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Nicholl, John Cole, Esq., Merthyr Mawr, Bridgend
Noel, Rev. D., Llanfabon, Cardiff

Perrot, John, Esq., Hengoed Hall, Caerphilly

Price, William, Esq., M.D., Glantwrch, Swansea

Prichard, J., Esq., Llandaff

Pryce, J. Bruce, Esq., Dyffryn, Cardiff

Randall, David, Esq., Neath

Richardson, James, Esq., Glanrafon, Swansea

Richardson, John Crowe, Esq., Uplands, Swansea

Robinson, Thomas, Esq., Swansea

Royal Institution, Swansea

Stacy, Rev. T., M.A., Old Castle, Bridgend

Stephens, Mr. Thomas, Merthyr-Tydfil

Thomas, Rev. D. Parry, Llanmaes Rectory, Cowbridge

Vaughan, N. Edwards, Esq., Rheola, Neath

Vivian, Hussey H., Esq., M.P., Parkwern, Swansea

Waldron, Clement, Esq., Llandaff

Wilkinson, Sir James Gardner, Brynfield House, Gower, Swansea

Williams, Mr. David, F.L.S., Swansea
Williams, Mr. Howell Walter, Swansea
Williams, W., Esq., Tirisaf, Bridgend

Rev. John Griffith, M.-A., Rectory, Merthyr Tydfil Local Secs.

Matthew Moggridge, Esq., F.G.S., Swansea

PEMBROKESHIRE.

Scourfield, John Henry, Esq., M.P., Williamston, Haverfordwest, Lord Lieutenant of Haverfordwest

Allen, Rev. James, M.A., Prebendary of St. David's, Castlemartin, Pembroke

Allen, Charles, Esq., Norton, Tenby

Brown, Mr. John, Market Street, Haverfordwest

Clark, the Ven. Archdeacon, Robeston Wathen, Narberth

Clark, Frederick L'Estrange, Esq., Pembroke

Colby, John, Esq., Ffynnonau, Newcastle-Emlyn

Davies, A. Saunders, Esq., Pentre, Newcastle-Emlyn

Davies, R. P., Esq., Ridgeway, Narberth

Dawkins, Jonas, Esq., Pembroke

Goode, H. P., Esq., Haverfordwest

Gwynne, Mrs., St. Julian House, Tenby

Hughes, Rev. Jacob, Llanrhian, Fishguard

James, Mr. John, St. Martin's Crescent, Haverfordwest
Jones, Rev. C. Parry, M.A., St. Davids

Llewellyn, R. L., Esq., Tregwynt, Haverfordwest
Lloyd-Phillips, J. P. A., Esq., Dale Castle, Milford
Phillipps, Rev. J. H. A.,.Picton Castle, Haverfordwest
Smith, Rev. Gilbert N., M.A., Gumphreston, Tenby

Thomas, Rev. W. B., M.A., Prebendary of St. David's Steynton, Milford
Tombs, Rev. J., B.A., Burton, Haverfordwest

Rev. James Allen, M.A., Castlemartin, Pembroke
Tombs, Rev. J., B.A., Burton, Haverfordwest

RADNORSHIRE.

Local Secs.

Walsh, Sir John Benn, Bart., M.P., Knill, Kington, Herefordshire, Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire

Walsham, Sir John, Bart., Knill Court, Presteign, and the Poor Law Board, London, S.W.

Lloyd, T. Lewis, Esq., Nantgwyllt, Rhayader

Sladen, Mrs., Rhydolog, Rhayader

Williams, Stephen William, Esq., Rhayader

R. W. Banks, Esq., Kington, Herefordshire, Local Secretary.

MONMOUTHSHIRE.

Falconer, Thomas, Esq., Judge of County Courts, Usk

Hamer, Mr. Edward, Abersychan, Pontypool

Harries, Rev. G. C. F., M.A., Gelligaer Rectory, Newport, Monmouth
Lee, J. E., Esq., The Priory, Caerleon

Mitchell, Frank Johnstone, Esq., Llanfrechfa Grange, Caerleon
Morgan, C. Octavius S., Esq., M.P., F.R.S., F.S.A., The Friars, Newport
Rolls, J. E. W., Esq., The Hendre, Monmouth

J. E. Lee, Esq., The Priory, Caerleon, Local Secretary.

CHESHIRE-SHROPSHIRE-HEREFORDSHIRE.

Westminster, the Marquis of, Eaton Hall, Chester, Lord Lieutenant of
Cheshire

Harcourt, the Lady Frances, The Homme, Weobley, Herefordshire
Hill, the Lord Viscount, Hawkstone, Shrewsbury, Lord Lieutenant of
Shropshire

Banks, R. W., Esq., Kington, Herefordshire

Child, Rev. Edward, M.A., Kinlet Rectory, Bewdley

Davies, Rev. James, M.A., Moor Court, Kington, Herefordshire

Davies, James, Esq., Widemarsh Street, Hereford

Hawkins, Henry Montonnier, Esq., Moorfields, Hereford

Lee, J. H., Esq., Redbrook, Whitchurch, Salop

Martin, John, Esq., M.P., Upper Hall, Ledbury

Roberts, Rev. G. Lloyd, M.A., Ryton, Shiffnal

Short, Rev. Ambrose, M.A., Oswestry

Vaughan, R. Chambre, Esq., B.A., Burleton Hall, Shrewsbury

Williamson, Edward, Esq., Daisy Bank, Congleton

James Davies, Esq., Hereford, Local Secretary for Herefordshire

Rev. G. Lloyd Roberts, M.A., Ryton Rectory, Shiffnal

Edward Williamson, Esq., Daisy Bank, Congleton, Local Secretary for Cheshire

CORRESPONDING SOCIETIES.

The Society of Antiquaries of London

The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland

The Royal Irish Academy

Kilkenny and South-East of Ireland Archæological Society
The British Archæological Association

The Archæological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland
Society of Northern Antiquaries, Copenhagen

Society of Antiquaries of Normandy

Sussex Archæological Society

EDITORIAL

AND

ILLUSTRATION

FUND.

The following donations of ten shillings each, amounting to £7, were

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The Earl of Cawdor

Charles Allen, Esq., Tenby

Rev. James Allen, Castlemartin

Professor Babington, F.S.A., Cambridge

R. W. Banks, Esq., Kington

Rev. E. L. Barnwell, Melksham

T. Talbot Bury, Esq., F.S.A., London

B. L. Chapman, Esq., Lincoln's Inn
G. T. Clark, Esq., Dowlais
Joseph Edwards, Esq., London
Edwin Norris, Esq., F.S.A., London
F. Lloyd Phillips, Esq., Hafodneddya
Rev. Hugh Prichard, Dinam, Anglesea
Edward Williamson, Esq., Cheshire

Contributors to this Fund are requested to send their contributions at the same time as they remit their subscription. All Members residing in South Wales and Monmouthshire are to forward their subscriptions to the Secretary, REES GORING THOMAS, Esq., Llannon, Llanelly, South Wales. All other Members to the Rev. E. L. BARNWELL, Melksham, Wilts.

As it is not unlikely that omissions or errors exist in the above lists, corrections will be thankfully received by the General Secretaries.

The Annual Subscription is One Guinea, payable in advance on the first day of the year.

Members wishing to retire must give six months notice previous to the first day of the following year, at the same time paying up all arrears.

Archaeologia Cambrensis.

THIRD SERIES, No. LIII.-JANUARY, 1868.

ANCIENT ARWYSTLI.

THE old historical cantref of Arwystli previous to the time of Henry VIII formed part of Meirionydd, and included the three commots of Uwch-coed, Is-coed, and Gwerthrynion, but by the statute passed in the twentyseventh year of that monarch's reign, the latter commot, which included five extensive parishes, was to form part of the new county of Radnorshire, and the remaining portion of the cantref was taken from Meirionydd to constitute a part of Montgomeryshire. These two commots form the ecclesiastical deanery of Arwystli, and the modern hundred of Llanidloes, embracing within their limits the seven parishes of Llangurig, Llanidloes, Trefeglwys, Llandinam, Carno, Llanwnog, and Penstrowed. Some of the ancient remains in these parishes, forming the south-western portion of Montgomeryshire, are the subject of the present paper.

That portion of Arwystli lying to the north of the Severn was, in the time of the Britons, peopled by a portion of that nation or collection of tribes which went under the generic name of Ordovices. According to Camden they were so called because the River Dyfi ran through their territory — " 'Ar-Dyfi"- upon the Dyfi, but a later1 writer is more happy in his conjecture, that the Ordovices were so denominated in allusion to their moun

1 The late Eliezer Williams.

3RD SER., VOL. XIV.

1

tainous situation, and that the name was a general term applied to those clans or septs which inhabited the mountainous district of North Wales. Camden speaks of them as a "courageous and puissant nation, being inhabitants of a mountainous country, and, receiving vigour from their native soil, they continued the longest of any unconquered by the Romans." That the Britons of Arwystli deserved the high eulogium passed upon them by the old antiquary, may be gathered from the manner in which they resisted the advance of the Romans; the numerous remains scattered over the district, radiating from Caersws as their centre, bearing ample testimony to the nature of what ultimately proved to be a futile struggle maintained by them against the aggressors.

Caractacus, when pursued by the victorious Romans under Ostorius Scapula, took refuge in the mountainous country of the Ordovices, and there made his last stand in defence of his country. The attempt to identify the site of this battle will probably continue to afford a certain kind of fascination, which will prove too powerful a stimulant to allow archæologists to follow the excellent advice proffered by Mr. Wright at the Ludlow Meeting of 1852, viz., "that it was one of those fruitless discussions which they had better avoid." Since Pennant and others pronounced so strongly against the possibility of Caer Caradoc being the place attacked by Ostorius, the claims of Coxwall-Knoll, advocated by Sir R. C. Hoare, Sir R. I. Murchison, and several others, seem, notwithstanding the strong case made out in favour of the Breidden Hill by Mr. Ffoulkes, to receive the largest share of public favour. But one of our first antiquaries, the learned author of Salopia Antiqua, after a thorough examination of the various sites suggested, states it as his opinion that Cefn Carnedd, near Llandinam, "presents very well founded claims to take preeminence of all the foregoing claimants." Mr. Hartshorne advocated the claims of Cefn Carnedd before the late Mr. Davies had conducted the excavations at

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