The motte at Bucknell is one of the many 11th - 12th century castle mounds in this area, which as a whole could be seen as a sort of security zone about 15 miles wide which lies mostly on the English side of the border, and necessary for the Normans to protect their recently aquired lands from the Welsh.

The small church is mostly Victorian although the font appears to be much older, possibly Norman. A detail is shown to the right.
The village, on the Heart of Wales railway line has a pub and a couple of shops and is set among fine woods.