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Hawarden

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"Hawarden (pronounced Harden), a small town, consisting of little more than one street, half-a-mile in length, pleasantly situated on an eminence. It is of great antiquity, and the remains of fortified posts around it serve to remind that it has been the scene of conflict, and bravely defended against hostile attack. Its early British name was "Pen-y-Llwch" .... i.e. the head of the swamp or lake; which accords with the tradition that the adjacent low land was formerly under water. In the record of the Norman survey, the name is written "Haordin"." [From Black's Picturesque Guide to North Wales ,1879]

Hawarden is one of the "ancient parishes" of Flintshire. It originally comprised the sixteen townships of Aston, Bannel, Bretton, Broughton, Ewloe Town, Ewloe Wood, Hawarden, Mancot, Manor, Moor, Pentrobin, Rake, Saltney, Sealand and Shotton.
On 12 December 1874, the new parish of Buckley was created, from the township of Ewloe Wood and parts of the townships of Ewloe Town and Pentrobin.
On 30 May 1921, the new parish of Shotton was created, from parts of the townships of Shotton, Aston, Sealand and Saltney.

The parish of Hawarden was traditionally a "peculiar" i.e. the rector was exempt from the jurisdiction of any bishop - he held his own ecclesiastical courts, proved wills, and granted marriage licences. Confirmations were performed by invited bishops. Peculiars were abolished in 1849, and on the 30th of July 1849 the peculiar of Hawarden was attached to the diocese of St. Asaph. However, the Rector of Hawarden continued to prove wills until 1858, and he is still permitted to grant marriage licences to this day.

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Bibliography

  • A brief account of Hawarden Church and its objects of interest / revised and reprinted in 1978 from the original 1911 text of W. Bell Jones. Hawarden Parish Church, [1978?].
  • Banks, Robet. The Right Honourable William Ewart Gladstone and Hawarden Castle and village Manchester : Abel Heywood & Son ; London : Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1898.
  • Bennett, J H E Introduction and index to the wills proved at the peculiar court of Hawarden, and to miscellaneous papers relating to the same court, from 1554-1800 Flintshire Historical Society journal, Vol.4 1914 Welsh Journals Online
  • Davies, H. Rhys. Some memories of wartime Hawarden. [Part 1] Clwyd Historian = Hanes Bro Clwyd. No. 47 (Autumn 2001), p. 19-26
  • Davies, H. Rhys. Some memories of wartime Hawarden. [Part 2] Clwyd Historian = Hanes Bro Clwyd. No. 48 (Spring 2002), p. 12-16
  • Donnell, Harold 'Don'. Some Hawarden families and characters Buckley: the magazine of the Buckley Society, No. 24 - Millennium issue (Spring 2000) p. 69-71
  • Drew, Mary. St. Deiniol's, Hawarden : with an introduction by the Warden of St. Deiniol's. London : Oxford University Press, 1925.
  • Ellis, Bryn. Quarter Session records for Hawarden and Mold, 1747-1799 Buckley: the magazine of the Buckley Society, No. 21 (Spring 1997) p. 12-20.
  • Gladstone, William. The Hawarden events book Malvern : Cappella Archive, 2009.
  • Goulborn, Karlyn & Robert and Patricia Welch. Hawarden Market Drayton : S. B. Publications, 1989.
  • Gruffydd, K. Lloyd. Crime and punishment in the parish of Hawarden during the eighteenth century Buckley: the magazine of the Buckley Society. No. 25 (Spring 2001), 3-23.
  • Gruffydd, K. Lloyd. Crime in Hawarden parish during the eighteenth century Buckley: the magazine of the Buckley Society. No. 26 (Spring 2002), p. 3
  • Gruffydd, K. Lloyd. The sieges of Hawarden Castle during the First Civil War, 1642-6 Buckley: the magazine of the Buckley Society. No. 28 (Spring 2004), p. 3-16.
  • Gruffydd, K. Lloyd. Some further Hawarden parish accidents, 1803-1812 Buckley: the magazine of the Buckley Society. No. 13 (Christmas 1988), p. 31
  • Harries, E R Two Hawarden documents of 1746/7 Flintshire Historical Society journal, Vol.15 1954/5 Welsh Journals Online
  • Hawarden Castle & park in Flintshire Flintshire Historical Society journal, Vol.4 1914 Welsh Journals Online
  • Hawarden fancy fair, held in the ruins of the old castle, Tuesday the 25th, and Wednesday the 26th of August, 1835. Chester : printed by T. Griffith, [1835]
  • Hawkes, G I. The Astbury family of Hawarden parish and of Galchog Hall, Northop Buckley: the magazine of the Buckley Society. No. 18 (Spring 1994), p. 16-31.
  • Hawkes, G I. Extracts from  Hawarden parish registers showing glimpses of social and economic conditions up to the early nineteenth century Buckley: the magazine of the Buckley Society. No.12 (July 1987), p18-24.
  • Hayes, Peter A Some cottages in the Hawarden district Flintshire Historical Society journal, Vol. 23 1967/8 Welsh Journals Online
  • Jagger, Peter J.(ed) Gladstone, politics and religion London : Macmillan, 1985.
  • Jones, W Bell Hawarden Deeds Flintshire Historical Society journal, Vol.7 1920 Welsh Journals Online
  • Jones, W. Bell. The story of St. Deiniol's Parish Church, Hawarden Gloucester : British Publishing Co., [1933].
  • Jones, W Bell Hawarden Grammar School Flintshire Historical Society journal, Vol.6 1917 Welsh Journals Online
  • Lewis, Viian. The squire of Hawarden Country Quest, August 2008, p. 32-33.
  • List of the wills and other papers of the peculiar court of Hawarden, now preserved in the probate registry, St Asaph Flintshire Historical Society journal, Vol.4 1914 Welsh Journals Online
  • Lovelock, M S. Parish of Hawarden, Flintshire Rev ed. Deeside : Matthew Stephen Lovelock, 2005.
  • March-Phillipps, Lisle and Bertram Christian. Some Hawarden letters, 1878-1913 London : Nisbet & Co. ltd, [1917]
  • Mason, Paul F. and Phyllis Rolfe. Historic Hawarden 2nd ed. Hawarden : Clwyd Record Office, 1986.
  • Meredith, Gwenllian. St Deiniol's Library Penarlâg- Hawarden : Cambria (Carmarthen, Wales), Vol. 10, no. 4 (Christmas/New Year 2008), p. 16-21.
  • Morris-Jones, H. The Hawarden corn mill Buckley: the magazine of the Buckley Society, No. 20 (Spring 1996) p. 3-4.
  • Official guide to the Hawarden rural district, Flintshire : issued by the Authority of Hawarden Rural District Council. Croydon : Home Publishing Co., [1950?]
  • Pritchard, T W. A history of the old parish of Hawarden Wrexham : Bridge Books, 2002.
  • Pritchard, William. St Deiniol's Church, Hawarden Much Wenlock : RJL Smith & Associates, 1997.
  • Rawson, R Rees. The coal-mining industry of the Hawarden district on the eve of the Industrial Revolution 1941 printing.
  • Richards, P S The Hawarden Bridge, Shotten, Chester, iron and steel works of Messrs John Summers & Co Flintshire Historical Society journal, Vol. 25 1971/72 Welsh Journals Online
  • Ross, R. John's progress, or, How a Hawarden boy became Lord Mayor of London in 1791 Country Quest 29/5 (1988), p. 16-17
  • St John the Baptist, Pentrobin, Flintshire (Parish of Hawarden) : Clwyd Family History Society. Gwernymynydd : Clwyd Family History Society, 2002.
  • Scarll, P. and J. Phillips. Historic village, woodland and farmland around Hawarden Proceedings of the Dyserth and district field club, 2009, p. 21-25
  • Seal of the "peculiar and exempt jurisdiction" of Hawarden Flintshire Historical Society journal, Vol.4 1914 Welsh Journals Online
  • Sillitoe, Paul J. Sir John Glynne's canal, Hawarden, Flintshire : Archaeology in Wales. 47 (2007), p. 93-98.
  • Smith, David J. Hawarden [Bebington, Merseyside] : [198-?]
  • The Ecclesiastical parish of Hawarden, 1872-1895 / by the Rector for the time [i.e. S.E.G.] Chester : Phillipson & Golder , [1895]
  • The Hawarden visitor's hand-book. Rev. ed. 1890. Chester : Phillipson & Golder, [1890] - also 1883/85
  • The Hawarden visitors' hand-book. Chester : Printed for the compiler by Phillipson & Golder, [between 1896 and 1905?]
  • The irony of Hawarden's airfield : Country Quest (September 1996), p. 16-17
  • The tragicall historie of the Lady Alice of Hawarden, and her true Knight Sir Lionelle : [London? : s.n., after 1820?]
  • Thompson, Ann. Hard times at Hawarden Country Quest. (April 2002), p. 17
  • Timbrell, W F John Rev. Altar plate in the church of St Mary, Hawarden Flintshire Historical Society journal, Vol.6 1917 Welsh Journals Online
  • Timbrell, W F John Rev. Altar plate in the church of St John-the-Baptist, Hawarden Flintshire Historical Society journal, Vol.7 1920 Welsh Journals Online
  • Timms, Rosemary. Letters from the Rigbys of Hawarden Hel achau, 38 (1992), p. 27-9.
  • Tucker, Norman Colenel Roger Whitley Flintshire Historical Society journal, Vol. 22 1965/6 Welsh Journals Online
  • Tyson, Blake. Some accidents in Hawarden parish, 1772-1812 Buckley: the magazine of the Buckley Society. No. 12 (July 1987), p. 15-17
  • Veysey, A. Geoffrey. The history of Hawarden Institute Hawarden : Clwyd Record Office, 1993
  • Veysey, A. Geoffrey. Mr Gladstone and Hawarden Hawarden : Clwyd Record Office, 1982.
  • Whittaker, W E B. The Glynnes of Hawarden Chester : Printed for the Society by G. R. Griffith, 1906. & Flintshire Historical Society journal, Vol.4 1914 Welsh Journals Online
  • Wickham, E C. Brief memorials of William Henry Gladstone Chester : Phillipson and Golder, 1891.
  • Willett, Richard. A memoir of Hawarden Parish Facsim. ed. [Mold] : Clwyd County Council Library & Information Service, 1990.
  • Williams, C J. Handlist of the Glynne-Gladstone MSS in St. Deiniol's library, Hawarden Kew : List and Index Society, 1990.
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Cemeteries

In addition to the churchyard of the parish church of St. Deiniol (now closed to further burials) there are two public cemeteries in Cross Tree Lane.
No. 1 Cemetery (OS ref. SJ 316661) was opened in 1912, and No. 2 Cemetery (OS ref. SJ 317661) was opened in 1965.
Both cemeteries are still in use, and are administered by Flintshire County Council. The opening time for each cemetery is 8.00 a.m. until sunset. There is a full time Sexton in attendance.
The cemetery records, from 1912 to date, are held at the Flintshire County offices in Flint.
Researchers who wish to see the cemetery records must make a prior appointment, by contacting :

  • Flintshire County Council,
    Housing and Community Services,
    Cemeteries Section,
    County Offices,
    Flint,
    Flintshire.
    CH6 5BD.

    Tel: 01352 703360
    Fax: 01352 703373

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Church History

See Welsh Chapels and Churches for a photograph of Hawarden, St Deiniols Church

Ordnance Survey reference SJ 315659
The church, which is dedicated to St. Deiniol, has a history of at least 1000 years - the list of known Rectors dates back to 1180.
Considerable damage was caused by a fire, started deliberately, on the night of the 29th of October 1857. Fortunately, however :

"The Church Registers which were in a safe under the gallery when the fire took place were rescued by a young parishioner named Richard Hammond, who entered the burning building by breaking through a window."
[From "The Parish of Hawarden", W. Bell Jones, 1945 (unpublished)]

After rebuilding, the church was re-opened on the 14th of July 1859.

The Clwyd FHS website has a photograph of the church.

St Deiniol's Church - on wikipedia

RCAHMW colour transparency of an interior view of a stained glass window depicting the nativity, designed by Edward Burne-Jones, at Hawarden Church on the People's Collection Wales site

The modern parish of Hawarden is administered as a "Rectorial Benefice", consisting of the parish church of Hawarden and the five district churches :

Because of increasing industrialisation, and the consequent rise in population, two former districts of Hawarden parish (Buckley and Shotton) eventually became parishes in their own right.

Researchers should note that parishioners have always had the option to be baptised, married or buried in any church of the parish of Hawarden, subject to the consent of the incumbent.
A thorough search of all the registers is therefore advisable!

Nonconformist Churches

"Welsh Church Commission - County of Flint - The Statistics of the Nonconformist Churches for 1905" lists the following nonconformist places of worship in the Civil parish of Hawarden :

Name of ChapelDenominationNumber of "adherents"
Ewloe GreenEnglish Presbyterian200
MancottEnglish Presbyterian100
HawardenMethodist New Connexion230
PenymynyddMethodist New Connexion275
BroughtonPrimitive Methodist60
EwloePrimitive Methodist220
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Church Records

  • The following nonconformist registers for the Hawarden area are held either at the Flintshire Record Office, Hawarden (FRO) or at the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth (NLW).
    They have not been filmed; and they have not been incorporated into the I.G.I. :
Name of ChapelDenominationType of RecordYears CoveredHeld at
Not named, Ewloe GreenCalvinistic MethodistMarriages1960 - 1991NLW
"Circuit"MethodistBaptisms1902 - 1989FRO
Not named, BroughtonPrimitive Methodist / MethodistBaptisms1902 - 1989FRO
Not named, EwloePrimitive Methodist / MethodistBaptisms1902 - 1989FRO
Not named, HawardenMethodist New Connexion / MethodistMarriages1927 - 1986FRO
Zion, QueensferryMethodistBaptisms1949 - 1984FRO
Queensferry ("Circuit")MethodistBaptisms1911 - 1960FRO
Not named, SandycroftEnglish PresbyterianMarriages1965 - 1969
1971 - 1983
NLW
  • Note - many of the Methodist chapels were grouped into "Circuits", with one set of registers serving the Circuit; and it may not always be possible to identify the particular chapel in which the ceremony was performed.
    Over the years, there have been several re-organisations of these Circuits in the eastern part of Flintshire. It is therefore advisable to also search the Methodist registers for the Buckley and Connah's Quay areas.
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Civil Registration

When Civil Registration was introduced in July 1837, the parish of Hawarden was assigned to the No. 4 ("Hawarden") sub-district of the Great Boughton Registration District (Cheshire).

In 1853, the poor law Union of Hawarden was created, and the parish of Hawarden became part of that Union - but for purposes of civil registration, it remained in the Hawarden sub-district of Great Boughton registration district.

On the 1st January 1870, the Great Boughton registration district was re-structured, and re-named as "Chester".

On 1 January 1903, the sub-district of Hawarden was upgraded to a Registration District in its own right.

In the GRO indexes to civil registration, entries for Hawarden are found under:

  • Years 1837 - 1851: Gt. Boughton XIX. nnn
  • Years 1852 - 1869: Gt. Boughton 8a. nnn
  • Years 1870 - 1902: Chester 8a. nnn
  • Years 1903 - 1946: Hawarden 11b. nnn

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

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Description & Travel

Hawarden - on wikipedia

Hawarden Castle - on castle wales

Hawarden Castle and Park, in Flintshire, five miles from the city on the People's Collection Wales site

Various landscapes on the People's Collection Wales site

You can see pictures of Hawarden which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

The transcription of the section for this place from the National Gazetteer (1868), provided by Colin Hinson.

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History

Various items on the People's Collection Wales site

  • Order at Hawarden Castle on the taxation of the Clergy, 7 October 1646 (folio 57) 
  • The laying of the foundation stone of St Deiniol's Library, Hawarden, by the Duke of Westminster, 5 October 1899  
  • Photograph of Edward VII at St. Deiniol's Library, Hawarden, 13 May 1908
  • Photograph of the 'Tin Tabernacle', original repository of Gladstone's Library at Hawarden, Flintshire, 1890s
  • Postcard of St Deiniol's Library, Hawarden, early 20th C.
  • Copy of letter from W. E. Gladstone to Gilbert C. Joyce, regarding the first warden of St Deiniol's Library in Hawarden, 16 October 1896
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Maps

"North-East Wales Churches and Ancient Parish Boundaries" produced by Clwyd Record Office in 1994, published by Genuki with the permission of Flintshire Record Office and Denbighshire Archives

Kain, R.J.P., Oliver, R.R., Historic Parishes of England and Wales: an Electronic Map of Boundaries before 1850 with a Gazetteer and Metadata [computer file]. Colchester, Essex: History Data Service, UK Data Archive [distributor], 17 May 2001. SN: 4348. Here is a gazetteer/finding aid plus a set of overview maps to accurately identify the position of parishes within the county

Hawarden, Flintshire [plan] on the People's Collection Wales site

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SJ327673 (Lat/Lon: 53.198107, -3.009267), Hawarden which are provided by:

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Newspapers

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Population

  • In 1831- the population was 5414.
  • In 1901- the population was 7949.
    [ Royal Commission on the Welsh Church - October 1907]
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Statistics

The "ancient" parish of Hawarden was approximately 17,300 acres in extent.