Curiosities of Great Britain: England and Wales Delineated Vol.1-11: Historical, Entertaining & Commercial; Alphabetically Arranged. 11 Volume set.Dugdale, Thomas
History
Curiosities of Great Britain: England and Wales Delineated Vol.1-11: Historical, Entertaining & Commercial; Alphabetically Arranged. 11 Volume set.
Dugdale, Thomas
Great Britain -- Gazetteers
[A] ST. ASAPH. This city is seated on the decline of a pleasant
eminence, between the rivers Clwyd and Elwy, which renders the first
appearance striking, though it contains little more than one street. The
church stands in the lower part of the town, and serves for the use of
the parishioners, the cathedral not being used for parochial purposes;
the latter was built about the close of the fifteenth century; it
consists of a choir, a nave, two aisles, and a transept. During the
protectorship of Cromwell the palace and cathedral were much injured by
the post-master, who made great havoc in the choir of the cathedral,
using the font as a trough for watering his horses; and by way of
venting his spleen on the clergy, tied up calves in the bishop's throne.
Several very eminent men have been bishops of St. Asaph, including Dr.
Isaac Barrow, William Beveridge, and Samuel Horsley, the former of whom
founded an alms-house for eight poor widows. Bishop Hughes, who died
1600, founded, and endowed the Free Grammar School. The neighbourhood
possesses several land proprietors who have given great encouragement to
agriculture, amongst whom may be included Dean Shipley, who stimulated
the practical farmers to emulation, by premiums, and other
encouragement. To this spirited dignitary, so well known in the history
of the law of libel, a very handsome monument has been erected in the
cathedral.
_Market_ Saturday.--_Fairs_, Easter Tuesday, July 15, October 16,
December 26, for cattle.--_Inn_, White Lion.
[Sidenote: The font of the cathedral used for watering horses.]
[B] ASBY, once called Askeby. This parish consists of four manors. The
church is ancient, its beauty has been much disfigured by repairs; it
has even been diminished in size, as appears by an arch now filled up in
the north wall. At Sayle Bottom are several tumuli--some circular,
others rectangular. At Garthorne Hall, a tumulus was found to contain
human bones and a large sword, and another containing three entire
skulls. Pate Hole, in this parish, is a remarkable cavern in a limestone
rock, consisting of two galleries, one 430 yards long, towards the north
east, the other, 230 yards long, making a large sweep from the extremity
of the first to its middle; together, they resemble the letter P. At the
end of the first gallery is a lofty dome, and a pool 20 yards long, 6
broad, and 3 deep; and in the second are two perpendicular chasms of
unknown extent, from whence proceed in rainy seasons torrents of water,
which fill the cavern and discharge themselves from its entrance. The
noise of these operations resemble at first gentle music, but increases
to the pitch of the loudest. In one part is a petrifying spring, which
always stands at one temperature.
[Sidenote: Pate Hole, an immense cavern.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account