Welsh Journals

Search over 450 titles and 1.2 million pages

Descend through the Park and fall in with a road pursuing the edge of the Marsh, to Vaynol, an antient House of high respect- ability in its day, and one of the best models in point of Archi- tecture for its day, the latter end of Queen Elizabeth's reign, there being, over the Chimney piece in one of the best rooms, the date of 1597 on one side an escutcheon of Arms, while on the other one the embossed Capitals I L. and M L. The escutcheons are charged, the first, Argent, a chevron between 3 boars' heads sable, quartering Vert, a Stag trippant Argent, attired or, impaling Gules, a Chevron Ermine between 3 Saxons' Heads, quartering Gules, a Saracen's Head (now borne by Sir Edward Lloyd of Peng- wern); at bottom the Initials of A. D. Sir Richard Hoare made a drawing of the House. It had a large appendage of outhouses, and a handsome stable to the right of the Court Wall, in the same style of building with the House Walled Gardens and large Orchard. The Stable had a Clock over it. In the Garden we were shewn a Stone Coffin without a Lid, formed to have been placed in a Niche, as only the front was ornamented with Gothick arched Compartments, each compartment including an escutcheon. The Cover was gone. I went to see the Field where it was found. The field is called Caercelyn, having much holly in its hedges and the spot shewn bore strong marks of there having existed an inclosure once in that place, including the space of half an Acre of land, the middle of which betrays various inequalities, so that I make no doubt of its having been a Chapel or some religious house. Sir John Williams has promised to dig further there. There was on the edge of the Stone Coffin an Inscription; therefore the Lid, when it had one, could not have lapped over it but must have gone within the sides. Over the Front door you read Vive ut vivas, and a date of 1725. Did not prosecute our ride further, but returned. N.B.-In one of the Rooms above stairs, the Boards of black heart of Oak, not entirely planed but rendered tolerably even by the Adz. Wednesday, Sepr 7th [1808].­-Parted with Sir Richard Hoare and felt an awkward blank. Heard from my dear John, some Counterbalance for the pain of parting with my Friend. Mounted my Horse. Called on Sir Ed. Lloyd. Gone to the Assizes at Mould. Proceeded to Rhuddlan Abbey,* being told by Sir J. Williams The best account of this Dominican Friary, with its sculptured and inscribed monuments, is that in the Journal of the Flintshire Historical Society, 1914-5 (illustrated).-En.