A rifle range existed at Penarth, about two miles east of Newtown, before 1886 when it appears on the Ordnance Survey First Edition 25-inch plan of the area and it remained portrayed on the Fourth Edition six-inch plan (1938-53). Initially shown is a target area at SO13589193 comprising a line of targets, a scarped stop-butt behind them and a small building close to it. Firing positions to the north-east are shown at 50 yard intervals from 150 yards to 600 yards.

By 1902, the date of the Second Edition map, the range had been extensively refurbished on the same alignment. Now a 1000 yard range, the target area was now marked by a complex parallel arrangement of earthworks. The targets, at SJ13629196, were arranged behind a linear bank some 20m long (NW-SE), 23m behind which was a linear bank some 25m long (NW-SE); both features have now gone. Further behind the targets was located the stop-butt in the same position as the old one, but enlarged. This survives (at SO13589194) as an arcuate, embanked scarp of sand and gravel cut into rising ground; it measures 25m long across the arc (as portrayed), 2.2m high and 6m wide. The rear top of the scarp is flanked by a ditch 0.5m-0.8m deep and 1.2m wide. At the south-eastern edge of the scarp, the position roughly of the earlier building, is an irregular hollow. Further uphill, at SO13569192, is a linear bank some 26m long (NW-SE) now largely obscured by trees. It is a scarp 1.75m high which has been embanked to 0.6m high. At its foot is an irregular berm 2m-2.5m wide. The purpose of the feature is unclear but it may have been a sheltered viewing point from the which the entire range could be seen. Two flagstaffs were mounted at the top of the hill.
On maps, firing positions are shown as short lines at 100 yard intervals from 200 yards, apart from the 500 and 600 yard positions which are otherwise blank. According to the occupier of Broniarth these were short linear rifle mounds which have now been ploughed away. Traces of the 300 yard mound are possibly present at SO13839214 though this lies at the boundary of developed land which may have caused the formation of a short bank. The target setting was a walled sunken recess which was later converted to a storage building roofed with corrugated iron. However, it was filled in after livestock were killed after falling through the roof.
The range appears to have been in use during both the First World War and the Second World War.

David Leighton, RCAHMW, 30 July 2014