Chirk Part 1 of 2 - PDF format 2.8Mb - Wrexham County Borough ...
Chirk Part 1 of 2 - PDF format 2.8Mb - Wrexham County Borough ... Chirk Part 1 of 2 - PDF format 2.8Mb - Wrexham County Borough ...
within the private garden of The Mount, it wasclearly sited to control access up the valley andprobably remained in use until the building of the4ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENT 3The area known as Chirk is rich in history.Medieval battles, Welsh and English warlords,influential families, religion and past and presentindustry have all played important roles inshaping its character in the North Walesborderlands. Also of importance is thetopography, which has also influenced its originsand development. Due to such features the towncentre core, where the Conservation Area islocated, has distinctive architecture, buildingmaterials and landscape that has created thecharacter of the Conservation Area.Chirk is on the eastern edge of a bleak landscape,which may explain the historic settlement pattern ofboth a military and domestic nature for strategy andhabitation. In the first Century the Romansestablished a former Vexillation camp at WesternRhyn just to the south of Chirk, which was used asa base for armies bound for Snowdonia. The eighthCentury reputedly saw the Kings of Mercia createWat's and Offa's Dyke. The location of Chirk townitself, however, is linked to the earthen Norman12th Century motte on the edge of the Dee valleyto the south of St Mary's Church. Now enclosedpresent Chirk Castle. The position and extent ofany likely bailey or courtyard attached to the motteis unknown. In 1391, a recording of some buildingsin the area suggests demesne buildings. Theseincluded a chapel, hall, chamber, grange and barns.The hall and chapel may have been located to thewest of the Church on the corner of Church Streetand Castle Road at Bryn Eglwys. Some survivingmasonry in the cellars at Bryn Eglwys supports this.Rear of Bryn Eglwys, Castle RoadChurch ofSt Mary’sChirk is a reputed, ancient, Welsh-dominated,religious stronghold. This, plus the location of themotte and demesne buildings, may have been afactor in the siting of the early 12th Century Churchof St Mary. The church was originally dedicated toSt Tysilio, a Welsh saint, who also had a Christianburial ground dedicated to him. It is constructed ofyellow sandstone from the Upper coal measures,probably from outcrops near the current ChirkCastle estate. It has a chancel and nave, of whichpart of the original has been incorporated into laterbuilding works, highlighted by the residual pilasterbuttresses. A wider section incorporates a roundarched south door, now blocked, behind a 19thcentury buttress.The 13th Century was a crucial time in thedevelopment of the town. During this time the landsaround Chirk became controlled by the WelshPrince Gruffydd ap Madoc. The Prince is reputed tohave founded Valle Crucis Abbey in Llangollen, yethe was a stalwart supporter of Norman England.However, his son Llywelyn, was of a more patrioticnature, and wished to exert a stronger Welshinfluence in the area. With de Montfort, an English
ebel, an attempt was made to seize Chirk. Thiscaused grave personal conflict to his father. Largelyas a result of Llywelyn's failed attempt, Chirk wasseized by Edward I, who bequeathed it in 1272 toRoger Mortimer of Wigmore. Mortimer subsequentlybuilt the new Chirk Castle between 1295 and 1310,a mile to the west of the Norman motte. Theabandoning of the motte meant inevitably that itwould fall into decay and ruin. Chirk Castle doesnot appear to have been placed in a strategicmilitary site; however, its original gateway facedwest to the Ceiriog Valley, so any Welshman wouldbe immediately aware of Chirk's allegiance to theEnglish crown.The town of Chirk was carefully planned aftermilitary defences were in place and was similar toseveral townships under Edwardian control inWales, such as Denbigh, Ruthin and Rhuddlan. Itwas granted a market charter and, in 1324 (orpossibly earlier in 1282), Chirk became a freeborough with burgages (holdings of land with adwelling place). In 1391 23 were recorded. Todaythe plots and medieval grid iron street pattern in thecentral core of the town have now largelydisappeared. This is probably a result of naturalevolution, the campaigns of Owain Glyndwr - thelast Welsh prince - in the early 15th Century andTelford's road building in the 19th Century.Certainly the campaigns of Glyndwr in the 1402uprising had the first devastating impact on thetown, which included the decimation of the hall andchapel at Bryn Eglwys. In 1530 the travel writerLeland noted only a few houses in Chirk. Certainlyfrom that description there seemed little in the wayWhitehurstGardengatepiersof the once thriving market town of Edward I,despite the fact that it had been granted a newmarket charter in 1506.Events in the 17th Century also had an influenceon the landscape of Chirk, including the Civil War of1642 -7, where land cultivation occurred as moreintensive farming measures were undertaken forfood supplies for soldiers. Chirk Castle wasdamaged - not by shelling, but by brute force asrevenge for allegiance switching by the Myddletonfamily, who owned the castle at that time.During the 17th century, Sir Thomas Myddletoncreated Whitehurst Gardens at the north end ofChirk. This was built as a pleasure garden forhimself and important guests, such as MajorGeneral James Berry, Duke of Beaufort; the LordPresident of Wales; and various circuit judges.Chirk Castle5
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within the private garden <strong>of</strong> The Mount, it wasclearly sited to control access up the valley andprobably remained in use until the building <strong>of</strong> the4ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENT 3The area known as <strong>Chirk</strong> is rich in history.Medieval battles, Welsh and English warlords,influential families, religion and past and presentindustry have all played important roles inshaping its character in the North Walesborderlands. Also <strong>of</strong> importance is thetopography, which has also influenced its originsand development. Due to such features the towncentre core, where the Conservation Area islocated, has distinctive architecture, buildingmaterials and landscape that has created thecharacter <strong>of</strong> the Conservation Area.<strong>Chirk</strong> is on the eastern edge <strong>of</strong> a bleak landscape,which may explain the historic settlement pattern <strong>of</strong>both a military and domestic nature for strategy andhabitation. In the first Century the Romansestablished a former Vexillation camp at WesternRhyn just to the south <strong>of</strong> <strong>Chirk</strong>, which was used asa base for armies bound for Snowdonia. The eighthCentury reputedly saw the Kings <strong>of</strong> Mercia createWat's and Offa's Dyke. The location <strong>of</strong> <strong>Chirk</strong> townitself, however, is linked to the earthen Norman12th Century motte on the edge <strong>of</strong> the Dee valleyto the south <strong>of</strong> St Mary's Church. Now enclosedpresent <strong>Chirk</strong> Castle. The position and extent <strong>of</strong>any likely bailey or courtyard attached to the motteis unknown. In 1391, a recording <strong>of</strong> some buildingsin the area suggests demesne buildings. Theseincluded a chapel, hall, chamber, grange and barns.The hall and chapel may have been located to thewest <strong>of</strong> the Church on the corner <strong>of</strong> Church Streetand Castle Road at Bryn Eglwys. Some survivingmasonry in the cellars at Bryn Eglwys supports this.Rear <strong>of</strong> Bryn Eglwys, Castle RoadChurch <strong>of</strong>St Mary’s<strong>Chirk</strong> is a reputed, ancient, Welsh-dominated,religious stronghold. This, plus the location <strong>of</strong> themotte and demesne buildings, may have been afactor in the siting <strong>of</strong> the early 12th Century Church<strong>of</strong> St Mary. The church was originally dedicated toSt Tysilio, a Welsh saint, who also had a Christianburial ground dedicated to him. It is constructed <strong>of</strong>yellow sandstone from the Upper coal measures,probably from outcrops near the current <strong>Chirk</strong>Castle estate. It has a chancel and nave, <strong>of</strong> whichpart <strong>of</strong> the original has been incorporated into laterbuilding works, highlighted by the residual pilasterbuttresses. A wider section incorporates a roundarched south door, now blocked, behind a 19thcentury buttress.The 13th Century was a crucial time in thedevelopment <strong>of</strong> the town. During this time the landsaround <strong>Chirk</strong> became controlled by the WelshPrince Gruffydd ap Madoc. The Prince is reputed tohave founded Valle Crucis Abbey in Llangollen, yethe was a stalwart supporter <strong>of</strong> Norman England.However, his son Llywelyn, was <strong>of</strong> a more patrioticnature, and wished to exert a stronger Welshinfluence in the area. With de Montfort, an English
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