The parish of Llansanffraid Cwmdeuddwr includes the village across the bridge from Rhayader, but also a large area of mountainous land stretching across to the Ceredigion border. The Elan valley is at the heart of the parish.
In Victorian times the inhabitants would have been mainly farmers, shepherds and farm workers and their families. Local people would also have worked as servants in the big houses like Rhydoldog, Nantgwyllt and Cwm Elan. There were small scale lead mines in the hills also.

Compare this graph with those of other rural parishes in the area like Nantmel or St. Harmon.
Is the overall trend the same?
Why do you think the population went up so dramatically in the 1890s?
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