Читать книгу The Cambrian Tourist, or, Post-Chaise Companion through Wales: 1834 - Anonymous - Страница 18

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a new stone bridge has been erected by contract for ten thousand one hundred and sixty-five pounds, by Mr. Edwards, son to the Edwards who built the famous Pont-y-pridd. It consists of five arches.

The commerce and population of this town are greatly increased of late years. As a sea-port it is safe; its chief trade is in iron and coal. The Monmouthshire Canal communicates here by a basin with the Usk river, and by that means with the Bristol Channel; and as the Monmouthshire Canal again communicates with the Brecon Canal and the Avon, Ebwy and other rail roads, Newport becomes the grand depôt for the heavier articles of trade of that part of the interior of South Wales. The Crumlin bridge branch is eleven miles five furlongs, its falls three hundred and sixty-five feet. Pontypool, eleven miles, falls four hundred and forty-seven feet. Brecknock, thirty-seven miles seven furlongs.

A circuitous, but more romantic route from Chepstow to Newport, is re-crossing the Wye, passing over the forest of Dean, through Saint Briaval’s to Monmouth. The road is not bad, but narrow; if travelling with a carriage, it will be necessary to be provided with a horn, which, upon your sounding, if you find answered, you must wait till the party so answering comes past.

The views to the right over the Severn and Gloucestershire are most rich and extensive, and those from the summits of the overhanging rocks of the Wye, awful and terrific: before you reach Monmouth the country becomes thickly inhabited, which the beautiful situations it affords readily accounts for; and from Monmouth to Ragland and Usk the same continues to be the case.