is a small borough and market town. Its population is now about four
hundred: it, jointly with Caernarvon, &c. sends a member to parliament.
Its ruined castle is not unworthy of attention; it stands on an eminence
projecting into the sea, and the entrance to it by land, being only along
an isthmus, defended by a double foss and vallum, it must formerly have
been strong. The gateway is between two towers, or bastions, externally
round, but square within; the facings of which are ascribed to Edward the
1st.; the other towers are entirely square. There have been two courts,
but neither of them large, nor indeed has the whole castle been a
building of any other than small extent.
It is now in a ruinous state. The view from the ruins over the bay to
Haerlech is beautiful. In the neighbourhood of Pwllheli are several
respectable family seats; and the country in its vicinity is generally
better cultivated than the rest of the promontory: the town itself is
irregular and unpleasant; but it carries on a good coasting trade, and
vessels of considerable burthen are here built. The petty sessions for
the district of Llyn are held here; it is likewise contributory to
Carmarthen, in sending a member to parliament. Along the coast to
Bardsey Island, a considerable trade in fishing is carried on: herrings
frequent this coast in great abundance, and are very fine: some are cured
here, and quantities sold to the Irish. Here likewise are taken both
john dories and smelts; the former of which was rejected by the fishermen
on the score of its ugliness.
The sail from hence to Bardsey Island is both tedious and dangerous.
Passing the bay called Hell’s Mouth, of which, Mr. Bingley says, “I never
saw a place which presented so favourable an appearance, and that was at
the time so much dreaded by the mariners as the present. It is at the
very end of the promontory, and from point to point is supposed to
measure about eight miles; it is also nearly semicircular. None but
strange vessels, even in the most boisterous weather, ever seek for
shelter here; and when they are so unfortunate, they are soon stranded
and never again return. ‘We remember, (says Mr. Jones, in one of his
letters,) more misfortunes to have happened in this bay, and more
inhumanity shewn to the sufferers, than we have ever heard of any where
else on the Welsh coast.’ My pilot, who had been long acquainted with
every part of these coasts, informed me, that, from whatever point of the
compass the wind blew out at sea, on account of the surrounding high
rocks, it always came into the mouth of this bay; and from whatever
quarter the tide flowed, the upper current here always sets inwards.
From these circumstances, the common tradition is, that the place
obtained the appellation of _Hell’s Mouth_.
“The whole coast, from the Rivals round the end of the land, nearly to
Pwllheli, is terminated only by high and steep rocks, inhabited in the
summer by a variety of sea-fowl.” Mr. Bingley, having failed in his
attempt to land in Bardsey, gives the following account of that island,
from the letters of the Rev. — Jones, vicar of Aberdaron, to whose parish
it belongs.