Knighton, (Tref-y-Clawdd) in the beautiful Teme Valley, is a small town in the heart of Offa’s Dyke country. It is a good base for exploring the outdoors, particularly walking.
We stopped here for a short while en-route to Snowdonia when passing over Offa’s Dyke. The area has a long history going back to the Stone and Bronze Ages. However, it was the Iron Age that left it’s early mark with many hill forts scattered around the area. North of Knighton is the Caer Caradoc ancient hill fort and eastwards is Coxall Knoll. In the northern section of this fort is a recumbent stone, known as the Frog Stone because of its alleged resemblance to a crouching frog. Both these forts are linked in legend with the last stand of of the Celtic Prince Caracatus against the Roman invaders.
Knighton sits at the middle point of Offa’s Dyke. The Marches, as this border country is known has a long history of trouble and conflict – it could be described as the ‘Wild West’ of the Middle Ages.
Now, a quiet, market town, we parked near the centre of Knighton and walked through the main street, our aim to make our way to the Carmelite Monastery at the far edge of the town.
Knighton has many individual shops and places to eat. Standing at the top of Broad street is a clock-tower, built in 1872 on the site of Knighton’s old town hall. This is worth a close look. It is constructed in the High Victorian Gothic style and has a tall square tower with chamferer angles on a stone plinth set in the slope.
An Offa’s Dyke Visitor Centre can be found in West Street and is also the local information centre with a cafe and shop.
There is also a railway station with regular Arriva Trains Wales services on the Heart of Wales line. It has a free station car park for 10 vehicles.
There are many nearby attractions to entice you further!
