Part 2

Gyffin, a Parish Church, about half a mile off, on the road to Llanrwst, is a Stipendiary Cure, and is generally annexed to Conway. 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; it is described by him as being a mile out of the town, but in what direction is not mentioned. Camden also mentions a British Post, called Caer Lleion, surrounded by Ditches and strong Ramparts, on a lofty hill, near Conway marsh. The Castle of Sinnodun is also represented as being situated near this place, in a Map of the County, annexed to a very old edition of that Author’s Britannia. As this small work is intended merely as a guide to the Tourist, in his excursion through the County, it cannot be expected to contain a very _detailed_ or _particular_ account of every object, which may deserve attention; for this reason the Compiler must pass over the siege of this Castle, during the Rebellion, in Oliver Cromwell’s time, and merely observe, that the custody of it was committed by the King to Archbishop Williams, of the Penrhyn family, near Bangor, and after the gentlemen and freeholders of the neighbourhood had placed a number of valuable articles under his care, and for which he had given them receipts, and thus became answerable for the property, he was, in 1645, cruelly dispossessed by Prince Rupert, without assigning any reason for this strange conduct; it was taken, however, from the Prince in June, 1646, by General Mytton. The Archbishop was buried in the Church of Llandegai, near Bangor, where his Monument is still to be seen.

It would puzzle any one, unacquainted with the mistakes and blunders of transcribers, to conjecture how TOISOBIUS should become PTOLEMY’S CONOBIUS, or Conovius, (or Conovium) but when we reflect a little, it may be supposed, that the initial C, might be easily mistaken for T, and the v converted into b, so as to form TOINOBIUS, instead of COINOVIUS. The derivation of the word Cynwy, seems to be, as Mr. Edward Llwyd conjectures, from _Cyn_, chief or principal, and _Gwy_, or _wy_, water; the prefix _cyn_, being augmentative, as cyn-gann, very white; cyn-dynn, very stiff; or signifying first or chief, as cynfyd, the old antediluvian world; cyn-ddydd, daybreak; and Dr. Davies supposes _cyn_ to be synonymous with penn, as _cyntaf_, _penaf_, first or chief. Admitting this, _Cungetorix_ would be _Cyntwrch_, and _Cunobelinus_, _Cynfelyn_, _&c._

The River Conway has been celebrated for ages, for its muscle-pearl fishery. Pliny informs us, that Julius Cæsar dedicated to Venus Genetrix, in her temple at Rome, a Breastplate set with British Pearls; and Suetonius alledges the acquisition of these, as one motive for his invasion of the Island. Mr. Edward Llwyd asserts that the pearls found in this river are as large, and as well coloured, as any in Great Britain or Ireland, and says that he saw several very fine large ones in the possession of Robert Wynne, Esq. of Bodysgallen. Mr. Pennant distinguishes this shell-fish by the name of _Mya Margaritifera_. A vein of Burr, (a species of Mill-stones) was discovered near Conway, about the year 1800, but being inferior in quality to those brought from France, there is no great demand for them.

The ancient _Conovium_, for some time the station of the Tenth Roman Legion, was no doubt at Caer Rhun, about five miles up the River, and near the Parish Church of that name; as a Roman Hypocaust, a small Shield, and a great number of Roman Coins were discovered there, by the late Rev. Hugh Davies Griffith, late Vicar of the Parish, a gentleman of great worth and integrity, highly esteemed and respected in his neighbourhood, and a person who had a great taste for the study of Antiquities. And what renders this conjecture more probable is this, that there is a hill not far distant, which is still called Mynydd Caer Lleon, or the Hill of the Legion. The Rev. W. Brickdale, at that time Rector of Llanrwst, saw several Roman bricks, dug up near the Church of Caer Rhun, which were inscribed LEG. X. This Legion was denominated Antoniana Augusta. The XXth, stationed at Chester, (CAER LLEON GAWR, or CAER LLEION AR DDYFRDWY) was distinguished by the name VICESSIMA VICTRIX, and the Second Legion, stationed at CAER LEON, in Monmouthshire, or CAER LLEON AR WYSC, was known by the title of AUGUSTA BRITANNICA. And there was (no doubt) a Roman Road from hence to Segontium on the West, and to Varium or Bodvarri and Caerwys, on the East, and another probably through Dolyddelen, to Sarn Helen and Tommen y Mur, in Merionethshire; Pen y street, Dolgelley; Castell y Beri, near Tal y Llynn, to Penal near Machynlleth, where there was a Roman encampment, and where very considerable remains were discovered.

The admirer of picturesque and romantic Scenery would, no doubt, consider his time well employed, and find his propensity amply gratified, were he to deviate here, from the direct road to Bangor and Carnarvon, and trace the Conway to its source, or at least to its junction with the Lledr and Machno; he would then pass very near Caer Rhun, the ancient Conovium, and in proceeding along the banks of this beautiful River, would be able to visit a great number of Water-falls, and he would find the Scenery constantly changing, and new beauties presenting themselves to his view, at almost every turn of the road. My limits will merely allow me to enumerate some of the objects which claim his attention, and ought to be visited, which are the numerous Cascades on the right, between Llanbedr (near Caer Rhun) and Trevriw; the old House of Gwydir, and its beautiful woods; the town of Llanrwst, and particularly the old Monuments in the Church, to the memory of the Wynne’s, the ancient Proprietors of Gwydir, and the handsome Bridge over the Conway, supposed to have been erected by the celebrated Inigo Jones, who is said to have been a native of that neighbourhood. Near this town are also several Lead Mines. The traveller will then proceed through the Gwydir woods, up to the Village of Bettws y Coed, and the new Iron Waterloo Bridge, over the Conway, on the Great Irish Road; he will next visit the falls of the Conway and Machno, and then return to Bettws, and proceed up the river Lligwy; when about half way between that Village and Capel Curig Inn, he will stop to view Rhaidr y Wennol, a tremendous Cateract, and from the last mentioned Inn, he may either continue his rout along the Irish road to Bangor, or direct his course to Bethgelert Village, which is a stage of twelve miles, or turn off on the right from that road, after he has proceeded about four miles, for the Village of Llanberris, through its wonderful pass, and from the new Inn, which we shall have occasion hereafter to notice, he will be able to procure a guide to the summit of Snowdon. But as most strangers will no doubt proceed from Conway to Bangor, it shall be my endeavour to act as their guide, and mention some of the particulars which are worth their attention along this line of road: For the first two miles he will proceed up hill, until he comes to an opening between two rocks, near a place called Sychnant, when all of a sudden a most magnificent scene presents itself: from hence he commands a full view of Beaumaris Bay, generally covered with a number of small vessels; the Puffin, or Priestholm Island, the Village of Llangoed, the Town of Beaumaris, Baron Hill, and the Friars; the former the beautiful seat of Lord Viscount Bulkeley, and the latter that of his brother, Sir Robert Williams, Baronet, M.P. all on the Anglesey shore;—On the Carnarvonshire side, Bangor and Penrhyn Castle, and last, though not least, the huge Pen-maen-mawr, protruding its rocky front into the sea, forming a natural barrier, in such manner (to all appearance) as to cut off every communication this way, and render any further progress impracticable; the art of man has, however, at length conquered these difficulties, and surmounted every obstacle, for about the year 1772 an excellent road was formed along the edge of this once tremendous and dangerous precipice, under the direction of the ingenious Mr. Sylvester, Parliament having generously voted a grant for this purpose. Prior to this event several fatal accidents had happened here, and one or two nearly miraculous escapes are recorded in Mr. PENNANT’S Tour through North Wales. At that time no carriages passed this way, and consequently all the travelling was either on foot or on horseback. Dean Swift was generally a Pedestrian, and in one of his rambles he left these lines, written on a pane of glass at the old Inn, (now a Farm House) near this Mountain:—

Before you venture here to pass, Take a good refreshing glass;— And when you are over, take another, Your fainting spirits to recover.

Before the Traveller descends from the top of Sychnant, just mentioned, to the little Vale of Dwygyfylchi, he should deviate a little to the left, in order to examine some Antiquities, near a place called Gwddw Glâs, in that Parish; here are several circles of stones of various diameters, and large Carneddau, viz. Barrows, or Tumuli, supposed to have been memorials of those Heroes who fell in the field of battle, as _Cistfaens_, or Stone Coffins, are frequently discovered in some of these circular heaps, or collections of stones. The principal Circle now consists of ten upright stones, at unequal distances, the largest is eight feet three inches high; on the ground is another, eleven feet two; the diameter of this Circle is eighty feet. Near this are four other smaller Circles, in the centre of one is a flat stone, the remains of a Cromlech, from which it may be conjectured that it was a Druidical or Bardic Circle. About a quarter of a mile from these is a large Circle, composed of small stones, and near it another of large stones; and not far from these another Circle, composed of small ones.—Near the last is a huge upright stone, called Maen y Campiau, or the Stone of Games; and nearly contiguous is a Carnedd, and a small Circle of twelve stones; adjoining to these are also a great number of what are now called in this country, Cyttiau Gwyddelod, (Woodmen or Irishmen’s Huts) being the foundations of small buildings, made of rounded stones; and the vestige of a road is still visible in a direction from hence towards the Conway. Some of these last might probably have been the summer habitations or encampment of a small detachment of the Roman legion, stationed at Caer Rhun or Conovium, for the purpose of protecting their Cattle. Having mentioned Maen y Campian, it may not perhaps be considered a digression to enumerate the twenty-four Welsh or British Games, of which there were ten _Gwrolgampau_, or manly games, viz. 1. To lift up great weights; 2. Running; 3. Leaping; 4. Swimming; 5. Wrestling; 6. Riding. These six were stiled _Tadogion_, viz. pertaining to fathers, or grown up persons, and required only bodily strength and activity; this last, _Marchogaeth_, is supposed to have included Charioteering, or the skilful driving and management of different kinds of carriages. The other four were, 1. Archery; 2. Playing with the Sword and Buckler; 3. Playing with the Cleddau deuddwrn, or two-handed Sword; 4. Chwarau ffonn ddwybig, or playing with the two-end Staff or Spear. Next to these were the ten _Mabolgampau_, or those more peculiarly adapted to young men, viz. 1. Coursing; 2. Fishing; 3. Fowling; the remaining seven were of the domestic kind: 1. Barddoniaeth, or Poetical Composition; 2. Chwareu’r Delyn, or paying upon the Harp; 3. Reading Welsh; 4. Singing with the Harp; 5. Singing between three or four, most probably in alternate Stanzas, or Pennillion; 6. Drawing or Painting, particularly Coats of Arms; 7. Heraldry. After these were four _Gogampiau_, or Minor Games, viz. 1. Chwarau Gwydd-bwyll, a game similar to that of Draughts; 2. Chwarau Tawl-Bwrdd, probably Back-gammon, as this word is supposed to be derived from the Welsh Language, viz. Bach, little, and _Cammawn_, or Gammon, Battle, and Tewl-Bwrdd, means the toss on the table; 3. Chwarau Ffristeal, or the Game of the Dice Box, in what manner it was played is not known at present; 4. Cyweiriaw Telyn, or the Tuning of the Harp.

After visiting these Circles, the traveller may either proceed to the top of Pen-maen-mawr, or descend to the high road, near Dwygyfylchi Church, not far from which, just at the foot of Pen-maen-bach, is Pendyffryn, the seat of T. Smith, Esq.—In the clefts of the rock, above the Turnpike-gate, near Pen-maen-mawr, grows the CRATÆGUS ARIA, or White Beam Tree; Mr. Pennant observes that the Swiss procure a good kind of Ardent Spirit from the berries. The summit of this mountain seems to have been fortified by two or three walls, one within the other; and there are still visible the remains of a great number of Huts, or small buildings, most probably at one time the habitations of Soldiers; it was no doubt a strong military Post, and is supposed to have been made use of by the Britons and Romans. The Roman Road, from Segontium to Conovium, must have passed near it, probably on the South side; and this high mountain, so conspicuous and so easily distinguished at a distance, formed a kind of link, no doubt, in the military chain of communication between this County and Denbighshire, as it is very visible from Dinorwick, (now called Pen Dinas) a Roman Encampment in the Parish of Llanddeiniolen, near Carnarvon, on the West, and from many fortified eminences in the other County, on the East. The usual signals in ancient times were fires by night, and a particular kind of flag by day. Having examined _Braich y Dinas_, which is the name by which the fortified part of the mountain is distinguished, we now proceed along the high road through the Parish of Llanfair fechan, and leaving that small Church on an eminence, a little to the left of the road, and on the right Brynn y Neuadd, an old neglected family seat, at one time the property of Humphrey Roberts, Esq. and afterwards conveyed to the Wynne’s of Plas Newydd, near Denbigh, by the marriage of his daughter to a son of that family, we soon pass Gorddinog, (Mrs. Crawley’s) also on the left, and soon reach the beautiful little Village of Aber, situated near a small river, and at the entrance of a narrow Glenn. Near the Bridge is a Circular Mount, seemingly artificial, which was the foundation of a small Castle, probably constructed of timber, as many of our Welsh Fortresses are stated to have been consumed by fire. Several of the Welsh Princes resided occasionally at this place, and David ap Llywelyn died here, about the year 1246, and was buried in the Abbey of Conway.

Traces of Buildings have been discovered near this spot, which were probably the remains of the Prince’s Palace, as the inhabitants still pretend to shew strangers the foundation of the old kitchen. Several Memorials, &c. appear in our Welsh Histories, dated Aber Garth Celyn, which is the ancient name by which this place was distinguished. William de Breos, (son of Reginald, a potent Baron in the Reign of Henry III.) who had been taken prisoner by the Welsh Prince Llewelyn ap Jorwerth, was detected in an intrigue with Joan his wife, (daughter to the King of England). The enraged Prince, upon the discovery of her infidelity, caused her paramour to be hung on the side of the opposite hill; and there is a tradition, that the Princess going out the next morning, and accidentally meeting the Bard of the Palace, the latter (knowing that she was ignorant of the fate of her lover) accosted her in the following poetical rhyme:

Diccyn, doccyn, gwraig Llywelyn, Beth a roit ti am welad Gwilym?

that is, “Tell me wife of Llywelyn, what you would give for a sight of your William?” to which she answered:—

Cymru, Lloegr a Llywelyn, Y rown i gyd am weled Gwilym!

_i.e._ Wales and England, and Llywelyn, I would give them all to see my William!

The Bard, on receiving this answer, shewed him to her, hanging on a tree, on the side of a hill, at a place now called Wern Grogedig. It is added in Camden, “Tradition buries De Breos in a Cave, in a field called Cae Gwilym Ddu.” {30} 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; and another over the sands to Beaumaris, but this latter is not to be attempted by a stranger without a guide. It is remarked by Mr. Pennant that all the Passes between the mountains were guarded by Forts and Castles, for besides this at Aber, Craig y Gaer and Maes y Gaer were fortified; and there was a Fort at Nant Ffranco; (or Nant Afangcwn) near Pont y Twr, another at Dolbadarn, Nant Pevis; Castell Cidwm, Nant y Bettws; Craig y Dinas, near Llanllyfni; a Fort near Dolbenmaen, and an old Cattle at Dolydd Elen, and Dinas Emrys, in Nant Gwynant, near Bethgelert. 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; and directly before him, on the Carnarvonshire side, he will perceive the Village and much-admired Church of Llandegai, and near it Penrhyn Woods and Castle, rising in Majestic grandeur. The Church of Llandegai has lately been very much improved and beautified, by means of a very handsome Legacy, left by the late Lady Penrhyn for that purpose. The whole of the interior has been renewed, viz. the Seats, Pulpit, Communion, Ceiling, Plastering, and Floor, and the Tower raised, in order to admit a Peal of Six Bells, a Legacy for which having been also left by Lady Penrhyn, as well as one for the erection of a Monument to her deceased Lord, which is now fixed up in the Church, and is a most superb and elegant piece of work; it is made of Statuary Marble, and represents two Figures, one a Quarryman, with an Iron Bar and Slate knife in his hand, reading the inscription, and reflecting on the loss of his benefactors, the other is a female Peasant Girl, weeping over the loss of her deceased Lord and Lady; there are some other smaller Figures, very descriptive of the progress of improvement amongst the Peasantry, under the directing influence of his Lordship.

Whilst we are speaking of Llandegai Village and Church, we must not omit here to notice a very great improvement, and accommodation to the public, which has been effected, at very considerable expence, through the liberality of Mr. Pennant, we mean the new piece of road, to the left, made to avoid that dangerous and ugly hill near the Church. This part of the County has within the last thirty years been abundantly improved by the late Lord Penrhyn, under the judicious management and direction of Benjamin Wyatt, Esq. of Lime Grove, his Lordship’s Agent, two individuals who were real benefactors to the Country, and whose names have every claim to the grateful recollections not only of the inhabitants of this neighbourhood, but of all those whom business or pleasure may induce to enter this County, by way of Capel Curig and Nant Ffrancon, which is now the great Post Road from Shrewsbury to Holyhead. At the former place, an Inn, upon a very commodious and extensive scale, has been erected by the late Lord Penrhyn; and his successor, Mr. Pennant, with the view of giving greater facility and convenience to Travellers, has lately erected there a Cottage and Stables near the road, in order to give those who might find it inconvenient to go down to the Inn, an opportunity of changing horses at the road, and also for the better accommodation of the Mail and Stage Coaches; he has likewise built new Stables at Tynymaes, and made the Inn there into a Posting House, to divide that long and tedious stage, which used to be from Capel Curig to Bangor-ferry. Capel Curig is distant from Bangor about 15 miles, S.W.—The road to it is carried up the romantic and stupendous Valley of Nant Ffrancon. The formation of such a road, in so rude and unfrequented a region, was one of the earliest and most important improvements which the late Lord Penrhyn effected, in this part of the Country; it has since undergone, in proportion to the increase of pecuniary resources, and to the progress of other local improvements, frequent alterations, and is now, from the munificence of Government, who have lately taken this affair into their own hands, one of the most perfect and magnificent roads, in the kingdom. But, important as this work was, at its commencement, under the public spirit of Lord Penrhyn, it is far from being all which was accomplished or promoted by that patriotic nobleman. The following extract from a memoir of the late Mr. Wyatt, published in the North Wales Gazette for January, 1818, will give us a more enlarged view of this matter:—