View source for Montgomeryshire

{{Short description|Historic county of Wales}}
{{Redirect2|County of Montgomery|County Montgomery|other counties|Montgomery County (disambiguation)}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox historic subdivision|
| Name                   = Montgomeryshire
| native_name            = {{native name|cy|Sir Drefaldwyn}}
| Government             = Montgomeryshire County Council (1889–1974)<br>Montgomeryshire District Council (1974–1996)
| Origin                 = 
| Status                 = [[History of local government in Wales|Non-administrative county]] (1536–1889)<br />[[Administrative county]] (1889–1974)<br />[[Districts of Wales|District]] of [[Powys]] (1974–1996)<br />[[Historic counties of Wales|Historic county]] (non-administrative) (since 1996)
| Start                  = –
| End                    = 
| Code                   = MGY
| CodeName               = [[Chapman code]]
| Motto                  = 
| Divisions              = 
| DivisionsNames         = 
| DivisionsMap           = 
| Image                  = [[File:Montgomery Town Hall - geograph.org.uk - 98025.jpg|300px|border]]
| image_caption          = Broad Street and [[Montgomery Town Hall]] (2001)
| Map                    = {{Switcher
| [[File:Wales Historic Counties map Montgomeryshire.svg|250px|Montgomeryshire shown within Wales]]
| Show location in Wales
| [[File:Montgomeryshire Brit Isles Sect 5.svg|250px|Montgomeryshire shown within England and Wales]]
| Show location in England and Wales
| [[File:Montgomeryshire - British Isles.svg|250px|Montgomeryshire shown within the United Kingdom]]
| Show location in the United Kingdom
}}
| Arms                   = 
| Civic                  = 
| PopulationFirst        = 66,482<ref name=census_1831>Vision of Britain – [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/census/table_page.jsp?tab_id=GB1831ABS_M%5B1%5D&u_id=10001043&show=DB&min_c=11&max_c=15 1831 Census]</ref>
| PopulationFirstYear    = 1831
| AreaFirst              = {{convert|483323|acre|km2}}
| AreaFirstYear          = 1831
| DensityFirst           = 0.1/acre
| DensityFirstYear       = 1831
<!-- | PopulationSecond  = 63,779
| PopulationSecondYear   = 2011
| AreaSecond             = {{convert|537000|acre|km2}}
| AreaSecondYear         = 2011 --><!-- Per [[WP:UKCOUNTIES]] only details before 1974 should be included. -->| DensitySecond            = 
| DensitySecondYear      = 
| PopulationLast         = 53,700
| PopulationLastYear     = 1992<ref>OPCS Key Population and Vital Statistics 1992</ref> 
| AreaLast               = 
| AreaLastYear           = 
| DensityLast            = 
| DensityLastYear        = 
| common_name            = Montgomeryshire
| year_start             = 1536
| year_end               = 1974/1996
| event1                 = Council established
| date_event1            = 1889
| event_post             = District status
| date_post              = 1974–1996
| s1                     = Powys
| status_text            = [[Historic counties of Wales|Historic county]] and [[districts of Wales|district]]
}}

'''Montgomeryshire''' ({{langx|cy|Sir Drefaldwyn}} {{gloss|the [[shire]] of Baldwin's town}}, or simply {{lang|cy|Maldwyn}}) was [[Historic counties of Wales|one of the thirteen counties of Wales]] that existed from 1536 until their abolition in 1974, later becoming a [[Districts of Wales|district]] of [[Powys]] from 1974 to 1996. It was named after its [[county town]], [[Montgomery, Powys|Montgomery]], which in turn was named after one of [[William the Conqueror]]'s main counsellors, [[Roger de Montgomerie, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury|Roger de Montgomerie]], who was the 1st [[Earl of Shrewsbury]].

The area of what was Montgomeryshire, now constitutes the northern part of the [[Counties and county boroughs of Wales|county]] of [[Powys]]. The current area was 2,174 square km (839 square miles).

The largest town was [[Newtown, Powys|Newtown]], followed by [[Welshpool]] and [[Llanidloes]].

==History==
[[File:Cantrefi.Medieval.Wales.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Map of Welsh [[cantref]]s]]
The [[Treaty of Montgomery]] was signed on 29 September 1267, in the town of Montgomery, which had recently been established as an English incursion on the Welsh side of the border, to control a strategic border crossing. The surrounding region (on the Welsh side of the border) otherwise comprised the mediaeval principality of [[Powys Wenwynwyn]], the southern of the two states into which the [[Kingdom of Powys]] had been divided a century before.

Attacks by [[Gwynedd]] on Powys Wenwynwyn led the latter to seek the assistance of the English. Ultimately this led them to convert their territory into a [[marcher lordship]], via ''[[surrender and regrant]]'', as a way to strengthen their position; the ruling princes of Powys Wenwynwyn became the ''Lords of Powys'', feudally bound to the English king, and able to fully rely on English backing, but otherwise independent. The prince took an English-style surname - Owen de-la Pole - after his capital city, Pool (now [[Welshpool]]).

With the introduction of the [[Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542]] the marcher lordships were converted into English counties. The Lordship of Powys – the former Powys Wenwynwyn – became Montgomeryshire; the county town being Montgomery, the strongest centre of English authority in the region, rather than centre of Welsh authority, Welshpool. Montgomeryshire was thus ultimately formed from the ''[[cantref]]i'' of Powys Wenwynwyn:<ref name=Cathrall>{{cite book|last1=Cathrall|first1=William|title=The History of North Wales Volume II|date=1828|location=Manchester|page=290}}</ref>
* [[Mechain|Y Fyrnwy]] ([[commote]]s of [[Mochnant]] Uwch Rhaeadr, [[Mechain]] Is Coed and Llanerch Hudol)
* Llyswynaf (commotes of [[Caereinion]] and [[Mechain]] Uwch Coed)
* [[Ystlyg]] (commotes of [[Deuddwr]], [[Ystrad Marchell]] and [[Y Gorddwr|Y Gorddwr Isaf]])
* [[Cedewain]] (commotes of [[Cynan]], [[Cyfeiliog]] and [[Mawddwy]])
* [[Arwystli]] (commotes of Arwystli Is Coed and Arwystli Uwch Coed)

In addition, for practical reasons, Montgomeryshire gained the commote of [[Kerry, Powys|Ceri]], which had formed a northwards spur of the less organised region [[Rhwng Gwy a Hafren|Between Wye and Severn]]; most of the rest of the latter region became [[Radnorshire]].

Montgomeryshire was bordered, to the north, by [[Denbighshire (historic)|Denbighshire]], to the east and south east by [[Shropshire]], to the south by [[Radnorshire]], to the south west by [[Ceredigion|Cardiganshire]], and to the west and north west by [[Merionethshire]]. When, in subsequent centuries, the concept of ''Wales'' was once again officially distinguished from ''England'', all of these counties were deemed ''Welsh'', except for Shropshire.
Montgomeryshire was the birthplace of Welsh Catholic martyr [[Saint Richard Gwyn]] (in 1537).

The Welsh name for the county of Montgomery was {{Lang|cy|Sir Drefaldwyn}}, leading to the shorter Welsh name {{Lang|cy|Maldwyn}}.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Morgan |first=T.J. |url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=EIIUAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Maldwyn%22+meaning+Montgomeryshire&dq=%22Maldwyn%22+meaning+Montgomeryshire&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjox93l7oiQAxUbWUEAHf-BCdsQ6AF6BAgMEAM |title=Welsh Surnames |last2=Morgan |first2=Prys |publisher=[[University of Wales Press]] |year=1985 |isbn=9780708308806 |pages=49 |access-date=3 October 2025}}</ref>

===Local government===
{{See also|Townships in Montgomeryshire}}
[[File:Neuadd Maldwyn.jpg|thumb|[[Neuadd Maldwyn]], Severn Street, Welshpool: Built 1931 as headquarters of Montgomeryshire County Council]]
Elected county councils were established in [[Montgomeryshire County Council election, 1889|1889]] under the [[Local Government Act 1888]] to take over the local government functions previously exercised by the [[Court of quarter sessions|quarter sessions]]. Although the county was named after [[Montgomery, Powys|Montgomery]], by 1889 the quarter sessions were instead held at both [[Newtown, Powys|Newtown]] and [[Welshpool]], and the new county council chose to continue meeting in both towns in its early years.<ref>''National Gazetteer of Wales, 1868.''</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Welsh items |url=https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3301898/3301902/24/ |access-date=29 September 2022 |work=Aberystwith Observer |publisher=National Library of Wales |date=9 February 1889 |location=Aberystwyth |page=4}}</ref> Montgomeryshire County Council held its first formal meeting on 1 April 1889 at the Public Rooms (also known as the Flannel Exchange) in Newtown.<ref>{{cite news |title=North Wales County Councils: First Meetings - Montgomeryshire |url=https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3765750/3765757/78/ |access-date=29 September 2022 |work=Carnarvon and Denbigh Herald |date=5 April 1889 |publisher=National Library of Wales |location=Caernarfon |page=7}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Flannel Exchange |url=https://newtown.org.uk/discover-newtown/newtown-heritage-trail/the-flannel-exchange |website=Discover Newtown |publisher=Newtown Town Council |access-date=29 September 2022}}</ref>

In 1931 the county council opened a new headquarters building in Welshpool, called the Montgomeryshire County Offices or [[Neuadd Maldwyn]]. The county council remained based at Neuadd Maldwyn until its abolition in 1974.<ref>Vaughan-Thomas and Llewelyn, p. 339</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.countytimes.co.uk/news/18782416.welshpools-neuadd-maldwyn-redevelopment-cost-11-6m/|title=Welshpool's Neuadd Maldwyn redevelopment to cost £11.6m|date=9 October 2020|newspaper=Powys County Times|access-date=5 October 2021}}</ref>

Until 1974, Montgomeryshire was divided into [[civil parish]]es for the purpose of local government; these in large part equated to [[parish|ecclesiastical parishes]] (see the table below), most of which still exist as part of the Church in Wales.<ref>{{cite web|title=GENUKI: Montgomeryshire Towns and Parishes|url=https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/MGY/indexpars|access-date=28 September 2024}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
!Hundred
!Parishes
|-
!Cawrse
|''[[Criggion|Crugion/Criggion]]''<sup>1</sup> • [[Forden|Forden/Ffordun]]
|-
!Deythur
|[[Llandrinio]] • [[Llandysilio]] • [[Llansantffraid-ym-Mechain|Llansanffraid-ym-Mechain]] 
|-
!Llanfyllin
|Hirnant • [[Llanfihangel-yng-Ngwynfa]] • [[Llanfyllin]] • [[Llangynog]] • ''[[Llanwddyn]]''<sup>2</sup> • [[Meifod]] • [[Pennant Melangell|Pennant-melangell]]
|-
!Llanidloes
|[[Carno]] • [[Llandinam]] • [[Llangurig]] • [[Llanidloes]] • [[Llanwnnog]] • [[Penstrowed|Penystrywaid/Penstrowed]] • [[Trefeglwys]]
|-
!Machynlleth
|[[Cemmaes|Cemais/Cemmaes]] • Darowen • [[Llanbrynmair]] • [[Llanwrin]] • [[Machynlleth]] • [[Penegoes]]
|-
!Mathrafal
|[[Castle Caereinion|Castell Caereinion/Castle Caereinion]] • Garthbeibio • [[Llanerfyl]] • [[Llanfair Caereinion]] • [[Llangadfan]] • [[Llangynyw]]
|-
!Montgomery
|[[Kerry, Powys|Ceri/Kerry]] • [[Church Stoke|Churchstoke/Yr Ystog]] • [[Hyssington|Hyssington/Isatyn]] • [[Mochdre, Powys|Mochdre]] • [[Montgomery, Powys|Montgomery/Trefaldwyn]] • [[Snead, Powys|Snead]]
|-
!Newtown
|[[Aberhafesp|Aberhafesb/Aberhafesp]] • [[Berriew|Aberriw/Berriew]] • [[Bettws Cedewain|Betws Cedewain/Bettws Cedewain]] • [[Llandyssil|Llandysul/Llandyssil]] • Llanllugan • [[Llanllwchaiarn|Llanllwchaearn]] • [[Llanmerewig]] • Llanwyddelan • [[Manafon]] • [[Newtown, Powys|Newtown/Y Drenewydd]] • [[Tregynon]]
|-
!Pool
|[[Buttington|Buttington/Tal-y-bont]] • [[Guilsfield|Cegidfa/Guilsfield]] • [[Llanfechain]] • [[Welshpool|Y Trallwng/Welshpool]]
|}
<sup>1</sup>a chapelry to [[Alberbury]] in Shropshire <sup>2</sup>a chapelry to [[Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant]] in Denbighshire

Local government reforms in 1974 combined the administrative areas of Montgomeryshire, [[Radnorshire]] and [[Brecknockshire]] together to form a new administrative county called [[Powys]]. A new district of Montgomeryshire was established as a lower-tier district authority within Powys, with the district's area matching the former administrative county. The district council took over Neuadd Maldwyn in Welshpool to serve as its headquarters, and also retained the former offices of the abolished [[Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn]] [[Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland)|Urban District Council]] at Newtown Hall Park as an area office.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=47656|page=11786|date=3 October 1978}}</ref>

Further local government reform in 1996 abolished district councils in Wales, making Powys a [[unitary authority]]. From 1996 until 2018 [[Powys County Council]] had a Montgomeryshire [[area committee]] covering the former Montgomeryshire district plus three communities formerly in the [[Glyndŵr (district)|Glyndŵr]] district of [[Clwyd]] (historically [[Denbighshire]]) which were transferred to Powys in 1996.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government (Wales) Act 1994|year=1994|chapter=19|accessdate=29 September 2022}}</ref> The three area committees for the former counties were abolished in 2018.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hearn |first1=Elgan |title=Montgomeryshire, Radnorshire, Brecknockshire abolished as shire committees are consigned to history |url=https://www.countytimes.co.uk/news/15913947.montgomeryshire-radnorshire-brecknockshire-abolished-shire-committees-consigned-history/ |access-date=29 September 2022 |work=Powys County Times |date=1 February 2018}}</ref>

== District ==
[[File:Montgomeryshire au pays de Galles (1974-1996).svg|thumb|The district in Powys]]
[[File:Montgomeryshire arms.png|thumb|Arms of Montgomeryshire District Council]]
The district was formed as '''Montgomery''' on 1 April 1974 under the [[Local Government Act 1972]]. It covered the administrative county of Montgomeryshire, which was abolished at the same time. The new district replaced the previous ten district level authorities in Montgomeryshire:<ref name=LGA1972>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government Act 1972|year=1972|chapter=70|accessdate=28 September 2022}}, Schedule 4, Part II</ref><ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Districts in Wales (Names) Order 1973|year=1973|number=34|accessdate=28 September 2022}}</ref>

*[[Forden Rural District]]
*[[Llanfyllin]] [[Municipal Borough]]
*[[Llanfyllin Rural District]]
*[[Llanidloes]] Municipal Borough
*[[Machynlleth Rural District]]
*[[Machynlleth]] [[Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland)|Urban District]]
*[[Montgomery, Powys|Montgomery]] Municipal Borough
*[[Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn]] Urban District
*[[Newtown and Llanidloes Rural District]]
*[[Welshpool]] Municipal Borough

The council formally changed the district's name from Montgomery to Montgomeryshire with effect from 1 January 1986.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ringing in the old... |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/image-viewer?issue=BL%2F0004924%2F19851231&page=9 |access-date=17 August 2025 |work=Liverpool Daily Post |date=31 December 1985 |page=9}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=House of Commons |title=Sessional Papers, Volume 23 |date=1986 |publisher=Her Majesty's Stationery Office |location=London |page=29 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6COtvONNPAgC&q=%22Montgomery+District+Council%22+Montgomeryshire+1986 |access-date=29 September 2022 |quote=Montgomeryshire District Council was formerly known as Montgomery District Council}}</ref>

The district was abolished by the [[Local Government (Wales) Act 1994]], with its functions transferring to [[Powys County Council]] on 1 April 1996.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government (Wales) Act 1994|year=1994|chapter=19|accessdate=28 September 2022}}</ref>

===Political control===
The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its powers on 1 April 1974. A majority of the seats on the council were held by [[independent politician|independents]] throughout the council's existence.<ref name=compositions>{{cite web |title=Compositions Calculator |url=https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/composition_calc.html |access-date=21 May 2025 |website=The Elections Centre |publisher=University of Exeter}} (Put "Montgomeryshire" in search box to see specific results.)</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|Party in control!!Years
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Independent politician}} || 1974–1996
|}

=== District council premises ===
The council was based at [[Neuadd Maldwyn]], the former headquarters of Montgomeryshire County Council, which had been built in 1931 on Severn Road in Welshpool. The council also had area offices in Llanidloes, Machynlleth and at Newtown Hall Park in Newtown.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=47656|page=11786|date=3 October 1978}}</ref> After the council's abolition in 1996 Neuadd Maldwyn and Newtown Hall Park served as area offices for Powys County Council. Neuadd Maldwyn closed in 2019,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hearn |first1=Elgan |title=Powys: Neuadd Maldwyn could become care facility |url=https://www.countytimes.co.uk/news/17552209.powys-neuadd-maldwyn-become-care-facility/ |access-date=29 September 2022 |work=Powys County Times |date=4 April 2019}}</ref> with Newtown Hall Park now serving as Powys County Council's main area office in the Montgomeryshire area.<ref>{{cite web |title=Contact us |url=https://en.powys.gov.uk/visitus |website=Powys County Council |access-date=28 September 2022 |quote=The Park Office, The Park, Newtown, Powys, SY16{{nbsp}}2NZ}}</ref>

==Geography==
The area of what was Montogmeryshire was almost wholly mountainous, although there are some fertile valleys in the east. The highest point (county top) was [[Moel Sych]] at {{convert|826.7|m|ft}}, whose summit lies at the triple county boundary point of Montgomeryshire, Denbighshire and Merionethshire in the [[Berwyn range|Berwyn Mountains]]. The county top of Denbighshire, [[Cadair Berwyn]] at {{convert|832|m|ft}}, was less than a kilometre away. Its main rivers were the [[River Severn]] (which flows east into Shropshire) and the [[River Dyfi]] (which flows west into the [[Irish Sea]]). The reservoir [[Lake Vyrnwy]] was built and supplies [[Liverpool]].

The main towns were [[Machynlleth]], [[Llanidloes]], [[Montgomery, Powys|Montgomery]], [[Newtown, Powys|Newtown]] and [[Welshpool]]. The main industries were [[agriculture]] (mainly hill farming) and [[tourism]], though there was also some [[forestry]] and light [[manufacturing]]. The population density was highest near the [[Wales–England border|border with England]] and along the Severn valley. The county was closely linked to [[Shropshire]], with many essential services for Montgomeryshire residents being located in the more densely populated town of [[Shrewsbury]], such as acute health services at the [[Royal Shrewsbury Hospital]].

The county flower of Montgomeryshire remains the ''[[Spergula arvensis]]'' (also called "corn spurrey"). The shire forms a [[Vice-counties|vice-county]] for wildlife recording.

==Transport==
The area that was Montgomeryshire is crossed from East to West by the [[Cambrian Line]], a mainline passenger railway between [[Shrewsbury]] and [[Aberystwyth]] as well as [[Pwllheli railway station|Pwllheli]] with stations at [[Welshpool railway station|Welshpool]], [[Newtown railway station (Wales)|Newtown]], [[Caersws railway station|Caersws]] and [[Machynlleth railway station|Machynlleth]].

The [[Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway]] links Welshpool to [[Llanfair Caereinion]].

===Places of special interest===
*[[Bryntail lead mine]] buildings near Llanidloes
*[[Centre for Alternative Technology]] at [[Llwyngwern]] near Machynlleth
*[[MOMA, Wales|The Museum of Modern Art, Wales (MOMA)]] in Machynlleth
*[[Dolforwyn Castle]] near [[Abermule]]
*[[Montgomery Castle]] in Montgomery
*[[The Old Bell Museum]] in Montgomery
*[[Powis Castle]] near Welshpool
* [http://robert-owen-museum.org.uk/ The Robert Owen Museum] in Newtown
*[[Trefeglwys]] [[Tumuli]]
*[[Mathrafal]] — the seat of the Welsh kings and princes of Powys
*[[Meifod]]
*[[Offa's Dyke]]

== Legacy ==

=== Politics ===
Montgomeryshire's name is used in the constituencies that represent the area today:

* [[Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr]], a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom since 2024,<ref>{{cite web|title=Location of Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr|url= https://members.parliament.uk/constituency/4517/location |website=parliament.uk |date=July 2024 |access-date=16 October 2025}}</ref> when it replaced [[Montgomeryshire (UK Parliament constituency) |Montgomeryshire]], which had been the constituency since 1542.
* [[Montgomeryshire (Senedd constituency)]], a constituency of the Senedd (Welsh Parliament; {{Langx|cy|Senedd Cymru}}).

==See also==
*[[Townships in Montgomeryshire]]
*[[Local government in Wales]]
*[[History of Wales]]
**[[History of local government in Wales]]
*[[Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire|List of Lord Lieutenants of Montgomeryshire]]
*[[High Sheriff of Montgomeryshire|List of High Sheriffs of Montgomeryshire]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Montgomeryshire}}
{{Historic Counties of Wales}}
{{Wales Districts}}
{{Authority control}}
{{coord|52|35|N|3|30|W|display=title|region:GB_type:adm2nd_source:GNS-enwiki}}
[[Category:Montgomeryshire| ]]
[[Category:Historic counties of Wales]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1535]]
[[Category:1535 establishments in England]]