222 ON THE GEOLOGY OF THE 
have good specimens of the style of building in the reigns 
of Henry Seventh, Henry Eighth, and Elizabeth. And 
within the embattled walls of Conway, more like an east- 
ern fort than an European town, are several splendid old 
buildings, of as beautiful architecture, and of equal or 
greater antiquity. It cannot be doubted, from the spacious 
halls with which these old houses are all furnished, that 
hospitality, in former times, extensively prevailed in this 
district. 
This charming vale has also to boast of designs in archi- 
tecture executed by one of our greatest artists, the cele- 
brated Inigo Jones. This ornament of his country, while 
he was erecting monuments to his architectural fame all 
over the island, did not forget to adorn Llanroost, gene- 
rally believed to be the place of his nativity. Here he 
erected a beautiful chapel, connected with the parish 
church ; and constructed a bridge, in 1630, over the Con- 
way; memorials of his affection for the town that gave 
him birth. 
The last, and perhaps the most interesting of all the 
architectural objects of this basin, is the Castle of Conway. 
This is the work of Edward the First, who, to secure his 
entrance into this country, fixed on this spot as the site 
of a stronghold. This building has long been deservedly 
admired, for grandeur and symmetry of outline, and ele- 
gance of architecture ; and, like the Castles of Dumbar- 
ton and Edinburgh, stands on a basaltic rock ; which is, 
however, much inferior to either of these in elevation. 
