Montgomeryshire

Montgomeryshire Welsh: Sir Faldwyn United Kingdom
Montgomery
Powys paradwys Cymru (Powys paradise of Wales)
[Interactive map]
Area:	796 square miles
Population:	61,956
County town:	Montgomery
County flower:	Spiked speedwell [1]

The County of Montgomery is a shire in the heart of the Welsh mountains.

The county is named after its county town, Montgomery, which in turn is named after one of William the Conqueror's counsellors, Roger de Montgomerie, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury. Its second town, where a great deal of county business was formerly done by reason of the mountainous terrain and poor communication across the shire, is Machynlleth. Although the county as such is a creation of the Middle Ages, it is of ancient origin, its borders corresponding roughly to the mediæval kingdom of Powys Wenwynwyn.

The county flower of Montgomeryshire is the corn spurrey (spergula arvensis).

Geography

Montgomeryshire is the only county of Wales to stretch from the boundary of England west to the sea, so any journey from the north to the south of Wales must pass through it. In the east Montgomeryshire has its border with Shropshire, and in the west near Machynlleth it reaches the Dovey estuary on Cardigan Bay. A detached part of Bausley also forms a detached part of the county situate in Shropshire. The county also has detached parts in Merionethshire in the Mallwyd area.

Aside from its brush with Cardigan Bay, Montgomeryshire is an inland county, bounded to the north by Denbighshire, to the east and south-east by Shropshire, to the south by Radnorshire, to the south-west by Cardiganshire and to the west and north-west by Merionethshire. The county is almost wholly mountainous, although there are some fertile valleys on the Shropshire side. The highest point is Moel Sych (2,713 feet).

The principal rivers are the Severn flowing east and the River Dovey flowing west. Lake Vyrnwy is a reservoir supplying Liverpool in south Lancashire. The main industries are agriculture (mainly hill farming) and tourism.

Towns

The county's main towns are:

• Llanfyllin
• Machynlleth
• Llanidloes
• Newtown
• Welshpool

Hundreds

The hundred of Montgomeryshire

The hundreds of Montgomeryshire are:

• Cawrse
• Deythur
• Llanfyllin
• Machynlleth
• Mathrafal
• Montgomery
• Newtown
• Pool

Civil communities

• Aberhafesp
• Abermule with Llandyssil
• Banwy
• Bausley with Criggion
• Berriew
• Bettws
• Cadfarch
• Caersws
• Carno
• Carreghofa^*
• Castle Caereinion
• Churchstoke
• Dwyriw
• Forden
• Glantwymyn
• Guilsfield
• Kerry
• Llanbrynmair
• Llandinam
• Llandrinio and Arddleen
• Llandysilio
• Llanerfyl
• Llanfair Caereinion
• Llanfechain
• Llanfihangel
• Llanfyllin
• Llangurig
• Llangyniew
• Llangynog
• Llanidloes
• Llanidloes Without
• Llansantffraid
• Llanwddyn
• Machynlleth
• Manafon
• Meifod
• Mochdre
• Montgomery
• Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn
• Pen-y-bont-fawr
• Trefeglwys
• Tregynon
• Trewern
• Welshpool

^*: Detached part of Denbighshire.

Places to see

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

Powis Castle

Castles and sites Dolforwyn Castle near Abermule Montgomery Castle in Montgomery Powis Castle in Welshpool Trefeglwys Tumuli Mathrafal, the seat of the Welsh kings and princes of Powys Meifod Natural landscape Lake Vyrnwy Llyn Clywedog Pistyll y Llyn - one of the highest waterfalls in Wales Pistyll Rhaeadr Museums and heritage Bryntail Lead Mine buildings near Llanidloes Centre for Alternative Technology at Llwyngwern near Machynlleth The Museum of Fiction, Llanerfyl Llanidloes Museum The Museum of Modern Art, Wales (MOMA), Machynlleth Newtown Textile Museum Powysland Museum, Welshpool The Old Bell Museum, Montgomery The Robert Owen Museum, Newtown Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway

See also

Flag of Montgomeryshire