CAERMARTHEN--FEMALE LABOURERS--LLANSTEPHAN CASTLE--A FORD--LAUGHARNE
CASTLE--FINE MARINE VIEWS--NEW INN--TENBY.
The situation of Caermarthen, one of the most wealthy and polite towns in
Wales, can scarcely be enough admired; rising above a noble river, and
commanding a full view of one of the most beautiful vales in the kingdom.
Internally, there is less to commend; as most of the streets are very
steep, and irregularly built; yet there are many good private houses,
belonging to the neighbouring gentry that resort here in the winter
months; and a handsome town-hall and some other buildings do credit to
the public spirit of the town, though a solitary church may reflect but
little on its sanctity. Very small remains of the castle, now built up
into a gaol, appear; or of the walls that formerly encompassed the town.
The trade of the place is much facilitated by its fine river, which
conveys ships of a good size up to the bridge.
Caermarthen is the Kaervyrdhin of the Britons, the Maridunum of Ptolemy,
and the Muridunum of Antoninus. The ancient Britons reckoned it the
capital of all Wales: here they held their Parliaments, or Assemblies of
wise men, and here fixed their Chancery and Exchequer. When the Normans
overran Wales, this town severely felt the miseries of war, being often
besieged, and twice burnt by the Welch princes; Gilbert Earl of Clare,
however, at length fixed his power at Caermarthen beyond the reach of
their attempts. This place gave birth to the famous Merlin in the year
480: he appears to have been a man of extraordinary wisdom and learning,
which, no doubt, occasioned him to be looked upon as a magician in that
dark age, and transmitted as such to posterity by Monkish writers, who
always looked with an evil eye upon knowledge possessed out of their
craft. Here also was born Lewis Bayly, chaplain to James the First,
afterwards Bishop of Bangor, and author of the celebrated "Practice of
Piety."
From our comfortable quarters at the Green Dragon, we set out early in
the morning; and, on leaving the town, were more interested than pleased,
in noticing several fine young women who were acting as scavengers, while
one, whose elegance of form defied even her awkward habit to conceal it,
was bending beneath the fatigue of wheeling away the filth in a barrow.
In the same point of view, seated behind a counter, a brawny-fisted
fellow was folding up ribbons and laces. How odious is the employ of
men-milliners! How shameful, that men, who might gain a prosperous
livelihood in a thousand ways, should interfere with almost the only
eligible means which the limited powers and habits of women capacitate
them to adopt for a maintenance! Driven from their natural employ, they
must either have recourse to a cruel drudgery which they were not formed,
and are generally unable, to endure; or wander after subsistence in the
paths of shame and misery, at once a disgrace, a burthen, and a terror to
society. But does our censure more properly fall on these men, for
entering into the pretty dalliance of women's affairs, in preference to
masculine pursuits requiring intellectual and bodily exertion? or on the
ladies, who encourage men, rather than their own sex, in the
fiddle-faddle arrangement of their caps and tuckers?
Passing this group, we soon left the high road, and struck off into a
narrow imbowered lane, up a laborious ascent, toward Llanstephan Castle.
On arriving at the top of the hill, we were amply repaid for our toil by
a most enchanting view over the Vale of the Towey: a stripe of the
richest verdure, intersected with numerous hedgerows and ornamental
plantations, arose on each side of the river; above which, a parallel
range of high-wooded and cultivated hills formed the boundary of the
valley. The extensive town of Caermarthen; the lofty spire of its
church; the ruined castle, and the long old bridge, with several barks
lying near it; were conspicuous objects at a short distance in the
picture; which was considerably enlivened by several gentlemen's seats,
and their appendant decorations. The town of Abergwilly, on the banks of
the river, with the bishop of St. David's palace, an ordinary building,
would also have appeared in the distance; but the termination of the
valley was denied us, by the morning mist not having cleared away.
Pursuing our route, we took every opportunity that intervals in the hedge
afforded, of renewing our treat, and discovered new beauties at each
succeeding station.
At length we parted with this agreeable scenery; and soon after, on a
sudden turn of the lane, came within view of the picturesque ruin of
Llanstephan castle. A farming party also appeared at this instant,
proceeding with goods for Caermarthen market. This group was opened by a
robust young fellow driving a couple of cows; he wore the general dress
of the country, a short blue coarse cloth coat, and breeches of the same
open at the knees; but he also possessed the luxury of shoes and
stockings. A sledge loaded with sacks of grain followed; drawn by a
horse, on which a lusty wench sat astride, as the peasant girls generally
do in Wales; cloathed in a brown jirkin and petticoat, but with her lower
extremities uncovered. She urged on the horse by kicking him with her
bare heels, while her hands were busied in knitting. Two other buxom
bare-legged girls followed on foot, with their fingers similarly
employed, and with large baskets of eggs and poultry on their heads. But
a word on the sledge, the common farming carriage in Wales.--This is a
most simple contrivance, consisting of two rude poles, between which the
horse is placed; their ends trail on the ground, toward which extremity
there are two or three cross bars; a few upright sticks from these
complete the carriage. A comely dame, seated on horse-back, and
accommodated with a sort of side-saddle made with cross rails, was
probably the mistress; she closed the rear; and her superior condition
was evident, in her dark blue worsted stockings, ponderous shoes, and
small brass buckles.
LLANSTEPHAN CASTLE crowns the summit of a bold hill, whose precipitous
base is washed by the sea. Its broken walls inclose a large area; and,
furnished with several encircling earthen ramparts, appear to have
possessed considerable antique strength. From numerous stations it
offers a truly picturesque appearance; and in the approach charmingly
combines with the surrounding landscape; which, ever varying, is
sometimes confined to the woody character; at others, exhibits the wide
estuary, the rocky promontory forming its opposite shore, and the
boundless sea.
[Picture: Llanstephan Castle]
This castle is said to have been built by the sons of Uchtred, prince of
Merionethshire, anno Domini 1138; but soon after fell into the hands of
the Normans and Flemings; in 1145 it was taken from them by Cadelh, son
of Rhys Prince of South Wales; and so vigorously maintained, that the
utmost force which the foreigners could raise was unable to retake it.
However, by the year 1189 it must have been in the possession of the
English, as Caradoc informs us that it was then taken from them by Prince
Rhys.
The village, a neat humble place, is snugly situated beneath the
"Castle-cap'd hill" in a woody hollow; whence we traversed a lofty ridge,
commanding extensive views, to a neighbouring estuary, formed by the Tave
near its junction with the sea. As the tide was out, we could not avail
ourselves of the ferry, but had ample directions where the water might be
crossed; yet, unfortunately, on arriving at the sands, the description of
circumstances received for our guidance proved so general, that we were
unable to select the route intended; and the broad current ran with such
threatening rapidity into the sea, only half a mile distant, that it
would have been highly dangerous to have ventured in upon hazard.
Ignorant how to proceed, and unwilling to return three or four miles for
fresh directions, we gladly observed a couple of young women trudging on
the sands in a direction toward us. The proper place for fording was now
pointed out, where, it was said, the water would scarcely cover our
horses' knees; we deemed it most prudent, however, to let the natives go
first, and they accordingly entered the river, using the precaution of
raising their drapery. We followed close; but the lasses had
considerably underrated the depth of the water, for it took both them and
our horses above their middles; yet so carefully were their clothes held
up, that not a thread was wetted. On reaching the opposite shore, their
petticoats were suffered to descend: my friend and I then looked at each
other, passed an observation, returned our thanks to the damsels, wished
them a good morrow; and under an overhanging rock of red granite, crowned
with the ivy-mantled remains of LAUGHARNE CASTLE, reached the town, an
irregularly built little place, seated on a low bank of the estuary.
Laugharne castle, though not very extensive, and not generally striking
for picturesque disposition, has a noble aspect toward the town. The
foundation of this Castle is not transmitted to us in the Welch annals,
but is, doubtless, of high antiquity; it was occupied, and probably
built, by the Normans and Flemings on their conquest of these parts;
afterwards, in the year 1215, it was besieged and taken by Llewelyn:
Leland says, "it longid some time to the Earl of Northumberland." An
interesting ride, upon a high boundary of the sea, brought us into
PEMBROKESHIRE, at a place called New Inn.
In this progress, extensive views ranging over the Bristol channel were
continual; but one _coup d'oeil_,
High from the summit of a craggy cliff
Hung o'er the deep--
was eminently striking! magnificently beautiful! The whole sweep of
Caermarthen bay, with its several estuaries, high cliffs, and swelling
shores, appeared beneath us, extending in one direction to the extreme
point of Gower, and in the other to the isle of Caldy in Pembrokeshire;
at the latter termination, the picturesque whitened town of Tenby,
romantically built on a tongue of rock projecting into the sea, seemed
issuing from the waves. From the grand amphitheatre of this bay, the eye
roamed, over a vast tract of sea, to the shores of Somerset and Devon,
hear fifty miles distant, faintly penciled on the horizon, and terminated
by the advancing swell of Lundy Island. Further westward, the setting
sun appeared in conjunction with the sea, there widening into the
Atlantic Ocean; its golden effulgence glittered in reflexion from the
waves, and diffused itself over the whole scenery: numerous barks in the
bay, sailing on different tacks, caught partial gleams of illumination;
and a large fleet of ships, entering the channel at a remote distance,
seemed little more than dusky spots on the glistening expanse: the _tout
ensemble_ formed one of the most pleasing marine pictures that I ever
saw.--The sea, viewed under its ordinary circumstances, from a _low_
situation, engages little interest; the angle of vision is then
intersected by the aqueous segment at the distance of four or five miles;
and, with little more breadth of water than one meets with in a river or
lake, the prospect finishes in a mere hard line. The case is far
otherwise when it is viewed from a high mountain, particularly if that
mountain be a bold promontory, and the view bursts upon the spectator on
a sudden: a world of waters then meets his astonished sight; the immense
object presses on his mind an inconceivable emotion; and an image is at
once stamped of the genuine sublime. Filled with the vast idea, he
contemplates with awe and veneration the magnitude of his Creator's
works, and sinks into a proper estimate the puny achievements of man.
From New Inn, a small collection of cottages on the beach, with a large
old mansion, lately modernized, but seemingly of the foundation of
Elizabeth's time, and where (it is to be observed) there is no house of
public entertainment, as the name would imply, we passed, among numerous
collieries belonging to Lord Milford, towards TENBY. This town is
curiously situated on the ridge of a narrow rock projecting into the sea:
a sandy tract connects it with the main land; which being sometimes
overflowed, the town becomes insulated. The streets of Tenby are
inconveniently steep; yet its romantic situation, and commodious sands
for bathing, have lately rendered it a place of fashionable resort. It
has a number of good lodging-houses, with a respectable hotel; and, when
we were there, boasted an overflow of genteel company. The quay was well
lined with vessels, and the whole carried with it an air of opulence.
Here was formerly an important fishery, but that concern is now much
diminished; yet the exportation of coals, has greatly increased, and that
article has become the staple commodity of the place. The remains of
Tenby castle (a Norman structure) are very inconsiderable: the broken
walls appear toward the extremity of the cliff; and below them, I
understand, there are some large natural caverns.