we crossed the little stream of Ebwith, near the Park of Tredegar House,
belonging to Sir Charles Morgan. The grounds are well planned, and
command the hills of Machen and Twynbarlwm, with the Church of Bassaleg
rising in the centre, on an eminence. The whole valley, indeed, lies
prettily. Passing through the villages of Pediston and Castletown, we
soon reached the bridge of two arches, over the river Romney, which
divides England from Wales.
The situation of Cardiff is on a low flat, near the mouth of the Taff,
over which is a bridge, built by Mr. Parry, in the year 1796: it consists
of three large and two smaller arches. The tower of the Church is very
light, and of elegant workmanship; but there is nothing in the inside
worthy of notice.
The Castle derives its name from the river Taff, which washes its walls;
Caertaph signifying the town or castle upon Taff. Robert Fitzham, on
having conquered Glamorganshire, divided the country into different
portions, among the twelve Norman knights, as a reward for their service,
and took for his own share the town of Cardiff; and erected, in the year
1110, this Castle, in which he generally resided, and held his court of
chancery and exchequer. In the beginning of May, 1645, during the
troubles under King Charles I., it was in the possession of the
Royalists, but it was surrendered to the Parliament before August, 1646.
We entered the Castle by two strong gates, which still remain in great
preservation, but we were displeased with the modern architecture of the
new-built mansion; the neat shorn grass and the gravel walk were
circumstances that ill accorded with the mutilated walls of an ancient
ruin, which has braved the storms of so many centuries. The circumstance
which tends to ensure this castle a melancholy place in history, is the
unjust confinement of Robert, Duke of Normandy, brother to William Rufus,
and King Henry I. The accounts, however, of his confinement have been
greatly exaggerated by historians; but a dark vaulted room beneath the
level of the ground, measuring nearly a square of fifteen feet and a
half, is still pointed out as the place of his confinement; a small
crevice in the top, about half a yard in length, and three inches wide,
was the only place to admit the air. In this situation he died, after an
imprisonment of twenty-six years, and was buried in Glocester Cathedral,
where his effigy as large as life, carved in Irish oak, and painted, is
yet shown.
The Keep, which is still very perfect, of an octagon shape, stands on an
eminence in the centre of a large square. Having walked round the
ramparts, which command extensive views of the adjacent country, we
visited the castle itself, which has within these few years, been
repaired, but still remains in an unfinished state.
In the dining-room are some portraits, in length, of the Windsor family:
the most striking are, Sir William, who first raised forces for Queen
Mary. Sir Edward, who first entered the breach, at the taking of St.
Quintin, in Flanders, where the famous constable De Montmorency was taken
prisoner.
In the breakfast parlour is a family piece, consisting of seven figures:
it was painted in the year 1568. Holbein, I rather imagine, was the
painter: it consists of two sisters playing at cards, and two brothers at
drafts, with Edward, Earl of Windsor, and his lady looking on. The style
is stiff, with ruffs, small black caps and feathers.
Andrew Windsor, to the right of the fire-place; general _Kneller_.
in the reign of Queen Anne, serving in the
twenty-eighth regiment of foot
Thomas Windsor, to the left, who served in several wars _Kneller_.
of William and Queen Anne, and was colonel of the third
regiment of Dragoon guards, in the reign of King George
I.
Lady Ursula Windsor _Ibid_.
Hon. Master Windsor _Unknown_.
A good painting of Ursula, Countess of Windsor, with _Kneller_.
her grand-daughter Ursula Windsor
Thomas, Lord Windsor, governor of Jamaica _Vandyke_.
Hon. Charlotta Windsor _Dahl_.
Hon. Ursula Windsor _Ibid_.
Hon. Dixia Windsor, storekeeper of the ordnance, and for six
successive parliaments member for Cambridge.
This Castle belongs to the Marquis of Bute. In this place, Robert, Earl
of Glocester, founded a priory of White Friars, and another of Black,
which continued till the reign of King Henry VIII. Only the shell of the
White Friars is now extant, and the ruins of the Black Friars are
inhabited by fishermen. It has only one church, which is of Norman
architecture, with a rich and handsome west door, and an elegant tower.
The races at Cardiff, in October, are very good, and with the balls, are
frequented by a brilliant display of beauty and fashion; the ordinaries
are likewise well attended by the principal nobility and gentry of the
country, and are very good.
From Cardiff we walked to inspect the remains of the once celebrated city
of