“The town of books”- that’s what they call Hay-on-Wye. It is a small market town, situated in Powys, Wales, on a river named the River Wye. Lying within the Brecon Beacons National Park, north of the so called “Black Mountains”, it is the administrative, and natural border between Wales and England.

The inhabitants of the town Hay number around 1,900 people. This is a really small town in territorial aspect, but for the book-lovers it’s the best place, where they can buy only the best books(despite the fact that the most of them are second-hand). Hay-on-Wye looks like a place in a fascinating fairy-tale. The nearest city- Hereford, is situated 22 miles(35 kilometers) away.

Hay-on-Way boasts with thirty major bookshops, according to the town’s Tourist Information. It is famous as the UK’s Mecca for the book-lovers.

Early History of the Town

Hay was fortified by William Fitz Osbern. This happened during the south-east Wales penetration, which he did in 1070(in the summer season). Then, three of the Welsh kings, were defeated by him. Within a short distance one another, Hay had two castles, just like Builth Wales.

What follows in the history of the site chronologically, is the lordship of the Neufmarches. This lordship was confirmed in 1093, at the Brecon battle. Until 1165, the history of the town proceeds with the Gloucester/Hereford families. Then in the hands of the Braoses, passed the district of Brycheiniog. After more than a semi-century, the Hay castle passed to the Bohuns in 1230.

A year later, in 1231, there was a battle, that took place near Hay. After nearly 30 years, in 1260 was the time of the famous “Mortimer wars”, followed in 1266, by the battle near Brecon, and the death of Earl Hamphrey Bohun, which happened in 1298.