North Wales is a lovely part of the world, but — if you mention it — many folk probably think of Snowdonia, or the coastline, or the castles, or the well-known tourist centres. This border area, close to England (Chester/Cheshire, and Shropshire) maybe doesn't immediately spring to mind – a pity, because there's much to commend it, with some beautiful countryside on the doorstep, a great deal to see and do within easy reach, and to explore for anyone with an interest in history, whether it be cultural, industrial, or the turbulent past of the Welsh Marches.
It's been home for nearly forty years, but my interest in history developed late and it took longer still before I began looking at the area with fresh eyes and to appreciate what had been right outside the door all the time. Unfortunately, over all the years I took it for granted, a great deal changed, and what was there for the taking even a few years ago has now vanished forever — particularly true of Wrexham town centre.
2001 saw the beginning of the 'project' and the first few photos taken — the shot of the Moss Valley on the main page was one. I began stopping in places I normally only drove through, or made little detours here and there, to wander round with the camera. There was enough to make a modest start with what I hoped would grow into a reasonable online collection, and two pages then went 'live' quite promptly for Brymbo and Berse.
Unfortunately these haven't been added to since, though many more photos were taken as you can see from the provisional list of placenames below. Pages still need to be put together and the photos scanned, and it all takes time which has been in short supply amid other commitments. But I do still hope to add some of the ones already taken*, even if there isn't the opportunity to take any more; and also some older pictures incidentally, from other material collected.
[* Gresford now added]
Meanwhile, beneath the list below, are some links to other sites with photos of Wrexham and area.
Please also see the notes below the list and links
Denbighshire
Berse
Brymbo
Coedpoeth
Ffrwd - see Moss Valley
Gresford
Minera
Moss Valley
Windy Hill
WREXHAM / WRECSAM
Flintshire
Caergwrle
Ffrith
Llanfynydd
MOLD / YR WYDDGRUG
While you wait for more pictures to arrive here, why not take time to explore these other sites where you will find photos — old and new — of Wrexham and some of its surroundings, interesting information, and further worthwhile links:
Peter Leslie's
Changing Face of Wrexham
Photos and more at
Alan's Brymbo pages
More Brymbo photos courtesy of The Judge
Wrexham County Borough Council
Leisure and Tourism section
WCBC also has live webcams of the town centre around the Guildhall
Clwyd Family History Society
has a photograph of every parish church in north-east Wales
accessible from its church photographs index page
Notes
The town or village place-names listed above take you to pages of thumbnails where larger images can be accessed. Pages have not yet been made for place-names without links.
Concerning the county names used: as the pictures are intended to provide background and interest for family historians, as well as anyone nostalgic for home (not forgetting those still here), the pre-1974 county names and boundaries of Denbighshire and Flintshire have deliberately been used to categorise place-names.
In 1974 both the historic counties of Denbighshire and Flintshire ceased to exist, and became instead the single county of Clwyd. In 1997 the two old county names were restored, but their boundaries changed. Over North Wales as a whole – as in many other parts of Wales and the rest of the UK – we had a mix of old, not-so-old and completely new county names, boroughs, councils, etc. Wrexham became a county borough in its own right, but was formerly in 'old' Denbighshire; Mold is in the 'new' Flintshire; and Ruthin is in 'new' Denbighshire; but all three were in the 1974-1997 county of Clwyd.
The family history angle means you're likely to find shots of churches and chapels and possibly not much else, but these should be added to eventually ... meanwhile check out the other links above for more photos of Wrexham and area.
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