Radnorshire

Radnorshire
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Country	Wales
Borders	Brecknockshire Cardiganshire Herefordshire Montgomeryshire Shropshire
Population	25,821
Area (sq mi)	470 sq mi

Radnorshire, or the County of Radnor (Welsh: Sir Faeysfed), is a county in the heart of Wales. Located within the vast, remote interior of Wales, it is the most sparsely populated Welsh county, with just under 26,000 inhabitants.

Bordering the English counties of Shropshire and Herefordshire to the east, Radnorshire is part of the historic Welsh Marches region of Britain. To the north, Radnorshire is bound by Montgomeryshire, bordering Brecknockshire to the south and Cardiganshire to the north. The county was formally established in the 16th century by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535-1542. Prior to that, the Welsh subdivision Rhwng Gwy a Hafren (meaning "(land) between the Wye and Severn"), sometimes known as Cynllibiwg had roughly the same boundaries.

The shire is named after New Radnor, a medieval planned settlement (perhaps dating back to the 11th century). The county town is Presteigne. The largest town in the county is Llandrindod Wells, which is the only settlement in the county to exceed a population of 5,000.

Administration

Radnorshire, as of 2024, is administered by Powys County Council (Welsh: Cyngor Sir Powys).