Welsh Journals

Aug., 1882. BYE-GONES. 107 •(whilst the horses were resting) up to a place mentioned by Stow and Leland; the latter describing it thus :— "Thereis in the paroch of Llansannan in the side of a stonye hille a place wher ther be 24 holes or places in a roundel, for men to sitte in, but sum lesse and sum bigger, outte out of the mayne rok by mannes hand; and there childern and young men cumming to seke ther catelle use to pitte and play. Sum caulle it the Rounde Table. Kiddes use ther communely to play and skip from sete to sete." Stow says " Arthur's Round Table," and Pennant supposes such place* were designed for chivalrous feats in tilts and tournaments. Probably Mr. Pennant never visited the spot or he would have hesitated to make it the site of such adventures as he describes. Scarcely a trace of what it is described to have been remains, and but for the glorious view from its site, the visit was labour in vain. At the foot of the hill there is a cottage called Plas Issa; let into the wall of which, over the doorway, is the lid of an ancient coffin, having a cross fleury with -a sword by its side, sculptured on it, in a good state of preservation. Mr. Sandbach, the genial president, Mrs. .Sandbach, and daughters, from this point led the way in their carriage as far as Llangerniew, where the ' 'Tumulus" to be opened was situated. This was at once pronounced not to be a tumulus, but the foundation of a castell, for ancient defensive purposes. This was a disappointment, but it was soon forgotten in the charming grounds and residence of Hafodunos, where the party next proceeded. Having partaken of Mr. Sandbach's hospitality, the visi¬ tors went forth in search of more prosy attractions. At Llangerniew the rector, the Rev. H. Roberts, was unable to meet the party, but the church was open, and its objects of curiosity, especially the Holy Water Stoup and Pillar Alms Box were pointed out. A rapid drive to Llanrwst concluded the day's exertions, there being no evening meeting. Llanrwst possesses several objects of interest. The choicest one in the Church is, doubtless, the rood screen, said to have been brought there from Maenan Abbey. On the walls are several mounted brasses and tablets, but none possessing the interest of those in the Gwydir Chapel adjoining. Canon Thomas in his History of the Diocese enumerates the following:—Of the former (brasses) there are those to the memory of " William Brickdale, a.m., Vicar, 1653-90; Thomas Wynne, a.m., Rector, and Pre¬ bendary of St, Asaph, ob. 1741; Edward Edwards, M.A., Rector, 1756; Gulielmus John Richard de Caerberllan, 1719; Griffith Lloyd; and Morgan Davies, a.m., Rector, and Canon of St. Asaph, who died in 1867." Among the Tablets " one to Margaret Vaughan of Caergai, the writer of many lyrical poems, and called by some the Sappho of her age ; and one erected by parishioners and friends to T. G. Roberts, M.A., Rector, d. 1852." One of the Brasses deserves a fuller notice than that accorded to it by Mr. Thomas : we refer to that on Griffith Lloyd, which reads -as follows :— Prope Iacst Corpus Griffiui Lloydd Brynniog Olim Ludiraagistre Indigni Llanrustiensis Nuper Lecturarij Indignioris et Rectoris Indignissimi Doegensis Sepult Decimo Quinto die Martii Anno domini 1719 Nil de Def uncto die Scribe Putave Maligne No wonder this is often copied, for it is unique! The scribe who penned it is supposed to have been the good man himself; but if he felt at liberty to depreciate the -character of the departed, lookers-on are warned not to agree with him! It is one thing to call yourself a '' miserable sinner," quite another for other people to do so ! The Church was the first place down on the programme for Thursday. Of the Gwydir Chapel so much has been written that we need scarcely do more than refer to the guide books. A complete list of its monuments and the inscriptions, will be found in Woodall and Venables's (Oswestry) edition of the History of the Gwydir Family. In consequence of the visit to the Church the excursion was delayed, but when the party did set off Bettws-y-Coed was soon reached, and the old church of that place visited. The only object of interest there is the effigy in memory of Gruffydd, son of David Goch, natural son of Davydd, brother to Llewelyn, last Prince of Wales, and grand¬ father of Howel Coetmore, whose effigy had previously been seen in Gwydir Chapel. Here Mr. Robinson read a description from the Arch : Camb :, and Mr. H. F. J. Vaughan elucidated some difficulties connected with the history of the family. From Bettws way was made to Penmachno, in the newly-built church of which parish certain stones are preserved that have attracted the atten¬ tion of archaeologists. One of these bears the inscription, oria ic iacit ; the name Oria is said to be very unusual. Next there was one with the inscription, carausius hic jacit in hoc congeries lapidum. Above the inscription is the Labarum monogram of the name of Christ, said to be a very unusual occurrence in the stones of this country. " Whether Carausius commemorated on this stone was one cf the Roman rulers of Great Britain (Marcus Aurelius Valerius Carausius) as has been suggested, is scarcely possible," (says Mr. Westwood in his Lap. Wal.) '' the Labarum of Constantine not being in use 'till ten years after the death of the Roman ruler;" and he goes on to say "that the statement that the deceased was buried under a mound of stones (in hoc congeries lapidum) is, as far as I am aware, the only instance on record of such a fact, and proves that the raising of cairns or mounds of stones is not necessarily evidence of the paganism of the person interred beneath the mound." Lastly, there was a stone with two inscrip¬ tions, thus :—CANTIORIC HIC JACIT I VENEDOTIS CIVE foit I consobrino, and on the other side, ma.........fili | magistrati. This inscription, Mr. Westwood says, is quite unique, both as indicating the deceased as a citizen of Venedotia and as introducing the word magistrati, the precise meaning of which in a Welsh inscription of the sixth or seventh century, is open to inquiry. Before leaving Penmachno, we should say that over the altar is placed what looks like' a diptych, but which is probably two " Stations of the Cross " fastened together; but how it came to_ Penmachno, or how long it had been there, no one explained. The day's excursion also included Dol- wyddelan Church and Castle, in the tower of which Canon Thomas gave an outline of its history. At the evening meeting Mr. Palmer of Wrexham read a paper on Field Names, and Mr. O. E. Hughes one on Local Legends. On this evening, too, mutual compliments and thanks were passed. The excursion of Friday commenced with a visit to Gwydir House; and as no inventory of its contents has ever been published, we beg to submit the following, pre¬ pared in 1871 :— In the Hall.—A. carving, subject " The Stag Hunt," in- tended, as some suppose, to illustrate the life of St. Hubert. (This was bought at an auction in London a few years since in the time of the late agent, Mr. Kennedy.) An ancient Ecclesiastical Hand Bell. In the Dining Boom.—Sir John Wynne's Dining Table. Buffet with carved Panels. Portraits of Sir John's rela-