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Brecon / Brecknock (Aberhonddu)

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"BRECON, (or Brecknock) comprising the two parishes of St. John the Evangelist and St. David, a market town, municipal and parliamentary borough, in the hundreds of Merthyr-Cynog, Penkelly, and Devynnock, in the county of Brecknock, South Wales, 171 miles to the W. of London. It is situated on the banks of the Usk, at the confluence of the Honddhu and Tarell with that river, and is the county town of Brecknockshire. It is a place of great antiquity, and is called by the Welsh, from its situation at the mouth of the Honddhu, Aberhonddhu. ..."[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868) Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]

NB The small white areas shown in the centre of the above map overlay are the Extra Parochial parishes of Castle Inn and below that,  Christ College

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Census

Transcripts of 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, and 1911 censuses for Christ College School, Brecon - on John Ball's Welsh Family History Archive website.

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Church History

The Diocese of Swansea and Brecon site

See the separate pages for these churches;

Various items - on the People's Collection Wales  site

  • Brecon Cathedral 
  • Plough Chapel, Brecon
  • Watergate Chapel, Brecon
  • Priory Church, Brecon
  • The almost deserted Watton in Brecon, probably photographed in the 1880s. The Gothic style Presbyterian church on the right was completed in 1872. Beyond the Watton lies the Bulwark, with the Shire Hall and the lofty tower of St Mary's Church in the distance.
  • Christ College chapel, Brecon, 1813
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Church Records

See the separate pages for these churches;

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Court Records

Petty Sessions were first held in the nineteenth century, a minor court presided over by two or more justices or magistrates. Records include minute books, court registers, adoption registers, licensing and ledger accounts. There is a 75 year closure period for adoption records and 30 years for the rest. Petty Sessions Records from 1903-1994 (reference: BPS/BR) have been deposited at Powys Archives

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Description & Travel

    Journey to the past  - Brecon

    Wales Calling site - Brecon Beacons

    Brecon Castle on the Castle Wales site

    Monmouthshire Brecon and Abergavenny Canal Trust

    Various landscapes - on the People's Collection Wales  site

    A view along the River Honddu from Castle Bridge in Brecon, towards its meeting point with the River Usk. Brecknock Castle remains are shown high above the river on the right and the peak of Pen y Fan is in the distance. The print was engraved from a drawing by Henry Gastineau. 1829 -  on the People's Collection Wales  site

    You can see pictures of Brecon / Brecknock (Aberhonddu) which are provided by:

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    Gazetteers

    The transcription of the section for Brecon from the National Gazetteer (1868) provided by Colin Hinson.

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    History

    Various items - on the People's Collection Wales  site

    • Brecon mail cart, 1885. The two wheel mail cart which carried the official mail between Brecon and Abergavenny, pictured outside the Blue Boar Inn in the Watton, Brecon. 
    • Engraved view of Brecon, 1823. A print of Brecon from a painting by Thomas Christopher Hofland, engraved by G. Hunt and published in London on 1 February, 1823, by T. Clay of 18 Ludgate Hill.
    • Hardware shop in Brecon, c. 1900
    • River Usk and the bridge at Brecon, 1895
    • Castle Hotel, Brecon, 1870s
    • A contemporary view of the Bulwark in Brecon, with the impressive bulk of the Shire Hall dominating the scene. The tall tower of St Mary's Church is at the centre. This print is from an extensive series of topographical engravings created and published by Newman & Co at 48 Watling Street, London. The former Shire Hall is now Brecknock Museum and Art Gallery.
    •  The Barracks, Brecon, 1900s
    • Brecon Castle & Priory Church, from Usk bridge
    • High Street Inferior, Brecon, c. 1900
    •  Escort for the Assize Court Judge at Brecon, 1930s
    • A 'carte de visite' photograph showing a 19th century Constable (collar number 24) of the Breconshire County Constabulary.Printed on the rear of the card - H.HOBBISS. PHOTOGRAPHER. 18 THE WATTON. BRECON
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    Maps

    You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SO037274 (Lat/Lon: 51.936711, -3.402758), Brecon / Brecknock (Aberhonddu) which are provided by:

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    Military History

    Various WWI items - on the People's Collection Wales  site

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    Names, Geographical

    Places, villages, farms etc. within/adjacent to the town of 'Brecon' as shown on the parish map on the CD of Historic Parishes of England and Wales: an Electronic Map of Boundaries before 1850 with a Gazetteer and Metadata [computer file]. (Kain, R.J.P., Oliver, R.R.) (Extracted by John Ball). NB - both these sections are described as Extra-parochial in the source gazetteer.

    • Castle Inn [49] - No names included
    • Christ College [50] - College
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    Newspapers

    Newspaper extracts

    Various items  - on the People's Collection Wales  site

    • The Brecon Reporter Jan 7 1865 - Front page of the earliest surviving copy of the Welsh newspaper
    •  The Brecon County Times May 5 1866 - Front page of the earliest surviving copy of the Welsh newspaper The Brecon County Times
    • Glamorgan, Monmouth and Brecon Gazette and Merthyr Guardian Dec 1832- Front page of the earliest surviving copy of the Welsh newspaper Glamorgan, Monmouth and Brecon Gazette and Merthyr Guardian
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    Schools

    Christ College, Brecon

    Christ College, Brecon - Transcripts of 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, and 1911 censuses on John Ball's Welsh Family History Archive website.

    Various items - on the People's Collection Wales  site

    • Christ College and chapel, Brecon, c. 1865
    • Masters and pupils at Christ College, Brecon, c. 1895
    • Christ College Cricket XI 1912 /13 /14 
    • Christ College Hockey XI 1914
    • Christ College XV 1912-1913 Rugby
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    Social Life & Customs

    Various items  - on the People's Collection Wales  site

    • The Gorsedd of the Bards, Brecon, 1889.
    • Studio portrait of Alderman John Prothero, Mayor of Brecon- on the People's Collection Wales  site, 1866
    • Boating on Brecon canal, 1904
    • Eisteddfod Proclamation at Brecon, 1888
    • Brecon football club team, c. 1880
    • Flower show in Brecon, 1890s
    • Cinema treat for children, Brecon, 1912
    • The Names of the poor of Brecon, 1786. A list of all households in Brecon, with the names of the poor marked, street by street. The booklet seems to have been covered in eighteenth -century wallpaper.
    • Members of Brecon's womens' choir dressed in Welsh costume, 19th century