Montgomeryshire

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Montgomeryshire
Welsh: Sir Faldwyn
United Kingdom
Montgomery.jpg
Montgomery
Powys paradwys Cymru
(Powys paradise of Wales)
Montgomeryshire
[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:

Hundreds

The hundred of Montgomeryshire

The hundreds of Montgomeryshire are:

Civil communities

*: Detached part of Denbighshire.

Places to see

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
Powis Castle

Castles and sites

Natural landscape

Museums and heritage

See also

Flag of Montgomeryshire

References

Counties of the United Kingdom

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