![Postcard photo of Maescarnog, Crai, Breconshire](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Postcard_photo_of_Maescarnog%2C_Crai%2C_Breconshire.jpg)
Crai is a village in the
Brecon Beacons National Park
The Brecon Beacons National Park ( cy, Parc Cenedlaethol Bannau Brycheiniog) is one of three national parks in Wales, and is centred on the Brecon Beacons range of hills in southern Wales. It includes the Black Mountain ( cy, Y Mynydd Du) i ...
in the county of
Powys
Powys (; ) is a county and preserved county in Wales. It is named after the Kingdom of Powys which was a Welsh successor state, petty kingdom and principality that emerged during the Middle Ages following the end of Roman rule in Britain.
Geog ...
, Wales and the historic county of
Breconshire
, image_flag=
, HQ= Brecon
, Government= Brecknockshire County Council (1889-1974)
, Origin= Brycheiniog
, Status=
, Start= 1535
, End= ...
. The population of
Cray community at the
2011 census was 241. Within the community are the hamlet of Felin-Crai and many dispersed farms around the valley of the
Afon Crai
The Afon Crai is a river in Powys, Wales rising in the Fforest Fawr section of the Brecon Beacons National Park and flowing north into the River Usk. The headwaters known as Blaen-crai flow north from Bwlch Bryn-rhudd, a col between the Crai ...
. The river is dammed 2 km / 1.5 mi southwest of the village to form
Cray Reservoir. Crai means fresh, raw water.
[Owen, H.W. & Morgan, R. 2007 'Dictionary of the Place-names of Wales' Gomer Press, Ceredigion] The famous Llywel Stone (see
Llywel
Llywel () is a small village located on the A40, about west of Sennybridge in Brecknockshire (currently administered as part of the unitary authority of Powys), Wales. The Afon Gwydderig runs through the village, not far from its source. Llywel ...
) was found close to the Crai/Trecastle boundary. A history of the village is contained in Lewis, D. Craionog: Hanes plwyf Defynog : yn cynnwys y rhanbarthau cynlynol; Crai, Glyntawy, Senni, Glyntarell, a Maescar. Merthyr Tydfil : H. W. Southey a'i Feibion, Cyf, Argrffwyr, 1911.
References
External links
Images of Crai and surrounding area on Geograph website
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Cray, Powys
Villages in Powys
Villages in the Brecon Beacons National Park