Part 11

The concourse was prodigious, for not only the chief Nobility of England, but numbers from foreign parts graced the festival with their presence. The Gauls, as we are informed, sat at their round tables, to destroy all dispute about precedence; and every Knight had at his back a Squire with his Armour, in waiting. The Market is on Saturday, and the Fairs are holden on the fourth of April, Saturday before Whitsuntide, 25th of August, and 18th of September. The Church is dedicated to St. Mary; it is a discharged Rectory and Vicarage, valued in the King’s Books at £2. 13_s._ 4_d._ and is in the patronage of Wynne Finch Griffith, Esq. of Cefn Amwlch. Nevin is situated upon the Irish Channel, and has a small Pier, which is found to be very useful for the Herring Fishery, by which the Inhabitants principally subsist. The Herrings, about the year 1771, were taken here is vast abundance, from Perth Ysgadan, or the Port of Herrings, to Bardsey Island, and all along this coast; the capture amounted usually to the value of about four thousand pounds. These desultory fish, says Mr. Pennant, about the period above-mentioned, appeared in July and went away in October; in earlier times, they came in September and disappeared in November; _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. An attempt was made some years ago, by W. A. Madocks, Esq. and some other gentlemen, to establish a regular communication between this place and Ireland, and for that purpose, a new road was made from hence to Tremadoc, and considerable sums of money were expended in erecting a breakwater or pier-head here, building a new Inn, &c. in hopes that Government would be prevailed upon to give this harbour the preference, and bring the Packets here from Holyhead, and consequently that the Mail Coaches would run this road; however, this plan, for some reasons not known to the writer, did not succeed. From hence, Garn Madryn, and Garn Beduan Hills make a very conspicuous appearance, near the former of which is the seat of Parry Jones Parry, Esq. and not far from the latter is the Church and Parish of that name, and the neglected seat of the Wynne’s, ancestors of Lord Newborough. We then pass through the small Village of Edeyrn or Edern; the living is a Rectory, in the gift of the Bishop, valued in the King’s Books at £8. 5_s._ the Church is dedicated to St. Edern. The distance from hence to Tydweiliog, the next little village, is about three or four miles, this is a small perpetual Curacy, Church dedicated to St. Gwyfen, a female Saint, whose festival is on the 3d of June. Not far distant from hence, on the left of the road, are two old Family Seats; the first is Brynodol, the property of J. Griffith, of Llanfair, Esq. here it seems Mr. Pennant was most hospitably entertained, by his friend the late Hugh Griffith, Esq. (father of the last-mentioned gentleman), when he made the Tour of this part of the County. Brynodol, by advantage of situation on the side of a hill, commands a vast view of a flat woodless tract, the sea, and a noble mass of mountains: The Eifl hills, Garn Boduan, and the huge Garn Madryn rise in the fore-ground, and beyond these soars all Snowdonia, from those Alps which surround the Wyddfa, to the most remote in the County of Merioneth. The other is Cefnamwlch, now the property of Wynne Finch Griffith, Esq. and many years ago the occasional residence of John Griffith, of Voelas, Esq. a gentleman whose family, as well as that of Brynnodol, claim descent from the Princes of Wales. From Tudweiliog to Aberdaron the distance is about eight miles, over the Common of Rhôs Hirwen, and a flat uninteresting Country; during this latter part of the journey, the road passes within a short distance of several small Churches, such as Penllech and Llan Gwnadle on the right; and Meyllteyrn and Bryncroes on the left: near this extremity of the Promontory, are also the ruins of several little Chapels, such as Eglwys Fair, Capel Anelog, Capel Odo, Capel Bodferyn, Capel Cwm Dylif, &c. which proves that this part of the main land (as well as the Island of Bardsey) was the retreat of numerous recluses and devotees, in ancient times.—At Llan Gwnadl (alias Gwynhoydyl) is the following inscription: S. GWYNHOYDYL IACIT HIC 750: & HÆC ÆDES ÆDIFICATA &c. On the sea coast are several small Creeks, useful to the fishermen, who find in them during the Herring fishery, a safe retreat from storms; the names of some of which we shall here introduce Porth Towyn, Porth Colman, Porth Gwylan, Porth Ysgadan, Porth Cadlan, (or Cadfan), Porth Llywennan, Porth Orion, Porth Iago, Porth Feryn, Porth Neudwy, (or Meudwy) Porth Samddai, &c. At a place called Hen Fonwent, not far from the ruins of an old town, Tre Dindywydd, in the parish of Bryn croes, several earthen pots and urns were discovered some years ago, containing ashes and human bones; and near Ty Engion, an old stone altar was found, called Cerrig Inco, and another near Monachdy, in the same Parish; and a stone Coffin, (Cistfaen) on Ty mawr Farm, near the same place. There are also several British encampments in this neighbourhood, viz. Castell Caeron, on Mynydd y Rhiw mountain; Castell Odo, on Mynydd Ystum; and two on Mynydd Cilan, in the parish of Llan Engan. Several eminences bear the name of Pen yr Orsedd, i.e. the Throne, or Seat of Judicature, two of these are not far distant from Nevin; and near Cefnamwlch is a Cromlech, called Coetan Arthur. The following wells may also be mentioned as remarkable, on account of their bearing the names of British Saints; viz. Ffynnon Saint, Ffynnon Ddurdan, Ffynnon Cefn Llaethfaen, Ffynnon Eliw, in the Parish of Rhiw; Ffynnon Garmon, in Aberdaron, and Ffynnon Lleuddad, in Bryncroes.

Aberdaron is a small fishing Village, situated on a sandy Bay, at the extremity of the Promontory of Lleyn (_Langanum Promontorium_); the mouth of the Bay is protected by two little Islands, called _Ynys Gwylan_; it takes its name from the rivulet _Daron_, which here empties itself into the sea; the inhabitants are mostly fishermen. The Church, which consists of two aisles, supported by four handsome pillars, is dedicated to St. Hoywyn; it was a sanctuary, and much frequented by pilgrims; Leland says it was called Llan Engan Frenin, (_Fanum Niniani Reguli_), but it is very probable, that the transcribers of his work must have made a mistake, as _Llan Engan_ is seven or eight miles distant, on the road to Pwllhely, and where there is a very curious inscription on the Steeple, copied and explained by Mr. Rowlands. The Rectorial Tithes belong to St. John’s College, Cambridge; the Vicarage is in the patronage of the Bishop. This and Porth Meudwy, (a small Creek near it) were the places where Devotees, in former times, usually embarked for Bardsey (Enlli), and the curious stranger, who may wish to visit that Island, can easily procure a boat here, but before he sets sail he should examine the ruins of St. Mary’s Chapel (Capel Fair), and also our Lady’s Cave and Well, (Ogof Mair a Ffynnon Fair,) the former is situated in a small plain, between two hills, Uwch Mynydd a Mynydd y Gwyddel, and the latter not far distant, nearly at the foot of a dreadful precipice called Maen Melyn, and from which, no doubt, this Commot (Cwmmwd-maen) takes its name. There is a most hazardous and circuitous path, down to the Cave and Well, along which Devotees frequently descended in former days, and even at the present time many are induced to visit the spot from curiosity. Maen Melyn is a yellow rock, streaked with white veins, in the middle of a black precipice, and at a distance has much the appearance of a large dog or leopard. In the dark ages of Popish Superstition it was supposed that if a person could descend by this path, and bring up a mouthful of water from the well, his wish would be certainly fulfilled; the Cape, at the end of the Promontory is called _Penyccil_, and the ridge of hills Braich y pwll. This Chapel was placed here, in all probability, to give the seamen an opportunity of invoking the tutelar Saint for protection through this dangerous Sound.

The Convent at Bardsey (Enlli) was one of the most ancient religious Institutions in North Wales, for Eineon Frenin, one of the Regnli of the County is said, in conjunction with Emyr Llydaw, to have founded a College in that Island, about the middle of the 9th Century, and Lleudad (Landatus) is generally supposed to have been the first Abbot. Dufrig, (Dubritius) Archbishop of Caerleon, is represented in our Welsh Annals to have resigned in favour of St. David’s, and to have retired to Bardsey, where he died about the year 612, from which circumstance, it is evident that there must have been a religious establishment here prior to that period. It seems likely to have been a seat of the _Culdees_, or _Colidei_, the first religious recluses of Great Britain, who sought Islands and desert places, in which they might in security worship the true God. It was certainly resorted to in very early times, for we are assured, from undoubted authority, that it flourished as a Convent in the days of _Cadvan_, King of Britain, who was coeval with Dubritius, it was an Abbey, dedicated to St. Mary, and in the _Sebright_ MSS. a petition is recorded, says Mr. Pennant, from the Abbot to Edward II. in which he sets forth the injuries he had received from the Sheriff of Carnarvon, who had extorted from him 68_s._ 6_d._ contrary to his Deed of ffeoffment, on which the King directed Roger de Mortimer, Justiciary of Wales, to make enquiry into the matter, who reported that the Abbot held his Lands, in the County of Carnarvon, in puram et perpetuam elemosynam, without any service or secular acknowledgment; and further, that David, Lord of Lleyn, and brother to the last Prince of Wales, had exacted the same sum, as did his _Pencynydd_, or Master of his Dogs, possibly under pretence of maintaining them; the King therefore, by his special favor, and by advice of his Council, does for ever remit the said sum and all arrears, and directs that no one in future, either on his account or that of his heirs, ever should molest the Convent. The slaughter of the Monks, at Bangor Iscoed, about the year 607, is supposed to have contributed to the population of this Island, for not only the brethren who escaped, but numbers of other pious Britons fled hither, to avoid the rage of the Saxons.

There is a most curious, though superstitious document, still extant, written in Latin, in which it is asserted, that in consequence of the prayers of Holy Lleudad (Sanctus Laudatus) one of the first Abbots, and in consideration of the good and pious lives of the first Members of this Convent, the Almighty granted them the strange and uncommon privilege of departing out of this mortal life by seniority, so that like grapes in the vintage, (as it is there expressed) the most ripe (i.e. the eldest) was cut down first; and that this continued to be the case for many years, until these once Holy Brethren became again degenerated, and relapsed into various sins and vices, so that the Almighty was incensed against them, and summoned them hence, like the rest of mankind, without any respect to age or seniority.—This may serve as a specimen of the numerous tales and legends, invented by these and other idle and bigotted Monks.

This small Island, according to the Welsh History, afforded _asylum_, during life, to twenty thousand reputed Saints, and, after death, graves to as many of their bodies; well therefore might it be called _Insula Sanctorum_, Isle of Saints; but, with Dr. Fuller, it must be observed, that it would be much easier to find graves in Bardsey, for so many Saints, than Saints for so many graves.—Nine hundred of these Devotees are said to have fled hither from the Massacre of the Monks, at Bangor Iscoed, in Flintshire.

The following are the names of some of the first Abbots, and reputed Saints, who are said to have been buried there:

1. Lleudad, (Laudatus) the first Abbot.

2. Dufrig, (Dubricius) once Arch Bishop of Caerlleon ar Wysg, or Llandaf.

3. St. David, who retired hither from the Synod of Brevi, (Llan Ddewi Brefi).

4. Cadvan, who came to Wales from Llydaw, or Armorica, attended by the following persons: Padarn, Hywyn, Sulien, Tanwg, Tydecho, Tecwyn, and many others.

5. Dewrdan, or Dwrdan, from whom Bodwrda, in this neighbourhood is supposed to have been so called, or from Cowrda, to whom Abererch Church is dedicated.

6. Daniel, first Bishop of Bangor.

7. Beuno, to whom Clynnog Fawr is dedicated.

8. Myrddin ap Morfryn, (or Merlinus Caledonius or Sylvestris).

9. Hywyn ap Gwnda Hên, Steward to Cadvan, and to the Saints at Bardsey.

10. Dervel, to whom Llan Dderfel in Merionethshire is dedicated.

11. Eineon, or Engan Frenin, King of Lleyn.

12. Cawrdaf St. at Abererch.

13. Cadwallawn ap Owen Gwynedd, Abbot in the year 1169.

14. Thomas ap Griffith Nicholas, of Dinevor, in South Wales, who was killed in a Duel at Penal, in Merionethshire, was buried here.

15. Griffith ap Thomas, nephew of Griffith ap Nicholas, was interred here.

16. Hugh ap Richard ap Sion ap Madog, of Bodwrda, was buried here, in the time of Queen Elizabeth.—See William Lleyn’s Elegy on his Death.

This little Inland, at present contains about twelve or fifteen houses, and about sixty or seventy inhabitants, who are mostly fishermen.—It produces very good barley, and round its coast are great plenty of fish, and abundance of Lobsters, which are mostly sent (as before observed) to the Liverpool Market.

The revenues of the Monastery, at the general Dissolution, amounted, according to Dugdale, to £46. 1s. 4d. Tradition says, that Aberdaron, Bryn-croes, and Nevin, originally belonged to Bardsey, but at present the Tythes of those three Parishes, are the property of the Cefn Amwlch Family; and it is very probable that one of their ancestors purchased them of the King (Henry VIII.) or his Ministers at that time. This Island was granted by Edward VI. to his Uncle, Sir T. Seymour, and afterwards to John, Earl of Warwick; and the present proprietor’s father purchased it from Dr. Wilson of Newark. A tenement, called Court, in the Parish of Aberdaron, originally belonged to Bardsey, and was granted and purchased with the Inland, as before described. Part of Lleyn is to this day, called the Lordship or Manor of Bardsey, and a kind of Leet Court is still held, occasionally, either at Aberdaron, Bryncroes or Tydweiliog, which is called the Court of the Lord of the Manor of Bardsey. The present Lord of the Manor is the Marquis of Anglesey; there are also a Recorder, Bailiff and Constable, attached to this Lordship. The Court was probably held, formerly, at the above-mentioned Farm, which still bears the name of Court; and not far off is another place, called _Secar_ (Exchequer), and it seems there was a prison or gaol there, for near it is a hill, called Brynn y Grogbren, or Gallows Hill.—In general, when any of the Inhabitants die, they are brought to Aberdaron for interment; but in very stormy weather, the corpse is buried in the old Abbey Church yard, and the person who is best qualified reads the funeral service. Many years ago, when some of the Inhabitants had been to a Mill at Aberdaron, a great tempest arose on their return, and they were blown to the Coast of Cardiganshire, and landed in safety. A Light House is very much wanted on this Island, as, for want of such an object to direct them, Vessels are driven on Sarn Badrig-Goffrydiau-Caswennan, and other dangerous rocks, and many lives lost every year. We are happy to add, that such a building is at present in contemplation. There are several Welsh Poems still extant, addressed to some of the Abbots.—Not far from hence is Carreg, the seat of Robert Thomas Carreg, Esq. now resident at Cefn mine.

The distance from Aberdaron to Pwllheli is about twenty miles; the road along the sea coast by Llanfaelrhys, Rhiw, Llandegwnning, Llan Engan, and Llanbedrog, is the most interesting.—On a part of the Promontory, called _Penrhyn Du_, in former years, have been considerable adventurers for Lead Ore, and attempts to drain the mines, by means of a fire Engine, but the expences proved to exceed the profits.—The dangerous Bay, between Rhiw Mountain (Mynydd y Rhiw) and Penrhyn Du, is called by the Sailors Hell’s Mouth, being considered the _Scylla_ to the Charybdis of Sarn Badrig, whose extremity lies nearly opposite; and if the mariners can pass between these two, there is a very secure anchorage for ships of large burthen, at a place called the St. Tudwal Roads, near the two Islands of that name, on the largest of which are the remains of a small Chapel, dedicated to that reputed Saint.—At Abersoch, near this place, is also a small but safe harbour, where barley and other articles, the produce of this part of the County, are exported, and coals, &c. imported. At Gelliwig, which _was_ (for we greatly regret to hear that he is lately dead) the residence of Colonel Evan Jones, a gentleman who, as a brave and enterprizing officer, distinguished himself in several campaigns, particularly in Egypt, under Sir Ralph Abercrombie; the writer cannot refrain from paying this tribute to departed worth, for he was certainly an honor to his country, and greatly beloved by all who knew him. And at Nanhoron, in this neighbourhood, is the elegant and hospitable seat of Colonel Edwards, one of the few gentlemen who constantly reside in the country, and give regular employment to a number of poor labourers, and set a good example to their tenantry in Agricultural improvements. The following inscription was transcribed from a Monument, erected to the memory of his brave father, Captain Edwards, in the Parish Church of Llan Gian:

“Sacred to the memory of Timothy Edwards, Esq. of Nanhoron, who, being appointed to the command of the Cornwall Man of War, of 74 Guns, in the year 1777, and having, in the course of a twelve-month, distinguished himself in four successive engagements, in the West Indies, against the French Fleet, was unfortunately, on his return home, carried off by a bilious fever, on the 12th of July, 1780, aged 49, before he had received those honors from his King and Country, which were destined to be the reward of his gallant and faithful services.—His disconsolate widow, penetrated with the deepest regret, for her irreparable loss, caused this Monument to be erected.

“_In cœlo quies_.”

Llyn, or Lleyn, is a very extensive Hundred, in general flat, but interspersed with most characteristic hills or rocks, rising insulated in several parts; none makes so conspicuous a figure as Carn Madryn, Carn Boduan, and Mynydd Mynytho, (Mann-noeth-wy); the country, of late years, is greatly improved, owing to the laudable example of the resident gentlemen. The chief produce is oats, barley, pigs, and black cattle; it is supposed that above three thousand of the latter are annually sold out of these parts; much oats, barley, butter and cheese, are exported.—The land is good, particularly for grazing, being watered by a thousand rills; it is in general destitute of trees, except near gentlemen’s seats,—the example of planting, set by men of property, is however rapidly spreading; and by an Act, passed some years ago, many of the commons and waste lands have been enclosed, and brought into a state of cultivation. Giraldus Cambrensis, in his Itinerarium Cambriæ, says, that the Cantreds of Lleyn and Eifionydd were the possessions of Owen Gwynedd’s children, when he passed through Wales, and that they had two Castles, one at Carn Madryn, and the other at Penrhyn Deudraeth. Castellmarch, in this neighbourhood, is an old family seat, now the property of Thomas Asheton Smith, Esq. of Vaenol. Margaret Griffith, heiress of Plas mawr, in Carnarvon, and Trefarthen, in Anglesey, married Griffith Jones, of Castellmarch, in Llyn, Esq. and her daughter Margaret Jones, heiress of Castellmarch, married Sir William Williams, of Vaenol, Baronet. Not far from the road is Wern fawr, now in ruins, the property of Parry Jones Parry, Esq. of Madryn. Near Llanbedrog is the Cottage, the residence of Lloyd Caldecot, Esq. and before we enter Pwllheli, is Bodegroes, the hospitable seat of Glynn Griffith, Esq. and not far distant is Bodvel, {179} an old house, which had the honor of giving birth to the celebrated Mrs. Piotzi.

PWLLHELI is the principal Town in this part of the County, and the Magazine of Goods which supplies all this tract; it lies near the sea shore, and has a tolerable harbour for vessels of about 60 tons: Leland styles it “statio optima Carinis.” The entrance is by a high rock, called Carreg y Wimbill, (the Gimlet,) which is near a mile from land, to which it is joined by a range of sand hills. This place, as well as Nevin, was made a free Borough, by the Black Prince, by Charter, dated the 12th year of his Principality, at Carnarvon, in compliment to _Nigel _{180}_ de Loryng_, or _Lohareyn_, one of the gentlemen of his bedchamber, on whom he had bestowed, Nevin and Pwllhely, in consideration of his great service in _Gascony_, and particularly at the Battle of _Poitiers_. He entitles him to “servitiis quorumcunque tenentium tam liberorum quam nativorum,” by which it may be presumed, that he did not include the Welsh in the privileges; what those were we do not learn, but they were the same which the Burgesses of Rosfair, in Anglesey enjoyed, and for them Pwllheli was to pay to Nigel fourteen pounds a year, and Nevin thirty-two. This Borough and Nevin, he freely bestowed on him, with all its appurtenances, together with four _librates_ of Land, towards the repairs of his Manors, and for all these he was only to pay an acknowledgment of a rose, in lieu of all services; if he died without issue the whole was to revert to the crown. Edward III. afterwards confirmed these grants to _Sandwich_. Denio, the Parish Church, (or rather a Chapel to the Vicarage of Llannor) stands on a hill about half a mile out of the Town; it is dedicated to St. Beuno. The Markets are on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and the Fairs on the 5th of March, 13th of May, 28th of June, 19th of August, 24th of September, and 11th of November. Pwllheli is a safe and good harbour, as we before observed, and well sheltered from all winds, but a Perch is much wanted at the extreme end of the _Gimlet Rock_. This is one of the Contributory Boroughs with Carnarvon, in returning one Member to Parliament; it is a Corporate Town, and is governed by a Mayor, two Bailiffs, and a Recorder. The Petty Sessions for the District are held here. An Embankment has been made within these few years, on both sides of the Town, by which several hundred acres have been recovered, the greatest part of which used to be overflowed by the high tides. Pwllheli has as excellent beach for Sea bathing, and is likely to become a place of resort in the Summer season, for that purpose. The number of inhabitants in 1811, was nearly thirteen hundred. The Prince (says Leland) had a place here, as yet appeareth.