THE history of Montgomery begins in the 13th century.

It had been built for defence, first at Hendomen, and then Montgomery Castle, named after Roger De Montgomery, who had named the town after his Normandy birthplace which he had left to serve William the Conqueror.

The Treaty of Montgomery was signed in the town in 1267 when King Henry III of England acknowledged Llywelyn ap Gruffudd as Prince of Wales.

Montgomery was sacked at the beginning of the 15th century by the Welsh Prince Owain Glyndŵr when the castle and surrounding estates were held by the Mortimer family.

In 1485, King Richard III was defeated at the Battle of Bosworth and the Royal Estates, including Montgomery and its castle, passed into the hands of the new King, Henry VII, the first Tudor king, and a Welshman when the castle was given to the Herbert family.

During the English Civil War, the castle was captured by Parliamentary forces and and torn apart to remove its military threat.

Throughout the township below had continued to grow and while it would never again be the stage of battles, it would remain prominent and home to the county gaol until 1878.

Rail services began in the 1860s and would serve the community for almost a century until the closure of the line as part of the Beeching cuts in the 1960s.

At the same time the town's last agriculture market was held - ending a tradition which had dated back to the town's founding – as markets in Welshpool in Newtown became prominent.

Among the organisations keeping the history of Montgomery alive is the Old Bell Museum which has shared pictures from the town's past with the County Times.

Included is a picture of townsman Thomas Alder on the day he became the first resident of the town to collect a state pension in 1909.

A picture from 1942 when the town became home to child refugees and the town's mother's held a Christmas party.

In 1911 the town celebrated the coronation of King George V with a massive bonfire and in 1923 the town came together to erect the county war memorial.

The earliest picture was taken in 1893 and shows the state of the road on Arthur Street and two years later a picture of the town square was taken on the morning of the General Election.

County Times: Thomas Alder was the first Montgomery resident ever to receive the old age pension following Lloyd-George's introduction of the Old-Age Pensions Act in 1908. Here he is at the post office then on the corner opposite the southern end of the Town Hall on JThomas Alder was the first Montgomery resident ever to receive the old age pension following Lloyd-George's introduction of the Old-Age Pensions Act in 1908. Here he is at the post office then on the corner opposite the southern end of the Town Hall on J

Thomas Alder, pictured in 1909, when he became the first resident of the town to collect a state pension. Montgomery Old Bell Museum.

County Times: The Montgomery branch of the Women's Voluntary Service group in 1942 for wartime refugees. Montgomery Old Bell Musuem.The Montgomery branch of the Women's Voluntary Service group in 1942 for wartime refugees. Montgomery Old Bell Musuem.

The Montgomery branch of the Women's Voluntary Service group in 1942 for wartime refugees. Montgomery Old Bell Museum.

County Times: The unveiling of the County War Memorial on Town Hill in 1923.The unveiling of the County War Memorial on Town Hill in 1923.

The unveiling of the County War Memorial on Town Hill in 1923. Montgomery Old Bell Museum.

County Times: A bonfire had marked the coronation of King George V on June 22,1911. Montgomery Old Bell Museum.A bonfire had marked the coronation of King George V on June 22,1911. Montgomery Old Bell Museum.

A bonfire had marked the coronation of King George V on June 22,1911. Montgomery Old Bell Museum.

County Times: Montgomery town square and market hall in 1895, Montgomery Old Bell Museum.Montgomery town square and market hall in 1895, Montgomery Old Bell Museum.

Montgomery town square and market hall in 1895, Montgomery Old Bell Museum.

County Times: Arthur Street in 1893. Montgomery Old Bell Museum.Arthur Street in 1893. Montgomery Old Bell Museum.

Arthur Street in 1893. Montgomery Old Bell Museum.