Henllan
Encyclopedia
Henllan is a village
in Denbighshire
, Wales
with a population
of approximately 750 (OfNS/2004) and lies in the countryside, approximately 2.25 miles north-west of the walled-town of Denbigh
.
with the tower built separated from the main building, on a rocky mound in a far corner of the churchyard
. It has been suggested that this was to increase area in which the bells could be heard, as the parish
was quite large.
Saint
Sadwrn
's church forms part of the Benefice of Henllan, which includes the parishes of Henllan, Bylchau and Gwytherin.
. The Llindir Inn
is a 13th century partially thatched building, and is well known for its ghost
. Dewi Roberts, in his book The Old Villages of Denbighshire and Flintshire, writes how pub-goers have seen 'an attractive woman in white' (described elsewhere as a woman in blue). She's believed to have been married to a sailor
, and while he was away at sea, she found herself a lover. One winter night her husband took unexpected shore leave, and caught them both in flagrante delicto
. He murdered his wife, and from that moment on, a number of people claim to have seen her. The story attracted so much attention, that it was even part of a television programme back in the sixties.
Like all ghost stories
, however, there are inaccuracies, and local legend has it that only females are able to see the ghost, known as Sylvia. She also appears only in the upstairs part of the pub and on cold frosty nights.
The 'ghost' legend was not known in the village prior to World War II
, and probably originated as a means to encourage more trade, particularly from US troops stationed in near-by Denbigh
.
In recent times another tenant, whose partner was coincidentally named Sylvia, tried un-successfully to embellish the story. Fortunately this Sylvia met a better fate - she just upped and left. The Llindir had the unenviable reputation in that the later day Sylvia's partner was known as "North Wales most miserable landlord", and was referred to by his customers as 'Happy Al' because of his miserable demeanour.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in 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...
with a population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of approximately 750 (OfNS/2004) and lies in the countryside, approximately 2.25 miles north-west of the walled-town of Denbigh
Denbigh
Denbigh is a market town and community in Denbighshire, Wales. Before 1888, it was the county town of Denbighshire. Denbigh lies 8 miles to the north west of Ruthin and to the south of St Asaph. It is about 13 miles from the seaside resort of Rhyl. The town grew around the glove-making industry...
.
Church and tower
Henllan is well known locally for its unusual parish churchParish 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....
with the tower built separated from the main building, on a rocky mound in a far corner of the churchyard
Churchyard
A churchyard is a patch of land adjoining or surrounding a church which is usually owned by the relevant church or local parish itself. In the Scots language or Northern English language this can also be known as a kirkyard or kirkyaird....
. It has been suggested that this was to increase area in which the bells could be heard, as 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...
was quite large.
Saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
Sadwrn
Sadwrn
Sadwrn was the brother of Illtud and is buried at All Saints' Church, Brixworth near Northampton. The English recognise him as St. Giles, the saint who brought Christianity to England. He seems to have held considerable sway in the politics of central Wales, which would have included contemporary...
's church forms part of the Benefice of Henllan, which includes the parishes of Henllan, Bylchau and Gwytherin.
The Ghost of Llindir
The village's only pub is believed to be one of the oldest in WalesWales
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 Llindir Inn
INN
InterNetNews is a Usenet news server package, originally released by Rich Salz in 1991, and presented at the Summer 1992 USENIX conference in San Antonio, Texas...
is a 13th century partially thatched building, and is well known for its ghost
Ghost
In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...
. Dewi Roberts, in his book The Old Villages of Denbighshire and Flintshire, writes how pub-goers have seen 'an attractive woman in white' (described elsewhere as a woman in blue). She's believed to have been married to a sailor
Sailor
A sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses...
, and while he was away at sea, she found herself a lover. One winter night her husband took unexpected shore leave, and caught them both in flagrante delicto
In flagrante delicto
In flagrante delicto or sometimes simply in flagrante is a legal term used to indicate that a criminal has been caught in the act of committing an offence...
. He murdered his wife, and from that moment on, a number of people claim to have seen her. The story attracted so much attention, that it was even part of a television programme back in the sixties.
Like all ghost stories
Ghost story
A ghost story may be any piece of fiction, or drama, or an account of an experience, that includes a ghost, or simply takes as a premise the possibility of ghosts or characters' belief in them. Colloquially, the term can refer to any kind of scary story. In a narrower sense, the ghost story has...
, however, there are inaccuracies, and local legend has it that only females are able to see the ghost, known as Sylvia. She also appears only in the upstairs part of the pub and on cold frosty nights.
The 'ghost' legend was not known in the village prior to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and probably originated as a means to encourage more trade, particularly from US troops stationed in near-by Denbigh
Denbigh
Denbigh is a market town and community in Denbighshire, Wales. Before 1888, it was the county town of Denbighshire. Denbigh lies 8 miles to the north west of Ruthin and to the south of St Asaph. It is about 13 miles from the seaside resort of Rhyl. The town grew around the glove-making industry...
.
In recent times another tenant, whose partner was coincidentally named Sylvia, tried un-successfully to embellish the story. Fortunately this Sylvia met a better fate - she just upped and left. The Llindir had the unenviable reputation in that the later day Sylvia's partner was known as "North Wales most miserable landlord", and was referred to by his customers as 'Happy Al' because of his miserable demeanour.