DENBIGHSHIRE. 



617 



Denbigh- of the whole year. The quantity of rain that falls on 

 shire. an avera g e , at Llanrwst, is computed to be about fifty 

 •' — inches. Strong loam prevails in the vale of Clwyd, 

 below Ruthin, and in some other parts of the county ; 

 but it is by no means common. Above Ruthin, the soil 

 of the vale of Clwyd is a lighter loam, which is also 

 found in the valley of Llanrwst, and in most of the 

 other vale lands. A still lighter species of soil prevails 

 on the slopes of the hills, especially where they have a 

 southern aspect, and have a substratum of limestone. 

 Where the substratum is slate, the soil is till, cold, and 

 unproductive. Immense quantities of peat, or moss, 

 are found in the mountainous districts. The principal 

 rivers in Denbighshire, are the Clwyd, Elwy, Dee, and 

 Conway. The tenure of estates is of a mixed kind, be- 

 tween feudal and allodial ; they being held either me- 

 diately or immediately in capite of the king. The size 

 of farms varies much. Scarcely any reach COO acres; 

 and in general they do not exceed 200, except in the 

 mountain farms, which run to 1000 acres or up- 

 wards. The rent, in the vales, is from 20 s. to 30s. per 

 acre ; in the smaller dales, and on the hilly parts, from 

 15s. to 20s. The sheep-farms are seldom let by the 

 acre, but they may be reckoned at from 1 s. 6'd. to 2s. 

 per acre. In the south-east extremity of the county, on 

 the banks of the Dee, there is rich pasture and meadow 

 land, and cheese is made nearly equal to that of Che- 

 shire. In the northern part of the county, many cattle 

 are reared and fed. The vales are chiefly devoted to 

 the growth of corn. 



The most celebrated vales in Denbighshire, are those 

 of Clwyd, Llangollen, and Valle Cruris. The first is 

 perhaps the most extensive of any of the kingdom, be- 

 ing 24 miles in length, and about seven in width. It 

 is in a high state of cultivation, and is, moreover, natu- 

 rally very fertile. Twenty returns of excellent wheat 

 have been produced in it. The river Clwyd runs 

 through it. It is, however, much inferior in picturesque 

 beauty to the vale of Llangollen, and some other vales 

 in this county, though it assumes this character, in some 

 degree, as it contracts beyond this shire, where it is 

 bounded on the Flintshire side by lofty limestone hills, 

 and on the south by the slate rocks of Merioneth, the 

 sides of which are covered with extensive Avoods. The 

 vale of Llangollen has been much celebrated from the 

 steep banks on the south side of the Dee; by the Os- 

 westry road to Llangollen, the vale is seen to great ad- 

 vantage, the river, winding in elegant courses along 

 the wooded meadows beneath ; and the prospect of it 

 from its mouth also, where it sinks into the plain of 

 Salop, towards its commencement, is uncommonly strik- 

 ing ; yet some of its most beautiful scenes are greatly 

 disfigured by a formal range of limestone rocks on the 

 north-west side of it. The vale of Cruris extends near- 

 ly to Llangollen ; it is represented as one of the most 

 charmingly secluded vales that the kingdom can boast 

 of, surrounded by high mountains, the sides and bot- 

 toms of which are dad with wood and verdure. The 

 venerable ruins of , I ": ucis Abbey, embowered in 



trees, add very much to the picturesque el it of this 

 vale. It may be remarked, that the woods near Erthig, 

 in this county, is the only spot in North Wales where 

 the nightingale is heard. There is not much timber in 

 Denbighshire ; the best wooded estate is probably that 

 ©f Lord Bagot's, in the vale of Clwyd. 



There are two ranges of mountains in Denbighshire, 

 the Berwyn and the Clwydian range ; the former takes 

 its rise near Chirk Castle ; its geometrical length is 5i 



VOL. VII. PART II. 



miles, in a straight line 49 miles ; its greatest elevation 

 rather more than 3000 feet ; it is principally argillaceous, 

 with some chert. Immense quantities of slate are pro- 

 cured from this range. Oernaut, near Llangollen, is 

 considered as the north-eastern commencement of the 

 Berwyn line of slate quarries. A branch of the Elles- 

 mere canal extends from the Pontcysylte aqueduct near- 

 ly to this quarry. The slates are more durable than those 

 procured from the quarries near Chirk. The Clwydian 

 range consists of two branches, only one of which pro- 

 perly belongs to Denbighshire ; it is from 25 to 30 miles 

 in length, and from 5 to 9 miles broad ; it consists prin- 

 cipally of shale, semi-indurated whin, and flags for floor- 

 ing and tomb-stones. This branch is covered with 

 heath or ling ; and the hollows abound with peat, so 

 hard and close grained that it exhibits a polished sur- 

 face when dry. The vale of Clywd lies between the 

 two branches of this range. 



Besides slate, lime, coal, and a little lead ore found 

 in Denbighshire, limestone is found at the upper end of 

 the vale of Clwyd ; and it composes the Eglwyseg rocks 

 in Llangollen vale. Another branch of this range of 

 limestone hills turns to the north-west, and crossing the 

 collieries and freestone quarries at Ruabon, appears at 

 Minera, near Wrexham. Dark-coloured argillaceous 

 limestone may also be traced from Denbighshire in a 

 south-western direction across Merionethshire ; it is 

 much inferior to the white limestone, both as a cement 

 and manure. The lead niines of this county lie on the 

 borders of Flintshire. Near Wrexham, the Minera 

 lead works, which had been wrought for ages, and were 

 considered as nearly exhausted, have been resumed, 

 a fresh vein, five feet broad, having been discovered at 

 the depth of 70 yards. Coal is found above limestone 

 in the eastern part of the county, and very extensive 

 beds between limestone and the sand rocks about Wrex- 

 ham. At Plas Kynaston, that species of coal, called 

 cannel, is found. Granite porphyry in mass, micaceous 

 schistus, and other primitive stratified rocks, as Avell as 

 serpentine, and hornblende slate mixed with veins and 

 rocks of quartz, are found near Llanrwst. 



The principal manufacture of Denbighshire is what is 

 termed small cloths; they are thus denominated to dis- 

 tinguish them from the strong cloth, which is made 

 near Dolgellen ; the pieces of both are of the Same 

 length, but the small cloth is about one eight of a yard 

 narrower. It is entirely manufactured within the pa- 

 rish of Glynn, a large tract of country lying between 

 Llangollen and Corwen : in this district there are eleven 

 fulling mills, which dress about 22 webs per week, each 

 web containing about 190 yards. The amount of the 

 annual manufacture is supposed to be L.l 2,679; the 

 prime cost of the materials L.S475, and the wages of 

 labour L.4204. It is chiefly used for dyeing. The 

 market for Glynn webs is held every Wednesday at 

 Oswestry. Knit stockings and socks are made near 

 Llanrwst. In the neighbourhood of Wrexham there 

 are several manufactories of military instruments; and 

 a large cannon foundry not far from the town. The 

 greatest fair in North Wales is held at this place, com- 

 mencing on the 23d of March, and continuing to the 

 end of the following week. At Llanrwst there is a 

 great market for stockings. 



The Ellesmere canal enters the county of Denbigh at 

 Pulsford, and a branch turns off to the Ffrwd colliery. 

 This canal, which was laid out by Mr Telford, passes 

 over two of the finest aqueduct bridges in the kingdom, 

 viz. those of Chirk and Pontcysylte. The last of these 

 4i 



Denbigh- 

 shire. 



