4C A TOUR ROUND NORTH WALES. 



Elizabeth beftowed it on her favorite 

 Dudley, Earl of Leicefter, on \vhofe 

 death it became the property of Lord 

 St. John of Bletfo, whofe fon, in 1595, 

 fold it to Sir Thomas Middleton, 

 Knight,* one of the anceftors of the 

 prefent owner, Richard Middleton, 

 Efquire. 



In the civil wars Sir Thomas Middle- 

 ton revolted from the parliament, and 

 made a fhort defence of the caftle> when 

 one fide and three towers were thrown 

 down in the attack, but thefe were re- 

 built by him within one year, at an 

 expence of no lefs than eighty thoufand 

 pounds. 



About two miles from Chirk, in the 

 road to Ruabon, I was delighted with a 

 mofl pleafing view down a woody vale, 

 in the bottom of which ran the river 

 Dee. This was the firli time I had feen 



* Camden's Britannia. Pennant's Tour, p. I. 285, 286. 



this 



