Welsh Journals

NOTABLE MEN Of WALES. ADMIRAL SIR THOMAS FOLEY.- II. Captain and Lady Lucy Foley resided chiefly after their marriage at Abermarlais. The present house was built, by Captain Foley, not long- after his purchase of the estate. It stands on slightly elevated ground, about a mile and a half from the small town of Llangadock, in Carmarthenshire. The old road from Llandilo to Llandovery passes near the east front of the man¬ sion, which some forty years ago was surrounded on the south and west sides by a broad gravel walk, planted at its side with evergreens. The dining-room on the west side opened on a stone terrace, connected by a flight of steps with a lower terrace; and the same from the drawing-room on the south side. The front entrance on the north side opened into a circular hall, leading into a larger one, communicating with the principal rooms. A stone staircase led to the bedrooms above, which opened on a large landing. The drawing-room, a delightful one, looking full south, with three windows, has a view over the park and surrounding woods to the distant, picturesque Black Mountains. Out of the drawing-room, with the same aspect, was the library, a bright room, well filled with books and pictures. Here Sir Thomas passed his mornings. On the walls were hung, amongst other pictures, some engravings of the Battle of the Nile of an authenticity which is rare, as they were made from drawings taken on the spot by Capt. James Weir, com¬ manding the Marines of H.M.S. Audacious. Out of this room was a smaller one with a spiral staircase, leading to the bed¬ room suite. To return to the west front, on the ground floor, the dining-room, with three windows, opened, as has already been said, on the broad stone terrace, and beyond was the gravel walk with masses of rhododendrons, a blaze of beauty when in blossom, with a distant view of the park and woods. The bedrooms were over the sitting-rooms, and all bright and warm. From the higher ones the Vale of Towy is seen, backed by *A portrait of this worthy was given in the Red Dragon for last month.