a continuation of the rich enclosed country, shewing to advantage the
agriculture of these parts, attended us, till we reached the foot of the
hill of Llanymynach. From the summit of this we enjoyed a most beautiful
and boundless prospect, commanding the whole dome of the sky: all
individual dignity was overpowered by the immensity of the whole view,
which consisted more particularly of the rivers Virnwy and Tannad,
joining their waters with the Severn; the lofty water-fall of Pistyll
Rhaiadr—the Breddin hills—and the Ferwyn mountains. The geological
observations on Llanymynach hill, by Mr. Aikin, are so accurate, that to
attempt any further description would be deemed highly presumptuous in
me; I shall therefore avail myself of an account, so ably delineated:
“The hill of Llanymynach, is not only remarkable for the fine
prospect from its top, it is still more worthy notice, as containing
by far the most extensive _lime-works_ of any in this part of the
country. The lime of Llanymynach rock is in high request as a
manure, and is sent by land carriage as far as Montgomery, New-town,
and even Llanidloes: it sells at the kilns for seven-pence a bushel,
and from thirty to thirty-six bushels, are reckoned a waggon-load;
the coal with which it is burnt, is brought partly from the
neighbourhood of Oswestry, and partly from Sir Watkin Williams
Wynne’s pits, near Ruaben. The lime lies in strata, parallel to the
horizon, varying in thickness from three inches to five feet; it is
of an extraordinary hardness, with but little calcarious spar, and
few shells, or other marine exuvial; its colour reddish brown,
burning to almost white. Between the strata of lime, we found a very
tenacious smooth clay, orange coloured ochre, and green plumose
carbonate of copper, or malachite. It was in search of this copper,
that the Romans carried on here such extensive works, of which the
remains are still very visible: they consist of a range of from
twenty to thirty shallow pits, the heaps of rubbish from the mouths
of which, abound with small pieces of copper ore, and a cave of
considerable dimensions, terminating in an irregular winding passage,
of unknown length, connected with which, are two air shafts still
remaining open, and the appearances of several others, now filled up:
in some of these caverns are found, large and beautiful specimens of
stalactite. One of the levels was explored some years ago, and in it
was discovered a skeleton, with mining tools, and some Roman copper
coins. The whole mass of the hill, seems more or less impregnated
with copper: whenever the surface is uncovered, there are evident
marks of the presence of this metal, and the stones composing the
rampart of Offa’s Dyke, which encompasses two sides of the hill, are
in many parts quite covered with _cupreous efflorenscences_. Between
the village and the rock, passes a branch of the Ellesmere canal,
which, when navigable, will add much to the value of these works, by
rendering them more accessible to the surrounding country, and may
induce some spirited adventurer, to recommence a search after copper,
which, it is evident, was formerly prosecuted with considerable
success.”
This description of Llanymynach hill, we pronounce from our own
observation, to be so very accurate, that the length of the quotation
will be readily excused. Leaving the pretty village of Llanymynach,
situated on the banks of the Virnwy, we resumed our journey to Welch
Pool; the face of the country was pleasing, and we soon reached the
Breddin hills, on whose summit a column is erected to commemorate the
victory of Admiral Lord Rodney over the French, in the year 1782. Not
far from hence, we passed a handsome aqueduct, admirably constructed over
the river Virnwy, of great strength and stability. The vale of the
Severn affords much picturesque scenery, and we at length arrived at