Difference between revisions of "Radnorshire"

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|name=Radnorshire
 
|name=Radnorshire
 
|welsh=Sir Faesyfed
 
|welsh=Sir Faesyfed
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|map image=RadnorshireBrit6.PNG
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|map image=Radnorshire Brit Isles Sect 6.svg
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|picture=
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|picture=Glorious Radnor - geograph.org.uk - 1325948.jpg
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|picture caption=
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|picture caption=View to the Radnor Forest
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|area=485 square miles
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|population={{hcspop|70}}
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|county town=[[New Radnor]]
 
|county town=[[New Radnor]]
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|flower={{countyflower|Radnorshire}}
 
 
}}
 
}}
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The '''County of Radnor''' is an inland [[Counties of the United Kingdom|shire]] in mid-Wales.
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The '''County of Radnor''' is an inland [[Counties of the United Kingdom|shire]] in mid-Wales. It is a sparsely populated county: the least populous of any county in Wales and the 10th least populous in the United Kingdom.
  
 
==Geography==
 
==Geography==
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The county is bounded to the north by [[Montgomeryshire]] and [[Shropshire]], to the east by [[Herefordshire]], to the south and south-west by [[Brecknockshire]] and to the west by [[Cardiganshire]]. In the east and south are some comparatively level tracts, including the Vale of Radnor, but most of the county is mountainous, with the Cambrian Mountains running through the west of the county. The highest point is at Radnor Forest (2,166 ft). The Elan Valley contains several huge man-made reservoirs supplying water to Birmingham. The main rivers are the Wye, the Elan and the Ithon. The main industries are tourism and hill farming.  
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The county is bounded to the north by [[Montgomeryshire]] and [[Shropshire]]; to the east by [[Herefordshire]]; to the south and south-west by [[Brecknockshire]]; and to the west by [[Cardiganshire]]. In the east and south are some comparatively level tracts, including the Vale of Radnor, but most of the county is mountainous, with the Cambrian Mountains running through the west. The highest point is at Radnor Forest (2,166 feet). The township of [[Litton and Cascob]] forms a detached part of Herefordshire, locally in Radnorshire.
  
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==Towns and villages==
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The [[River Elan|Elan Valley]] on the border with Brecknockshire contains several huge man-made reservoirs supplying water to [[Birmingham]]. The main rivers are the [[River Wye|Wye]], the [[River Elan|Elan]] and the [[River Ithon|Ithon]]. The main industries are tourism and hill farming.
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*[[Knighton]]
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===Hundreds===
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[[File:Radnorshire Hundreds.svg|thumb|250px|The hundreds of Radnorshire]]
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The hundreds of Radnorshire are:<ref name=lewis>{{cite web |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=47881  |title=Radnor - Radnorshire |accessdate=2009-02-10 |work=A Topographical Dictionary of Wales |publisher=British history Online |year=1849 }}</ref>
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 +
*[[Colwyn Hundred|Colwyn]]
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*[[Cefnllys Hundred|Cefnllys]] (Kevenlleece or Cevnllŷs)
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*[[Knighton Hundred|Knighton]]
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*[[Painscastle Hundred|Painscastle]]
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*[[Radnor Hundred|Radnor]]
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*[[Rhayader Hundred|Rhayader]]
 +
 
 +
===Towns and villages===
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[[File:Former Gwalia Hotel, Llandrindod Wells (geograph 4920652).jpg|thumb|250px|Former Gwalia Hotel, Llandrindod Wells]]
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[[File:The Radnorshire Arms, Presteigne (geograph 2469033).jpg|thumb|250px|The Radnorshire Arms, Presteigne]]
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No centre in Radnorshire exceeds a population of 6,000 and only one, Llandrindod Wells, exceeds 5,000:
 +
 
 +
*[[Knighton, Radnorshire|Knighton]] ''(partly in Shropshire)''
 
*[[Llandrindod Wells]]
 
*[[Llandrindod Wells]]
 
*[[Llanelwedd]]
 
*[[Llanelwedd]]
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*[[Presteigne]] ''(partly in Herefordshire)''
 +
*[[Newbridge on Wye]]
 
*[[New Radnor]]
 
*[[New Radnor]]
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*[[Presteigne]]
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*[[Rhayader]]
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*[[Rhayader]]  
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===Civil communities===
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{{parishliststart}}
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*[[Abbey Cwm-hir]]
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*[[Aberedw]]
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*[[Beguildy]]
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*[[Clyro]]
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*[[Disserth and Trecoed]]
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*[[Gladestry]]
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*[[Glasbury]]
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*[[Glasgwm]]
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*[[Knighton, Radnorshire|Knighton]]
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*[[Llanbadarn Fawr, Radnorshire|Llanbadarn Fawr]]
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*[[Llanbadarn Fynydd]]
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*[[Llanbister]]
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*[[Llanddewi Ystradenni]]
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*[[Llandrindod Wells]]
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*[[Llanelwedd]]
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*[[Llanfihangel Rhydeithion]]
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*[[Llangunllo]]
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*[[Llanyre]]
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*[[Nantmel]]
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*[[New Radnor]]
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*[[Old Radnor]]
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*[[Painscastle]]
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*[[Pen-y-bont and Llandegley]]
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*[[Presteigne and Norton]]
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*[[Rhayader]]
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*[[St Harmon]]
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*[[Whitton, Radnorshire|Whitton]]
 +
{{parishlistend}}
 +
 
 +
==History==
 +
The county was formed by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535-1542 out of the cantrefs of Maelienydd and Elfael and the commotes of Gwrtheyrnion and Deuddwr (the area formerly known as Rhwng Gwŷ a Hafren). [[New Radnor]] and [[Presteigne]] compete for the title of [[county town]].  Recent administration has shunned both and sat at [[Llandrindod Wells]].
 +
 
 +
==Symbols of Radnorshire==
 +
Until 1954 Radnorshire County Council used irregularly a version of the arms of the Mortimers, Earls of March: ''Barry of six or and azure on a chief of the last two pallets azure between as many gyrons of the first''.<ref>A C Fox-Davies, ''The Book of Public Arms'', 2nd edition, London 1915</ref><ref>Mary O'Regan, ''Heraldry of the Old Welsh Counties, Part 2'', in ''Aspects of Heraldry'', Vol.9, Yorkshire Heraldry Society, 1995</ref> The council received a grant of armorial bearings in 1954:<ref>Geoffrey Briggs, ''Civic and Corporate Heraldry'', London, 1971</ref> ''gules a lion regardant or'' (for Elystan Glodrhydd, Prince of Wales, ''argent three boars' heads sable'' (for his son Cadwgan), and around the shield a ''bordure compony or and azure'' from the Mortimer arms.
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In 1996 the arms were transferred to the newly formed Powys Council, for use by the Radnorshire Shire Committee.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1996/Uksi_19961930_en_2.htm |title=The Local Authorities (Armorial Bearings) (No. 2) (Wales) Order 1996 (S.I. 1996 No. 1930) |accessdate=2008-07-26 |author= |year=1996 |work= |publisher=Office of Public Sector Information}}</ref>
 +
 
 +
The motto adopted by the county council was ''Ewch yn Uwch'' (Go Higher).
 +
 
 +
==History and culture==
 +
The geographic territory of the county roughly corresponds with the Welsh territory of Rhwng Gwy a Hafren which fell under the control of the Marcher Lords at the end of the 11th Century. Radnorshire was a poor county and has been an historical backwater but occasionally has drifted to the forefront of history. The most notable historic events are the Battle of Bryn Glas fought on June 22, 1402 during the rebellion of Owain Glyndŵr, and the founding of [[Cwmhir Abbey]].
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 +
The county's poverty compared with neighbouring Shropshire was remarked upon thus in the 17th century by an anonymous visitor:
 +
 
 +
<blockquote><poem>Poor Radnorsheer, poor Radnorsheer,
 +
Never a park, and never a deer,
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Never a squire of five hundred a year,
 +
Save Richard Fowler of Abbey-Cwm-hir</poem></blockquote>
 +
 
 +
Apart from a handful of parishes along the Shropshire border the Welsh language remained the first language of the county well into the second half of the eighteenth century.<ref>F G Payne, ''Crwydro Sir Faesyfed'' Vol I (1966) & Vol II (1968), Llandybïe</ref>  By 1850 the language had retreated to the western parishes of Rhayader, Llanyre, Cwmdauddwr, St Harmon and Nantmel.<ref name=lewis/> By 1900 Welsh was still spoken by a sizeable minority west of the town of [[Rhayader]], the language disappearing as the century progressed. Of course there were Welsh speakers living in Radnorshire who had come from other parts of Wales and today their number has been swelled by children being educated through the medium of Welsh in school.
 +
 
 +
The county's position and want of Welsh speakers gave weight to the traditional local expression, "Neither Wales nor England, just Radnorsheer"
 +
 
 +
==Places of interest==
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{{UKPlacesKey}}
 +
===Natural landscape===
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*The [[Elan Valley]] and reservoirs
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*[[Offa's Dyke]]
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*[[Water-break-its-neck]] waterfall
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*[[Radnor Forest]]
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 +
===Built heritage===
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{|
 +
|-
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|[[File:CwmhirAbbey.jpg|left|thumb|180px|Cwmhir Abbey]]
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|
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*{{i-Abbey}} [[Cwmhir Abbey]]
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*{{i-Castle}} [[Aberedw Castle]]
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*{{getmap|SO176767|Beguildy Tumuli}}
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*{{i-House}} [[Broadheath House]], Presteigne
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*{{getmap|SN927646|Elan Valley Visitor's Centre}}
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*{{getmap|SO138641|The Pales}}
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*{{i-Park}} The Rock Park, [[Llandrindod Wells]] ({{getmap|SO052609}}).
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* Royal Welsh Showground, [[Llanelwedd]]
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*{{i-Church}}{{i-Battle}} [[Pilleth]] Church and the Battle of Bryn Glas
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|}
 +
 
 +
===Museums===
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{{i-Museum}}
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*[[Llandrindod Wells]] Museum
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*The [[Judges Lodgings]], [[Presteigne]]
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*[http://www.carad.org.uk/museum/rhayader-museum%20www.carad.org.uk/museum/rhayader-museum The Rhayader Museum & Gallery], [[Rhayader]]
 +
 
 +
==See also==
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[[Flag of Radnorshire]]
 +
 
 +
==References==
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{{Reflist}}
 +
 
 +
==Further reading==
 +
Some leading texts on Radnorshire history are:
 +
*{{cite book | author=Donald Gregory | title=Radnorshire | year=1994 | isbn=0863812848}} ([http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0863812848  Amazon])
 +
*{{cite book | author=Keith Parker | title=Radnorshire from Civil War to Restoration | year=2000 | isbn=1873827865}} ([http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1873827865  Amazon])
 +
*{{cite book | author=Peter J Conradi | title=At the Bright Hem of God | year=2009 | isbn=9781854114907}}
 +
 
 +
==Outside links==
 +
*{{cite web | title=County: Radnorshire Wales | url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/place_page.jsp?p_id=17429&st=Radnorshire | work=Vision of Britain | publisher=University of Portsmouth | date= | accessdate=2009-04-20}}
 +
*{{cite web | title=Radnorshire | url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=47881#s4 | work=A Topographical Dictionary of Wales | publisher=British History Online | year=1849 | accessdate=2009-04-20}}
 +
*{{cite book | title=General view of the agriculture of the county of Radnor: with observations on the means of its improvement | url=http://books.google.ie/books/download/General_view_of_the_agriculture_of_the_c.pdf?id=GkEIAAAAQAAJ&output=pdf&sig=ACfU3U0hVTX21gYzV8MzDjJljLZ7FB_Lzw | author=John Clark | work= | publisher=Board of Agriculture | year=1794 | accessdate=2009-04-20}}
  
−
{{stub}}
 
 
{{British county}}
 
{{British county}}

Latest revision as of 11:22, 23 February 2022

Radnorshire
Welsh: Sir Faesyfed
United Kingdom
Glorious Radnor - geograph.org.uk - 1325948.jpg
View to the Radnor Forest
Ewch yn Uwch
(Higher and higher)
Radnorshire
[Interactive map]
Area: 470 square miles
Population: 25,821
County town: New Radnor
County flower: Radnor lily [1]

The County of Radnor is an inland shire in mid-Wales. It is a sparsely populated county: the least populous of any county in Wales and the 10th least populous in the United Kingdom.

Geography

The county is bounded to the north by Montgomeryshire and Shropshire; to the east by Herefordshire; to the south and south-west by Brecknockshire; and to the west by Cardiganshire. In the east and south are some comparatively level tracts, including the Vale of Radnor, but most of the county is mountainous, with the Cambrian Mountains running through the west. The highest point is at Radnor Forest (2,166 feet). The township of Litton and Cascob forms a detached part of Herefordshire, locally in Radnorshire.

The Elan Valley on the border with Brecknockshire contains several huge man-made reservoirs supplying water to Birmingham. The main rivers are the Wye, the Elan and the Ithon. The main industries are tourism and hill farming.

Hundreds

The hundreds of Radnorshire

The hundreds of Radnorshire are:[1]

Towns and villages

Former Gwalia Hotel, Llandrindod Wells
The Radnorshire Arms, Presteigne

No centre in Radnorshire exceeds a population of 6,000 and only one, Llandrindod Wells, exceeds 5,000:

Civil communities

History

The county was formed by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535-1542 out of the cantrefs of Maelienydd and Elfael and the commotes of Gwrtheyrnion and Deuddwr (the area formerly known as Rhwng Gwŷ a Hafren). New Radnor and Presteigne compete for the title of county town. Recent administration has shunned both and sat at Llandrindod Wells.

Symbols of Radnorshire

Until 1954 Radnorshire County Council used irregularly a version of the arms of the Mortimers, Earls of March: Barry of six or and azure on a chief of the last two pallets azure between as many gyrons of the first.[2][3] The council received a grant of armorial bearings in 1954:[4] gules a lion regardant or (for Elystan Glodrhydd, Prince of Wales, argent three boars' heads sable (for his son Cadwgan), and around the shield a bordure compony or and azure from the Mortimer arms.

In 1996 the arms were transferred to the newly formed Powys Council, for use by the Radnorshire Shire Committee.[5]

The motto adopted by the county council was Ewch yn Uwch (Go Higher).

History and culture

The geographic territory of the county roughly corresponds with the Welsh territory of Rhwng Gwy a Hafren which fell under the control of the Marcher Lords at the end of the 11th Century. Radnorshire was a poor county and has been an historical backwater but occasionally has drifted to the forefront of history. The most notable historic events are the Battle of Bryn Glas fought on June 22, 1402 during the rebellion of Owain Glyndŵr, and the founding of Cwmhir Abbey.

The county's poverty compared with neighbouring Shropshire was remarked upon thus in the 17th century by an anonymous visitor:

Poor Radnorsheer, poor Radnorsheer,
Never a park, and never a deer,
Never a squire of five hundred a year,
Save Richard Fowler of Abbey-Cwm-hir

Apart from a handful of parishes along the Shropshire border the Welsh language remained the first language of the county well into the second half of the eighteenth century.[6] By 1850 the language had retreated to the western parishes of Rhayader, Llanyre, Cwmdauddwr, St Harmon and Nantmel.[1] By 1900 Welsh was still spoken by a sizeable minority west of the town of Rhayader, the language disappearing as the century progressed. Of course there were Welsh speakers living in Radnorshire who had come from other parts of Wales and today their number has been swelled by children being educated through the medium of Welsh in school.

The county's position and want of Welsh speakers gave weight to the traditional local expression, "Neither Wales nor England, just Radnorsheer"

Places of interest

Key
Cathedral/Abbey/Priory Cathedral/Abbey/Priory
Accessible open space Accessible open space
Amusement/Theme Park Amusement/Theme Park
Castle Castle
Country Park Country Park
Cadw Cadw
Forestry Commission Forestry Commission
Heritage railway Heritage railway
Historic house Historic House
Museum (free)
Museum (not free) 		Museum (free/not free)
National Trust National Trust
Zoo Zoo

Natural landscape

Built heritage

Cwmhir Abbey

Museums

Museum (free)

See also

Flag of Radnorshire

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Radnor - Radnorshire". A Topographical Dictionary of Wales. British history Online. 1849. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=47881. Retrieved 2009-02-10. 
  2. ↑ A C Fox-Davies, The Book of Public Arms, 2nd edition, London 1915
  3. ↑ Mary O'Regan, Heraldry of the Old Welsh Counties, Part 2, in Aspects of Heraldry, Vol.9, Yorkshire Heraldry Society, 1995
  4. ↑ Geoffrey Briggs, Civic and Corporate Heraldry, London, 1971
  5. ↑ "The Local Authorities (Armorial Bearings) (No. 2) (Wales) Order 1996 (S.I. 1996 No. 1930)". Office of Public Sector Information. 1996. http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1996/Uksi_19961930_en_2.htm. Retrieved 2008-07-26. 
  6. ↑ F G Payne, Crwydro Sir Faesyfed Vol I (1966) & Vol II (1968), Llandybïe

Further reading

Some leading texts on Radnorshire history are:

  • Donald Gregory (1994). Radnorshire. ISBN 0863812848.  (Amazon)
  • Keith Parker (2000). Radnorshire from Civil War to Restoration. ISBN 1873827865.  (Amazon)
  • Peter J Conradi (2009). At the Bright Hem of God. ISBN 9781854114907. 

Outside links

Counties of the United Kingdom

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