The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-01-13
LFrOm Ballou's Monthly Magazine ]
SCENES En- WALES.

passed by any in the world, but also peo>
pie who have, mere than any other subjects
OF British rule, preserved their ancient pecu-
liarities, and a history replete with interest,
curious old legends and traditions blending
not unpleasantly with modern customs and
Improvements.
The division most free from the Influence
of the Saxon is that Of North Wales; and to
the tourist who approaches from England or
Scotland, the towns OF Shrewsbury and Ches
ter afford good startingsplaces. The access
to this counties of Flint, Denbigh, Carnavon-
shire and Anglssey from the ancient Chester
"a city founded by the Romans, and which
was their CaStTltn1 Legionis-is very easy.
Rhuddin Castle (of which fms view is given
In the magazino from which We copy-ED.
FREEMAN) is situated in the county ef Flint
which, though the smallest county in Wales,
Is OF much importance on account of its his
torlC relations, its antiquities and great min
eral wealth. The people are many of them
English or Of English descent, having much
intercourse with Cheshire and Lancashire,
and have never adopted the Welsh language
and manners to perfection.
Some Of the most thrilling events of Welsh
history have been enacted in Flintshre The
native British Christians near Mold gained
remarkable victory over the pagan Picts and
| ter enemies to the new belief, which. early
finding a home in southern and western
Britain, at length, when England was iuva~
ded by the equally pagan Saxons, found
permanent home among the mountains of
Wales.
This victory over the wild northerners is
mentioned in history as the "Hallelujah
! Victory" from the fact that the conqueTors
! sang that song of rejoicing after the battle.
| In the seventh century the massacre of twelve
| hundred Christian monks, belonging to the
monastery of Bangor Iscoed, took place at
! Flint, and also the subsequent retri5utiye
! slaughter of the perpetrators Of the cruelty,
| by the excited aud indignant Welsh princes.
| 1t was, in after times, the scene of the fre~
quently recurring inroads Of the Saxons
more particularly during the rule of Ora
| King of Mercia, who built the rampant or
! dyke that bears bis name; and here was
| fought the terrible battle on Rhuddlan Marsh
in 795, when the brave Caradoc fell, sacrfc-
ing his life to the defence of his country, and
from which arose the popular and plaintive
| air, "Morfa Rhuddlan." Afterwards, the
bold deeds of Owen Cfvynedd, during the
reign Of Henry II. of England, and the chiy-
alric exploits of Prince Llewellyn, in the days
of Edward l., gave historic lustre TO the
border county between the Saxon and the
Cymri. The subjhgation of Wales by Henry
VIII, who forced it to accept the laws OF
England, ended the war of races, and from
that time FIintshire enjoyed equal advan~
tages with the rest of Wales, and with Eng
land, in the opportunities for material and
political progress. Much might be said oi
the various places Of antiquity in this section.
> but we will pass on to the subject Of our en-
graving-Rhuddlau Castle.
ba toyuu IF Rhud9iaD aOcinDtlv O
place Of some mportance, but it is now chief
ly distinguished for its castle and some other
remains Of antiquity. It is situated in a low
fat district, near to the confluence Of thC
rivers Clwyd and Elway. and about three
miles from their outlet in the Irish Channel
Edward I. gave Rhuddlan the privileges Of {
free borough, with various immunties, de-
signing thereby to reconcile the Welsh to hi
sway. It was here that he succeeded in tn,
polite stratagem of inducing the Welsh t
acknowledge his infant son, born at Carnar
Won, as Prince of Wales. Here also wa
passed the celebrated law, called the Statut
of Rhuddlau, which, after reciting many Gu
rious particulars respecting Welsh custom!
! previous to Edwards conquest, enacted ues
, regulations for the government of Wales
There is still standing part of the wall o
the building in which Edward held his cOun
: Gil or parliament.
The castle is a quadrangular structure Q
red stone, with six massive towers tlankin
lefty curtain walls. il has evidently been
fortress Of great strength, with little OF ar
t chitectural beauty or grandeur. The fosse
easily traced, iuclosed a large area, and with
IN this was Priory of Doninicans. Archa
o!ogists are not agreed as te the period a
which this castle was erectsd. Two author
ities-Powe!l and Camden-ascribe it t
Hewellyn ap Sitsyilt, who reigned in Vale
t at the commencement Of the eleventh ceGtu
! ~, AMI made this the place of his residence
. Ia 1868, three years prior to the Norman
conquest, when in the possession Of Grffyd
ap LIewellyn, Prince of North Wales, it wa
: attacked and burned by HarSld Of England
Subsequently, being restored. it became tt
scene of many historical events, proving ths
I by both Normans and Britons the possessio
!, of the fortress was deemed OF great impor
tance. In 1899 it was sezed by the Earl {
, Northumberland, previous to the depositio
of Richard II, who was brought hither @
, his way TO Flint, when he was delivered, a
we have already mentioned, into the powa
of his dethroner and successor. In the civ
r wars, Rhuddlan was garrisoned for the kins
but was surrer dered to General Mytton
r 1919. and soon after, by order of Parliamen
it was dismauteG. Since then it has gradi
, | aIly l2lisn lnIo decay, anu - AoN HodI
ivy~clad run-one Of those monumental II
mains of period when might was right. an
those higher interests born of advanced stage
Q cf society were in blank oblivion. It's aspec
e is rugged; but that ruggedness, with i
< sonbre isolation from the modern worl(
f teaches US no idle lesson OF the past.
t Our second illustration is a scene in IL
r interesting county Of Denbigh. Chirk Cast
}, is situated on the river Dee, at the plat
t where that stream forms the boundary b.
c tween Denbigh aud Shropshire. The cast
a is, in fact, Kind of ancient sentinel, al
e keeps close watch over the adjoining territ'
:, ry. 1t is supposed to have been founded
r 1913, and was an extre aely strong fortihc;
!. ton, being erected on the border-land of Il
r Saxons, Auglo~Noimans and Cymri. In Il
d great civil war. in the time of Charles l.,
J. was bssiegsd by the parliamentary force
L l-L L.