BOUGHROOD (BACH-RHYD), a parish, in the hundred of PAINSCASTLE, county of RADNOR, SOUTH WALES, 7 miles (W. by 8.) from Hay,
containing 354 inhabitants. It is beautifully situated on the eastern bank of the Wye, across which there is a ford, from
which the name of the place, signifying " the little ford," has been derived, where a boat and horse are in constant
attendance, and on the western bank of which passes the road from Hay to Balkh. The village is delightfully embowered in
wood, and sheltered by hills of moderate elevation; and on the opposite bank of the Wye, which just below the ferry-house
makes the most remarkable horse-shoe bend in the whole of its course, gliding along its smooth bed in unruffled
tranquillity, strongly opposed to the impetuosity which characterizes the earlier part of its course over its rocky
channel, extends a more elevated ridge of hills, clothed to the summit with majestic timber. The parish is almost equally
divided between hilly and level ground: the soil is very light on the hills, but rich and clayey on the banks of the Wye:
the small stream called Bich-wy empties itself into the Wye near the village. Of the ancient castellated mansion, called
Boughrood Castle, the only remains are the moat and part of a. wall: a spacious modern house, bearing the same name, was
erected nearly on its site by the late Francis Fowkes, Esq., which, together with the estate, has recently been sold to
Walter Wilkins, of Maeslough, Esq. The living is a discharged vicarage, in the archdeaconry of Brecknock, and diocese of
St. David's, rated in the king's books at £ 12. 6. 8., and in the patronage of the Bishop of St. David's, who also
presents to the prebend of Boughrood, otherwise Llanbedr-Painscastle, in Christ's College, Brecknock, which is only rated
at 13s. 4 The church, dedicated to St. Cynog, consists of a nave and chancel, and, like most of the village churches in
this part of the country, is kept neatly white-washed. There is a place of worship for Primitive Methodists. A Sunday
school is superintended by a few of the parishioners. A rent-charge of £1. 4. on a tenement in this parish is annually
distributed among the poor; and £5 per annum is received from the charity founded by the Rev. Rees Powell, for
apprenticing poor children. This pious and benevolent individual, who was vicar of this parish, from which his
benefactions to this and divers other parishes have been called the "Boughrood charity," died in 1687, and lies buried in
the priory church of Brecknock, in the account of which town his charity is described. The average annual expenditure for
the support of the poor amounts to £ 186. 6.