Letters from Snowdon

How did an English traveller experience North Wales in 1770? In a series of letters, Joseph Cradock's fascinating account tells us about its towns and villages-Llanrwst, with its 17th-century bridge; Rhuddlan, with its marsh and ruins; the region's numerous Mediaeval castles, such as Conwy, Beaumaris, and Caernarfon, among others; the Druidical antiquities of Anglesea; the native inhabitants, their manners and customs, including a description of their funeral and wedding ceremonies; the inns and private residences where he stayed; not to mention his ascent to Mount Snowdon and the majestic hills, cataracts, and craggy precipices he passed while travelling on horse and on foot. Bolstering his narrative are chapters on the history of Wales, its ancient language, and the state of its laws and administration of justice. Thus, in a short and succinct volume, the author provides a panoramic view of this rugged, wet, and at the time extraordinarily inaccessible region, a veritable snapshot in time.