Many of these churches served isolated communities, and were themselves, often located away from other buildings. One has to admire those who made the journey to these places of worship, travelling on foot, horse or cart, the trip must have been long and uncomfortable. Many of the sites are alongside water, stream, rivers, brooks, and often on a raised section of land, probably encouraging thought of a site which could be pre-Christian in origin.
Churches, like life itself, evolve, some more slowly than others, some still display their early origins, being low, basically small buildings, while those built, or rebuilt at later dates, including the Victorian era, are often larger, and higher. Charles Buckeridge (1832-73) from Oxford and Stephen W. Williams of Rhayader (1837-99) were two of the local architects responsible for modernising and building many of the areas churches. Newbridge-on-Wye is an example of a new building by S. W. Williams. Later renovations of some churches in the area were undertaken by W. D. Caröe, and it is he who was responsible for the new church at Llangammarch (1916).
If you would like a personal view of the churches and life in the area in the middle 1800s you should read the diaries of the Revd Francis Kilvert "Kilvert's Diaries".
Some of the churches have excellent guides and leaflets available. Available in some of the churches were copies of "Church trails on the Border, Fiath, life and History in Vale and Valley".
Sources and help: Church in Wales web site, CPAT web site, Castles of Wales web site, The church guides, "The Buildings of Wales: Powys" - Richard Haslam, plus the OAAWS Team and local historian, Jim Davies, Judith Hurford.