Everything about Brecknockshire totally explained
Brecknockshire, also known as
Breconshire, or the
County of Brecon is one of thirteen
historic counties of
Wales, and a former administrative county.
The bulk of the historic county formed the
borough of Brecknock in southern
Powys from 1974 to 1996 under the
Local Government Act 1972. The parishes of
Penderyn and
Vaynor went instead to the
Cynon Valley and
Merthyr Tydfil districts in
Mid Glamorgan, whilst the urban district of
Brynmawr and the parish of
Llanelly from
Crickhowell Rural District became part of
Blaenau Gwent. Since 1996, Penderyn has formed part of the
Rhondda Cynon Taff county borough and Llanelly has formed part of the
Monmouthshire principal area. According to the 2001 census the shire had a population of 42,075.
Geography
Brecknockshire is bounded to the north by
Radnorshire, to the east by
Herefordshire and
Monmouthshire, to the south by
Monmouthshire and
Glamorgan, and west by
Carmarthenshire and
Cardiganshire. Area 475,224 acres (1,923 km²). The county is predominantly rural and mountainous. The
Black Mountains occupy the southeast of the county, the
Brecon Beacons the central region, Fforest Fawr the southwest and Mynydd Eppynt the north. Most of the
Brecon Beacons National Park lies within the county. The highest point is
Pen-y-Fan, 2907 ft (886 m). The
River Wye traces nearly the whole of the northern boundary, and the
Usk flows in an easterly direction through the central valley. Of the many waterfalls in the county,
Henrhyd Falls are particularly spectacular. The main towns are
Brecon,
Brynmawr,
Builth Wells,
Crickhowell,
Hay-on-Wye,
Llanwrtyd Wells,
Talgarth and
Ystradgynlais. The most important industries are agriculture, forestry and tourism. The county corresponds roughly to the combined territories of the former
Kingdom of Brycheiniog and the
Kingdom of Builth which were brought together to form this traditional county following the defeat of the last independent Welsh prince and the signing of the
Statute of Rhuddlan in
1284.
History
» For the Kingdom of Brycheiniog, see Brycheiniog.
The kingdom of Brycheiniog was established in the
5th century and survived until the
10th century when it was subjugated by the
Anglo-Saxons. During the
Norman period, the area was classified as a
Lordship. The Lord of Brycheiniog was subject to the Mortimer family who ruled most of south and east Wales in an area called the
Welsh Marches. During the reign of
Llywelyn ap Gruffydd of
Gwynedd the homage of the Lord of Brycheiniog was transferred to him from the
King of England (
Henry III) by the
Treaty of Montgomery in 1267. However, it was an attack on Brycheiniog by the
Marcher Lords Humphrey de Bohun and
Roger Mortimer in 1276 which led to the final breakdown of the peace between
England and
Wales after which Llywelyn's domain was reduced to just his lands in Gwynedd. Brycheiniog was thereafter subject to the King of England and became a county under the same Shire model as seen in England under the
Laws in Wales Acts 1535-1542.
Places of interest
Further Information
Get more info on 'Brecknockshire'.
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