Although Stephen William Williams was to be a prominent figure in Rhayader and Radnorshire life he was in fact born at Lower Mellington, Churchstoke in the neighbouring county of Montgomeryshire in 1837.
His father was a tenant farmer of the Mellington estate.
He was posted to Rhayader 1862 to work on the proposed railway to Aberystwyth. Although this line was never built he must have seen opportunities for a man with his skills, for shortly after arriving he left his employer and set up in the town in private practice.
He travelled all over mid Wales surveying for the new railway network and within a few months had married Maria James of Penralley House in Rhayader.
Williams was a keen archaeologist, attending his first meeting of the Cambrian Archaeological Association at the age of 20.
He joined the Cambrians aged 27 and his involvement was to be a lifelong passion.
He travelled with the Cambrians to Brittany and was a regular contributor to the association's journal Archaeologia Cambrensis. He also joined the Powysland Club and contributed to the Montgomeryshire Collections.
A plaque at the site of the 12th century abbey of Strata Marcella near Pool Quay. Picture: Geograph.
He first became interested in Cistercian sites when he first worked on the railway surveys, visiting both Abbey Cwmhir and Strata Florida.
He retained a keen interest in the latter and in 1887 spent an intense fortnight clearing and surveying the latter site which was in the association's care. The following year he directed excavations at the site with the help of a professional assistant.
One of the 16th Century wooden panels discovered by Stephen Williams during his renovation work of Radnorshire churches in the 19th century.
Although working at a time when archaeological techniques were fairly crude, the excavation was carefully recorded and revealed much information about the construction and history of the site, as well as a great fire which damaged it in 1285.
He published a volume on the excavations 1889 with plans of the site and further material based on documentary research into a variety of relevant records.
One of the 16th Century wooden panels discovered by Stephen Williams during his renovation work of Radnorshire churches in the 19th century.
In the summer of 1890 the Powysland Club worked on excavations at the site of the abbey at Strata Marcella near Welshpool, under Williams' direction.
He travelled as often as he could to the site, leaving the day to day supervision in the hands of Morris Jones of Gungrog.
The site had been much disturbed since the dissolution of the monasteries by local people removing stone for later building. Even so the excavation brought to light much useful information about the site and its construction. Some of the finds from the excavation are today on display at the Powysland Museum at Welshpool
Among the churches he completely rebuilt were Llanyre, Llanbadarn Fawr and Llanddewi Ystradenni parish churches in Radnorshire.
All Saints Church in Newbridge. Picture by Bill Nicholls/Geograph.
He restored parish churches at Llanhamlach, Llanfigan and Llanafan Fawr in Breconshire. He was also responsible for the completely new All Saints church in the Decorated style at Newbridge on Wye, for which he built his only lofty spire.
Williams also built the small chapel of ease at Nantgwyllt in the Elan Valley, which was needed to replace the older building lost under the waters of the reservoir.
Among his discoveries were two 16th century wooden carvings, one of a a bishop wearing a mitre and the other featuring a peacock.
The old school in Trefeglwys. Picture by Oliver Dixon/Geograph.
Williams was appointed architect to the Rhayader Union (he was already serving as the Union's Inspector of Nuisances) to build the new Rhayader workhouse which opened in 1879.
Among the schools he built were the village school at Trefeglwys and the intermediate school at Builth Wells.
Penrally House in Rhayader where Stephen Williams lived. Picture by Jaggery/Geograph.
With the great expansion of his work due to the huge Elan Valley project he felt he needed new offices of his own.
He built new premises and a house for himself in 1893 on the site of the Old Penralley Cottage in South Street, Rhayader. His wife helped with ideas for interiors and the building carries his monogram. before his death in 1899.
Look for it next time you walk past Penralley house.
Article courtesy of www.carad.org.uk
We are indebted to the Powys Digital History Project for this research, made accessible by Powys County Archives with the help of the county museums, libraries, and local people. It brings together original documents, photographs and other material from many locations.
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