Graianrhyd
Encyclopedia
Graianrhyd, also spelt Graeanrhyd, is a small, scattered village in the community
of Llanarmon-yn-Ial
, Denbighshire
, Wales
, lying in hilly limestone
country around 2 miles (3.2 km) to the east of Lanarmon-yn-Ial village, and just to the south of Eryrys
.
The name is likely derived from the Welsh
graean, "gravel", and rhyd, "ford
": there is still a ford across the River Terrig
on a minor road east of the village. There are several limestone and silicate
quarries in the immediate area, which is on the borders of the Clwydian Range
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
; the Clwydian Way
footpath runs nearby. The area is predominantly agricultural with a landscape of woods and pastureland.
There was no church in the village, though there was a nonconformist (Congregationalist) chapel, built in 1843 and rebuilt in 1859 in a simple vernacular
style. The chapel is now closed, though in 1905 it was recorded as having a congregation of 192. The former Graianrhyd primary school ceased to operate in 2002, after its intake for the year fell to only 3 pupils, though the village has retained its pub, the Rose & Crown.
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....
of Llanarmon-yn-Ial
Llanarmon-yn-Ial
Llanarmon-yn-Iâl is a village, and local government community, in Denbighshire, Wales, lying in limestone country in the valley of the River Alyn.- Location :...
, 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...
, 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...
, lying in hilly limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
country around 2 miles (3.2 km) to the east of Lanarmon-yn-Ial village, and just to the south of Eryrys
Eryrys
Eryrys is a village in Denbighshire, Wales, located at approximate grid reference SJ203578, five miles south of Mold. The village is built on the limestone formation of Bryn Alyn and many limestone outcrops can be seen close by...
.
The name is likely derived from the Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
graean, "gravel", and rhyd, "ford
Ford (crossing)
A ford is a shallow place with good footing where a river or stream may be crossed by wading or in a vehicle. A ford is mostly a natural phenomenon, in contrast to a low water crossing, which is an artificial bridge that allows crossing a river or stream when water is low.The names of many towns...
": there is still a ford across the River Terrig
River Terrig
The River Terrig is a small river in north-east Wales.The river rises at Llyn Cyfynwy near Graianrhyd village in the community of Llanarmon-yn-Ial, Denbighshire, about three miles from the source of the River Alyn. It then flows northwards and eastwards, forming the boundary between the old...
on a minor road east of the village. There are several limestone and silicate
Silicate
A silicate is a compound containing a silicon bearing anion. The great majority of silicates are oxides, but hexafluorosilicate and other anions are also included. This article focuses mainly on the Si-O anions. Silicates comprise the majority of the earth's crust, as well as the other...
quarries in the immediate area, which is on the borders of the Clwydian Range
Clwydian Range
The Clwydian Range is a series of hills and mountains in north east Wales that runs from Llandegla in the south to Prestatyn in the north, with the highest point being the popular Moel Famau...
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an area of countryside considered to have significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency on behalf of the United Kingdom government; the Countryside Council for Wales on...
; the Clwydian Way
Clwydian Way
The Clwydian Way is a waymarked long-distance footpath in the United Kingdom running through Denbighshire in north east Wales.-Distance:The waymarked circular walk runs for a total of...
footpath runs nearby. The area is predominantly agricultural with a landscape of woods and pastureland.
There was no church in the village, though there was a nonconformist (Congregationalist) chapel, built in 1843 and rebuilt in 1859 in a simple vernacular
Vernacular architecture
Vernacular architecture is a term used to categorize methods of construction which use locally available resources and traditions to address local needs and circumstances. Vernacular architecture tends to evolve over time to reflect the environmental, cultural and historical context in which it...
style. The chapel is now closed, though in 1905 it was recorded as having a congregation of 192. The former Graianrhyd primary school ceased to operate in 2002, after its intake for the year fell to only 3 pupils, though the village has retained its pub, the Rose & Crown.