Montgomeryshire, inland county of North Wales, bounded N. by Denbighshire, E. and SE. by Shropshire, S. by Radnorshire, SW. by Cardiganshire, and W. and NW. by Merioneth; greatest length, 37 miles; greatest breadth, 30 miles; area, 495,089 ac., pop. 65,718. Montgomeryshire is almost wholly mountainous and bare, but on the Shropshire side there are some fertile and beautiful valleys. The principal rivers are the Severn (with its affluents the Vyrnwy, Tanat, and Rhiw) and the Dovey. Excellent harvests of wheat, oats, barley, &c., are gathered in the valleys; but in the higher districts the soil is poor, consisting mostly of moorland and sheep-walks. A superior breed of sheep is raised, also the fine description of Welsh ponies known as "Merlins." (For agricultural statistics, see Appendix.) The principal mineral product is slate. Welsh flannel is the staple mfr. Montgomeryshire contains 9 hundreds, 68 pars, with parts of 3 others, the Montgomery Boroughs (1 member), and the mun. bors. of Llanidloes and Welshpool. It is in the dioceses of Bangor, Hereford, and St Asaph. It returns 1 member to Parliament.

(John Bartholomew, Gazetteer of the British Isles (1887))