Читать книгу The Cambrian Tourist, or, Post-Chaise Companion through Wales: 1834 - Anonymous - Страница 19

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one of the finest ruins in Wales, (for although Monmouthshire is now an English county, it formerly was Welch,) stands near the village of that name: it may be pleasantly and leisurely viewed in the day, with Usk and Caerleon, affording time to reach Newport.

The first view of it is considerably impeded by the surrounding trees, but the closer inspection presents such a mass of ruin as well proves its ancient strength and grandeur. From the citadel, which lies to the south of the main building, the communication was by a drawbridge over the moat, by which it was surrounded; it was a hexagon, apparently five stories high, and of much strength, with bastions.

Round the citadel were raised walks, and in the walls are small recesses. A stone staircase still remains, leading to the top of one of the towers, from which not only the ruins, but the adjacent country, are viewed to much advantage. The two courts of the castle both communicate with the terrace.

The main entrance is magnificent, much overhung with ivy; the gothic portal is defended by two massive towers, and the building being faced with hewn free-stone, exhibits a less desolate aspect than it would otherwise do. The whole range of offices and apartments appears to have been on a splendid scale, and the building shows various specimens of architecture, from the time of Henry the Fifth to that of Charles the First.

The large banqueting hall divides the two courts; it still retains the arms of the Marquis of Worcester, with the motto “Mutare vel timere sperno.”

During the civil wars, Henry, first Marquis of Worcester, several times afforded a refuge to Charles the First, but at length, when that monarch’s fortune was past retrieving, Ragland Castle, after having been various times summoned by detachments of the Parliamentary forces, was regularly invested and taken by Sir Thomas Fairfax; a window is still shewn through which a girl in the garrison, by waving a handkerchief, introduced his troops. The aged marquis was sent prisoner to London, where he died in the 85th year of his age, and his property having been confiscated, and the castle dismantled, it became a prey to his own tenantry, who pulled it down for the sake of the materials, but more particularly for the staircases, of which they removed above twenty.

At the Restoration, this, with other estates, was restored to the family, but in such a state of ruin, that being considered unworthy their repairing, it was left as an object of pillage to the vicinity, which it has but lately, since its ruins have become venerable, ceased from being. It appertains to the noble house of Beaufort.

The library, which was here destroyed by the mad fanatic soldiery of Cromwell, is greatly to be regretted, as it possessed Welch manuscripts of great importance; the collection was very large, and the loss not to be estimated, many being unique.

The domain appertaining to this princely residence was very extensive, and well arranged, and in Ragland Church are still to be seen the vestiges of splendid memorials erected for Marquises of Worcester, and other noble personages.