![The Cambrian Directory [1800]; Or, Cursory Sketches of the Welsh Territories - Anonymous](/cover_903610.jpg "The Cambrian Directory [1800]; Or, Cursory Sketches of the Welsh Territories - Anonymous")
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on the Western side, through the broken fragments of its walls, of which one immense mass has recently fallen. This ancient town is now little more than a village, with a few scattered cottages, but formerly celebrated, under the auspices of Agricola, for its temples, theatre, porticos, and baths; few vestiges of its former splendour are now extant. A few fragments of loose stones only remain to point out its former extent. In an orchard, adjoining a farm-house belonging to Mr. Lewis, is the beautiful tessalated Roman Pavement, discovered in the year 1777. The tesserale or dies, about an inch in breadth, and half in depth, are nearly cubical, consisting of four colours, red, yellow, blue, and white, [11] which are still in great preservation; the whole is surrounded with a border, much resembling a Turkey carpet. The daily depredations on these curious remains of antiquity are greatly to be lamented.
In the road from Caerwent, amongst other objects for admiration, the Mansion of Sir Robert Salisbury, on the left, commanding an extensive view, attracted our notice. Passing through the neat village of Christchurch, animated with white-washed cottages, and graced with its simple Church, which stands on an eminence, we left the turnpike road, at the 13th mile stone; and following a footpath through some fields, near the banks of the Uske, soon entered the ancient city of
CAERLEON,
over a wooden bridge, built on the same plan as Chepstow. This city was formerly a metropolitan see, but St. David, the national saint of Wales, thinking the noisy intercourse of a populous city, like Caer-Lleon, ill adapted for contemplation, or the solitary cast of his mind, removed it to Menevia, which from that period has been called Ty Dewi by the Welch, and St. David by the English. [12] The remains of its ancient grandeur are still discernible. Whilst tracing the extent of its amphitheatre, surrounded by a circular entrenchment, and the grandeur of its porticoes, we took a retrospect on the exertions of man, the fate of kingdoms, and of rulers; and, marking the grand destruction of ages, it seemed to convince us of the transientness of human worth and happiness! The ships in the Bristol Channel, with Flat and Steep Holmes rising in the midst of the sea, formed pleasing objects in the distant view, whilst the mellow green of nearer woods, and meadows watered by the Uske, made a combination of hues gay and beautiful.
Near
NEWPORT
a new stone bridge is erecting by contract for 10,165l. by Mr. Edwards, son to the Edwards, who built the famous Pont y Pridd. It is to consist of five arches.
Newport Castle, standing on the bank of the river Uske, is a small distance from the bridge: it evidently appears to have been once a place of considerable extent, and built for the defence of the passage over the river; three strong towers commanded the Uske, but towards the town a common wall, without any flanks, seems to have been its sole defence. Some of the windows still remain, the relics of Gothic architecture, and appear to have been elegantly decorated. From the tower is a fine view of the Uske. Between Newport and
CARDIFF
we crossed the little stream of Ebwith, near the park of Tridegar House, belonging to Sir Charles Morgan. The grounds are well planned, and command the hills of Machan and Tombalœ, with the church of Passaness rising in the centre, on an eminence. The whole valley, indeed, is prettily situated. 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 Taafe, over which has lately been thrown a new Bridge, built by Mr. Parry in 1796: it consists of three large and two smaller arches. The tower of the church is very light, and of elegant workmanship; but nothing in the inside is worthy of inspection.
The Castle derives its name from the river Taff, which washes its walls; Caertaph signifying the Town or Castle upon Taff. Robert Fitzham 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 Charles I. it was in the possession of the Royalists, but it was surrendered to Parliament before August 1646.
We entered the Castle by two strong gates, which still remain in great preservation, but we were disgusted with the modern architecture of the new-built mansion, erected by the late Marquis of Bute: the neat shorn grass, 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 that tends to render this Castle a melancholy place in history, is the unjust confinement of Robert Duke of Normandy, brother to William Rufus and Henry I. The accounts, however, of his confinement have been greatly exaggerated by historians; and 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. He was buried in Gloucester Cathedral, where his effigy as big as life, carved in Irish oak, and painted, is yet shewn. 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,
1st. Sir William, who first raised forces for Queen Mary.
2d. 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 in the reign of Queen Ann, serving in the 28th regiment of foot | Kneller. |
| Thomas Windsor, to the left, who served in several wars of William and Queen Ann, and was Colonel of the 3d regiment of Dragoon Guards, in the reign of George I. | Kneller. |
| Lady Ursula Windsor | ibid. |
| Hon. Matter Windsor | Painter unknown. |
| A good painting of Ursula Countess of Windsor, with her grand-daughter Ursula Windsor | Kneller. |
| Thomas Lord Windsor, Governor of Jamaica | Vandyke. |
| Hon. Charlotta Windsor | Dahl. |
| Hon. Ursula Windsor |
