Welsh Journals

January 20th, when they might see and perceive afar of, as it were in the Element huge and Mighty Hills of Water tumbling one over another, in such sort as if the greatest mountaines in the world had ouerwhelmed the low Valeys or marshy grounds," and upwards of 500 men, women or children are said to have been drowned in South Wales. Swansea is mentioned as one of the places at which many great harmes were done"; but I cannot find (says Mr. Dillwyn) in either the Corporation or Parish Records that the town sustained any injury, or any other entry relating to this event than the following,. which shows that Aberavon suffered severely from it :­ A putt Swanzey xv ith daye of February in the yeare of our Lord 1607 Wheras the inhabitance of the towne and boroughe of Aven hath sustayned grett lostes and hyndrances upon theyer seae walles by resen of the inundacon of watters which hapened the yeare 1606 whereupon the forseid inhabitance dyd make theyer pettycon unto the justices of pece at the generall Sessions for some relieff to repaere the forseid walles the justices peetienge theyr case then Sir Thomas Mansell with others of the justices next adjoininge send theyr letter unto this townne of Swanzey in the behalphe of the forseid dystressed people to requeste the good wyll and benevolence of all good and well dysposed persons towardes the releeff of the forsed inhabytances of Avan to repaer theyr forsed wall. Therefor John David Edwardes portreff of the town of Swanzey together with the aldermen and burgeces of the same hath thought good in charity to bestowe the some of xxs as theyr ffree gyft and benevolence to the forseid dystressed inhabytance of Aven towards the repayringe of theyr forseid sea walles and have delivered the said xxs into the handes of Hopkin Gryffyth one of the burgeses of the said towne of Aven the day and yeare above written. I need scarcely add that this great flood was the one that destroyed the old St. Mary's Church, then standing near the site of the present Royal Hotel.