MONMOUTHSHIRE. 



651 



. tuated village of Llandogo, scattered among trees upon 

 ire. the side of a hill. Here the river forms a smooth bay ; 

 ^ and the effect of the whole scene is greatly heightened 

 by a beautiful back ground, formed of some undulat- 

 ing hills. A little below this the river again takes a 

 meandering course, and the fine ruins of Tintern Ab- 

 bey break upon the view. After passing some cliffs, 

 marshy land disfigures the banks of this river ; but these 

 continue but for a short way, when the noble ruins of 

 Chepstow Castle, placed on the highest point of an im- 

 mense perpendicular rock, arrests the eye. Still fur- 

 ther down the stream, the high impending screen of 

 rocks on each side, gives great effect to the scenery. 

 This river is navigable to Hereford. At Chepstow, the 

 tide sometimes rises to the height of 50 feet. The Usk 

 rises in the mountains of Brecon, and nters Monmouth- 

 shire at Llangwnny. It is a clear stream, richly skirt- 

 ed with wood. The mountains which stretch from 

 Abergmvenny to Pontypool forming a magnificent back 

 ground. Some parts of its banks do not suffer even 

 when compared with those of the Wye, with respect to 

 . picturesque beauty. It is navigable for barges up to 

 Tredannoc Bridge. The Mynnow rise* in a lake at the 

 foot of Mynnyd Maen, run* by Pontypool, passes un- 

 der the canal, and joins the river Usk in the valley be- 

 neath. There are some lakes in this county, but none 

 of them remarkable either for size or picturesque beau- 

 ty. The largest is that from which the Mynnow take* 

 hs rue. It is two miles in circumference, and stretches 

 along the foot of the north-east extremity of Mynnyd 

 Maen. It form* the reservoir of the Monmouthshire 

 canal. 



There are two cmnals in this county. The Mon- 

 mouthshire canal was begun in the year 1792, and cost 

 about 280,000, including the railways connected with 

 it It commence* on the west side of Newport, form- 

 ing a basin connected with the Usk. Its line lies be- 

 tween that town and the river, and it afterwards crosses 

 the road leading to Chepstow ; thence by Malpas it 

 ran* parallel to the Avon, and near it, close to Ponty- 

 pool, to Pontnewidd. This is otie line ot the Mon- 

 mouthshire canal. Its whole length is 11 miles, with 

 a rise of 12 feet in the first mile, and 435 feet in the 

 other 10 miles. The other branch strikes off near Mal- 

 ms, parallel to the Ebwy, to the vicinity of C'rumlin 

 Bridge, having a course of nearly 1 1 miles from the 

 junction, with a rise of 358 feet. The total length, 

 therefore, of the two lines, is 22 miles, with 808 feet 

 lockage. There are several rail-roads from each of 

 these branche* to the iron works, coaleries, lime-works, 

 &c. which abound in this part of Monmouthhire. One 

 of the rail- roads, which is nine mile* long, cost jE 40,000. 

 The highest point of <!<%. ition ot'the principal rail- way 

 is 1290 feet, making the whole elevation 2035 feet 

 above the entrance lock. 1 he Brecon canal unites with 

 the Monmouthshire canal about 8 miles from Newport, 

 and 1 from I'mitypool. It crosses the river Avon, 

 where it is carried through the high lands by a tunnel 

 2SO yards long. It afterwards passes the town of Aber- 

 gavetiny towards the Usk, parallel to which it leaves 

 A canal has recently been formed, which, 

 at the distance of about a mile from Abergavenny, com- 

 - with the Brecon canal, and promises to open 

 a considerable trade with the former town 

 ] The cteni division of Monmouthshire is rich in 



. mineral treasures, particularly iron and coal. Near 

 the source of the Avon i- Blenavon, where immense 



works are established, which usually employ upwards Mon- 

 of 400 men. The iron is conveyed to the canal on the rooulhBhi "' 

 rail- ways. Between Abergavenny and Usk are the ^ 

 Trostey ironworks. Iron bar is manufactured here, 

 and conveyed down the Usk to Newport. Iron is found 

 in several other parts, chiefly in the vicinity of Aber- 

 gavenny. There are also extensive iron- works at Aber- 

 corn, consisting of a foundery, wire mill, rolling mill, 

 &c. The Monmouthshire canal jiasses through these 

 works. There are also large iron works near Pontypool. 

 There are indications of lead, but not any mines of con- 

 sequence. Coal abounds ; and since the Monmouthshire 

 canal was completed, a number of coaleries have been Coal, 

 opened, which before were unknown or neglected. 

 There are several large ones about 1 7 miles from New- 

 port ; one of which raises nearly 100 tons a day. They 

 are generally worked by levels. There is no stone 

 coal. As proofs of the great activity and increase 

 which has been given to the coal trade, by the for- 

 mation of the canal, it may be mentioned that the coals 

 exported coastwise from Newport average about 150 000 

 tons, principally to Bristol, Bridgewater, and Glouces- 

 ter. To Bristol alone about 40,000 tons are exported ; 

 whereas, before the canal was made, none were sent. 

 There are many quarries of breccia for millstones, and 

 other valuable stone for building. Limestone of the 

 best quality abounds, especially in the eastern division 

 of the county, where it is burnt on the spot for the ge- 

 neral manure of the county. The rivers are well stock- 

 ed with fish. The salmon of the Wye and Usk are 

 much celebrated for their flavour. 



The agriculture of Monmouthshire presents nothing AgricuN 

 interesting. The eastern division contains a good deul<ure. 

 of arable land ; and in some of the viiles near the Rum- 

 ney, a large quantity of corn is grown. There is also 

 very fine pasture land in the eastern division. The 

 western division is chiefly devoted to the feeding of, 

 sheep. This county is not remarkable for its native 

 breed of cattle or horses ; but the finest mules in the 

 kingdom are renrpd and worked in it and Brecon. Tliry 

 are from 14 to Hi hands high, and sell for JL'30 or 40. 

 In the neighbourhood of Monmouth, oxen are much 

 used in agriculture Many of the peasants keep bees. 

 Orchards, on a small scale, are not uncommon. 



The iron-works of this county have been already Manufac- 

 rnentioned. There are also several other mannlac- tures. 

 tures, principally of metal. Near C erkvn there are 

 very extensive tin-works, which are capable of manu. 

 facturing annually from 14,(KX) to 20,000 boxes of tin 

 plates, containing each from 200 to 300 plates Iron 

 plates are here rolled, and iron shop bolts and square 

 bars made. The machinery of the mill is entirely 

 iron. The iron plates made here are used in tlie ma- 

 nufacture of the Pontypool japanned ware. Tins was 

 the invention of Thomas Allgood in the reign of Charles 

 II. ; it is still carried on, but has much declined since 

 the rise in the trade of Birmingham. There is also a 

 manufactory of japan ware at Usk. Not far distant 

 from Tintern Abbey, is a manufactory for making wire, 

 which begins with the thick iron bar, and proceeds to 

 the smallest wire. 



The roads in Monmouthshire, which were formerly Roidi. 

 very bad, have ben much improved of late years; 

 and, though still una.oidably hilly, are in other re- 

 spects as good as in nuM other parts of England. The 

 following are the results of the last accounts respecting 

 them laid before Parliament : 



