17th Century parish record from a Powys church is found

The church register will be digitised for people to view

A rare piece of 17th Century church history which was feared lost in Powys has been found - nearly 75 years later.

The register from the parish of Llandeilo Graban, near Builth Wells, went missing in 1935, and mysteriously turned up in the Midlands.

Dating from 1669 to 1812, it has been handed to Powys council's archives department for safekeeping.

The log of births, marriages and deaths is in a poor condition, but the council said it would place the details online.

The local authority said the register was recently found in the Midlands but how it got there is a mystery.

It was returned to the church and has now been handed to the archives department.

'Extremely rare'

County archivist with Powys council Catherine Richards said: "It is extremely rare for a parish register dating this early to turn-up out of the blue.

"Parish registers are one of the most popular sources researchers want to consult so we are quite excited about this find.

"The register is in a poor condition and so we will now digitise it before making copies available for public inspection.

"It contains information relating to many local families, and so family historians will be able to take their research back a further 143 years beyond 1812."

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