weekly or monthly, from the wages of the Labourers, towards their support when incapacitated, either by casualties or illness, from following their usual occupation; and also for the purpose of procuring medical advice.

Llanllyfni, before mentioned, is a small Village on the road to Crickaeth, Penmorva, and Tremadoc.—It is a discharged Rectory, valued in the King’s Books at £7 17s.6d.and dedicated to St. Rhediw, a Saint (says Mr. W.Owen Pughe) whose history is not known; he is supposed to have been buried here; and his well, his seat, the print of his Horse’s foot, and the mark of his Thumb on a Stone, are still pretended to be shewn. Near the upper end of this narrow pass are some Copper Mines, where some few workmen are employed, but the Vein is small, and the quantity of Ore hitherto obtained, though of a good quality, has been very inconsiderable.

The curious Visitor of these mountainous districts, will be induced, no doubt, before he descends into the Bethgelert road, to call at Drws-y-coed, a mountain Farm, near which, in a small Lake, known by the name ofLlyn y Dywarchen, is the celebrated Floating Island, mentioned by Giraldus, and which he denominatesinsula erratica; what is dignified with the name of Island, is merely a considerable portion of the Turbery ground, on the side of this small Pool, undermined, and torn off, and adhering together by the entangling of the Roots, of such Plants as generally grow on Bogs and Morasses. Here may be found the Nymphœa lutea & alba, or yellow and white Water Lily, (and other Aquatic Plants) which are not uncommon in most of the Lakes in the vicinity of Snowdon. If the Traveller be so disposed, and the weather favourable, he will here have an opportunity of ascending Snowdon, from theGuide’s House, near Cawellyn (Quellyn) Lake; from whence there is a tolerable Horse Path till within a quarter of a mile of the apex, made for the purpose of bringing down Copper Ore from Bwlch glas, a gap, or opening between the two summits of Snowdon. This and the one along the side of Cwm Brwynog, in the Parish of Llanberris, (which we shall hereafter more particularly describe) are considered the two easiest and safest ascents; and along either of which, any person, who is a tolerable horseman, may ride a Welsh Pony, as far as the spot above mentioned.

We shall now conduct the Stranger to the Village of Llanberis, which on account of its singular situation, at the end of a Lake, in a narrow Vale, nearly at the foot of Snowdon, is well worth his attention. The distance from Carnarvon is about ten miles; the first five of which, so far as a place called Cwm y Glo, (though rough, uneven, and greatly injured by the Slate Carts) will admit of a Carriage; and from thence a Boat may be engaged. After travelling about a mile and a half from Carnarvon, we obtain a view of the River Seiont, and having proceeded along its banks a short way, we cross it, over a handsome Arch, built in 1769, by one Henry Parry, as appears by a stone in the Battlement, and where he is underservedly denominated the modernInigo: afterwardswe turn to the left; on an eminence to the right, at a little distance from the road, is Llanrug,[108]a small Church, dedicated to St. Michael, and formerly called Llanfihangel yn Rûg. Some years ago, the following little Sonnet was written on beholding this small structure, after a few weeks absence:

Oft as yon Fane presents its simple form;That small shrill Bell, that duly tolls aloudEach day of rest,—to call the rustic croud;Yon aged Yew-tree, bending with the storm;The thought recurs—that by indulgent Heaven,This humble flock, to feed with constant care,Their morals form, and truths divine declare,To me unworthy, has the charge been given.Then let me still, their faithful Pastor prove,By precepts teach, and bright example leadMy flock the upward road, to bliss; and readWith fervor due His word, whose name isLove!When thus my work is finish’d, and my race is run,That Great, Good Shepherd may pronounce “well done.”

The extent of the Parish is about five miles in length, and two in breadth: the number of Inhabited Houses in 1811, was 158, and of Inhabitants, 682.—It is a small Rectory, and valued in the King’s Books at £5 12s.6d.When arrived at the foot of a Hill, the road to the left must be taken, which leads to Cwm y Glo before mentioned, consisting of a group of Cottages, in a snug romantic situation, greatlyand deservedly admired; and near them a small Harbour, for Boats employed in fishing, and bringing down Slate and Copper Ore.—On the top of the Hill, before we descend to this place, there is a circular Rock on the left, strongly fortified, which was probably a subordinate post to Dinas Dinlle, Dinas Dinoethwy, and Dinas Dinorwig, before mentioned, and which being at the entrance of this narrow pass, served to communicate any signal to Dolbadern Castle, which is situated on a Rock between the two Lakes, and from whence again, any notice, or intelligence of an enemy’s approach, was conveyed to the upper end of the Vale, and so on to Capel Curig, Dolwyddelen, &c. From this Rock there is a most grand and magnificent view, which on account of its opening suddenly and unexpectedly, has the effect of enchantment. Snowdon seems to soar in proud pre-eminence, and to look down upon the surrounding subject Hills with conscious superiority; some of which however, such as Erlidir, Garn, and Glydair, on the left, (or North of the Vale) Crib Goch, and Carnedd Higgon, on the right, appear to rival their Majestic Lord. This grand scenery,—this wonderful display of the works of the Most High, appears again to great advantage, as we enter the Lake from the channel of the River; but before we proceed, it will be proper to give a short account of a very extraordinary personage, (Margaret ferch Evan,) who lived near this place, and denominated by Mr. Pennant, Queen of the Lakes.—He observes further, that when he visited her Cottage, at Penllyn, in 1786, she was about ninety years of age, and says, that she was the last specimen of the strength and spirit of the ancient British Fair; but the correctness of this remark may justly be doubted, as there is a Female, (Catherine Thomas) now living at Cwm glas, (about a mile above the Church of Llanberis) who is by no means inferior to Mr. P’s Heroine, either in strength or agility: the following anecdote related by herself, may be mentioned as an instance of her uncommon courage; some years age, as she was one day watching her Sheep on one of the Rocks near her house, she perceived a Stranger, (to all appearance a very strong, lusty man) enter in, and having remained there a short time, he departed; Catherine hastened home, and having examined her Cottage; she discovered that the Stranger had stolen a Silk Handkerchief, and several other articles of wearing Apparel; she immediately pursued him, and having taken in her hand the post of a small gate or wicket, and taking a shorter path, she overtook him near Gorphwysfa, almost at the upper end of the pass, (a most lonely situation) and having laid hold of him with one hand, she shook him well, in order to convince him of herstrength, and then struck him with the club, or rather post, that was in the other, saying at the same time, You villain! how dare you enter into my house and steal my property? she then took from him his Wallet, and adding, Let me see what thou hast got in this bag? then emptying the contents, she took up her own property, and after giving him one or two more hard strokes, she charged him at his peril, never to enter that Vale again, otherwise he would not be suffered to depart without a much severer chastisement. The following is another instance of her extraordinary strength: Mr. Jones, the Agent of the Copper Mines at Llanberis, about eighteen years ago, was superintending the loading of Ore, near the small Quay, at the upper end of the Lake; and Catherine happening to be one of the Spectators, Mr. J. went behind her unperceived, and laying hold of her, jocularly said, “now Catherine, suppose I push you into the Lake;”—presently, she also got behind him; and though he was a tall, strong, lusty than, she laid hold of him under the Shoulders, and holding him up nearly at arm’s length, Now Sir, said she, suppose I drop you in? This extraordinary woman, who is of a very masculine appearance, and has a pretty long black beard, lives in a lonely Cottage, situated beyond the usual haunts of her fellow Creatures, and without a single inmate; and though her appearanceis so unfeminine, yet she is humane, gentle and charitable, esteemed and respected in her neighbourhood. After this long digression, we hasten to relate the numerous qualifications, and uncommon exploits of her rival Amazon, the before mentioned Margaret ferch Evan, whose character I shall sum up in Mr. Pennant’s own words,—She was the greatest hunter, shooter, and fisher of her time; she kept a dozen at least, of Dogs, Terriers, Greyhounds, and Spaniels, all excellent in their kinds.—She killed more Foxes in one year, than all the confederate Hunts do in ten;—rowed stoutly, and was Queen of the Lakes;—fiddled excellently, and knew all our old music;—did not neglect the mechanic arts, for she was a good Joiner, and made Cards for dressing Wool; and at the age of seventy, was the best wrestler in the country, few young men daring to try a fall with her.—Some years ago, she had a Maid of congenial qualities, but Death, “that mighty hunter,” earthed this faithful companion of her’s; Margaret was also Blacksmith, Shoemaker, Boat-builder, and maker of Harps:—she could also mow Hay, shoe her own Horses, make her own Shoes, and build her own Boats, while she was under contract to convey the Copper ore down the Lakes. We must not forget, that all the neighbouring Bards paid their addresses to her, and celebrated the exploits of their belovedMargaret, in pureBritish verse; at length she gave her hand to the most effeminate of her admirers, (who was a harper) as if predetermined to maintain the superiority which nature had bestowed on her.

About half a mile to the North of Pen y Llynn, (or the lower end of the Lake) are the remains ofLlys Dinorddwig, a house said to have been one of the Palaces of Prince Llewelyn ap Gruffydd; the walls high and strong, the hall twenty-four yards long, and before the house is a deep ditch, over which had probably been a drawbridge. Not very far from hence is a spot called Rhiw’r Cyrn, or the Brow of the Horns, where according to ancient usage, an Officer stood and blew his horn, to give notice to the Household of the approach of their Master, or to summon the Vassals to assemble on all emergent occasions. Near this place was discovered, about twenty years ago, a Stone, about Four Feet in length, one in breadth, and about Six Inches thick, with the following inscription, IMP Q TRO DECIO VS.—Persons going up the Lake may be landed either near the New Inn, or on the Meadow below Mr. Smith’s Cottage, or they may proceed to the extremity of the upper Pool, and walk from thence to the Village, which is about a quarter of a mile distant, and procure refreshment at Robert Closs’s, who keeps a small Inn there; the Landlord of this House, as well as Pierce Jones, who lives at the other Inn,are both very civil and obliging men, and will either act as Guides themselves, or will procure persons to attend any Gentlemen up Snowdon, or to any of the neighbouring Villages: Ponies may also be obtained at both these Houses: and though the accommodations may not be equal to what we generally meet with in large Towns, and on Public Roads, yet the Botanist, the Mineralogist, the Artist, the Angler, and in short every person who is an admirer of Nature, and is fond of the wonderful and sublime, will contrive to remain a few days in this romantic, though secluded spot. One Day may be well employed in examining Mr. Smith’s Quarries, yr Allt Ddu, and Clogwyn y Gigfran, and observing the men while at work, many of whom descend fifteen or twenty yards, by the assistance of two Ropes, (one about their middle, and the other in their hands) to a small ledge, over a dreadful precipice, where they continue engaged for many hours, in boring, or detaching considerable fragments from the main Rock, and ascend again in the same manner.—A visit to Twll Du, a stupendousroche fendue, or split Rock, near Llyn y Cwn, about three miles North of the Village, and mentioned by Mr. Pennant, might be recommended, as a very rational and pleasing amusement for the second Day: this might also include a walk over Glydair Fawr, to examine the immense columnar Rocks on Glydair Bach;and noticed by the same Gentleman, one of which it about 25 Feet long, and six broad; the summit of this Mountain is covered with groups of these columnar Stones, lying in all directions, and in some places piled one upon the other. From the two Glydairs’ may be seen several Lakes, such as Llyn Idwal, Llyn Bochlwyd, and Llyn Ogwen; and also the Great Irish Road, leading from Bangor Ferry to Capel Curig. From this eminence may also be surveyed that most singular Mountain called Trevaen, (trifurcated) which is more conical, more insulated, and more completely detached from all the surrounding Hills and Rocks, than perhaps any other in the Principality, and it is so steep on every side, that it is considered, even by the Shepherds, a Feat of great vigour, agility, and courage, to ascend this stupendous natural Pyramid; and there being two columnar Rocks on the very summit, about 8 Feet high, and nearly 4 from each other, and overhanging a most frightful Precipice, and the space on the top of each very confined, it is thought a proof of noble daring, to challenge each other to climb up, and step from one to the other; these stones, at a particular part of the Road from Ogwen Pool to Capel Curig, have the appearance of two men, and it is jocularly related by the Peasants, that a Gentleman once stood a considerable time expecting them either to move or comedown. The Mountains in this part of Carnarvonshire, (observes Mr. Pennant) are of a stupendous height, mostly precipitous, the tops of many edged with pointed Rock; I have, from the depth below, says he, seen the Shepherds skipping from peak to peak, but the point of contact was so small, that from this distance, they seemed to my uplifted eyes, like beings of another Order, floating in the Air. And lastly Snowdon, will no doubt occupy one or two days more, in a most pleasing and agreeable manner.

There are three different Routs by which Strangers are generally conducted up this celebrated Mountain: the best, and most usual, is that commencing between the New Inn and Dolbadarn Castle, near the Bridge, and following the course of the River for about a quarter of a mile, and passing very near the Waterfall called Caunant Mawr, then turning to the left, and pursuing the Copper Sledge path-way, along the South slope of the ridge of Hills between the upper vale of Llanberis and Cwm Brwynog, as far as the Sheep-fold, and the Copper Mine at the upper end of Waun Cwm Brwynog; then turning to the left, (or North) and winding up the side of the slope or ridge, cross over till we are in view of the Llanberis pass, above the Church. During the first part of our progress, the view was confined, but here on this mountainflat, the prospect is extensive, particularly to the North West, where the greatest part of the Island of Anglesey is visible; and to the East, a portion of Denbighshire may be seen, between the mountains. We now begin to ascend Llechwedd y Re, the formidable slope above Llyn du yr Arddu, or otherwise, Clogwyn Coch, and Clogwyn du’r Arddu, the two precipices impending over that once black, butnow greenPool; (from the effects of the Copper) after this last ascent is surmounted, the progress is easy, and the rise very gradual, for upwards of half a mile, till we join the Bettws, or Quellyn Copper Ore path, near Bwlch Glas gap, before mentioned; from thence to the peak the distance is something more than a quarter of a mile, and the ascent easy. There was a circular wall formerly on the summit, (which is not much more than from six to eight yards square) to shelter the visitors from the cold, but the Bethgelert Guide, named Lloyd, having collected a sum of money, (about five Pounds as it is supposed) from different Gentlemen; in order to build a small hut, or shed, he made use of the Stones for that purpose; but the miserable building which he erected, and which is nothing more than a heap of stones piled together in the form of a small Stack of Corn, could not have cost him more than twenty or thirty Shillings, and is on the east side, about ten yards below theapex; butat present is of no use, as it is nearly coming down:—Here it is usual for Strangers to leave their names inscribed on the ruins of this small Building.—Small stones are frequently found near this spot, bearing the impression of different Shells. From this elevated situation may be seen, in clear weather, the Wicklow Hills, on the West; the Isle of Man, and the Cumberland and Westmoreland Mountains, on the North and North East; and a part of South Wales to the South West: The best time for such a view are the months of June and July, when it will be necessary to be on the Mountain before Sun-rise, as mists and fogs generally collect soon after.—It would not however, be advisable for persons of a tender habit, or delicate constitution, to attempt such an arduous undertaking, particularly in the night: at the same time it may be safely asserted, that no person who is equal to the task, will ever have occasion to regret having ascended Snowdon, even in cloudy weather; particularly if the Sun should occasionally appear, as in this aerial region the scenery and the views are perpetually shifting and changing; and many have been known to prefer, a partially cloudy or misty, to a hot sultry day, (though tolerably clear) for such an excursion. We shall here beg leave to introduce some extracts from a Letter received by a young Lady, in which her Friend gives a very lively and interesting descriptionof the pleasure she enjoyed on a visit to Snowden, in such weather as that above described: “My dear Friend,—I considered myself particularly unfortunate in not finding you at home, during my visit to North Wales; especially as I remained so long in your immediate neighbourhood. Perhaps you may recollect telling me, with what (I must confess) Ithenthought a prejudiced affection for your native scenery; ‘that no season or weather, could deprive Snowdon of its powers of amazing, and delighting.’ The truth of your remark forced itself into my mind, during two successive days, on which I ascended its lofty summit. The accounts of those two days, and the light in which my English feelings regarded your Country scenes, will, I trust, not be uninteresting. The morning destined for our first attempt, was ushered in by one of those intense fogs, which portend a sultry day; the late learned, worthy, and much respected Counsellor Dancey, was one of the party, and several Ladies and Gentlemen: I despair of conveying to your mind, any idea of the high-wrought expectations with which I commenced the ascent of this King of Hills, and never were expectations more fully answered. The variety, the constant succession of magnificent scenes, that gradually opened to our view, are absolutely indiscribable. You may conceive agroup, (for we found other parties onthe summit) of apparently aerial beings, standing on an elevated peak, literally above the clouds; for the glorious source of day, shed his Beams upon our heads, while our feet were enveloped in mist.—Picture to yourself the Sea, when agitated by a storm, suddenly arrested by an intense Frost, for such was, absolutely, the appearance, the congregated mists and clouds, represented to our astonished and enraptured eyes. In the course of about ten minutes, or a quarter of an hour, this irregular surface of waves began to break up and separate; and like an immense Army, sent advanced guards, and columns in different directions. The commotion, at the first breaking up, and the regular movements afterwards, were grand and magnificent beyond description. After these advanced guards (which were generally fleecy, transparent clouds, with fringes and festoons hanging in different fantastic shapes, and reflected Beams of the Sun, throwing golden tints upon their edges) came the main Army. Presently through the mist, several huge Mountains reared their Leviathan backs, and immense projections, appearing like so many capes and promontaries, stretching out into an endless Ocean; while other rocks assumed the appearance of small conical Islands, in this resplendent abyss. In a short time, these advancing Armies regularly encamped, orbovouack’dfor the night, in the different passes,and excavations of the mountains; this was not all, for as we descended, while these beautifully transparent mists were quietly at rest, some hundreds of yards below us, we suddenly beheld huge gigantic shadows, thrown athwart the immense abyss. This was about fire in the evening, for with a reluctance similar to that of our great progenitors, in leaving Paradise, we lingered on the summit some hours. We stopped and gazed, our sticks and umbrellas were converted, by the reflection, into Goliah of Gath’s tremendous club or weaver’s beam;—we began to brandish these weapons, and to our great amusement and astonishment, our lengthened bulky shadows gently imitated our different movements. At length we tore ourselves from these grand and sublime scenes, and arrived by the dusk of the evening at the pleasant little Inn of Llanberris. Having been so much delighted the first, I was easily induced (undeterred by heat and fatigue) to join a party of friends, who were going up the following day;—about half way, we had a fine distant view of Anglesey, with the indentures formed in its coast by the Sea; a thick mist overtook us, and shut the fairy scene from our eyes.—We reached the summit completely enveloped in clouds, which gradually opening, the Elyssian Vale of Nanthwynant burst upon the sight; the clouds soon covered it again, but we were amply compensated by a view of anextensive tract of Sea and Land, terminated by the faintly marked outline of South Wales.—Soon another opening presented the romantic region of Capel Curig, which with the variety of Lakes that appeared on every side, with the Sun shining upon many of them, afforded a most enchantingcoup de œil.—At this moment the attention of the party was most forcibly arrested by the appearance of our shadows reflected upon the mists, (but not so lengthened as the day before, as it was earlier in the afternoon) and encircled by three Rainbows of the most vivid and distinct colours.—The effect was beyond description. It was then that the thought of the great Creator of all these Wonders rushed upon the mind. What an awful, incomprehensible Being must He be, who with one word, formed these grand and magnificent scenes, and at whose nod, they shall crumble into dust!

These are thy glorious works! Parent of good,Almighty; thine this universal frame,Thus wondrous fair; Thyself how wondrous then!”

Parties generally take cold meat with them, and a bottle either of Wine, or Spirits, and dine at the Spring or Well near the side of the Quellyn Copper path, about two hundred yards below Bwlch Glas gap, where the Copper Ore Bin is situated.

Wyddfa, (pronounced Withva) is the Welsh name of Snowdon; and it is sometimes, though improperly, called Eryri, which appears to havebeen the general appellation in former days, of the whole range of mountains from Conway to Clynog: Two different derivations are generally given of the word Eryri, one is Eryr, an Eagle; and the other Eira, or Eiri, Snow; which is the most correct we will not pretend to determine, but it appears that the person who originally translated the word, considered the latter to be the genuine etymology. The distance from Dolbadern Castle to the summit, may be about six miles; two to the Turbary flat in Waun Cwm Brwynog, two to Clogwyn Coch Copper mine, and two from thence to the top. There are two other routs from the Village, which ought not to be attempted except by active young men; one up the steep declivity just above the Church, and the other through Hafn (pronounced Haven) Mawr, near the Old Bridge, (Bont Vawr). The height of Snowdon, above High-water mark at Carnarvon, is 3591 Feet.

Llanberis, in the Commot of Isgorfai, and Hundred of Arfon, is a small Rectory, discharged from paying tenths, and valued in the King’s Books at £4 18s.9d.Patron, the Bishop of Bangor; Church, dedicated to St. Peris. The number of inhabited Houses in the Parish, in 1811, was 86; and the resident Population 438. Peris, to whom the Church is dedicated, is stated in our Welsh MSS. (Bonedd y Saint) to have been a Cardinal from Rome, who togetherwith Padarn, (Paterninus) another Welsh Saint of congenial habits and disposition, it is probable, withdrew from the world to this secluded spot, as a place well adapted, according to the custom and mistaken ideas of those dark ages, for religious retirement and devotion: Peris fixed upon the upper Vale, which is still called Nant Peris; and Padern chose the lower, distinguished in Leland’s time by the name of Nant Padarn; as the properest situation for the erection of their respective cells.—Eglwys Padarn, (the ruins of which many persons now living recollect to have seen) was situated on a meadow, near the lower Lake, called Llyn Padarn, on the left of the road in going from the Inn to the old Castle. Cadvan, another religious devotee, came from Armorica into Wales about the same time, and became Abbot of Bardsey. The upper Lake is about a mile in length, and a quarter wide, and is said to be twenty Fathoms deep particularly near a place called Diphwys:—and the lower Lake, called Llyn Padarn, is about three miles in length, and upwards of half a mile broad; both the Pools abound in Trout, and Char; Salmon are also frequently taken in them. Not far from the Church is the Saint’s Well, where a large Trout has for ages been exhibited to Strangers; his appearance is considered a fortunate omen, and his non-appearance the contrary; the present fish is about 20 or 30years old; the wonderful Pass, and two Cromlech’s, about two miles above the Church, are well worth examining.—Some hopes are entertained, that the beauties of this little Vale, will in time be accessible to strangers, by the opening of a good Carriage Road this way to Capel Curig. An Old Woman, many years ago, is said to have made use of the hollow, under one of the before mentioned Cromlechs, (or fragments of Rocks) as her dairy, during the Summer months. The distance from the Village to Capel Curig, is about 8 miles; and to Bethgelert, through Nanthwynant, 11 or 12. The upper end of the Pass, is called Gorphwysva, or the Resting Place. There are three other Lakes in the Parish, besides those already mentioned, viz. Llynn Cwm Dwthwch, in which there are very fine flavored trout, and on which a small boat is kept for the use of anglers, by Pierce Jones, the Innkeeper. This pool is the source of the river Hwch, flowing near the Castle.—Llyn y Cwn, to the North, and Llyn Cwm Ffynnon, to the N.E. of the village; in the former are some aquatic plants, particularly theLobellia Dortmanna—Subularia Aquatica—Isoetes Lacustris; and Twll Du, below it, is the habitat of numerous and rare plants: a great variety may also be discovered on and about Allt wen, above Mr. Smith’s Cottage, between the two Lakes, as well as on Clogwyn Du’r Arddu, at the upper end of WaunCwm Brwynog, and on Clogwyn y Garnedd, which is the tremendous precipice immediately under Snowdon, to the North. The old Copper Mines, (Shafts, Levels, &c.) near the S.E. end of the upper Lake, also claim a visit, particularly from every Mineralogist and Geologist. At some distance below Llynn Du’r Arddu, nearly at the upper end of Waun Cwm Brwynog, may be observed a huge black Stone, or fragment of a Rock, called Y Maen Du yn yr Arddu; under or upon which, according to the popular superstition, if a person sleep a night, he will awake either a Poet or a Madman. The Gimlet Rock, near Pwllheli, the Studwall, (or St. Tudwal,) Islands,—the Promontory of Lleyn, (or Langanum Promontorium)—and Bardsey Island, at its extremity, may be clearly seen from Snowdon; as well as Cadair Idris Mountain, near Dolgelley, in Merionethshire, and Plinlimmon in Montgomeryshire.

The old Tower, or Castle, called Dolbadern, must at one time have been considerably larger, as the remains of other Towers, Walls, and Buildings are still visible.—It is supposed to have been erected about the beginning of the eleventh Century, or perhaps earlier, by one of the Welsh Princes,[126]for the defence of thisstrong Pass, and to be used occasionally as a hunting and fishing seat; for it is mentioned in the Welsh Histories, or Chronicles, considerably earlier than Edward the 1st. and there are some Welsh Poems still extant, which were addressed to Owen Goch (Rufus) during the time of his imprisonment in this Fortress by his Brother Llewelyn ap Griffith, last Prince of Wales, of the British line, which was from the year 1254 to 1277, being 23 years: The following is a part of an Ode, (Awdl) composed by Howel Voel ap Griffri ap Pwyll Gwyddel, lamenting the confinement of that Prince:

Duw mawr amerawdwr dyniadon,Dillwng dy walch, terwyn-walch tirion,Dewr Owain, den-rudd liw ffion,Dur-goch Bâr, llachar, llawch Deon, &c.

“Great God, the supreme Governor of the World, release from captivity, the mild, the brave, the Lion-hearted Owen; with the ruddy Cheeks, and his bright-gleaming steel Lance, tinged with the blood of his enemies; the defender of all those who come to seek his protection;—he never dismissed the injured suppliant unredressed,—the reliever of the oppressed—the generous distributor of costly gifts. The Earth appears desolate, since he has been in confinement,—the hopes of his dependants are fled, and grief and disappointment will convey his friends and adherents to the gloomy mansions of the dead.—Daring, enterprising, successful,conquering General! He disdained to hoard up useless treasures.—He was the Idol and Delight of his Countrymen,” &c. See the remainder in the Myvyrian Archaiology already mentioned.

Another Poem, by the same Bard, begins thus:

Gwr sydd yn y twr yn hir westi,Gwreidd, Teyrneidd, Teyrn-walch Ri,Gwr a’m dothyw, gwall o’i golli,—o fywGwreidd-liw, a glyw ei glodfori, &c.

The following attempt at a versification of the commencement, though, very far inferior to the original, may, nevertheless, give the English reader some idea of the strength and spirit of the composition:

In yonder Tower my darling Owen groans,Oppress’d with grief, I hear his piteous moans;Ah wretched Prince! within those walls confin’d,A Brother’s victim—thus to death consign’d;What mournful sounds, were to my ears convey’d,As late dejected, o’er these rocks I stray’d;Brave Owen’s name shall dwell upon my tongueHis matchless deeds, shall by the muse be sungFrom ancient Princes, we his Lineage trace,And valiant Chiefs, adorn his noble race;No more his gates receive the crouded throng,His guests no longer hear the minstrel’s song:In war distinguish’d by his broken shield,Like valiant Rodri,[128a]he disdain’d to yield:Shame that a Prince, should thus in bondage pine,Whose acts, if free, would Rhun’s[128b]fam’d deeds outshineThese lands ne’er saw the Saxon’s fire and sword,Till he knew durance vile from Snowdon’s Lord, &c.

The reader is referred for the remainder to the publication before mentioned.

Bishop Godfrey Goodman, purchased a Farm (Ty Du) in this Parish, where he resided during the greatest part of the usurpation of OliverCromwell. He was a native of Ruthin, and left that Farm and Coed Mawr, towards the maintenance of the poor of his native parish. He died Bishop of Gloucester, and made a most singular Will, printed in York’s five Royal Tribes. About 37 years ago, a remarkably strong man, (Foulk Jones) lived at Ty Du; many wonderful things are related of him, such as his carrying the largest end of a piece of timber, while it required three men to support the other;—his holding a bull, with one hand, by the horns;—carrying a yearling heifer, that was unwell, home from the field;—throwing a Denbighshire Champion, who had heard of his strength, and was come over, either to fight or wrestle with him, over a wall from a field into the road; and he is said to have lifted a strong man, who insulted him, at Carnarvon, over the battlements of the Bridge, and to have held him over the water, until he had submitted to make an apology, for having so attacked him without any provocation. Many persons now living recollect this man; he was a person of sober, peaceable habits, and much beloved and respected by all his neighbours.

The Rev. Evan Evans, alias Prydydd Hir, Author of Dissertatio de Bardis, Specimens of Ancient British or Welsh Poetry; The Love of our Country, 2 Vols. of Welsh Sermons, 8vo. &c. was Curate of Llanberis in the year 1771. Hewas then employed in collecting and transcribing Welsh MSS. and had access to the libraries of most of the gentlemen of North Wales, particularly to the valuable collections of Sir W. W. Wynne, Bart. (the present gentleman’s father, and from whom he received a Pension of £20. per Annum, which was afterwards withdrawn), those of Hengwrt, near Dolgelley, Gloddaith, near Conway, and Plas Gwynn, P. Panton’s, Esq. Anglesey. Mr. Evans born at Gynhawdref, near Aberystwith, in Cardiganshire, was educated at the Grammar School of Ystrad Meirig, in the same County, under the celebrated Mr. Richards, many years master of that School. He shewed an early attachment to the Welsh Muse, and was soon noticed by Mr. Lewis Morris, the famous Antiquary and Bard, who conceived a very favorable opinion of his abilities, from some of his juvenile compositions, in his native language.—Mr. Evans was of Merton College, Oxford; he is said to have died in great distress and poverty, at the place of his nativity, August, 1789, in the 58th year of his age. The inhabitants of Llanberis still shew a pool in the river where he used to bathe. The late Rev. B. Williams, of Vron, near Bala, Mr. Pennant’s companion in his Welsh Tour, composed the following lines to his memory, which may not be unacceptable to our readers, particularly at the present period, when the love of Welsh Literature seems to be reviving:

On Snowdon’s haughty brow I stood,And view’d, afar, old Mona’s flood;—Carnarvon Castle, Eagle-crown’d,And all the glorious prospect round.But soon each gay idea fled,For Snowdon’s favorite Bard is dead;—Poor Bard, accept a genuine tear,And read thy true eulogiumhere;Here, in myheart, that rues the day,That stole Eryri’s pride away:But lo! where seen, by fancy’s eye,His visionary form glides by,Pale, ghastly pale,—that hollow cheek,—That frantic look does more than speak,And tells a tale so full of woe,My bosom swells, my eyes o’erflow:—To want and to despair a prey,He pin’d, and sigh’d his soul away!Ungrateful countrymen, yourpride,Yourglory, wanted bread and died!Whilst Ignorance and Vice are fed,Shall Wit and Genius droop their head?Shall fawning Sycophants be paidFor flattering fools? while thou art laidOn thy sick bed, the mountain[131]heath,Waiting the slow approach of Death,Beneath inhospitable skies,Without a friend to close thine eyes?Thus, shall the chief of Bards expire?The Master of the British Lyre!And shall thy hapless reliques rot,Unwept, unhallowed, and forgot?No, while one grateful Muse remains,AndPitydwells onCambria’splains,Thy mournful story shall be told,And wept till Time itself grows old.R. WILLIAMS, of Vron, near Bala.—1799.

R. WILLIAMS, of Vron, near Bala.—1799.

About the year 1805, John Closs, son of Robert Closs, the Innkeeper at Llanberis, a little boy about seven years of age, was persuaded to go and reside with his grandmother, at Caeau gwynion, in Nant y Bettws, not far from Quellyn Pool, and his mother having come to see him, the love of home revived in his memory, and the thoughts of seeing his brothers and sisters became so powerful, that he resolved to follow his motherto Llanberis, unknown both to her and his grandmother; he therefore pursued her up the mountain at some distance: it was in the winter time, late in the evening, and it began to snow, he lost his way, and after wandering some time, he perished on the mountain. His mother, (though she once fancied she heard a child crying) thought he was at his grandmother’s, and the did woman concluded he was gone home with his mother, thus both being deceived, it was some time before it was known that he had followed his mother on that fatal evening; after two or three days painful search, (numbers of the neighbours having collected together) his body was found at the verge of a precipice, near the top of Moel Aelia. The following lines were composed on that melancholy occasion:

A luckless lad, one winter’s day,Unknown to Granny, ran away,Nor longer at her house would stayWithout his mother.Unknowing that her child pursu’d,The gathering storm, unmov’d, she view’d,The thoughts of home her strength renew’d;—Alas poor mother!With feebler steps, and fainter cry,Alarm’d, he sees the dark’ning sky,Yet still he hop’d that she was nigh,And sobb’d my mother.Dark was the night, the snow descends,Near Aelia’s top his life he ends,As home his weary way he beads,Nor longer cries my mother!

A luckless lad, one winter’s day,Unknown to Granny, ran away,Nor longer at her house would stayWithout his mother.

Unknowing that her child pursu’d,The gathering storm, unmov’d, she view’d,The thoughts of home her strength renew’d;—Alas poor mother!

With feebler steps, and fainter cry,Alarm’d, he sees the dark’ning sky,Yet still he hop’d that she was nigh,And sobb’d my mother.

Dark was the night, the snow descends,Near Aelia’s top his life he ends,As home his weary way he beads,Nor longer cries my mother!

Some of our readers may probably be pleased and amused with the following extracts from Leland, respecting Llanberis and its neighbourhood:

“Linne Dolbaterne, 2 miles in length, and a diminutive mile in breadth; Vallis Monachus, alias Nant Manach, or Peris, is the upper Valley, in which is Linne Peris, a mile in length, and a dim half in breadth.—Segent (Seiont) cometh first through Llynn Peris, and a bow shot off, runneth into Llyn Padarn; there is but a meadow and bridge between these two pools.—In these two pooles be redde belly fishes, called thorr gough (Tor goch) id est, thori aut pectoris rubri. There be also some of these in Linne Tarddynni, (Cawellyn) and in Linne Bala deulynn, (Llanllyfni Lakes); they be taken in these three pooles in order, and taken in one and not seen in the other; Linne Doythock nothing so big as Linne Peris: these three, Linne Peris, Linne Padarn, and Linne Doythock, are all in the Parish of Llanberis, and the lowest Lake is five miles E.S.E. from Carnarvon, and lie in vallies, W.N.W. from Llanberis. Bala Deulynn is in Hugh Gurvai (Uwch Gorfai) Hundred, and six miles (nine miles) beyond Carnarvon; the others, viz. Linne Peris, Linne Dolpaterne, Linne Doythock, and Linne Tarddynni, are in the Commot of Is Gorvai, (infraGwyrvai) and all the great Withaw Hill[133]is wholly in this Commot; this hill is all in the Parish of Peris, and is aradicibusfive miles to the top. Dolbaterne Castle, on a rock, betwixt two Linnes; there is yet a piece of a Tower, where Owen Gough (Goch) brother to Llywelyn, last Prince, was in prison; it is in Is Gwrfai Commot. Dolbadarn a five miles from Carnarvon, by E.S.E. hard by Linne Peris; Segent (Seiont) as I heard say riseth at Linne Dolbaterne. This Pool is three miles in length, and in some places a mile broad, and in diverse places less and less; it lieth by Withaw Hill, (Snowdon) and is distant 5 miles from Carnarvon, towards S.E.—The best Wood of Carnarvonshire is by Glynn Cledair, in the Parish of Dolwyddelen, and by Glynn Lligwy, and by Capel Curig, and at Llanperis,—all Creigiau’r Ryri is Forest. Metely good wood about Conway Abbey, and Penmachno, and about Coetmore, and Coet Park, by Bangor, and other places; in Lleyn and Eivionydd is little wood. Carnarvonshire, about the shore, hath reasonable good corn, about a mile upward from the shore unto Carnarvon,—then more upward be Eryri Hills, and in them is very little corn, except oats in some places, and a little barley, but scantly rye, if there were the Deer would destroy it; but in Lleyn and Eifionydd is good corn, both by shore, and almost through upland. Syr Gul. Griffith hath a fayr House at Penrynn, two miles on this side Bangor; William vab William, dwelleth at a place called Gochwillan,a mile on this side Penryn; William Coetmore, dwelleth at Coetmore, by Tal Lynn Ogwen; Pillsdon, in Caerarvon Town; John vab Madock vab Poel, dwelleth in Lleen, at Bodvel; John Wynne, vab Meredith, dwelleth at Gweder, a two bow shots above Llanrwst, on the Ripe (Bank) of the Conwy River; Elis vab Morris, at Clennenna, in Penmorva Parish, in Comot Hinioneth (Eifionydd).”

Should the stranger not be disposed to accompany us in our Tour round the Promontory of Lleyn, and to the Island of Bardsey, (which, by the bye, we hope to render both interesting and amusing), he may proceed from Carnarvon to Bethgelert, and from thence, along the sea coast, to Barmouth, by Tremadoc and Harlech; or, from Pont Aberglaslyn to Tan y Bwlch, Meantwrog, Trawsfynydd, and so by Dol y Melynllyn, and the Cain and Mawddach Waterfalls to Dolgelley. The distance from Carnarvon to Bethgelert is about 12 miles: we proceed up the Hill, by Llanbeblig, (the Parish Church) then over Pont Peblig Bridge, about half a mile beyond which, on the left, is Glangwnna, the beautiful and much-admired seat of Thomas Lloyd, Esq. standing on a fine eminence, between two rivers, at the western extremity of the Parish of Llanrug; this place, in point of situation, possesses many natural advantages, and all the improvements exhibit evident tokens of a judicious mind,and cultivated taste, as it contains, within its own limits, all the requisites to form a fine landscape, and has on one side an extensive sea prospect, on the other, a range of majestic mountains; upon the whole, this is generally considered as one of the sweetest and loveliest Villas in this part of the Principality. On the right, about the same distance from the road, is Penrhôs, a large, handsome house, lately built by the proprietor, H. R. Williams, Esq.; it commands a fine view of the Castle, the Menai, Carnarvon Bay, and the surrounding Scenery. About three miles farther, we approach the beautiful little vale of Bettws Garmon, watered by the river Gwyrfai, the source of which is at the foot of Snowdon, and after running through Quellyn Lake, and under Pont Newydd Bridge, it empties itself into the Menai, at Abermenai. On the right, Mynydd-mawr forms a striking feature, its top is smooth, but its front is formed into an immense precipice, retiring inwards in a semicircular shape. Moel Aelia, on the left, is another mountain of a stupendous bulk, most regularly rounded, and of a beautiful verdure; this pass was defended, on one side, by Castell Cidwm, a great rock at the foot of Mynydd mawr, formerly fortified, and on the other by a small Fort, the remains of which are still visible, near Treflan Bettws is a perpetual Curacy; the Church is very small, and is dedicated to St. Germanus,and the Parish consists only of six or seven tenements; the corn tithe belongs to the family of Glyn Llifon; it is in the patronage of the Bishop. About half a mile beyond Bettws, near a small mill, Melin Cerrig y Rhyd, commonly called Nant Mill, is a most beautiful cascade, and a small Arch, without any Battlements, forming a very singular appearance, of which there is a view, in Mr. Pennant’s Tour, representing a person on horseback, going home over this little Bridge, with a load from the mill. On the left is Nant Hall, one of the seats of Sir R. Williams, Bart. Member for this County.—The present lord Viscount Bulkeley is a descendant (by the mother’s side) of the Rowland’s of this house.—Soon after passing Nant, the Vale expands with a magnificent view of Snowdon—travel along the side of Llyn Cawellyn, pass the Snowdon guide’s house, and proceed to the junction of the Drws y Coed road, near a small Bridge, about a quarter of a mile beyond Quellyn Lake, and soon after arrive in view of Llynn Cader, a small round pool on the right, respecting which the Welsh people relate a ridiculous tale, that a gentleman’s hounds, in former days, started, on a rock near this Lake, a strange kind of an animal (Aur Frychyn) with tufts of hair shining like gold, nearly approaching, according to their representation, to a species of Buffalo, and that he was pursued for some time and killed, near aplace called Nant y lle, and that he bellowed so loud when taken that the rocks rent. After travelling about two miles, we begin to descend towards Bethgelert, and observe, on the right, Moel Hebog, a lofty conical Hill, which Lord Lyttleton ascended from Brynkir, when he made the Tour of North Wales. Bethgelert is a neat little village, in a romantic situation, between high mountains; here is a good Inn, surrounded with thriving plantations, built about eighteen years ago, by Thomas Jones, Esq. of Bryn Tirion, before mentioned. The Church is small, and has been Conventual, belonging to a Priory ofAugustines, and dedicated to St. Mary. There is reason to suppose, says Mr. Pennant, they might have been of that class which was called Gilbertines, and consisted of both men and women, who lived under the same roof, but strictly separated from each other by a wall; the cause of his suspicion is a meadow, near the Church, called Dol y Lleian, the Nun’s meadow. Bethgelert is supposed to be the most ancient foundation in the Country, except Bardsey. Tanner ascribes it to our last Prince, but it must have been long before his days, there being a recital of a Charter, for certain Lands bestowed on it, by Llewelyn the Great, who began his reign in 1194. It was favored, in the same manner, by other succeeding Princes; David ap Llewelyn bestowed on it some Lands in Pennant Gwernogan,belonging to Tudor ap Madoc, to which the Prince had no right; this occasioned a suit between the sons of Tudor and Philipp, Prior of the House, before William de Grandison, and R. de Stanedon, at Caernarvon, when a verdict was given against the Convent. The Prior had for his support the Grange of Llecheiddior, in Eifionydd, and part of a mill; the Grange of Fentidillt, and Village of Gwehelyn; the Grange of Tre’r Beirdd in Anglesey, one Plough Land, and a certain share of the bees. The esteem which these insects were held in by the Ancient Britons, on account of their producing the nectareous Mead, was so great, that they considered them as created in Paradise, that when they quitted it on the fall of man, they were blessed by God himself, and therefore no Mass ought to be celebrated but by the light of their wax, as we read in the laws of Howel Dda. The Prior had, besides, an allowance of fifty cows and twenty-two sheep; the expences of the house must have been considerable, for it was on the great road from England and South Wales to North Wales, and from Ireland to England. In order to enable this place to keep up its usual hospitality, after it had suffered in 1283, by a casual fire, Edward 1st most munificently repaired all the damages; and Bishop Anian, about the year 1286, for the encouragement of other benefactors, remitted to all such who truly repented of theirsins, forty days of any penance inflicted on them. In 1535 it was bestowed by Henry VIII. on the Abbey of Chertsey, in Surrey, and in 1537, it was given, with the last, as an Appurtenance to that of Bisham, in Berkshire. On the dissolution, the King gave to the family of theBodvels, all the Lands in Carnarvonshire, which belonged to this Priory, and all those in Anglesey, to that of the Prydderchs, excepting the Township of Tre’r Beirdd. The Revenues of Bethgelert were valued, by Dugdale, at Seventy Pounds, Three Shillings and Eight-pence; by Speed, at Sixty-nine Pounds, Three Shillings, and Eight-pence. Edward Conway is mentioned as last Prior. There are no remains at present of the Convent.—Mr. Pennant had in his possession a drawing of the Seal of the Priory, dated 1531; on it was the figure of the Virgin and child, but no part of the Legend except BETHKELE. Lewis Daron, a Bard of the 15th Century, in a Poem, (the purport of which is to solicit David the Prior to bestow a fine bay horse, then in his possession, on John Wynne, of Gwydir, Esq.) extols him on account of his great learning and liberality.—Hence we are led to suppose that this Monk was very opulent, and a popular character in his time. The ground on the South side of the Church, seems to have been the spot, says Mr. Williams, late of Llandegai, in his “Observations on the Snowdon Mountain,” whereon stoodthe buildings which the Monks formerly inhabited, and we may discover two or three arched doors, now closed up on that side of the Church, through which these religious persons probably entered, when they went to their devotions; there is likewise an ancient Mansion House, near the Church, which probably was the habitation of the Prior. In this house was shewn, some years ago, an old pewter mug, which will contain two quarts, or more, and was called the Bethgelert Pint, and any person who could grasp it in one hand, and drink up the contents, (which was ale) at one draught, was entitled to the liquor,gratis, and the tenant was to charge the value of it to the Lord of the Manor, as part payment of his rent. At Bethgelert lie buried two eminent Bards, Rhys Goch Eryri, and Dafydd Nanmor; the former died about the year 1420, and it may be inferred, from his writings (many of which are still extant) that he lived to the great age of 120. He was a man of property, and lived at Hafod Garegog, situated beyond Pont Aberglaslyn, on the road to Tan y Bwlch, and consequently in the County of Merioneth, though within the limits of this Parish. The latter resided at Nanmor, which is also a district of this Parish, on the same side of the river. He died about A.D. 1460, and appears to have been a person of some consequence; they were both learned men, (considering the age they lived in) as their compositions abundantly testify.

To the N.E. of the village, is the entrance into the beautiful little Vale of Nant Gwynant, which, though narrow at first, expands and unfolds its beauties, as the traveller advances; this valley may be considered, however, as consisting of two portions or divisions, separated by a narrow defile; at the upper end of the lower vale is Llynn Dinas Emrys, and just above it, commanding a delightful view of that Lake, the River, the Woods, Mountains, &c. and particularly of Snowdon, is Plâs Gwynant, the romantic Summer residence of D. Vaudrey, Esq. Just below this small Lake, and nearly in the centre of the Vale, appears the famous Dinas Emrys, which is a huge insulated rock, clothed with wood, and precipitous on three sides; on the summit is a large area, but no remains of a Castle. On the accessible side are three ramparts of stone, within which is the ruin of a small stone building, about ten yards long, the walls without any mortar. This place is from early times celebrated in British story, for here

Prophetic Merlin sat, when to the British King,The changes long to come, auspiciously he told.

The legend is thus told: when Vortigern found himself unable to contend with the treacherous Saxons, whom he had, in the year 449, invited into Britain, he determined, by the advice of his Magicians, on building an impregnable fortress in Snowdon. He collected the materials, whichall disappeared in one night.—The Prince, astonished at this, convened again his wise men, who assured him his building would never stand, unless it was sprinkled with the blood of a child, born without the help of a father; the Realm was ransacked,—at length, one of his emissaries overheard some boys at play reproach another, and call him an unbegotten knave. The child and his mother were brought before the King,—she confessed he was the offspring of an Incubus. The boy, whose name was Merlin, was ordered to be sacrificed, but on confounding all the Magicians, with his questions, and explaining the cause of the miscarriage, got his liberty, and

To that mighty King, who rashly undertookA strong wall’d Tower to rear, those earthly spirits that shookThe great foundation still, in Dragon’s horrid shapeThat dreaming wizzard told, making the mountain gapeWith his most powerful charms, to view those caverns deepAnd from the top ofBrith, so high and wondrous steep,Where Dinas Emrys stood, shewed where the serpent fought,The white that tore the red, from whence the Prophet wroughtThe Britons sad decay, then shortly to ensue.

The above is Drayton’s translation of the legend, in his Polyolbion. Merlin, or Merddin Emrys, or Ambrosius, was in fact the son of a noble Roman of the same name; his mother, a vestal, to save her life and honor, invented the fable of his father, which was swallowed by the credulity of the times. Merlin, or Myrddin, was an able Mathematician and Astronomer, and deeply read in all the learning of his age. The vulgar, as usual, ascribed all he did to the art of magic, and his discovery, that Vortigern hadbegun to found his Castle on a Morass, was immediately said to have been attended with most portentous circumstances; numbers of Prophecies were attributed to him, the repetition of which is said to have been forbidden, by the Council of Trent; however, since it is certain that Vortigern, after his misfortunes, retired to the Snowdon Hills, and died not very remote from them, it is possible he might have selected this for his strong hold, as it is admirably adapted for that purpose, and nearly fills the streight of the valley, and Merlin Ambrosius might have given to it the name of Emris. A place close by, styled Cell y Dewiniaid, or the Cell of the Diviners, allusive to the Magicians of Vortigern’s Court, is another circumstance which favors the history of this celebrated supposed Prophet, and not at a great distance, are some large stones, which are called Beddau’r Dewiniaid, the Tombs of the Magicians. There is a tradition also, that within this rock there is a Cave, the mouth of which is now shut up, where Merddin concealed some valuable articles, particularly a golden chair, lest they should fall into the enemy’s hands. The upper Lake is called Llyn Gwynant,—the distance between the two is something more than a mile, and near the road are some beautiful thriving plantations, belonging to the Rev. H. Wynne Jones, and Mr. Vaudrey, before mentioned. On the South side of the UpperLake, are the ruins of a small Chapel, calledCapel Nan’hwynen, and it would be a great convenience to the inhabitants if it were re-built, as the distance from hence to Bethgelert is between three and four miles. There is a tradition thatMadog, the son of Prince Owen Gwynedd, resided near this spot, for some time before he left his Country, and set sail for America, and that he frequented this small Chapel, of which he is supposed to have been the founder. Mr. Pennant pronounces this to be the most beautiful Vale inSnowdonia, being guarded on each side by vast Mountains, such as Crib Ddu, or part of Mynydd Nanmor; the Aran, on the West, Lliwedd to the North; Dduallt and Wenallt, being about five miles in extent, from its upper extremity to the Village of Bethgelert,—and varied with woods, lakes, rivers, meadows, waterfalls, and rocks of the most fantastic and picturesque appearance. The distance from Bethgelert to Capel Curig is twelve miles, the latter part of which is over an uninteresting mountain moor, or flat; it improves a little, however, within a few miles of the last mentioned place, when we arrive in view of the two Lakes, called Llyniau Mymbir. From Capel Curig to Bettws y Coed, or Bettws wyrion Iddon, is five miles, along the new Irish Road. About half way between these two places is the celebrated Cataract, Rhaiadr y wennol, where the River Llugwy falls, with atremendous roar, over some steep lofty rocks, into a deep black chasm, concealed by large oak, and dark overhanging woods. Considerable remains of a large Roman building were discovered, some years ago, near this spot, on the Estate of the Duke of Ancaster, at a place called Bryn y Gefeiliau. “I distinctly traced,” says Mr. Lysons, “the walls of one room, the dimensions of which were 60 feet by 20.” This neighbourhood is supposed to have been much frequented by the Romans, on account of its Slate Quarries, and valuable Lead and Copper Mines, and it is conjectured that the Roman Road, from Pen y stryt, and Tommen y Mur, in the Parish of Trawsfynydd, passed this way toConovium, (Caer Rhun), as it has been distinctly traced by the Church of Dolydd Helen, Cwm Pen nan’maen, Pennant, Hafodty Dôl Camman, Llechwedd Bychan, Foel Fras, and above Hafod Yspytty, &c.—Capel Curig is in the Parish of Llandegai, and was a Chapel of ease to that Church and Llanllechid, but is now served with Dolydd Helen; it is dedicated to a reputed saint of the name of Curig, respecting whom, and some other begging Friars, these Welsh lines were written:

Un o honynt, a ddygaiCurigLwyd, dan gwr ei glôg;Gwas arall, a ddug Seiriol,A naw o gaws yn ei gol.A certain Friar, to increase his storeBeneath his cloak, grey Curig’s Image bore;And, to protect good folks from nightly harm,Another sells St. Seiriol as a charm.

Un o honynt, a ddygaiCurigLwyd, dan gwr ei glôg;Gwas arall, a ddug Seiriol,A naw o gaws yn ei gol.

A certain Friar, to increase his storeBeneath his cloak, grey Curig’s Image bore;And, to protect good folks from nightly harm,Another sells St. Seiriol as a charm.

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