64
NOTES AND QUERIES. [12 s. m. JAN. 27, wn.
'Country as soon as we got into Wales was beeomc
finely romantic and hilly. The high Mountains
and deep Vallies covered with Wood afforded
very pleasing Prospects. The Road as far as
Wrexham was very good, a new Turnpike Road
has a good Bottom. Wrexham is 12 Miles f.
Chester, we got there not 'till 1 p. 2. 'Till Dinner
was ready I walked about the Town it happened
to be Market Day : saw many buxom Lasses with
the\r *Tins spluttering their Welch Dialect. The
Exchange is a roomy) open Place, over it is the Assize Hall. I cannot pass much Compliment on the Cleanliness of the People if one were to judge from those Stairs and Rooms.
As soon as the Horses could guzzle down their Corn, they had no opportunity of digesting it we left Wrexham \ past 3 and drove as fast as the Road would permit to save our light into Ellismere. The Country is extremely beautiful, fine . . . . t Mountains with Trees overhanging the delightful Valleys below, decked with the pleasing mearidingj Turns of the River Dee presented a noble View.
We passed thro' Pontfrourd, a decent Village and Crossing over Dee Bridge 6 M. f . Wrexham we entered Shropshire. The Road was all the Way very pleasant and in dry Weather I dare say very good being of a light chalky Soil was now rather bad, nay extremely so up one Hill, 2 Miles from Wrexham excessive steep, slowyj and slippery. The Rest of the Road was tolerably level. We did not reach Ellismere till to 6, which is only 13 Miles f. Wrexham. We took up our Lodging at the .... * an indifferent House, but very civil Landlord.
Friday 18th. After Breakfast I went with the Landlord to the Mount and ordered the Cavalry to follow. From this Mount there is a most ex- tensive rich Prospect, can see Chester from hence, and Part of eight Counties viz. Shropshire, Cheshire, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Montgomerie-
shire, Merionethshire, Staffordshire and
There is a very good Subscription Bowling Green - on this Mount.
Ellismere is .... * We joined the Cavalry at the top of the Hill out of Wrexham. The Road to Shrewsbury was very indifferent, great Part paved other extremely sandy but the Country hilly and pleasant. It is. . . .* Miles we were .... * Hours going it we put up at the Raven, a House the best situated but the Attendance not so good as the Talbot After dinner I dis- patched a special Messenger to the Post Office and to my Joy received the grateful Tidings of the Gallon t being safe arrived and had fortunately escaped the Pirates that were out the Night before. We took a Walk about the Town, looked at the new Bridge building over the Severn one of the Streams from the River is to be stopt up : the Flood last Winter was over the Tem- porary Bridge yet did not carry it away. The Means used to secure it were laying Stones and the heaviest Things that could be got upon it this had the desired Effect. We called upon Mr. Flint of the Post Office to whom I was re- commended to get Cash for my Note, he was not at Home but his Wife very kindly sent to two or three Places before it could be got Cash being very scarce in the Town.
- Omitted. f Illegible.
Omitted; query Worcestershire.
Sic.
We then took a turn on their Parade and drove
thro' a_ fine Row of Trees to the River Side where
there is a beautiful Serpentine Walk under the
Trees along the Bank of the River with the con-
veniency of Benches often.
There is a noble Building called the Foundling Hospital on the other Side the River, but the Infirmary I was told was not there, quite a different Part of the Town went to the House to bespeak Supper, then marched to the Play House, we sat in the Stage Boxes, the Way to them is rather awkward as you arc obliged to go behind the Scenes. The House is very neat and indeed good size, it will hold 60 it is rather long - there are no Side Boxes and the Front are a long Way from the Stage. They played Cirnba- line extremely well, the Scenery and Dresses were very proper and the Parts well performed. The Humours of the Jubilee are likewise exhibited with Eclat but Midas was too severely punished it was barbarously murthered. By the Time the Piece was ended our Patience was ; we got to our Inn ; supped and went to Bed about 2 o'c.
Shrewsbury is a very gay Place ; many Persons of retired Fortunes living in it ; there is a Card Assembly once a Week and a Bal levery other Thursday.
Saturday 19th. Whilst we were at Breakfast Mr. Flint very civilly waited upon us and oblig- ingly invited us to dine with him but we being determined to get to Bridgenorth excused our- selves he attended us round the Town, shewed us the Infirmary ; a plain brick Building, stand- ing very airy* backwards : here we saw a Model of the new Bridge, it is of 7 Arches, the Piers very neat, the Ornaments, etc., are pretty and the whole Bridge will be very elegant tho' I think rather too narrow, it is to cost 20,000 8000 are already laid out. We then went to his House and thro' the public Walks to the River which we crossed in a Punt, walked up Constitution Hill to the Foundling Hospital, it is a very neat long Brick Building with Offices where are the Brew house, Wash Hoiise, etc. This House belongs to the Foundling Hospital at London ; they had formerly many in the Kingdom but now only this one and one at Newcastle. Every- thing we saw in the Place was very neat and clean tho' the Secretary confessed there were some Rooms not so. There are Conveniences here for 000 Children they are employed in working woolen and coarse Blankets, etc., and the Room is hired by two men who send Persons* to in- struct the Children and make their Profit of it which has been but little or nothing but now is likely to answer. The Board Room is nice anc there is a large Piece of Ground allotted the Children to play in and what seems extraordinary there should be occasion for, a master is appointee to see that they do play. We walked thro' the Rest of the Town then to the Inn and prderec everything for our Decampment. Mr. Flint was so kind as to give us a Recommendation to a Mr Jeffreys of Kidderminster. We marched off by 12 o'clock, went out of Town by the temporary Bridge the Road very bad to Wenlock, besides there is a most abominable long, steep Hill, thai takes half an Hour in going up, the Road too very slippery. This prevented our getting to Wenlock till \ p. 3 tho' but 12 Miles. We dined at a poor mean little House the Sign of the Staples : went out of the Way whilst there was a better Inn in
