River Clywedog
Encyclopedia
The River Clywedog in the county borough of Wrexham
, Wales
has always been the lifeblood of the area, watering crops and livestock since early times, powering corn mills and driving industrial machinery. The river originates to the west of Wrexham, and joins the River Dee
some four miles south east of the Town.
During the 18th century and early 19th centuries the river was truly the powerhouse of the area, running 17 watermill
s along its length – fulling mills to prepare cloth, mills for grinding corn and malt, and paper mill
s. Huge waterwheels powered the bellows blasting air into the iron furnaces at Bersham
, and drove winding and pumping machinery in the lead mines.
The population grew dramatically as the industrial revolution
drew workers to the Wrexham
area, serving the rapidly developing coal
mines, lead mines, limestone quarries, ironworks
and lead smelting works. There was a never-ending demand for food to feed the rapidly increasing workforce. The fertile Clywedog floodplains had always provided rich pasture and corn but, to meet the increased demand, new corn mills were built and additional areas of woodland
were cleared for growing crops. When steam power took over in late 19th and 20th centuries new industries no longer needed to be sited close to the river. New technology and cheap imports from overseas gradually saw the demise of the Clywedog industries.
Today the Clywedog has returned to nature but still plays an important part in the life of the valley area, as a place for wildlife and relaxation. Several of the old buildings and surrounding land are now museums, visitor centres and riverside country parks – Minera Lead Mines
, Nant Mill
Visitor Centre and Picnic Area, Bersham Heritage Centre and Ironworks
and Erddig
.
There is now a 7 mile trail through a number of the old industrial sites which follows the river. Known as the Clywedog Trail
, its starts at the Minera Lead Mines
and finishes at Kings Mills which follows the course of the river with an opportunity to picnic in some of Wrexham's
most spectacular countryside.
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...
, 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...
has always been the lifeblood of the area, watering crops and livestock since early times, powering corn mills and driving industrial machinery. The river originates to the west of Wrexham, and joins 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....
some four miles south east of the Town.
History
Watermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
s along its length – fulling mills to prepare cloth, mills for grinding corn and malt, and paper mill
Paper mill
A paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from vegetable fibres such as wood pulp, old rags and other ingredients using a Fourdrinier machine or other type of paper machine.- History :...
s. Huge waterwheels powered the bellows blasting air into the iron furnaces at Bersham
Bersham
Bersham is a small Welsh village in the suburbs of the county borough of Wrexham that lies next to the River Clywedog. Wrexham owes a large amount of its original industrial heritage to Bersham, but despite this the village still retains a rural feeling....
, and drove winding and pumping machinery in the lead mines.
The population grew dramatically as the industrial revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
drew workers to the 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...
area, serving the rapidly developing coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
mines, lead mines, limestone quarries, ironworks
Ironworks
An ironworks or iron works is a building or site where iron is smelted and where heavy iron and/or steel products are made. The term is both singular and plural, i.e...
and lead smelting works. There was a never-ending demand for food to feed the rapidly increasing workforce. The fertile Clywedog floodplains had always provided rich pasture and corn but, to meet the increased demand, new corn mills were built and additional areas of woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
were cleared for growing crops. When steam power took over in late 19th and 20th centuries new industries no longer needed to be sited close to the river. New technology and cheap imports from overseas gradually saw the demise of the Clywedog industries.
Minera Leadmines
The Minera Lead Mines were a mining operation and now a country park and tourist centre in the village of Minera near Wrexham, in Wrexham County Borough, Wales.-History:...
, Nant Mill
Nant Mill
Nant Mill is a country park in the county of Wrexham, North East Wales. It is managed by Wrexham County Borough and named after a historic corn mill located at the site. It forms part of the Clywedog Trail and includes a visitor centre and two woods, Nant Wood and Plas Power from which Offa's Dyke...
Visitor Centre and Picnic Area, Bersham Heritage Centre and Ironworks
Bersham Ironworks
Bersham Ironworks were large ironworks at Bersham, near Wrexham, North Wales. They are most famous for being the original working site of John Wilkinson...
and Erddig
Erddig
Erddig Hall is a National Trust property on the outskirts of Wrexham, Wales. Located south of Wrexham town centre, it was built in 1684–1687 for Joshua Edisbury, the high sheriff of Denbighshire and was designed by Thomas Webb....
.
There is now a 7 mile trail through a number of the old industrial sites which follows the river. Known as the Clywedog Trail
Clywedog Trail
The Clywedog Trail is a footpath close to Wrexham in Wales. Starting at the Minera Lead Mines and running to King's Mills it follows the course of the River Clywedog. It is a haven for walking, relaxation and enjoying the peace of the wildlife...
, its starts at the Minera Lead Mines
Minera Leadmines
The Minera Lead Mines were a mining operation and now a country park and tourist centre in the village of Minera near Wrexham, in Wrexham County Borough, Wales.-History:...
and finishes at Kings Mills which follows the course of the river with an opportunity to picnic in some of Wrexham's
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...
most spectacular countryside.