Montgomery (Wales) - county town of Montgomeryshire, Wales, United Kingdom

Montgomery (Welsh: Trefaldwyn, meaning "Baldwin's town") is a market town in Powys. Montgomery has retained an "unspoilt" feel, with some fine examples of Georgian and early Victorian architecture.

Understand

As the English name implies, it was historically the county town of Montgomeryshire and as such, was a prosperous community and important political and commercial centre in the 17th-19th centuries. After the mid-19th century it began to be eclipsed as a commercial centre, and subsequently politically, by the nearby Newtown and Welshpool, due to those two towns being located on the River Severn, Montgomery Canal, and Cambrian Railway.

As of 2011, it was home to 1,300 people.

Get in

By road

Montgomery is missed by the major 'A'-road network, lying a few miles to the east of the main A483 Swansea - Chester road, roughly half-way between Welshpool and Newtown.

By rail

The nearest stations are at Welshpool and Newtown, on the Cambrian line.

By bus

Local services are provided by Tanat Valley Coaches. Service 71b runs Welshpool-Montgomery-Newtown and service 558 runs from Shrewsbury to Montgomery via Worthen and Chirbury.

Get around

As a small market town, Montgomery is easy to get around on foot, though the climb up to the castle is quite steep. The best way to explore the surrounding countryside is by bike.

See

• St Nicholas Parish Church, 52.560944°, -3.146647°. The tombs of the Herbert family and stained glass windows are well worth seeing. The church yard offers panoramic views over Shropshire
• Montgomery Castle, 52.5625°, -3.15061°. Open Entry. The castle dates back to 1223 and is now an imposing ruin, situated on a hill above the town. Free
• Montgomeryshire War Memorial, 52.55357°, -3.157743°. Open entry. When it was built in 1923 of white Portland stone, the War Memorial was dedicated to those men of the county of Montgomeryshire who lost their lives in the First World War. It has since been rededicated to those who fell in all past wars. The climb up to the Memorial is well worth the effort as on a clear day it offers a magnificent 360-degree panorama of the surrounding countryside. To the east the Shropshire Hills can be seen very clearly, while to the west, all the major mountain groups of Mid- and North-Wales can be seen, from Pumlumon to the south-west, Cadair Idris to the west, the Arans and Snowdon (over 50 miles away!) to the north-west and the Berwyns in the north. Free
• The Old Bell Museum, Arthur Street, SY15 6RA, 52.56067°, -3.14892°, curator@oldbellmuseum.org.uk. Open W-Su from Easter to the end of September. A 16th-century inn which has been converted into a local history museum by Montgomery Civic Society

Do

• Cycling is popular in the area. The town lies at the centre of a network of quiet, rolling country lanes. A set of leaflets has been produced showing suggested circular routes from Montgomery. Pick these up from various outlets in the town, or check out the routes on the information board on the side of the Town Hall.
• Offas Dyke Path. This national long-distance footpath runs 177 miles (285 km) from Chepstow in the south to Prestatyn in the north, following the England/Wales border along the course of a mediaeval defensive earthwork. The path passes just to the east of the town. Of course you can just walk a short section of it!

Buy

• There are a number of art and craft galleries and gift shops around Broad Street and Kerry Street in the town centre.
• RH Bunner and Son (Traditional Ironmonger), Arthur Street, Montgomery, SY15 6RA, +44 1686 668308. M-F 9AM-5:30PM; Sa 9AM-5PM. Tradition, family-run ironmongers. The shop is a veritable maze of different departments over various levels, all absolutely crammed with good-quality products from a selection of brushes for any conceivable use to quad bikes to a fine selection of dolls house furniture. Well worth a browse.

Eat

• Dragon Hotel, Market Square, Montgomery, Powys SY15 6PA (uphill from the main Square in Montgomery), +44 1686 668359. Good, locally-sourced food in the restaurant and bar. Wide range of real ales and ciders. Cheerful service.

Drink

• The Crown Inn, Castle Street, Montgomery, SY15 6PW.
• Dragon Hotel - see Eat above.

Sleep

• Dolforwyn Hall (Country House B&B), Abermule, Montgomery, Powys, SY15 6JG (about 5 miles from Montgomery, beside the main A483 road in the village of Abermule), +44 1686 630221. Eight-bedroom B&B with family room available.
• Dragon Hotel - see Eat above.

Connect

Go next

• Newtown
• Welshpool
• Llanfair Caereinion
• Bishop's Castle
• Shrewsbury (England)