6 A TOUR ROUND NORTH WALES. 



ders in the county were mediately or 

 immediately their vafTals, and under the 

 fame allegiance to them as to the kings 

 of England. 



Hugh Lupus when he received the earl- 

 dom, immediately repaired the town walls 

 and eredted the caftle j* the former having 

 either fallen into decay fmce the days of 

 Ethelfleda, or not being thought fufficient- 

 ly ftrong for the exigencies of the times. 



In feveral reigns fubfequent to the Nor- 

 man conqueft, Chefler was made a place 

 of rendezvous for troops in all expeditions 

 againft Wales, and frequently fufFered in 

 the contefts betwixt the two nations. Cam- 

 den fays that " the fkirmifhes here between 

 " the Welfh and Englifh in the begin- 

 " ning of the Norman times, were fo 

 " numerous, the inroads and excurfions 

 " and the fireing of the fubarbs of Han- 



Gibf. Camden, 558. 



" brid 



