Welsh Journals

Jan., 1885. BYE-GONES. 157 BYE-GONES FOR 1885. NOTES, QUERIES, and REPLIES, on subjects interesting to Wales and the Borders, must be addressed to Editor, "Bye- Gones," Caxton Press, Oswestry. Real names and addresses must be given in confidence, and MSS. must be written legibly, on one side of the paper only. JANUARY 7, 1885. NOTES. A LETTER OF SHELLEY'S.—Among the auto¬ graph letters of celebrated persons now shown in the MS. Room iu the British Museum, is one of Shelley's. The signature, of course, is to the general public the thing chiefly looked for, and as the letter is long the inner portion of the sheet is that which is displayed. A label, however, Btates that it was written to a Sir Kitchen, explaining the nature of the connection with his daughter. The Shelleys and Miss Kitchen must have been staying at the time in Radnorshire, for the letter is dated " Nantgwilt, Rhayader, 30th April, 1812." On this account the portion that is visible may perhaps be of interest to Welsh readers. D.J. "--------infatuation had not found there a supposed degree of credit for you to disapprove of a plan on which we had all determined. Sir, my moral character is unim- peached and unimpeachable. I hate not calumny so much as I despise it. What the world thinks of my acts has been and I trust ever will be a matter of completest indifference. Your daughter shares these sentiments with me, and we both are resolved to refer our acts to the tribunal within us. I am married. My wife loves your daughter. She laughs at all the scandal a few gossipers out of employment might whisper, nor is she willing to sacrifice the inestimable society of her friends to the good opinion of the good people of Hurst and Horsham at tea party or card table assembled. So far as myself and Mrs Shelley are concerned we are irrevocably resolved that no ex¬ pedient shall be left untried on our part to induce our friend to share the prosperity or adversity of her lot with us. Much as the strong affection which she bears you has prejudiced me in your favour, yet I would take my own opinion, particularly when it springs from my own reason¬ ing and feelings, before that of any living man. And you will forfeit the esteem I have thus acquired for your character if you endeavour by parental command to change the_decision of her free born soul. I understand that there is woven into your character a jealous watch¬ fulness over the encroachments of those who happen to be born to more wealth and renown than yourself. You are probably right. It need not be exerted now. I have no taste for displaying genealogies, nor do I wish to seem morejmportant than I am.—I am, &c.,—P. B. Shelley." ATCHAM.—Nathaniel Worthingtonof Atcham, co. Salop, to be continued Minister there, and receive the profit and augmentation granted him, according to the order of the Committee for Plundered Ministers, and Col. Mackworth, Governor of Shrewsbury, with any other justices of the peace, are to take care for his peaceable continuing.— Order in Council, made Sep. 22, 1653.— State Papers, Domestic, 1653-4, p. 162. Teen. SHREWSBURY FOUNDRY.—The whole of the iron work of Telford's famous Suspension Bridge over the Menai Straits was cast at Hazledine's foundry in Shrews¬ bury, the weight being 2,186 tons. TheConway Suspension Bridge was cast at the same place, and so were the Ponty- cysylltau Aqueduct ; Bonar Bridge, and a bridge over the Spey, Scotland ; Holt Fleet Bridge, near Worcester, a bridge over the Esk, near Carlisle, one at Eaton Hall of 150 feet span, and one over the Severn at Tewkesbury, of 170 feet span. R.E.D. Shrewsbury. SELATTYN CHURCH.—The following curious statement as to the erection of Sel ittyn Church is made on folio 193 of Additional MS. No. 30,328. It is, I be¬ lieve, one of the MSS. of E. Lloyd of Drenewydd, and purchased by the Museum Authorities in 1877 :— " King Ethelred minding to build a church was tould that where he should see a white hinde there he should build a church which hinde he saw in ye place where St. John's Church now stands in rememberance whereof his picture was drawn on ye wall of ye church ye we3t side having a White Hart in his hand so Selatti-hi, i.e. shoot at her." Blackpool. OSWESTRY ARCHITECTURE.—Some of our old Oswestrians will remember what used to be called " The Summer House," at tha top of " The Big Walk," in our Old Churchyard. In the Gents: Mag .- for May, 1810, it was thus described :—" On the north side of the church¬ yard is a pleasant walk, shaded by a double row of trees; at the top is a handsome alcove. ' from storms a shelter, and from heat a shade.'" In a Tour in Wales published during the summer of the same year, the writer says, "At the end of a walk in the church-yard is a building which seemed like a coach-house; we were rather surprised and amused at being told, that it was a summer-house, and belonged to the parish." A writer in the Gents : Mag : for Dec. 1811 (supplement, p. 605), who signs himself "A.E.O.,"commenting on these contradictory statements, says, " If the alcove could have been introduced into the print of the church [given in May 1810] it would have en¬ abled your readers to judge which of these descriptions of that superb structure is the more just." A.R.C. an