Babell
Encyclopedia
Babell is a hamlet in Flintshire
, Wales
. It is part of the community
of Ysgeifiog.
The hamlet takes its name from the Babell Methodist chapel, built in 1836, but the surrounding area was formerly known as Gelliloveday or Gellilyfdy (a township
of Ysgeifiog parish). The name Gellilyfdy was recorded in the Domesday book
, and possibly means "wych elm
wood" (from Welsh
gelli, "wood", and llwyv, llwyfanen, "wych elm").
There is a section of the ancient earthwork Offa's Dyke
nearby at Llyn-Ddu. Although rural the area is dotted with old lead workings from the 19th century.
The notable 17th century antiquary John Jones
lived at the hall of Gellilyfdy, to the west of the present-day village.
Flintshire
Flintshire is a county in north-east Wales. It borders Denbighshire, Wrexham and the English county of Cheshire. It is named after the historic county of Flintshire, which had notably different borders...
, 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 is part of the community
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 Ysgeifiog.
The hamlet takes its name from the Babell Methodist chapel, built in 1836, but the surrounding area was formerly known as Gelliloveday or Gellilyfdy (a township
Township (England)
In England, a township is a local division or district of a large parish containing a village or small town usually having its own church...
of Ysgeifiog parish). The name Gellilyfdy was recorded in the Domesday book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
, and possibly means "wych elm
Wych Elm
Ulmus glabra, the Wych elm or Scots elm, has the widest range of the European elm species, from Ireland eastwards to the Urals, and from the Arctic Circle south to the mountains of the Peloponnese in Greece; it is also found in Iran...
wood" (from 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...
gelli, "wood", and llwyv, llwyfanen, "wych elm").
There is a section of the ancient earthwork Offa's Dyke
Offa's Dyke
Offa's Dyke is a massive linear earthwork, roughly followed by some of the current border between England and Wales. In places, it is up to wide and high. In the 8th century it formed some kind of delineation between the Anglian kingdom of Mercia and the Welsh kingdom of Powys...
nearby at Llyn-Ddu. Although rural the area is dotted with old lead workings from the 19th century.
The notable 17th century antiquary John Jones
John Jones of Gellilyfdy
John Jones of Gellilyfdy was a Welsh lawyer, antiquary, calligrapher, manuscript collector and scribe. He is particularly significant for his copying of many historic Welsh language manuscripts which would otherwise have been lost....
lived at the hall of Gellilyfdy, to the west of the present-day village.