I.

Introduction

Powys (in Welsh, Powys), unitary authority and county, east-central Wales, bounded on the east by the English county of Shropshire and unitary authority of Herefordshire; on the north by the county of Denbighshire and the county borough of Wrexham; on the south-east by the county of Monmouthshire; on the south by the county boroughs of Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taff, and Neath Port Talbot; and on the west by Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, and Gwynedd. Powys was created under the local government reforms of 1974 from the former counties of Montgomeryshire, Radnorshire, and most of Breconshire (sometimes called Brecknockshire). Powys was the only one of the eight Welsh counties established in 1974 to survive the restructuring of Welsh local government that came into effect on April 1, 1996. Implemented under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1994, the restructuring involved the replacement of the two-tier administrative system of county and district councils with a single-tier system of unitary authorities. Powys' boundaries were largely unchanged, except in the north-east where it gained some territory from the Glyndwr district of the former county of Clwyd. With an area of 5,205 sq km (2,009 sq mi), equivalent to almost one quarter of the area of Wales, Powys is by far the largest of the new unitary authorities.

II.

Land and Resources

In the north-west of the county, the heather-covered Berwyn Mountains rise to 827 m (2,713 ft). To the west are the rounded grassy slopes of Plynlimon (752 m/2,467 ft), whose summit is in Ceredigion. In the south are the Brecon Beacons, the highest mountains in south Wales, and the Black Mountains. The Brecon Beacons, which were made a National Park in 1957, are made up primarily of red sandstone, and rise in places to over 610 m (2,000 ft). They also contain a limestone area, which has the longest cave system in Great Britain, covering some 19 km (12 mi). The caves at Dan-yr-Ogof are floodlit. There are many spectacular waterfalls, the most important being at Coelbred. Radnor Forest in the east is a treeless moorland, covered with moss, heath, cotton grass, and bilberry, which rises sharply from the surrounding fertile meadows to 660 m (2,165 ft).

Fertile valleys run west to east through Powys, and are the main routes of communication with England, through Shrewsbury in Shropshire, and Hereford in Hereford and Worcester. The valley of the River Severn, known as the Vale of Powys, extends across the English border. The principal rivers of Powys, the Severn, the Wye, and the Usk, eventually flow into the Bristol Channel. Some 894 sq km (345 sq mi) of the south of Powys forms part of the Brecon Beacons National Park.

The climate of Powys varies considerably. The drier eastern valleys have an average rainfall of less than 900 mm (36 in); rainfall on the higher ground in the west is double this. February is the coldest month, with average temperatures of 5° C (41° F); in August, they average 14° C (57° F).

III.

Population and Administration

Powys is the least-populated county of Wales, with a population of 126,344 (2001). Near the border with England, few people speak Welsh; further to the west, in the mountainous country bordering Ceredigion, it is the first language of the majority. According to the 2001 census, 30 per cent of the population claims to speak Welsh (see Celtic Languages). The small town of Llandrindod Wells (population, 1991, 4,362) is the administrative centre. It is also a spa town with magnesium, sulphur, and chalybeate springs, and sporting and leisure facilities. Other important towns are Brecon (in Welsh, Aberhonddu; 1991, 7,523), Builth Wells (1991, 2,474), Newtown (Drenewydd; 1991, 10,548), Welshpool (Trallwng; 1991, 5,725), and Ystradgynlais (1991, 8,218).

There is a Crown Court at Welshpool. The police authority is the Dyfed-Powys Police, which has its headquarters in Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire.

IV.

Places of Interest

Long stretches of Offa's Dyke form the boundary between Powys and England; the Offa's Dyke Path follows its course. Glyndwr's Way is a path that leads north-westward from Welshpool to Lake Vyrnwy, and then turns south to Machynlleth, Llandrindod Wells, and Rhayader. As well as its mineral springs, Llandrindod Wells has one of the highest golf courses in Great Britain and an interesting archaeological museum. Brecon and Rhayader are centres for walking and pony-trekking. The Anglican cathedral of St John the Evangelist is in Brecon, which was also the birthplace, in 1755, of the actress Sarah Siddons. Rhayader is also a Welsh crafts centre, and a base from which to visit the Elan Valley reservoirs. Hay-on-Wye, on the border with Hereford and Worcester, has developed into the “capital” of the British second-hand book trade; a literary event, the Hay Festival, is held in the town each year. Powis Castle, built around ad 1200 and substantially modified in the late 17th century, is near Welshpool and is a National Trust property. From Welshpool the narrow-gauge railway to Llanfair P.G. operates during the summer. At Machynlleth, the Centre for Alternative Technology has been established.

V.

Economy

Powys is mainly agricultural, and the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show is held in Builth Wells each year. Sheep are reared on the upland slopes; cattle are fattened on the lowland pastures, and the river valleys are used for farming and dairying. The farms have increased in size over the past 50 years and their productivity has increased. Forestry is important in western and southern Powys.

There is light industry around Welshpool, Newtown, and Ystradgynlais. Granite and limestone are quarried. At Llandinam there is one of the largest electricity-generating wind farms in Europe, with 103 wind turbines. The production of electrical goods, shoes, and leather goods, and light engineering have all been actively encouraged in recent years, partly as a way of reducing the steady depopulation of Powys by young people leaving to look for better job prospects elsewhere. Tourism is increasing in importance.

VI.

History

The territory of modern-day Powys was conquered by the Romans towards the end of the 1st century ad. Offa’s Dyke, an earthwork running for some 224 km (170 mi) north to south down the eastern edge of the county, was built in the 8th century to protect the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia from the Welsh. In the late 11th century William I initiated the invasion of Wales, and many fortresses were built by the Normans in an attempt to subdue and control the Welsh. However, the conflict continued for several hundred years, and the princes of Wales retained their independence until Edward I vanquished Llywelyn ab Gruffudd, who was killed in a skirmish near Builth Wells in 1282. At the beginning of the 15th century, the last of the Welsh princes, Owen Glendower (in Welsh, Owain Glyn Dŵr), struggled to free Wales from the English, and in 1404 held a parliament at Machynlleth. By the 1536 Act of Union between England and Wales, Montgomeryshire, Radnorshire, and Breconshire were granted county status.