The Visitor's Hand-Book for Holyhead: Comprising a History of the Town, the Antiquities and Sublime Scenery of the MountainJackson, Thomas
History
The Visitor's Hand-Book for Holyhead: Comprising a History of the Town, the Antiquities and Sublime Scenery of the Mountain
Jackson, Thomas
Holyhead (Wales) -- Guidebooks
The “_maen terfyn_,” i.e., the boundary stone of the Ancient Britons, is
considered to be very common in this Island, the removal of which was
punishable with death. _Maen terfyn_ was not to be removed, according to
the laws of Dyvnwal Moelmud, under pain of death:—“There are three
stones, which if any man remove, he shall be indicted as a thief: the
_boundary stone_; _maen gwyn_ (sacred stone), of the convention, and the
guide stone; and he that destroys them shall forfeit his life (or be
guilty of capital offence).” In reference to this stone another triad
remarks:—“It is ordered and established, for the purpose of preventing
the uncertainty of a claim, that the Bards shall keep an orderly record
of pedigrees, nobility, and inheritances. For the same purpose also is
the memorial of the back-fire stones, the _maen terfyn_ (boundary stone),
and the horse-block, that he that removes them offers an insult to the
Court and the Judges.” These passages will forcibly remind our readers
of the penalty in the law of Moses above quoted. Whenever we hear of
ancestral domains terminating here and there at some particular stones of
notoriety, as is frequently the case, we may fairly presume that such
stones are some of the old _meini terfyn_ (boundary stones) of the Welsh
laws.
On the right hand of the road, in a corner of the field before you reach
Plas farm, is a stone measuring 4 feet high, by 5 wide, and about 12 feet
in circumference. I consider this stone a perfect relic of what our
ancestors denominated _maen terfyn_, or the boundary stone.
And now, courteous reader, farewell! may you enjoy your visit to this
interesting locality: but it is high time that the writer of these pages
fixed his boundary mark.—FINIS.
* * * * *
* * * * *
ERRATUM.
Omitted in the list of Agents, page 15,—_Chester and Holyhead Steam
Packet Office_.—_Superintendent_—Capt. Hirst. {71}
* * * * *
* * * * *
PRINTED BY A. R. MARTIN, AT THE ‘NORTH WALES CHRONICLE,’
GENERAL PRINTING OFFICE AND STATIONERY ESTABLISHMENT,
CAXTON HOUSE, BANGOR.
* * * * *
ADVERTISEMENTS.
THOMAS ROBERTS,
BRITANNIA BRIDGE
REFRESHMENT ROOMS.
The above Rooms are pleasantly situated at the West end of the celebrated
BRITANNIA PARK, in full view of the Great TUBULAR BRIDGE, and two
minutes’ walk from the Railway Station. Parties desirous of viewing the
beauties of the MENAI STRAITS, the romantic appearance of the SNOWDONIAN
range, and the wonderful works of art in the neighbourhood, may at these
Rooms obtain every accommodation at reasonable charges.
BREAKFASTS, DINNERS, TEAS, ETC.
ON THE SHORTEST NOTICE,
WINES AND SPIRITS
OF FIRST-RATE QUALITY,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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