Mochdre, Powys

Mochdre is a small village in the community of Mochdre with Penstrowed, in Montgomeryshire, Powys, Wales.

Geography
About 3 mile southwest of Newtown, it is near the River Severn. Its tributary, Mochdre Brook runs through the village in a narrow steep-sided valley.

Name
The name means "pigs settlement", from moch, meaning pigs, and tre for settlement or town. It is possible that the name refers to Mochdre in the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi, the tale of Math, son of Mathonwy, where Gwydion takes the pigs of Pryderi, staying overnight between the nearby commote of Ceri and Arwystli.

History
In 1872 it was a parish in the Newtown district called Moughtrey or Mochtref, with Eskirgilog and Moughtreyllan townships. At that time, there were 95 houses, a population of 526, and covered an area of 5025 acre.

The church, in the Diocese of St Asaph in the late 19th century, was an ancient church in poor shape as of 1859. With a roof dating from the 15th century, the rest of the Church of All Saints was rebuilt in 1867. All Saints is a parish of the Mission Area of Cedewain, Church in Wales.

Lake Mochdre, a former reservoir, later a fish farm, now a fishing venue, was created by damming a tributary stream.

Governance
Since the May 1999 local government elections the community has been covered by the electoral ward of Llandinam, which elects a county councillor to Powys County Council.