POWIS, or Powisland, a quondam territory or kingdom, always all Welsh; originally extending, beyond the Severn, into Salop, Worcester, and Hereford, to the Wye; restricted, after the construction of Offa's dyke, to tracts W of that rampart; and compris ing, in the time of Llewelyn, all Montgomeryshire, and parts of Radnorshire and Breconshire. It now gives the title of Earl to thefamily of Herbert. Powis Castle, the Earl's seat, stands on a red sandstone rock, 1 mile S of Welshpool; takes, from its site, the Welsh name of Castell Coch, signifying"the red castle; " was founded in 1109, by Cadwgan ap Bleddyn, prince of Powisland; was taken in 1191, and strengthened, by Archbishop Hubert; was held, underprotection of King John, by Owen ap Griffith; was taken and dismantled by Llewelyn Iorwerth; reverted to Hawys, daughter of Owen; passed with her, by marriage, to Sir John Charlton, who was made Baron of Powis; passed to the Greys and the Herberts; was taken by the parliamentarians in 1644; underwent alterations in the times of James I. and Elizabeth, and eventual restorationby Smirke; retains walls of the 13th century, and very fine portions of the 16th century; contains many interesting pictures and curiosities; commands, from a terrace, an exquisitely beautiful view; and has grounds laidout by Capability Brown-

(John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72))