Beguildy
Encyclopedia
Beguildy is a village
in mid Wales
. It lies in a remote tract of countryside, on the B4355 8 miles north west of Knighton, Powys and on the road to Newtown. It lies near the headwaters
of the River Teme
and is 235 metres above sea level
. The name of the parish means "the shepherd's house", a reference to the pastoral
occupation of its inhabitants.
The village has four of the five "Ps" identified by Country Life
as essential to a successful village: a pub (the Radnorshire Arms), a post office, a place of worship and a primary school. Sadly public transport is poor but by way of compensation it does have a shop.
motte-and-bailey
castle of which the well preserved 20 foot high motte and earthworks remain. The village and the castle lie on the border between England
and Wales
.
was rebuilt in 1885 and the nave
restored in 1896. The original tower collapsed in the 19th century and bells which date from 1661 and 1664, were re-hung in their present position in 1936.
The church features a 14th century octagonal font
(which reputed to carry marks made by Cromwell's
troops sharpening their swords), a holy water stoup at the south door, and a priests door in the south wall. The screen is a fine example of 15th century workmanship and is well preserved, bearing the original coloured Tudor Rose
s. Probably from the same period are two oak benches. The dug out chest, which was reputedly hewn out of a solid block of timber, is an ancient churchwarden
's chest and probably dates form the 13th century. At the end of the chest is an iron ring for use when it was drawn by a horse to be buried or hidden in times of trouble. One part of the chest would have held the church valuables and the other the churchwardens treasures. Each compartment was locked separately. The church is well endowed with 20th century stained glass
windows.
) was born in Beguildy in 1527 and served at the court of Elizabeth I, as the royal tutor
in mathematics
. He later became the Queen's Ambassador
to Poland
but is remembered as a distinguished scientist and astronomer. He was reputedly a descendant of Rhodri Mawr, King of Wales.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in mid Wales
Mid Wales
Mid Wales is the name given to the central region of Wales. The Mid Wales Regional Committee of the National Assembly for Wales covered the counties of Ceredigion and Powys and the area of Gwynedd that had previously been the district of Meirionydd. A similar definition is used by the BBC...
. It lies in a remote tract of countryside, on the B4355 8 miles north west of Knighton, Powys and on the road to Newtown. It lies near the headwaters
Source (river or stream)
The source or headwaters of a river or stream is the place from which the water in the river or stream originates.-Definition:There is no universally agreed upon definition for determining a stream's source...
of the River Teme
River Teme
The River Teme rises in Mid Wales, south of Newtown in Powys, and flows through Knighton where it crosses the border into England down to Ludlow in Shropshire, then to the north of Tenbury Wells on the Shropshire/Worcestershire border there, on its way to join the River Severn south of Worcester...
and is 235 metres above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
. The name of the parish means "the shepherd's house", a reference to the pastoral
Pastoral
The adjective pastoral refers to the lifestyle of pastoralists, such as shepherds herding livestock around open areas of land according to seasons and the changing availability of water and pasturage. It also refers to a genre in literature, art or music that depicts such shepherd life in an...
occupation of its inhabitants.
The village has four of the five "Ps" identified by Country Life
Country Life (magazine)
Country Life is a British weekly magazine, based in London at 110 Southwark Street, and owned by IPC Media, a Time Warner subsidiary.- Topics :The magazine covers the pleasures and joys of rural life, as well as the concerns of rural people...
as essential to a successful village: a pub (the Radnorshire Arms), a post office, a place of worship and a primary school. Sadly public transport is poor but by way of compensation it does have a shop.
Castle
Beguildy Castle is a NormanNorman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
motte-and-bailey
Motte-and-bailey
A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle, with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade...
castle of which the well preserved 20 foot high motte and earthworks remain. The village and the castle lie on the border between England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
The Church
The church, which is mainly 14th century was restored considerably in the last century. The chancelChancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
was rebuilt in 1885 and the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
restored in 1896. The original tower collapsed in the 19th century and bells which date from 1661 and 1664, were re-hung in their present position in 1936.
The church features a 14th century octagonal font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
(which reputed to carry marks made by Cromwell's
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
troops sharpening their swords), a holy water stoup at the south door, and a priests door in the south wall. The screen is a fine example of 15th century workmanship and is well preserved, bearing the original coloured Tudor Rose
Tudor rose
The Tudor Rose is the traditional floral heraldic emblem of England and takes its name and origins from the Tudor dynasty.-Origins:...
s. Probably from the same period are two oak benches. The dug out chest, which was reputedly hewn out of a solid block of timber, is an ancient churchwarden
Churchwarden
A churchwarden is a lay official in a parish church or congregation of the Anglican Communion, usually working as a part-time volunteer. Holders of these positions are ex officio members of the parish board, usually called a vestry, parish council, parochial church council, or in the case of a...
's chest and probably dates form the 13th century. At the end of the chest is an iron ring for use when it was drawn by a horse to be buried or hidden in times of trouble. One part of the chest would have held the church valuables and the other the churchwardens treasures. Each compartment was locked separately. The church is well endowed with 20th century stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
windows.
Associations
John Dee (Black JackBlack Jack
Black Jack or Blackjack may refer to:- Games and cards :* Blackjack, the gambling game* Black Jack , also known as Switch, a name given to some variations of Crazy Eights in United Kingdom* The black Jack playing card- Products :...
) was born in Beguildy in 1527 and served at the court of Elizabeth I, as the royal tutor
Tutor
A tutor is a person employed in the education of others, either individually or in groups. To tutor is to perform the functions of a tutor.-Teaching assistance:...
in mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
. He later became the Queen's Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
but is remembered as a distinguished scientist and astronomer. He was reputedly a descendant of Rhodri Mawr, King of Wales.