RADNORSHIRE, an inland county of South Walcs, bounded on the north by Montgomeryshire, on the west by the counties of Cardigan and Brecon, on the south-east by Herefordshire, and on the north-east by Shropshire. Its extremities from east to west are twenty miles, and from north to south twenty-four miles, as under. Its surface is computed to measure 426 square miles, or 272,640 English statute acres.

The population in 1811, amounted to 20,900 souls, in 1821 to 22,503, and in 1831 to 24,651, of whom 12,453 were males, and 12,198 females. The total sum charged to the property tax in 1811, under the heads of rents of land and tithes, was, for the former, L.88,250, and for the latter, L.9373. On comparing these numbers with the other returns of Great Britain, it appears that this county is the lowest in numerical population, except the county of Rutland; although its annual rental is higher than either Anglesey or Merioneth.

This district of country continued under the jurisdiction of the Lords Marchers, until it obtained the privilegesof a county by act of Henry VIII., and was divided into the hundreds of Radnor, Knighton, Painseastle, Rhayder, Coluyn, and Kevenlleece. By the same act it was also empowered to return two members to Parliament, one for the county, and one for the contributory boroughs of Radnor, Rhayder, Knighton, Knuclas, and Kevenlleece. The county is further divided into parishes and townships. The former are fifty-two in number, and are all in the diocese of St. David’s, except five, which are included in the English diocese of Hereford. New Radnor, said to have been at one period the principal town, is now a very poor village; it was an ancient borough by prescription, and has also had charters granted by Queen Elizabeth, and by George II.

Two-thirds of the whole area of the county are supposed to be unenclosed and uncultivated. An extensive mountainous tract, nearly in the centre, Is usually called the Forest, though there is no reason to believe it was ever covered with trees. A part of this range still belongs to the Crown, although the forests of Radnor and Blathvagh have both been alienated, and are now held by Mr Thornas Frankland Lewis, and Mr. Richard Price, as foresters. There is nothing remarkable in the circumstances or character of these mountains, the summit of which was ascertained by Colonel Mudge, to be 2163 feet above the level of the sea. Within their limits is a torrent, called by a name, which, when translated, is “Water-break-its-neck,” that falls abruptly from a height of about 150 feet. The higher ranges produce only heath, but the sides and lower parts of the hills, which are less exposed to the winds, are entirely devoted to the pasturage of sheep and small horses. The north-western angle of the county is mountainous and unenclosed, and it was in the recesses of these wilds, that the British monarch, Vortigern, retreated from the Saxons. On the eastern and southern districts, the valleys are wider and more fertile, and abound with small rivulets; but the hills are less elevated, and are partially clothed with wood.

The soil of this country is as varied in quality as its position differs in elevation. A small portion of the southern angle is composed of the fertile red earth which prevails in the adjoining counties of Brecon and Hereford. The mountains upon the western side are chiefly of the primary slate rocks which abound in Wales; and the valleys between these and the forest have frequently a clayey substratum retentive of water. The forest, and the other subordinate hills connected with it, consist of a slatey rock, containing a portion of lime, which decomposes rapidly on exposure to the atmosphere. The valleys to the eastward of this range are chiefly of a fertile loamy soil, incumbent on an extremely absorbent gravel. The climate is wet and stormy, and the spring months are particularly cold and ungenial. It is, nevertheless, healthy; there are no peculiar or prevalent diseases, and the inhabitants are robust and long-lived.

The principal river is the Wye, which enters the county at Savan y Coed, and flows to the south till it divides it from Brecon. Its tributary streams are the Elan, the Ithon, the Edda, and the Mackwy. The river Terne flows on the eastern border, and continues its course by Ludlow to the Severn. The Lug and the Arrow, in the more central parts, form considerable streams before they enter the county of Hereford. There are some small lakes or pools requiring notice only as contributing to the beauty of the scenery. These are, Llyn, Llanbychllyn, Hendwell Pool, and Llyn-Gwyn. A cataract at Rhayader, was formerly an object much visited by travellers; but the construction of a bridge has widened the channel, and deprived it of much of its remarkable character.

The agriculture of the county is gradually improving. Irrigation has long been practised to a considerable extent, and its effects on absorbent soils are found to be highly beneficial; but the process is not conducted in the most scientific manner. Lime is abundantly used as a manure, and is chiefly supplied from a valuable stratum of rock near Old Radnor. The ploughing was usually performed by two oxen and two horses; but oxen are now seldom used, and the plough with two horses is in gradual adoption. The implements of husbandry are, for the most part, in a rude form. Most of the farms consist of an equal portion of arable and of grass land. The latter is generally appropriated to the dairy, and the young cattle are reared on the more hilly and barren spots. About one-fifth of the county is under the plough, and one-tenth meadow; the remainder is generally used for sheep walks.

In the mountainous districts the cattle differ little from those which are common in the principality of Wales, but in the more fertile parts, the Herefordshire breed prevails. The sheep are small, and when fattened, their mutton is excellent; the horses also are generally small, strong, and hardy.

There is little commerce carried on in this county, and the only manufactures are of flannels and coarse woollen cloths, which the inhabitants make for their own use. Cattle, sheep, horses, woollen, butter, and, from the southeast districts, a surplus of grain, are sent annually to the markets of England. The county is not known to contain any valuable minerals. A lead mine has been opened and abandoned, and, in some places, an uncertain belief has prevailed of the existence of copper. Various mineral springs are known, and Llandrindad is a place of resort on account of the medicinal qualities of its saline, sulphureous, and chalybeate wells. In several other parts there are similar springs, the properties of which have not been accurately ascertained.

In Radnorshire there are many vestiges of antiquity. The Abbey of Cwm Hir stood formerly in a singularly retired and romantic situation on the banks of a rivulet which runs into the Wye. A small vestige remains of a castle at New Radnor, which was assailed and destroyed “by the irregular and wild Glendower,” previously to the battle noticed by Shak-speare, in the first part of Henry IV., when Mortimer was taken prisoner. It was fought at Pilleth in this county.
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A Roman road, which reached from Chester to Caermarthen, traversed this county, entering its confines on the northern extremity, in the direction of Newtown, following the valley of the river Ithon, and crossing the Wye into Brecknockshire, near the town of Bculth. At Cwm, near Llan-drindad, the remains of a Roman station, on this road, are still discernible.

The market towns, and their present population, in 1831, were as follow: Presteign, 1529; Knighton, 1259; Rhayader, 669. (g.)