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, fome of which are supposed to be valuable.

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

The profpects from the terrace are very extenfive, 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 caftles included in the fame walls, "Welsch Pole had (he fays) 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 compas almoft as much as a little towne. The lord Dudley's part is almost fallen downe: the lord Powys part is meatly good*.*

Whether thefe caftles were erected at the fame, or at different times, I have not been able to learn, nor what were their diftinct names. None of the writers, except Leland and Camden, mention more

*Leland's Itinerary.

than

than one castle. This was anciently called Pool Caftle, from its vicinity to Pool; and Caftell Coch, the Red Castle, from the hue of its ftone. Its name of Powis Castle, which is more modern, it feems to have obtained from its having been the principal place in that divifion of Wales called Powifland.

The principality of Wales was anciently divided into North Wales, South Wales, and Powiland. This was a tract of land which once extended, in a ftraight line, from the Broxton hills in Cheshire, fouthwards to Shrewsbury; from thence through the eastern limits of Montgomeryfhire, including all that county, part of Radnorfhire, and Brecknockfhire; then turning northward, it comprehended part of Merionethfhire, the whole of Denbighshire, except the lordships of Denbigh and Ruthin; and from thence it went towards the fouth-east, and included Molefdale, Hopedale, and Maelor, in Flintfhire*.

This particular part of Powifland was obtained from the Welsh by Henry I., who, about the year 1110, gave it to Cadwgan ap Bleddyn ap Cynvyn, a Welshman, who had rendered himself eminent by his fervices and bravery. He began to erect a castle here with an intention of making this the place of his refidence, but before the work was finished, he was murdered by one of his relations t. The castle

* Pennant, i. 212.

+ Powel, 170.

appears

appears to have been completed before the end of the fame century; for in 1191, on various depredations having been committed by the Welsh in the marches, Hubert, archbishop of Canterbury, in the abfence of Richard I., on the crufades, haftened here, and with a powerful army befieged the caftle, at that time in the hands of the Welsh. The garrifon did not, however, furrender till they perceived that the befiegers had undermined their walls; and they did this at last on honourable terms, notwithftanding the English forces being at least thrice their own number. As foon as the archbishop had ob tained poffeffion he fortified it afresh, and he left it with a very strong garrifon. The Welsh, however, foon again attacked and retook it *.

It changed owners again not long afterwards, for in 1233 it was attacked and feized by prince Llew elyn ap Iorwerth t.

It defcended to Llewelyn's grandfon, Owen ap Griffith, and on his death to his daughter Hawys Gadarn. Four of her uncles difputed her title to the property, under the allegation that a female was incapable of inheriting. King Edward II., however, took her part; fhe was married to John de Charlton, and the estates continued in their posterity for feveral generations.-The barony and title went afterwards to fir John Grey of Heton in Northumber

Powel, 248. Hovedon, 775. Stowe, 163. The two latter writers fay that this event took place in 1:97.

Powel, 288.

land,

land, by marriage with Joan the daughter of Edward lord Powys: these remained in their defcendants till the reign of Henry VIII., when the title became extinct. The estate went, by purchase, to fir Edward Herbert, the fecond fon of William earl of Pembroke, who died in the year 1594

In October 1644, Powis castle was attacked and taken for the parliament by fir Thomas Middleton. Its owner, Percy lord Powys, was taken prifoner, all his estates were fequestered, and he was obliged to compound for them. During the fiege the caftle is faid to have received much damage in its outer walls from the enemy's cannon t.

* Pennant, ii. 378. Yorke, 88.

+ Whitelock, 106.

CHAP. XI.

WELSH POOL TO OSWESTRY.

The Breiddin Hills-Llanymynech.-Llanymynech Hill, and Cavern called Ogo.-Lime Quarries.-Profpect from the Hill.-Account of Offa's Dyke.-Ofweftry.-House of Industry.--Account of the Death of Ofwald. — Monaftery. — Churchyard's Encomium on Ofweftry, and the Welfb People.-Ofwelry Caftle.-Account of various Diflurbances in the Marches of Wales.-Siege of Ofweftry Cafle, and daring Attempt of a Youth, which fucceeded in forcing open the Gates-Charters and Trade. Sketch of the Hiftory of the Welb Marches.

ABOUT fix miles from Welsh Pool I paffed a groupe of three lofty mountains called the

BREIDDIN HILLS.

The highest and most conical of thefe has the name of Moel y Golfa; the fecond Craig Breiddin; and the third Cefyn y Caftell. On one of them an obelisk was erected a few years ago, from a fubscription of feveral of the neighbouring families, in commemoration of lord Rodney's defeat of the French fleet, under the command of the Count de Graffe.

Juft