Churches and a brief mining boom - The story of Aberhafesp in Powys

It was known as Aberafth in the 13th century when the church of St Gwynog was built before becoming Aberhaves in 1520 and Aberhafais by the end of the 16th century before morphing to Aberhawes in 1654.

In 1675 Aberhafsep Hall was built - one of the earliest brick buildings built in Montgomeryshire.

Memorials to the Morgan family date back to 1701 and suggest that they were the original owners of the house.

Aberhafesp Hall.

It was not until 1697 the village became known by its current name and is translated to the ‘mouth of the summer dry brook’.

The village of Aberhafesp sits halfway between Newtown and Caersws and was once a prosperous Victorian farming village and included the hamlets of Bwlchyffridd, Bethel and Rhydyfelin.

St Gwynog's Church. Picture: Geograph.

Throughout the village’s oldest resident has stood tall.

A yew tree in St Gwynog’s church was planted 800 years ago - even before the church itself was built and has bore witness to all the village’s history.

Rhydyfelin Baptist Chapel was built in 1791 and includes two secret doors to allow dissenting worshippers to escape should the need arise during a time of religious turbulence in Wales.

Rhydfelin chapel.

Meanwhile a Congregational chapel was built in Bwlchyffridd in 1800 on the site of cock-fighting ring and the change in use proved so popular the chapel was enlarged a decade later.

This building would become home to the first school to serve the community in 1802 before the Reverend Richard John Davies donated land for the construction of a purpose built school to be erected at Disquilfa Lane.

In 1843 Aberhafesp Hall was bought by the Proctor family who carried out some improvements as it was in a dilapidated state.

The 21st birthday celebrations in 1913 of Henry Proctor, son of Edward Proctor who owned Aberhafesp Hall.

The village witnessed a brief mining boom in 1868.

The Melinygoch Lead Mining Company was sponsored by Lord Joicey of Gregynog Hall.

Lord Joicey had been led to believe the mines were prosperous but in fact the miners purchased lead from the mines at Van near Llanidloes and placed it in the mines whenever their sponsor visited.

Lord Joicey fell for the deception for several years until he finally abandoned the mines a few years later.

During the 19th century the village became known for its healing waters.

The Black Well earned acclaim for its healing of rheumatism.

The village also retained some unique quirks well into the 19th century, including the practise of making a cross upon the throat as a sign of good faith and belief capturing a spider and putting the insect in your pocket was a sign of pending wealth.

Festival Bridge. Picture: Geograph.

The beginning of the 20th century had been heralded as ‘a new era for Aberhafesp’ by the Montgomeryshire Express.

In 1909 another chapel was built in Bethel and in the same year the school opened its doors for the first time.

The village’s famous hall came into the possession of the Woosnam family who sold it 1917.

Sadly the village lost many of its amenities and pubs with Bwlchyffridd shop closing for the final time in 1938 while the gardens of Aberhafesp Hall were developed into housing in the 1960s.

The River Severn near Aberhafesp. Picture: Geograph.

Legend says the hall is home to a ghost - a lady in white who walks from the church to the hall’s east door.

Yet the village’s pride remained its school.

In 1979 a new community centre was built and connected to the school and in 1988 tennis, netball courts and a playing field were added with these facilities taking pride of place in the village.

Aberhafesp Primary School pupils in 2007.

However in 2011 the school closed its doors for the final time having educated the children of the rural area for more than a century.