Across the South Wales countryside the tenant farmers and farm workers in particular were finding the high toll charges levied on them by the Turnpike Trusts a real burden in difficult times. Rhayader had no less than six toll gates on the roads into the town. This meant that any journey by horse or horse-drawn vehicle could prove expensive, and bringing animals into market especially so.
This was not the only reason that local people became angry. Prices of stock at sale had fallen, and there had been bad harvests making times even harder for working people. High rates and the increase of tithe payments to the church made the situation worse.
Those who feared they would not be able to manage had only the new Poor Law Unions and the feared workhouse to fall back on. (see pages on the Rhayader Union)

The different groups of attackers were often led by a "Rebecca" and were all dressed in women's clothing.
The cartoon above is from Punch magazine at the time, and it shows Rebecca rioters attacking tollgates marked with the things they were angry about.

How do we know what happened ?...