SECTION VI.
About a mile below Ross, Wilton Castle first attracts our attention. This ruin is situated on the margin of the Wye, and affords with its surrounding objects in many points of view, scenes not unworthy the attention of the antiquary or admirer of picturesque objects. Its western walls and round towers are in the most perfect state of preservation, but the annexed view, comprising a part of the bridge, is selected as most appropriate to the design of this work and to exemplify the course of the river. The castle has formerly covered a considerable extent of ground, the greater part of which is now used as a garden. Camden says “that king John gave Wilton with the castle to Henry Longchamp and that it came by marriage to William Fitzhugh, and not long after, in King Edward the first’s time, to Reginald Grey, Justice of Chester, from whom by a long descent it came to Lord Grey of Wilton, whose son Arthur Lord Grey was Lord Deputy of Ireland.” This noble person merits particular attention, as having been the early patron of our Spencer the poet, who accompanied him to Ireland as his secretary.
In the county of Cork, at a place called Kilcolman, Spencer is reported to have finished his excellent poem of the Fairy Queen. The River Mulla, so often mentioned by him, ran through the grounds of the house in which he resided. His gratitude to his patron is thus recorded, in a sonnet addressed to him, and is prefixed to the poem.
At what period Wilton Castle went out of the family of the Greys is not mentioned, but it afterwards belonged to the Lord Chandos, from whom it descended to the duke of Chandos who built Canons in Middlesex. The remains of this castle, with Aconbury, Dewfall, and other considerable estates in the neighbourhood belonging to this family, amounting to near four thousand pounds per annum, were sold some years ago to the governors of Guy’s Hospital. The castle is reported to have been principally destroyed by fire, but at what period is not ascertained. In support of this idea we observed, that towards the ends of the timbers, many of them appeared to have been much burned. On this spot an assemblage of rich and woody scenery, forms the leading feature of the vicinity of our river, and about two miles below Wilton bridge I would advise the admirer of the truly grand in landscape, to ascend the hill in the high road to Monmouth, where at a place called Pencreek, the eye is feasted with one of the most magnificent views this river affords. The distant church of Ross, its neighboring woods and hills, and the meandering course of the Wye, all combine from hence to form this fascinating scene. Here the course of the river is peculiarly marked, its channel is nobly formed, and wears a grandeur not to be met with in any other river we have yet seen in this country.
Amidst a variety of enchanting views, passing from one bend of the river to another, Goodrich castle, on the summit of a bold promontory, amidst an elegant woodland scene, nobly raises its ruined battlements, as if frowning on the stream beneath.
On ascending the hill to contemplate the spoils of Time, who ravages alike the forms of beauty and the tower of strength, by leaving for a moment the ordinary path and passing up what is called Conduit hill, Walford church, Ross, and the surrounding country, at a happy distance, combine to form a landscape of peculiar richness and beauty. History does not inform us at what period this castle was erected, but we find that early as the fifth year of the reign of King John, William Marshall, Earl of Pembroke had a grant of it. From this family it came to Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, in the reign of Edward the third, and in the twentieth year of Richard the second, Sir John Scudamore of Holme Lacy was constituted its constable, during the minority of John Lord Talbot, in whose family it continued till the fourteenth of James the First; at which period Gilbert Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury died, leaving three daughters his coheiresses. Elizabeth the second daughter was married to Henry de Grey, Earl of Kent, by which marriage he became possessor of this manor, which continued in the family till the death of Henry Duke of Kent in 1740, after which it was sold to Thomas Griffin, Esq.; Vice Admiral of the White, whose second son, the Reverend Dr. Griffin of Hadnock near Monmouth, is its present owner.
This celebrated castle was nearly square, covering a space of ground forty eight yards by fifty two; it was defended at each angle by four large round towers, one of which formed an irregular Heptagon. Through a perfect Gothic arch, we are led to a spacious hall of good proportion overgrown with ivy, adjoining which is an area, presenting the remains of a lofty square building, with circular arched windows in the Saxon style, resembling Gundulph’s tower at Rochester castle. By the fragment of a stone staircase, we ascend another embattled tower, through which at a great depth appears the immense fosse, or trench, which is hewn out of a solid rock, and is twenty yards in breadth. Here was once a draw-bridge and two gates with recesses between each, evidently intended as places of safety for its guards, who unseen might annoy the enemy. The various points from which this castle may be viewed to advantage, would afford ample matter for the antiquary, artist, and military architect.
Quitting this spot, several views of the castle presented themselves, but they were all undignified and uninteresting when compared with those we had before contemplated. The country on the opposite side of the river towards the village of Walford, is peculiarly beautiful. In the church of Walford, one of the aisles is now called Kyrle’s chapel; it was erected by that family for their private use, before it became a parochial church; about a mile below the castle, is a small remain of Goodrich priory; a few Gothic windows are yet standing, and part of the chapel which is now converted to a granary; the whole affords an object sufficient to attract the notice of the curious.
This priory was a monastery of the order of black cannons regular of St. Augustine, founded and endowed with the king’s licence in the twentieth year of Edward the fourth, 1347. Its situation corresponds with the happy choice usually made by the ancient possessors of religious houses, it stands in a fertile valley, watered by one of the finest rivers in the kingdom. The building with the lands contiguous to the castle are occupied by a Mr. Bellamy. From the ascent, approaching the village of Goodrich a rich and extensive view presents itself across the forest of Dean, from whence Rure-dean church happily breaks upon the eye.
Here the Wye in a long and serpentine reach, appears in a perspective point of view and affords a pleasing and happy termination to the scenery; its banks are screened on the south, by an extensive coppice wood, and on the north, by fertile meadows rising towards Bishop’s-wood, from which a considerable iron furnace in this vicinity derives its name. From the stone quarries in this neighborhood, the new bridge at Bristol was principally erected.
Passing down the river, the next object that attracts our notice is Courtfield, the seat of the Vaughan family.
This spot is rendered remarkable from Henry the fifth having been nursed in the neighbourhood. That prince we are told, was when young of a weak and sickly habit, and was placed under the care of a countess of Salisbury, from which circumstance in all probability, the original name of this place which was Greyfield, was changed to the appellation it now bears. We next approach Lidbroke colliery and very large and extensive wharf, from whence a considerable commerce in coals is carried on to Ross, Hereford and other places. This productive mine is the property of Lord Gage. With all the dark and dingy attributes of this place, involved as it is in smoke, and begirt with coal barges, it yet affords a very pleasing and interesting landscape. The high road that ascends the woody hill, screening the back ground of this wharf, is perpetually enlivened by horses and carriages in this sooty sable commerce, while on the bank of the river beneath, the lading and unlading the vessels, afford additional business and variety to the scene. This view is finely contrasted on a sudden bend of the river a little below, where all is tranquil and serene. The picturesque village of Welch Bicknor presents itself in a rich valley on the right bank of the Wye, happily overshaded by a thicket of woods, ranged in a grand and circular sweep. These are called Hawkwood and Packwood, and extend about a mile along the bank of the river. The village church and parsonage house, group in a form peculiarly beautiful and interesting.
In the body of the church, fronting the reading desk, is a cumbent whole length female figure, well sculptured in a darkish coloured stone. Traditional report says it represents the countess of Salisbury, whom we have just mentioned as having nursed king Henry the fifth. She holds a child in each arm. This effigy is highly worthy of notice. The drapery is in a loose and free style, and the general contour of the whole bespeaks it the work of an artist of talent. A little below this scene, the Wye is bounded on the opposite shore by a long range of hills, beautifully cloathed with verdure, and diversified by a rich and broken soil of a warm and reddish hue, frequently over clouded with shades of smoak that issue from the various kilns, kept continually burning near this spot. These circumstances trifling and adventitious as they may appear, give relief and effect to the picturesque and beautiful in landscape. Approaching the foot of Cold-well rocks, a scene sublime and majestic presents itself. The grand prominencies are overhung with richly varied tufts of oak, and other shrubberies, occasionally contrasted and relieved by deep and shadowy dells, formed by the various lime kilns on their surface. Some of the most prominent of Cold-well rocks, we are informed, have by some gentlemen of the bar, in their passage down this river, been christened after the names of our principal council. The connection is not obvious, or readily traced.
Here we quitted the barge to ascend these majestic rocks, which by an immense and craggy steep, we with difficulty accomplished, and reached the summit called Symond’s Gate. This task, arduous as it is should not deter the traveller from pursuing this course, as by means of it he will avoid a dull and uninteresting passage on the water of full three miles to the new Weir, and by passing over these rocks he will enjoy a sublimity of scenery that will amply repay his toil and labour. As we ascend these superb masses of stone, the rich and extensive scenery that surrounds us, is every moment unfolding itself: the summit is richly overgrown with wild thyme, and variegated flowers, and is crowned with the rich and deep foliage of the noble oak
save the distant lowing of cattle, and from his rocky bed, the dirge like evening song of the owl, that floats along the gale.
From hence Goodrich castle, which we imagined we had left far behind, breaks suddenly upon the eye, and appears from the immense winding of the river to be a near object. The new weir, and adjoining waterfall, with the surrounding rich and healthy hills afford from this spot a combination of objects, that deservedly rank among the first views on the river, or perhaps in this country.
The village of Whitechurch in the centre of the vale beneath, with the vast hills beyond it, afford a sublime termination to this reach of the river.
At Whitechurch is a second ferry called Hunson’s Rope. This ferry although seven miles distant by water from that of Goodrich, is only one mile by land, a striking instance of the very appropriate and characteristical title of our river, which from its mazy and circuitous course, is justly denominated the Vaga, or Wye.