LLANRHAIADR-YN-MOCHNANT (LLAN-RHAIADR-YN-MOCHNANT), a parish, composed of a Lower division, in the Cynlleth and Mochnant
division of the hundred of CHIRK, county of DENBIGH, and an Upper portion, in the upper division of the hundred of
LLANVYLLIN, union of LLANVYLLIN, county of MONTGOMERY, NORTH WALES, 12 miles (W. by S.) from Oswestry; and containing 2621
inhabitants, of whom 1609 are in Denbighshire, and 1012 in Montgomeryshire. The parish comprises an extent of about eight
thousand acres, whereof four thousand six hundred are in the Lower, and three thousand four hundred in the Upper,
division; and is intersected by the river Moch, in English signifying " Rapid," which here separates the counties of
Denbigh and Montgomery, in the former of which, at the distance of four miles from the village, it forms the much admired
waterfall called Pistyll Rhaiadr, rendering this place, especially during the summer months, the resort of numerous
visiters on their route through this part of North Wales. The perpendicular height of this fall is two hundred and forty
feet; but the scenery in the immediate vicinity of the cataract is so crowded and overshadowed with the growth of recent
plantations of firs and other evergreens, as to diminish the effect of this otherwise strikingly grand and picturesque
scene. The river, flowing through a narrow valley which terminates in a precipitous and bold declivity of the Berwyn
mountains, after gliding over a shelving rocky projection for a short distance, precipitates itself with great impetuosity
down a perpendicular descent of more than one hundred and fifty feet, and, being interrupted in its fall by a projecting
mass of rock, through which it has worn a channel, forms a second fall beneath a lofty arch to the base of the mountain:
the road leading from the village to this cataract has been greatly improved. The river pursues its course from Pistyll
Rhaiadr through the village into the Tanat, a larger stream, descending from the hills above Pennant, and flowing through
an extensive valley commencing at Llangynog, and continued through the parish to Pen-y-Bont, below Llangedwin: in this
parish the Tanat is also joined by another tributary, called the Twrch. The Vale of Tanat, through which is an excellent
turnpike-road from Oswestry and Shrewsbury, through Llangynog to Bala, is remarkable for the fertility of its soil, and
the beauty and variety of its scenery, and is much admired by tourists, as affording a succession of interesting features.
The lands bordering upon the Tanat are subject to inundation, but the rest of the parish, which has every where an uneven
surface, is chiefly elevated: the soil is various, but for the most part gravelly; and the rateable annual value of the
whole parish is returned at £8516, of which £5226 are for the Denbighshire, and £3290 for the Montgomeryshire, portion.
The manufacture of woollen cloth is carried on to a small extent, and several of the inhabitants are employed in the
making of shoes. A small market is held under a building which is called " the town hall;" and fairs take place annually
on the first Friday in March, May 5th, July 24th, September 28th, and November 8th. The living is a vicarage, rated in the
king's books at Z9.3. 4.; present net income, £520, with a glebe-house; patron, Bishop of St. Asaph. The sinecure
rectory, rated in the king's books at £18. 16. 0k., was appropriated by act of parliament of the 29th and 30th of Charles
II., on the death of the rector, the celebrated Dr. South, to the maintenance of the choir, and the repairs of the
cathedral church, of St. Asaph. The tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of £1392. 6. 6. of which a sum of £982. 6.
6. is payable to the Dean and Chapter of St. Asaph, with a glebe of seven acres; £398 to the vicar, who has also a glebe
of seven and a half acres; and £12 to the parish clerk. The church, dedicated to St. Docwan, and situated in that portion
of the parish which is in the county of Denbigh, is an ancient and spacious structure, but not distinguished by any
particular architectural features. Llanarmon-MynyddMawr, formerly an integral part of this parish, has been separated from
it, and now forms a distinct parish; and the neighbouring churches of Llancadwaladr, Llangedwin, and Llanwddyn, were
originally also dependent chapels on the mother church of Llanrhaiadr, from which they are respectively distant nine,
four, and eight miles. There are places of worship in the village for Independents, and for Calvinistic and Wesleyan
Methodists. The charity estates belonging to the poor, arising from lands and interest of monies, amount to £110. 0. 6.
per annum, which by a decree of chancery procured a few years ago, was ordered to be expended by five trustees, then
named, as follows; £16. 0. 6. to be distributed among the poor, on Easter-eve and St. Thomas's-day; £74 towards placing
out apprentices and clothing them; and £20 to a schoolmaster for teaching 30 children reading, writing, and arithmetic:
this school is kept in the town hall; and numerous Sunday schools are spread over different parts of the parish. Dr.
Morgan, author of the first translation of the Bible into the Welsh language, in 1588, for which he was rewarded by Queen
Elizabeth with the bishopric of Llandaf, from which see he was translated to that of St. Asaph, in 1601, was at one period
vicar; and Dr. William Worthington, Prebendary of York and of St. Asaph, and several other eminent divines, have also
held the benefice.