1033 



FLINTSHIRE. 



FLINTSHIRE. 



1034 



Mold, about 11 miles. There is a small railroad from the coal-pits 

 near Mold to the Dee. 



Geology, Mineralogy, etc. The new red-sandstone or red marl, the 

 uppermost of the rocks of this county, occupies the two outlying 

 portions ; and is found on the north-west coast, in the lower part of 

 the vale of Clwyd, and in that part of the county which is on the 

 north-east side of the new channel of the Dee. The coal-measures 

 occupy the coast of the aestuary of the Dee, and the coal-field forms 

 a belt extending from the Point of Air to the south-east side of the 

 county, gradually increasing in width inland. The seams of coal 

 vary in thickness from three-quarters of a yard to five yards, and 

 the dip varies from one yard in four to two yards in three. Common, 

 canuel, and peacock coal are found. Beds of shale and sandstone, 

 answering in position and character to the shale and millstone grit 

 of Derbyshire, underlie the coal-measures, and crop out from beneath 

 them on the south-west side of the coal-field, forming a belt more 

 inland than the coal-field, but parallel to it and to the shore of the 

 Dee, and separating the coal-field from the district occupied by the 

 carboniferous or mountain limestone. The mountain limestone 

 occupies all the remainder of the county, except a small tract 

 occupied by the old red-sandstone. Lead-mines are worked in the 

 limestone near Holywell, and between Holywell and Hawarden. 

 Silver is extracted from the lead-ore. Ironstone is abundant in the 

 coal seam ; and in the mountain limestone rich hematitic iron-ore 

 U found. Copper, zinc, and calamine are also found. 



'ions, Towns, >i-c. The present division is into five hundred?. 

 V, i .t,yn, in the north, along the coast; Rhuddlan, in the west, 

 towaril- Denbighshire ; Mold, in the east and south, towards Cheshire 

 and Denbighshire ; Coleshill, in the north-east, along the sestuary of 

 the Dee ; and Maylor, comprehending the larger detached portion of 

 the county, and one or two parishes in the south-east of the main 

 part. The smaller outlying portion is in the hundred of Mold. 

 Flintshire contains one city and contributory borough, ST. ASAPH, on 

 the Elwy ; one principal borough and ex-county town, FLINT, on the 

 icstuary of the Dee ; six other contributory boroughs, HOLYWELL, 

 near the aestuary of the Dee, MOLD, the present county town, Caer- 

 gwrle or Caergwyle with Hope, on the Aleu, Overton, in the larger 

 outlying portion of the county near the Dee, Rhyddlan or Rhuddlan 

 on the Clwyd, and Caerwis, or Caerwys, not far from Holywell on 

 the road to Denbigh. Of those printed in small capitals an account 

 is given under their respective titles. The other places in the county 

 requiring notice we mention here, with the population of each in 

 1851 : 



Dagillt, on the left side of the acstuary of the Dee, population of 

 the ecclesiastical district 3303, is situated 10 miles N. by W. from 

 Mold. Bagillt has acquired some importance from the establishment 

 of lead-works and collieries. Lead-smelting is carried on ; there are 

 also establishments for manufacturing the lead into various articles 

 for sale, and for making red-lead. There are in Bagillt a district 

 church, several Dissenting chapels, and a National school. At this 

 place is a station of the Chester and Holyhead railway. 



Caergwrle, or Caergwyle, in the parish of Hope, or Queen Hope, is 

 on the right bank of the Alen, about 7 miles S.E. by S. from Mold : 

 population of the borough, 719. The name Caergwrle has been 

 derived from Caer Oawr Lie, 'the camp of the giant legion,' from the 

 20th Roman legion, which was named ' Victrix,' and had its head- 

 quarters at Deva (Chester). The legion probably had an outpost at 

 Flint ; on the tiles of a Roman bath found here was the inscription 

 ' Legio XX." Some vestiges of Roman roads and other works were 

 formerly visible in the neighbourhood. The castle appears to have 

 been known by the English under the name of Hope Castle, giving 

 name to the district of Hopedale. The castle is now a mere ruin. 

 The hill on which the castle stood is precipitous on one side and of 

 steep ascent on the other : on the accessible parts it was protected 

 by deep ditches cut in the rock. This rock, which is a breccia of 

 email pebbles lodged in grit, was formerly quarried for millstones. 

 The neighbouring hill, called Caergwrle Hill, affords limestone, of 

 which a great quantity is burned into lime. In the parish are part 

 of the ancient Wat's Dyke, and an ancient British post, called Caer 

 :i. About a mile distant from Caergwrle is the village of Hope, 

 on the left bank of the river Alen. Fairs are held at Caergwrle on 

 Shrove Tuesday, May 10th, August 12th, and October 27th. 



Caerwys is in Rhuddlan hundred, near a small stream which runs 

 into the Clwyd, 12 miles N.W. from Mold : population of the parish, 

 635. The assizes for Flintshire were held here till the year 1672, 

 when they were removed to Flint. Caerwys is believed to have been 

 a Roman station. In the middle ages the Eisteddfod, or general 

 meeting of the Welsh bards, was held here. The last legally called 

 meeting of this kind was held at Caerwys by summons from Queen 

 Kli/ubeth. The first modern revival of the Eisteddfod took place 

 here in 1798. Caerwys is now a mere village. It possesses a neat 

 church, with chapels for Wesleyan and Calviuistic Methodists, and 

 a National school-house. A little woollen-cloth is made, and there is 

 a small wire-mill. Caerwys is now chiefly important for its cattle 

 fairs, which are the largest in the county, and attract numerous 

 purchasers from England. Eight fairs are held in the course of the 



year. 



Ha.via.rdvn a a mile and a half from the left bank of the Dee, on 



the road from Chester to Holywell, 6 miles E.N.E. from Mold, popu- 

 lation ^ of the township 586, a considerable decrease having taken 

 place in consequence of the discontinuance of the Hawardeu iron- 

 works. There was a castle here at a very early date : it was the 

 residence of the barons of Mont-Alto or Mold, stewards to the 

 powerful earls of Chester. It was rebuilt before 1280. On the night 

 of Palm Sunday, 1282, during a tempest which favoured the design, it 

 was stormed by David , brother of Llewelyn, prince of North Wales, in 

 the last struggle of the Welsh with the English. At the close of the civil 

 war of Charles I. it was dismantled. The remains are a fine circular 

 tower or keep on the summit of a mound, a few walls, and part of 

 the foundations. The town is well built, and consists principally of 

 one street nearly a mile long. The church is a plain building. There 

 are chapels for Wesleyan and Calvinistic Methodists. Several 

 extensive coal-pits, brick and tile-works, and potteries are in the 

 parish, and railroads convey the produce of the works to the river. 

 The market is on Saturday, and there are two yearly fairs. Hawarden 

 Castle is a modern castellated mansion ; the ruins of the old castle 

 are within the park. About 2 miles N.W. from Hawarden are the 

 remains of Ewloe, or Owloe Castle, an ancient keep or stronghold, 

 picturesquely situated on the margin of a wooded glen. 



Overton is pleasantly situated near the right bank of the Dee, 18 

 miles S.S.E. from Mold : population of the borough, 1479. Edward I. 

 granted Overton a weekly market, but it has been for some time dis- 

 continued. The church is a handsome building, and the churchyard 

 is remarkable for some fine yew-trees. A Wesleyau chapel, a National 

 school, and a house of correction are in Overton. 



Rhuddlan, or Rhyddlan, is on the right bank of the Clwyd, rather 

 more than 2 miles above its mouth : population of the borough, 1472. 

 Llewelyn ap Sitsylt, prince of Wales, built a castle here in the early 

 part of the llth century. In 1063 it was surprised and burnt by the 

 Saxons under Harold. It was soon restored, but shortly afterwards 

 re-couquered by Robert, nephew of Hugh Lupus, earl of Chester. In 

 1282 it was attacked by Llewelyn, the last prince of AVales, and his 

 brother David, but without success. Edward I., sensible of the 

 importance of the place, built a new castle a little to the northward 

 of the former one. In this castle Edward's queen, Eleanor, gave birth 

 to a princess. Edward made the town a free borough, and bestowed 

 upon the inhabitants many immunities. He also assembled here, in 

 1283, a parliament or council, in which Wales was divided into coun- 

 ties, ancient laws and customs which appeared detrimental were 

 abolished, new ones introduced, and many important regulations 

 established, by what was called the ' Statute of Rhuddlau.' An old 

 building near the centre of the town has an inscription on its wall, 

 placed there by Dr. Shipley, late dean of St. Asaph, intimating that 

 in that house Edward held the council referred to. Rhuddlan Castle 

 was in the great civil war garrisoned for the king, but was taken by 

 General Mytton in 1646. The Parliament gave orders that it should 

 be dismantled. The village of Rhuddlan consists of a main street 

 running down to the Clwyd, and some smaller streets. The principal 

 buildings are the castle, the church, the ancient priory, and places of 

 worship for Weeleyan and Calvinistic Methodists, Independents, and 

 Baptists. There is a bridge over the Clwyd of two arches, rebuilt or 

 repaired about 1595. The castle erected by Edward I. was built of 

 red-sandstone from the neighbouring rocks, and formed a square 

 externally, having at two opposite angles double round towers, and 

 single ones at the other angles ; the court-yard was an irregular 

 octagon. Some of the towers are tolerably entire. About half a mile 

 south of the castle stood the priory of Black Friars, founded son 1 3 

 time before 1268, and which continued till the dissolution. The 

 Toot-hill and the ruins of the priory are comprehended in an exten- 

 sive area surrounded by a fosse which communicates with the castle 

 ditch. The river Clwyd is navigable up to the bridge at spring-tides 

 for vessels of 60 tons. Lead-mines give employment to many of the 

 inhabitants. There is a large export of corn. A steam-packet plies 

 between Rhuddlan and Liverpool. There are four fairs in the year; 

 the weeLly market has been discontinued for several years. 



Dyscrth, 20 miles N.W. from Mold, population of the parish 1030, 

 is on the road from Holywell to Rhuddlan, about 3 miles from the 

 sea. The church, which is situated in a hollow, was erected in 1603 ; 

 the east window contains some painted glass. In the burying-ground 

 are some curious tombstones, two ancient crosses, and some old yew- 

 trees. The ruins of Dyserth Castle stand on a lofty eminence com- 

 manding a fine view of the Vale of Clwyd. Near the castle are the 

 valuable lead-mines of Talargoch. Greenfield, on the left bank of the 

 ajstuary of the Dee, 13 miles N.N.E. from Mold: the population is 

 returned with Holywell parish. At Greenfield are extensive copper, 

 zinc, and paper works, which afford employment to many of the 

 inhabitants. South-east of the village are the remains of Basingwerk 

 Abbey. Of the abbey buildings but a few fragments are left. Halkin, 

 7 miles N.N.W. from Mold : population of the parish, 1777. Porcelain 

 clay of superior quality has been found in Halkin Mountain, though 

 not much worked of late. Newmarket, 18 miles N.W. from Mold, 

 population of the parish 642, was formerly a market-town, with a 

 town-hall in which quarter sessions were held. The place is now a 

 mere village. Horse-races were once held near the village. The 

 Endowed Free Grammar school has fallen into abeyance. In the 

 churchyard are an ancient stone cross, curiously carved, and some 



