Editing Powys

{{Short description|County and preserved county in Wales}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                    = Powys
| native_name             = 
| settlement_type         = [[Principal areas of Wales|County]] and [[preserved counties of Wales|preserved county]]
| image_skyline           = {{multiple image |border=infobox |perrow=1/2 |total_width=270
 | image1 = Montgomery Castle - geograph.org.uk - 1923084.jpg
 | image2 = Hay-on-Wye Clock Tower 02.jpg
 | image3 = Craig Goch Dam - Powys (5288105422).jpg
 }}
| imagesize               = 
| image_alt               = 
| image_caption           = {{ubl|Left to Right:|View from [[Montgomery Castle]]|[[Hay-on-Wye]] Clock Tower|[[Craig Goch Dam]] in the [[Elan Valley]]}}
| image_flag              = 
| flag_alt                = 
| image_shield            = Arms of Powys County Council.svg
| shield_alt              = 
| shield_link             = 
| image_blank_emblem      = 
| blank_emblem_size       = 
| blank_emblem_type       = 
| blank_emblem_link       = 
| etymology               = 
| nickname                = 
| motto                   = {{langx |cy|Powys Paradwys Cymru |translation=Powys, paradise of Wales}}
| image_map               = Powys UK location map.svg
| map_alt                 = 
| map_caption             = Powys shown within [[Wales]]
| coordinates             = {{coord|52|18|N|3|25|W|region:GB_type:adm2nd|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type        = [[Sovereign state]]
| subdivision_name        = [[United Kingdom]]
| subdivision_type1       = [[Countries of the United Kingdom|Country]]
| subdivision_name1       = [[Wales]]
| subdivision_type2       = [[Regions of Wales|Region]]
| subdivision_name2       = 
| subdivision_type3       = 
| subdivision_name3       = 
| subdivision_type4       = 
| subdivision_name4       = 
| established_title       = Incorporated
| established_date        = [[Local Government Act 1972|1 April 1974]]
| established_title1      = Unitary authority
| established_date1       = [[Local Government (Wales) Act 1994|1 April 1996]]
| named_for               = 
| seat_type               = Administrative{{nbsp}}HQ
| seat                    = [[County Hall, Llandrindod Wells]]
| parts_type              = 
| parts                   = 
<!-- Government -->
| government_footnotes    = <ref name="Council leadership">{{cite web |url=https://en.powys.gov.uk/council |title=Council Information |website=Powys County Council |access-date=6 August 2024}}</ref>
| government_type         = [[Local government in Wales#Principal councils|Principal council]]
| governing_body          = [[Powys County Council]]
| leader_title            = 
| leader_name             = 
| leader_title1           = [[Political make-up of local councils in the United Kingdom|Control]]
| leader_name1            = {{UK council control|GSS=W06000023}}
| leader_title2           = 
| leader_name2            = 
| leader_title3           = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MPs]]
| leader_name3            = {{Collapsible list |title=2 MPs
 |[[David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat politician)|David Chadwick]] ([[Liberal Democrats (UK)|LD]])
 |[[Steve Witherden]] ([[Labour Party (UK)|L]])
 }}
| leader_title4           = [[Member of the Senedd|MSs]]
| leader_name4            = {{Collapsible list |title=2 MSs
 |[[James Evans (Welsh politician)|James Evans]] ([[Welsh Conservatives|C]])
 |[[Russell George (Welsh politician)|Russell George]] ([[Welsh Conservatives|C]])
 }}
 +4 [[Mid and West Wales (Senedd electoral region)|regional members]]
<!-- Area -->
<!-- ALL fields with measurements have automatic unit conversion -->
| area_footnotes          = <ref name="popstats">{{UK subdivision statistics citation}}</ref>
| area_total_km2          = {{UK subdivision area|GSS=W06000023}}
| area_land_km2           = 
| area_water_km2          = 
| area_rank               = [[List of Welsh principal areas|{{Welsh council area rank|GSS=W06000023}}]]
<!-- Population -->
| population_footnotes    = <ref name="popstats" />
| population_as_of        = {{UK subdivision statistics year}}
| population_total        = {{UK subdivision population|GSS=W06000023}}
| population_rank         = [[List of Welsh principal areas|{{Welsh council population rank|GSS=W06000023}}]]
| population_density_km2  = {{UK subdivision density|GSS=W06000023}}
| population_demonym      = 
<!-- demographics (section 1) -->
| demographics_type1      = 
| demographics1_footnotes = 
| demographics1_title1    = 
| demographics1_info1     = 
<!-- demographics (section 2) -->
| demographics_type2      = [[Welsh language]] <span style="font-weight:normal;">([[2021 United Kingdom census|2021]])</span>
| demographics2_footnotes = <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/visualisations/censusareachanges/W06000023/ |title=How life has changed in Powys: Census 2021 |date=19 January 2023 |website=Office for National Statistics |access-date=6 August 2024 }}</ref>
| demographics2_title1    = Speakers
| demographics2_info1     = 16.4%
| demographics2_title2    = Rank
| demographics2_info2     = [[List of Welsh principal areas by percentage Welsh language|7th]]
| timezone1               = [[Greenwich Mean Time|GMT]]
| utc_offset1             = +0
| timezone1_DST           = [[British Summer Time|BST]]
| utc_offset1_DST         = +1
<!-- Codes -->
| postal_code_type        = [[Postcodes in the United Kingdom|Postcode areas]]
| postal_code             = 
| area_code_type          = [[Telephone numbers in the United Kingdom|Dialling codes]]
| area_code               = 
| iso_code                = [[ISO 3166-2:GB|GB-POW]]
| blank1_name             = [[GSS coding system|GSS code]]
| blank1_info             = W06000023
| website                 = {{URL|www.powys.gov.uk}}
}}
'''Powys''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|p|oʊ|ɪ|s|,_|ˈ|p|aʊ|ɪ|s}} {{respell|POH|iss|,_|POW|iss}},<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/powys|title=Powys|work=[[Collins English Dictionary]]|publisher=[[HarperCollins]]|access-date=6 August 2023}}</ref> {{IPA|cy|ˈpou̯ɪs|lang}}) is a [[Principal areas of Wales|county]] and [[Preserved counties of Wales|preserved county]] in [[Wales]].{{efn|Located in the east-central parts of Wales, either in the [[Mid Wales]] and [[East Wales]] regions or in both [[North Wales|North]] and [[South Wales]] under historical definitions.}} It borders [[Gwynedd]], [[Denbighshire]], and [[Wrexham County Borough|Wrexham]] to the north; the English [[Ceremonial counties of England|ceremonial counties]] of [[Shropshire]] and [[Herefordshire]] to the east; [[Monmouthshire]], [[Blaenau Gwent]], [[Merthyr Tydfil County Borough|Merthyr Tydfil]], [[Caerphilly County Borough|Caerphilly]], [[Rhondda Cynon Taf]], and [[Neath Port Talbot]] to the south; and [[Carmarthenshire]] and [[Ceredigion]] to the west. The largest settlement is [[Newtown, Powys|Newtown]], and the administrative centre is [[Llandrindod Wells]].

Powys is the largest and most sparsely populated county in Wales, having an area of {{Convert|{{UK subdivision area|GSS=W06000023}}|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} and a population of {{UK subdivision population|GSS=W06000023}} in {{UK subdivision statistics year}}.<ref name="popstats" /> While largely rural, its towns include [[Welshpool]] in the north-west, Newtown in the north-centre, Llandridnod Wells in the south-centre, [[Brecon]] in the south, [[Ystradgynlais]] in the far south-west, and [[Machynlleth]] in the far west. The [[Welsh language]] can be spoken by 16.4% of the population.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/visualisations/censusareachanges/W06000023/ | title=How life has changed in Powys: Census 2021 }}</ref> The boundaries of Powys largely follow those of the [[Historic counties of Wales|historic counties]] of [[Montgomeryshire]], [[Radnorshire]], and [[Brecknockshire]].

The county is predominantly hilly and mountainous. To the west lie the [[Cambrian Mountains]], where the [[River Severn]] and [[River Wye]] both have their source on the Powys side of the [[Plynlimon]] massif; together with their tributaries they drain most of the county. The southern quarter of Powys contains, from east to west, part of the [[Black Mountains, United Kingdom|Black Mountains]], the [[Brecon Beacons]], [[Fforest Fawr]], and part of the [[Black Mountains, United Kingdom|Black Mountains]], all of which are part of [[Brecon Beacons National Park]]. Further north are two more upland areas, [[Mynydd Epynt]] and [[Radnor Forest]]. The only extensive area of flat land in Powys is the region northeast of Welshpool.

The county is named after the [[Kingdom of Powys]], which was a Welsh [[succession of states|successor state]], [[petty kingdom]] and [[principality]] that emerged during the Middle Ages following the [[end of Roman rule in Britain]]. 

== Geography ==
{{further|List of places in Powys}}
Powys covers the historic counties of [[Montgomeryshire]] and [[Radnorshire]], most of [[Brecknockshire]], and part of [[Denbighshire (historic)|historic Denbighshire]]. With an area of about {{convert|2000|sqmi|km2}}, it is now the largest administrative area in Wales by land and area ([[Dyfed]] was until 1996 before several [[Preserved counties of Wales|former counties]] created by the [[Local Government Act 1972]] were abolished). It is bounded to the north by [[Gwynedd]], [[Denbighshire]] and [[Wrexham County Borough]]; to the west by [[Ceredigion]] and [[Carmarthenshire]]; to the east by [[Shropshire]] and [[Herefordshire]]; and to the south by [[Rhondda Cynon Taf]], [[Merthyr Tydfil County Borough]], [[Caerphilly County Borough]], [[Blaenau Gwent]], [[Monmouthshire]] and [[Neath Port Talbot]].

The largest towns are [[Newtown, Powys|Newtown]], [[Ystradgynlais]], [[Brecon]], [[Welshpool]], [[Llandrindod Wells]] and [[Knighton, Powys|Knighton]]. Powys has the lowest [[population density]] of all the principal areas of Wales. Most of Powys is mountainous, and most roads and railways are relatively slow.

Just under a third of the residents have Welsh linguistic skills: Welsh speakers are concentrated mainly in the rural areas both in and around [[Machynlleth]], [[Llanfyllin]] and [[Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant]] (where [[William Morgan (Bible translator)|William Morgan]] first translated the whole Bible into Welsh in 1588) in Montgomeryshire, and the industrial area of Ystradgynlais in the southwest of Brecknockshire. In Radnorshire, the language survived into the 20th century west of Rhayader with a few native speakers from Nantmel parish surviving into the 20th century too. The [[2021 United Kingdom census|2021 census]] recorded that 16.4% of the population were able to speak the Welsh language, a decline from 18.6% in [[2011 United Kingdom census|2011]] and 21% in [[2001 United Kingdom census|2001]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=How life has changed in Powys: Census 2021 |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/visualisations/censusareachanges/W06000023/|access-date=2023-06-03 |website= |language=en}}</ref><ref>[[Welsh Language Board]], (disbanded 2012), [https://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20120330013353/http://www.byig-wlb.org.uk/english/publications/pages/publicationitem.aspx?puburl=%2fenglish%2fpublications%2fpublications%2f332.doc Archived version of the statistics page, 30 March 2012]</ref>

==History==
{{Main|Scheduled Monuments in Powys}}
The county is named after the ancient Welsh [[Kingdom of Powys]], which in the sixth century AD included the northern two-thirds of the area as well as most of Shropshire and adjacent areas now in England, and came to an end when it was occupied by [[Llywelyn ap Gruffudd]] of [[Kingdom of Gwynedd|Gwynedd]] during the 1260s.

The uplands retain evidence of occupation from long before the Kingdom of Powys, and before the Romans, who built roads and forts across the area. There are 1130 identified [[Tumulus|burial mounds]] within the county, of varying styles and ages, dating from 4000 BC to 1000 BC, most of them belonging to the [[Bronze Age]].<ref>[http://www.cpat.org.uk/projects/longer/pfr/pfr.htm Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust: Introducing Prehistoric burial and ritual sites.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304055248/http://www.cpat.org.uk/projects/longer/pfr/pfr.htm |date=2016-03-04 }} Accessed 6 April 2014</ref> Of these, 339 are [[Scheduled Monument|scheduled monument]]s. [[Menhir|Standing stones]], most again dating to the Bronze Age, also occur in large numbers, 276 being found across the county, of which 92 are scheduled. From the [[Iron Age]], the county has 90 scheduled [[hillfort]]s and a further 54 enclosures and settlement sites.

Powys is served by the [[Cambrian Line]] and [[Heart of Wales line]] which offer connections to major towns and cities such as [[Swansea]], [[Wrexham]], [[Shrewsbury]], [[Birmingham]], [[Wolverhampton]], [[Manchester]], [[Cardiff]], [[Aberystwyth]], [[London]] and [[Telford]]. The county used to be served by key railways such as the [[Mid-Wales Railway]], [[Oswestry and Newtown Railway]], [[Tanat Valley Light Railway]], [[Llanfyllin Branch]], [[Leominster and Kington Railway]], [[Swansea Vale Railway]] and the [[Hereford, Hay and Brecon Railway]], all of which offered connections to [[South Wales]], [[Hereford]], [[Oswestry]], [[North Wales]] and [[West Wales]] but have all since closed.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}

==Heraldry==

[[File:WalesPowys1974.png|frame|Powys from 1974–1996]]

The gold in the county council's coat of arms symbolises the wealth of the area. Black is for both mining and the [[Black Mountains, Wales|Black Mountains]]. The [[fountain (heraldry)|fountain]] is a [[medieval]] [[heraldic]] [[Charge (heraldry)|charge]] displayed as a [[roundel (heraldry)|roundel]] [[barry wavy]] argent and azure. It represents water and refers to both the [[Drainage basin|water catchment]] area and the rivers and lakes. Thus, the arms 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 in Powys. The bird is a "''[[semé]]'' of black [[Lozenge (heraldry)|lozenges]]" for the former coal mining industry, while the golden fleece it carries is a reference to the importance of sheep rearing in the county.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

The county motto is: ''Powys – the paradise of Wales'' ({{langx|cy|Powys Paradwys Cymru}}).

==Government==
{{See also|Powys County Council}}
On 1 April 1974, Powys was created under the Local Government Act 1972. At first, the former administrative counties of [[Montgomeryshire (district)|Montgomery]], [[Radnorshire (district)|Radnor]], and [[Brecknock (borough)|Brecknock]] were districts within it. On 1 April 1996, the districts were abolished, and Powys was reconstituted as a [[unitary authority]].  There was a minor border adjustment in the northeast{{mdash}}specifically, the addition of the communities of [[Llansilin]] and [[Llangedwyn]] from [[Glyndŵr (district)|Glyndŵr]] district in [[Clwyd]]{{mdash}}and with moving the border, so that rather than half of Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, all is included.

The first [[Lord Lieutenant of Powys]] was previously the [[Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire]].  The [[Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire]] and [[Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire]] were appointed as lieutenants. The present [[Lord Lieutenant|lord lieutenant]] is [[Shân Legge-Bourke]] of [[Crickhowell]].
[[File:2024 Wales Powys Constituencies map.svg|thumb|212x212px|The two UK parliament constituencies covering Powys (in pink) from 2024. 1 = [[Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr (UK Parliament constituency)|Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr]], 2 = [[Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe (UK Parliament constituency)|Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe]].]]
From 2024, Powys would be in the UK parliament constituencies of [[Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe (UK Parliament constituency)|Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe]] and [[Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr (UK Parliament constituency)|Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr]], both of which extend out of the county.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2023 Parliamentary Review - Revised Proposals {{!}} Boundary Commission for Wales |url=https://bcomm-wales.gov.uk/reviews/10-22/2023-parliamentary-review-revised-proposals |access-date=2023-06-20 |website=[[Boundary Commission for Wales]]}}</ref>

==Attractions==
{{col-float|width=40em}}
* [[Black Mountains, Wales|Black Mountains]]
* [[Brecon Beacons]] – a mountain range
* [[Radnor Forest]]
* [[Y Gaer]] – a [[Roman fort]]
* [[Battle of Bryn Glas]]

===Castles===
* [[Dolforwyn Castle]]
* [[Montgomery Castle]]
* [[Powis Castle]]
* [[Tretower Castle]]
* [[Aberedw Castle]]
* [[Castell Du]]
* [[Bronllys Castle]]
* [[Cefnllys Castle]]

===Lakes, reservoirs and waterfalls===
* [[Elan Valley Reservoirs]]
* [[Lake Vyrnwy]]
* [[Llangorse Lake]]
* [[Clywedog Reservoir]]
* [[Pistyll y Llyn]] – one of the highest waterfalls in Wales
* [[Pistyll Rhaeadr]]
* Water-breaks-its-neck – waterfall in Radnor Forest
* [[Waterfall Country (Wales)|Waterfall Country]] – waterfalls on the upper tributaries of the [[River Neath]]

===Cathedral===
* [[Brecon Cathedral]]

===Cave systems===
* [[Ogof Agen Allwedd]]
* [[Ogof Craig a Ffynnon]]
* [[Ogof Ffynnon Ddu]]
* [[Ogof y Daren Cilau]]
{{col-float-break|width=40em|style=width: auto;}}

===Museums and exhibitions===
* [[Centre for Alternative Technology]], [[Machynlleth]]
* Llandrindod Wells Museum
* [[National Cycle Collection|National Cycle Museum]], [[Llandrindod Wells]]
* Llanidloes Museum
* Knighton Museum, [[Knighton, Powys|Knighton]]
* Museum of Welsh Textiles, [[Whitton, Powys]]
* Newtown Textile Museum
* [[Powysland Museum]], [[Welshpool]]
* [[Judge's Lodging, Presteigne|Judge's Lodging]], [[Presteigne]]
* [[The Old Bell Museum]], [[Montgomery, Powys|Montgomery]]
* [[Robert Owen]] Museum, [[Newtown, Powys|Newtown]]
* [[WHSmith]] Museum, Newtown
* Rhayader Museum & Gallery, Rhayader
* Wyeside Arts Centre, Builth Wells
* [[Y Gaer (cultural hub)|Y Gaer]], [[Brecon]]
* Llanwrtyd Wells Heritage and Arts Centre, Llanwrtyd Wells

===Walks===
* [[Glyndŵr's Way]] – a {{convert|135|mi|adj=on}} extended loop through Powys between Knighton and Welshpool
* Sarn Sabrina Walk – a {{convert|25|mi|adj=on}} circular walking route from [[Llanidloes]] to the source of the [[River Severn]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.llanidloes.com/sarn_sabrina/index.html |title=Cambrian Mountain Events Home Welcome to the Sabrina Walk |website=www.llanidloes.com |access-date=20 August 2021}}</ref>
* [[Severn Way]] – described by the Long Distance Walkers Association as a {{convert|224|mi|adj=on}} waymarked [[long-distance trail]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ldwa.org.uk/ldp/members/show_path.php?path_name=Severn+Way |title=Severn Way |publisher=Long Distance Walkers Association |access-date=21 March 2010}}</ref>
* [[Taff Trail]] – walking and cycle path that runs for 55 miles (89&nbsp;km) between Cardiff Bay and Brecon
* [[Offa's Dyke Path]] – a long-distance footpath about 177-mile (285&nbsp;km)
* [[Wye Valley Walk]] – a {{convert|136|mi}} long-distance footpath from [[Chepstow]] to [[Rhayader]]

===Railways===
* [[Brecon Mountain Railway]] (heritage line)
* [[Cambrian Line]] (main line)
* [[Heart of Wales line]] (main line)
* [[Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway]] (heritage line)
{{col-float-end}}

==Fairtrade==
In December 2007, Powys was awarded [[Fairtrade County|Fair Trade County]] status by [[The Fairtrade Foundation]].<ref>{{cite web| author=Sally Williams| title=FairTrade Resource Network| url=http://www.fairtraderesource.org/2007/12/07/wales-ahead-in-bid-to-be-first-fairtrade-country/| access-date=3 July 2008| archive-date=4 October 2011| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004184105/http://www.fairtraderesource.org/2007/12/07/wales-ahead-in-bid-to-be-first-fairtrade-country/| url-status=dead}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Lord Lieutenant of Powys|List of Lord Lieutenants of Powys]]
* [[High Sheriff of Powys|List of High Sheriffs of Powys]]
* [[List of schools in Powys]]
* [[List of churches in Powys]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikivoyage}}
* [http://history.powys.org.uk/histmenu.html Powys Heritage]
* [http://www.tourism.powys.gov.uk/ Tourism in Powys]

{{Powys}}
{{Wales subdivisions}}
{{Wales preserved counties}}
{{UK subdivisions}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Powys| ]]
[[Category:Counties of Wales]]
[[Category:Principal areas of Wales]]
[[Category:Preserved counties of Wales]]
[[Category:Rally GB]]