Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 1.djvu/654

Rh CON WAI,. CH NWII.-IN-KI,FET. Fairs arc held on tuary, 17th May. '.M-t .Inn. , igt, -id V..-mi>. !. and 2nd i iiNWAI,, or ' nXKVAL, ii j.ar. in tho bam. of co. of Donegal, prov. ainous and boggy, with MHI l. lii. load Ii-oni Stral.ane ' head of Lough Swilly lying to the S.W. llii' post town ot l.etti rkenny. The living is a r< tin- dioc. of Raphoc, val. 873, in tin: patron, of Trinity College, Dublin. The church was built about 1782, and there are mei -ting-houses for Covenantors and M dists, two united Human Catholic chapels, sev< n Sunday and twenty-two day schools, within the pariah. An abbey is alleged to nave been founded here in the 6th .IT. HnUymacool is the principal residence. CONWAY, or < <iN WY.a par., market town, muni- cipal and i IT boroiiL'h, in the hund. ol and co. of Carnarvon, North Wales, 22 miles N Carnarvon, and 'i'l'A N.W. of I/nulon by road, or 2331 miles by the North-Western and Chester and Unlyheaa railways. It is situated on the left bank near the mouth of the river Conway, hence called by tin- V, Con way. The town is supposed by some antiquarians to occupy the site of the Koman station Conorium, and many antiquities have been found in the vicinity ; but it i more probable that Cner-Khun, a small villages miles higher up the river, was the ancient Oonoritun. The present town has gradually grown up round the castle, which was built by Edward I. in 1284, to overawe the Welsh. It was besieged by the Welsh in 1290, under the command of Madoc, but was relieved by the arrhal of the English fleet which Edward had sent round with provisions. It was occupied by Richard II. on his landing in Wales from Ireland to attack Bolingbrokc, afterwards Henry IV. At the commencement of the civil war of the 17th century it was garrisoned by Wil- liams, Archbishop of York, for the king, but was taken by Mytton in 1646. The parliament spared this noble pile when they dismantled most of the other castles in Wales, but the lead and timber were removed by Lord Conway, to whom it was granted on the Kestoration, and the edifice fell into decay. The strength of its walls and towers was such, that time has not been able to efface the proportions of this once formidable fortress. It stands on the verge of a precipitous rock on the S.E. of the town, and forms part of the walls of the town, which still remain entire, strengthened at intervals by twenty-one towers, besides two towers at each of the three entrances. The Mayor of Conway is constable of the castle, which is in keeping with the general aspect of the town, picturesque in its antique beauty, but everywhere showing the ravages of time. The streets of the older portion of the town are narrow and irregu- lar, and many of the more conspicuous buildings crum- bling to decay. The building which attracts most attention from visitors is the Pitts Mawr, or Great i belonging to the Mostyn family ; it is supposed to have been built in 1576, and displays the capability of the Elizabethan style of architecture for profuse decoration. In the interior are some good specimens of carved oak, and the walls are ornamented with emblazoned armorial bearings of ancient families, nitched figures, and scrolls. Many new houses have recently been built both within and without the walls, for the accommoda- tion of such as wish to enjoy the invigorating effect of the sea and mountain breezes, which are nowhere more delightfully combined than on this part of the coast. The town was formerly governed by an alderman, two bailiffs, a water-bailiff, recorder, coroner, and tv. geanta-at-arms. It is now governed by a mayor and corporation, and is contributory to Carnarvon in re- turning one member to parliament. Tho parliamentary borough contains 496 inhabited houses, with a popula- ''' 2,105 in 1851, showing an increase in the decennial period of 418. This increase of ] 1-ition is attributed in the census of 1861 to the Halo of land for building purposes consequent on the parish being resorted to by visitors. The spring i formerly held hire, but were removed to Carnarvon. I'etty M-s>i"in i.,r llns and the adjacent hundred an still held in tin- town. -Tin- living is a of Bangor, val. 121, in the patron, of Sir 1 ' The church, -which stand* near the cei is a venerable Gothi. tin; llth cent in;. 'itnal churi Mercian ab 1 lira- a]i-.lorwetb, 1'rince of North Wales, in 1185. Portions of the building have subsequently been added in various styles, but a considerable part of the origin . remains. Tho church contains an oak sci< rately carved, and a curious font of ti The Independents and Wcsleyan and < thodisU have chapels, and there are spaciou schools, with a parochial lending library. 'I the town has recently considerably increased. a of the suspension bridge i at the cost ot i4U,CWO, which was dcfra; i to the influx of summer visitors. Tho principal business of the place consists in ship-building and the Irish traffic, which latter, however, has answered the Government's expectation when tin- su- bridge was originally designed. Tin; r.> irk iW tanning, and slate are exported, and cools, wine, ind general merchandise imported. The harbour is modious, and the tideway deep and raj.. rocks on which the suspension bridge is fixed. The length of the bridge, measured between On the supporting towers, is 327 feet, and. .'.ore the stream at low tide 36 feet. I t lie bridge is an embankment, stretching across the an above 2,000 feet in length, and 30 feet inbr. ;. top, while the base is throughout. The Conway is also crossed 1 mense wrought-iron tubular bridge, coi. cost of 1 10,000, by the great engineer, Robe: : son, for the Chester and II. .y. The length of the tube is 400 feet, and its height abort high-water mark 18 feet, resemblii characteristics, tho similar structure Straits, likewise belonging to the Chc.-t head railway. A great change has - river near tho town since the consti iieso bridges, by tho contraction of the chai 900 feet broad where tho ferry-boat cross feet. The water is consequently nun 1 small vessels, called flats, can ast-i -nd tin ri .il to Trefriw, where a good quay is formed, and aUltt exported in largo quantities. Besides the picturesque ruins of tho castle, with its outer and inner courts, (lilt hall, 130 feet in length, hanging terrace, li^^^H chamber, them are many antiquities in this v^^^H The castle of Diganwy, now to the town ; and the circular mynydd is a singular curiosity. The market dT -iay, and fairs are held on 't ''rta April, 20th June, lOUi August, IGOl !~ October, and 15th November. OONwIL OAYO.orCYNWYL t;.IO, apd^^H hund. of Cayo, in the co. of Conn ds, 7 miles N.W. of Llandovcry,  same distance from Lampetcr, both which have railwy station lines are believed to have been worked by tho Romans. It contains the hmlt- Lower Cwmtwrch, and Maestrcyddin. The living is a vie. in tho dioc. of St. David's, val. with tha^^^H Llansawel annexed, r-'-'l, in tho p.r of Wales. 'l')n i Inn 1.. an ancient and 00 4^B .structure, i- have a chapel. There are some sma a Roman station, situated on the 8 and tl hiet, antiquities, and o I -'airs are held mi the 30th .' Vll,-lN-i:i.l 1-1, a parochial chjili hund. of Klvet, in tho co. of Carmarthen, 5 miles N.W.