On the ensuing day, the admiral accompanied us to Mount Edgecumbe Park; this is a truly noble situation, yet, in time of war, as this position is indispensable to the defence of the dock-yard, it is necessary to convert it into a fortification. The ground is very advantageously employed in the disposition and embellishment of the park: it is not encumbered with buildings; the green and bath-house are the principal, and in the construction of these the marble of the vicinity has been very happily used. The trees are chiefly beech, some of them apparently very old, sickly, and injured by the sea-air. There are also three great cedars of Lebanon, which do not thrive well in an English park. The Castle of Mount Edgecumbe is ancient, and externally resembles a state prison; we did not examine it internally. We saw the monument of Lady Mount Edgecumbe, who died in 1806, to whom the park is indebted for most of its improvements. It is told of her that she was twice buried; the first time she remained three days in a vault, lying in her coffin, and was aroused by a thief cutting off her finger to steal a ring: she left the grave, took refuge in a neighbouring house, made herself known, and was reconveyed to her castle, where she subsequently lived several years and gave birth to children. Relata refero. On the sea-shore, near the bridge that we passed two days since, Lord Mount Edgecumbe has erected a battery of twenty-one iron six pounders, which he fires upon all festival occasions. We embarked at this battery to visit the rock lying in front of Stonehouse, called Devil’s Point, which is to be partly levelled to make room for a new victualling office. The work is scarcely begun. A cellar was dug out of the rock and a wall built in the sea to support the foundation. This was effected by means of a diving-bell. The bell containing the workmen, remained while we were present, nearly four hours under water. Government intends to construct a new water-reservoir at this place, which will probably render that of Bovisand unnecessary. Drinking water is brought to Plymouth in iron pipes from Dartmouth, which is eighteen miles distant, so that in time of war the supply might readily be cut off.
Next day I went by land to visit the Castle of Saltroun, situated six English miles from Plymouth at the end of Catwater, and belonging to Lord Morlay, who resides in London. The road passes through a delightful valley; on the right is Catwater, to the left the ruins of castles on the heights: there are also here numerous terrace-shaped strawberry beds, the fruit of which is exceedingly good. Close to the entrance of the park we crossed the Catwater upon an old, very narrow, stone bridge of five arches. Through the park, a beautiful road leads from the valley to the loftily situated castle. It rained excessively, and as we could see nothing from the park, we restricted ourselves to the castle, which was built probably about sixty years ago, and has a very large apartment in the basement. A very spacious vestibule leads to the library, in which are a number of splendid family portraits and pictures of some once celebrated actresses. The best picture is a portrait of Sir Joshua Reynolds, painted by himself. Four plaster columns resembling verd-antique are excellent imitations. From the library a small apartment opens into the picture gallery. In both rooms are several paintings by Carlo Dolce, Andrea Del Sarto, Teniers, Wouvermans, Ostade, Kuyp, Vandermeulen, &c. I cannot assert that all these are original paintings. In the parlour, ball-room, and dining-hall, there are also numerous pictures. Some of these are attributed to Angelica Kauffman, others to Reubens, Van Dyke, Sassoferrato, Guido Rheni, Titian, Ruysdael, Parmegiano, &c. However, I have seen the originals of many of them at Antwerp and Ghent, and of one of the Parmegianos in Windsor Castle. Among the statues and busts, I especially remarked a copy of the Florentine Venus, by Canova, and a copy of Hebe by the same master. The staircase of the castle is fine, and adorned with pictures by Angelica Kauffman. The mantel-pieces, all of Italian marble, ornamented with bas-reliefs, are also very remarkable. The bad weather accompanied us throughout our return to Plymouth. On this occasion I remarked that the pavement was taken up in several streets, and Macadamized, which is much better for the horses and houses.
[Several succeeding days were spent in excursions to different places in the vicinity, in company with the Admiral and Sir John Phillimore; and one day on a water party accompanied by ladies.]
On the 19th of May, in a small boat belonging to the Fortitudo, I made, with great pleasure, an excursion to Trematon Castle, which I had formerly understood was once the residence of the ancient Princes of Cornwall. Sir John Phillimore had been so polite as to inform the proprietor, Mr. Tucker, chief director of the neighbouring mines, whose son is an officer on board the Thetis, of our coming. On landing, we found a carriage sent by Mr. Tucker to meet and convey us to the castle. I observed here a water-mill, behind which was a large walled basin that is filled by the flood tide, and closed by a gate. During the ebb tide the gate is opened and the mill set to work. It reminded me of the bassins de chasse, in some of our harbours.
Trematon Castle is situated upon a height. Besides the walls furnished with loop-holes which form a quadrangle, the castle consists of but two towers, one quadrangular, which forms the entrance, and the other a round one, somewhat higher. As Mr. Tucker holds this castle of the king, the royal arms are over the portal. In the court-yard of the castle, Mr. Tucker has built a tasteful house, and, by removing part of the adjacent wall, has obtained a beautiful prospect from his dwelling, comprising a view of most of the Hamoaze with the shipping, Anthony’s Park, Devonport, and part of Plymouth Sound. Mr. Tucker holds several important posts in the navy, and during Fox’s ministry he was secretary to the admiralty. At the overthrow of that administration, he retired to his native place with a pension of two thousand pounds per annum, and the office of secretary to the duchy of Cornwall; here he is highly esteemed, enjoys great influence, and has his property principally vested in the mines. After receiving us in a very friendly manner, and introducing his family, he took a seat in the carriage.
We went eight miles further to a silver mine, the only one in England. It belongs to a company of five stockholders, of which Mr. Tucker is the principal. The country is very hilly, the road sometimes narrow and steep, so that it was frequently necessary to lock the wheels. A part of the way was over the good road from Saltash to Callington; we also passed near to Pentilhe castle. The land is generally good, with the exception of a heath, of which England contains a number under the name of “commons.” The silver mine is situated in a deep valley of Fulliford common. The mine is named St. Vincent, in honour of the deceased admiral, who was a great patron of Mr. Tucker. The mine has been but five years in progress, and produces so little that it sinks two hundred pounds per month for the stockholders. The vein of silver, whose presence is judged of certainly by iron-stone, is cut at right angles by a vein of copper. This copper they are breaking through in hopes of greater success. The mine has five shafts; the deepest is rather more than three hundred feet deep, and serves as a working-shaft: two others are used for pumping out the water. One pump is worked by a steam-engine of seventy horse-power, the other is worked by a compound lever, which is about a quarter of a mile long, moved by a water-wheel of forty feet in diameter. The wheel is overshot, and the water for working it is obtained from a small brook, aided by the water pumped up by the steam machine, and conducted to it by a small canal. The lever is composed of long wooden beams, bound together with iron straps, and hangs by tripods placed at determinate distances.
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