Читать книгу The Cambrian Tourist, or, Post-Chaise Companion through Wales: 1834 - Anonymous - Страница 14

Table of Contents

The weather prevented our seeing the celebrated walks of Piercefield, but we promised ourselves the pleasure of visiting them on our return down the Wye. The castle of Chepstow, called Cagwent, or Castell Gwent, stands on a rock washed by the river Wye, near its influx into the Severn. Topographical writers differ in their accounts concerning the antiquity of the castle, but it is generally supposed to have been built at the same time with the town, appearing at that period to have been a kind of citadel to Chepstow. [26] The castle was formerly of great extent, as, according to Leland’s account, the “waulles began at the end of the great bridge over Wy,” yet, “in the castel ys one tower, as I have heard say, by the name of Langine.” Little now remains of its former grandeur: but, impelled by an irresistible curiosity, we ascended the decayed steps of the tower, from whence the eye traced with pleasure the windings of the Wye, till it was at last lost in conjunction with the Severn. We examined the apartments in which Henry Marten, one of the regicides, who sat to condemn King Charles I., was confined twenty years.

Grand views of the Bristol Channel still continued to form interesting objects from the road; but about three miles from Chepstow, we turned into some fields on the right, to examine the ivy-mantled walls of