Historic county of Wales
Radnorshire
Sir Faesyfed / Radnors
Cambrian uplands west, upper Wye through the middle, rolling border hills east.
Radnorshire / Sir Faesyfed is one of Wales’s most sparsely settled counties, a land of broad uplands, river valleys and small towns rather than any dominant urban centre. The western country rises into the Cambrian Mountains; the Wye descends through Rhayader and the central county; further east the landscape becomes an intricate succession of rounded hills and valleys towards the English border.
Llandrindod Wells occupies the gentler central country, while Presteigne and Knighton belong to the eastern borderland. Radnorshire’s quietness is fundamental to its identity: moorland, sheep pasture, river and ridge occupy far more space than townscape.
- Maelienydd & Elfael lands
- Formed as county 1536
- Presteigne is county town
- Records call it Radnor
County geography
Current Census
Contemporary Census profile
England and Wales Census 2021. Detailed contemporary statistics are available in the Geographic County Census Explorer.
- Population density
- 55.5 people per sq mi (21.4 people per km²)
- Population
- 26,081
The upper Wye
The Wye is Radnorshire’s great river, emerging from the western uplands and providing a natural route through otherwise difficult terrain.
Its valley creates a greener, more inhabited corridor through a county dominated by higher ground, linking mountain country with the gentler landscapes further east.
Cambrian west
Western Radnorshire is a landscape of open moorland, river headwaters and long views. Settlement is sparse and the terrain rises towards the Cambrian Mountains.
This upland country gives the county its wildest character and provides a strong contrast with the river valleys below.
The eastern border hills
Towards the English border the county becomes a complex landscape of ridges, small valleys and old routeways. Around Knighton the Teme country adds another strong river landscape.
This eastern side is less mountainous than the far west but often feels more enclosed, with settlements tucked into narrow valleys between rounded hills.
County questions
Questions about Radnorshire
Why is Radnorshire so sparsely populated?
Its extensive uplands, limited lowland and absence of any large urban centre have produced one of the most lightly populated county landscapes in Wales.
County record
Names and continuity
- Formal name
- County of Radnor
- Local name
- Sir Faesyfed
- Alternative name
- Radnors
- Earliest reference
- Records call it Radnor
Radnorshire, County of Radnor, Sir Faesyfed and Radnors are forms associated with the county. The county was established in the sixteenth century from older Welsh territories, whose earlier identities should not be confused with the later county itself.