Читать книгу The Cambrian Tourist, or, Post-Chaise Companion through Wales: 1834 онлайн

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Grand views of the Bristol Channel still continued to form interesting objects from the road; but about three miles from Chepstow, we turned into some fields on the right, to examine the ivy-mantled walls of

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On our first entrance, we gazed with that rapt astonishment, which fears to disturb, or be disturbed, by the mutual communication of thought. Mr. Warner, in his survey of this ruin, was much disappointed; but I cannot help allowing, although the view from it was inferior to Chepstow, that its antiquated walls wear a nobler appearance; and the gloom that reigns around it forces a sigh, and evinces the transitory nature of sublunary greatness. The antiquity of the building is very obscure. Passing through the village of Caldecot, we soon entered

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on the western side, through the broken fragments of its walls, of which one immense mass has recently fallen. This ancient town is now a village, with a few scattered cottages, but was formerly celebrated, under the auspices of Agricola, for its temples, theatre, porticoes, and baths; few vestiges of its former splendour are now extant. A few fragments of loose stones only remain to point out its former extent. In an orchard, adjoining a farm-house belonging to Mr. Lewis, is the beautiful tesselated Roman pavement, discovered in the year 1777. The tesseræ or dies, about an inch in breadth, and half in depth, are nearly square, consisting of four colours, red, yellow, blue, and white, [27] which are still in great preservation; the whole is surrounded with a border, much resembling a Turkey carpet. The daily depredations on these curious remains of antiquity are greatly to be lamented.