road up Rutllwydierthe,1 then along a small stream to river Gwydengyrig, then up along that river to the small stream which descends from Dewlwyn, then to Graslwy, and Chwydnant,2 and so straight to Pwll in the middle of Genarwen," then to Pwll in middle of Gwenyd bythgeue, and so to Dynon yr heol, then to Morfa Haelyrth, then to Clawdd, near the workmen's houses, then to the head of Crwy Ranallen, then to river Erythlyn, then to Wern bwys, and Pwllbride, and then to Nantywrach, then down to Morfa, which is called Gwenuce, then to the Bwlch-cho, then to Mava, which lies between Gwern Elanc and Garth y Manellt, then to the water called Balin Llechant, and so along Shallow Reach, then to Morfa, called Gwerny faenan, and along stream to Pwllydon, and to Conway, and narrow stream of Conway to Abercambwll. Harleian MSS., "Bodleian", Oxon. July 24th, 1186. Monastery of Aberconwy, founded in the Bishoprick of Bangor, in the reign of Henry II. The following places given by Llewelyn to monks. Killinioc and surrounding district. Stawenau. Abbey to be built out of Talepont (Talybont?). 0 10 0 For building reservoirs in manor of Cowrnoylis One te'n for moniscus (wages?) Kae Mawr Naulwynayn Come Nankall. Redenoc Velyn 0 5 0 200 500 1 6 8 The Abbot of Conway held temporary possessions in the diocese of St. Asaph, 1291, to the amount of £26 2s. 4d., and in that of Bangor to £37 68. 8d., besides "spiritualities " in the latter to the amount of £13 6s. 8d.; total, £76 15s. 6d. In 26th Hen. VIII, Revenues of Conway (and Maenan) Abbeys amounted to £162 158. In gross to £179 10s. 10d. Harleian MSS., "Bodleian", Oxon. Hugh Price, Abbot of Conway, was buried at Saffron Walden, in Essex, 1538. Ibid., p. 696, fol. 89. This contains the "Narratio placite de quo warranto super libertatibus Abbatis de Conwy." Edward III. Ibid., p. 433, fol. 175. Contains a warrant to the farmers, etc., belonging to the monastery to pay their rent to Griffin Goghe (Goch ?), the Prior, during the controversy between David Winchcombe and David Lloyd for the office of Abbot, dated Rich. III. The document is published in extenso in the Cambrian Arch. of 1882 (p. 70). Harleian MS., "Bodleian", Oxon., p. 433, fol. 175. The Abbot had leave to purchase 600 marks' worth of land in Worcestershire. David ap Owen, Abbot, 1st Hen. VIII; Hugh Price, Abbot, buried at Saffron Walden (see above). David ap Owen was Abbot of Ystrad Farchell, or (as others say) Vale Crucis, before he came to Maenan. He was afterwards appointed Bishop of St. Asaph. In 1301 the English Prince of Wales, afterwards Edw. II, came down to Aberconwy, where he received the homage of Einion, Bishop of Bangor, and David, Abbot of Maenan. Ibid. The last Abbot of Aberconwy (Maenan) Abbey was Richard ap Rhys, or Kyffin, who had a pension of £20 per annum and the living of Cerrigydruidion for giving up possession of the Abbey. Camb. Archæologia. With respect "Of the old Abbey of Maenan not a trace remains. to the Kyffins of Maenan Hall, Sir Dafydd Kyffin, a priest, also called Rector of Llanddoget, was grand-nephew to Richard ap Rhys or Kyffin, Abbot of Conway. It would seem probable that, like the Pennants, this family came from a monk "deraigne" (and consequently allowed to marry by an edict of the Pope) (p. 42), who secured part of the lands of this convent or abbey at the dissolution, and having married, founded a flourishing family. It must be confessed, by all fair and impartial judges, that the Welsh clergy did not observe very strictly the disciplinary rule of celibacy imposed upon the western Church; and it must be very questionable whether the enforcement of such a law, attended with so many and so grave scandals as it was in this country, and is still in others, is in any way conducive to the spreading and welfare of Christianity, or counterbalances the advantages which a celibate priesthood may possess." It is said that Richard ap Rhys, or Kyffin, received, in payment of his bad faith in surrendering the Abbey of Maenan, license to break his priestly engagements and vow of celibacy (see above). King John forced Llewelyn to treat the monks of Aberconwy with respect, and gave him his daughter Joan to wife, 1206. Prince Llewelyn was buried in the monastery of Aberconwy, before the high altar. His coffin was removed to the new monastery at Maenan, and eventually, on the dissolution of that monastery, to the parish church of Llanwrst, where it may now be seen (p. 45). ST. MARY'S PRIORY, Beddgelert. There is a tradition that great opposition was offered to the surrender of the emoluments of the above Priory into the hands of the Commissioners, ending in fighting and bloodshed in the Nannor and other districts. A full account is to be found in the History of the Families of Hafod gargog, Dolfinz yn Nannor, and Cae Dafydd. Bishop Einion of Bangor describes the Priory thus:-"Ty y Fendegedig Fair yn Eryri, oedd yr hynaf yn holl Gymru, oddigerth Enlli (Bardsey), ynys y Saint." The particular date of the foundation of St. Mary's Priory is lost in obscurity, but tradition points to its having existed since the third century. If that is true, Bishop Anian (or Einion) must have been correct in his description of the monastery. A portion of the old walls were in existence up to 1830, when they wore pulled down by some sacrilegious persons! An inscribed stone was rescued from the ruins by the late Mr. John Jones, of Glangwynant. An English gentleman who was staying in the neighbourhood gave him a handsome present for preserving the memento, and told him that the inscription implied that the place was built (or rebuilt) in the seventh century. There is a small well not far from the old site, which still goes by the name of "Ffynon Fair". Pennant asserts that he had in his possession a copy of the ancient seal of the monastery, on which was delineated the effigies of the Virgin and Child. It was dated 1531. Owen Gwynedd endowed the Priory with lands in "Tref y Beirdd", in the "Cwmwd" of Menai. Llewelyn ap Iorwerth, and Llewelyn ap Gruff, and Dafydd ap Llewelyn, also added to the endowments. In rebuilding the Priory, 1284-90, it is said that the stones used in making the arches were brought from Anglesey, and the whole building was of a very substantial description. There is also a tradition that the stones were brought up to Pont Aberglaslyn in small boats. Henry VIII brought the Priory into connection with the monastery of Chertsey1 (Surrey), and afterwards it was given to the Abbey of Bisham (Berks). The value at the time of the dissolution of the Priory was £68 38. 8d. Edward VI gave all the lands belonging to the Priory to Robert ab Hugh Bodville, of Lleyn. The monastery was of the Augustinian Order. 1 The Abbey of Chertsey possessed £744 per annum, although it contained only fourteen monks. A FEW NOTES ON MEDIEVAL AND BY MRS. COLLIER. (Read 4th March, 1896). HE notes for this Paper were collected, in the first instance, to draw attention to some predominant types of art as exhibited in church and domestic architecture in parts of France and the Rhine district, and as representative of the period when the influence of the revival of classical learning and the general admiration of antique taste and design, occasioned a gradual change from the prevailing Gothic style which had for many centuries reigned supreme in Continental Europe. In Italy this change began to take effect as early as the thirteenth century; but in that country, indeed, the arts had never become so thoroughly imbued with the Gothic system as in the more northern nations. The classic school appeared to be indigenous to the soil, and the Gothic taste merely engrafted on it for a period, but never predominating or entirely naturalised there. In other parts of Europe, at that date, the Gothic system had scarcely reached its full development; the vast capabilities and resources it presented were only explored by degrees, and for at least two hundred years longer it remained supreme; indeed, it was not until the end of the fifteenth century, when the pure and consistent elements of earlier genius began to degenerate-complication of design, over-elaboration of detail, and luxuriance of fancy leading to suggestions almost of absurditythat a change of style was rendered imminent. Germany, |
