Rhayader
Rhayader is a town in Powys, Wales. Historically it was part of Radnorshire.
The town is named for a waterfall ("rhaeadr" in Welsh), destroyed in 1780 to make a bridge over the River Wye. The Welsh name of the town is Rhaeadr Gwy, "Gwy" referring to the Wye.
There was a motte and bailey castle in Rhayader. A church was founded, apparently to serve the castle. It was originally dedicated to St Cynllo, but is now dedicated to St Clement, and was fully rebuilt in the late 19th century.[1]
The modern community of Rhayader also includes the former parish of Llansantffraid Cwmdeuddwr, on the opposite side of the Wye. Further west of the town is the Elan Valley reservoirs, started in the 1890s to supply water to the city of Birmingham.
On 21 January 1940, Rhayader recorded the lowest ever temperature in Wales, a record that still stands today at -23.3°C.