Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: EXISTING RUINS. 17 patriotism, dismantled the building, and embarked the iron, lead, timber, and other valuables on board a vessel bound for Ireland, under pretence of transferring them thither for the Bang's use. In the supplement to Pennant's ' Tour in Wales/ is preserved a letter addressed by the Earl of Conway and Kilulta to his Majesty's Deputy-Lieutenant in North Wales, dated Rugby, Warwickshire, the 6th of October, 1665, which acknowledges that the dismantling of Conway Castle was by his order. The building is situated in the south-east angle of the town, on a steep rock. The eight towers by which it was defended still remain, each surmounted by a turret ; one of the towers having been rent asunder by some of the inhabitants of the town who were quarrying the foundation for slates. The upper part remaining entire, whilst the lower has partially fallen away, the ruin presents a striking appearance. The two towers which flanked the grand entrance were called the King's and Queen's towers, and in each there was a beautiful oriel window. It may be mentioned as a curious circumstance connected with the building of this castle, that the workmen were paid in money made of leather, as appears from the following statement :— Vol. ii. p. 278. " King Edward I., his leathern money, bearing his name, stamp, and picture, which he used in the building of Carnarvon, Beaumarish, and Conway castles, to spare better bullion, were, since I can remember, preserved and kept in one of the towers of Carnarvon Castle." Within the ruins, what were once two spacious courts are now luxuriant meadows; the walls are covered by a thick drapery of ivy. The great hall, called the Hall of Llewellyn, is one hundred and thirty feet long, by thirty broad, and twenty high ; lighted by six lancet-sh...