Welsh Journals

Appendix E A Tour in Wales, 1787, by John Byng, Viscount Torrington. The two diaries filled by John Byng on his tour of Wales provide a few glim- pses of Cardiff that complement the writings of John Bird. Byng arrived in Cardiff on 31 July 1787 and left three days later. He de- scribes Cardiff as 'a newly paved town', and deplores the number of dogs allowed to roam the streets: 'There are more Dogs in Welsh Towns than I ever met with in other Places, who are eternally fighting, or kick'd and whip'd about. Surely every person must join in a wish for a Dog Tax to remove so dangerous a Nuisance' (see Bird, 9 April 1791). Byng and his travelling companion stayed at the Cardiff Arms, the inn patronised by Lord Mountstuart on his brief visits to Cardiff. On their first evening Henry Hollier called on them and took them around the Castle 'which has lately been repaired, adorned etc. etc. by his Lordship'. Byng was unim- pressed by Lord Mountstuart's improvements '(he) has now stop'd works as he cannot purchase the Houses and Land in front: which he had better have bargained for before he expended so much money with so much ill taste on the Reparations of his Castle'. Even Mr Hollier, wrote Byng, seemed ashamed of his lordship's bad taste and folly! Byng also mentions 'a mean cottage built under the castle walls, near the gate house' from which an old woman (Old Franky, see Bird, 18 April 1793) crept forth to open the castle door. Among those who dined with Byng at the Cardiff Arms was 'Mr.Traherne, Mr. Osborn's first Deputy, a Gentleman of this County' that is Edmund Traherne of Castellau who makes several appearances in the pages of Bird's diary. During their visit to Caerphilly Byng and his companions were conduc- ted around the castle by 'Mr.Howells, a foolish old man' that is Thomas Howell(s), the bailiff of Senghennydd, mentioned by Bird. As he left Cardiff, en route for Cowbridge and Neath, Byng visited Wenvoe where he was met by Peter Birt and was conducted around his newly-built mansion, and also passed Coedriglan, 'Young Mr. Traherne's house' i.e. Llewellin Traherne, eldest son of Edmund Traherne of Castellau. Byng's Diaries of 1787 are Cardiff Central Library MSS 3.237. The text is published in John Byng, The Torrington diaries, ed. C.B.Andrews, vol.1 (Lon- don, 1934).