CHIRK 



DENBIGHSHIRE 



MYDDELTON 



CHIRK < X's II \: IN "DC of those notable stronghold* 

 Nortli Wale-* which ha\v s-.-e:i :i very great JIM I 

 .I ! iNt.,ry. and the place is not to be dissociated 

 from that ancient tortrcss Called by the Wels!) 

 Castell Ci-.^i-n." upon the site of which it 

 stands, and whose traditions it inherits. Here occurred several 

 events in the great struggle of tin- Welshmen J'-T free-Jon in 

 the t'me of Henrv II., which aroused such strong national 

 reeling among them. It was in the valley Ivneath Castell 

 Crogcn that the celebrated tij.t between the torce> of Henry 

 and the Welsh was wa-.-.i. I lie hn-lish Kiny marched hi> 

 men to the river Ceirmc, which is in the p.irk ot Chirk Castle, 

 where he caused the t < Iv cut Jown. and won the 



passage ; but th Welsh knew the country better than lie, 

 and. interceptinj; his communications, drove him back in 

 distress. 



The terntory atound Cistell Cro^t-n became the pmperu 

 by descent of (inliith ap Madin:, who mairied an Knylish \vilc. 

 and, at her instu.nion. took up .irm- for Henrv III. ami 

 Hdttard I. against Llewelyn. hd\\ard ^.i\e the wardship ot 

 the children < t theihu-t to certain yreat nobles, who, according 

 to tin cluoniclrr, obtained tlie lands for theniM-lvis bv clnrter. 

 t these t.uthlts-, uu.nJi.ins \\.is John tarl VV.uit-n, in 

 whose family part ol the propert_v remained lor thiee ^eiu- 

 rations. afterwards passini: '" the Fit/alans. Harls -if Arundel. 

 Thoma- Mowbrax-, hulce of Norfolk, an I William Ki-auchamp 

 Lord of Aber^a\<-nny. Meanwhile Ko^-r Mortinu-i.the other 

 faithless nuirdian, had built in mo Chirk Castle, where tin- 

 older stronghold had been. The place was alterwards united 

 with the other part ot the tee. From the Beau, lumps it came 

 to Sir Wi liam Stanley, who was t \ecuted i:i the tin; 

 Hem> MIL, and Chi-:. and Holt Castle were granted to 



IHfc FLCWtW 



