Cylchgronau Cymru

Chwiliwch trwy dros 450 o deitlau a 1.2 miliwn o dudalennau

OCT., 1877. THE CAMBRIAN REMEMBRANCER. li yard. It is a living proof of how energy and money can in one half-century be made to fructify, and there is no reason why Pensarn, Colwyn, and other water¬ ing places on the North Wales coast, should not in like manner grow into repute and become as Rhyl has done the centres of population and wealth. This notable instance of prosperity is, I venture to think, deserving of record in your Cambrian Re¬ membrancer column, and it may induce other corres¬ pondents to mark in the same manner some similar instances that deserve to be noticed. A ivHYL Visitor. QUERIES. XXV. Denbigh —We are justly proud of the good old town standing hiah up on the hill and overlooking that richest of Welsh valleys—the Vale of Clwyd. Henry de Lacy has been honoured by many writers as the founder of Denbigh Castle, but Walter Davies a great authority, states in one of his many able articles that John Saltzburgh had died at Denbigh in 1209, and according to English authori¬ ties he is mentioned as '' son of one Adam de Saltz- burg, who had been appointed governor of Denbigh Castle " A writer in your column says that one of that name was appointed to the office in 1157 by King Henry the Second. The two statements are not at all inconsistent, but if Mr Davies was right, the Becond Adam could not be the first settler of his name at Denbigh. Mr Williams, in his account of this town, remarks: —" Ellis ssys that Black Sir Harry was the fourth Salusbury of Di-nbigh, who married Nesta, grand¬ daughter of Ithel Vychan, and died in lv'89. These facts wouid almost justify us in believing that Denbigh Castle was either first built by, or certainly in the possessi< n of the Conqueror. It is just such a site as he would have chosen, and where else could his Norm m follower, Saltzburg, have felt himself secure from the warlike and fierce Welsh around him? Much of those stupendous fortifications, commonly attributed to Henry de Lacy, may, for anything we see to the contrary, be the works of the Conqueror. nugh Lupus did homage for this part of W^les." I am not concerned with the successions of the Salusburias, but I am particularly anxious to know if William the Conqueror had any hand in the founda¬ tion or erection of Denbigh Castle. "Hiuh Lupus did homage," sayB Mr Williams, " for this part of Wales." 1 desire to know, first, where is the author¬ ity for that statement, so far as this part of Wales is concerned; and, secondly, where do we find that Denbigh was included in the " part" suggested ? I have great confidence in Mr Williams, as I also have in Mr Walter Davies's statements, but in a question of this sort there should be some foundation upon which they are made, and if Mr Williams can give it to us, I shall be both glad and thankfv.l. Caledfryn. XXVI. Bardset Island.—This island is full of interest to the Cambrian historian, but the little that is re¬ corded about it is net altogether satisfactorily. The Rev P. B. Williams, on page 174 of his "Carnarvon¬ shire Guide," says:—" This island was granted by Edward VI., to his uncle, Sir T. Seymor, and after¬ wards to John, earl of Warwick, and the present proprietor's father purchased it from Dr Wilson, of Newark." On page 179 he says :—" John Wynne ap Hugh, of the family of Bodvel, was standard- bearer at the battle of Norwich, temp. Edward VI., for which service he had Bardsey and court in Aber- daron, and was sheriff of Carnarvonshire 1551 ; he married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Puleston, by daughter of Robert ap Meredith ap Hwlkin Llwyd of Glyn Llifon." We are making history pretty rapidly in these days, and it strikes me that we might with equel advantage correct portions of our past history; now these statements deserve that correction, and none can do it so well as Lord New- borough, to whom I respectfully refer the point, and request him in the public interest to do so. Hugh ap Bodval. NOVEMBER 3rd, 1877. NOTES. Ancient Monuments —Allow me to add my gond- wishe« for the success of the column (the Cambrian Remembrancer) recently started in your valuable paper. I trust that it will continue to prosper, being fruitful in the gathering together of useful informa¬ tion concerning the history and antiquities of " Fen Walla." And here let me contribute my mite, not exactly in the way of information, for doubtless many of our intelligent readers will have heard of it; but 1 desire some of them, if they can, to throw a little light on a matter that is at present veiled in obscurity. In the course of one of my visits to North Wales I had occasion to go to Talsarnau, an unpretending little village which boasts of a station on the Cambrian Line, and is situated between Pen- rhyndeudraeth and Harlech. Here, I heard from some of the villagers that there was an old monu¬ ment to be seen in the churchyard of Llanfihangel- y-traethau (close to) with an inscription on it, and supposed by them to mark the resting place of an M Welsh prince. I made it my business to visit the old churchyard, a quiet secluded spot, and there, right opposite the church door, I found the monu¬ ment referred to—a plain square pillar of stone, standing upright, with an inscription in Latin cut on the four sides reading downwards. It is, on account of its great age, rather difficult to decipher. I copied it as well as I could, thinking that, with assistance, I might be able to make it out; however, I had the good fortune on my return home tc come across a book entitled the"" History of Wales," by John Jones, L L.D., barrister at law; and on page 42 of that work I found the following :—" ad. 613. On the death of Cadvan, his son Cadwallon succeeded to the kingdom of North Wales, and carried his arms into Northumberland against Edwin, king of Deifr or Deira ; but he was chastised for his temerity, for