History of Llangollen and its Vicinity Part 7

I believe there are no other Welch inscriptions in the Church, among the many grave stones, tablets, &c. which abound; and yet service is performed in no other language, except on the second sabbath in every month, and on Good Friday. There are many English families now resident in Llangollen and its neighbourhood; and to those that are seriously disposed this is a great privation.

The Church is well served by the very worthy and pious Vicar, who resides at the Vicarage; yet, notwithstanding, there are four dissenting congregations in the town, viz.-Wesleyan Methodists, Whitfield or Calvinistic Methodists, Independents, and Baptists.

In the church-yard is a school, under which is a vestry-room, bearing this inscription:-"This school-house was built at the expense of the parishioners, having obtained the ordinary license, with consent of the Rev. R. Price, vicar, 1773."

The customs of the orthodox Welch Church are similar to those in England, except in the following, viz.-that of bedecking the graves of the dead with shrubs and flowers; of singing before the corpse to the church; and the very annoying one of ringing a pa.s.sing bell in the following manner:-On the day prior to the funeral the bells are tolled in a very quick succession of strokes; that is to say, twelve quick strokes on the first bell, and after a short pause, twelve on the second; and so on once round, the number of strokes on each bell, denoting the condition of the deceased. Thus, twelve strokes on each bell denotes the death of a married master of a family; eleven strokes the mother or mistress of a family; ten strokes an unmarried or young man; nine a young woman unmarried; six a boy; and five a girl. Then begins an incessant monotonous toll of the great bell, in minute time, which generally continues all that day until eight o'clock at night: it commences again at eight o'clock on the following morning, and does not cease until eight o'clock at night, except during the time of interment. The usage at the burial is also novel to an English observer. When the service in the church is concluded, the officiating minister goes to the steps of the altar, whereon a sort of wooden plate is previously placed; and the attendants and friends of the deceased immediately proceed to deposit money thereon in his presence, which is instead of dues. When the corpse is consigned to the earth, the clerk receives the donations of the people that are around the grave, upon the spade with which he is throwing the earth upon the coffin; and this is his share of the fees.

There is also an old and curious custom observed at Christmas, called Plygan, or Plygain, that is, "the time of night when the c.o.c.k croweth; the morning twilight."-On the morning of Christmas Day, the bells are rung as is usual to a.s.semble to church, about four o'clock; and on their ringing about six o'clock, most of the parishioners a.s.semble, some bringing candles, and the church is also lighted up. After the prayers (morning service for the day) are read, the congregation continue, and the minister also, hearing original carols in the Welch language, on our Saviour's nativity. This time and custom were formerly much more seriously observed, when men believed

"That ever 'gainst that season comes Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated, The bird of dawning singeth all night long; And then they say no spirit walks abroad; The nights are wholesome, then no planets strike; No fairy takes, no witch hath power to charm; So hallowed and so gracious is the time."

Except two or three marble monuments in the Church, there are no other remarkable objects; but in the church-yard are many very neat and handsome freestone tombs. Some of those recently erected are in the sarcophagus form, and are very nicely executed.

Nearly opposite the south door of the Church stands a triangular gothic column of freestone, surrounded by a light iron railing, erected over the grave of a highly respected domestic of the Right Hon. Lady E. Butler, and the Hon. Miss Ponsonby. The pillar is executed in good taste, and on one of the three facades are the following lines, doing much honour to the heart as well as to the head of the composer:-

In Memory of Mrs. MARY CAROL, Deceased the 22nd of November, 1809, This Monument is erected, By Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby, Of Plas Newydd, in this Parish.

Released from earth, and all its transient woes, She whose remains beneath this stone repose, Steadfast in faith, resign'd her parting breath, Look'd up with Christian zeal, and smiled in death; Patient, industrious, faithful, gen'rous, kind, Her conduct left the proudest far behind; Her virtues dignified her humble birth, And raised her mind beyond this sordid earth.

Attachment, sacred bond of grateful b.r.e.a.s.t.s, Extinguish'd but with life this tomb attests, Rear'd by two friends, who will her loss bemoan, Till with her ashes here shall rest their own.

The poor of Llangollen have much reason to pray that period may be far distant; for the benevolence of these retired ladies is extensive and discriminate; and it may justly be said there is not a poor deserving object in this little town, who does not partic.i.p.ate in their bounty. I shall conclude with a brief notice of their residence.

PLAS NEWYDD.

"'Tis pleasant through the loopholes of retreat To peep at the great world-to see the stir Of the great Babel, and not feel the crowd."

Plas Newydd, situated at the east end of the town of Llangollen, has long been the residence of two eminently distinguished ladies, the Right Hon.

Lady Eleanor Butler and the Hon. Miss Ponsonby, {99} who came to Llangollen, and after a time purchased the domain, and planted and decorated the grounds. It has attained its present beauty under their own superintendence.

Many years have elapsed since these ladies withdrew from the world, to which, from their rank and accomplishments, they would have been distinguished ornaments, and secluded themselves in this beautiful retreat, where they have uniformly been the benefactresses of the poor, the encouragers of the industrious, and the friends of all in their neighbourhood. The peculiar taste and beauty with which these n.o.ble and highly distinguished ladies have decorated and adorned both the exterior and the interior of their far-famed retreat, exites universal admiration from the first characters and families, who are continually visiting them.

A palisade, ornamented with antique and grotesque figures, carved in oak, encloses the front, before which a profusion of the choicest flowers and shrubs is tastefully arranged. The entrance and the windows, which are formed after the manner of ancient religious houses, are decorated with carving in the same material. The entrance-door is unique, and a great curiosity, being beautifully ornamented with well polished carved figures; the whole of which are of black oak, and kept particularly bright, giving the retreat a very uncommon appearance. The entrance-hall, stairs, and pa.s.sages, are chastely in character; and the windows are ornamented with painted gla.s.s in the most appropriate manner.

The gardens, in which nature and art are judiciously united, are extensive, and display much taste. The thick and umbrageous foliage of the lofty forest trees, that occupy a part of the lawn and gardens, is the safe asylum of numerous birds, which in this calm seclusion revel unmolested. A pair of beautiful wood-owls have found a safe and quiet shelter in the trunk of an old ivy-covered tree; and on a lawn a little further, is erected a pretty moss-covered alcove, furnished with a few well-selected books: it is nearly in the centre of the garden, and is open in front. The confidence of the birds is shown by some of them every year building their nests in this recess: indeed, these airy inhabitants appear to be quite tame and familiarized by the kindness of their amiable protectors. I believe the birds have much the larger portion of the produce of these beautiful gardens, as none of them are suffered to be molested.

Through the lower part of the shrubbery, a brook, called Cyflymen, i.e.

Speedy, murmurs over its pebbly bed, and is crossed by a rustic bridge, which leads to a bank covered with lichens, and furnished with appropriate seats, near which rises a pure fountain, whose waters are as clear as the crystal gla.s.ses which ornament its margin: in short, the beauty of the scenery, aided by a little enthusiam, might inspire the idea that

"Here in cool grot and mossy cell, The rural fays and fairies dwell: Though rarely seen by mortal eye, When the pale moon, ascending high, Darts through yon limes her quiv'ring beams, They frisk it near these crystal streams."

The carved stone brought from the Abbey Crucis, and mentioned as being dug up at the time the bodies were discovered, stands near the entrance.

I have thus completed the circuit I proposed at the commencement of my labours. To hope the attainment of perfection in a work of this nature would with justice be deemed presumptuous; but I trust any inaccuracy will be treated with lenity, and that due allowance will be made for the disadvantage under which verbal information is at all times collected by a person who does not understand the native language. Thus far I can with truth say, that, from a desire to combine correctness with intelligence, I have in no case given that on heresay, which might be readily ascertained by ocular demonstration.

With regard to the quotations which I have thought proper to introduce, I must here again draw upon the kind indulgence of my readers. Not having an extensive library at my command, I have sometimes been obliged to quote from memory. This will also, in some degree, account for omissions of which I may in places be deemed guilty.

I will now take leave of my friends, a.s.suring them that, if I have not done all I might for their information and amus.e.m.e.nt, it must be attributed to any other cause rather than a want of desire and endeavour on my part. It would, indeed, be unpardonable in me to deserve such an imputation, after having received so many marks of attention from friends whom I have had occasion more than once to consult in the progress of my researches, and being furnished with information from quarters where I had not the least claim.

LLANGOLLEN: PRINTED BY H. JONES.

FOOTNOTES.

{2a} The north side of the river is called "_Trevor Ucha_," i.e. "_Upper Trevor_."

{2b} Since the year 1827 great many new and elegant brick-houses were built, which add much to the neatness of the town.

{3a} According to the census of 1841, the number of houses were 884, and inhabitants 4,498.

{3b} There are now seven fairs kept every year, viz. last Friday in January, March 17, April 22, May 31, August 21, October 15, November 22.

{3c} The Mail comes through from London at present 55 minutes past nine o'clock in the morning, and returns through from Holyhead at half past two in the afternoon.

{3d} The above stage coaches have ceased running since few years ago; and instead of the Vans there is a Waggon now pa.s.sing once a week to Shrewsbury.

{3e} There are coaches also going regularly to meet the trains at Chester.

{4} Twenty two at present.

{5} The Welch have a great readiness in attaching names to record occurrences: thus, the Gerant, which is a part of the Berwyn Mountains, is called by them Moel y Barbwr, i.e. Barber Hill, and obtained this appellation from the circ.u.mstance of a barber, who was an a.s.sociate of a desperate gang of ruffians, having been hanged on the summit, for the murder of his wife in the last century.

{6a} Welch Chron. p. 3.

{6b} Camden's Britan. p. 623.

{7a} Warrington, p. 102.

{7b} Cort's Letter.

{8a} Camb. Itin. p. 342.

{8b} Pennant, vol. 1, p. 275.

{11} Wynne's Caradoc, p. 223.

{15} She expired in 1843.

{17} Pennant, vol. 1, 282.