MONTGOMERYSHIRE, an inland county of North Wales. It is bounded on the east by Shropshire, on the north by Denbighshire and Merionethshire, on the west by Cardiganshire and Merionethshire, and on the south by Radnorshire. It is of an irregular form, its greatest length from north to south being thirty-six miles, and its mean breadth from east to west about thirty-two miles. Its area is estimated at 982 square miles, or 620,720 statute acres; but it is probably overrated.

It is a county of very irregular surface, composed in the centre of a ridge of lofty mountains, which nearly divide it, and whence various branches project, which, though not equal in height to the mean ridge, attain a considerable elevation. The loftiest of the mountains, Plinlimmon, or Pum-lumon, is continued through Montgomeryshire, and enters Merionethshire; from its centre various streams run, some to the east and some to the west, the former into the Severn, and the latter to the sea at Cardigan Bay. Plinlimmon is, at the highest point, 2463 feet above the level of the sea; the other mountains which branch from it are, Llandinam, 1898 feet, the Long Mountain, 1330, and that on which a pillar to the memory of Lord Rodney is erected, 1204. From the irregularity of the surface, and the great elevations, the chief part of the county is bare, raw, [7:15:434]and barren; but in the valleys between the mountains there are some most delightful and fertile spots, watered by translucid rivulets, and bordered with the richest forest scenery.

The rivers which run westerly from the mountain ridges are, the Traeth-bach, the Maw, and the Dovey. The Wye, the Severn, the Vyrnwy, and the Tanat, which receive smaller mountain torrents, run to the eastward; the two first, which receive the others, keep nearly a parallel course to the plains of Salop. The Severn, though at first a mere mountain rill, and soon afterwards a rapid torrent, speedily assumes a tranquil character, and glides through deep vales till it enters Shropshire, and becomes the second of our English rivers. It is the only stream navigable in this county, but it is not passable by boats except at periods of rain, and frequently ship timber lies on its banks a long time, waiting for sufficient water to float it down the stream. A canal has been constructed, connected with the Ellesmere Canal in Shropshire; but though completed, it is found to be a very unproductive undertaking. There are some picturesque waterfalls, which invite the inspection of travellers in this romantic county. The most remarkable of these is Pystyll-Rhaïadr. The brook, or rather the river Rha’iadr (for, after rains, it deserves the latter name), runs down a gentle declivity for a short distance, and then suddenly precipitates itself over a perpendicular ledge, whence it falls, rather in the form of spray than in that of a torrent, to the depth of two hundred feet, whilst the projecting rocks which intercept its fall produce a spectacle and sounds that are highly terrific. This cataract appears in its grandeur only after a wet season, for in very dry weather it is an insignificant rill.

The agriculture of Montgomeryshire is in a very backward state; not one eighth of the land is under the plough; about three eighths of it is devoted to pasture, but the food it produces is small for the extent on which it grows. Nearly half the county is in an uncultivated state, or covered with wood. Some few good cultivators have latterly, in some spots, introduced the Norfolk four-course system of turnips, barley, clover, and wheat; but it prevails to a very limited extent, owing to the deficiency of capital amongst the occupiers. The greater part of the arable land is destined to produce corn without intermission till it becomes exhausted, when it returns of itself to a very imperfect and unproductive kind of pasture. Though these remarks refer to the greater part of the county, yet a portion of it adjoining to Shropshire forms an agreeable exception, as it is well cultivated, and very prolific, especially on the banks of the Severn. In almost every part of the county hemp is cultivated for domestic use, in small patches; and the making of it into cloth forms the employmentof itinerant weavers.

The cows of this county somewhat resemble the Devonshire breed, and are said to have been originally brought from that county. When removed to better pasture, and fattened, they are highly valued by the butchers, because they yield less offal, and collect a greater mass of flesh on the more valuable parts of the body. The sheep are of small size, but their mutton is exquisite. The wool is of a very fine quality, and the best Welsh flannels are made from it. There is a very numerous breed of small horses in the mountainous parts of Montgomeryshire, which are nearly in a state of nature. They are known by the name of Merlyns, and range during the whole year through the most elevated parts of the country. By their exposure, and the ease with which they are subsisted, they acquire a very hardy frame, and are capable of performing labour far beyond what their size and apparent strength indicate. They are driven, when required, into an enclosure, where the best are selected from those which have attained their third year, and the remainder are turned out to range at large as before. Notwithstanding their diminutive size, the greater part of the commodities furnished by the county are conveyed on their backs from one place to another. The valleys in this county have been long celebrated for a breed of excellent horses, introduced originally from the south of Spain, by the Earl of Shrewsbury, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. These, by various crosses, have been much improved, and they now furnish some of the best hunters in the kingdom, from uniting strength with speed.

Limestone is not generally found in this county, and rarely unmixed with argillaceous earth; so that the lime required for building is brought from one extremity to the other by the canal. Coal is only found in an angle of the county, on the borders of Salop; but the quantity is small and its combustive quality causes it to burn so rapidly as to make it a much more expensive fuel, except in the vicinity of the pits, than either wood or turf.

The mineral which abounds most in the mountains of Montgomeryshire is lead, which is extracted in many parts of them. The ore known by the name of galena, provincially called potters’ ore, was formerly discovered in a prodigious vein at Llangynnog; but, after much profitable excavation, the miners reached a fault in the vein, and its continuance has not yet been ascertained. At Llanymy-nach are the vestiges of mines worked in very remote periods, which exhibit intricate recesses, and form a kind of subterraneous labyrinth. Both copper and lead ore are still found in these ancient mines, and zinc in combination with sulphuric and carbonic acids, known by the common appellations of calamine and black-jack. A very rich lead mine at Tallessi was formerly worked, and yielded large profits to its owner, Sir Watkins Williams Wynne; but, owing to a great increase of water, the working has been discontinued. The ranges of mountains are partly composed of schistus, from which are drawn large quantities of slates, applied to the covering of houses, or sent to London and Bristol to be fitted for writing.

This was formerly one of the best wooded counties of North Wales, and it has, for the last seventy years, contributed to supply a great part of the best oak timber to the royal dock-yards. The size of the Montgomeryshire oaks has made them much prized for naval purposes; some have been felled which have contained more than 600 cubic feet. This oak is of a remarkably good quality; but the difficulty of conveyance has rendered the price very low on the spots where it is grown, and formerly much of even the most valuable quality was used for fuel.

The only manufactures are those of woollens, made from the fleeces of their native sheep, and mostly confined to flannels known through England, and highly prized, under the denomination of Welsh flannels. They have been imitated both in Lancashire and Yorkshire, but have not been equalled in fineness of texture, combined with softness. The farmers, and even the cottagers, make these flannels; and they are collected by a kind of middle-men, who bring them to the market of Welshpool, whence they are sold to the merchants of Shrewsbury, who distribute them over the kingdom. The annual value of those sold at the market is about L.50,000, and the cost of the wool is estimated at about half that amount.

One member is returned to parliament by the freeholders for the county, and one for the towns of Montgomery. Llanidloes, Machynllaeth, Llanfyllin, Newtown, and Welshpool.

The population of this county amounted in the year 1801 to 47,970, in 1811 to 51,931, in 1821 to 66,482, and in 1831 to 65,700. The baptisms in the year 1830 were, of males 656, and of females 644. The burials of males were 498, and of females 506. The marriages were 425. The families were 13,407, of which those chiefly employed in agriculture were 6610; those chiefly employed in [7:15:435] trade, manufactures, and handicraft, were 4198; and the remaining 2599 were not comprised in the two preceding classes. The males under twenty years of age were 16,723. The occupiers of land employing labourers were 1938, those not employing labourers were 1610, and agricultural labourers were 5749. Those employed in manufactures, or in making manufacturing machinery, were 1630; those employed in retail trade or handicraft as masters were 3370; the capitalists, bankers, professional and other educated men, were 418; the labourers employed in other than agricultural labour were 976; and the other males twenty years of age, except servants, were 851. The male servants were 311, and the female 3695.

The annual value of the real property, as assessed in 1815, amounted to L.207,286.

The most remarkable seats of noblemen and gentlemen are, Powis Castle, Lord Powis; Lydiarth Hall, Sir W. W. Wynne, Bart.; Llangedwen, Mr Wynne; Towyn, E. Corbet, Esq.; Llandinam, Μ. Stephens, Esq.; Vayner, Captain Windus; Newton Park, Richard Shaw, Esq.