FROM

TINTERN ABBEY TO CHEPSTOW.

Before the traveller refumes his excurfion, I would recommend him to engage fome boy of the village for a Guide, as far as Porthcaffec, a distance of two miles, the road for that space being rather intricate for a stranger to make out. Mr. Gethen will foon procure a little ruftic ready to impart his store' of information.

LEAVING

EAVING Tintern Abbey, we enter a narrow and rough lane, which we follow for near a mile, when we cross a wicker stile adjoining a gate, on the left hand, that inducts to some pleasant meads near to Porthcassec, a farm, which (from its name), implies it formerly was the place where the Convent kept their horses, and, without doubt the estate was then appropriated to that purpose. On the authority of Mr. David Tanner, the proprietors of the Iron works at Tintern drew their Iron Ore from this spot and the Forest of Dean; but since the introduction of the Lancashire mineral, the superiority of the latter has rendered the Ore of this county

of no value.

After passing the house at Porthcassec, let me urge the traveller to deviate a few hundred yards from his immediate path, in order to attain the firry eminence on the left hand, called

THE

THE WINDCLIFF,

Where the contrast becomes most wonderful!-from the narrow confines of the wildest dell, and the secluded haunts of monastic solitude, to the vast expance that there bursts upon our view;-towns, villages, seats, and woody lawns, with the noble Severn rolling to the ocean, and those Islands called the Holmes, are the objects of this sublime scenery!

From hence, a few fields bring us to the pleasurable regions of PERSFIELD. Should the traveller be inclined to enter the WALKS, he will make an abrupt turn to the left over the Pool-dam, that will introduce him. to the summit of the Arcadia of Monmouthshire, thro' which he may pass on Public Days (Tuesdays and Fridays), to Chepstow.

AT ST. ARVONS,

A most agreeable village, we join the turnpike road from Monmouth to Chepstow; when, by a foot path, parallel with Persfield Park wall, thro' the finest meads, in the course of a mile and a half, we arrive at another eminence, called CROSSWAY GREEN, where we again meet the scenery mentioned at Windclift, over which the eyes might roam for hours with the most insatiable delight.

Still treading the fields, we are by them soon conducted to the place of our destination.

NAMES

NAMES of the different WOODS as they successively occur on the BANKS of the WYE, between MONMOUTH and

CHEPSTOW.

Fence Part of the Forest of Dean

Victual's GROVE

Langett

Barbadoes

Martridge

Piercefield Cliffs

Upper Ham Way

Lower ditto.

ON

ETYMOLOGY

V

OF

TINTERN.

ERY early mention is made of this place,--so far back as the year 600. In the Monasticon it is spelt Dindryn,-which, according to the definition of an intelligent friend, is an ancient British word, and signifies a fortified place.

A curious account is given in the above work, under the "Cathedral of Landaff," of the foundation of the Church of MATHERN, in this county,--the Court house at which place was formerly the Episcopal Palace of that See, confirming the tradition which time has handed down to us,-to which the reader is referred.

Though we now smile at such fables, we are certain that King Teudric was buried at Mathern, since the learned Bishop Godwin confesses having seen his bones, and by the Prelate was fixed up in the church the inscription to that Prince's memory,-an ample account of which will be found in the succeeding part of this Tour. The FORD at Tintern,-Pull Brochuail (now called Brockwear),-with other circumstances mentioned in the Monasticon,-confirm the fact that such a battle took place, and that in the event, the Monarch lost his life. There is also a spot, about a mile from Tintern, called Pont-y-Saison, (the Saxon's bridge) at this present period of time.

ACCOUNTS

OF

TINTERN ABBEY.

T

Aus was a Cistercian Abbey, founded in the year 1131, by Walter de Clare, and dedicated to St. Mary. This Walter was grandson of William the son of Osbert, to whom William the Conqueror had given the manors of Wolleston and Tudenham, and all he could conquer from the Welch. Walter dying without issue, was succeeded by his brother Gilbert Strongbowe, earl of Pembroke, whose grandson Robert Strongbowe was the conqueror of Leinster in Ireland. The male line of these Strongbowe's failing, Maud, the eldest of their female heirs, was married to Hugh Bigod, earl of Norfolk and Suffolk.

William, ford marshal of England and earl of Pembroke, in the seventh year of the reign of King Henry the third, confirmed to the monks here all the lands, possessions, liberties, and immunities, formerly granted by his predecessors; the particulars of which are printed in the MONASTICON. Roger Bigod, earl of Norfolk, anno 1301, also confirmed to them divers lands at Portcassek, Pentiry, Modesgat, &c. whose Charter is also printed in the Monasticon.