"An 'Ancient City' is how I have heard Caersws being described, and I'm sure that you will agree with me after reading the following brief history of Caersws.

The name Caersws is derived from the word Caer and Swswen, [an ancient Roman Queen.] There is evidence of activity in the area in pre-Roman times, the most obvious being the British hillfort on Cefn Carnedd. The Romans built two forts at Caersws. The Lesser known Caersws I was built at Llwynybrain, possibly near the area known locally as "Broken Banks". Caersws II was built at Pendref where excavations have revealed some interesting stone buildings such as the Granary and the Bath house.

This auxiliary fort was built about the year 75AD and continued to be occupied until the early 4th century. Roads radiated out from the fort in all directions. After the end of the Roman occupation very little is known of this area except that it was "extremely unruly". However this was probably the period when one of the Celtic Saints, St Gwynog, established his Christian enclosure at Llanwnog, after which the township and parish was named.

It was into this unsettled environment that the Norman invaders came after 1066. Following the Severn Valley from England they subdued the natives by building motte and bailey castles, the most notable local example of which is Rhos Ddiarbed at the Moat Farm. After Edward I campaign the Norman Conquest was complete and the street pattern of the township was planned. Its privileged status as a Borough with a Mayor was granted in these years. Caersws lost its township status nearly four centuries ago.

The rule of the Tudors and Stuarts brought more peaceful times and saw the building of several Black and White houses in the area such as, Plasauduon, Maesmawr Hall, Pertheirin and Parcpenprys. Queen Elizabeth I had a stud of racehorses at Parcpenprys, managed by her alleged favourite, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. It is alleged that King Charles was a regular visitor to the Park as well.

In 1871 the branch line from Caersws to the Fan Mines was opened. It followed the course of an old Roman roadway. At one time it was under the management of John Ceiriog Hughes, known to all lovers of the Welsh language as Ceiriog the gifted bard.

As the roads improved in the early part of the 19th Century, stage wagons and stage coaches appeared. Stage coaches did not begin to run along the road through Caersws, till about 1830. The river bridge is said to have been built around 1821.

At the start of the 19th Century farming was still the dominant occupation of the area. There were also woollen mills in the three storey houses in Main Street and Manthrig Lane. To solve the problem of poverty, workhouses were built. The workhouse for the Newtown and Llanidloes area was built at Caersws but only after overcoming local opposition which had attempted to prevent its construction by stealing the first delivery of bricks to the site. After the Second World War, the workhouse building was used to accommodate handicapped patients under the name of Llys Maldwyn, until its closure in 1999. It has now been converted into luxury apartments and maisonettes and renamed Plas Maldwyn.

During the Second World War, the pupils and staff of Gordonstoun School were evacuated to the area. The children were all housed at Plas Dinam and the staff stayed at the Buck Hotel in Caersws.

My thanks to T.M.B. Jones for supplying me with most of the above information."

Article written by Delma Thomas from Caersws