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Miscellaneous (Denbighshire)

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The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

Transcribed from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868] by Colin Hinson ©2018

This page is in two sections, the first section below relates to parishes which have parts of them in two counties

  • "BANGOR-IS-Y-COED, (or Bangor-iscoed), a parish partly in the hundred of Bromfield, in the county of Flint, partly in the hundred of Maylor, in the county of Denbigh, North Wales, 5 miles to the S.E. of Wrexham, its post town. This place is sometimes called Bangor-Monachaorwm, or "Bangor of the monks." Its usual name signifies "Bangor below the wood." It is situated on the border of Cheshire, in a rich and beautiful country on the river Dee. It is a place of considerable antiquity, and was, at a very early period, the seat of a large and important monastery. Two thousand one hundred monks are said to have been settled here, who divided their time between work and worship. On the occasion of .the mission of St. Augustine they made a daring stand against the claims of the Romish Church. The saint threatened them with some terrible manifestation of God's wrath if they remained obdurate, and within a few years the Northumbrian king, Ethelfrith, having won a victory over the British, committed a great slaughter of the monks of Bangor. The number massacred is stated by Bede to be 1,200, but in the Saxon Chronicle it is given as 200. The death of Augustine is said to have taken place previously. The fact of the massacre appears to be beyond doubt, and the monastery never recovered from the fearful blow. No traces of the buildings are now to be found. Pelagius was one of the numerous learned and pious teachers who were sent out from this monastery. The living is a rest.* in the diocese of St. Asaph, of the value with the curacy of Overton, of £1,200, in the gift of the Marquis of Westminster. The church is dedicated to St. Dinoth. It contains an ancient font, octagonal in form, and adorned with much curious and interesting sculpture. There is a free school for boys, endowed in 1728 by Lady Jeffreys, widow of Judge Jeffreys, with a revenue of £39, and some other charities. 
  • "EYTON, a township in the parish of Bangor-is-y-coed, hundred of Bromfield, county Denbigh, 5 miles S.E. of Wrexham. Eyton Park is the principal residence." 
  • "PICKHILL, a township in the parish of Bangor-is-y-coed, hundred of Bromfield, county Denbigh, 4 miles S.E. of Wrexham. It is situated on the river Dee." 
  • "ROYTON, a township in the parish of Bangor-is-y-coed, hundred of Bromfield, county Denbigh, 4 miles S.E. of Wrexham. It is situated near the river Dee. Its principal attraction is Royton Hall." 
  • "SESSWICK, a township in the parish of Bangor-is-y-coed, hundred of Bromfield, county Denbigh, 5 miles S.E. of Wrexham." 
  • (see main page BANGOR-IS-Y-COED  in Flintshire)

 

  • "BODFARI, (or Bodvari), a parish partly in the hundred of Ruthin, in the county of Denbigh, and partly in the hundred of Rhuddlan, in the county of Flint, North Wales, 4 miles to the N.E. of Denbigh. It is situated in a very picturesque country on the rivers Clwyd and Whielor, and contains the township of Aber-Whielor. This place is considered to be the site of the Roman station Varis. Its name, its position on the Roman road from Chester, and the discovery of numerous coins, urns, and other Roman remains, support this view. The living is a rectory in the diocese of St. Asaph, of the value of £296, in the patronage of the bishop. The church, which stands on rising ground, has a good tower and a finely-carved oak pulpit, set up in 1574, and is dedicated to St. Stephen. The parochial charities produce about £6 a year. There is an ancient entrenchment near the village, at Moel-y-gaer, which commands the pass over the mountains, and is supposed to be of British origin. 
  • "ABERWHEELER, (Aber-chwiler), a township in the parish of Bodfari, in the hundred of Ruthin, county of Denbigh, North Wales, 3 miles N.E. of Denbigh. It stands at the confluence of the river Chwiler with the Clwyd. The course of the Chwiler here lies through a deep and well wooded valley between lofty mountains. Llewellyn-ab-Grufydd, the last Prince of Wales, had a residence at Maes' Mynan in this township, the foundations being traceable till within a few years. 
  • "DREGOCH, a township united with Aberwheeler, in the parish of Bodfari, county of Denbigh, 3 miles N.E. of Denbigh." 
  • "GLANCLWYD, a township in the parish of Bodfari, county Denbigh, North Wales, 3 miles N.E. of Ruthin." 
  • "LLWYN-Y-CYFIN, a township in the parish of Bodfari, county Denbigh, 2 miles N.E. of the town of Denbigh. The river Clwydd flows through the place." 
  • "TYN-CELIN, a township in that of Aberwheeler, in the parish of Bodfari, county Denbigh, 4 miles N.E. of Denbigh." 
  • (see main page Bodfari in Flintshire)

 

  • "NANNERCH, a parish in the hundred of Rhuddlan, county Flint, and partly in the county of Denbigh, 6 miles from Mold, its post town, and 3 S. of Holywell. It is situated under Moel-Arther, a strong British post, defended by two ditches of great depth. It contains Cwm, Llan, Trefechan, and Penbedw, formerly a seat of the Mostyns. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in the iron and lead mines and limestone quarries. The living is a rectory* in the diocese of St. Asaph, value £292, in the patronage of the bishop. The church, which is dedicated to St. Mary, has a monument to Charlotte, wife of R. Mostyn, Esq., of Penbedw. The charities produce about £2 per annum." 
  • "PENBEDW, a township in the parish of Nannerch, hundred of Ruthin, county Denbigh, 6 miles N.W. of Mold. It is situated near Moel-Arther, a strong British post. The estate of Penbedw was granted to the Mostyn family by Henry VIII. Penbedw Hall is the principal residence; within the grounds are a Druidical circle and several tumuli. The house was formerly noted for its ancient library."
  • (see main page Nannerch in Flintshire)

 

  • "ST. ASAPH, a parish, city, and seat of a bishopric, chiefly in the Rhuddlan division of the hundred of Rhuddlan, in the county of Flint, but partly also is the hundreds of Isdulas and Yale, in the county of Denbigh, North Wales, 15 miles to the N.W. of Flint, and 208 miles from London. It is situated at the confluence of the rivers Elwy and Clwyd, and contains the townships of Brynpolin (in which the cathedral stands), Talar, Meriadog, and ten others. The story of the place begins, at a very early period, and the first fact related is the erection of a church by St. Kentigern, in the 6th century. It was built of wood, on a spot between the Elwy and Clwyd. From this origin came its first name Llan Elwy. Kentigern also founded here a monastery, which grew into importance. The present name of the city is said to have been given it in honour of St. Asaph, a native of the country, who succeeded the founder in his sacred charge, and whose remains were interred in the church. Little is known of the history of the place for the next five centuries. The monks were cast out of the monastery about the close of the 8th century. The city was much injured during the conflict between the Normans and the Welsh. In 1282 the cathedral and the dwellings of the clergy were burnt down by the English; the cathedral was again burnt by Owain Glyndwr about 1400; and after eighty years was rebuilt by Bishop Redman. The situation of St. Asaph is highly picturesque. The upper part of the city is built on a hill at the opening of the beautiful vale of Clwyd, between the Elwy and the Clwyd, which meet a little below. The cathedral occupies and adorns the summit of the hill, at the base of which stands the parish church. The surrounding landscape is rich with groves and woods. There is a bridge of five arches over the Elwy, and a handsome new one over the Clwyd. The streets are paved and the houses well built, though mostly small. Under the Reform Act, St. Asaph is one of the contributory boroughs to Flint, in returning one member to parliament. It is also the seat of a Poor-law Union, and a County Court district. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of St. Asaph value £179, in the patronage of the bishop. The parish church is dedicated to SS. Asaph and Kentigern. It is small, has no tower, and is supposed to have been built about 1524. In the churchyard are some curious old tombs, made of stone and shaped like coffins. There is also a district church at Bodelwydden, the living of which is a perpetual curacy, value £200, in the gift of Sir H. Williams, Bart. The cathedral is a cruciform building in the perpendicular style, with a low square tower at the centre. It is 179 feet in length, and 108 feet in breadth through the transepts. The height of the tower is 93 feet. At the east end is a window copied from one in Tintern Abbey. There is an altar-tomb of the Bishop Davydd ab Owen, who died in 1512; and in the churchyard is the tomb of Bishop Barrow, an ancestor of the great Isaac Barrow. There is also a white marble monument to Dean Shipley. Among the prelates who have held this see are William Morgan, who took part in the first Welsh translation of the Bible; Parry, who shared the same work; William Beveridge, a great Orientalist; Thomas Tanner, the antiquary, and Horsley. The episcopal palace and the deanery have been recently rebuilt. There are places of worship for the Independents, and Calvinistic and Wesley an Methodists. There is a free grammar-school, founded by Bishop Hughes, and endowed by Mrs. Elizabeth Williams. Almshouses for eight widows were endowed by Bishop Barrow. There are many minor charities, which, with the school and the almshouses, make a total of £179. The parish contains many seats of the gentry: among them are Pengwerm, the seat of Lord Mostyn; Kinmel, of Lord Dinorben; Bodelwyddan, of Sir J. Williams , Bart.; Cevn, &c. St. Asaph gives the title of Viscount to Earl Ashburnham. The market is held on Saturday. Fairs are held on Easter Tuesday, the 15th July, the 19th August, the 16th October, the 2nd November, and the 26th December. 
  • "CYRCHYNEN, a township in the parish of St. Asaph, in the county of Denbigh, 2 miles from St. Asaph." 
  • "MERIADOG, a township in the parish of St. Asaph, hundred of Yale, county Denbigh, 1 mile S. of St. Asaph. It is situated on the river Clwyd. In this township are many limestone caves and veins of barytes; some of the former are from 30 to 40 feet in height, and contain fossils, bones, &c." 
  • "WYGFAIR, a township in the parish of St. Asaph, county Denbigh, 2 mile S. of St. Asaph. It is situated on the river Elwy, here crossed by a bridge of 85 feet span. There are remains of a Lady chapel and a Holy Well at Y-Ffynnon." 
  • (see main page St Asaph in Flintshire)

 

This section contains all other Miscellaneous places 

"ABBEY, near Llanrwst, in the hundred of Isdulas, and county of Denbigh, Wales. The seat of Lord Newborough."

"BROMFIELD HUNDRED, one of the 6 hundreds or subdivisions of the county of Denbigh, North Wales, situated in the eastern part of the county, and bounded on-the N., E., and S. by the river Dee, and on the W. by the hundred of Yale. It contains the parishes of Holt, Marchwiel, and Ruabon, with parts of those of Bangor, Erbistock, Gresford, and Wrexham."

"CEIRIOG RIVER, rises in the S. part of the county of Denbigh, under Cader Ferwyn, and runs eastward through the beautiful valley, where Owen Gwynnedd met Henry II., to the river Dee."

"CERNICGAU MAWR, (or Kernioggy), a hamlet in the county of Denbigh, 10 miles S.E. of Llanrwst. It is situated near the rivers Dee and Conway"

"CHIRK, a hundred in the S. portion of the county of Denbigh, containing the parishes of Chirk, Llanarmon-Mynydd-Mawr, Llancadwalladr, Llangollen, Llanarmon-Dyrfryn-Ceiriog, Llansaintffraid-Glyn-Ceiriog, and parts of Llansilin, Llan-y-Mynech, and Llanrhaiadr-yn-Mochnant."

"CONSTABLE SANDS, off the coast of Denbighshire, near Great Orme's Head."

"CYRN-Y-BRAIN HILL, in the county of Denbigh, 5 miles N. of Llangollen, about 1,850 feet high."

"ELWY, a river rising in county Denbigh, near Gwytherin, and joining the Clwyd at St. Asaph."

"GWERN-HOWEL, an extra parochial place in the hundred of Islaed, county Denbigh, 2 miles W. of Pentre-Voelas."

"HIRAETHOG, a mountain range of county Denbigh, running from Darwen to Aberconway."

"ISALED, a hundred in the county Denbigh, contains the parishes of Cerrig-y-Druidion, Gwern-Howel, Gwytherin, Llangerniew, Llangwym, Llannefydd, Llansannan, Nantglyn, Pentrevoelas, and parts of Henllan, Llanfairtalhaiarn, Llanfihangel-Glyn-y-Myfyr, Llanrhaidr-in-Kemmerch, and Yspytty."

"ISDULAS, a hundred in the county Denbigh, contains the parishes of Abergele, Bettws-yn-Rhos, St. George, Llanddoget, Llanddulas, Llanelian, Llansaintffraid, and parts of St. Asaph, Eglwys-Fach, Llandrillo-yn-Rhos, Llanfairtalhaiarn, and Llanrwst."

"PISTILL-RHAIADR, a fall of the river Rhaiadr, county Denbigh."

"RUTHIN, a hundred in the county of Denbigh, contains the parishes of Clocaenog, Derwen, Efenechtyd, Gyffylliog, Llanbedr Dyf-Fryn Clwyd, Llanfair-Dyffryn-Clwyd, Llandyrnog, Llanelidan, Llanfwrog, Llanganhafal, Llangwyfan, Llanrhydd, Llanychan, Llanynys, Ruthin, and parts of Bodfary and Nannerch. It was formerly a lordship of the Greys, and is now held by the Myddletons."

"TALARGOCH, a lead mine in county Denbigh, 3 miles N.E. of Rhuddlan."

"WHEELER, a stream in county Denbigh which joins the Clyde at Aberchwielor."

"YALE, a hundred in county Denbigh, contains the parishes of Bryn Eglwys, Llanarmon, Llandegla, Llandysilio, Llanferras, and part of St. Asaph."

 

[Transcribed from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868]
by Colin Hinson ©2018