Lost Manuscripts; Piercefield Park, Chepstow part 1 (General)

by slowhands , proud of his ancient Dean Forest roots, Tuesday, March 19, 2013, 06:46 (4286 days ago) @ Jefff

Fortunately the timing of his researches show, from LDS:

Orville Ward Owen, "England and Wales Census, 1911"
Name: Orville Ward Owen
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1911
Gender: Female
Age: 57
Birthplace: District Michigan United States Of America
Schedule Type: Household
Registration District: Chepstow

Name: Mable Van Camp Owen
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1911
Gender: Female
Age: 40
Birthplace: District Michigan United States Of America
Schedule Type: Household
Registration District: Chepstow

Name: Gwendoline Van Camp Owen
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1911
Gender: Female
Age: 14
Birthplace: Detriot Michigan U S A
Schedule Type: Household
Registration District: Newport

Name: Mabel Orvilla Owen
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1911
Gender: Female
Age: 10
Birthplace: Detriot Michigan U S A
Schedule Type: Household
Registration District: Newport

1911 Beaufort Hotel Chepstow
Orville Ward Owen 57 Detroit Michigan Physician and Surgeon
Mabel Van Camp Owen 40 Detroit Michigan

1911 The Gaer Newport
Gladys Wardowen 17 Detroit Michigan
Gwendolyne Van Camp Owen 14 Detroit Michigan
Mabel Orvilla Owen 10 Detroit Michigan

The land referred to is Henry Clay's Piercefield Park ( home of Chepstow racecourse today)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piercefield_House

The Wye Valley walk will take you above the area of river Wye referred to

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wye_Valley_Walk

http://archive.org/stream/transactionsofwo71wool/transactionsofwo71wool_djvu.txt

At 12 a. m. we arrived at Chepstow, and af ber having inspected the interesting
ruins of the castle, we took coach and proceeded along the Monmouth road to
Piercefield. Henry Clay, Esq., the owner and occupier of this romantic spot,
having heard that we were about to hold a meeting at Chepstow, had most kindly
invited us to visit his grounds and partake of luncheon, but had expressed at the
same time his regret that his absence from home would deprive him of the plea-
sure of acting as our guide on the occasion. In the absence of Mr. Clay, his son-
in-law, the Kev, Walter Baskerville Mynors, was good enough to undertake that
office, 80 as soon as we had entered the drive at the lodge gates we were met by
that gentleman, who at once conducted us to the entrance of the walks at the
upper part of the ground.

These delightful walks are about three miles in extent, and lead through over-
hanging woods which, with the rocks beneath them, form one of the main features
in this part of the Wye scenery. They are situated about 290 feet above the
river, and commands views of Chepstow, the castle, and neighbourhood, and the
scenery on the opposite side of the valley, to which our attention was particularly
drawn as we arrive at the alcove, castle view, platform, grotto, &c. Halting
stations exist in the way, where openings in the dense foliage enable us to enjoy
"the pick " of the scenery. The yew, the beech, the elm, with other trees, form a
pleasant shade the whole way, while the ivy and the lesser periwinkle Vinca
minor carpeted the ground beneath them.

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At 1.30 we reached the mansion, a handsome building of Bath atone, com-
manding from its fine position varied and extensive views of surpassing beauty.
Here we were met by H. Clay, jun., Esq., who coaducted us to the dining-room^
where a sumptuous and elegantly arranged luncheon was laid out, of which, on
his having taken the head of the table, he invited us to partake. This acceptable
repast having been fully discussed, and the kind hospitality of Mr. Clay duly
acknowledged by us, we were again on our legs ; but before we left the mansion some
of us separated to view the richly decorated suit of apartments on the ground
floor, while others ascended the grand staircase and examined the celebrated
Gobelin tapestry, once tlie property of Louis XVI., on which are represented the
various animal and vegetable productions of Africa. On the foreground of one
of the pieces the lobster is represented "ready boiled," in the same condition in
which that crustacean is introduced by the painter of " The Miraculous Draught
of Fishes," who, on having been remonstrated with for his inconsistency, replied,
"The greater was the miracle." After we had reassembled at the porch door,
we resumed our walk through the grounds, and visited on the way the Smuggler's
Cave, the romantic association of which vanished when the exploring party an-
nounced that the opening in the rock was the entrance to a heading which led to
a descending shaft, and was evidently the work of some miners in their search
of an imaginary treasure situated below the carboniferous limestone. Farther
on we halted at the "Lover's Leap," a spot protected by an iron railing, whence
the views of Pieroefield become blended with those of the Wyndcliff, and here
we had arrived at the end of the grounds ; so after having thanked Mr. Mynors
for his kind attention, we joined our carriages at the Temple gate and rode to the
edge of the Wyndcliff woods, where we alighted and struck off into a path which
brought us to the top of the hiU, then, after having descended a few yards to the
right, we arrived at the " Terrace."

There 900 feet below the wooded rocks and crags which form the far-famed
Wyndcliff runs the Wye, now a tidal river, beyond which lies the peninsular
Llanwnt, a long stretch of alluvial land covered with verdant crops, and occupy-
ing the space which the river, by the assistance of the roadman and the lime-
burner, has formed in the limestone rocks which bound its channel. Beyond this
point the Double View and Tidenham Chase, and a long length of that sandy
bottomed stream, " Sabrina is her name," where her sister Vaga, true to the last
to her wanderisg nature, pours her accumulated treasures into her lap. Then la
the far distance, on one side, we noticed the flat and steep Holmes and Penarth
Point, and on the other, Kingroad, the mouth of the Avon, and the rocks and
woods about Clifton.

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Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster & Hereford Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>