England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Tregynon St Cynon

The Parish

The parish of Tregynon lies in southern central Montgomeryshire roughly 6 miles north of the market town of Newtown. Tregynon sits on the B4389 road which links Newtown with Llanfair Caereinion and is a mid-sized village lining that road for a quarter mile with extensions either side on east and westward running lanes. Tregynon sits on a broad plain where the Bechan Brook runs out into a tributary of the Severn forming a basin of rich alluvial soils. These soils supported a limited area of arable farming whilst the majority of the parish was pastoral and included over 25% of the parish acreage in unimproved upland pastures suitable only for hardy sheep; the parish is extensive with much area above 200 metres. The broad plain also operated as an important stop over for the drovers bands bringing livestock from upland Wales to the markets of London & the Midlands, many of the lanes around being former droving tracks.The Bechan Broom drains the parish southeastwards meeting the Severn between Newtown and Welshpool, the Severn performs a series of maneuvers heading northeast, east and finally south to eventually reach the sea through its estuary. Tregynon occupies a sloping site, 160 metres to its east rising to 180 metres up the valley of the Bechan Brook, ground rises all around to lofty heights such as almost 300 metres reached just to the south of the main westwards headed lane and less than  2 miles west of the village. The countryside is hilly but not unduly mountainous. Like many upland parishes Tregynon parish was extensive at around 5,000 acres within which it would have supported a population of close to 700 parishioners. Like most of Wales Tregynon is not mentioned in Domesday Book which did not cover this area.

The Church

St Cynon's church sits on the northern side of that westward running lane amongst picturesque black-and-white cottages, Whilst the church has documentary evidence linking to early times today's church is largely a more modern one having been rebuilt on at least 2 separate occasions. Pevsner records a rebuild of "the walls" in 1787 and a second rebuild of 1892 whilst noting that the roof is of a late-medieval design from the 15th century. Sundry documentation dates the existence of the church even to the mid-13th century albeit no fabric of that early date survives. The church has a rather distinctive timber bell-turret complete with sundial and pyramidal roof which is a most attractive feature whilst the remainder of the church is a standard oblong box of nave and chancel augmented with a timbered southern porch. Timbers from the bell-turret have been dated to the 17th century whilst it was re-roofed as recently as 1990. The lane passing the church is rather narrow but carries little traffic, considerate parking is required or parking in the main village and a short walk. A few mature conifers dot the churchyard but they are readily avoided leaving good sight lines for the photographer.