Manuscript diary, in pen and brown ink, kept by Anne Cooper of Dursley, during an excursion down the River Wye from 29 May to 1 June, 1786. The fair copy text is neatly written in a single hand, perhaps the author's, whose name (signed "A. Cooper") appears at the foot of the manuscript title page. The diary is interspersed with 12 full page watercolor illustrations, also likely the work of Anne Cooper. The first 41 pages contain the diary text; the final 7 pages contain an index to the drawings, with descriptive text. The travelling party, as noted in the diary's second paragraph, consists of "Mr. Howman, Mr. Dryer, Mr. Lovich Cooper [the diarist's brother-in-law], my father [William Purnell], Mr. [Robert Bransby] Cooper & myself [Anne Cooper]". They set off on 29 May 1786, departing Dursley by horse and carriage, arriving at Ross, where they explore the town. The next morning they board their river vessel, which is "small, but filled up with no less convenience than neatness". During their first day on the Wye, the party sees Wilton Castle, Goodrich Castle, and Coldwell, where they stop to dine, having "cooled our wine in the spring which murmured at our feet". While dining, they watch a pair of fisherman with their coracles. The party then climbs Yat Rock, where Anne notes, "the ascent was steep but not impracticable even to a female, who urged by curiosity and attracted by the promise of a glorious view, undertook the expedition with ardour". Cooper and her party arrive at Monmouth by evening, where they take lodging in the principal inn. As they continue down the Wye the next morning, the diarist finds the river below Monmouth much less attractive: "As we proceeded, the scenes became more bustling; several iron works smoked beneath the hills, numerous barges were lading at a wharf, and cottages were thickly scattered around ... I sigh'd again for the frowning rock and sombre wood". At her arrival at Tintern Abbey, however, Anne Cooper's mood changes to rapture: "The long rang'd columns, the gothic windows, the overshadowing ivy excited an emotion for which mere veneration is too tame a word". The party continues down the river, stopping to climb the rocks at the Twelve Apostles (where Anne decides her "strength was not equal to the attempt"), before ending the day at Chepstow, where they visit the castle ruins. The final day's travel is made by foot and by chaise, as the party passes through the woods above the Wye valley, to Newnham. The watercolor illustrations are inserted at matching points in the text. They are all within oval frames of uniform size (15.5 x 20 cm). The descriptive index to the illustrations (7 p. at end) also includes two additional small watercolor drawings (the first depicting "the snail-like fisherman with the coracle on his back", the other a diagram of a bend of the Wye at New Weir). The full page illustrations are as follows (titles from index): 1. View of Pope's "Heaven-directed spire" from the walks of the Man of Ross -- 2. Goodrich Castle at the distance of half a mile -- 3. View of Bishop's Wood and Coppard's Wood -- 4. View of the parsonage & church of Welch Bicknor -- 5. Part of Coldwell rocks at the bend of the river -- 6. The rocks at the New Weir -- 7. Rocks at Sally Grove roving -- 8. Tintern Abbey from the meadow on the east -- 9. Tintern Abbey from the river -- 10. Part of the ruins of Chepstow Castle with the famous wooden bridge -- 11. Martin's Tower, Chepstow Castle -- 12. View from the high grounds near Windcliff.
