About two miles above Llanberis church, on the Capel Curig road, there is an immense stone, that has once been precipitated from above, called
This stone is of some thousand tons weight, and many times larger than the celebrated mass of rock in Barrowdale, called Bowdar Stone. It lies in a place called Ynys Hettws (Hetty’s Island); and two of its sides meeting at an angle with the ground, it was once used as the habitation of an old woman, who in summer resided in the vale to feed and milk her cows. The enclosures are yet nearly entire, and are sometimes used as a sheepfold.
(The Resting Place), the top of the ascent between Llanberis and Capel Curig, four miles from the former, overlooks the glorious prospects before noticed. It also commands a view into the mountain pass which joins Nant Hwynan and the vale of Capel Curig. The vale of Llanberis is narrow and almost straight, nearly filled with two lakes, connected by a canal called Bala ’r Ddeulyn (the Junction of the two Lakes), celebrated (previous to the opening of the copper mines) for the abundance of the red and golden char. These fish are still caught in the lakes, though not so plentifully as formerly; the char is taken about the middle of September.
The upper and lower lakes (Bad sport). Llyn Cwm Dwythog 2 miles from Dolbadarn inn. Llyn Llydan 5 — on Snowdon. Glaslyn on the west of ditto.
Aber 3½ Bangor 2 Conway 10 Port Penrhyn 2
Near to the grand entrance to Penrhyn Park, are the much admired church and little village of Llandegai, hidden from the immediate view by a high wall, extending some yards in the front. The parish is more than fifteen miles in length, from the shore of the Menai straits far into the mountainous regions of Snowdon, including a wide district, abounding with almost every species of mineral treasure. The scenery of the neighbourhood is beautifully picturesque and impressively grand, comprehending on one hand a vast amphitheatre of mountains, and on the other a fine view of the Menai Straits.
The church is one of the neatest in the Principality, in the form of a cross, having a tower in the centre. Its style is Gothic, and it is supposed to have been erected about the reign of Edward the Third. Within the church is a mural monument to the memory of John Williams, lord keeper of the great seal in the reign of James the First, who died at Gloddaeth, and was interred in this church in 1650. He is represented in his episcopal dress, kneeling at the altar. There is also an elegant marble monument erected to the memory of the late Lord and Lady Penrhyn, executed by Westmacott. On one side it is supported by a female peasant, deploring the loss of the deceased, and on the other by a quarry-man, holding an iron bar and a slate knife, earnestly reading the inscription which commemorates his benefactor. Beneath are smaller figures, the first representing a boy feeding his goats on the mountains, emblematical of the state of the country when his lordship commenced his improvements; the second, two boys working in a slate quarry, emblematical of industry; the third is, one boy teaching another to read the Bible, emblematical of religious education; and the fourth, three boys with sickles in a wheat field, denoting plenty. Lord Penrhyn died in 1806.