ed not only by Gentlemen but likewife Tradefmen; has a Cuftom-Houle, and feveral Merchants, whofe Houses are well built. By the Favour of its Situation they carry on such an extenfive Commerce, that they employ near 200 Ships and Veffels; and, next to Caermarthen, it is the largest and richest Town in all South Wales.

St. David's ftands on the most Western Promontory of all Wales, which extends into the Irish Sea, called by Ptolomy Olopitarum, commonly St. David's Head. The Welb call it Tydewi, from the Archbishop Dewi or David, who tranflated the archiepifcopal See hither from Caerleon in King Arthur's Days, and won a great Victory over the Saxons, having ordered every one of his Soldiers to place a Leek in his Cap for the Sake of Distinction, in Memory whereof the Welsh to this Day wear the Leek on the firft of March. It appears to have been once a City of good Account, and to have had a Castle and Walls, which though both long fince deftroyed and the Place reduced, yet it ftill continues the See of a Bishop. It has little worthy of Notice befides its Cathedral, built in the Reign of King John, and dedicated to St. Andrew and St. David, which is a venerable old Building, the W. End of which is in good Repair, but the E. End has fuffered much from Time and Neglect. Its whole Length from E. to W. including the Walls, is 300 Feet; the Breadth of the Body with the fide Ailes is 72 Feet, and of the W. Front 76 Feet; and the Length of the great crofs Aile from North to South is 130. The epifcopal Palace, which together with the Cathedral are encompaffed with a Stone wall 1100 Yards in circumference, is a large and magnificent Ruin, of which the Walls are ftanding. There was in it one Hall 88 Feet long and 30 broad; and another 58 Feet long and 23 Broad: The other Apartments were grand and noble in proportion.

This Town ftands but a M. from the Sea; and Ireland, which is 40 M. off, may be seen from St. David's Head in a clear Day. At the extreme Point of this Promontory are the Rocks called the Bifhop and his.

Clerks,

Clerks, which are reforted to every April by great Flights of Birds till Auguft, when they leave the Place.

Ön this Coaft near Stackpool Bofher, is Bofbarftonmeer, fo deep, that it could never be founded. It bubbles, foams, and makes a great Noife before a Storm. Though Holy-head in N. Wales is now, yet this was once the great Ferry to Ireland, being an eafy Paffage to that Country, and though not fhorter is reckoned fafer.

Milford-haven has 16 Creeks, 5 Bays, and 13 Roads, in which 1000 Sail of Ships may ride fecurely. It is the best Harbour in the three Kingdoms, there being no Manner of Danger in failing in or out of it with the Tide, and almost any Wind, by Night as well as by Day: And a Ship in Distress may run afhore on foft Ooze, and there lie fafe. The Spring Tide rifes in the Harbour 36 Feet, and the Neap above 26. But that which makes this the most excellent and useful Harbour in this Part of the World, is, that in an Hour's Time a Ship is out of the Harbour into the Sea, and in the fair Way between the Lands-End and Ireland; alfo it lies in the Mouth of the Severn.

Tenby, 6 M. from Pembroke, a neat Town, its Markets are well ftored with Corn, Fish, and other Provifions; the Road for Shipping is very good. It has a great Herring Fishery, a large Export of Coals, and drives a confiderable Trade to Ireland; so that it is reckoned the most agreeable on all the Sea Coaft of South Wales, except Pembroke. Here are the ruins of an ancient Castle built by the Normans, and taken by Rhys ap Gruffydth Prince of South Wales, A. D. 1152.

Whiston, 3 M. from Haverford West, though a mean Place, is governed by a Mayor and Bailiffs.

Fifhgard, 16 M. from St. David's, fo called from its Fifhery, has a good Harbour and Trade in Herrings, which are caught at the Foot of the Cliff on which this Town is built.

Newport, 4 M. from Fishgard, on the River Nevern, has a good Harbour and Trade with Ireland, chiefly in Paffengers to and from that Kingdom. Though it is a large Town, and governed by a Portreeve and Bailiff,

4

and

and has a fair Church, it is a poor Place and meanly inhabited.

Killgarrin, 5 M. from Newport, upon the River Teivi, has a Harbour for Boats with a Salmon Fishery, and a Cataract called the Salmon-leap, where in coming from the Sea they fpring over the Cataract upwards. It is a long Town confifting of one Street.

The moft noted Antiquities are these :

On a Sea Cliff, half a Mile from St. David's, is a remarkable large Stone called in Welsh, y Maen Sigl, implying a rocking Stone, but its Equilibre has been fpoiled; fo that it is now immoveable.

In St. David's Cathedral, St. David the Patron of Wales is faid to be interred, and that he lived to be 146 Years of Age, and died in 642. He is fuppofed to have been King Arthur's Uncle.

In the Reign of K. Henry II. the Sand on the Coast of South Wales being washed away, and the Earth laid bare by continual Storms, upon digging, the Inhabitants discovered very large Trees, which appeared by the Mark of the Axe to have been felled, and were thro' Time become as black and hard as Ebony.

The chief Seats here are,

Sir John Philips, Bart. at Picton-Caftle, near Haverford Weft.

Sir William Owen, at Orleton.

John Campbell, Efq; at Stackpool-Court.

William Owen, Efq; at Landshipping, near Pembroke.

CARDIGANSHIRE,

S bounded by Merioneth and Montgomeryshire on the N. by Pembroke and Caermarthenshire on the S. by Radnor and Brecknockshires on the E. and is washed on the W. by the Irish Sea. It is about 40 M. in Length, 18 in Breadth, and 90 in Circumference; containing five Hundreds, 3 Rivers, 5 Market Towns, and 64 Parishes. The Soil is in general very fruitful, except the N. and

Eaft

E. Parts, which confift of a continued Ridge of Mountains; but every where there is Pafture fufficient to maintain numerous Flocks of Sheep, and large Herds of Cattle. Coal and other Fuel are fcarce, but there are feveral rich Lead Mines, and fome which produce Silver.

Cardigan, 246 M. from London, is pleasantly fituated at the Mouth of the Teivi, over which it has a good Stone Bridge leading into Pembrokeshire. It is a large, ancient, and populous Borough, and carries on a confiderable Trade, especially to Ireland, the Tide flowing up to the Town. The Church is a large and handfome Structure, and the Caftle is ftill in being, but in a ruinous Condition. It was built by Gilbert de Clare, about the Year 1160.

Aberifwyth, 229 M. from London; is fituated on the River Rydal, not at the Mouth of the River Istwyth, as its Name imports. It is a pretty large, populous, and rich Town, but dark and fmoaky, and has an increafing Trade both in Lead and Fish, but has no Parish Church. It was formerly fortified with a Caftle and Wall, but now both are in a ruinous Condition. It was built by Gilbert Strongbow, Son to Richard de Clare, in the Reign of Henry I.

Llanbadarn-vawr, 227 M. from London, has a large Church, formerly a Cathedral and See of a Bishop, is a well built Town, and has a good Market, but a bad Harbour.

Lanbeder, St. Peter, or Pont Steffan, 195 Miles from London, is a finall Town on the River Teivi, over which it has a Bridge leading to Caermarthenshire. The Town ftands on a Plain, but the Church on a Hill.

Tregaron, 7 M. from Lambedor, has a fine Church, which is the only Thing remarkable in the Place.

The most remarkable Remain of Antiquity in this County is Straflour Abbey, built originally by Hore Refus Prince of South Wales, in the Year 1164; but being burnt in the Welsh Wars, K. Henry I. rebuilt it about the Year 1238. Many of the Welsh Princes were bu

ried here; it being in their Time a venerable Structure, and where their Acts and Succeffions were recorded and kept from 1156 to 1270.

The chief Seats in this County are,

Mr. Lloyd's, at Peterwell, near Landovery.
Mr. Powel's, at Nanteous.

Mr. Price's, at Gogerdham, near Cardigan.

Having thus defcribed the Counties in South Wales, we shall now proceed to thofe in North Wales, beginning with

MONTGOMERY SHIRE S bounded by Shropshire on the E. by the Shires of

the W. and by the Counties of Denbigh, Merioneth, and Salop on the N. It is about 30 M. in Length, 25 in Breadth, and 94 in Circumference; containing seven Hundreds, 47 Parishes, 6 Market Towns, 25 Rivers, 3 Castles, and one Chace. The Soil in general on the N. and W. Sides is ftony, but not unfruitful, efpecially in the Vallies between the Mountains; but the S. E. and N. E. Parts are exceeding fruitful, especially those which lie on the Banks of the Severn, and are sometimes overflowed by it. Its chief Commodities are Corn, Cattle, Horfes, Fifh and Fowl.

Montgomery, 158 M. from London, is fituated in a very healthy Air, on the eafy Afcent of a rocky Hill, having beneath it a pleafant Valley, through which the Severn winds his Course. It is called Trevalwyn, or Baldwin's Town, from its Founder Baldwin, Lieutenant of the Marches of Wales, in the Time of William the Conqueror; and Montgomery from Roger Montgomery, E. of Shrewsbury, who built its Caftle, which was ruined in the Civil Wars. It is a large Town, but the Buildings very indifferent, except a few belonging to fome confiderable Families.

Llanidlos,