Talybont-on-Usk


Talybont-on-Usk is a village and community in Powys, Wales, in the historic county of Brecknockshire. It lies on both the River Caerfanell and the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal, about from the River Usk. In 2001 it had a population of 743, reducing to 719 at the 2011 Census.

History

is a steep-sided hill to the north east of Talybont, and has an Iron Age settlement on the summit. There are other Iron Age and Bronze Age sites in the vicinity and a Roman road flanks the slopes of Allt yr Esgair. A small castle was built at Pencelli during the Norman invasion and this was later replaced by the sixteenth century Pencelli House. The canal was built around 1800 to transport lime, coal and iron to Newport. There are some lime kilns to the east of the village and a tramroad was built to transport limestone from the crags above.

The village

The village is located on the B4558 road about six miles southeast of Brecon and eight miles northwest of Crickhowell. It is a mile from the River Usk and on the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal and is connected to the A40 trunk road on the other side of the Usk by a short section of unclassified road.
The village has a shop and several pubs. The valley one mile south of the village is dammed to form the Talybont Reservoir. This has a dam and there are forest trails in its vicinity. Talybont-on-Usk is a popular place for walkers and offers the Henry Vaughan walk through the nearby countryside where the 18th century poet once lived. Another walk can be followed along the line of the former Brinore Tramroad which runs south from the canalside wharf in the village around the western flanks of Y Wenallt and Tor y Foel before heading to Trefil via the head of the Dyffryn Crawnon valley.

Governance

A Talybont-on Usk electoral ward exists, covering Talybont-on Usk and the neighbouring communities of Glyn Tarell and Llanfrynach. The population of this ward at the 2011 Census was 1,923. It elects one councillor to Powys County Council. The current councillor is Liam Fitzpatrick, an Independent.
Talybont-on-Usk Community Council represents the community at the local level. Up to nine community councillors are elected or co-opted to the council.

Notable residents

In 2014 it was the venue for the Linuxbierwanderung.