the Saxons. It was called by them scealfing, or scolding stool, that is, a chair in which they placed scolding women as public examples; but in addition to this, if the enormity of the case required it, this people also plunged them over the head in water. The engine in general consisted of a long beam, or rafter, that moved on a fulcrum, and extended towards the centre of -a pond: at its end, was fixed the stool, or chair, on which the offender was made to sit. It was called by the Welsh Y Gadair Goch, The Red Chair.

B b

CHAP. XXXI.

MONTGOMERY TO WELSH POOL.

Welsh Pool.-Church-Powis Castle.

LEAVING Montgomery, I went over a rich champaign country, about ten miles, to Welsh Pool. I passed on the left Powis castle, situated on the narrow ridge of a rock, about a mile from Pool. For three or four miles of the road this building is a striking object in the scene.

WELSH POOL

Is a large and populous place, and from its vicinity to England, it has assumed much the appearance of an English town. The houses are in general well built, and principally of brick. There is one long and handsome street, in which stands the county hall, an elegant structure, erected by subscription a few years ago. The inhabitants of this town are so completely English, that even the language of the country seems scarcely known here. An air of opulence unusual in Wales may be observed throughout the place, owing to the trade in Welsh manufactures, which is carried on to a great extent. It is principaily resorted to as a market for Welsh flannels, which are manufactured here, and in

various adjacent parts of the country: from hence these are sent into England, and principally to Shrewsbury and Liverpool. The Severn is navigable to a place called Pool Stake, within a mile of Welsh Pool, although upwards of two hundred miles from its mouth in the Bristol channel.

The church, apparently a modern structure, is singularly situated at the bottom of a hill, and so low, that the upper part of the churchyard is nearly on a level with its roof. This church has a chalice which was presented to it by Thomas Davies, some time governor-general of the English colonies on the western coast of Africa. It is formed of pure gold brought from Guinea, and is valued at about a hundred and seventy pounds. Notwithstanding the evidence of its inscription to the contrary, the sexton informed me, with much assurance, that this chalice had been given to the church by a transported felon, who, from industry and application during his banishment, had returned to his country the possessor of considerable wealth. I was somewhat surprised in observing in the choir a few branches of ivy that had penetrated the roof, and were permitted to hang entwined round each other in a cylindrical form, to a length of more than eighteen feet. The neatness of the place was not in the least injured by them, and I presume their singularity was the cause of their preservation.

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POWIS CASTLE,

Has been originally built of a reddish stone, but in order to keep the structure in repair,

this has of late years been so plaistered over with a coat of red lime, that at present very little of the stone is visible. This red coating gives to the building so much the appearance of brick, that it was not until I almost touched it, that 1 was undeceived in supposing it such. The antique grandeur of this castle is much injured by the great number of chimnies, and by the striking and harsh contrast betwixt the walls and the modern sash windows.

The ascent to the castle is up a long and laboribus flight of steps, much out of repair when I was there; and the principal entrance is a gateway betwixt two large round towers. The edifice is kept in repair as an habitable mansion, but its owner very rarely visits it. The apartments have a heavy and unpleasant appearance, from the great thickness of the walls; and the furniture is chiefly in the ancient stile of elegance. In some of the chambers the old and faded tapestry is yet left. There are, in different rooms, several portraits, chiefly of the family, the best of which are the work of Cornelius Janson. Among them there is one of king Charles II. painted by sir Peter Lely, two of the earl of Strafford, one of lord Herbert of Chirbury, and others of various other celebrated characters. In the gallery, which is near a hundred and twenty feet in length, there is a small collection of antiques, some of which are supposed to be valuable.

The gardens were laid out in the wretched French taste, but in 1798, when I saw them, they were greatly out of repair.

The prospects from the terrace are very ex

tensive, this situation commanding all the beautiful and spacious country eastward, intersected by the Severn, and the Breiddin hills; with much of the cultivated and well wooded county of Salop*.

*History of Powis Castle.-Leland informs us that there were formerly at this place two castles included in the same walls. "Welsch Pole had (he says) two lord's marcher's castles within one waulle, the lord Powys, named Greye, and the lord Dudley, caullid Sutton; but now the lord Powys hath bothe in his hand. The Welsch Pole castle is in compass almost as much as a little towne. The lord Dudley's part is almost fallen downe: the lord Powys part is meatly good*."

Whether these castles were erected at the same, or at different times, I have not been able to learn, nor what were their distinct names. None of the writers, except Leland and Camden, mention more than one castle. This was anciently called Pool Ca tle, from its vicinity to Pool; and Castel Coch, the Red Castle, from the hue of its stone.. Its name of Powis Castle, which is more modern, it seems to have obtained from its having been the principal place in that division of Wales called Powisland.

Cadwgan ap Bleddyn ap Cynvyn, a Welshman who had rendered himself eminent in the reign of Henry the first by his services and bravery, began, about the year 1110 to erect here a castle with an intention of making this the place of his residence, but before the work was finished, he was murdered by one of his relations. The castle appears to have been completed before the end of the same century: for in 1191, on various depredations having been committed by the Welsh in the marches, Hubert, archbishop of Canterbury, in the absence of Richard I., on the crusades, hastened here, and with a powerful army besieged the castle, at that time in the hands of the Welsh. As soon as the archbishop had obtained possession he fortified it afresh, and he left it with a very strong garrison. The Welsh, however, soon again attacked and retook it.

It changed owners again not long afterwards, for in 1238, it was attacked and seized by prince Llewelyn ap Iorwerth.

* Leland's Itinerary.