NEWTOWN

Newtown's origin as a market town can be dated quite precisely. On 16th January 1279 King Edward I granted the Norman Baron Roger de Montgomery a charter to hold a market on Tuesdays, the day of the week upon which markets have been held in the town ever since. At the time there was only a small settlement by the Old Church of St Mary whose remains stand by the riverside below the Longbridge. This hamlet was named Llanfair yng Nghedewain, the church of St Mary in Cedewain.
Up until about two years before the granting of the charter, the lands of Cedewain had been in the hands of Llewellyn ap Gruffydd who had established a castle at Dolforwyn, near Abermule. In 1277 Dolforwyn Castle fell to the Mortimers who occupied Montgomery Castle, across the valley. Dolforwyn was destroyed and it is likely that the new market town was established to replace a market held outside the walls of the castle. Thus it became Newtown or, in Welsh, Y Drenewydd.

OSWESTRY

This town which in its history has been both Welsh and English can trace its origins as far back as 550BC by way of a Iron Age hill fort at "Old Oswestry". The name Oswestry is a corruption of "Oswald's Tree" after the spot where King Oswald was hanged in 642 AD. The town's twelfth century Norman castle was destroyed during the English Civil War - the town had been staunchly Royalist ! Situated on the border, the town was frequently attacked and burnt and at one time had a protective wall around it. Some of the old town gates are still visible. The coming of the Cambrian Railway heralded a period of prosperity for the town and it was for a long time a garrison town with the army's Park Hall Camp just on the outskirts.

PONT ROBERT

Pont Robert got its name from Robert ap Oliver of Cynhinfa, who rebuilt a bridge over the river after the original was swept away by floods in 1633. The village is split in two by the river Vyrnwy. Although small and two miles from the nearest road, the village had great influence in local industrial history. Over the centuries it has been the site of three grain mills, two iron forges and a woollen factory. Surviving to this day is the old Methodist Chapel built in 1800. John Hughes the hymn writer lived and preached there, and is buried in a nearby graveyard.

PRESTEIGNE

Presteigne is the former county town of Radnorshire. The Welsh translation 'Llanandras' means 'The Church of St. Andrew'. The town lies on the southern bank of the river Lugg and just three miles to the west of the town lie the ancient earthworks of Offa's Dyke which date from the 8th century. The town suffered huge plague epidemics in the 16th century and much of the town was destroyed by fire much in 1681. The second oldest grammar school in Wales is in Presteigne, founded by John Beddoes a wealthy local business man in 1565.

RHAYADER

Rhayader's original Welsh name is Rhaead Gwy, a literal translation of which is "waterfall on the wye" and as the name suggests the town grew as a crossroads on the north-south and east-west trade routes. There are Bronze Age and Roman settlements recorded in the area and its first castle was built in 1177 by Lord Rhys of Deheubarth. Over the next fifty years it was held by several different warring factions but was finally destroyed by fire in 1231. Fast forward to the nineteenth century and the town was ripped apart by riots. These came about as a result of a huge increase in tolls levied on farmers bringing animals to market - the town was surrounded by no less than six toll gates at the time ! Today, the town remains a market centre and the gateway to the Elan Valley, one of the area's best loved tourist areas.

STAYLITTLE

Staylittle is known in welsh as 'Penfforddlas', which means 'common at the top of the green road'. It is close to the head of the Llwyn Clywedog Reservoir and the dam. The English name came from a blacksmith in the hamlet who believed that he and his brother could shoe the horses so quickly that travellers needed only to 'stay a little' before continuing their journeys. Also nearby is Hafren Forest which is very popular with tourists, boasting lots of picturesque walks. Staylittle Outdoor Education Centre is also a popular attraction for enthusiasts and school trips.

TREGYNON

Tregynon lies on the Llanfair Caereinion road. The Celtic Saint Cynon gives the village its name. After he and his followers settled in the village in the 12th century and built a church which still stands today, albeit after restoration in the 18th century. The Knights Templar of St. John also settled here in the 12th century! Gregynog with its huge black and white mansion and extensive grounds is a huge attraction, now owned by the University of Wales. The previous owners were the Davies sisters of Llandinam, and provided a lot of employment locally. The printing press they owned at Gregynog is still in working order today. The ladies of Gregynog were not a fan of the consumption of alcohol, and closed down the local pub – The Dragon. Even today there is no public house in the village.

WELSHPOOL

In 1263 Welshpool first became a borough consisting of an area of around sixty acres. Later that area extended to over twenty thousand acres after a charter was granted by The Lord of Powys, Edward de Cherleton in 1406. Welshpool's original name is Y Trallwm, and came into being as a community grew up around the Church of St. Llewellyn. In the thirteenth century Powis Castle was built, an impressive sandstone building overlooking the Severn Valley. Today it's a museum and major visitor attraction. Today, the town also benefits from the presence of The Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway, the Montgomery canal and it's mix of festival and market activities.

Photos on this page courtesy of Charlotte Owen, CO Photography, Newtown -
01686 625989 www.cophotography.co.uk