CHAPTER VIII.

ROSS TO MONMOUTH BY WATER

COLDWELL ROCKS

SYMOND'S YAT-DOWARD-MONMOUTH-RAGLAND.

"Down the swift river, the full-flowing river,

Our light-freighted bark glideth on;

While in the waves ever, the tree shadows quiver-
Oh! who can be gloomy ?-not one.

What day is too long, with the merry boat song,

Bright sunshine and blessed blue sky

While meadow flowers young, o'er the sedgy banks flung,
Nod and laugh as we gaily glide by."

EARLY the following morning, I entered a boat at Ross, on my way to Monmouth. My "light bark" was not much unlike a gondola, when its tarpauling cover was spread over the framework; but, being favoured by a radiantly bright morning, I preferred sitting under the skeleton, and enjoying the charming scenes around me. A table in the centre of the part allotted to passengers, and cushioned seats around, made this small floating parlour a most commodious conveyance. After dropping past Wilton Castle, and beneath the bridge, we soon came in sight of Goodrich Court and Castle, well worthy their far-known fame. Richly wooded hills, well sprinkled with white cottages, whose thin blue smoke curled softly upward, often rose

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in front. Kerne Bridge being passed, and its surrounding bosky hills and sunshiny meadows, Bishop's Wood House appeared. The grounds of Courtfield skirt the river for some distance, adding the great charm of their magnificent ornamental timber to the landscape. Passing the village of Lidbrook, where a steam tram-road from Dean Forest brings coal for embarkation on the Wye, I gained a good view of Courtfield House.* Henry V. is said to have been nursed in a more ancient house on the same site, belonging to the countess of Salisbury (ob. 1395), whose supposed monument in the neighbouring little church of Welsh Bicknor I landed to examine. Sir S. R. Meyrick has somewhat shaken the faith of the learned as respects this monument, pronouncing the costume to be of the time of Edward I. A winged angel on either side the head have been, absurdly enough, supposed to represent the young Henry and his fellow-suckling

Approaching the foot of Coldwell Rocks, a most sublime and majestic scene presents itself. These grand, and in some places precipitous, limestone cliffs are overhung with richly varied tufts of oak and underwood, traversed by deep dells and gulleys. The smooth luxuriant hill called Rosemary Topping, beautifully contrasts with and enhances the magnificent sternness of these wild crags. For a considerable distance they present one continued panorama of grandeur and sub

* The estate connected with this place formerly belonged to the family of the Vaughans, the descendants of Cradoc Vreich Vras-Cradoc of the strong arm-with whom is associated that beautiful poetical tale of "the boy and the mantle," to be found in "Percy's Reliques."

limity. Arrived at the landing-place for the ascent of Symond's Yat, I disembarked, and wended my weary way to the summit, through a wood abounding in curious plants, and gay with a rich profusion of wild autumn berries. On attaining the small platform of rock crowning the narrow ridge, round which the river makes the extraordinary circuit of four miles, a view of great grandeur displayed itself, and reclining on the turf, telescope in hand, I quietly enjoyed it. The chief eminences in Radnor and Brecknockshire, the Malvern Hills, Black Mountains, and the immediately near range of limestone crags, with the river winding brightly beneath, and distant spires and towers peeping above their encircling woods, all lit up in fair sunshine, made a grand and interesting picture.*

A double entrenchment runs across this

"Tower of rock, that seems to cry,

Go round about me, neighbour Wye."

A few coracles were on the river, with their still, patient occupants, the salmon fishers, as I passed round the peninsular-shaped flat beyond Symond's Yat, and by the diminutive church of Whitechurch. Large

* Upon the Little Doward, a hill of peculiarly fine outline, viewed in front, from the Monmouth road, are the interesting remains of a British camp. Three circular terraces wind up to the summit. It is a valuable relic of British fortification, where Caractacus probably posted himself, for how otherwise are the adjacent Roman camps on the Great Doward and Symond's Yat to be accounted for? Ostorius probably attempted to force him by the Great Doward, but apparently did not succeed, and, being compelled to cross the river, encamped at Symond's Yat. The inference is drawn from the circumstance of the Gauls having taken up a position protected by a river, where even Cæsar declined action.-Rev. T. D. Fosbroke.