Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/286

Rh RADNOR. 274 RADSTOCK. Claer-wen, Arun, Dernol, &c., besides those above men- tioned, all flow directly or indirectly into the Wye. The Wye, with its main tributary, the Ython, abounds in salmon ; the other streams are principally famed for trout and grayling. The lakes are Llyn-Gwynne near Rhayader, Llanbychllyn in Llandilo-graban, nearly a mile and a half in circumference, Glauhilyn or Llyn- ellyn in Radnor Forest, and Llyn-Hindwell near old Radnor. The ancient forests of Radnorshire, which were of great extent, have long since disappeared. In the earliest times of which we have any authentic his- tory Radnorshire formed part of the territory of the Silures, a British tribe who were subjugated by the Romans; the latter had a camp at Cwm, on the right bank of the river Ithon, of which the remains cover about 4 acres. After the departure of the Romans this county was again merged in the Welsh principalities, and was frequently overrun by the Mercian kings, whose territories included a small por- tion of the county around Presteign, and were separated from Wales by an artificial dyke made by King Offa, the remains of which are still visible in many places. In later times Radnorshire was overrun by several of the Norman adventurers, chiefly of the families of Mortimer and De Breos, who acquired large possessions, and built castles here, but the remains are very dilapidated, the only castle of interest being that of Aber Edw, at the junction of the Edw with the Wye, which was the last retreat of Llewellyn ap Griffyth. In the reign of Henry VIII. Radnorshire was made shire ground, and is divided into the bunds, of Radnor, Rhayader, Knigh- ton, Kevcn-Lleece, or Cefn-llys, Colwyn, and Pains- castle, comprising 53 parishes and townships. It returns two members to parliament, one for the county, and one for the borough of New Radnor, with its five contribu- tory boroughs, Presteign, Knighton, Cefn-llys, Rhaydr- gwy, and Knucklas, the three first being also market towns. By the Poor-law Commissioners the county is divided into three unions Knighton, Presteign, and Rhayader. It is included in the South Wales circuit. The assizes are held at Presteign, and quarter sessions alternately at I'resteign and New Radnor. The county courts are held monthly in New Radnor and Presteign alternately. The eastern part of the county is included in the diocese of Hereford, and the western in that of St. David's. The county has no canal or other water communication, and only a short branch line of railway to Knighton, but two new lines are in progress, one to connect the Shrewsbury and Herefordshire line with the South Wales line by way of Knighton, Builth, and Llandovery, and the other an extension of the Oswestry and Newton by way of Llanidloes through Rhayader to Builth. The principal road enters the county by Pres- teign, where it branches off in three directions, one road running by Knighton into Shropshire, another by Llan- badarn-Nynidd into Montgomeryshire, and the third, which traverses the centre of the county, passes through New Radnor, where it again diverges by Llanelweth and Builth into Brecknockshire, and by Rhayader into Cardigan and Montgomeryshire. Besides these there is the old road along the valley of the Wye from Builth in Brecknockshire through Rhayader to Llanidloes in Montgomeryshire, and the road which runs from Knigh- ton along the right bank of the Teme to the Newton road on the Montgomeryshire border. Radnorshire is pre-eminently a pastoral county, there being scarcely any manufactures except that of flannel, which is carried on only to a small extent ; and the quantity of wheat grown in the county is considerably less than the con- sumption, notwithstanding the sparsity of the population, which in 1851 was 24,716, and in 1861 25,382. Although wheat, barley, potatoes, and flax are grown in the neigh- bourhood of market towns, and in the fertile district of the S. and E., the principal dependence of the farmer is on his dairy produce and live stock reared on the pasture lands and common lands, which not only support numerous flocks of sheep, but in the more shel- tered districts cattle of all sorts. The cows are princi- pally of the Herefordshire breed, and large quantities of salt butter are made. The draught horses are rather below the ordinary size, and in the mountains the native Welsh ponies are still bred. RADNOR, a hund. in the co. of Radnor, contains the town of New Radnor, and the pars, of Colva, Gladestry, Norton, Old Radnor, and part of Presteign. RADNOR, NEW, or MAES-HYVED, a par., post and market town in the above bund., co. Radnor, 9 milea S.W. of Presteign, and 26 from Hereford. It is situated on the river Somergill, under Radnor Forest mountains, and was once a place of great importance. It has for a long period been reduced to a village con- sisting only of a few "thatched cottages. It contains a townhall, prison, &c., also the ruins of a border castle of the Mortimers, which was pulled down by John, but afterwards rebuilt by the English, and finally destroyed by Owain Glyndwr in 1401. Many of the cottages are in a ruined condition, and most of the business has been transferred to Presteign. About a mile from the turnpike road is the cascade designated " Water-break- its-Neck," which descends from a height of 70 feet, being one of the largest in Wales. Radnor gives title of carl to the Bouveries. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Hereford, val. 304, in the patron, of the lord chan- cellor. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, has a tower containing a clock and four bells. It is situated on the declivity of a hill, and was rebuilt by Dean Merewether. The parochial charities produce about 27 per annum, of which 15 goes to Green's school. The Dissenters have a place of worship. In 1188 Giraldus Cambrensis, the historian, began his Itinerary at this point with Archbishop Baldwin, who came hither to preach the Cru- sades. Fairs are held on 14th August and 28th October. RADNOR, OLD, or MAES-HYVED HEN, a par. partly in the hund. of Radnor, and partly in that of Wigmore, co. Radnor, 4 miles from Kington, its post town, and 3 from New Radnor. It is situated on the river Somergill, and contains the tnshps. of Ednal, Kinnerton, Evenjobb, Upper and Lower Harpton, and Walton. It had formerly a castle, which was burnt in 1189 by Rhys ap Gruflydd, and of which there are still traces. There are also remains of a Druidical circle. The hills of Old Radnor, Stanner, Hanter, and Worzel are worthy of the geologist's attention. Some of the hills consist of trap and greenstone, similar to the rare hypersthene rock of Coruisk in the Isle of Skye. Lime- stone is abundant, and there is a tram rail from the works to Kington. At Stones, in 1645, Charles I. supped with a yeoman, when retreating before Cromwell. The living is a vie.* with the cur. of Kinnerton annexed, in the dioc. of Hereford, val. 195, in the patron, of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester. The church, dedicated to St. Stephen, is an ancient structure, with a tower con- taining six bells. The roof of the church is carved. In the interior are an old font, a carved -oak screen, and several monuments to the family of Lewis, of Harpton. The parochial charities produce about 59 per annum, of which 40 goes to Hartstonge's school. RADSTOCK, a par. in the hund. of Kilmersdon, co. Somerset, 8 miles S.W. of Bath, its post town, and the same distance N.W. of Frome. It is a prosperous vil- lage situated on the road from Bath to Exeter, and near the river Avon, which here receives several small streams. This parish is very productive of coal, of which there are several mines in operation, and there are quarries of covngrit and lias stone, which last, when burnt, makes excellent brown lime, that hardens under water. In 1849 two veins of coal^were discovered, from 5 to 6 feet in thickness. The coals are conveyed from the collieries by tramways to the Kennet and Avon canal, and by a branch line of railway, which forms a junction at Frome with the Wilts and Somerset section of the Great Western line. The mines are worked by the Countess Walde- grave, and employ a large number of the inhabitants. The soil is chiefly of a light nature, with a subsoil of clay and ruckey stone. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Bath and Wells, val. 270. The church, dedi- cated to St. Nicholas, has a tower containing five bolls. There is a parochial school for both sexes. The Wcs-