Hide

NORTHOP

hide
Hide

The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

In 1868, the parish of Northop contained the following places:

"NORTHOP, (or North-hope), a parish and post town in the hundred of Coleshill, county Flint, 4 miles N.W. of Hawarden. It contains the following townships, viz:, Caerfallwch, Golftyn, Kelsterton, Wepre, Leadbrook Major and Minor, Northop, and Soughton. It is situated near the Dee and Wat's Dyke. The inhabitants are chiefly employed in the collieries, tile works, and potteries. There are also some very valuable lead mines belonging to the Grosvenor family. The living is a vicarage* in the diocese of St. Asaph, value £500, in the patronage of the bishop. The church has a lofty tower. The interior has numerous effigies, among which is one to Edwyn, a Welsh prince, bearing date 1073. There is also a district church at Connah's-Quay, the living of which is a perpetual curacy, value £301. The parochial charities produce about £90 per annum. There is, a free grammar school, endowed with an annuity of £5 by the Rev. G. Smith in 1606; also a National school, with an endowment of £40 per annum. The Methodists have two places of worship. Highfield Hall and Sough ton Hall are the principal residences.

"CAER-FALLWCH, a township in the parish of Northop, hundred of Coleshill, in the county of Flint, North Wales, 3 miles to the S. of Flint. It is situated near the mountain Moel-y-Gaer, which is 1,050 feet in height, and on which are remains of an old camp. Lead is obtained in the neighbourhood, and is said to have been worked by the Romans."

"FLINT, a parochial chapelry, market town, and parliamentary and corporate borough, in the parish of Northop, hundred of Coleshill, county Flint, North Wales, 4½ miles S.E. of Holywell, 14 S.W. of Chester, and 196 from London. The Chester and Holyhead railway has a station here. A castle was commenced here by Henry II., and completed, 1277, by Edward I., consisting of a square court abutting on the sea, with truncated corners and towers at the angles, while the keep was detached from the citadel, or Double Tower, as it was called, this last being connected with the rest of the building by only a drawbridge. After figuring in various scenes of historic interest, the castle was dismantled about 1647, by order of the parliament. The mayor for the time being is constable of the castle, which belongs to the crown. Lead and coal are obtained in the neighbourhood. The town is situated on the western shore of the estuary of the river Dee, its position being low and flat, and is much visited in the summer season for the purpose of sea-bathing. It was anciently a place of much more importance than at present, being the county town and a large shipping port; but the difficulties of the Dee navigation and the gradual silting up of the estuary, have reduced it to a small town of about 1000 inhabitants. There are chemical and smelting works, and a wharf has recently been constructed, at which vessels transfer their cargoes to smaller craft for their conveyance to Chester. Petty sessions are held here, and the borough returns one member to parliament. The living is a perpetual curacy in the diocese of St. Asaph, value £225, in the patronage of the bishop. The church is a handsome modern edifice, erected in 1848, on the site of the former one. It is dedicated to St. Mary. The Independents, Baptists, Calvinists, Wesleyan and New Connexion Methodists have chapels in the town and other parts of the parish. There is a National school for both sexes. In the neighbourhood many Roman remains have been found, consisting of amulets, brooches, coins, &c., indicating that this was once a Roman station. Extensive ruins of the old castle are still to be seen; the walls and towers are of immense strength. A part of the structure is converted into the county gaol."

"GOLFTYN, a township in the parish of Northop, hundred of Coleshill, county Flint, North Wales, 3 miles N.W. of Hawarden. It is situated on the river Dee. The inhabitants are for the most part employed in fishing and in mining operations."

"KELSTERTON, a township in the parish of Northop, hundred of Coleshill, county Flint, 3 miles S. of Flint."

"LEADBROOK, (Major and Minor) townships in the parish of Northop, hundred of Coleshill, county Flint, 2 miles S. of Flint, its post town, and 5 from Holywell. The inhabitants are principally employed in the lead mines and fisheries.

"SOUGHTON, a township in the parish of Northop, hundred of Coleshill, county Flint, 4 miles N.W. of Harwarden, and 3½ S.W. of Oswestry. It is situated on Wat's Dyke. There are collieries which employ many of the inhabitants. The Hall was built by Bishop Wynne in 1714."

"WEPRE, (or Wepra), a township in the parish of Northop, county Flint, 4 miles N.W. of Hawarden. It is a subport to Chester, on the river Dee.

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