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Aberrhiw / Berriew

"BERRIEW (ABER-IW), a parish partly in the hundred of CAWRSE, liberties of the borough of WELSHPOOL, but chiefly in the lower division of the hundred of NEWTOWN, county of MONTGOMERY, NORTH WALES, 5 miles (S. S. W.) from Welshpool, containing 2429 inhabitants. This place derives its name from being situated at the junction of the river Rhiw with the Severn, from which point the village is distant about three quarters of a mile, on the banks of the Rhiw, on the road between Welshpool and Newtown. ... The church, dedicated to St. Beuno, is a neat modern structure with a square tower, surmounted with pinnacles. There are places of worship for Independents and Calvinistic and Wesleyan Methodists. ... " [A Topographical Dictionary of Wales by Samuel Lewis, 1833]

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Bibliography

Brown, Roger L. Mr Martin's retirement : an episode in the history of the church in Berriew. Montgomeryshire Collections 85 (1997), p. 105-10

Edwards, William R. The family of William Edwards (1772-1830) of Welshpool & Berriew, Montgomeryshire. Guilsfield : Wm. R. Edwards, 1988.

Evans, Geraint G. The place-names of Berriew. Montgomeryshire Collections 83 (1995), p. 1-40

Gibson, Alex. The Carreg Beuno prehistoric landscape, Berriew. Montgomeryshire Collections 83 (1995), p. 41-58 Parish of Berriew : memorial inscriptions. [S.l.] : Montgomeryshire Geneaological Society, 2003. 120p

Parish of Berriew : Parish Church of St. Beuno, Ebenezer Congregational Chapel ... : memorial inscriptions. [S.l.] : Montgomeryshire Genealogical Society, 1999. 122p

Silvester, R J. Luggy Moat, Berriew : recording and conservation. Montgomeryshire Collections 85 (1997), p. 1-12

Smith, D W. Aberriw to Berriew : the story of a community. [Aberriw] : D.W. Smith, 1992. 17p

Smith, Douglas W. Berriew and Trinity : Thomas Jones (1756-1807) and his contemporaries. Montgomeryshire Collections (Transactions of the Powys-land Club) 79 (1991), p. 121-34

Smith, Douglas W. The Berriew enclosures : Brithdir and the intercommoning districts. Montgomeryshire Collections (Transactions of the Powys-land Club) 77 (1989), p. 81-105

Smith, Douglas W. Owen Owens of Berriew. Montgomeryshire Collections (Transactions of the Powys-land Club) 73 (1985), p. 121-3

Smith, Douglas W. Berriew in Stuart times : 2. Paupers and yeomen, poverty and prosperity. Montgomeryshire Collections (Transactions of the Powys-land Club) 73 (1985), p. 8-29

Smith, Douglas W. Berriew maps : some comments. Montgomeryshire Collections (Transactions of the Powys-land Club) 78 (1990), p. 162-3

Stormont, C A. A Berriew letter writer of the 1830s. Cronicl Powys. No. 24 (1991), p. 34-38

Stormont, C A. Berriew letter writer of the 1830s : a sequel to an article in Cronicl, no. 24. Cronicl Powys. No. 27 (1992), p. 8-14

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Census

Victorian Powys for schools site - Census figures for Berriew parish 1841-1901

Churches

Anglican
Pantyffridd Mission Church, Pant-Y-Ffridd
St Beuno, Berriew
Congregational / Independent
Cefn-Y-Faenor Independent Chapel (Ebenezer), Berriew
Methodist
Jerusalem Calvinistic Methodist Chapel, Refail
Mount Zion Wesleyan Methodist Church, Berriew
Pentre Llifior English Wesleyan Methodist Church, Pentre Llifior
Providence English Methodist Church, Fron
Other
Capelcottages, Berriew
Chapel To Vaynor Park, Vaynor Park
St John's Mission Church And Sunday School, Fron

You can also perform a more selective search for churches in the Aberrhiw / Berriew area or see them printed on a map.

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Church History

Church and chapel data from The Religious census of 1851 : A Calendar of the returns relating to Wales, Vol 11, North Wales. Ed. by Ieuan Gwynedd Jones, UWP,   1981. The names given towards the end of each entry are those of the informants.

Parish statistics; Area 12010 acres; Population 1125 males, 1052 females, total 2177

  •  Berriew Parish Church    "The present church was rebuilt about the year 1800 - opened for divine service 1803 in lieu of an old existing one. But was not reconsecrated"             Attendance - morning 250 + 50 scholars, afternoon 80 + 20 scholars       Services in English                John Meredith Williams, Curate
  • Fron, Wesleyan Methodists                     Dwelling house                  Attendance - afternoon 27                 John Morgan, Class Leader, Garthmyl
  • Providence Chapel, Wesleyan Methodist          Erected 1837         Attendance - morning 90 + 75 scholars, afternoon 75 scholars, evening 91       Wm. Richards, Steward, Halfway House, Garthmill
  • Chain House, Primitive Methodist              Erected 18 months, a house     Attendance - evening 73               Edward Hammonds, W. Larfinger (occupier). Garthmyl
  • Pentre Llifon Chapel, Wesleyan Methodists           Erected before 1800        Attendance - afternoon 35              Thomas Nicklen, Steward, Pentry
  • Ebenezer, Independent            Erected 1826                Attendance - morning 60, evening 130                    Thomas Davies, Independent Minister, The Crescent, Newtown
  • Tynycoed, Calvinistic Methodist             Attendance - morning 12 scholars, afternoon 45            William Jones, Deacon, Vachier, Berriew
  • Jerusalem Chapel, Welsh Calvinistic Methodist         Erected 1850                Attendance - morning 85, afternoon 90 scholars, evening 122       John Jones, Deacon, Redhouse
  • Veliendy, Primitive Methodist                Erected 1850; a dwelling house                    Attendance - afternoon 20           John Evans, Local Preacher
  • Mount Zion, Keel Township, Wesleans              Erected 1837     Attendance - morning 10 scholars, afternoon 100, evening 128        Robert Pryce, Local Preacher
  • Calvinistic Methodist, Ffrydd Township                 dwelling house        Attendance - morning 20, afternoon 30 scholars      Thomas Gwynne, Manager

See Welsh Chapels and Churches for a photograph of St Beuno Church, Berriew

St. Beauno's Church, Berriew on the People's Collection Wales site

See John Ball's site Welsh Churches and Chapels Collection for a photograph/data re St Beuno's Church

    Church of St Beuno, Berriew on the Montgomeryshire Churches Survey site

    Wesleyan churches on the Montgomeryshire Genealogical Society site - Berriew, Pentre Llifior

    Independent churches on the Montgomeryshire Genealogical Society site - Ebenezer, built c 1829

    Rees, Thomas & John Thomas. Hanes Eglwysi Annibynnol Cymru (History of the Welsh Independent Churches), 4 volumes (published 1871+). Here is the entry from this book for Berriew chapel (in Welsh )   - with translation by Maureen Saycell (Aug 2009)

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    Church Records

    Detailed information on deposited registers and transcripts for this parish is given on the Powys Archives page Montgomeryshire parish registers

    As a guide only, the principal extant parochial church records for this parish span the dates shown below (as detailed in Parish Registers of Wales, NLW 2000) but exact current holdings should be confirmed with the individual Archives;

    • Baptisms 1596-1628, 1685-1981; Marriages 1596-8, 1600-3, 1607-9, 1616-26, 1685-1985; Burials 1596-1628, 1683-91, 1693-1923; Banns 1834-1986
      Parish Registers, or copies, for all or part of these dates are held at the NLW, and/or Powys Archives.  
      Bishops Transcripts for various periods are held at the NLW, Denbigh Archives and/or Flintshire Archives  

    Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;

    • Refail (Jerusalem) Presbyterian Chapel, Berriew, records 1891-2000    "Jerusalem Presbyterian Chapel is in the hamlet of Refail (Yr Efail or Efail-fach) in the parish of Berriew, Montgomeryshire. The Calvinistic Methodist cause in the area was started about 1815. The chapel was built in 1850 and rebuilt in 1903. In 2000 the chapel had 49 members and friends. The chapel is usually called Refail (or Revel) Chapel"
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    Description and Travel

    Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;

    • Welshpool, Berriew and Montgomery, postcards, donated by Lancashire County Council  [1921]-1929

    Various landscape photographs of the area and surrounds - on the People's Collection Wales site

    A pair of card-mounted stereoscope images from around 1890 of the village of Berriew - on the People's Collection Wales site

    You can see pictures of Aberrhiw / Berriew which are provided by:

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    Gazetteers

    Ask for a calculation of the distance from Aberrhiw / Berriew to another place.

    Click here for a list of nearby places.

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    Historical Geography

    You can see the administrative areas in which Aberrhiw / Berriew has been placed at times in the past. Select one to see a link to a map of that particular area.

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    Land and Property

    Rhiewport Mansion near Berriew, 1864 - on the People's Collection Wales site    ".............. Rhiewport was owned by the Wythen-Jones family for many years."

    Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;

    • Vaynor Park Estate Records  1459-1977 (predominantly 1601-1930)     "Estate and family records of the Lyon, Winder and Corbett-Winder families of Vaynor Park, Berriew, Montgomeryshire............."   
    • Montgomeryshire Deeds and Documents from the Bryson Collection    "Deeds and schedules of deeds relating to property in Llanidloes and Berriew, Montgomeryshire, 1771-[1912];......"
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    Maps

    Map of Montgomeryshire parishes on Montgomeryshire Genealogical Society's site - shows dioceses

    Victorian Powys for schools site - Map of Berriew in 1840, and 1901

    You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SJ187008 (Lat/Lon: 52.598885, -3.201763), Aberrhiw / Berriew which are provided by:

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    Occupations

    Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;

    • Edward Davies Papers 1883-1938     "Edward Davies, a farmer and cultivation officer for the Montgomeryshire Agricultural Executive, spent most of his life in the parish of Berriew, Wales. He was born on 9 August 1860, the son of Thomas Davies, a farmer of Stingwern, Berriew. In 1880 he married Martha Jane Bebb of Castle Caereinion. Their first son, Edward, was born in Castle Caereinion in about 1881, but by 1883 the family were living at Penfynydd, Berriew, until 1892 when they moved to Felindre in the same parish. Later they moved to Cil, also in Berriew, and Lower House Farm, Little Ness, England."   
    • Cefngarthmyl Farm, Garthmyl, Berriew, records    "William Mellings (fl. 1826-1860) appears to have farmed at Cefngarthmyl Farm, Berriew, Montgomeryshire, and was also a maltster."
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    Public Records

    Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;

    • Berriew Parish and Community Council records  1628-1994