62 LLAN\'t)LOES TO NEWTOWN. 



vale of Severn, through which the river was feen to 

 glide in elegant curves, blackened by its high and 

 fhady banks. The landfcape was enlivened by the 

 luxuriance of woods and meadows ; and the towns 

 and villages around lent their aid to decorate the 

 fcene. 



The caftle has been a four-fided building, of no 

 great ftrength, about fifty yards long, and twenty- 

 five wide ; and the exterior walls appear to have 

 been about four feet in thicknefs. A fmall part of 

 the north wall, with fome triiiing remains of the 

 interior of the building, are yet left. The fouth 

 and the eafl; walls are entirely demoliflied, and the 

 other parts that are yet (landing are greatly fhat- 

 tered. 



There have been various conjeclures refpeding 

 the founder of this caftle. Dugdale attributes it to 

 David ap Llewelyn, prince of North Wales, about 

 the mxiddle of the thirteenth century *. Stowe fays 

 it was the work of Llewelyn f; and Mr. Evans, 

 •who is now generally thought to be right, that it 

 was indebted for its origin to Bleddyn ap Cynvyn, 

 fome time betwixt the years 1066 and 1073 +• 



In the fixth year of the reign of Edward L, Bogo 

 de Knovill was made governor ; and, in the follow- 

 ing year, the caftle v/as granted to Roger JMortimer, 



* Dugdale's Mcnaflicon> ii. 223. 

 f Annals, 200 



% Evans's Diflertalio de Bardis, 92. from the Inftitutiones 

 Lingun; Cyn^.raecae, of John David Rhys. 



ear: 



