261 



Note on the Black Rock at New Passage. 

 (From Coxe's Monmouthshire.) 



The New Passage, wHch. was in reality an ancient one was 

 suppressed by Cromwell, on account of about 60 of his soldiers 

 having been drowned there, in pursuing Charles I, who had 

 ferried over from Black Eock to Chessel Pill. The boatmen 

 who took the republican soldiers over in pursuit were loyalists, 

 and purposely landed them on the English Stones, some little 

 distance from the Gloucestershire shore, which can be reached 

 from them at low water by fording a pool. The tide at the 

 time in question was rapidly rising, and cut them all off. 



The ferry remained closed till 1718, when it was renewed ; 

 but its renewal caused a lawsuit between the family of St. 

 Pierre and the guardians of the Duke of Beatjport. Depo- 

 sitions were taken for this trial at the Elephant Coffee House 

 in Bristol; and one of the witnesses, named Giles Gilbert 

 stated as follows : — 



" And this deponent particularly remembers that in the reign of King 

 Charles the First it was reported that his Majesty crossed the said passage 

 from the said Black Eock to Chishull PlU, and this deponent believes the 

 same, for that this deponent saw him ride through Shire Newton, near the 

 said passage, in order to cross over the same, and about one hour after his 

 Majesty passed by he was pursued by his enemies, or Oliver's soldiers, whom 

 this deponent saw hastily going near Portscuet, who, as this deponent heard, 

 upon their coming up to the said Black Eock Passage, and there finding 

 the King to have just passed over, drew their swords upon some boatmen 

 belongiag to the said passage, that were there, and forced them on board 

 one of the passage boats, and the said boatmen carried them over, and 

 landed or put them on shore on the rock, called the English Stones, on the 

 Gloucestershire side of the said passage, near Cheshiill PUl, and left them 

 there, when the tide coming on them, they were all lost or drowned, as this 



