"Powis Castle is situated one mile south of Welshpool. It was bequeathed to The National Trust in 1952 by the 4th Earl of Powis and has been maintained by the Trust since that time.

The castle dates back to the 12th century; built by Welsh Princes near the border with England. Sited on a hill and built of red gritstone, it dominates the landscape.

During the Civil War, the Earls of Powis supported the Royalist cause and the castle was captured by Parliamentary forces in 1644 and not returned to the Herbert family (who purchased it in 1587) until the restoration of the monarchy in 1661.

Powis Castle has been very much a home to the Herbert family and has had several major refurbishments.

Robert Smirke enlarged some of the windows and added to the battlements in 1804 and Bodley restored much of the interior in 1904.

The Castle, which is open to visitors, contains many important items of furniture, statuary, textiles and pictures.

In the ballroom range above the tearoom and National Trust shop is The Clive Museum which houses the fine collection of Indian articles brought from India by Robert Clive and his son Edward who married Henrietta Antonia Herbert, sister of the 2nd Earl of Powis.

The gardens with the terraces, lead statues, yew hedges fine lawns and the wilderness is considered by many people to be the best in Wales."

This article was sent to us by Mike Wynne Griffith from Welshpool, who is a member of the Powysland Club - a local history society.