Llansantffraid-ym-Mechain
| Llansantffraid-ym-Mechain | |
|---|---|
 St Ffraid's Church, Llansantffraid-ym-Mechain |
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 Llansantffraid-ym-Mechain
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| Llansantffraid-ym-Mechain shown within Powys | |
| OS grid reference | SJ220203 |
| Community |
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| Principal area | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LLANSANFFRAID |
| Postcode district | SY22 |
| Dialling code | 01691 |
| Police | Dyfed-Powys |
| Fire | Mid and West Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| EU Parliament | Wales |
| UK Parliament | |
| Welsh Assembly | |
Llansantffraid-ym-Mechain is a village, community and post town in Powys, mid Wales, close to the border with Shropshire in England, about 7 miles (11 km) south west of Oswestry and 8 miles (13 km) north of Welshpool. It is on the A495 road and is at the confluence of the River Vyrnwy and the Afon Cain.
View of Llansantffraid across the river ca. 1885
The main road through Llansantffraid ca. 1885
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 (Lady) Saint Bhrid.
Church of St Ffraid ca. 1885
Interior of Church of St Ffraid ca. 1885
In recent years the spelling of the village name, with or without a "t", has been a contentious issue (similar to that of the nearby Llansantffraid Glyn Ceiriog) and this has been recognised by Powys County Council providing a dual spelling of the village name on road signs in the locality.
Many finds of Beaker pottery, dating from 2400 to 2000 BC, suggest settlement of the area in the Bronze Age. Earlier, Neolithic settlement is likely, though there are currently no such sites known in the immediate area. During the Iron Age, around 700 BC, a trend towards a sedentary lifestyle is evidenced by the increased number of settlements. A small hilltop enclosure was built around 400 BC where inhabitants grew wheat and barley, and kept cattle, sheep and pigs. Aerial photography of the area shows evidence that a pit alignment, possibly Iron Age, is present in the grounds of the nearby Bryn Tanat Hall Hotel.
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Wikipedia