Denbighshire

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Berse / Bersham

"A chapelry in the parish and Union of Wrexham, hundred of Bromfield, county of Denbigh; 2 miles (W by N) from Wrexham, containing 1716 inhabitants. ..... There are extensive paper mills in this chapelry, situated upon the river Clywedog, affording employment to a considerable number of persons; and the whole of this district abounds with valuable and extensive mines of iron, lead, and coal, for working which several establishments have long been formed on a large scale."
[A Topographical Dictionary of Wales, 1833 & 1849, Samuel Lewis]

"Bersham is a large township which stretches westward from the borough of Wrexham, between the rivers Gwenfro and Clywedog, to the mountain township of Minera or Mwnglawdd. It is bounded on the north by Broughton-in-Bromfield and Brymbo, and on the south by Esclusham Above, Esclusham Below, and Erddig - all, but the last-named, townships in the old parish of Wrexham. The name "Bersham" was formerly applied to the township only, and not to the village now so-called."
[John Wilkinson and the Old Bersham Iron Works, 1899, Alfred Neobard Palmer ]

Berse became a separate parish on 28 June 1934, being formed from parts of the parishes of Rhosddu and Wrexham.

Church History

"The chapel, known by the local name of "Capel Madam", is situated on the south-western extremity of the township of Broughton. Attached to it is a school for the instruction, clothing and maintenance of ten poor female children, founded in 1762, by Anne, the Hon. Dowager Viscountess Primerose."
[A Topographical Dictionary of Wales, 1833 & 1849, Samuel Lewis]

The church was built in 1742 by Mrs Mary Drelincourt, in connection with a charity school for 24 girls. It was consecrated on 13 September 1759, enlarged in 1828, and restored in 1862. There were further modifications in 1930.
It does not have a dedication, and is simply known as "The Parish Church, Berse".

The Clwyd FHS website has a photograph of the church.

Nonconformist Churches

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Church Records

Parish Registers

• The following Parish Registers have been deposited at the Denbighshire Record Office, Ruthin.
  They may be viewed on microfilm at the Denbighshire and Flintshire Record Offices, at the A.N. Palmer Library, Wrexham, and at the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth.
  These microfilms are not available elsewhere.

Bishop's Transcripts

• There are no Bishop's Transcripts for the parish church of Berse.

I.G.I.

• There are no official I.G.I. entries for the parish church of Berse.

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Civil Registration

In the GRO indexes to civil registration, entries for Bersham are in the format :

• Years 1837 - 1851: Wrexham XXVII.nnn
• Years 1851 - 1930: Wrexham 11b.nnn

(GRO index references have no relevance at the local Superintendent Registrar's Office)

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Last Updated 22 Nov 2009 - Gareth Hicks