Lydbury North

The estate managers were very interested in improving the housing of their tenants and labourers and collected several kinds of plans of model cottages. This one on the left was done by the Salopian Society. These were quite spacious houses for rural labourers, complete with scullery, piggery and a front porch with roses round the door.

The managers did not stop at designing estate cottages and fences. As can be seen from their correspondence, they were involved on a daily basis in building new schools, public houses (like the Powis Arms, later the New Inn) and vicarages in the estate villages.

They also renovated the old churches. This is a plan of the restoration work on Bettws y Crwyn church. Restoration was also funded by the Powis estate on the churches in Newcastle, Clunbury, Llanfair, Waterdine, Clun and Lydbury North itself.

St Michael's church in Lydbury North was built mainly during the 12th century, although the tower is thought to have been added to the church in 13th century. The church was designed in the shape of a cross (so the design is called cruciform). Lydbury North's church is unusual because it is an Anglican church, with a Roman Catholic chapel inside. In the south transept of the church is Walcot chapel and in the north transept is the Roman Catholic Plowden chapel. Both chapels are named after important local families who travelled to the Holy land and vowed to create an altar in their parish church on their return.

Lydbury North school, just along the road from St Michael's Church.