Arwystli

During the Roman era Arwystli formed part of the territory of the Ordovices, the Celtic tribe that controlled much of northern Wales. It is unclear when it formed as a distinct unit, but the name itself derives from the personal name Arwystl, borne by a disciple of Dubricius. The first reference to Arwystli occurs in the 11th-century Domesday Book, where it appears as the "hundred of Arvester". Though the cantref mostly consisted of inarable moorland, it did contain some valuable farmland in the river valleys and offered strategic access between Mid Wales and the Welsh Marches. Important settlements included Talgarth, Llandinam, Llanidloes, and Caersws. There is some conjecture that…