contents - Wrexham County Borough Council
contents - Wrexham County Borough Council contents - Wrexham County Borough Council
24 coal and steel Like much of Wales, Wrexham spent most of the last century mining coal. Feeding the furnace of Britain’s industrial juggernaut. Wrexham will always remember its mining roots with pride, but there was a cost. September 24, 1934. A huge explosion deep underground at Gresford Colliery. 266 killed. Husbands, fathers, sons, brothers. Wrexham has never forgotten them. Steel was another pillar of the town’s economy. At its height in the 1960s and early 70s, Brymbo Steelworks would light Miners’ memorial, Gresford up the skyline with molten metal. With over 2,000 workers toiling night and day and some of the most modern techniques in steel manufacture, it was like a vision from Fritz Lang’s Metropolis planted onto a Welsh hillside. The site closed in 1990, but walk down Lord Street in Wrexham town centre and you’ll see a sculpted archway formed from the figures of a miner and steelworker. Wrexham has always believed in the future (we’ll tell you more about that on page 34). But we’re proud of our past too. www.wrexham.gov.uk/heritage
exploring churches The steeple of St Giles Church in Wrexham. One hundred and thirty five feet high and one of the Seven Wonders of Wales. If you’re feeling energetic, book a tower tour for stunning views across the whole of Wrexham and beyond. And when you’re done? Visit some of our other churches. As well as being places of prayer and contemplation, these architectural treasures bring the sometimes turbulent history of our towns and villages vividly to life. Take St Mary’s Church in Ruabon. Inside, you’ll find a 15 th century wall painting and a 16 th century font. Outside, you’ll find an ornate Lych Gate partly carved in local Wynnstay Oak and dedicated as a Parish War Memorial in 1920 (when Britain was still coming to terms with the huge loss of life inflicted by the First World War). At St Chad’s Church in Holt you can see the bullet holes left by a skirmish between Roundheads and Cavaliers during the English Civil War. And in St Mary’s Cathedral, Wrexham, there is a chapel dedicated to the martyr Richard Gwynne. Hung, drawn and quartered in 1584 – and sainted in 1972. Fifteen of our churches have come together to form the Open Church Network. All with their own compelling stories to tell. And all committed to welcoming visitors. St Giles Church 01978 355808 Wrexham Tourist Information Centre 01978 292015 Open Church Network www.openchurchnetwork.co.uk St Giles Church, Wrexham 25
- Page 1 and 2: hello world liveworkplay wrexham
- Page 3 and 4: Find us on Facebook www.facebook.co
- Page 5 and 6: play credits Powered by the Wrexham
- Page 7 and 8: live 7
- Page 9 and 10: and Costa. And mobile-phone shops o
- Page 11 and 12: etail parks Over the past decade, W
- Page 13 and 14: nightclubs and live music We wouldn
- Page 15 and 16: ossett Art lovers may recognise Upp
- Page 17 and 18: uabon This is a village with a long
- Page 19 and 20: It’s true what they say. Love mak
- Page 21 and 22: to give them a short back and sides
- Page 23: ersham ironworks and heritage centr
- Page 27 and 28: music Music is the food of life. An
- Page 29 and 30: wrexham culture We like culture. We
- Page 31 and 32: Your micro-guide to the World Herit
- Page 33 and 34: touched by genius When Thomas Telfo
- Page 35 and 36: There are places to eat along the w
- Page 37 and 38: facebook.com/pontcysyllte-aqueduct
- Page 39 and 40: mark hughes Russell Crowe Another f
- Page 41 and 42: wrexham lager It’s back! That’s
- Page 43 and 44: Everyone needs a ‘thing’. A tal
- Page 45 and 46: thomas telford Built Pontcysyllte A
- Page 47 and 48: children of the sun Power. It’s s
- Page 49 and 50: turn the lights off before you leav
- Page 51 and 52: And Wrexham is doing its bit to hel
- Page 53 and 54: Not least, Wrexham Council’s dedi
- Page 55 and 56: The world is a playground. Make the
- Page 57 and 58: There are giant-killings that linge
- Page 59 and 60: golf For the slightly apprehensive,
- Page 61 and 62: leisure centres Want to keep everyt
- Page 63 and 64: maelor way A 24-mile walk passing t
- Page 65 and 66: moss valley Coal miners once used t
- Page 67 and 68: events There’s always something g
- Page 69 and 70: shows to festivals and concerts. Fr
- Page 71 and 72: RAMADA PLAZA HOTEL 63 w
- Page 73: our business is to create hello wor
24<br />
coal and steel<br />
Like much of Wales, <strong>Wrexham</strong> spent<br />
most of the last century mining coal.<br />
Feeding the furnace of Britain’s industrial<br />
juggernaut.<br />
<strong>Wrexham</strong> will always remember its mining<br />
roots with pride, but there was a cost.<br />
September 24, 1934. A huge explosion<br />
deep underground at Gresford Colliery.<br />
266 killed. Husbands, fathers, sons, brothers.<br />
<strong>Wrexham</strong> has never forgotten them.<br />
Steel was another pillar of the town’s<br />
economy. At its height in the 1960s and<br />
early 70s, Brymbo Steelworks would light<br />
Miners’ memorial, Gresford<br />
up the skyline with molten metal.<br />
With over 2,000 workers toiling night and<br />
day and some of the most modern<br />
techniques in steel manufacture, it was<br />
like a vision from Fritz Lang’s Metropolis<br />
planted onto a Welsh hillside.<br />
The site closed in 1990, but walk down<br />
Lord Street in <strong>Wrexham</strong> town centre and<br />
you’ll see a sculpted archway formed<br />
from the figures of a miner and steelworker.<br />
<strong>Wrexham</strong> has always believed in the future<br />
(we’ll tell you more about that on page<br />
34). But we’re proud of our past too.<br />
www.wrexham.gov.uk/heritage
Change language