Margaret Hardman moved to Newtown in 1977 and has lived here ever since. Here, she looks back at her first impressions of the place and the contrasts with her former life in the city.

"My fiancé and I came to Newtown 26 yrs ago. At that time, we were visiting relatives here. We were pleasantly surprised by how beautiful and peaceful it was.

Within no time at all, we decided to see if we could get employment down here. We spent a week going around all the factories, filling in application forms left right and centre, by the end of the week we both had employment.

Having lived all my life in the city, (my husband had been raised in a small village in South Wales), I found Newtown scenic and sedate. It was a bit daunting to begin with but this soon passed.

Hustle and bustle was all I had known. Now, living here in Newtown, everything seemed to move at a much slower rate. People had time to stand and talk, strangers would smile at you as you walked by. You didn't do this type of thing in the city.

In the city, when you looked out of your windows you would see nothing but houses, narrow streets and traffic everywhere. Here, cows or sheep graze in fields. The River Severn meanders quietly through the town on its long journey through to the Bristol Channel.

It all seems so long ago now since we moved here, around the time of the Queens Silver Jubilee (1977). We got married here in Newtown (1978).

I think the biggest shock I had when I first came was walking into "W.H.Smiths" for a birthday card (I had always bought birthday cards in "W.H.Smiths" in the city) to be told they did not sell them. I was absolutely flabbergasted. I hasten to add they do now.

So many things have changed and yet it still remains the same. Gone are some of the smaller businesses, ironmongers, fishmongers. We can now boast a Leisure Centre, Safeway's, even Shopping Precincts!

Sadly, some of the things that needed to change, still haven't - one of those being the lack of a hospital. We have a cottage hospital. When I damaged a finger at work, I had to hang around here for an hour for a doctor to come up to the hospital (from his practice) to take one look at it and say Shrewsbury. I needed a skin graft.

Mothers have to travel 33 miles to the nearest General Hospital, or 45 miles to Aberystwyth to have babies, if they are to have caesareans, or they have difficulties. I had two children at Shrewsbury (my husband smiles, they have "Made in Wales" stamped on them, he said.)

I'm told this is the price I pay for living in the biggest county, (it takes about three hours plus to get from one end of Powys to the other) with the smallest amount of population, compared with other parts of Wales.

Having said all that, it is a brilliant area for raising children, as far as safety is concerned. We have our problems (crime wise) but nothing like the cities experience.

My children are nearly all teenagers now. It was a good decision to settle and raise children here. Like everywhere, it has its advantages and disadvantages.

My children are not what you call "Streetwise", which in some ways may prove to be a BIG disadvantage (with one of them having Learning Difficulties). The biggest advantage, however, must be the open space. Freedom for children to run and explore, in reasonable safety.

My mother paid us a visit and was very surprised, from a safety point of view, when she saw the children playing outside - in stark contrast to the city. Neighbours look out for each other.

There are also the Museums (Textile, Robert Owen and W.H.Smith) to visit."

Written by Margaret Hardman from Newtown.

To find out more about Newtown's museums and other visitor attractions, click here.