Ffeil Clenennau letters and papers 943 [RESTRICTED ACCESS] - E(dward) Lhwyd, at Usk, to Sir Robert Owen at Porkington,

It was some time ere Owen's letter found the writer out, and being on the ramble it is not often that they come to a town whence they may write. Thanks for the letter and all other favours. Since he has no other acquaintance left in Owen's neighbourhood, must beg Owen's further trouble of ordering some person to receive the several sums Owen's friends have been pleased to subscribe. He desires that the money be directed to Mr. William Williams at the Museum at Oxford, who will give the carrier a receipt for it, for the writer's use. If the sum might be conveyed to Mr. John Lloyd of Gwersyllt, he might easily send it to Oxford either by the Wrexham or Anglesey carrier. The writer has had tolerable success since he came to Monmouthshire; but the Welsh names of places are so disguised all along the River Wye that many of them are irretrievable. They find Roman coins in all the old towns of Gobannium, Burrium, Isca Legionum, etc., and Venta Silurum, besides several other places not mentioned in the Itinerary or Notitia Provinciarum. But in all his travels hitherto the writer has never seen a coin of any Prince of Wales, and he fears that Camden has too truly asserted in his remains that they never coined any, to which Mr. Nicolson, the present Archdeacon of Carlisle, adds that those called by Camden, Speed, etc., British coins were not really so, but old amulets, etc. Has found no inscriptions of any noted antiquity in the county except those sent to Mr. Camden by Bishop Godwin, which were somewhat erroneously transcribed. Must repeat his request to Owen of recommending the Queries among the gentry and clergy throughout North Wales - particularly those relating to the geography and antiquities, and amongst them only such as may be easily answered from each parish. Where he has had acquaintance in Monmouthshire, they have done well enough, but finds that his account of the other places will be very deficient. Has found considerable materials towards the Natural History, such as divers sorts of fish teeth in the limestone on top of Blorens, the highest hill in the county except one called the Vale, corruptly for Y Voel, some mineral waters, etc.