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be interesting to saw through the trunk of the next victim to the west wind, and 

 count the annual layers. It will be interesting to some present, perhaps, to know 

 the rent paid for Trewyn at the betjinning of last nentury. The Delahays held 

 Trewyn of the Lords of Ewyas Lacy by (manorial fees) the yearly rent of fifteen 

 pence suit of court, five shillings for horngeld, and five shillings for mises whenever 

 they shall happen. (Horngeld means a payment for horned beast in a forest ; and 

 mises, law expenses in personal actions, or, sometimes, gifts from the Welsh to a 

 prince on his accession). After the Delahays, Trewyn belonged to the Evershams, 

 whose sole heiress married the late Mr. Jeremiah Rosher, in whose son's possession 

 it still remains. 



Trewyn House itself, is said by tradition to be built on a tumulus, or burial 

 place, and this traditicm was verified about 15 years ago. Some workmen were 

 excavating the ground, and when at a depth of two or three feet below the stone 

 floor of the house, they came on a cavity like an oven, ountaining charred bones 

 and fragments of glass. This cavity was formed by a large stone, about four feet 

 long, deeply hollowed out, so as to present on a section the shape of a flattened 

 hor.se-shoe. At first they were heedlessly thrown into a heap, but some of the 

 bones which were afterwards picked out were sent to London for examination, and 

 were pronounced to be those of a young person about 15 years old. At the depth 

 of 12 feet below this interment, and on a level with the present roadway, other 

 places of sepulchre were found, and were covered up again before any archseological 

 mind got cognizance of the discovery. 



The house was built in the reign of Henry VII., by the Harleys — afterwards 

 Earls of Oxford. Llanvihangel Court is also said to have been built by the Har- 

 leys about the same period, and this last house, curiously enough, is also said to 

 have been built upon a tumulus. The situation and style of both houses are simi- 

 lar. The approach to the front entrance in each is by flights of broad stone -steps, 

 with intervening terraces, like some of the old French chateaux of the period, and 

 unlike any other mansions in this part of England. 



Trewyn House underwent very considerable alterations, a.d. 1694, the date 

 cut in a stone in the front of the house, when a certain energetic "improving"lady, 

 Eleanor Delahay, seems to have made great changes, which did not improve the 

 house, archseologically speaking. " The house was formerly entered by a flight of 

 steps from the road" (Mrs. Rosher). She divided the halls by cutting off the small 

 oak room at the eastern end, and she it was also who probably removed the hand- 

 some ceiling from the drawing-room, of which there are still to be seen traces of 

 wreaths and circles. 



The house, however, still presents some interesting remains— one room, oak- 

 painted, with rude carving of oak on the cornice and beams, is believed to be the 

 earliest porti(m, and had a very early date on its outside walls, but this, unfortu- 

 nately, has been obliterated. In this room and in another bedroom adjoining, are 

 beautifully carved oak panels above the mantel-piece, with garlands of leaves and 

 flowers, but the.se are of a later date than those just mentioned. 



A small chapel standing in front of the house, and close to the present garden 

 wall, was dedicated to St. Martin. " It was destroyed at the end of the last cen- 



