LLANGURIG TO ABERGAVENNY, 68 MILES
DISTANCES ALONG THE ROUTE
Miles.
=Llangurig= to Rhayader 9¼
=Rhayader= to Newbridge-on-Wye 8
=Newbridge-on-Wye= to Builth 5½
=Builth= to Hay 19
=Hay= to Bronllys 7¼
=Bronllys= to Talgarth 1
=Talgarth= to Castle Inn 3½
=Castle Inn= to Crickhowell 8¼
=Crickhowell= to Abergavenny 6¼
NOTES FOR DRIVERS
The road is splendidly engineered, and as a rule has an excellent
surface. There are no really stiff gradients.
PLACES OF INTEREST ON THE ROUTE
=Rhayader.=--A small and uninteresting town; Birmingham reservoirs.
=Builth.=--Another small town, possessing no interest besides the site
of the castle and the wells.
=Talgarth= (1 mile distant).--Remains of Bronllys Castle; Llangorse
Pool.
=Crickhowell.=--The church; the castle ruins.
=Abergavenny.=--A market town; castle, now a recreation-ground;
church, with fine carved oak; earliest wooden effigy; the Blorenge.
[Map: (TRUNK) No. 8. LLANGURIG TO ABERGAVENNY.]
The road to Rhayader traverses part of the Upper Wye Valley, and gives
frequent glimpses of troubled, foam-flecked water, alternating with
long reaches where the river slides smoothly along its rocky bed. The
setting is one of pastoral scenery, bounded by the rounded uplands,
which help to form the catchment basin for the great lakes which now
supply Birmingham with water. This gigantic undertaking, to be
extended altogether over fifty years, will eventually be the means of
constructing a chain of lakes in the vale of the Elan, effectually
providing for the future needs of the great manufacturing metropolis
so far as water is concerned.
RHAYADER
The chief attraction at Rhayader is the scenery, as nothing of
particular importance meets the eye in the town. It is a good
sketching-ground for artists, many excellent subjects being
discoverable in the surrounding country. To the angler it is a
paradise. Although it possesses two churches, they are not worthy of
the time required for inspecting them. The ~Wye~ here is an impetuous
mountain stream, plunging amid the rocks strewn along its course; to
this point the salmon reach the upper waters at the spawning season.
Between Rhayader and Builth there are several very sharp turnings in
the road, requiring considerable care if risks are to be avoided. The
~Wye~ is close to the road at many parts of its course, and forms the
boundary between the counties of Brecon and Radnor. Farther on the
stream begins to lose its torrential character, and, traversing this
well-wooded valley, assumes more of the calm and placid character with
which one generally associates it. It receives the superfluous water
from the great lakes of the Birmingham Corporation Reservoirs by the
Afon Elan soon after passing Rhayader. To the west of Newbridge-on-Wye,
Lysdinam Hall, the ancestral home of the Venables, is seen upon an
eminence.
BUILTH WELLS
This ancient town, the _Bullæum_ of the Romans, is the centre of trade
for the neighbouring districts, and derives much importance from its
wells--saline, sulphurous, and chalybeate. The population is less
than 2,000, but probably a regiment might be raised locally all
bearing the surname of Price or Powell.
~The Castle~, or rather the site of it, is near the town, close to the
Wye Bridge. It possesses a double fosse, a rampart of earth, and a
keep, which, judging from the foundation, must have been of great
size. It was besieged and captured by Llewelyn in 1260.
The scene of Llewelyn's death in 1282 lies near the Radnor road at
Cefn-y-Bedd, a few miles from the town. The Prince was refused a
refuge in Builth (hence 'The Traitors of Builth'), and, reversing his
horse's shoes, fled in the deep snow for safety, but was overtaken and
slain.
The church of Builth is a modern erection, and the town is
uninteresting.
The road from Builth to Talgarth passes through Erwood, at some five
miles' distance, and Garth Hill, crowned by an earthwork, lies to the
left; it is also the place where the English troops in quest of
Llewelyn forded the river in 1282. Two miles away to the left are the
celebrated Falls of Craig-pwl-du, a fall of 40 feet into a weird
ravine. The neighbourhood is full of interest to the antiquary and the
geologist. About three miles beyond Erwood the castle and woods of
Llangoed are passed, and Boughrood Castle appears on the left. ~Lyswen~
is reputed to have been an early residence of the Welsh Princes. The
general character of the road between Builth and Talgarth may be
stated as not wildly grand, but an exquisite combination of river
scenery with eminently beautiful surroundings, where the ruggedness of
the rocks is softened by a covering of verdure, and foliage in subtle
gradations of beauty appears on every hand. It is probably one of the
most splendid roads for scenery of this character in the Principality.
[Illustration: THE WYE, SYMOND'S YAT, NEAR MONMOUTH, HEREFORDSHIRE.
At this point the view embraces some of the finest river scenery in
Britain.]
TALGARTH
This quiet little town, nestling under the shadow of the Black
Mountain, is chiefly noted for the proximity of ~Bronllys Castle~, one
mile distant, of Early English and reputed Norman architecture. It is
a round tower, 70 feet high, standing upon a mound, and its history
appears to have been lost. The Black Forest now lies upon the left
hand, and upon the right, at a few miles' distance, is Llangorse Lake,
a large but shallow sheet of water 500 feet above sea-level, and much
referred to as a probable source for the future supply of water to
London. The scheme is considered a feasible one, and the water would
flow to the metropolis by gravitation. According to tradition, the
lake covers the site of a large city which perished in some terrible
catastrophe--a similar type of legend to that of Semmerwater in
Wensleydale. As the road nears Crickhowell the great Sugar Loaf (1,955
feet) becomes prominent, with a number of small villages, farmsteads,
and cottages dotting the slopes of the lower hills. The River Usk now
appears descending a valley from Brecon, together with the main road
from that place.
CRICKHOWELL
~The Church~ is a building of some dignity, with nave, chancel, aisles,
and spire standing near the bridge.
~The Castle~ remains consist of a square tower in fair preservation,
flanked by a round one, together with tumbled mounds of masonry and
earth. Several beautifully-situated seats are near the village. From
Crickhowell to Abergavenny two roads run, one on either side of the
valley, that upon the right being slightly longer, but it is more
picturesque. The Sugar Loaf Mountain lies to the left across the
valley, while an opening in the hills to the right reveals a glimpse
into the Black Country of the South Wales Coalfield. Near Llangrwyne
there is a most romantic stretch of country, with many beautiful
features.
ABERGAVENNY
This flourishing market town claims a high antiquity in history as
being the direct descendant of the Roman _Gobannium_. Its quaint
narrow streets contain some houses of interest, while the splendid
country lying around tempts the tourist to stay.
~The Castle~, standing upon an eminence overlooking the Usk, was an
important Norman stronghold. William de Braose, in the twelfth
century, invited many Welsh chieftains to a Christmas feast in the
castle, and then foully murdered them; in retaliation their relatives
burnt the castle. It, however, rose again, and came after a time into
the Warwick family, passing eventually to the Nevilles, represented
now by the Marquis of Abergavenny, who lives at Neville Court, up the
river. As a ruin, now laid out as something between a tea-garden and a
recreation-ground, the castle is exceedingly disappointing. The steeps
of the Blorenge are well seen from the terrace.
~The Church~ is near the post office and market hall. The Herbert and
Lewes Chapels are the chief points of interest in it, but attention
should be drawn to the ancient carved-oak seats in the choir, and also
to the font. A colossal recumbent figure of what must at one time have
been a 'Jesse tree' is preserved here; it is 10 feet long, and the
stump of the tree remains, springing from the side of Jesse. When
complete it must have formed a splendid screen, standing behind the
high-altar. The wooden effigy of George de Cantelupe in the Herbert
Chapel (1273) is the finest example of early wood-carving extant in
these islands.
Near the church stands Priory Mansion, with a good garden, and
splendid oak panelling in the interior.
Abergavenny is an ideal place for the budding mountain-climber, who
can have excellent practice upon the Blorenge, the great Skyrrid, and
the Sugar Loaf.