The picturesque ruins of this venerable structure stand in a lovely and sequestered valley, about two miles from Llangollen, and are approached by as delightful and inviting road as ever rambler need wish to tread. The Rev. John Williams, in his learned description of this ancient monastery, says: “The abbey was founded about the year 1200, [58a] and in conformity with the rule [58b] of the Cistercian fraternity, was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The names by which it was generally known to the Welsh had, however, a particular reference to the locality where it was situated: thus, ‘Monachlog y Glyn,’ ‘Monachlog Glyn Egwestl,’ ‘Monachlog Pant y Groes.’ And in Latin it was called ‘Abbatia [58c] de Valle Crucis,’ and ‘Abbatia de Llanegwest.’ “The remains of the abbey extant at the present day consist of the church, and of a building on the southern side, part of which seems to have formed the Abbot’s lodgings, and part to have been the refectory, with the dormitory above. The church is a cruciform building, of which the northern side has been almost entirely destroyed, and without any vestige remaining of its roof, except in the eastern aisle of the southern transept. In the midst of these hallowed precincts the rubbish is heaped up to a great height, caused, probably, by the fall of the northern wall, and by the remains of the roof:—the pavement, if there be any of it subsisting, is entirely concealed, and ash-trees grow luxuriantly upon the mounds, adding to the picturesque effect of the ruin, but saddening the heart of the antiquary. We are unable, therefore, to determine the number of piers that formed the side of the nave; but from the space between the western end and the central piers, at the intersection of the transepts, we should conjecture this number to have been three, thus making four arches on either side. The choir was without aisles, but each transept had one on the eastern side, which seems to have been used as a chapel. The oldest portion of the church is the choir; the eastern end of which was lighted by three bold and lofty lancet arches, rising from no great height above the level of the pavement to half the altitude of the building, and by two proportionably smaller lancets above. In the apex of the gable was probably a small aperture, but of this no trace remains; the gable is mutilated, and we judge only from the analogy of the western end of the nave. In each of the northern and southern walls of the choir is a lancet window; and two similar windows, but lower in height, occur in each of the eastern walls of the transept aisles. High up in the southern wall, also, is to be seen a small loophole, communicating with a passage which leads over the vaulting of the southern transept aisle to the abbatial building adjoining the church. This passage is now blocked up, but it is conjectured to have served either as a closet wherein the abbot could attend service privately, or else as a place of confinement or penitence for the monks. The architecture of this portion of the church corresponds in its style with the date of the foundation,—the commencement of the thirteenth century: the lancets, with their mouldings, are strictly of that date, and the capitals of the shafts, which are worked with great boldness, are of the late Norman period, rather than of that which is called Early-pointed.” “Of all that portion of the nave which occurs between the central tower and the western end, nothing remains but the outer wall of the southern aisle; the western end of it, however, still stands, and is a beautiful example of the richest and purest architecture of the middle of the thirteenth century. Over a central doorway, with deeply recessed mouldings and shafts, and with a bold dog-tooth ornament, each projection of which is elegantly carved into four converging fleurs-de-lys, occur three lofty windows, the central one taller than those at its sides—all with remarkably bold splays, both internally and externally, enriched with shafts and mouldings. The central window appears to have been of only one light, though broad, and to have had its arch occupied by a foliation of six cusps, and therefore of seven recesses,—the foliating spaces being solid. The side windows are each of two lights, the principal arch-head being solid, but pierced with a single aperture divided into six foliations. Above these three windows runs a kind of framework, analagous in some respects to that at the eastern end of the choir. The gable is pierced above these windows with a small but beautiful wheel-window of eight pointed compartments, each trifoliated; the divisions being moulded in one order, and converging to a central ring, itself pierced to admit the light. Above all is a square quatrefoliated aperture in the very apex of the gable. On the external face of the western end are two bold buttresses of a single stage, that on the south-eastern side being pierced with loopholes for a circular staircase formed in the thickness of itself and the wall.”
The Abbey of Valle Crucis was dissolved in the year 1535, and is said to have been the first of the Welsh monasteries which underwent the doom of abolition. Romantic Abbey! hallow’d be the rest
Of those, who rear’d thee in this wild green vale
A temple lovely as the place is blest—
And stern as beautiful:—but words would fail
To paint thy ruin’d glories, though the gale
Of desolation sweeps thro’ thy hoar pile,
And waves the long grass thro’ thy cloisters pale
Where the dark ivy scorns day’s garish smile,
And weed-grown fragments crown thy desecrated aisle. * * * * How sweet the sounds!—whose soft enchantments rose
’Mid those wild woodlands at the matin prime—
Or when the vesper song at evening’s close
Wafted the soul beyond the cares of time,
To that Elysium of a brighter clime
Where thro’ heaven’s portals golden vistas gleam,
And the high harps of Seraphim sublime
Came o’er the spirit like a prophet’s dream,
Till faded earth away on glory’s endless beam. Oft the proud feudal chief, whom human law
Or kingly pow’r could bind not, nor control,
Has paus’d before thy gates in holy awe,
And felt religion’s charm subdue his soul—
The heart that joy’d to hear the savage howl
Of battle on the breeze, has soften’d been—
List’ning the hymns of peace that sweetly stole
O’er this lone vale, where fancy’s eye hath seen
Forms bright and angel-like glide thro’ thy vistas green: And angel forms here at thy altar knelt,
Fair dames, and gentle maidens whose bright eyes
The sternest heart of warrior-mould could melt,
Soft’ning grim war with gen’rous sympathy—
Pleading, like pity wafted from the skies
To quell the stormy rage of savage man:
And hence the gentle manners had their rise—
Hence knights for lady’s praise all dangers ran—
And thus, the glorious age of chivalry began.
The Abbey derives its name (the Vale of the Cross) from a sepulchral monument commonly called “The Pillar of Eliseg,” which stands on an ancient tumulus in the middle of this beautifully secluded glen. It was erected by Cyngen ab Cadell Dryrnllug, in memory of his great grandfather Eliseg, whose son Brochmail Ysgythrog, grandfather of the founder of this rude monument of filial veneration, was engaged in the memorable border wars at the close of the sixth century; and was defeated at the Battle of Chester, a.d. 607. During the great rebellion this pillar was thrown down by Oliver Cromwell’s “Reformers,” who in their fiery zeal for destruction mistook it for a “Popish Cross;” and it remained for more than a century in its broken recumbent condition, when it was restored by the patriotism and intelligence of Mr. Lloyd of Trevor Hall, and replaced upon its pedestal with a suitable memorial to record the fact. It now forms an interesting relic of antiquity, and is probably the oldest British Cross (bearing a carved inscription) which exists in these islands. That said inscription has long been a puzzle to the learned investigator of archaeological remains. Having wandered through the verdant meads of the “happy valley,” the adventurous tourist may probably wish to climb the lofty hill, which is crowned by the romantic ruins of the Castle of Dinas Bran. This memorable fortress of the past, is a remarkable object from all parts of the vale; for whose safety and defence it was long the abode of a line of chiefs renowned in Cambrian lore. The view from the summit is exceedingly picturesque, grand, and imposing; and naturally prompts the exclamation of the Poet of the Seasons— “Heavens! what a goodly prospect spreads around.”
On descending the mountain-path, the traveller may perchance look round for a comfortable resting-place and good refreshment; he will readily find both, either at the Hand, or the King’s Head Hotel. In the album of the latter house of entertainment he may also peruse the following bacchanalian effusion in honour of “Llangollen Ale,” which he will then be in the mood to enjoy; and as he quaffs this nectar of the valley, he may thus chaunt its praises, if in a convivial humour, to the music of a Welsh harp— LLANGOLLEN ALE. While other poets loudly rant
About Llangollen’s Vale,
Let me, with better taste, descant
Upon Llangollen Ale. The daughters of the place are fair,
Its sons are strong and hale:
What makes them so? Llangollen air?
No, no!—Llangollen Ale. And Nature only beautified
The landscape, to prevail
On travellers to turn aside
And quaff Llangollen Ale. For though the scene might please at first
As charms would quickly stale;
While he who tastes will ever thirst
To drink Llangollen Ale. From rock to rock the Dee may roam,
And chafe without avail;
It cannot match its yeasty foam
Against Llangollen Ale. The umber-tinted trees that crown
Bron-vawr’s ridge are pale,
Contrasted with the nutty brown
That tints Llangollen Ale. Nor is the keep of Dinas-bran,
Though high and hard to scale,
So elevated as the man
Who drinks Llangollen Ale. Thy shattered arch, beside the way,
Val-crucis, tells a tale
Of monks who sometimes went astray
To quaff Llangollen Ale. And still upon the saintly spot
The pilgrim may regale
His fainting spirits with a pot
Of good Llangollen Ale. For though the ancient portress may
Not offer it for sale,
Yet cheerfully to all who pay
She gives Llangollen Ale. And, Eliseg, thy pillar rude
Is merely—I’ll be bail—
A monument to him who brewed
The first Llangollen Ale. In short, each ruin, stream, or tree,
Within Llangollen’s Vale,
Where’er I turn, whate’er I see,
Is redolent of Ale. Liverpool. R. R. The convivial disposition of the monks of the “olden time” has always been a favourite theme with our romance writers and “ballad-mongers;” but it would appear from a passage which Mr. Roscoe quotes, that the cowled brethren of Valle Crucis Abbey did not content themselves in their hours of festivity with draughts of “Llangollen Ale.” The wealth of the institution, he infers, may be judged of by the magnificent hospitality of the monks, who are described by Owain as having the table usually covered with four courses of meat, served up in silver dishes, with sparkling claret for their general beverage. “Many have told of the monks of old,
What a saintly race they were;
But ’tis most true, that a merrier crew
Could scarce be found elsewhere;
For they sung and laughed,
And the rich wine quaffed,
And lived on the daintiest cheer. “And the Abbot meek, with his form so sleek,
Was the heartiest of them all,
And would take his place, with a smiling face,
When the refection bell would call;
And they sung and laughed,
And the rich wine quaffed,
Till they shook the olden hall.”
finis. t. thomas, printer, eastgate row, chester. VIEWS, &c.
lately published
BY THOMAS CATHERALL,
eastgate row, chester. * * * * * PORTRAITS
of the
RIGHT HON. LADY ELEANOR BUTLER AND MISS PONSONBY,
“the ladies of llangollen.” Price 2s. 6d. * * * * * PLAS NEWYDD,
near llangollen,
The Seat of the late Lady Eleanor Butler and Miss Ponsonby. Price 1s. 6d. * * * * * VALLE CRUCIS ABBEY,
near llangollen. Price 1s. 6d. * * * * * PILLAR OF ELISEG,
near valle crucis abbey. Price 1s. * * * * * a great variety of
LITHOGRAPHIC VIEWS IN CHESTER AND NORTH WALES,
constantly on sale.
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