John Leland's Itinerary in Wales - Historical texts and images

WENTLLUGH [IN MONMOUTH].
52 Wentllug 53 is devidid from Ventissa by este with the ryver of Wiske, by south with
the Severn Se, by west with the ryver of Remny to the very hedde of it, and toward
the north northe est lye the hilles of High Wenteland.
The lenght of Wentllugh 54 is from the Sevem Se to the hed of the lordship of
Meridith, that is to say from south to northe about a xx. mile.
Where it is most brodest from est to west it is not countid by estimation above 8. miles,
and in diverse places lesse.
The soile by south toward Severn is sumwhat low and fulle of dikes to drene it.
Ther is lightly great plenty of benes, and in divers [places 55 ] it berith al other maner of
corne.
And this low ground is from the causey or high -way that goit from Newport to Pont
Remny by south to the Severne Se. The north side of the same high-way is stille higher and
higher to the northe.
fo.51 .
Monmouthshire
There is very litle wood yn this low part of Wentllughe, except at Parke Bahan 56 3.
miles out of New port, thorough the which the high-way lyith to Cairdif.
Castelle Behan 57 is a litle without the south side of this park, and is in ruine. It longid to
the Duke of Bukkingham.
Parke Bahan,
Litle Park.
This park has nother dere nor pale now, it is the Kinges by the lordship of Newport; and
at Tredegar, wher Mr. William Morgan, a man of 300. markes of landes by yere
/13/hath a very faire place of stone. It is a mile and a half from Neuporte south west
on the hither este side of Ebouith 58 Ryver.
Such part of Wenllugh as lyith up toward Cairleon is well pastured and woddi.
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Monmouth-
shire.
Such part as lyith from Pont Remny along on the est ripe of Remny to Bedwes paroche vi.
miles of by land ys much woddy, and in sum places bytwixt, as first in Llanuihengle paroche,
and then in Maghen paroche joining to it is metely good corne. Ponte Remny is a 2. miles
from the Severn Se. Ther is a village by it caullid Rumney in Englisch, in Walsch Tredelerch.
Thens on Remny ripe a mile upper is a fair valley caullid Diffrin Risca, going a
3. or 4. mile upward on the water, plentiful of wodde as it were a forest ground,
myngelid with feldes, but having litle corne.
And from the hedde of this valley it is upward on Remny a 4. miles to Eggluis
Tider uab Hohele, by rughe hilles and wilde valeis and plenty of wood. The hedde of
Remney River is a 3. or 4. miles above this yn the hilles of High Wentelande.
fo. 52
fo. 52
Fanum
Theodori
Filii Howel
Thens cumme many springes, and taking one botom the brooke is caullid Kayach, and
thens going into Diffrin Risca it is augmentid with Risca a brooke cumming ynto it oute of a
51 Machynlleth
52 Applies to left-marginal annotation: Leland’s MS. vol. iv., see before, p.1 note
53 Gwynll?g
54 Ditto
55 Supplied by Hearne’s editor, 2nd ed.
56 Park Bychan
57 Castell Bychan
58 Ebbw
paroche caullid Eggluis Ilan, and then doth it al bere the name of Risca. Eggluis Ilan is yn
Singhenith 59 in Glamorganshir a 4. mile of from Diffrin Risca. And cumming to Bedwes
paroche it is caullid Remny, and by the same name into the Severne Se.
In the midle ground bytwixt Remny and Ebouith Ryver on the north side of the high way
to Pont Remny the ground for the most parte is hilly, better for catelle then corne. And there
is a very high hille caullid Tuinbarlum.
The ryver of Ebouith 60 risith yn a flat north montayne of High Wencelande, and strait
cummith into a valley caullid Diffrin Serowy. 61
Ebowth goith into Wisk a mile and a half beneth Newport, and half a mile from the haven
mouth of Wiske.
There is a bridge of tymbre over Ebowith caullid Pont Bessaleg a 2. miles above the
confluence of Ebowith and /14/Wisk: and over this bridg lyith the high-way from
Newport to Cairtaphe. 62 This bridge is scant 2. miles from Newporte toun.
Newport is but 2. miles from Cairleon. From Neuport to the place wher Ebowith goith
yn to Wisch Haven a good mile and a halfe. And then more then half a mile to the
haven mouth.
The bridges of Cairleon and Newport be booth of wood.
From the haven mouth of Wisch to the mouth of Remny, wher no haven is or cumming
yn meete for shippes, a vi. miles. On this shore is no very notable thing. The bankes of it be
clyvid inough to defend the se for raging into the low ground of Wenceland.
Newport is a bigge towne, wherof that parte where the paroche chirch is stondith on a
hille. The chirch is S. Guntle, 63 Olave in Englisch.
Ther is a great stone gate by the bridge at the este ende of the toun, a nother yn the midle
of the town as in the High strete to passe thorough, and the 3. at the west end of the toune: and
hard without it is the paroche chirch. The fairest of the toun is al yn one 64 streate. The toun is
yn ruine. Ther was a house of religion by the key beneth the bridg. The castelle is on the este
side of the toun above the bridge.
Monmouthshire
fo. 53.
fo. 52.
Gentilmen in Wenllugh.
Morgan the chifeste of landes hath a very fair place at Tredeger, and a nother in the toun
of Newporte.
There is a nother of the Morgans a man of meane landes dwelling [at] Newport.
There is a nother of the Morgans dwelling by Remny at Maghen, 65 having a fair house.
He had bene a man of fair landes, if his father had not devidid it partely to other of his sunnes.
John Morgan at Lampeder paroch in Low-Wenllugh.
59 Senghend
60 Ebbw
61 Sirhowy
62 Cardiff
63 Gunley in Bk. of Ll. Dav=Gwynlliw, now St. Woolas.
64 Leland repeats ‘in one’ here by mistake
65 Machen
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