![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")
celebrated far and near for the goodness and abundance of its oysters. This village stands at the extremity of Swansea Bay, on a vast mass of splinter’d rock: from this elevation, the wide expanse of the ocean and Swansea Bay are viewed to great advantage. These rocks are inaccessible at high-water, except in a boat; on the farthest is erected a light-house.
At Pennard, we descended some immense sand-banks, which led us into Oxwich Bay: at the head of the sand-banks are the small remains of an old castle, [30] scarcely worthy of observation. The sands in this bay are extremely fine, and the bold projections of the rock exhibit nature in her most awful and impressive attitudes. To the right of Oxwich Bay is situate, at Penrice, the Seat of Mr. Talbot: the grounds are well planned, and command extensive views of the sea: the old Castle rising behind the house gave the whole a fine effect.
Between Penrice and the neat village of
CHERITON,
we observed to our right, on a hill, a large flat stone, several tons weight, resting on about six smaller ones, placed perpendicularly, and standing about five feet high: this is vulgarly called King Arthur’s Stone. It is here proper to forewarn both Tourists and Travellers, not to fix on Pennard, Penrice, or Cheriton, as places for a night’s abode, as they cannot possibly be comfortably accommodated. This advice I mention from experience, for at the latter place, we were under the necessity of contenting ourselves with tables or chairs, as substitutes for beds, and even destitute of necessary provisions. On a hill, opposite our inn, we discovered evident vestiges of a Roman encampment; from this elevation the eye caught a fine view of Carmarthen Bay, and the bold promontory of Worm’s Head, to the South-west: this rock is only accessible at low water.
The country through which we traversed for the four or five last miles, is inhabited by a colony of Flemings, who settled here in the reign of Henry I. In the reign of this King’s Father, a great number of Flemings, having been driven out of their habitations, by a very extraordinary inundation of the sea, sought protection in England, where they were cordially received. But so many of these people being dispersed in different parts of the kingdom, began, by increase of their numbers, to create some uneasiness; which Henry I. removed, by settling them as a colony in South Wales, and gave them the country adjoining to Tenby and Haverfordwest. By this wise policy, the King rid his own dominions of an incumbrance, and curbed the insolence of the then rebellious Cambrians. [32] The little territory they inhabit is called Gwyr, and by the English, Little England beyond Wales, because their manners and language are still distinguishable from the Welsh, and, in point of speech, assimilate the English. These Flemings, to this day, seldom or never intermarry with the Welsh: they speak good English, and are very much averse to the manners and language of the country they inhabit; both sexes generally distinguish themselves by wearing a short cloak, called Gowyr Wittle.
In preference to a long walk, of near thirty miles, we crossed the River Bury, as the pleasantest and most expeditious way to
LLANELLY,
a miserable, dirty place, filled with miners and sailors. From hence to
KIDWELY,
the road leads over the Penbree Hills; and from this elevation, the Scenery is viewed to great advantage.
The Castle of Kidwely, otherwise, Cathweli, was formerly, I imagine, of great extent, and is still the most perfect we had hitherto met with in Wales, The extent of the apartments are distinguishable; some of the staircases accessible; and the four round towers, keep, gateway, and yard, spread an awful gloom around, whose beauties time had just sufficiently impaired, to heighten its grandeur and sublimity. Our Guide expatiated much on the History and Events of the Castle, and told the story with as much agitation and interest, as if it had happened yesterday.
The road to
CAERMARTHEN,
we found unpleasantly hilly, but occasional Vallies to our left enlivened our walk. Near Caermarthen we crossed a Bridge of free-stone over the Towy. This River, running through the middle of this shire, falls into the British Sea at Caermarthen Bay, and is navigable for small vessels as far as the Bridge. Immediately over it, upon a hanging rock, stand the remains of a once renowned Castle. This Town, according to Giraldus’s authority, was anciently a place of great strength, and fortified with brick walls, which are yet partly extant, near the river. This place, now considered as the Capital of the county, was formerly the residence of the Prince of South-Wales; and the Ancient Britons here held their Parliaments. The Chancery likewise, and Exchequer for South-Wales, were kept here, when this territory was first erected into a Principality, by the crown of England. In the thirty-eighth year of Henry VIII. it was created a borough-town.
This place is famous for being the birth-place of Merlin, who is styled, by an ancient author, “the sonne of a badde angell, or of an incubus spirit, the Britaine’s great Apollo, whom Geoffrey ap Arthur would ranke with the South-saying Seer, or rather with the true Prophets themselves; being none other than a meere seducer, and phantasticall vizard.” He flourished in the year 480.
At the Inn (Old Ivy-Bush) Sir Richard Steel composed his celebrated Play, called the Conscious Lovers.
From Caermarthen, we were recommended to go to
LAUGHARNE,
in order to see the Castle, but it by no means answered our expectation: little part of it now remains; and the neat gravel-walk, in the garden, but ill accords with the mutilated walls of an ancient ruin. From the garden walks, grand and extensive Sea-prospects interest the traveller. About five miles from Laugharne, we passed a small place, called
GREEN BRIDGE.
It derives its name from an excavation in the rock, through which a little rivulet runs for a mile and a half. This cavity is completely concealed from the road, and impossible to be discovered, unless pointed out by some neighbouring inhabitant. Let me, however, advise all Tourists to be cautious in their excursions to this natural curiosity, as it is a place evidently calculated for plunder, stratagems, and murder; and is now infested by an unawed banditti of smugglers, who have frequently practised the barbarous scheme of decoying vessels by false lights; and by whom we ourselves were insulted. Indeed, I would advise Travellers to alter their route from Swansea, and pursue the straight road to Caermarthen, and so to Tenby, by Narbeth.
