BETTWS-DISSERTH (BETTWS-DISERTH), a parish, in the hundred of COLWYN, county of RADNOR, SOUTH WALES, 7 miles (N. E.) from
Builth, containing 141 inhabitants. This parish is pleasantly situated near the source of the river Edw, or Edwy, and on
the turnpike road leading from Sington to Builth. It is of considerable extent: the soil is various, but in general
fertile and productive, and the substratum in some parts of the parish has been thought to consist of coal; but an
endeavour to procure this fossil, made some time since, on a farm called Tyneoed, was unattended with success, and though
a shaft was sunk to a considerable depth, no indications of coal were discovered. The surrounding scenery, though
generally pleasing, is not distinguished by any peculiarity of feature from that which prevails throughout this part of
the principality. The living is a rectory not in charge, consolidated with that of Disserth, in the archdeaconry of
Brecknock, and diocese of St. David's. The church is dedicated to St. Mary. This is one of the parishes from which a child
is to be annually apprenticed, under the will of the Rev. Rees Powell of Boughrood, with a premium of £5. Mrs. Elizabeth
Lewis, in 1746, bequeathed a rent-charge of £2, on a farm called Gwern-Vawr, in this parish, to be given to the poor at
the discretion of the minister and six of the principal inhabitants. A rent-charge of £1 was bequeathed by an unknown
benefactor; and Elizabeth Jones, in 1746, bequeathed £40 in money, of which the interest was paid for some years by the
executor, but was afterwards discontinued. There are some sulphnruns springs in the parish, but they are not strongly
impregnated, nor are they used for medicinal purposes. The average annual expenditure for the maintenance of the poor
amounts to £56. 17.