We visited Denbigh, and the remains of its Castle.
The town consists of one main street, and some that cross it, which I
have not seen. The chief street ascends with a quick rise for a great
length: the houses are built, some with rough stone, some with brick,
and a few are of timber.
The Castle, with its whole enclosure, has been a prodigious pile; it is
now so ruined, that the form of the inhabited part cannot easily
be traced.
There are, as in all old buildings, said to be extensive vaults, which
the ruins of the upper works cover and conceal, but into which boys
sometimes find a way. To clear all passages, and trace the whole of what
remains, would require much labour and expense. We saw a Church, which
was once the Chapel of the Castle, but is used by the town: it is
dedicated to St. Hilary, and has an income of about--
At a small distance is the ruin of a Church said to have been begun by
the great Earl of Leicester[1194], and left unfinished at his death. One
side, and I think the east end, are yet standing. There was a stone in
the wall, over the door-way, which it was said would fall and crush the
best scholar in the diocese. One Price would not pass under it[1195].
They have taken it down.
We then saw the Chapel of Lleweney, founded by one of the Salusburies:
it is very compleat: the monumental stones lie in the ground. A chimney
has been added to it, but it is otherwise not much injured, and might be
easily repaired.
We went to the parish Church of Denbigh, which, being near a mile from
the town, is only used when the parish officers are chosen.
In the Chapel, on Sundays, the service is read thrice, the second time
only in English, the first and third in Welsh. The Bishop came to survey
the Castle, and visited likewise St. Hilary's Chapel, which is that
which the town uses. The hay-barn, built with brick pillars from space
to space, and covered with a roof. A more[1196] elegant and lofty Hovel.
The rivers here, are mere torrents which are suddenly swelled by the
rain to great breadth and great violence, but have very little constant
stream; such are the Clwyd and the Elwy. There are yet no mountains. The
ground is beautifully embellished with woods, and diversified by
inequalities.
In the parish church of Denbigh is a bas relief of Lloyd the antiquary,
who was before Camden. He is kneeling at his prayers[1197].