a county of North Wales, 40 miles in length and 37 in breadth; bounded on the north by Merionethshire and Denbighshire, on the north-east and east by Shropshire, on the south by Radnorshire and Cardiganshire, and on the west by the last mentioned county and part of Merionethshire. It is divided into six hundreds; and contains five market towns, 47 parishes, and 47,978 inhabitants. It lies in the three several dioceses of St Asaph, Bangor, and Hereford; but sends only two members to parliament, one for the county, and one for the town of Montgomery. The air is pleasant and salubrious; but this county, being extremely mountainous, is not very fertile, except in the valleys, which afford some corn and plenty of pasture; but the south, south-east, and north-east parts, being more level, are extremely fruitful, especially a pleasant vale, watered by the Severn.