surrounded with a “tempestuous sea of mountains,” and watered by the
rapid current of the river Avonvawr, over which is thrown a large and
handsome stone bridge at the entrance of the town.
This town was known to the Romans, if we may judge from the coins found
at a well in its vicinity, bearing this inscription “IMP. CÆSAR.
TRAJAN.” It contains 537 houses, and 3064 inhabitants: but the church is
little better than a barn, with a covered roof, supported by two rows of
rude oak pales, and a bare earth floor.
In the neighbourhood of this romantic spot, and indeed in many parts of
Merionethshire, the manufacture of strong cloth has long been carried on.
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No one can picture to themselves a more delightful situation than that of
Dolgelly:—an inclosed vale, encircled with the craggy and subject
mountains of Cader Idris, forming an amphitheatre,—watered by the Alpine
torrent of the Maw,—and richly clothed with wood. But necessity has no
law; the best inn was pre-occupied, and no comfortable accommodations
could be found; and, though drenched with rain, we were compelled to
quicken our pace to the well-known bathing-place of Barmouth.
Such, at the present day, is not likely to be the fate of the traveller,
as Dolgelly boasts of three inns, the Lion, the Angel, for travellers
without a carriage, and the new inn, called the Ship. One, two, or more
days will be passed here very pleasantly, either in excursions to Cader
Idris, Dol-y-melynllyn, the waterfalls of the Rhaiadr-du, Rhaiadr y
Mawdach and Pistyll y Cayne; or, under the sanction of Sir R. Hoare, who
says he knows of no place where so many inducements are held out to
excite the traveller to make excursions in its vicinity, he may visit the
vale of the Dee, Caer Gai, an old Roman station, at the end of the lake
of Bala, and Dinas y Mowddu, to enable them to accomplish which, ponies
and a guide are to be procured.—The following is Dr. Mavor’s account of
the Cader Idris Guide, an original Caleb Quotem, and the bill of
introduction he delivered to his employers:
“Lege, aspice Conductorem, et ride.