ST. MARTIN: Geographical and Historical information from the year 1831.

"ST. MARTIN, a parish in the hundred of OSWESTRY, county of SALOP, 65 miles (W. by N.) from Ellesniere, containing, with the townships of Ifton Rhyn, Weston- Rhyn, and Bron-y-gath, 1852 inhabitants. The living is a discharged vicarage, in the archdeaconry and diocese of St. Asaph, rated in the king's books at £5.2. 35., endowed with £200 private benefaction, and £200 royal bounty, and in the patronage of the Bishop of St. Asaph. There is an ancient wood carving in the roof of the church, in allusion to St. Martin, a translation of whose life was made from the Latin by John Trevor in 1488. The Ellesmere canal passes through the parish, and at its verge, crosses the valley of the Ceiriog by means of an aqueduct, near the neat village of Chirk, where it enters Wales: it then immediately passes under a tunnel, and, a little further on, under another, whence it is continued to the beautiful vale of Llangollen, where it is carried over the river Dee by Pont-y-Cyssyltau aqueduct, a stupendous structure of nineteen tall arches by Mr. Telford; on the banks of the canal, near the Welch boundary of the parish, are some coal works. The great road from Shrewsbury to Holyhead has here been recently diverted from its original course, whereby a considerable distance has been saved, and the steep acclivity of Chirk hill avoided."

" BRON-Y-GARTH, a township, joint with Weston- Rhyn, in the parish of St. Martin, hundred of OSWESTRY, county of SALOP, 5 miles (N.) from Oswestry, containing, with Weston Rhyn, 917 inhabitants."

" IFTON RHYN, a township in the parish of ST. MARTIN, hundred of OSWESTRY, county of SALOP, containing 935 inhabitants."

" WESTON RHYN, a township, joint with Bron-ygath, in the parish of ST. MARTIN, hundred of OSWESTRY, county of SALOP. The population is returned with Bron-y-gath."

[Transcribed information from A Topographical Dictionary of England - Samuel Lewis - 1831](unless otherwise stated)

[Description(s) transcribed by Mel Lockie ©2015]