This article is about the county of Wales. For the ancient kingdom, see Kingdom of Powys.  

For people called Powys, see Powys (surname)

Powys principal area

Geography
Area - Total - % Water	Ranked 1st 5,196 km² ? %
Admin HQ	Llandrindod Wells
ISO 3166-2	GB-POW
ONS code	00NN
Demographics
Population: - (2006 est. Powys is a Welsh Surname and may refer to John Cowper Powys, writer lecturer and philosopher Llewelyn Powys, writer Surface area is the measure of how much exposed Area an object has This is a list of principal areas of Wales ordered by area. RankDistrictArea (km²Style1 To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions we list here areas between 1000 km2 and 10000 km2 Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of Llandrindod Wells (Llandrindod known locally as "Llandod" is a Town in Powys, Wales. ISO 3166-2GB is an ISO standard which defines Geocodes it is the subset of ISO 3166-2 which applies to the United Kingdom. The Office for National Statistics coding system is a hierarchical code used in the United Kingdom for tabulating Census and other statistical data In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology ) - Density	Ranked 10th 131,100 Ranked 22nd 25 / km²
Ethnicity	99. The density of a material is defined as its Mass per unit Volume: \rho = \frac{m}{V} Different materials usually have different This is a list of principal areas of Wales ordered by population. This is a List of Welsh principal areas by population density in the 2001 UK census. 3% White
Welsh language - Any skills	Ranked 7th 30. Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic This is a List of Welsh principal areas by the percentage of those professing some skills in the Welsh language in Wales in the 2001 UK census 1%
Politics
Powys Council http://www.powys.gov.uk/
Control	Independent
MPs	Martyn Jones Lembit Öpik Roger Williams
AMs	Karen Sinclair Mick Bates Kirsty Williams (Constituency) North Wales (Part) Mid and West Wales (Part) (Regional)
MEPs	Wales

Powys is a local government principal area and a preserved county in Wales. In Politics, an independent is a Politician who is not Affiliated with any Political party. Composition Graphical representation of the House of Commons This is a comparison of the party strengths in the British House of Commons Martyn David Jones MIBiol CIBiol (born 1 March 1947) is a Labour Party politician in Wales. Lembit Öpik (ˈlempit ˈøpˑik in Estonian (born 2 March 1965) is a British Politician of Estonian descent Roger Hugh Williams (born January 22, 1948, Crickhowell) is a British Member of Parliament, a Liberal Democrat elected The National Assembly for Wales is composed of 60 members known as AMs or Assembly Members (in Welsh: ACau or Aelodau'r Cynulliad Karen Sinclair AM (born November 20, 1952 in Wrexham) is a Labour politician and member for the constituency of Clwyd South Mick Bates (born Loughborough 24 September 1947 is a Welsh Liberal Democrat politician and has been Member of the Welsh Assembly for Montgomeryshire (Victoria Kirsty Williams (born 19 March 1971 in Taunton, Somerset) is a Welsh Liberal Democrat politician and Member Constituencies Distribution of additional members Former constituencies 1999 to 2007 Constituencies Distribution of additional members Former Constituencies 1999 to 2007 A Member of the European Parliament ( English abbreviation MEP) is a member of the European Union 's legislative body the European Parliament. England Scotland and Wales Turnout for all the regions was 37 For Local government purposes Wales is divided into 22 Unitary authorities, which are responsible for the provision of all local government services including education The Preserved counties of Wales are the current areas used in Wales for ceremonial purposes such as Lieutenancy.

Contents 1 Geography 2 Schools 3 History 4 Heraldry 5 Government 6 Places of interest 6.1 Cave systems 6.2 Reservoirs and Lakes 6.3 Museums and exhibitions 6.4 Castles 6.5 Walks 6.6 Others 7 References 8 External links

Geography

See the list of places in Powys for all towns and villages in Powys. This is a list of Towns and Villages in the principal area of Powys, Wales.

Powys covers the former administrative counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire, and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,196 km², making it the largest principal area in Wales by land area. Montgomeryshire, also known as Maldwyn (Sir Drefaldwyn is one of thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. Radnorshire (Sir Faesyfed is one of thirteen ancient and former administrative counties of Wales. Brecknockshire (Sir Frycheiniog also known as the County of Brecknock, Breconshire, or the County of Brecon is one of thirteen historic counties The old Denbighshire (Sir Ddinbych is one of thirteen Historic counties of Wales, and a former administrative county, which covered an area in north-east Wales Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of

It is bounded to the north by Gwynedd, Denbighshire and Wrexham; to the west by Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire; to the east by England (counties of Shropshire and Herefordshire); and to the south by Rhondda Cynon Taff, Merthyr Tydfil, Caerphilly (county borough), Blaenau Gwent, Monmouthshire and Neath Port Talbot. History Gwynedd was an independent kingdom from the end of the Roman period until the 13th Century when it was conquered and subjugated by England Formation The present principal area was formed on April 1, 1996, under the Local Government (Wales Act 1994, from various parts of the county Government The region is governed as a unitary authority by Wrexham County Borough Council. Geography List of places in CeredigionCeredigion is a coastal county bordered by Cardigan Bay to the west Gwynedd to the north Powys to the east Geography The county is bounded to the north by Ceredigion, to the east by Powys, Neath Port Talbot and Swansea, to the south by the England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Shropshire (ˈʃrɒpʃɪə/ /-ʃə alternatively known as Salop or abbreviated in print only Shrops, is a county in the Constitution Herefordshire was reconstituted both as a new Non-metropolitan district (effective 19th July 1996 and as a new County comprising the area of the History The county borough was formed on 1 April 1996, by the merger of the former Mid Glamorgan districts of Cynon Valley, Merthyr Tydfil today Government The current Borough boundaries date back to 1974 when the former county borough of Merthyr Tydfil expanded slightly to cover History The county borough was formed on April 1, 1996 by the merger of the Rhymney Valley district of Mid Glamorgan with the Islwyn Government The borough was formed in 1974 as a local government district of Gwent. Ancient county See also Monmouthshire (historic The ancient county of Monmouthshire was formed from the Welsh Marches by the Laws in Wales Geography The majority of the population of Neath Port Talbot resides in the developed areas along corridors surrounding the M4 Motorway / South Wales Main Line

Most of Powys is mountainous, with north-south transportation by car being difficult.

The majority of the Powys population is made up of small villages and towns. The largest is Newtown, with a population of 12,783 (2001). Newtown (Y Drenewydd is the largest Town in the County of Powys, Mid Wales with a Population of 12783 (2001

Just under a third of the residents have Welsh linguistical skills and Welsh speakers are concentrated mainly in the rural areas both in and around Machynlleth, Llanfyllin and Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant (where William Morgan first translated the whole Bible into Welsh in 1588) in Montgomeryshire (Welsh: Sir Drefaldwyn), and the industrial area of Ystradgynlais in the extreme south-west of Brecknockshire (Welsh: Sir Frycheiniog). Machynlleth ( pronounced; sometimes referred to Colloquially as Mach) is Llanfyllin ( is a small Town in Powys, Mid Wales, United Kingdom. Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant is a village in Powys, mid Wales. Population 1470, Welsh-speaking 62%. William Morgan (1545 &ndash September 10, 1604) was Bishop of Llandaff and of St Asaph, and the translator of the first version of the whole Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic Ystradgynlais is a Town on the River Tawe in south west Powys, Wales. Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic Radnorshire (Welsh: Sir Faesyfed) was almost completely Anglicised by the end of the 18th century. Radnorshire (Sir Faesyfed is one of thirteen ancient and former administrative counties of Wales. Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic

For a map of the current distribution of Welsh speakers in the county, see the website of bwrdd-yr-iaith/The Welsh Language Board

Schools

Top performing secondary schools in Powys, 5 GCSEs, grades A-C, according to the latest inspection reports from Estyn^[1]. Estyn ( Welsh (verb to extend) is the office of Her Majesty's Inspectorate for Education and Training in Wales.

83% Llanidloes High school, Llanidloes (Bilingual)

77% Builth Wells High School, Builth Wells (Bilingual)

74% Llanfyllin High School, Llanfyllin (Bilingual)

72% Crickhowell High School, Crickhowell

64% Welshpool High School, Welshpool

63% Caereinion High Sch, Llanfair Caereinion (Bilingual)

61% Gwernyfed High School, Three Cocks

57% Brecon High School, Brecon (Bilingual)

56% John Beddoes School, Presteigne

52% Ysgol Maes y Dderwen, Ystradgynlais

49% Ysgol Bro Ddyfi, Machynlleth (Bilingual)

42% Newtown High School, Newtown

All are substantially out-performed by the county's leading independent school - Christ College, Brecon. Llanidloes is a Town in Powys, within the historic county boundaries of Montgomeryshire (Sir Drefaldwyn Builth Wells (Llanfair ym Muallt is a Town in the modern day Welsh county of Powys, in what was the historic county of Brecknockshire Llanfyllin ( is a small Town in Powys, Mid Wales, United Kingdom. Crickhowell ( Crug Hywel, Crughywel, or Crucywel in Welsh) is a small Town in Powys, Mid Wales. Welshpool (Y Trallwng is a Town in Powys, Wales, only 4 miles (6 km from the border with England. Llanfair Caereinion is a small town in Powys, east central Wales upon the River Einion (also known as the River Banwy) Brecon (Aberhonddu is an historic Market town in southern Powys, mid Wales, with a population of roughly 8000 with around 6000 in the surrounding area John Beddoes School is a Secondary or Comprehensive school for boys and girls Presteigne (Llanandras the church of St Andrew) was the County town of the historic county of Radnorshire, Wales. Ystradgynlais is a Town on the River Tawe in south west Powys, Wales. Machynlleth ( pronounced; sometimes referred to Colloquially as Mach) is Newtown (Y Drenewydd is the largest Town in the County of Powys, Mid Wales with a Population of 12783 (2001 Christ College Brecon is a Co-educational independent boarding and day school located in the market town of Brecon, mid Wales In 2007 91. 3% achieved grades A - C in GCSE examinations^[2].

History

This area is named after the older Welsh/British Kingdom of Powys, which occupied the northern two thirds of the area as well as lands now in England, and came to an end when it was occupied by Llywelyn ap Gruffydd of Gwynedd during the 1260s.   Llywelyn ap Gruffydd may refer to Llywelyn the Last (d 1282 Llywelyn ap Gruffydd Fychan (d Gwynedd (pr) is one of several Welsh Successor states that emerged in 5th-century post-Roman Britain.

Heraldry

The gold in the county coat of arms (see right) symbolises the wealth of the area. Black for both mining and the Black Mountains. The fountain is a medieval heraldic charge, always shown as a roundel barry wavy Argent and Azure. Heraldry in its most general sense encompasses all matters relating to the duties and responsibilities of officers of arms. In Heraldry and Vexillology, a charge is an image occupying the field on an escutcheon (or shield It represents water and, therefore, both refers to the water catchment area and the rivers and lakes. The arms, therefore, contain references to the hills and mountains, rivers and lakes, water supply and industry.

The crest continues the colouring of the arms. A tower has been used in preference to a mural crown, which alludes to the county's military history and remains. From the tower rises a red kite, a bird almost extinct elsewhere in Britain, but thriving here. The Red Kite ( Milvus milvus) is a medium-large Bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such The bird is semy of black lozenges for the former coal mining industry, while the golden fleece it carries is a reference to the importance of sheep rearing in Powys ^[3]).

The county motto is, Powys - the paradise of Wales (Welsh: Powys Pardwys Cymru) . Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic

Government

See also: Powys County Council

Powys was originally created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, and originally had Montgomery and Radnor and Brecknock as districts under it, which were based directly on the former administrative counties. Powys County Council (Cyngor Sir Powys is the governing body for Powys, one of the Principal areas of Wales. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. The Local Government Act 1972 (1972 c 70 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom, that reformed local government in England and Wales The Montgomeryshire district was one of three districts of Powys from 1974 - 1996 Radnorshire was one of three districts of Powys from 1974 - 1996 The Borough of Brecknock (Bwrdeisdref Brycheiniog was one of the three local government districts of Powys from 1974 to 1996

On 1 April 1996, the districts were abolished, and Powys was reconstituted as a unitary authority, with a minor border adjustment in the north-east (specifically the addition of the communities of Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, Llansilin and Llangedwyn from Glyndwr district in Clwyd, all historically part of Denbighshire). Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) See also Independent city A unitary authority is a type of Local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all Local government functions Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant is a village in Powys, mid Wales. Population 1470, Welsh-speaking 62%. Llansilin is a village in Powys, Wales, about 6 miles west of Oswestry. Llangedwyn is a village in Powys, Wales at. It lies in the Tanat Valley near to the Wales / England border Glyndŵr was one of six districts of Clwyd between 1974 and 1996 Clwyd is a preserved county of Wales. From 1974 until 1996 it was a county with a County council, and was divided into six districts The old Denbighshire (Sir Ddinbych is one of thirteen Historic counties of Wales, and a former administrative county, which covered an area in north-east Wales

The first Lord Lieutenant of Powys was previously the Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire. This is an incomplete list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant for Powys. The following is a list of people that have held the title of Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire. The Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire and Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire were appointed as Lieutenants. This is a list of people who served as Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire. This is a list of people who have served as Lord-Lieutenant of Radnorshire.

The present Lord Lieutenant is The Hon. The title Lord Lieutenant is given to the British Monarch 's personal representatives in the United Kingdom, usually in a county or similar circumscription with varying Mrs Elizabeth Shân Legge-Bourke LVO of Crickhowell. Elizabeth Shân Josephine Legge-Bourke, LVO neé Bailey (born 10 September 1943) is a Welsh landowner The Royal Victorian Order (RVO is a Dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry in the Commonwealth realms Created by Queen Victoria Crickhowell ( Crug Hywel, Crughywel, or Crucywel in Welsh) is a small Town in Powys, Mid Wales.

Places of interest

Cave systems

• Agen Allwedd
• Ogof Craig a Ffynnon
• Ogof Ffynnon Ddu
• Ogof y Daren Cilau

Reservoirs and Lakes

• the Elan Valley Reservoirs:
• Lake Vyrnwy
• Langorse ^[4]. Ogof Craig a Ffynnon ( Welsh for "Rock and Fountain Cave" is a Cave in Wales. Ogof Ffynnon Ddu ( Welsh for Cave of the Black Spring also known as OFD) is a Cave located under a hillside in the area surrounding Ogof y Daren Cilau is one of several cave systems in the Llangattock Escarpment near Crickhowell in south Powys, Wales The Elan Valley Reservoirs are a chain of man-made lakes and Reservoirs in the Elan Valley in Powys, Mid Wales (also known as the "Welsh Lake Vyrnwy Nature Reserve and Estate (Llyn Efyrnwy ( [EVURN-WEE] is an area of land in Powys, Wales, surrounding the Victorian reservoir
• Llyn Clywedog

Museums and exhibitions

• Brecknock Museum, Brecon,
• Centre for Alternative Technology, Machynlleth
• Llandrindod Wells Museum
• Llanidloes Museum
• Newtown Textile Museum
• Powysland Museum, Welshpool

Castles

• Dolforwyn Castle
• Montgomery Castle
• Powis Castle
• Tretower Castle
• Aberedw Castle

Walks

• The Wye Valley Walk from Chepstow to Rhayader
• Offa's Dyke Path
• Glyndŵr's Way

Others

• The Black Mountains
• Brecon Beacons
• Brecon Caer Roman Fort
• Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway
• Radnor Forest
• The Welsh National Cycle Route

References

External links

• Powys County Council (official site)
• Powys Heritage
• Tourism in Powys
• Coleg Powys
• Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust
• Reducing the area's carbon footprint - Recycling and Composting in Powys

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