RADNOR-OLD, or MAESYVED-HEN, a parish, comprising the townships of Ednol, Evenjobb with Bareland, Harpton, Kinnarton
with Bad-land, Old Radnor, and Walton, in the liberties of the borough of NEW-RADNOR, union of KINGTON, county of RADNOR,
SOUTH WALES, 3 miles (E. S. E.) from New Radnor; containing 1421 inhabitants. This place by the Welsh is also called
Pencraig, which name it derives from the situation of its church on the summit of a rock. It was anciently of some
importance, and had a castle, which Sir Richard Colt Hoare identifies, but not satisfactorily, with that mentioned by
Giraldus Cambrensis, wider the appellation of 46 Cruker," but of which no vestiges can be discovered. In the her Carolinum
it is noted that, "on 6th August, 1645, Charles I. went from Brecoa to Gwernevit, the house of Sir H. Williams, to dinner
he supped at Old Radnor, at a yeoman's house, the court being dispersed; on the 7th he proeeedi to Ludlow." The house
here which gave temporar7 refuge to that unfortunate monarch is called " Ile Stones," and stands about half a mile to the
west of the church. The parish, which is of very great extent, comprising by computation about 7160 acres, whereof 6020
are inclosed, and 1140 allotments of common, mountains, and woods, is intersected by a stream wiled Somergill, and also by
the Hendwell, a brook homing from a small lake of that name, which abounds with excellent trout and eels. The surface is
principally flat, though partly undulated, and in some places rising into bills of considerable elevation; the lands, with
the exception of some tracts of common and some weed, are in 4 good state of cultivation; and the soil is in general a
fertile loam, well adapted for the growth of corn, and affording pasturage for sheep and (rattle. In the southern part of
the parish exists an extensive deposite of transition limestone, from which a very villa« able supply of lime is obtained.
The parish is intersected by the turnpike-road from Hereford through Kington to Aberystwith. The surrounding scenery is
agreeably diversified; and the parish is enlivened with several gentlemen's seats, among which are, Harpton Court, the
residence of the Right Hon. Thomas Frankland Lewis, a handsome mansion, in grounds tastefully laid out; Evenjobb,
Womaston, and Newcastle Court, all good houses pleasantly situated, and forming interesting features in the scenery of the
place. The living is a vicarage, with the chapel of Kinney-ton annexed, rated in the king's books at £35.1.0i., and in the
gift of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester. It was originally a rectory, but was made a vicarage in 1534, when the
rectorial tithes and patronage were given to the Dean and Chapter, who at present are in possession of all the tithes Of
the parish, and pay a small stipend to the vicar, who is further supported by the interest of £800 parliamen« Lary grant,
and whose net annual income' returned in 1835 at zioa, was augmented by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, in 1841, with
f.63 per annum, out of the fund raised by the suspension of certain canonries and prebends. The tithes have been commuted
for a rent-charge of £1330, (embracing a portion of Herefordshire,) payable to the Dees and Chapter, and subject to rates,
averaging £125; and there is a glebe of three acres, valued at £5 annually. The church, dedicated to St. Stephen, is a
spacious and venerable structure, with a lofty square tower, containing six bells, and consists.of a nave, with north and
south aisles, and a chancel, separated from the rest by a eereen of richly carved oak, which extends across the nave and
both the aisles; the font ie of large dimensions, rudely-carved out of a single stone; and on the north side of the
chancel stand the -remains of a singular organ case, of large size, elaborately, though somewhat roughly, carved in oak:
there are some handsome monuments of modern erection to the family of Lewis; of Hampton. At Ednol and Kinnarton are
chapels of ease to the mother church; in the former of which, however, divine service has for many years been
discoatiatied. There is a place of worship for Independents. Lady Jose Hartatongue bequeathed a house and 50 acres of land
at Weythel, in the parish, for the foundation of a school for the gratuitous instruction of children of Old Radnor,
LIanvihangel-Naut-Melan, and Gladestry, and the annual income arising from the en, dowinent, which is £32, exclusive of
repairs, rates, fitc., is regularly appropriated to the support of -a school of about 60 children, 54 of whom are educated
gratuitously, and the rest paid for by their parents; a new school-room has been recently erected, the expense of which
was defrayed by the sale of the timber and copse wood on the estate. There are also three other day schools, one of which
contains about 35 children, of whom from six to ten are paid for by subscription, and the rest by their parents; and in
the other two about 45 are taught wholly at their parents' cost. A Sunday school of about 45 males and females is
maintained by a yearly subscription of £5 from a lady. A farm named the Wolfpits, now producing £14 per annum, and a rent-
charge of £l on another, designated Berland, were bequeathed by unknown benefactors to the poor; and Mrs. Cassandra Davis,
in 1744, left to those not receiving parochial relief, some land called Broken Bank, of which the proportion for this
parish produces £2 per annum, which is regularly paid, together with a bequest of forty shillings per annum, charged on an
estate called the Callenders, a grant of Edward Hughes, in 1680. Among the charities lost, or in abeyance, is a bequest,
in 1777, by Thomas Lewis, of Harpton, who directed his executors to purchase stock to secure an annuity for preaching two
annual sermons, for which the minister was to receive £1. 1., the clerk 10s., and the sexton 5s.; and also that £2 should
be distributed among the deserving poor: he likewise in a codicil bequeathed £50, annually, to be divided among the poor
inhabitants, to be paid out of his India Bonds. Near the church is the site of an ancient house, supposed to have been a
nunnery, or more probably the rectory-house; the moat by which it was surrounded is still plainly visible. Within the
limits of the parish, and nearly in the centre of the Vale of Radnor, is a singular relic of antiquity, generally thought
to be Druidical; it consists of four stones placed at the angles of a square, each stone being of such vast dimensions
that it is difficult to conjecture by what means or for what purpose they were placed there. Their position corresponds
precisely with the cardinal points of the compass, the largest being to the south, and the smallest to the north; and
they are ranged symmetrically, as far as their rude shapes will allow. A stone tablet is by some considered to have
covered the whole; but the unequal height of the stones, and their distance from each other, render the supposition
improbable. Whatever may have been the object of this monument of a rude age, its destruction is said by Camden to have
taken place in the reign of John, when the district was ravaged by Rhlrs ab Grufydd.