Erbistock
Encyclopedia
Erbistock is a village and a local government community
, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales
. The village lies on the banks of the River Dee
.
The community area, governed by Erbistock Community Council also includes the small villages of Crabtree Green and Eyton; it had a total population of 409 at the 2001 census.
s of the Lordship of Bromfield, and was mentioned in the Domesday Book
. It later became one of the parish
es of the pre-1974 county of Denbighshire
but a part lay in the detached part of the old county of Flintshire
formerly known as the Maelor Saesneg, the Denbighshire portion having been attached to the Maelor Gymraeg. The Wrexham historian Alfred Neobard Palmer
noted that this division was very old, and resulted from the desire of Edward I of England
to strengthen English influence in the border borough of Overton
. In April 1300 a writ was issued to Richard de Massey, the justice of Chester
, to bargain with "certain Welshmen" holding lands in Overton with the offer of exchanging them with parts of the king's demesne lands in Erbistock.
A parish church
dedicated to Saint Erbin
was mentioned as far back as the 13th century but the present church, dedicated to Saint Hilary
, was constructed in 1860. Palmer suggested that the name derives from "Erbin's stoke" meaning Erbin's stockaded ford.
The corresponding civil parish
of Erbistock absorbed the neighbouring parish of Eyton in 1935. According to Palmer, Eyton was mentioned as early as 1043, when it was given by Leofric, earl of Mercia
, to the minster he had founded at Coventry
, and at the time of the Domesday Book survey was held by the bishop of Lichfield
.
The village and its picturesque surrounding area have been defined as the Erbistock Village and Conservation Area by Wrexham county borough council.
for its workers. The famous 17th century Boat Inn stands beside the River Dee. The inn takes its name from the hand-operated chain ferry which once crossed the river at this point, with remnants of the pull mechanism still existing nearby.
On the riverbank next to the Boat is the Grade II listed St. Hilary's church. It was built in 1860, replacing a Georgian structure which had itself replaced an earlier timber-framed and thatched building, and was funded by Caroline Boates of Rose Hill and her daughter. Members of the Boates family also contributed the elaborate stained glass windows
; the church contains an 18th century chandelier and a font bowl that may be Norman in origin.
Community (Wales)
A community is a division of land in Wales that forms the lowest-tier of local government in Wales. Welsh communities are analogous to civil parishes in England....
, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. The village lies on the banks of the River Dee
River Dee, Wales
The River Dee is a long river in the United Kingdom. It travels through Wales and England and also forms part of the border between the two countries....
.
The community area, governed by Erbistock Community Council also includes the small villages of Crabtree Green and Eyton; it had a total population of 409 at the 2001 census.
History
Erbistock was one of the ancient townshipTownship (England)
In England, a township is a local division or district of a large parish containing a village or small town usually having its own church...
s of the Lordship of Bromfield, and was mentioned in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
. It later became one of the parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
es of the pre-1974 county of Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
but a part lay in the detached part of the old county of Flintshire
Flintshire
Flintshire is a county in north-east Wales. It borders Denbighshire, Wrexham and the English county of Cheshire. It is named after the historic county of Flintshire, which had notably different borders...
formerly known as the Maelor Saesneg, the Denbighshire portion having been attached to the Maelor Gymraeg. The Wrexham historian Alfred Neobard Palmer
Alfred Neobard Palmer
Alfred Neobard Palmer was a chemist and local historian. He published several books concerning the local history of Wrexham and north Wales.-Biography:...
noted that this division was very old, and resulted from the desire of Edward I of England
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
to strengthen English influence in the border borough of Overton
Overton-on-Dee
Overton-on-Dee is a small rural town and a local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales....
. In April 1300 a writ was issued to Richard de Massey, the justice of Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
, to bargain with "certain Welshmen" holding lands in Overton with the offer of exchanging them with parts of the king's demesne lands in Erbistock.
A parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
dedicated to Saint Erbin
Erbin of Dumnonia
Erbin of Dumnonia was a 5th century King of Dumnonia and saint of Wales.-Monarch:Traditionally, Erbin was a King of Dumnonia, the son of Constantine Corneu and the father of Geraint...
was mentioned as far back as the 13th century but the present church, dedicated to Saint Hilary
Hilary of Poitiers
Hilary of Poitiers was Bishop of Poitiers and is a Doctor of the Church. He was sometimes referred to as the "Hammer of the Arians" and the "Athanasius of the West." His name comes from the Latin word for happy or cheerful. His optional memorial in the Roman Catholic calendar of saints is 13...
, was constructed in 1860. Palmer suggested that the name derives from "Erbin's stoke" meaning Erbin's stockaded ford.
The corresponding civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
of Erbistock absorbed the neighbouring parish of Eyton in 1935. According to Palmer, Eyton was mentioned as early as 1043, when it was given by Leofric, earl of Mercia
Mercia
Mercia was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was centred on the valley of the River Trent and its tributaries in the region now known as the English Midlands...
, to the minster he had founded at Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, and at the time of the Domesday Book survey was held by the bishop of Lichfield
Lichfield
Lichfield is a cathedral city, civil parish and district in Staffordshire, England. One of eight civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly north of Birmingham...
.
The village and its picturesque surrounding area have been defined as the Erbistock Village and Conservation Area by Wrexham county borough council.
Important Buildings
Erbistock has two popular pubs. The Cross Foxes at Overton Bridge, dating back to 1748, was built by the Wynnstay EstateWynnstay
Wynnstay was a famous estate in Wales, the family seat of the Wynns. It is located at Ruabon, near Wrexham.During the 17th century, Sir John Wynn, 5th Baronet inherited the Watstay Estate through his marriage to Jane Evans , and renamed it the Wynnstay Estate...
for its workers. The famous 17th century Boat Inn stands beside the River Dee. The inn takes its name from the hand-operated chain ferry which once crossed the river at this point, with remnants of the pull mechanism still existing nearby.
On the riverbank next to the Boat is the Grade II listed St. Hilary's church. It was built in 1860, replacing a Georgian structure which had itself replaced an earlier timber-framed and thatched building, and was funded by Caroline Boates of Rose Hill and her daughter. Members of the Boates family also contributed the elaborate stained glass windows
Stained Glass Windows
Stained Glass Windows was an early broadcast television program, broadcast on early Sunday evenings on the ABC network. The program was a religious broadcast, hosted by the Reverend Everett Parker....
; the church contains an 18th century chandelier and a font bowl that may be Norman in origin.