P. B. Williams

“ The Slate Quarry is distant about six miles from Bangor, on the road to Capel Curig, and is in every respect worthy of a visit from the Tourist; it exhibits a most interesting and surprising display of art and industry, from 7 to 800 men being in constant employment there, and the vast excavation, which from near thirty years labour at it, is now made into the heart of the mountain, presents to the view a variety of picturesque and magnificent scenery, richly deserving the inspection of the artist. ”

“ David Thomas, the Welsh Bard, better known by the name of Dafydd Ddu o Eryri, has taken a house in this Parish, as he intends to quit his present habitation in the Parish of Llandwrog, (where he has resided some time) about April next. We cannot omit this opportunity of noticing this favoured Son of the Awen, (Muse) who is generally considered as the first Welsh Bard now living; and is another instance of what may be achieved by great talents, and a strong natural genius, though unassisted by the advantages of education. ”

“ The neatness of the fences, the thriving state of the plantations, the rich appearance of the land, and the judicious management of the Home-stall, together with the improved method of farming, must attract the attention of every passenger. Nearer Carnarvon, on the banks of the Menai, is the small but neat Parish Church of Llanfair Isgaer, partly re-built at the above gentleman’s expence, and from which his mansion takes its name. ”

“ In the North East Tower is a deep well, half filled up, and this, or some other is said to have contained a dungeon, where it is pretended a man being once let down to bring up a dog, found a hammer, and that he saw a wooden door which he was afraid to open; the common people have a tradition, that there was a subterraneous passage either from this place or some other part of the Castle, to Coed Helen wood, on the other side of the river. Some statements assert that this immense Fortress was completed in one year; others, with more probability, assure us that it was twelve years in building. ”

“ The grounds, and what may be called the rural economy of Lime Grove, have ever been deservedly admired.
Contiguous to this part of Penrhyn Park, and to the North West of it, is Port Penrhyn.—This is a very noble and commodious arrangement, made for the accommodation of the Merchant Vessels, employed for the conveyance of the Slate from the afore-mentioned Quarry, to different parts of the Kingdom, and for receiving and stowing the productions of that Quarry until they are lodged on board the Vessels waiting to receive them. ”

“ From this rich and animating display of nature’s p. 40works, we must now (as faithful pioneers through the County of Carnarvon) turn our eyes to the works of Art in this neighbourhood; the first that presents itself is the great Post Road, from Shrewsbury to Holyhead, which has been lately much altered, and in many places in this vicinity entirely diverted from the old line. ”

“ This is a great obstacle to the navigation of large vessels, which must consult the critical season, and provide a good Pilot; and as the Merchants of Carnarvon, and others, were very apprehensive that the erection of a Bridge at Bangor Ferry, would materially injure the Trade, Government has proposed to defray the expence of blasting the Rocks, and to render every other practicable facility to the improvement of the navigation in this part of the Channel. ”

“ Nearly at the extremity of this romantic Glenn, about a mile from the Village, the River forms a noble Cataract, precipitating itself down the front of a bold lofty rock, and making a double fall, the lowest of which is of very considerable height. This Village is much frequented in the summer season, and the accommodations at the Inn are very good. The beach, at high water, is very convenient for sea-bathing, and many strangers remain here some time for that purpose. There is a road from hence, over the mountain, by Bwlch y Ddau Faen, to Tal y Cafn ferry, Llanbedr and Llanrwst ”

“ Lord Bulkeley is the proprietor of the greatest part of the Parish of Aber, and he has been a great benefactor to this Church, as well as to all the others in his Lordship’s Patronage, having built a tower (or Steeple) to each, at his own expence, and furnished them with Bells. The distance from hence to Bangor is about five miles, and as the stranger proceeds he cannot help admiring the ever-varying Scene, and the beauty of the prospects which present themselves to his view: On the Anglesey shore, the Town of Beaumaris, Baron Hill, The Friars, Red Hill, &c. claim his attention ”

“ 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. ”

“ And whereas we have received good testimony of the good affections and forward zeale of our loving subjects in the Principality of Wales, particularly in our countie of Carnarvon, and of their readiness to serve us for the preservation of the kingdom in this extremity, which we looke upon as an expression of their great fidelity, and shall remember it to their satisfaction, we shall not doubt of your willingness to give obedience to our present directions thus sent to each of you for what is in your power to perform for the furtherance of the publique safety. ”

“ 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. ”

“ The Sun himself shall die and ancient night,
Again involve the desolate Abyss.
After this Monarch had subdued the Welsh, he began to secure his conquests, by erecting several strong holds, in different parts of Wales, and it appearing that Carnarvonshire, on account of its Mountains and Morasses, was a County very likely to encourage insurrections, he determined to guard as much as possible against such an event, by erecting this and Conway Castle, two of the completest and strongest Fortresses in the Principality, and perhaps not inferior to any in the Kingdom. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Dories are also often taken here: the fishermen, till within these last 20 years, were wont to fling them away, on account of their ugly appearance, however they at last discovered that they were accounted a great luxury. Crabs and Lobsters are also taken on this Coast, in great abundance, particularly about Bardsey, and are conveyed to the Liverpool Market. After quitting the small poor town of Nevin, we soon arrive at Porth Dinlleyn, near which is a Dinas, or fortified eminence, which probably gave name not only to this excellent harbour, but also to the Commot in which it is situated. ”

“ 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 30 p. 125years 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. ”

“ 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, but now green Pool; (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. ”

“ 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 ”

“ Edward the First made this Town a Free Borough, and ordered that the Mayor (who was the Constable of the Castle for the time being) should preserve its privileges. William Sikun was appointed first to that honor. At present it is governed by one Alderman, a Recorder, Coroner, Water-bailiff, and two Serjeants at Mace, chosen annually. Its privileges extended from Carnarvon to the River Clwyd, and no one could be convicted of any crime within its limits, except by a Jury collected in that District, and such was the case with all the other English Garrisons in North Wales. ”

“ Smith, where his Slate are shipped off, and to which a good new road has, within these few years, been made from his Quarry. Half a mile farther is Moel y Don, a safe and commodious horse Ferry, where no accident has happened in the memory of any person now living. In the life of Gryffydd, ap Cynan, (one of our Welsh Princes) it is said that a Castle was built here, by Aeloedd, King of Dublin, his grandfather by the mother’s side, and there are still some remains of a fortification, on a small eminence, close upon the Menai, about three hundred yards below the Ferry. ”

“ The town of Conway has four entrances: The upper Gate, the lower, or that next to the River, a Portal between that and the Castle, and another to the Creek called Porth y felin, or the Gate to the mill. Mr. Pennant’s observation with respect to this place is this, “a more ragged Town is scarcely to be seen within, or a more beautiful one without;” the form is nearly triangular, surrounded with lofty Walls, and guarded by 24 round Towers; the lower face of the triangle borders on the River. The Castle is built on a lofty rock, at the S. E. p. ”

“ The late Doctor Jones, Dean of Bangor, left £100. the interest of which he directed to be applied to the keeping of a School here. The Vicarage of Conway, as well as Gyffin, are in the patronage of the Bishop of Bangor. On the summit of the hill below the town, and nearly opposite to the bifurcated rock, on which stood the Castle of Diganwy, are the ruins of an ancient fortification, of a circular form, with only one entrance, and this probably is the place mentioned by Leland, in his Itinerary, and which he denominates Sinnodun, and where, he says, there are the remains of a great work ”

“ Fancy cannot frame a place more fit for a retreat from the knowledge of mankind, or more apt to inspire one with full hopes of security from any pursuit.—Embosomed in a lofty mountain, on two sides bounded by stony steeps, on which no vegetables appear, but the blasted heath and stunted gorse ”

“ Plas Bowman, between Church Street and Market Street, was another, and in King’s Head Street, there is one still left, Plas Llanwnda, where the proprietor, R. Garnons, Esq. resided for several months in the winter; and with true gentlemanly politeness supports the ancient credit of the House, for munificence and hospitality, and kind attention to the wants of the poor. Quirt is another house in this street, at one time belonging to the Williams’s of Quirt, in Anglesey, and of Glan yr afon, in this County, which was made use of several years as an Inn. ”

“ Not far from hence is Crûg, a house once the property of Sir W. Williams Wynne, but which was purchased by J. Griffith, Esq. of Llanfair; it deserves notice as being the place where Meredith ap Jevan ap Robert of Cesail Gyfarch, ancestor of Sir John Wynne, of Gwydir, was nursed, and from whence he removed to the Castle of Dolydd Helen.—This Meredith (as Sir John Wynne informs us, in the History of the Gwydir Family) married a daughter-in-law of one Spicer, of Carnarvon, who had an office in the Exchequer in that Town, and was a person of £50. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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 ”