River Lugg

The River Lugg rises near Llangynllo in Powys and flows for about 63 miles through Presteigne and Herefordshire to join the River Wye at Mordiford. Its name means ‘bright stream’ in Welsh, and it is crossed by several old bridges, including Lugg Bridge at Lugwardine and the 14th-century bridge at Mordiford. The river once powered nearly a third of Herefordshire’s mills at the time of the Domesday Book, though many weirs were later removed to try to make it navigable. Mynachdy moated enclosure and the 16th-century Monaughty House stand beside the river near Llangunllo, while Castell Foel-Allt, a medieval motte and bailey, overlooks the water near Whitton Bridge. A short stretch of Offa’s Dyke runs alongside the river just before it reaches Presteigne. Old Boultibrooke Bridge, probably from the 18th century, still stands beside a newer bridge built in 1932. Further downstream, Mortimer’s Cross Water Mill, restored and occasionally open to visitors, shows how the river once powered industry. The mill’s leat fed three sets of stones and was designed to run with just one worker. Near Leominster, the river’s course was changed in the 1960s as part of a flood scheme, and it now follows the old railway line before rejoining its original path.