Denbighshire
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Betws-yn-Rhos
"A parish in the Union of St. Asaph, hundred of Isdulas, four miles (SSW) from Abergele, containing 912 inhabitants. The village is pleasantly situated at the base of a lofty mountain, by which it is sheltered on one side, and has a fine opening towards the north, commanding a full view of the Irish Sea."
[A Topographical Dictionary of Wales, 1833 & 1849, Samuel Lewis]
The ancient parish comprised the townships of Peniarth, Bodlyman, Maesegwig, Tre'rllan, Trofarth, and part of Cilcen.
Church History
Ordnance Survey reference SH 907735.
The church, which is dedicated to St. Michael, was mentioned in the Norwich Taxation of 1254, as being part of the parish of Abergele, but it is distinct from Abergele in the Lincoln Taxation of 1254.
The old church was demolished in 1838; and the foundation stone of the present building was laid on 19 July 1838.
The Clwyd FHS website has a photograph of the church.
Nonconformist Churches
"Welsh Church Commission - County of Denbigh - The Statistics of the Nonconformist Churches for 1905" lists the following nonconformist places of worship in the Civil parish of Betws-yn-Rhos :
| Name of Chapel |
Denomination |
Number of "adherents" |
| Coda
|
Baptists
|
88
|
| Hyfrydle
|
Calvinistic Methodists
|
156
|
| Sion
|
Congregationalists
|
41
|
| Not named
|
Wesleyans
|
97
|
| Salem, Rhydyfoel
|
Wesleyans
|
215
|
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, and at the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth.
These microfilms are not available elsewhere.
| Baptisms | Marriages | Burials |
| 1705 - 1992 |
1705 - 1989 |
1705 - 1992 |
- Clwyd FHS has published full transcriptions of the Registers / Bishop's Transcripts (complete with indexes) for the following years :
| Baptisms | Marriages | Burials |
| 1663 - 1812 |
1663 - 1812 |
1663 - 1812 |
Bishop's Transcripts
- Bishop's Transcripts for the years shown below have been deposited in the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth.
Around the year 1951, most of the Bishop's Transcripts which had been deposited at that time were microfilmed by the LDS; and the films are available on request at Family History Centres of the LDS.
The films may also be viewed at the Denbighshire and Flintshire Record Offices, and at the National Library of Wales.
In general, the Bishop's Transcripts are less complete than the parish registers.
| Deposited at the National Library of Wales |
Microfilmed copies |
| 1663 - 1833 |
1663 - 1833 |
I.G.I.
-
There are no official I.G.I. entries for St. Michael's, Betws-yn-Rhos.
Civil Registration
When Civil Registration was introduced (on 1 July 1837), the parish of Betws-yn-Rhos was assigned to the No. 2 ("Abergele") sub-district of the St. Asaph Registration District, which was co-extensive with the St. Asaph poor law Union.
In the GRO indexes to civil registration, entries for Betws-yn-Rhos are in the format :
- Years 1837 - 1851: St. Asaph XXVII.nnn
- Years 1851 - 1930: St. Asaph 11b.nnn
(GRO index references have no relevance at the local Superintendent Registrar's Office)
Population
- In 1831- the population was 912.
- In 1901- the population was 459.
[Royal Commission on the Welsh Church - October 1907]
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Last Updated 22 Nov 2009 - Gareth Hicks
