It descended to Llewelyn's grandson, Owen ap Griffith, and on his death to his daughter Hawys Gadarn, who was afterwards married to John de Charlton. It continued in their posterity for several generations.-In the reign of Henry the eighth it was purchased by sir Edward Herbert, the second son of William earl of Pembroke, who died in the year 1594.

In October 1644, Powis castle was attacked and taken for the parliament by sir Thomas Middleton. Its owner, Percy lord Powys, was taken prisoner, all his estates were sequestered, and he was obliged to compound for them. During the siege the castle is said to have received much damage in its outer walls from the enemy's cannon.

375

CHAP. XXXII.

WELSH POOL TO OSWESTRY.

The Breiddin Hills.-Llanymynech-Llanymynech Hill and Cavern called Ogo.-Lime Quarries.-Prospect from the Hill-Offa's Dyke-Oswestry-Account of the "Death of Oswald.Monastery-Oswald's-well.-Oswestry castle. Fires.-Siege in the civil wars.-Privilege and trade.

ABOUT six miles from Welsh Pool I passed a group of three lofty mountains called the

BREIDDIN HILLS.

The highest and most conical of these has the name of Moel y Golfa; the second Craig Breiddin; and the third Cefyn y Castell. On one of them an obelisk was erected a few years ago, from a subscription of several of the neighbouring families, in commemoration of lord Rodney's defeat of the French fleet, under the command of the Count de Grasse.

Just before I arrived at Llanymynech, I had to cross the furious little river Virnwy by a ferry.

LLANYMYNECH,

The Village of the Miners, is a small whitewashed village, standing on the northern bank

of the Virnwy. Its name was evidently derived from the mines in which the neighbourhood formerly abounded, and which were worked in the adjoining hill, called Llanymynech Hill, even so early as the time of the Romans. Of this there are undeniable proofs. One vestige of their work is a large artificial cave, of immense length, called Ogo, from whence they obtained considerable quantities of copper.The windings of this cavern are very numerous and intricate. Some years ago, two men of the parish, endeavouring to explore it, were so bewildered in its mazes, that, when they were discovered by some miners who were sent in search of them, they had thrown themselves on the ground, in despair of ever again seeing the light.-Previously to this period, some miners who were searching for copper, found in the recesses of the cavern several skeletons; and near them some culinary utensils, a fire-place, and a small hatchet. These too plainly indicated that the unfortunate wretches had for some time dragged on a life of misery in this gloomy mansion. One of the skeletons had a battle-axe by his side, and round his left wrist there was a bracelet of glass beads. About fifteen years after this first discovery, other miners found luman bones, and in one instance a bone of the arm clasped by a golden bracelet. Several Roman coins of Antoninus, Faustina, and others, have also been discovered in this cavern.

The hill, besides copper, affords zinc, lead, calamine, and so much lime', 'as to supply the whole county of Montgomery, and a great part of Shropshire. In the summer of 1795, upwards

of eight thousand tons were exported from hence to different parts of the adjacent country.

From the summit of Llanymynech hill I had an extensive view over the plains towards Shrewsbury on the east ; and, on the other side, of the rough and uncultivated parts of Montgomeryshire, in which I either could, or fancied I could, discern the lofty cataract called Pistyll Rhaiadr, lighted by the beams of the morning sun, and glittering like a stream of light down the black front of its rock. Below me was the Virnwy, sweeping in elegant curves along the meadows; and towards the south of the Breiddin hills, I had a view in Montgomeryshire of a series of wooded and pleasant vales.

OFFA'S DYKE.

Under the west side of this hill runs the rampart constructed by Offa, king of Mercia, for the purpose of dividing his country from Wales, called Clawdd Offa, Offa's Dyke. This commences from the river Wye, near Bristol, and extends along Herefordshire, Radnorshire, part of Shropshire and Denbighshire, and ends near Treyddin chapel in Flintshire. From the time of its formation, till nearly the conquest, Offa's dyke was considered as the dividing line betwixt England and Wales, mos

OSWESTRY**

Is a considerable market town in Shropshire, and a place that during the Saxon times was

much celebrated. At a little distance from the town I passed a large and elegant brick building, a house of industry, erected a few years ago by the joint subscription of several of the adjacent parishes, for the use of their poor.

This town was anciently called Oswaldstre, a name which it is said to have obtained from the following event: In the year 642, the contending armies of Oswald, king of Northumberland, and Penda, the ferocious king of Mercia, met here: the former was routed, and Oswald fell on the field of battle. Penda, with unexampled barbarity, caused the breathless body of Oswald to be cut in pieces, and stuck on poles, as so many trophies of his victory. Thus the place was called Oswald's Tree, and some time afterwards Oswestry.*-In a manuscript account of the town, written in 1635, I find the following note: "There was an old oake lately standing in Mesburie, within the parish Oswestry, whereon one of king Oswald's armes hung, say the neighbours by tradition."†

Oswald had been a great benefactor to various monasteries, and his character was so much revered by the monks, that a short time after his death he was canonized; and the field in which he was slain became celebrated for the numerous miracles that were believed to have been wrought in it.

On the place of martyrdom, as the monks have termed it, a monastery was founded, dedicated to St. Oswald; but there are no evidences

Oswaldstre, as a Welsh word, signifies only Oswald's town. Previous to the death of Oswald, this place was called Maeserfelth, or Maeserfield, in the kingdom of Mercia.

+ Harleian MSS. in the British Museum, No. 1981.