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  • Coxe describes Sudbrook Chapel as follows: 'The picturesque ruins of the chapel stand on the outside of the great rampart [of Sudbrook Iron Age camp], to the south-east next the sea; the building is wholly in the gothic style, and of very small dimensions. It now stands at the distance of half a mile from any habitation, but was probably, in former times, the chapel to a great and contiguous mansion.'
Engraving of Sudbrook Chapel, from Coxe's 'Historical Tour of Monmouthshire', 1801
  • Barber's tour of South Wales was intended to offer descriptions of localities of interest to visitors, rather than a digest of his own travels. In consequence he augmented his own information with that available in other sources. A selection of engravings from Barber's tour are shown on the following pages. Reference: Barber, J. T. (1803)
J. T. Barber, 'A Tour throughout South Wales and Monmouthshire' (London, 1803) [image 1 of 5]
  • This engraving of Tintern Abbey forms the frontispiece of Evans and Britton's book on Monmouthshire which sought to capture the most attractive features of the county, notably castles and ruins, for the reader's delight. Evans and Britton describe Tintern Abbey as follows: 'The fine ruins of Tintern Abbey, belonging to the duke of Beaufort, are justly esteemed, with their appendages, the most beautiful and picturesque objects upon the River Wye.' Source: J. Evans and J. Britton, 'The Beauties of England and Wales, Volume 11: Monmouthshire' (1809).
Engraving of Tintern Abbey, from Evans and Britton's, 'Beauties of Monmouthshire', 1809
  • In the autumn of 1798 Sir Richard Colt Hoare, a famous Wiltshire antiquarian, came to visit his friend, William Coxe in Monmouthshire. To pass the time they undertook a tour of the antiquities of the county during which William was: 'struck with the picturesque ruins of ancient castles memorable in the annals of history, and I was animated with the view of mansions distinguished by the residence of illustrious persons; objects which the sketches of my friend's pencil rended more impressive.' He continued his journeys alone in 1799, covering 1500 miles in five months. The result was the two monolithic volumes that form Coxe's Historical Tour of Monmouthshire.
William Coxe's 'Historical Tour of Monmouthshire', 1801
Charles Heath's 'Accounts of the ancient and present state of Ragland Castle', title page [image 1 of 3]
  • Thomas A. Walker was engaged for seven years in the construction of the Severn Tunnel. When he began work on the project he had already accumulated considerable experience in railroad survey and construction throughout Canada, Russia, Egypt and England. In writing his memoirs of his work on the Severn Tunnel he states: 'Sub-aqueous tunnels have recently become quite the fashion. One such experience as the Severn Tunnel, with its ever-varying and strangely contorted strata, and the dangers from floods above and floods below, has been sufficient for me. One sub-aqueous tunnel is quite enough for a lifetime.' This portrait of Thomas Walker (who died in 1889) is taken from his memoir of the project. Source: T. A. Walker, 'The Severn Tunnel: its construction and difficulties, 1872-1887' (London, Richard Bentley & Son, 1888).
Portrait of Thomas A. Walker, chief contractor on the Severn Tunnel project 1872-77