Page images
PDF
EPUB

doubt that he was a man of great ability, for he had been selected by Cambridge as one of its champions in a very learned controversy. Dr. Price's ancestors had been stewards of large estates in various counties. He agreed with Mr. Lowe that every effort should be made to secure folk-tales. Whenever anyone heard a tale they should write it down.

Mr. Bezant Lowe added that Dr. Price was the official who received the order from Queen Elizabeth for the organisation of the great Eisteddfod, held at Caerwys in Flintshire.

Rev. Eyre Evans called attention to a bit of old Welsh home life, rush-lights made of rushes steeped in melted resin and fat, still in use, and the meal of oat cakes actually at that moment being prepared in the kitchen for the farm hands. A horn about 5 ft. in length was shown, used at the present day to call the farm labourers from the fields.

Yspytty Ifan Church was described by the Vicar, Rev. T. Llechid Jones. The present Church is supposed to have been built on a portion of the site of the old Hospice of St. John, founded in 1192. When the old Church was taken down in 1858 portions of freestone tombs and window jambs belonging to a still earlier Church were found in the walls, but no traces of the Hospice.

Three very interesting effigies are carefully arranged on the floor at the west end, representing Rhys Fawr ap Meredydd of Plas Iolyn, the standard-bearer of Henry VII at the battle of Bosworth, Lowry, his wife, daughter of Hywel ap Gruffydd Goch, Lord of Rhufoniog, and Robert, their son, a chaplain of Cardinal Wolsey and lessee of the manor at the time of the Dissolution.

66

In the S. wall of the chancel is a brass tablet with the inscription, Maurice Gethin ap Robert Gethin ap," followed below by a skull and cross-bones and the names of

Robert Gethin departed ye 14

of June 1598

Both interred

Cernioge

Ann Gethin departed ye

24 of May, 1598
under this stone

below

At the bottom of the Brass are engraved clasped hands with figures of one son, father, mother, three girls, and a babe in swaddling clothes over a skull and cross-bones, and the legend, LIVE to DY and DY to LIve.

Above the whole

DVW ANRHODDODD

DVW ANDDYGODD

Cariad i'wr cwbwl.

The district after the departure of the Knights of St. John was stated by Sir John Wynne to have been occupied by thieves and marauders.

Archdeacon Thomas said he took all that Sir John Wynne said with a grain of salt, as he wanted to get the lead of the Knights of

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][graphic]
[graphic]

Brohomagli Stone

A most delightful and instructive Excursion was brought to a conclusion by a visit, with the kind permission of Mr. Wynne Finch, to Voelas Hall where the Brochmael Stone is carefully preserved.

The first notice of this stone appears in the Cambro-Briton, i, 369, in which it is stated that in forming the new line of the Holyhead Road, between Lima and Cernioge in 1820, the workmen, while cutting through the corner of a field called Dol tre beddau, under the farm of Ty'n y bryn, discovered about forty graves, about 2 yards in length, most of them cased with rough stones, and all lying within the compass of 20 yards by 10. The most perfect of the graves, with floor, ends, sides and cover complete, contained a skeleton, about 6 ft. in length. On the under side of the slab which

covered the body was found the inscription which Professor Westwood reads:

[graphic][subsumed][merged small][merged small]

The letters are deeply incised, and vary from 2 in. to 5 in. in length.

The only doubtful letter occurs in the third line after the EIV, forming the word "ejus." The stone is 5 ft. long, 2 ft. broad, and 4 in. thick. (Arch. Camb., 1847, p. 30.)

In Arch. Camb., 1908, Mr. W. B. Halhed points out that the word commencing the second line of the inscription is not 1AIII = Jam, as rendered by Professor Westwood, but IATTI. He suggests that Brohomagli was the son of Iattos, with which GWRIAT is cognate. Mervyn Vrych, King of Gwynedd, was son of Gwriat, King of Ynys Manaw (Isle of Man).

The Members were shown an interesting "firedog" dug in a bog at Tyn y Coed, which Professor Dawkins declares to be a holder for amphora. Also a crowth and pibchorn, a Welsh Harp believed to have been made by David Morris of Llanrwst, c. 1690; and the Chair awarded as a prize at the Llanrwst Eisteddfod in 1788 for an Awdl on Goronwy Owen o'r Fon to the celebrated bard Twm o'r Nant, Thomas Edwards of Nant ucha, Gyffylling.

EXCURSION III.-THURSDAY.

Carriages left Abergele, at the time arranged, for Conway, but the majority of the party elected to travel thither at a later hour by train. Conway Castle was the first place to be visited. Here the Mayor of Conway (Mr. H. Jones) gave the Members a cordial wel come to the ancient town, and "for the time being conferred, with great pleasure, on all present the Freedom of the Castle."

The President, in the name of the Association, thanked the Mayor (who was also Constable of the Castle, and as such illustrated a happy combination of Civic and Feudal rights) for granting them the privilege of visiting such an ancient and historic building. Mr. G. A. Humphreys, who has made a close study of the Castle and its history, acted as conductor, and pointed out the chief objects of interest. It was intended to make a new entrance to the Castle in

place of the old one, which had been found unsafe, and the present arrangement for admission, much criticised for its unsightliness and rococo style, was temporary.

It is one of the most complete and best-preserved examples of Medieval Military Architecture in Britain and a noted "Edwardian" specimen. The commencement of the building preceded Carnarvon Castle by only a few months. One of the earliest dates referring to the building is in the Liberate Roll, 1282, in which year Edward I was at Conway. Henry de Elreton is mentioned as the architect

The Castle area is divided into two parts, that nearest the river, the inner and stronger, being reserved for the Royal residence, Royal chapel, and apartments for retinue; while the other part was assigned to the garrison, and contains the soldiers' quarters, storerooms, garrison chapel, and stables, etc. A point of special interest is the Queen's Oratory or private chapel, with its rich little sanctuary, beautiful wall arcading and groined roof.

Mr. Harold Hughes gave a description of the Great Hall, which was completed in 1306. The Llywelyn Hall was commenced in the thirty-first year of Edward I, and occupied four years in building, costing £48 13s. 11d.

Conway Church was next visited, and the Cambrians were received by the Vicar (Rev. J. W. Roberts). Mr. Harold Hughes, who carried out a minute examination of the edifice about fifteen years ago, described briefly the chief features of interest. It stands on the site of the Cistercian Abbey, founded 1185, and endowed by Llywelyn the Great.

In 1245, the English forces established at Deganwy Castle, just across the river, raided Conway, plundered the Abbey, and probably burned down the greater portion of the Church.

At the rebuilding the chancel was widened on the south side. Edward I having established his sovereignty over the Principality, and peopled the town of Conway with English, removed the Abbey to Maenan. He acted with great tenderness towards the monks, left them all their lands and privileges, and preserved to them the presentation of their Conventual Church at Conway, now made parochial.

Very little remained of the original Cistercian Abbey, though no doubt portions of the interior were used for the existing building. The west doorway was not originally meant for that purpose, but had probably been the entrance to the Chapter House.

The tower (except the W. wall), together with the nave arcading, is 1290 to 1300 work, the S. wall of chancel c. 1245. The S. trancept and S. porch are early fourteenth century, N. vestry and N. porch late sixteenth century, whilst various windows, etc., were altered and renewed in 1878. This Church is much more important in plan and finer architecturally than any of the other old churches of this neighbourhood, and a comparison of the work of the Latin monks with the native Welsh productions is instructive. The arches are very crude work, placed on very much older and better

« PreviousContinue »