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Presteigne country
Presteigne was once the county town of Radnorshire and can still boast many attractive buildings from the 14th century. The town first appeared as ‘Prestehemed’ in 1137, which combines elements of ‘priest’, ’meadow’ and ’boundary’. The River Lugg at the bottom of Broad Street is the Welsh/English border.
During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the woollen cloth industry was developed by John Beddowes, who also funded what is now the secondary school. The town also developed at this time.
The plague hit Presteigne several times in the 16th and 17th centuries and during a six month period in 1593/4, claimed the lives of over 350 people.
Did you know? Much of Presteigne was destroyed in 1681 by a disastrous fire.