Welsh Journals

142 BYE-G0NE8. Dec, 1884. DECEMBER 3, 1884. BISHOP'S CASTLE (Apr. 22, 1884).—At this date we inad¬ vertently save a reply, in which the writer omitted to quote his authorities although able to do so. We amend our care¬ lessness now, by stating that Anderson's Shropshire, and Duke's Antiquities of Shropshire, were the books quoted. NOTES. WALNUT TREE AT LLANGOLLEN.—Lord Harlech baa kindly sent us the following mobt interesting account of a walnut tree felled at Llandyn, near Llan- follen, in 1809, for publication in Bye-Gones :— Hmensions of a walnut tree sold by Miss Ormsby of PorkiDgton, Oct. 15, 1809, to me, Thomas Jonts of Wrexham, gunmaker, for £60. The solidity of the tree being doubtful, the payment was exacted before the tree was fallen. It grew on a lime rock at Llandyn, near Llarjgollen, Denbighshire. Its height was about 25 yards, and its boughs covered a space of ground about 30 yards in diameter. Its contents in sound timber were 646 cubic feet, 10 inches, besides what was crushed in falling, which was considerable; six tons of strong boughs were used for coal props, and about two tons of fagots. The planks were nearly all sound, and produced as follows, viz., 1,630 gun stocks, 71 pairs of pistol stocks, and wood for 232 chairs. When sawed, the first butt was nearly eight feet across ; several pieces were given to different gentlemen for chairs and other articles of furniture. According to a story in the neighbourhood, this tree was very old. A man 95 years of age said that he remembered a bough of it being broken by the snow when he was a child, and that his grandfather used to tell the family that in old times fairies used in the dead of night to celebrate their marriages under this tree. At all events, it bore strong marks of old age, being sound down to the root. I never saw any wood take a better polish. In the middle of the tree was found a stone much like an oilstone (part of which I have in my office for that pur¬ pose) ; also the end of an old rail, with a peg of the same wood through it, quite sound, which proves that this im¬ mense walnut tree, when small, was used as a rail post. Strange to relate, the stone and the end of the oak rail were as if they had grown there, and the tree perfectly sound around them. I mustmentionan unfortunate circumstance, viz., that one of the sawyers was killed. I sent him to borrow a roller to cross the pit ; the person told him to take what he liked best, but he unfortunately fixed on a light one, nearly ribbled by the saw; it broke the third day, and the poor fellow was so much bruised that he died in a few hours. The preceding account is as near the truth as can be as¬ certained. (Signed) Thomas Jones. MARTIAL SHROPSHIRE (Nov. 12, 1884).—The following are, chiefly, the records abridged from the news¬ papers of 1804 :— Jan. 5. Col. Chaytor inspected the Loyal Shrewsbury Volunteers in the Quarry. He was attended on the ground by Capt. Lawrence, first adjutant of the Shropshire Volunteers. Sir Charles Oakeley, Col. Kynaston Powell, and other officers of the Shropshire Volunteers were present. Jan. 8. Day fixed by Col. Chaytor to inspect the Os¬ westry Rangers, the Companies of Shropshire Volunteers connected with Oswestry and E Uesmere, and the Oswestry Artillery ; but the weather was so unfavourable that the Companies failed to assemble at the rendezvous appointed. They however met on parade. Jan 9. The Whitchurch Volunteers, commanded by Lieut.-Col. Knight, were inspected by Col. Chaytor, and the newly formed company went through their manoeuvres with alacrity and correctness, notwithstanding the bad weather. Jan. 13. The Newport Volunteers commanded by Lt.- Col. Leeke, inspected on the lawn ut Longford by Col. Chaytor. Jan. 15. One hundred and eighty of the Shropshire Volunteers raised in the Wem district, under the com¬ mand of Capt. Owen Roberts, reviewed by Col. Chaytor. Jan. 16. Col. Chaytor inspected the Pimhill Light Horse Volunteers. " The season of the year did not per¬ mit the Corps to request to be inspected with the North Shropshire regiment, under Lt.-Col. Hill, with whom they unite when unregimented." Jan. 18. Lady Oakeley presented the colours to the Shrewsbury Volunteers in the Quarry. So great was the throng of spectators that the whole of the troops could not find room. The colours were taken by a detachment of Captain Pemberton's company and lodged in the Abbey. Jan. 19. Shrewsbury Cavalry inspected by Col. Chaytor. Lieut. Lloyd, the commanding officer for the day, made known to the Corps that Government would accept of any offer of actual service for three weeks. It was agreed to divide the time, Ludlow being made choice of for head-quarters. Jan. 19. Mr. Lawrence of the Lion Inn offered a re¬ ward of Fifty-guineas for the discovery of the person or persons who alarmed the company assembled at the Lion Rooms on the previous night, on the occasion of the Shrewsbury Volunteer Ball; by striking the floor under¬ neath " which created much confusion and apprehension that the floor was giving way." Jan. 21. The Corps of Infantry under the command of Col. Eyton reviewed by Col. Chaytor. Jan. 29. Col. Chaytor inspected the Ludlow and Bishop's Castle Cavalry and the Loyal Ludlow Infantry, on the Oak Field near Ludlow. Jan. 30. The Loyal Wenlock inspected. QUERIES. ANCIENT YEW TREE.—It was stated in the Mechanic's Magazine for Sep. 1835, that there was "the well-known stump of a yew tree near Bangor, which was calculated to be more ancient than the Christian era." Is this tree still growing, and has it a history ? Nemo. A SHROPSHIRE CHARITY.—Can any of your local readers tell me what the following paragraph means ? I take it from a scrap-book, so cannot say where or when it was published. " Gates and Wickets.—The twelve per¬ sons who receive Mrs. Eliz. Lloyd's charity in Whitting- ton, were entertained to a sumptuous dinner at the White Lion Inn, on Saturday last. The expenses were paid by three young persons who had amused themselves one night last week in carrying away Gates and Wickets.'1 Anoh, WELSH SNUFF.—Who first manufactured Snuff in Wales, and what " character" does it bear with snuff- takers ? My query has been prompted by the perusal of the following paragraph in a little book called A Pinch of Snvff, published by Tyas, Cheapside, London, 1840:— "The popularity of Lundy Foot's Irish Blackguard brought before the public a villanous concoction of burnt horse beans, denominated Welsh. This intruder ought to have attempted some imitation of its predecessors' title at least, and called itself Welsh Humbug. We really wonder how the peppery children of the Principality could Buffer