Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 1.djvu/366

Rh BUlil'KM (!<. 356 BRECKNOCK. nected with the Caer Bannau, now called the Sani H!r and n easily traceable. With the .1 the remains of Brecknock Priory and Col- lege, thoro are no ruins of religious houses in theeounty. Many castles formerly existed her, and there are still sting ruins of those of Brecknock, Crickhowell, tower, bcsi'i of Dinas, Builth, and Penkelly. At Brynllys is a round i in good preservation. The county contains a large number of ancient mansions, once the seats of the principal lamih- mostly occupied as faim- houses. Among the chief modern gents are Olun I '-k, i nvole, Dinas, LJangoed Castle, Castle Madoc, IVn- 1 louse. The cor !' the Brecon canal was commenced in 1793 and completed in 1811. It is 33 miles in length, extending from Breck- nock by Clydach and Abergavenny to l'"iit-y-pool, where it joins the Momnouth canal. In the 18 miles between Brecknock and Clydach it has a fall of 68 feet, with six locka. It passes along a noble aqueduct, 80 feet high, over the Clydach valley, whence it has a level course to Pont-y-pool. Easy communication is secured be: this canul and the various extensive works on the con- fines of Monmouthshire, by several lines of railroad con- structed shortly after. '.nm. There are also from Brecknock to Hay and Kington, and from Ulan Usk to the Swansea canal, which enters the county in the south-west. The principal roads in the county are the following: those from Brecknock to < h'twell and Abergavenny ; to Merthyr Tvdvil ; up the vall<. ^k to Trecastle; to Castle lladoc and Builth ; and that from lluy to Tulgarth and Crickhow. 11. A line of railway is projected to cross the county from X. to S., by Builth, Tulgarth, and Brecknock, to meet the Vale of Neath railway at Merthyr Tydvil ; and another line from Hereford, to enter the county at Hay, and ho former at Talgarth. BRECKNOCK, or BRECON, a market town, muni- cipal and parliamentary borough, in the hunds. of M i - thyr-Cynog, Penkelly, and Devynnock, in the co. of Brecknock, South Wales, 171 miles to the W. of London. It is situated on the banks of the Usk, at the confluence of the Honddhu and Tarell with that river, and is the county town of Brecknockshire. It is a place of great antiquity, and is called by the Welsh, from its situ at the mouth of the Honddhu, Abrrhonddhu. Its foun- dation is attributed to the Norman baron, Bernard Newmarch, who soon after the Conquest invaded and gained possession of the territory. Bleddyn-ap-Mucn- aroh was at that time Prince of Brecheiniog, and he was defeated and slain in a fierce battle with the Nor- mans, fought, it is said, near Caer Bannau. This spot, 3 miles to the W. of the present town of Brecknock, was the site of the important Roman station Ititniiium, on the Via Julia Montana, and a cross way meeting it here, now called Sarn Helen. It is thought ]>i that a British town existed on the same site before the Roman invasion took place. Tl town dates from the year 1094, win n I;, mard selected the site for the erection of a castle, t Is for which he obtained from Caer Bannau. From the same place were procured materials for building of the tow n. which was defended by walls, with towers, and a moat. Before his death Bernard also founded and largely en- dowed a priory of the Benedictine order, as a cell to the abbey of Battle, in Sussex. The endowments and privi- leges of this house were extended by several charters, granted to the monks by Roger i, grandson of the founder. The history of the lordship, already sketched in the article on Uahire, need not bo repeated here. Under the l)u Bohuns, the castle was enlarged and beautified, privileges were conferred on the inhabitants of the town, an annual fair was established, and Brecknock became a more important and prosperous place than ever. After the abolition of the lonlxhip marcher the castle fell into decay, and was at length dismantled during the civil war in the reign iiarles I. After the Kittle ( Nas. by, ( 'harles was entertained at t! ! I .,uso by Sir Hubert Trice. The .situation and general aspect of Brerl, larly picturesque. midst ' 'wnlu < k, whieh is here joined by tl by the I Hi" knock Beacons. Tin bridge of seven arches, fnun wlil iie surrounding count i ;, by one bridge, and the Ilmlilhu by which is an atieient : tl] erected near tl. ruins of the castle, the a and gateway of along the Honddhu, ] all in, the magnificent mountain- .11, wliieh with the suburb of Llanvaei eHi about a mile in length, is iir< r, several t with gas, and containing Nome haudaomi^^^l The old county hall in High-street was rebsj^^l and is now convi : .-rooa; assize courts haviii. a handsome edifice of the 1> : archil and cost 12,000. There is a in : from designs by Wyalt. Tl barracks, originally used as, borough gaols, and a the , and its tr in the goods to the district surro has been promoted by 1 1 BUKCKNOCKSIIIHZ.] one along the banks of t~.sk. n the other, delightfully s> grounds oft! banks of the Honddhu. tor of incorporation fn ford; but the chart' i exists was granted in the second an reign of William and M under the Reform Act, by a i men, and 12 councilloi aldermen, and burgesses of the borou has returned one i the 'J7th of Henry VIM., vh first c-o: I 'he borough .m]irising, i ril districts o lege. According to the census borough includes within il with a population of 6/>. ing a decrease in the dV pal borough has deelii the same period. l!p r! Union, the head of a Com I.H of the county militia. The ami* in the the brad of an arehdeae. in ; ' of St. John and St. 1> i of St. Mary. The li> in the dioc. of St. David's, of the val. with 1 St. Mary's annexed, of flliii, in the deacon of Brecknock. 1 longed to the priory, and is s: is a cruciform editire in tin embattl. I e.-ntraltower. It i from the lrei|iii nt irpairsaml alter.. 1 retains little of its primitive ap|anuO screen, rood-loft, chajicN (i.r the various one of large size, called tin round font, and dome interesting n. septs arc said to have be> ' for the use of the Inhabitants of Battle, B^M village, and the oth. tire structun feet broad. The living of St. David's in the same dioe.,of the val. of 110, inthcpttt