i JI33 ] 



LEIGHTON 

 . . . HALL, 



WELSHPOOL, 



MRS NAYLOR 



THH judicious guide who instructs the visitor ,;s to how 

 to sci- the notable p aces in the upper \ all 

 the Severn, in that romantic p.itt of it which lies 

 adjacent to Welshpool and below Montgomery, will 

 often tell him to drive from the former place to I'ouis 

 Castle, where hemav survey its ancient glories, and then. . 

 ing the Severn by the hr dge, to visit the splendid mo lern domain 

 v Na\ lor at l.eighton Hall, rich in u-cent impiovernents, 

 in farms, mills, and sawing establishments, an.l s,, beneath the 

 shadow of I.eigliton Church to return to WeNhpo.il. Some- 

 thing like this has been done in these pages, to- the rea.hr 

 has looked with delight upon the pictures oi antique I'owisand 

 the glory of the terrace* on the ste.-p, and now has before him 

 the picturesque and noble mansion ,,f Li-ighton Hall, and the 

 loveliness '. ts well-kept gardens and grounds, tmm which 

 Mle is itseli a prominent object in a be uitilul landscape. 

 famous for its grand hills and \\ oded steeps, and the meadows 

 by the river Severn, here but a \ outhful stream that may In- 

 passed at Leighton ford. I! il are fine prospects of tin- 

 Vale of Severn, and from the heights on- may look upon 



Moel-y< iolfa an.l the Breiddin Hills, and, il tl;e d 

 even Plinlimmon. ( ;.ide. Kins. " :|(ltt j,, n> t | u . ,\, 

 Areiii^;-. are w ithin the \ u 



I.eigliton is .1 small parish in the hundred ' < 

 \\ontgomeiyshue. about t\vo miles tinm WeKhpool, .ind th< 

 Hall l;es in the valley, nearly at the loot o| the I ..n- Mountain, 

 which form- .1 r.m^e i unning north-east K-iween Ilus pomt am! 

 the Breiddin Hills. It is a region lull of history and rich in 

 romantic traditions and a- , and her<- u.is fought the 



last Contested battle tor \\VUh inde|x-ndence in i-i>4. when the 

 Welsh were commanded b\ Mad"^, I.N -Aelyn's brother. It i- 

 not surprising that such a district should have attra.'ted the 

 wealthy, and the re-ion is M.n.ewhat laiiMMs t. r th- be., 

 se.iis that distin. uish it. In the neighbourhood ot I.eigliton 

 Hall are (i.irth, Nantiiibba, ( ila; M-\fin, \ md other 



tine places. l Mi. .1 >hn Naylor, .1.1'.. h.l... at one timi 

 Sheritt of Montgomery, the architectural beau 1 ,t s ..t I.eigliton 

 and the perfection \ its surroundings are mainly due. In the 

 work ot erection, and of adornment within and without, there 

 was scope for much wise planning, and for t'-e exercise of fine 



KKOM THE SOl/TH-tASr. 



