Glyn Ceiriog
Encyclopedia
Llansantffraid Glyn Ceiriog is a local government community
, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales
.
Glyn Ceiriog is a former slate mining
village in Wrexham County Borough
, in Wales
. It lies on the River Ceiriog and B4500 road, five miles (8km) west of Chirk
and three miles (6km) south of Llangollen
in the Ceiriog Valley
, Clwyd South National Assembly for Wales constituency
and Clwyd South parliamentary constituency
.
and civil parish
of Llansantffraid Glyn Ceiriog, which can be translated to the "Church of Saint Ffraid in the Ceiriog Valley". From 1889 until 1974, Glyn Ceiriog was governed by the then administrative county
of Denbighshire
, which was divided into various rural districts
. From 1895 to 1935, Glyn Ceiriog was in the Chirk Rural District
, which merged in 1935 with Llansillin Rural District
to form the Ceiriog Rural District
. Glyn Ceiriog was in the Ceiriog Rural District
from 1935 to 1974.
In 1974, Denbighshire
was abolished as an administrative county
, and Glyn Ceiriog was incorporated into the Glyndŵr District
of the new county of Clwyd
. Clwyd
and Glyndŵr District
were dissolved in 1996, and Glyn Ceiriog became a part of the new unitary authority
of Wrexham County Borough, in which it remains to the present day.
, a unitary authority
created in 1996. Glyn Ceiriog is in the Ceiriog Valley
ward
, and has an Independent councillor.
Since 1999, Glyn Ceiriog has been represented at the National Assembly for Wales
by Karen Sinclair
, the Labour Party
Assembly Member
for Clwyd South National Assembly for Wales constituency
.
Since 1997, Glyn Ceiriog has been represented at the Parliament of the United Kingdom
by Martyn Jones
, the Labour Party
Member of Parliament
for Clwyd South parliamentary constituency
.
, a valley created by the River Ceiriog
. Geologically, the area has Ordovician
and Silurian
strata. The soil is thin and peaty.
• Village Post Office
• Cross Stores Village Shop
• Glyn Valley Hotel
• The Oak Y Dderwen
• Canolfan Ceiriog Centre
• Valley Doctors Surgery
• Valley Pharmacy
• Christian Centre
• Ceiriog Memorial Hall
• Llansantffraid Church
quarries and the Glyn Valley Tramway
was built to take the slate to a wharf on the Shropshire Union Canal
and later to interchange sidings with the Great Western Railway
line from Chester
to Shrewsbury
.
(1435 - 1493) is associated with Glyn Ceiriog. The 17th century Welsh poet Huw Morus
(Eos Ceiriog) (1622 - 1709) was born, and lived, near Glyn Ceiriog. The 19th century Eisteddfod-winning poet and lexographer, Rev. Robert Elis (Cynddelw) (1812 - 1875) was a Baptist
minister at Glyn Ceiriog Independent Welsh Baptist Chapel, Seion, from 1838-1840. The Welsh novelist Islwyn Ffowc Elis
spent most of his childhood on a farm near Glyn Ceiriog, although he was born in Wrexham
.
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...
.
Glyn Ceiriog is a former slate mining
Slate industry in Wales
The slate industry in Wales began during the Roman period when slate was used to roof the fort at Segontium, now Caernarfon. The slate industry grew slowly until the early 18th century, then expanded rapidly until the late 19th century, at which time the most important slate producing areas were in...
village in Wrexham County Borough
Wrexham (county borough)
Wrexham is a county borough centred on the town of Wrexham in north-east Wales. The county borough has a population of 130,200 inhabitants. Just under half of the population live either within the town of Wrexham or its surrounding conurbation of urban villages. The remainder living to the south...
, 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...
. It lies on the River Ceiriog and B4500 road, five miles (8km) west of Chirk
Chirk
Chirk is a small town and local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It has a population of over 4,000....
and three miles (6km) south of Llangollen
Llangollen
Llangollen is a small town and community in Denbighshire, north-east Wales, situated on the River Dee and on the edge of the Berwyn mountains. It has a population of 3,412.-History:...
in the Ceiriog Valley
Ceiriog Valley
The Ceiriog Valley or Dyffryn Ceiriog is the valley of the River Ceiriog in north-east Wales. It is also the name of a ward of the County Borough of Wrexham Until 1974 the valley was part of the traditional county of Denbighshire; then it became part of the short-lived county of Clwyd, which was...
, Clwyd South National Assembly for Wales constituency
Clwyd South (National Assembly for Wales constituency)
Clwyd South is a constituency of the National Assembly for Wales. It elects one Assembly Member by the first past the post method of election...
and Clwyd South parliamentary constituency
Clwyd South (UK Parliament constituency)
Clwyd South is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . The constituency was created in 1997, and it elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post method of election.The Clwyd South Welsh Assembly constituency was created with the same...
.
Civic history
Glyn Ceiriog has historically been administered as the parishParish
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...
and 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 Llansantffraid Glyn Ceiriog, which can be translated to the "Church of Saint Ffraid in the Ceiriog Valley". From 1889 until 1974, Glyn Ceiriog was governed by the then administrative county
Administrative county
An administrative county was an administrative division in England and Wales and Ireland used for the purposes of local government. They are now abolished, although in Northern Ireland their former areas are used as the basis for lieutenancy....
of Denbighshire
Denbighshire (historic)
Historic Denbighshire is one of thirteen traditional counties in Wales, a vice-county and a former administrative county, which covers an area in north east Wales...
, which was divided into various rural districts
Rural district
Rural districts were a type of local government area – now superseded – established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales, and Ireland for the administration of predominantly rural areas at a level lower than that of the administrative counties.-England and Wales:In England...
. From 1895 to 1935, Glyn Ceiriog was in the Chirk Rural District
Chirk Rural District
Chirk was a rural district in the administrative county of Denbighshire from 1894 to 1935.The rural district was formed from parts of Oswestry and Corwen Rural Sanitary Districts.The district contained three civil parishes:*Chirk*Glyntraen...
, which merged in 1935 with Llansillin Rural District
Llansillin Rural District
Llansillin was a rural district in the administrative county of Denbighshire from 1894 to 1935....
to form the Ceiriog Rural District
Ceiriog Rural District
Ceiriog was a rural district in the administrative county of Denbighshire from 1935 to 1974.The rural district was formed by a County Review Order in 1935 from the merger of Chirk and Llansillin Rural districts...
. Glyn Ceiriog was in the Ceiriog Rural District
Ceiriog Rural District
Ceiriog was a rural district in the administrative county of Denbighshire from 1935 to 1974.The rural district was formed by a County Review Order in 1935 from the merger of Chirk and Llansillin Rural districts...
from 1935 to 1974.
In 1974, Denbighshire
Denbighshire (historic)
Historic Denbighshire is one of thirteen traditional counties in Wales, a vice-county and a former administrative county, which covers an area in north east Wales...
was abolished as an administrative county
Administrative county
An administrative county was an administrative division in England and Wales and Ireland used for the purposes of local government. They are now abolished, although in Northern Ireland their former areas are used as the basis for lieutenancy....
, and Glyn Ceiriog was incorporated into the Glyndŵr District
Glyndwr
Glyndŵr was one of six districts of Clwyd between 1974 and 1996.It was formed on April 1, 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, from parts of the administrative counties of Denbighshire and Merionethshire....
of the new county of Clwyd
Clwyd
Clwyd is a preserved county of Wales, situated in the north-east, bordering England with Cheshire to its east, Shropshire to the south-east, and the Welsh counties of Gwynedd to its immediate west and Powys to the south. It additionally shares a maritime border with the metropolitan county of...
. Clwyd
Clwyd
Clwyd is a preserved county of Wales, situated in the north-east, bordering England with Cheshire to its east, Shropshire to the south-east, and the Welsh counties of Gwynedd to its immediate west and Powys to the south. It additionally shares a maritime border with the metropolitan county of...
and Glyndŵr District
Glyndwr
Glyndŵr was one of six districts of Clwyd between 1974 and 1996.It was formed on April 1, 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, from parts of the administrative counties of Denbighshire and Merionethshire....
were dissolved in 1996, and Glyn Ceiriog became a part of the new unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
of Wrexham County Borough, in which it remains to the present day.
Political representation
Today, Glyn Ceiriog is administered within Wrexham County Borough CouncilWrexham County Borough Council
Wrexham County Borough Council is the governing body for Wrexham , one of the administrative subdivisions of Wales.- Governance and political composition :...
, a unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
created in 1996. Glyn Ceiriog is in the Ceiriog Valley
Ceiriog Valley
The Ceiriog Valley or Dyffryn Ceiriog is the valley of the River Ceiriog in north-east Wales. It is also the name of a ward of the County Borough of Wrexham Until 1974 the valley was part of the traditional county of Denbighshire; then it became part of the short-lived county of Clwyd, which was...
ward
Wards of the United Kingdom
A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. It is the primary unit of British administrative and electoral geography .-England:...
, and has an Independent councillor.
Since 1999, Glyn Ceiriog has been represented at the National Assembly for Wales
National Assembly for Wales
The National Assembly for Wales is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The Assembly comprises 60 members, who are known as Assembly Members, or AMs...
by Karen Sinclair
Karen Sinclair
Karen Sinclair AM is a Welsh Labour politician, who has represented the constituency of Clwyd South since the National Assembly for Wales was established in 1999. Born and brought up in Wrexham, north Wales, Sinclair has lived in Llangollen for over twenty years.-Education and professional...
, the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
Assembly Member
Members of the National Assembly for Wales
The National Assembly for Wales is composed of 60 members known as AMs or Assembly Members...
for Clwyd South National Assembly for Wales constituency
Clwyd South (National Assembly for Wales constituency)
Clwyd South is a constituency of the National Assembly for Wales. It elects one Assembly Member by the first past the post method of election...
.
Since 1997, Glyn Ceiriog has been represented at the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
by Martyn Jones
Martyn Jones
Martyn David Jones is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Clwyd South from 1987 until his retirement at the 2010 general election.-Early life:...
, the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Clwyd South parliamentary constituency
Clwyd South (UK Parliament constituency)
Clwyd South is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . The constituency was created in 1997, and it elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post method of election.The Clwyd South Welsh Assembly constituency was created with the same...
.
Physical geography/Geology
Glyn Ceiriog is located in the Ceiriog ValleyCeiriog Valley
The Ceiriog Valley or Dyffryn Ceiriog is the valley of the River Ceiriog in north-east Wales. It is also the name of a ward of the County Borough of Wrexham Until 1974 the valley was part of the traditional county of Denbighshire; then it became part of the short-lived county of Clwyd, which was...
, a valley created by the River Ceiriog
River Ceiriog
The River Ceiriog is a river in north east Wales. It is a tributary of the River Dee. It rises on the south east slopes of Moel Fferna in the Berwyn Mountains, and flows through the Ceiriog Valley in Wrexham County Borough. It flows below Chirk Castle and the town of Chirk, where the Chirk...
. Geologically, the area has Ordovician
Ordovician
The Ordovician is a geologic period and system, the second of six of the Paleozoic Era, and covers the time between 488.3±1.7 to 443.7±1.5 million years ago . It follows the Cambrian Period and is followed by the Silurian Period...
and Silurian
Silurian
The Silurian is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Ordovician Period, about 443.7 ± 1.5 Mya , to the beginning of the Devonian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya . As with other geologic periods, the rock beds that define the period's start and end are well identified, but the...
strata. The soil is thin and peaty.
Village Resources
Glyn Ceiriog being the principal village for the Ceiriog Valley, it is home to many of the Valley’s resources,• Village Post Office
• Cross Stores Village Shop
• Glyn Valley Hotel
• The Oak Y Dderwen
• Canolfan Ceiriog Centre
• Valley Doctors Surgery
• Valley Pharmacy
• Christian Centre
• Ceiriog Memorial Hall
• Llansantffraid Church
Industry and Transport
Glyn Ceiriog was once the home of extensive slateSlate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
quarries and the Glyn Valley Tramway
Glyn Valley Tramway
The Glyn Valley Tramway was a narrow gauge railway that connected Chirk with Glyn Ceiriog in Denbighshire , Wales. The gauge of the line was...
was built to take the slate to a wharf on the Shropshire Union Canal
Shropshire Union Canal
The Shropshire Union Canal is a navigable canal in England; the Llangollen and Montgomery canals are the modern names of branches of the Shropshire Union system and lie partially in Wales....
and later to interchange sidings with the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
line from 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 Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
.
Notable residents
A number of Welsh literary figures have lived in or near Glyn Ceiriog in the past. The 15th century Welsh poet Guto'r GlynGuto'r Glyn
Guto'r Glyn was a Welsh language poet and soldier of the era of the Beirdd yr Uchelwyr or Cywyddwyr , the itinerant professional poets of the later Middle Ages...
(1435 - 1493) is associated with Glyn Ceiriog. The 17th century Welsh poet Huw Morus
Huw Morus
Huw Morus or Morys , also known by his bardic name Eos Ceiriog , was a Welsh poet of the 17th century. One of the most popular and prolific poets of his time, he composed a large number of poems in a variety of metres...
(Eos Ceiriog) (1622 - 1709) was born, and lived, near Glyn Ceiriog. The 19th century Eisteddfod-winning poet and lexographer, Rev. Robert Elis (Cynddelw) (1812 - 1875) was a Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
minister at Glyn Ceiriog Independent Welsh Baptist Chapel, Seion, from 1838-1840. The Welsh novelist Islwyn Ffowc Elis
Islwyn Ffowc Elis
Islwyn Ffowc Elis was one of Wales's most popular Welsh-language writers.Born Islwyn Ffoulkes Ellis in Wrexham, Elis was educated at the University of Wales colleges of Bangor and Aberystwyth. During World War II he was a conscientious objector and he began writing poetry and prose, winning the...
spent most of his childhood on a farm near Glyn Ceiriog, although he was born in Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
.