page_title: Llansantffraid-ym-Mechain
section_title: The historic Plas-Yn-Dinas
hierarchical_section_title: Llansantffraid-ym-Mechain / History / The historic Plas-Yn-Dinas
caption_attribution_description: English: Lane at Plas Yn Dinas
context_page_description: Llansantffraid-ym-Mechain is a large village in Powys, mid Wales, close to the border with Shropshire in England, about 7 miles south west of Oswestry and 8 miles north of Welshpool. It is on the A495 road and is at the confluence of the River Vyrnwy and the Afon Cain. The population as of the 2011 UK Census was 1,415.
  Llansanffraid means "Church of Saint Bride" in the Welsh language, and ym-Mechain refers to its location in the medieval cantref of Mechain and distinguishes it from other places with the same or similar names.
  The name is based on the story of St Bhrid, who is said to have floated across the Irish Sea on a sod of turf, or to have been carried to Scotland by two oystercatchers. The followers of St Bhrid possibly set up new settlements known by the Welsh as Llan Santes Ffraid, Church of Saint Bhrid.
  In recent years the spelling of the village name, with or without a "t", has been a contentious issue and this has been recognised by Powys County Council providing a dual spelling of the village name on road signs in the locality.
context_section_description: The Plas-Yn-Dinas, 5 km west of Offa's Dyke and above the flood plain of the Afon Fyrnwy, is a scheduled ancient monument. It was probably a timber castle but certainly a fortified manor house. It is first recorded in the 14th century as the residence of the lords of Mechain Is Coed. Some of the earthworks could be from the Roman period and it is reputed to be the site of the Roman station of Mediolanum.
  See also: Images of Plas-Yn-Dinas
caption: Plas-Yn-Dinas viewed from road
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