BRYNFORDHOUSE. Above the road is the old house of Brynford, at present the property of Richard Garnons, efquire. It had been that of the Edwards's. Their descent is given at p. 239. I remember it inhabited by Thomas Edwards, efquire, a moft refpectable old gentleman, blind with age, of great charity and benevolence; and who, moft grateful to Providence, increased his charities in proportion to the increase of his abilities, in obedience to the direction of Heaven, to obferve its frequent injunctions to the performance of that virtue. PEN-Y-BRYN REFRACTING SPAR. PISTILL. MEILWR AND OPPOSITE to the house, on the other fide of the road, was formerly a profitable lead-mine, called Pen y Bryn, belonging to lord Kilmorey. It was remarkable for the quantity of refracting spar,. fpatum Ilandicum, of great purity and trafparency; and often elegantly infected with marcafite finely disposed in lines. THIS road ends on the mountain on the borders of Skyviog parish, the boundary of Holywell parish on this fide. I RETURN to the turnpike road, and continuing my way, pafs on the right by Pistill, a neat small house, the property of Peter Parry, efquire, of Twiffog, in the county of Denbigh. In order to proceed towards the rich mineral country I am entering on, I fhall continue the enumeration of veins from Coetiau'r Odyn (see p. 241.) THE next to that, eastward, is Caleb Bell, a north and south vein, which is traced from the east side of Pen-y-Bal, descends from the mountain, towards the late John Denman's, but as yet has not been traced to the road. This has in old times been very rich in several places. THE old vein, or Pant Ithel, is another rich vein, which first appeared 9 appeared in Pantafa, and yielded great quantities of ore and calamine. From thence croffes Butler's fields, and Pen-y-Bal, and then to Coetia fawr; from thence to Pant Ithel, where it defcends near Brynford house, and croffes the road into Highgate tenement, the property of Mr. Williams of Trelunniau. It then enters into my tenement called Meilwr, and was the first place in which ore was found in the level; the leafe of which was granted by my father, on December the 20th, 1754. THE next is the Highgate vein, which about Piftill had branched into many strings. As they advance from Piftill eastward, they enter Highgate tenement, and become very productive, both in Mrs. Williams's land, and alfo my own, which for many years poured on me in great abundance its mineral wealth. I never confidered this species of riches but of the most precarious nature, liable instantly to fail: I therefore fecured them on the best of tenures, and purchased with them the moiety of the BagilltHall eftate, which has turned out to me uncommonly fortunate. I alfo was enabled by another part to improve my house at Downing to what it now is. EVERY thing has its end. The vein or veins at length grew poorer. A great fire-engine was erected a few years ago, in hopes of clearing the water, and getting at the ore which was fuppofed to have been left in the foles. THE level begins at the bottom of the north fide of Nantbill-brwe, and runs fouth-weft. How uncertain is mineral knowlege, even among the most knowing! The object of the leffees was the working up to a certain rich vein, named the bard fhaft, in the lands belonging to Brynfordd. An object that never yet yet has been obtained. But in purfuit of that object they moft unexpectedly met with the veins which produced so much wealth to Mr. Williams and myself. Perhaps I fall fhort in my eftimate if I fay, that to leffors and leffees, the total amount must have exceeded a hundred thousand pounds. THE next vein to the high-gate, is a ftring within five yards of the high gate, which has been very productive. Into the field called Coetia fcubor, the hard fhaft vein is expected to enter, and cross the whole breadth, into the ground of Pen y pylle. And at the very corner of the fame field, another vein croffes into the fame land, and has been tolerably rich. I Now quit my mineral territories in this part of the country; and cross over the road to Pen y pylle, the feat of Hugh Humphreys, efquire, defcended from Edwyn, prince of Tegengl. That gentleman has had large fhare of the mineral wealth. The vein Roft y cegin paffes under his very houfe and garden. The mine-hillocks fill the land: but by his judicious walks and plantations, which now cover them, he has turned them into beauties. The vein continues to his grounds, below his houfe, and may probably be a fource of new wealth. THE Lucky Venture, is the last vein I can mention in this parish, which ranges from the mountain, and croffes the road into a corner of a field of Mr. Humphreys, and immediately from thence into the land belonging to Edward Jones, efquire, of Wepre, in which abundance of ore has been got. Much has alfo been got in the very road, in a pit funk by earl Grosvenor, a privilege clamed by his lordship, in virtue of his great mineral grant? THIS township ends at about a mile diftance from Pen-y-pylle, where it is feparated by Rhŷd Fudr, a little rill, from the parish of Halkin. I RETURN again into the town, and after croffing the east end of the High Street, take the road leading toward Gadlys. On the right I fee a trifling monument of my respect to a town which has for a long feries of years fhewn every mark of efteem for the landlord of many, and the friend of all. and the friend of all. In an adjacent field of mine, called Roft Tob, was a valuable fpring, which running to waste, occafioned a great lofs of time, to rich and poor, in procuring water. I (by the affistance of Mr. Donbavand) caused, in the year 1794, a pillar to be erected, into which the water was collected, and raised to a height convenient to be received into veffels placed there, to fupply, with eafe and expedition, the wants of the inhabitants. Ar the bottom of the defcent from Holywell is a beautiful dingle, named Nant-hil-brwc, which winds on the right to Meilwr tenement, and on the left quite to the marfh, the greater part of the way ornamented with hanging woods. On croffing a bridge GADLYS ROAD. near a large mill, the property of Paul Panton, efquire, enter the BAGILLT TOWNtownship of Bagillt; and in lefs than half a mile pafs by the house SHIP. TONS. of that worthy friend of mine. Our intimacy began in early youth, HOUSE, THE PANand has been ever fince retained. With joy I fee his eldest son rifing with progreffive goodness, and rare abilities. I fee with pleasure my eldest fon, with true judgment, cultivating with him a friendship. May it continue through a long life of human felicity, pleafant to themselves, and useful to their neighbors and country! To Mr. Panton fenior I hold myself greatly obliged for the account of his family, maternal and paternal. K k THE THE GRIFFITHS CURIOUS WILL. THE house and eftate of Bagillt was conveyed into Mr. Panton's family, by the marriage of his father with Mary, daughter of Edward Griffiths, efquire, defcended from the Griffiths of Caerwis-hall, who derived themselves from Ednowen Bendew, one of the fifteen tribes of North Wales. His ancestors had long been fettled at this place, and have as antient deeds to fhew for their lands as any in Wales, as will appear by the following will: IN the name of God, Amen.-The 11th day of November, in the year of our Lord God 1331, I, John ab Griffith ap Cona, being of good and whole mind and memory, and fick in body, make, ordain, and declare my last will and teftament in manner and form following:-First, I bequeath my foul to Almighty • God, and his mother St. Mary, and my body to be buried in the parish church of Holywell: alfo I bequeath to the said parish church, to buy a banner withall 4s.: alfo I bequeath to the Fryers of Rudland, 20 d. and to the friars of Denbigh, 12d.: alfo I bequeath to the Rhode work of the Mold, 2s.: also I will that a trental be given to pray for my father's foul, my mother's foul, my brethren's fouls, and all Chriftian fouls. Alfo I ⚫ will that a man be hired to go to St. David's on pilgrimage for C my foul. Alfo I bequeath to Sir Rys, my curate, 2 s. Farther, I bequeath to my fon Thomas, 2 young heifers, of 3 years old: • alfo I bequeath to my fon Richard, 16s. 8d. which is in the hands of Harry Vaughan. Moreover, I will that Anne my wife fhall occupy, with my children, my houfe, and all the lands thereto belonging, as long as the fhall be unmarried, and keep ⚫ herself a good woman, and no longer. Alfo, my will is, that a clofe, called Gwern Onnen, be restored to Jonet wch Rhys, or her fon, they paying to my heirs 6 1. of lawful money of Eng• land.- 4 |