Caersws


Caersws is a village and community on the River Severn, in the Welsh county of Powys west of Newtown, and halfway between Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury. It has a station on the Cambrian Line from Aberystwyth to Shrewsbury. At the 2001 census it had a population of 1,526, increasing slightly to 1,586 at the 2011 Census.
The community includes the settlements of Clatter, Llanwnnog and Pontdolgoch.

Etymology

The name is derived from the Welsh placename elements "Caer-" and "Sŵs". "Caer" may be translated as "city" or "fort" and likely refers to the Roman settlement. The derivation of the second element is less certain.
Thomas Pennant and later writers note that the fort was the termination of the Roman Road from Chester, the name of the road was Sarn Swsan or Sarn Swsog and it is thought that the town and the road share their etymology. The meaning of Swsan/Swsog is again, uncertain, but two local traditions hold that this is a personal name, either of a Queen Swswen a Celtic leader who is said to have fought a battle in the vicinity around the time of the Roman occupation, or it is named for a Roman lieutenant "Hesus".
Furthurmore, the linguist John Rhys noted that the dialect of Mid-Wales Welsh was closer to the Gaulish language than its neighbours, and concluded that the area had pre-Roman links to Gaul. This may suggest a link between Caersŵs and the God Esus venerated by the Parisii and Treverii.
Other suggested etymologies include the name retaining a Roman-era dedication to Zeus, and the fact that "sws" can be literally translated to "Kiss" in modern Welsh has led to a number of developing folk etymologies.

History

Caersws was the location of two Roman forts of Roman Wales. Although the Mediolanum of the Antonine Itinerary has since been identified as Whitchurch in Shropshire, Caersws is sometimes identified as the Mediolanum among the Ordovices described in Ptolemy's Geography, although others argue for Llanfyllin or Meifod. Further, this second Mediolanum may be identical or distinct from the "Mediomanum" mentioned by the Ravenna Cosmography.

Governance

An electoral ward in the same name exists. This ward includes the community of Carno and at the 2011 Census had a population of 2,316.

Buildings

Llanwnnog Church in the community of Caersws is a single-chambered structure, variously considered to date from the 13th or 15th century and restored in 1863. It contains the best example of a 15th or 16th century rood screen and loft in Montgomeryshire, a medieval font bowl and one 17th century memorial. Maesmawr Hall was built in the early 19th century.

Sport

Downhill Mountain Biking has flourished in forestry at Henblas farm, to the north of the village, with a number of national races being held there. The current series - The Caersws Cup - began in March 2009.
Cymru Alliance club Caersws F.C. are based in the village, and play their home matches at the Recreation Ground.
Caersws is home to current and past champions of a number of sporting disciplines, leading some to christen it the "Sporting Capital of Wales".

Notable people

Literature