Wednesday July 14th
Wednesday July 14th. Early in the morning we took a walk to Gelert’s grave which only consists of a large stone in the centre of a field. We then advanced to Caernarvon. The country on entering this town considered one of the finest in North Wales *** a flatter appearance. It is situated close to the sea with a view of the isle
of Anglesea and the strait of Menai. The exterior of the Castle is remarkably fine. We have not yet surveyed the interior. I think nothing of the house but we are in an excellent hotel built lately by the Earl of Uxbridge. In the evening a noted harper played us some beautiful airs very finely. He is much superior to the one we heard at Bethgelert.
OBSERVATIONS & COMMENTS:
"Gelert's Grave" was built by the late 18th-century landlord of the Goat Hotel, David Pritchard, who created it in order to encourage tourism. Similar legends can be found in other parts of Europe and Asia.
circa 1850: A man and a woman near Gelert's grave, Beddgelert, in the collection of the National Library of Wales, Accession number 1129323 , a work in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or less. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gelert%27s_Grave,_Beddgelert.jpeg
2010: Gelert’s Grave by Necrothesp, published under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gelert%27s_Grave.jpg
Engraved on a slate memorial, in English and in Welsh is the legend, the English reads as follows: "In the 13th century Llewelyn, prince of North Wales, had a palace at Beddgelert. One day he went hunting without Gelert, ‘The Faithful Hound’, who was unaccountably absent. On Llewelyn's return the truant, stained and smeared with blood, joyfully sprang to meet his master. The prince alarmed hastened to find his son, and saw the infant's cot empty, the bedclothes and floor covered with blood. The frantic father plunged his sword into the hound's side, thinking it had killed his heir. The dog's dying yell was answered by a child's cry. Llewelyn searched and discovered his boy unharmed, but nearby lay the body of a mighty wolf which Gelert had slain. The prince filled with remorse is said never to have smiled again. He buried Gelert here". https://www.beddgelerttourism.com/gelert/
Gelert by Charles Burton Barber (c.1894), a work in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or less. Source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gelert.jpg
John Fiske (1842 – 1901), the American philosopher and historian, discusses Gelert in his Myths and Myth-makers, saying regretfully that "as the Swiss must give up his Tell, so must the Welshman be deprived of his brave dog Gellert, over whose cruel fate I confess to having shed more tears than I should." He notes that "to this day the visitor to Snowdon is told the touching story, and shown the place, called Beth-Gellert, where the dog's grave is still to be seen. Nevertheless, the story occurs in the fireside lore of nearly every Aryan people." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelert
Caernarvon grew up around and owes its name to its Norman and late Medieval fortifications. The earlier British and Romano-British settlement at Segontium was named for the nearby Afon Seiont. After the end of Roman rule in Britain around 410, the settlement continued to be known as Cair Segeint ("Fort Seiont") and as Cair Custoient ("Fort Constantius or Constantine") An inscribed tomb of "Constantius the Emperor" (presumably Constantius Chlorus, father of Constantine the Great) was still present in the 9th century but is lost.
In the 13th century, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, ruler of Gwynedd, refused to pay homage to Edward I of England, prompting the English conquest of Gwynedd. This was followed by the construction of Caernarfon Castle, one of the largest and most imposing fortifications built by the English in Wales. In 1284, the English-style county of Caernarfonshire was established by the Statute of Rhuddlan; the same year, Caernarfon was made a borough, a county and market town, and the seat of English government in north Wales. Today, Caernarfon has expanded beyond its medieval walls and has experienced heavy suburbanisation. Its population includes the largest percentage of Welsh-speaking citizens anywhere in Wales. The status of Royal Borough was granted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1963 and amended to Royal Town in 1974. The castle and town walls are part of a World Heritage Site described as the Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caernarfon
1749: A north-west view of Caernarvon Castle by John Boydell, print in the collection of the National Library of Wales, Accession number 1132372. This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or less. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_north-west_view_of_Caernarvon_Castle.jpeg
1854: Carnarvon Castle: from Coed Helen by Charles Haghe, print in the collection of the National Library of Wales, Accession number 1128822. (National Library of Wales). This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or less. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carnarvon_Castle_-_from_Coed_Helen.jpeg
Uxbridge Arms Hotel, which Lucy describes as an excellent hotel built lately by the Earl of Uxbridge, was erected by the 2nd Earl. He was made the 1st Marquess of Anglesey after his successful leadership at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, when one of his legs was hit. Legend has it that he remarked to the Duke of Wellington: “By God, sir, I’ve lost my leg!” and the Duke replied: “By God, sir, so you have!” The leg was later amputated. http://historypoints.org/index.php?page=the-celtic-royal-hotel-caernarfon . The Hotel was noted for hosting lavish balls and entertainment for the Adelphi Society. The hotel’s stables and coach houses were extended in 1810 and became some of the finest in the country, forming an enclosed courtyard with tack rooms, grooms’ quarters, farrier and smithy. Queen Victoria stayed in 1832 with her mother and in her honour the hotel was renamed the Royal Hotel http://www.celtic-royal.co.uk/history/
The Welsh Guards at The Celtic Royal Hotel. Thursday 24th September 2015https://www.facebook.com/gwestyrcelt/posts/985179641578279
This photograph of the Welsh Guards at the hotel on 24th September 2015 would have pleased Lucy’s grandson, F.A.V. (“Vincent”) Copland-Griffiths, who joined the Welsh Guards at its creation in 1915, fought with the regiment in both World Wars and retired with the rank of Brigadier in 1947. The photograph is from the Celtic Royal’s Facebook page.
Can you help us?
Transcription problems: As untrained transcribers we sometimes experience problems interpreting some of Lucy’s writing.
*** a flatter appearance.
The *** may well be “bears” , in which case the sentence would read:The country on entering this town considered one of the finest in North Wales bears a flatter appearance, but the first letter does not look like a Regency “b”. We would really appreciate help from a trained eye!
Old Regency Prints, Pictures an Coaching maps: Do you have access to any prints or pictures showing what town and country would have looked like when Lucy travelled through? Any illustrations of what she would have seen in 1819 will enliven our research.
New Pictures: Do you have any modern pictures of the streets, buildings, gardens and views that would enable us to see the changes that two centuries have wrought?