Caernarvon is one of the largest and handsomest towns in north Wales; its name implies, a City in Arvon, or the Arvonian Capital; the offspring of the Roman Segontium,1 and the birth-place of Edward the Second.2 It is situated on the banks of the Menai, and is a place well calculated for a pleasant retreat during the summer months.
1 Segontium was called by Nennius, Caer Cystenyn. Hugh, earl of Chester, built a castle at Hen Gaer Gwstenyn. Mathew of Westminster says that the body of Constantius Chlorus was found here in 1283, and interred in the new town, by the order of Edward the First.
Within these few years the town has been considerably improved and enlarged. The houses are neat, particularly in the suburbs, where several fashionable villas have lately been erected. The walls round the town give it an antique appearance. The county-hall, where the assizes are held, and where the county business is arranged, is situated close to the castle walls; and near it is the prison, unto which purpose one of the ancient towers has been converted. Caernarvon is considered the emporium of this part of the country, consequently it carries on a very considerable trade, and maintains a commanding position in the scale of respectability. Two banking establishments, well supported, prove of general utility to trade, and afford great accommodation to the inhabitants. There are Berlin and other foreign houses; London shoemakers, drapers, hatters, and tailors; who furnish their customers with real bang-up Bond-street cuts, buckramed up in the highest style of "close-fit" perfection. Large and convenient shambles have been erected by the corporation, which are found to be very convenient to the town and neighbourhood. To the public spirit of the marquis of Anglesea, Caernarvon is indebted for a handsome building, in which are warm and cold baths, a reading room, assembly room, and other similar accommodations, all under admirable superintendence. This place is remarkable for having been the first town in Wales that enjoyed the privilege of a royal charter, which was granted to the inhabitants by Edward the First, in compliment of its being the birth-place of his son and heir.
The port and harbour of Caernarvon has a very busy appearance. A pier has lately been constructed, so that vessels of considerable burden can lie alongside of the quay. A patent slip has also been laid down for the purpose of building and repairing vessels. The port carries on a very considerable coasting trade with Chester, Liverpool, Dublin, and Bristol; the imports are principally timber from America and other colonies, and coal, wine, groceries, and other commodities from the neighbouring coasts. But the principal trade, and the most important to this neighbourhood, is the slate trade, which affords constant employment to several thousand men. The neighbouring quarries send their produce to this port for shipment; viz. Cilgwyn; Gallt-ddu and Glanrhonwy, in the parish of Llanberis.
For the purpose of facilitating the transit of slates, as well as lead and copper ore, a railroad has lately been laid down from Llanllyfni to this port, a distance of nine miles.
The site of the ancient town of Segontium, which lies about half a mile south of the present one, will be found worthy the attention of the traveller. It was the only Roman station of note in this part of Wales, on which a long chain of minor forts and posts are dependent. It is even maintained, and that by respectable authorities, that it was not only the residence, but the burial-place, of Constantius, father of Constantine the Great; but most probably this arises from confusing Helena, the daughter of Octavius, duke of Cornwall, who was born at Segontium, and married to Maximus, first cousin of Constantine, with Helena3 his mother, whom some authorities assert to have been the daughter of a British king. A chapel, said to have been founded by Helen, and a well which bears her name, are amongst the ruins still pointed out.
Some exceedingly interesting discoveries have recently been made in this place, during the progress of excavations made in building a new vicarage house, within the limits of the ancient fortified camp or station. Several Roman coins, medals of Severus, Domitian, Constantine, &c., in fine preservation, were found here, and are now in the possession of the worthy vicar, the Rev. Thos. Thomas. In the first number of the Archaelogia Cambrensis, published January, 1846, are several very interesting letters by the Rev. R. R. Parry Mealy, Rev. John Jones, James Foster, Esq., and James Dearden, F. S. A., which have thrown considerable light on the antiquity of the remains of the venerable Segontium.
Now that government is spending so much money upon the repairs of Caernarvon Castle, it would be an excellent opportunity to petition the crown that one of the great towers of this magnificent building should be completely restored, and converted into a place for the reception of local antiquities. The castle could hardly receive a more honourable destination; and the sometimes opposing principles of dignity and utility would be here most happily and harmoniously united. That the crown would give a favourable reception to such a petition, if properly presented, we have little doubt; and it would form an excellent precedent, which might be imitated, with equally good results, at Conway, Beaumaris, Harlech, Denbigh, Rhuddlan, and Flint, and indeed all county towns in the principality, where there are still these castles, of which Wales is so justly proud. "If the crown led the way in this good act of encouragement for the preservation of national antiquities, we cannot doubt that the patriotism of the nobility and gentry of Wales - of all private owners of castles - would stimulate them to similar deeds of wise and truly conservative munifience." - Edrs. Archaelogia Cambrensis.
The church is generally well attended; the services are alternately in Welsh and English. The interior is elegant, and its sweet-toned organ and well-selected choir give additional effect to the devotional services. There are also three large chapels belonging to the Calvinistic Methodists, the Independents, and the Wesleyans; and also an English Wesleyan Chapel.
Caernarvon is governed by a mayor, alderman, and town-council, under the provisions of the municipal act; and in conjunction with the boroughs of Bangor, Conway, Criccieth, Nevin, and Pwllheli, returns a member to parliament.
THE CASTLE
The ruins of this magnificent structure are considered the noblest in Wales. Over the grand entrance to this stupendous monument of ancient grandeur, is a statue of Edward the First,4 the sovereign by whom it was erected. Every feature of the face has long disappeared. The figure, which is fast mouldering away, had formerly a sword in its hand, as if to terrify the inhabitants of his newly acquired dominions. The principal gate had four portcullises, and was of adamantine strength. The building is large, but irregular. The exterior walls are seven feet nine inches thick, and inclose between two and three acres of ground. The interior seems more shattered than the exterior. The towers are extremely well proportioned, and built in the octagonal, hexagonal, and pentagonal forms. The largest amongst them is the Eagle Tower, which, with its three handsome turrets, has been the admiration of ages. It was in the Eagle tower that queen Eleanor gave birth to Edward, the first prince of Wales of the English blood.5 He was born on St. Mark's day, the 25th of April, 1284. From the top of this tower the tourist will be highly gratified by an extensive view of the isle of Anglesea, the Menai straits, and the surrounding country for many miles distant. The ramparts are sufficiently wide for parties to walk round and view the ruins.
The name of the architect or master mason of this fortress was Henry Ellerton or De Ellerton. To the praise of his industry, it is recorded that having put in requisition the labour of the neighbouring peasants, he accomplished his great undertaking in less than two years. If we are to believe some statements, the odium of paying for the erection of the castle was imposed on the chieftains of the country. According to other accounts, the archbishopric of York was vacant at the time, and the king appropriated its revenues to this project.
It is delightful to contemplate these enormous masses in their decreptitude, when they have long ceased to be the dens of tyranny and torture; but continuing quietly to attract, by their magnificence, the eye of taste, and by their magnitude, the gape of vacuity - to furnish employment for the pencil of science - and to induce reflection into the breast of intelligence.
In 1274, an encounter took place under Madoc, natural son of Llywelyn; the castle was attacked, and its inmates, after a vigorous resistance, were overpowered and compelled to surrender; the town was set on fire and reduced to ashes. After a short interval the English became masters of it again. The first governor was John de Havering, who received a salary of 200 marks. In 1289, Adam de Wetenhal, was appointed governor. In 1402, during Owen Glyndwr's rebellion, the castle was attacked, but to no effect. In 1644, the castle yielded to the parliamentary forces under Captain Swanley, who seized a great quantity of arms, stores, and ammunition, and took four hundred prisoners. The following year the royalists had possession of it, when it was beseiged by the two parliamentary generals, Mytton and Langhorne. The governor, lord Byron, conducted the defence with extraordinary spirit, but at last he was obliged to surrender on terms of capitulation highly honourable to his bravery.
In 1648, it was again attacked by a few of the king's forces, 150 horse and 120 foot, under the direction of Sir John Owen. Sir John, while thus employed, had intelligence that a detachment of the parliamentary army, under the command of colonels Carter and Twistleton, was advancing towards the defence. He immediately raised the siege, and marched with his humble number of men to oppose the enemy. The parties met at Llandegai, close to Penrhyn castle, when a severe engagement ensued. Sir John was overpowered by numerical strength, and defeated; about thirty of his men perished, and he himself and a hundred others were taken prisoners. Sir John was sent prisoner to Walmer castle, and was put on his trial with the duke of Hamilton, lords Holland, Goring, and Cope. Sir John shewed a spirit worthy of his country; he told his judges that "he was a plain gentleman of Wales, who had always been taught to obey the king: that he had served him honestly during the war, and finding many honest men endeavoured to raise forces whereby they might get him out of prison, he did the like." He was condemmned to lose his head; for which, with a humourous intrepidity, he made the court a low reverence, and gave his humble thanks. A bystander asked what he meant? He replied aloud: "It was a great honour to a poor gentleman of Wales to lose his head with such noble lords; for by G-, he was afraid they would have hanged him!" Sir John was deprived of the "honour" he was flattered with; strong remonstrances were made in parliament on behalf of the noble lords; but finding no one speak in favour of Sir John, Ireton proved his advocate: he told the house "there was one person for whom no one spoke a word, and therefore he requested that he might be saved by the sole motive and goodness of the house." He was pardoned, and retired to Wales, where he died in 1666. Upon this the whole of North Wales became subject to parliament. A monument was erected to his memory at Penmorfa church, Caernarvonshire.
Before quitting Caernarvon castle, perhaps, it will not be considered unworthy of notice, that the celebrated William Prynne, the barrister and antiquarian, who made himself conspicious in the reign of Charles the First, and in the turbulent times which succeeded, was imprisoned in this castle.
The neighbourhood of Caernarvon is surrounded with delightful villas and public walks; which abound in objects of curiosity, and are well worthy the attention of the botanist, historian, and antiquary. Tourists who are partial to rowing, sailing, or fishing, may enjoy their respective amusements here to perfection.
The Uxbridge and the Sportsman hotels are establishments of the first order, and in no part of England is better accommodation to be met with. The Castle and Commercial inns are also excellent houses. Coaches and omnibuses go to and from to meet the Liverpool steam-packets at the bridge.
The mail leaves every morning for Pwllheli, through Clynog; and for Barmouth, through Beddgelert, Tremadoc, Tan-y-Bwlch, and Harlech.
LLANBEBLIG
About a mile from Caernarvon is the parish church of Llanbeblig, where the service is always in the Welsh language. Richard the Second granted the church of Llanbeblig, and the chapel at Caernarvon, to the nuns of Chester, in consideration of their extreme poverty. On the dissolution of religious houses in the reign of Henry the Eighth, the living was attached to the see of Chester, and the bishop of that diocese has still the right of presentation.
2 The cradle of this prince is said to be still preserved in the family of a clergyman in Gloucestershire, descended from one of his attendants.
3 Fox, in his Book of Martyrs, speaks of Constantine as "the son of Helen, an English woman." Howell, whose zeal for the honour of his native mountains is on all occasions most conspicuous and exemplary, says, "The error makes me smile; for she was purely British; and there was no such a nation upon the earth called English at that time, nor above a hundred years after."
4 Such was the thirst of Edward the First for conquest, that, as we are told by Buchannan, on entering Scotland, he was delayed on his march through illness. He made an offering on the horse litter on which he had been carried into the cathedral church of Carlisle, and could go no further than six miles in four days! Soon afterwards he expired when in sight of that country he had so often devoted to destruction. When he was dying, he ordered that his body should be carried with the army into Scotland, and not to be buried until the whole country was conquered! But his son, Edward the Second, disobeyed this order, and soon dispatched it to Westminster abbey.
5 From a M8, belonging to Bangor cathedral, which was shewn to us by the courtesy of the very rev. dean Cotton, it appears that the young prince was baptised by Einion, bishop of Bangor. For this office, and to perpetuate the remembrance of it, Edward bestowed upon the prelate and his successors, for ever, the ferries of Borthwen and Cadnant, three manors in the county of Caernarvon, and two in the isle of Anglesey. Other accounts represent that these gifts of Edward were the price paid to Einion for treacherously surrendering into his hands David, the last prince of Wales, who was afterwards barbarously executed at Shrewsbury.
Edward Parry - Cambrian Mirror, or A New Tourist Companion Through North Wales. London. 1846