Most of the walls are fallen, and the principal remains consist of a round and pentagonal tower. The windows and doorways were built in the pointed style. From the site, the castle appears to have consisted of two courts; one is converted into a kitchen garden; the gateway to the other, which formed the principal entrance, and some parts of the walls, are still standing. To the south-east of the pentagonal tower is a tumulus which was formerly surrounded by a fosse. In the early part of the present century the remains of the keep were pulled down, and a new building erected on its site. This is much to be lamented. Had the whole of the ruin been left to the work of time, it would have done credit to the taste of the proprietor; but the magnificent remains of the stately towers are no more, and the spirit of this brick-and-mortar age is but too apparent, while the new building adds a very insignificant sum to the rent-roll of the noble earl.

The

The Vandals, it seems, have found their way into Monmouthshire. author thus introduces his interesting description of the ancient church of St. John:

:-

An alien priory for monks of the Benedictine order was founded a short time after the Conquest, by Hameline de Balun, the Norman possessor of the castle, and not by John de Hastings, a benefactor, as stated by Speed. Camden says that De Balun's son erected two lazarettos, or hospitals for lepers, but no vestiges are traceable. An error might have arisen from an imperfect knowledge of the fact that he had two sons lepers, whom he placed in the priory previous to his going on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

The priory is situated on the south-eastern side of the town, and commands a fine view of the vale of Usk, where the Scyrryd Vach and the Blawreng are the chief features of the picture. When St. John's church was converted into a free school, St. Mary's (the priory chapel) succeeded that structure as parish church, which it has continued ever since. It was originally built cruciform, but the alterations it has undergone, and the additions made to it, have been so great, that the regularity of the structure, both in the interior and exterior, has been entirely destroyed, and it would now be difficult to trace the intention of its founder. As a whole, the church presents a striking combination of the sublime and the ridiculous. The colossean figure of Abraham lies in the Herbert chapel, and other figures are misplaced. The old monuments are plastered with white lime, in some places nearly a quarter of an inch in thickness. The eastern end of the building is in a pitiable plight; the carved wood-work, once so beautiful, is broken and neglected - great part of it vanished. Alas! poor church! To attempt a description of it as it now exists were utter folly, so we must describe it as it was previous to the year 1820, when the alterations of masons and bricklayers did the work of ruin!

Verily, this makes our wrath boil over! We could willingly take the heads of the churchwardens, bricklayers, &c., of 1820, and ram them into their own mortar and whitewash; a set of But we will go to Aber

gavenny the first opportunity, and look after this church; the long list of tombs in it, which Mr. White describes so well, shews it to be an antiquarian remain of great importance. Meanwhile we strongly recommend this work to our readers' notice.

7. Contributions towards a History of Swansea. By LEWIS W. DILLWYN, F.R.S., &c. 8vo. pp. 72. Swansea: Murray and Rees.

1840.

This work contains the materials of much interesting local history. In it the learned author has collected a considerable number of charters and extracts of municipal documents; and we should be glad to hear of the whole being, at some future period, digested into a more ample and more regular form. The antiquarian, fond of examining into the minutiae of South Welsh history, will do well to refer to its pages; and he will praise, with us, the learning, industry, and research, that must have been exercised in its compilation. It is illustrated with several good wood-cuts of brasses, seals, &c. We extract from it the following curious list of ancient church property: :

A list of the Vestments and sacred Vessels used by the Catholics, and of some other articles which belonged to this Church in 1549, and it has been deciphered from an authenticated copy in possession of the Corporation, by theRev. J. M. Traherne

"The Town of Swaynsey. The presentement of Mr. Richard Rawlyns Warden of

the hospytall ther, William ap K Vicar ther and John Foxe, Jankin Philipe Harry proctors of the said Towne, John Thomas Sadler, John Thomas, David Gruff" and David Williams parishioners ther, concernyng the Churche goodes, befor George Herbert Knight, Commissioner appoynted by the Kinges Majestie for the View of Churche goodes by th allottement of thother Justices of the Shier within the Hundredes of Swaynsey and Langavelaghe the xxvijth of Merche Anno Regni Regis Edwardi sexti, tertio.

Furst they being sworn upon their affydavites present in maner and forme followyng. Furst one chalice of sylver weyeng xv ownces.

Item another chalice of sylver weyeng xxiij oz.

Item a sute of vestementes of blew velvett.

Item an old Coope of vestement cloth of gold.

Item an old sute of vestementes of whytt damask and a cope of the same.

Item an old Cope of black velvett.

Item a vestement of tawnie velvett with a Cope for the same.

Item ij payr of vestementes of Bridges* satten one red and one blew.
Item iij Corporasest and ij cases of velvett.

Item iij altare shetes.

Item another vestement of blew bridges satten.

Item iij bells by estimation xxiiij e weyght or therabouts.

Item one small bell by estimation xl. li. weyght or therabouts.

Item xiij candlestykes by estimation xxiiij li, weyght.

Item a sencer of brasse by estimation ij li.

Item ij brasen Crosses by estimation vj. li.

Item, a lamp of brasse, by estimation iiij li.

Item a Canapie of Cloth of gold and velvett.

Item a Case for Reliques of brasse by estimation ij. li.

Item, a holy water pott of brasse by estimation vj li.

Item, a standard of brasse for a candlestyk by estimation xxxli. weight

Item, the Styple covered with led.

Item a Chapell of Sir Mathew Cradoke covered with led."

This list is followed by an "Accompt of the said Proctors how they bestowed the xx. li xviij. s. Receved for their parte of the Jewells," but none of the particulars either of the distribution or sale are given, and it is quite uninteresting.

In the first page of the oldest Common Hall Book which has been preserved, there is another list, without date, of "the ornaments of the Churche," but the edges of the paper are greatly worn, and the ink has so faded as to be hardly legible. In it are comprised a pair of vestments of purple velvet, and another pair of white damask for the deacon and subdeacon, and "a cote for St. Nicholis of yalow Sattin of bruges."

Bruges, a city then celebrated for its manufactures.

P A square piece of fine linen on which the sacred host is placed, and on which the chalice

stands.

As the account will not balance, and has an unsatisfactory appearance, the following singular entry relating to the acting Proctor in this business, in the Minute Book of the Common Hall, may, perhaps, have some reference to it-The First day of the moneth of Auguste Anno Reg. Elizabeth dei gratia &c. sexto-at which day tenne of the twelve men assembled themselves together and for certeyne considerations they have put oute of their company of the xii men John Fox and Matthew Morgan and in the same room they have chosen Rees ap John ap Ievan David." And in another hand writing there is added, "they turned out the Fox from amongst them." The Aldermen at this period were generally called the twelve Men.

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