| Description | [Diary Transcription]
56
1822
July Wednesday 24
7 50/60
12
Came downstairs at 9 20/60 — have just been to the harper to tell him some of the most melancholy Welsh airs he knows —
Have seen Mrs. Davis — Lady Eleanor has had a good night (Ruthin, Cross-foxes or Wynnstay arms, 4 1/4 p.m.) [illegible]
[illegible] the property of Sir Watkin William’s Wynn, but the white lion is the best Inn — as we do not stop except to bait
the horses did not go to the white lion, because they rather ill naturedly oppose the King’s head at Llangollen — yet the waiter
recommended us to go there — Left Llangollen at 11 1/4 and did not get here till 3 5/60 being 3 50/60 hour in coming 13 miles —
the old road is 12 miles — the new 14 to save some tremendous hills — at the 2nd turnpike from Llangollen there were only some little boys
and perhaps through George’s manner of inquiring (we sent him back to inquire) they sent us the lower way by which we saved 1 mile
before we got into the new road again, but were near an hour ascending a most tremendous hill, rendered 10 times worse by the road
being furrowed by the rains in all directions — obliged to walk up and got into the gig again to sit during 2 or 3 heavy showers —
about 7 miles from Ruthin came into the new road at the 3rd turnpike — the road deluged with rain — cut up to the nerve, and viler than
any road travelled road I ever saw — it rained heavily the greatest part of the time, and we were obliged to go foot’s pace as carefully
as possible, and were still jolted exceedingly — For between 2 and 3 miles (perhaps) the road lay at the bottom of a deep ravine following with the
course of the paltry river Clwyd (a mere brook stream quite undeserving the name of river) close on our left — a couple of miles from the town
(Ruthin) the road good, but heavyish with the rain — It seems a nice, neat town, but I have felt too unwell ever since
getting up this morning to stir out — the acid apple tart I had yesterday disagreed with me — a lax early this morning before
I could get washed — there is a woman (by the way) squalling in the house in a very improper way, and I would not come here again — go to the white lion —
Just before breakfast this morning, sent George with compliments to Miss Ponsonby to inquire after Lady Eleanor — the former much obliged to us for sending — the latter had had
a good night and was better — went into Mrs. Davis’s room congratulated her, and begged her to write me a few lines in about 10 days
to say how Lady Eleanor was — said I was going abroad, and should feel anxious to hear — begged her not to name this to Miss Ponsonby — gave
my address, and I have no doubt Mrs. Davis will write — Spoke, too, to the waiter about sending us Welsh mutton — 1/2 a sheep
will travel better than a less portion on account of less of the meat being exposed to the air — the surface of chine-bone protecting
the meat — it will be 5d. [pence] a lb. [pound] and 1 1/2 a lb. [pound] carriage exclusive of one yard of cloth wrapper that will cost a
shilling — it will arrive at H-x [Halifax] in 3 days — Stopt a minute in passing, but did not get out, to see Vale crucis abbey —
1 1/2 miles from Llangollen a field distant from the road on our right — part of the remains covered in and turned into part of a farmstead — the views pretty now
and then but almost lost upon us through the extreme badness of the road and weather — the vale of Clwyd opens upon us richly —
At breakfast at Llangollen the waiter again brought us the list-of-company-book — wrote in it the following ‘Wednesday 24
July 1822. Mrs. and Miss Lister
have spent 2 days here, and will take every opportunity of recommending the King’s head (Llangollen) the conduct of which does great credit to
Mrs. Davis’ — Left Ruthin at 5, and got here (the Bull-Inn, Denbigh) at 6 20/60, that is exactly at the rate of 6 miles an hour,
the distance being 8 miles — Now and then a little sun shiny, good road, and fine weather all the way till a few drops of rain just as we
entered the town — pleasant drive — singular looking town — especially as we drove up the long, steep, wide, pretty-good street to the Bull Inn
just behind the Town-house — Market day, and the streets pretty full, though a small market because it was the fair last week —
the house looked full and busy — besides market people, there was a rent—day held here, that of Miss Middleton of Chirk — the
waiter at Llangollen recommended us to the Crown Inn, but the look of it determined me to see the Bull, and, the latter having
much the better appearance of the 2, here we are — an old house — narrow oak staircases that have a dirty look, but very civil
attentive people, and we are certainly come to the right house — Ordered dinner in an hour and sat down at 7 1/2— my aunt’s bowels being
still far from well, and myself very bilious, we had minced veal (white) and a light batter pudding with a lump of preserved apricot
on the top — all very good, and quite contrary to Expectation I had some enjoyment of my dinner — During the hour before dinner we walked round
the castle and the bowling green, remarkably pretty and worth seeing, particularly for the fine from thence along this fertile, wooded, and therefore beautiful
vale of Clwyd — but the scene is merely beautiful, and tame to us now with a foaming river and mountain grandeur — the hills are
[margin text:] Ruthin
Mutton Expense of
sending to Shibden
Denbigh
57
1822
July
rounded into curves of beauty without one trace of the sublime — no water — the want is striking — we have a
comfortable sitting room upstairs — a double bedded room adjoining and I have my washstand dress and undress here in the sitting room
Got a little out of our way in leaving Ruthin, and passed the white lion Inn — a very nice, largeish-looking house — certainly
the place we ought to have gone — George tells me the other was not respectable — the man landlord was a horse-dealer, and the squalling
came from his daughter whom some man was laying hold of — Both my aunt and I felt too unwell to stir out again after dinner —
Tis now 10 p.m. when I have just finished writing the latter half of today — at ten discovered a neighbouring double bedded
room at liberty had all moved there and glad to get a place to myself — went to my room at 11 1/4 great deal of discharge
but not quite so much as two days ago this last morning and night or two I have used three syringes of water instead of two —
Thursday 25
8 10/60
12 20/60
Went to a glove shop on the same side as the Inn a little higher up — (Denbigh being celebrated for gloves) — the shop shut
up (only one shop of note), and the gloves in the window damaged and of very inferior make and appearance — Mrs. Salusbury sent to the glover’s
house — he was in his hay field and had taken the key of his shop and his wife who came to us was sorry we could not wait — Off
immediately at 10 3/4 — an hour in getting the 4 miles to St. Asaph — walked the horse up 2 or 3 steepish hills which made us so long — Stopt 20 minutes at
the Cathedral gate while we saw the cathedral itself — they are underdrawing in very good gothic style the roof of the nave —
Messrs Barrett (I think the woman said) and Parry of Shrewsbury — the cathedral very small but very neat, and altogether a
pretty little ecclesiastical bijou — the see worth £7000 a year the woman said she knew — one steep street, the
white lion (I think) the only good Inn, at the top of it — Left St Asaph at 12 5/60 and stopt at the white horse
(Richard Mansell, Holywell) at 2 25/60, just 2 20/60 hours coming these ten miles — a few steepish hills, and walking
slowly up them made us get on slowly — Fine view of the Irish channel and estuary of the Dee about 2 miles from here —
Stopt at the turnpike (one mile distant from the town) close to some mines on our left [illegible] whence the men gave us some
specimens of cubic lead, calamine, and black jack — From the Inn my aunt and I walked down to St Winifred’s well, close
to the churchyard — a woman there (at the well) gave each of us a glass of water and a printed sheet of paper account of the spring, for
which I gave her 6d [pence] and she certainly was not satisfied — thence my aunt and I walked forwards to the village of Greenfield — In returning my aunt left
me a little below St. Winifred's well, and I turned up a lane on the right to what is called the Holywell level — It looks like
a common culvert the arch about a yard from the surface of the water there is a small cottage over it — [illegible] some people live there to prevent children doing
mischief — the culvert or level opens into a small basin — where were laid up 3 of the vessels perhaps 1 yard wide and 10 long —
the level extends 1 1/2 mile the woman at the cottage said, and there is a communication with it at the mines near the turnpike
above named
one mile from Holywell — Mr. Harrison chief manager of the mines and level — the woman gave me another specimen or 2 — Indeed
I had first picked them up there and had got a very good one of black jack from a heap of stones to mend the road with as my aunt and I
walked to Greenfield — Left Holywell at 4 25/60 — pretty enough for 3 or 4 miles from Holywell so long as we had the estuary
of the Dee full in view — At the mines near 3 miles from Holywell on the right of the road at a small village asked a man if he could give me
a specimen of the white ore of lead — he knew nothing of it; but when I asked him for a piece of chat he stooped and picked up a
piece from a heap of stones laid by the roadside to mend it with — Northop and Hawarden niceish little towns with good
churches — at the latter town a handsome gothic gateway to Sir Richard Glynn’s place — in whose grounds is the ruin of Hawarden castle
Stopt here at Willoughby’s, the royal hotel Chester, at 7 1/2, having got here in 3 5/60 hours from Holywell — very good road —
walked Percy up 3 or 4 hills — were shewn into the same sitting room wh we had a fortnight ago — asked to have the same lodging
rooms and have got them My aunt went upstairs I sat musing on π [Mariana] thinking I wasted my life in vain expectation hoping
for a time which she is too delicate to like to calculate somehow I cannot get over this — Sat down to dinner at 8 1/2 —
Giblet soup — excellent veal cutlets — potatoes peas, currant tart, and a bottle of port wine —my aunt better and I felt
as usual again today, and have enjoyed my dinner — I have just settled with George and written the last 20 lines of today, and it is now 10 40/60 a shower
or this morning just as we stopt at St Asaph and afterwards in our way to Holywell — the rest of the day very fine — came upstairs at 11 20/60 —
[margin text:] St Asaph
Had a bottle of port today because it was so good before — not much discharge today ——
Chester.
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