Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for Radnorshire

Radnorshire, inland co. of South Wales, bounded N. by Montgomeryshire and Shropshire, E. by Herefordshire, S. and SW. by Brecknockshire, and W. by Cardiganshire; greatest length, N. and S., 30 miles; greatest breadth, E. and W., 34 miles; area, 276,552 ac., pop. 23,528. Radnorshire is the smallest of the 6 counties of South Wales. In the E. and S. are some comparatively level tracts, including the Vale of Radnor, but the greater portion of the surface is hilly, or even mountainous, the Forest of Radnor reaching in its highest summit an elevation of 2163 ft. Oats and wheat are grown in the lower parts, but attention is chiefly directed to the rearing of stock; the higher parts serve only for the feeding of sheep and the breeding of Welsh ponies. Butter is made in large quantities. (For agricultural statistics, see Appendix.) The minerals are of little value, except the limestone which underlies the Vale of Radnor. The mfrs. are very limited, chiefly flannel. The forests, which at one time were of great extent, have long disappeared. There are several medicinal mineral springs, those of Llandrindod being in great repute. None of the rivers (Wye, Elan, Ithon, &c.) are navigable, but the railway communication is good. Radnorshire was made a county by Henry VIII. It comprises 6 hundreds and 60 pars, with part of 1 other. It contains no parl. or mun. bor. It is in the dioceses of St David's and Hereford. It returns 1 member to Parliament.


(John Bartholomew, Gazetteer of the British Isles (1887))

Linked entities:
Feature Description: "Inland county"   (ADL Feature Type: "countries, 2nd order divisions")
Administrative units: Radnorshire AncC
Place: Radnorshire

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