Thy hoary ruins, monuments of old--
Thy headlands dark, and rocks stupendous,
That battle with the elements, and fiercely,
Bound old Ocean's empire.


_History of the District of Gower, &c._

The peninsula which forms the western extremity of the county of
Glamorgan is called Gower, derived from the Welsh _Gwyr_. The
circumference of the district is about fifty miles: a slight reference
to the map will explain its peculiar form better than any description we
could give. The northern boundary extended east from the river Nedd, or
Neath (of course including Swansea) to the Loughor, which runs into the
large estuary, called the Burry River, and forms its western boundary,
dividing the counties of Glamorgan and Carmarthen.

The history of Gower is interesting. It may not be out of place,
however, to preface it with an outline of the history of Glamorgan.
This county was conquered by the Romans, who had numerous stations in
different parts, and also in the district of Gower, the traces of which
still exist. Glamorgan is originally supposed to have extended from the
river Tawy to Gloucester Bridge, including, besides the present county,
the whole of Monmouthshire, and portions of the counties of Brecon,
Hereford, and Gloucester. The Welsh princes of Glamorgan commenced
paying tribute to the English in the reign of Edgar,--which was
the cause of endless aggressions and disputes between them and the
independent princes of North Wales, who claimed this right. The county
was made a conquest about the end of the eleventh century, by Sir Robert
Fitzhamon (a relation of Henry I.) whose aid had been first called in by