Denbighshire (historic)
Encyclopedia
Historic Denbighshire is one of thirteen traditional counties in Wales, a vice-county and a former administrative county, which covers an area in north east 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 a maritime county, bounded to the north by the Irish Sea
Irish Sea
The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the north by the North Channel. Anglesey is the largest island within the Irish Sea, followed by the Isle of Man...

, to the east by Flintshire
Flintshire (historic)
Flintshire , also known as the County of Flint, is one of thirteen historic counties, a vice-county and a former administrative county, which mostly lies on the north east coast of Wales....

, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...

 and Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...

, to the south by Montgomeryshire
Montgomeryshire
Montgomeryshire, also known as Maldwyn is one of thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. Montgomeryshire is still used as a vice-county for wildlife recording...

 and Merionethshire
Merionethshire
Merionethshire is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales, a vice county and a former administrative county.The administrative county of Merioneth, created under the Local Government Act 1888, was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972 on April 1, 1974...

, and to the west by Caernarfonshire
Caernarfonshire
Caernarfonshire , historically spelled as Caernarvonshire or Carnarvonshire in English during its existence, was one of the thirteen historic counties, a vice-county and a former administrative county of Wales....

.

Under the Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....

, the use of Denbighshire for local government
Local government in the United Kingdom
The pattern of local government in England is complex, with the distribution of functions varying according to the local arrangements. Legislation concerning local government in England is decided by the Parliament and Government of the United Kingdom, because England does not have a devolved...

 and ceremonial
Lord Lieutenant
The title Lord Lieutenant is given to the British monarch's personal representatives in the United Kingdom, usually in a county or similar circumscription, with varying tasks throughout history. Usually a retired local notable, senior military officer, peer or business person is given the post...

 purposes ended on 1 April 1974, with the creation of the new county of Clwyd
Clwyd
Clwyd is a preserved county of Wales, situated in the north-east, bordering England with Cheshire to its east, Shropshire to the south-east, and the Welsh counties of Gwynedd to its immediate west and Powys to the south. It additionally shares a maritime border with the metropolitan county of...

. The present county
Subdivisions of Wales
For local government purposes, Wales is divided into 22 single-tier principal areas, which are responsible for the provision of all local government services, including education, social work, environment and roads services...

 of 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...

 was created on 1 April 1996, covering a substantially different area.

History

Denbighshire was created by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535-1542
Laws in Wales Acts 1535-1542
The Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 were parliamentary measures by which the legal system of Wales was annexed to England and the norms of English administration introduced. The intention was to create a single state and a single legal jurisdiction; frequently referred to as England and Wales...

 from areas previously in the Marches. It was formed from Cantrefi taken as follows;

From Gwynedd
Kingdom of Gwynedd
Gwynedd was one petty kingdom of several Welsh successor states which emerged in 5th-century post-Roman Britain in the Early Middle Ages, and later evolved into a principality during the High Middle Ages. It was based on the former Brythonic tribal lands of the Ordovices, Gangani, and the...

:
  • Rhos
  • Rhufoniog
  • Dyffryn Clwyd


From Powys Fadog
Powys Fadog
Powys Fadog or Lower Powys was the northern portion of the former princely realm of Powys which split in two following the death of Madog ap Maredudd of Powys in 1160...

:
  • Iâl
  • Maelor Gymraeg
    Maelor
    Maelor is a border area of north-east Wales. It originated as a Cantref of the Kingdom of Powys, focused on Bangor-on-Dee.-History:The Maelor was first divided from the rest of Wales by the construction of Offa's Dyke in the eighth century, but was reclaimed for Wales during the reign of Stephen...

  • Nanheudwy
  • Cynllaith

Geography

In the south and west of the county, the mountains of the Clwydian Range rise from 1000 to 2500 ft (762 m) high. The east is hilly. There is some level ground along the coastal strip. The highest points are Moel Sych and Cader Berwyn at 2713 feet (826.9 m). Pistyll-y-Rhaeader
Pistyll Rhaeadr
Pistyll Rhaeadr is a waterfall, located a few miles from the village of Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant in Powys, Wales, twelve miles west of Oswestry.- Description :...

 is a spectacular 240 feet (73.2 m) waterfall. The chief rivers are the Clwyd
River Clwyd
The River Clwyd is a river in North Wales which rises in the Clocaenog Forest northwest of Corwen.It flows due south until at Melin-y-Wig it veers northeastwards, tracking the A494 to Ruthin. Here it leaves the relatively narrow valley and enters a broad agricultural vale, the Vale of Clwyd...

 and the 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....

. The River Conwy
River Conwy
The River Conwy is a river in north Wales. From its source to its discharge in Conwy Bay it is a little over long. "Conwy" is sometimes Anglicized as "Conway."...

 runs north along the western boundary.

The main towns in the area today are Rhyl
Rhyl
Rhyl is a seaside resort town and community situated on the north east coast of Wales, in the county of Denbighshire , at the mouth of the River Clwyd . To the west is the suburb of Kinmel Bay, with the resort of Towyn further west, Prestatyn to the east and Rhuddlan to the south...

, 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...

, Llangollen
Llangollen
Llangollen is a small town and community in Denbighshire, north-east Wales, situated on the River Dee and on the edge of the Berwyn mountains. It has a population of 3,412.-History:...

, Llanrwst
Llanrwst
Llanrwst is a small town and community on the A470 road and the River Conwy in Conwy County Borough, Wales. It takes its name from the 5th century to 6th century Saint Grwst, and the original parish church in Cae Llan was replaced by the 12th-century church....

, and Ruthin
Ruthin
Ruthin is a community and the county town of Denbighshire in north Wales. Located around a hill in the southern part of the Vale of Clwyd - the older part of the town, the castle and Saint Peter's Square are located on top of the hill, while many newer parts of the town are on the floodplain of...

. The most important industries are agriculture and tourism.

Places of special interest

  • Bodnant Garden
    Bodnant Garden
    Bodnant Garden is a National Trust property near Tal-y-Cafn, in the county borough of Conwy, Wales. Bodnant Garden is situated above the River Conwy and overlooks the Conwy valley towards the Carneddau range of mountains.- History :...

    s, Tal-y-Cafn ;
  • Chirk Castle
    Chirk Castle
    Chirk Castle is a castle located at Chirk, Wrexham, Wales.The castle was built in 1295 by Roger Mortimer de Chirk, uncle of Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March as part of King Edward I's chain of fortresses across the north of Wales. It guards the entrance to the Ceiriog Valley...

     ; (now in Wrexham County Borough)
  • Denbigh Castle
    Denbigh Castle
    Denbigh Castle was a fortress built following the 13th-century conquest of Wales by Edward I.The castle, which stands on a rocky promontory above the Welsh market town of Denbigh, Denbighshire, was built upon an earlier Welsh stronghold. It was defended by a unique triple-towered gateway.A planned...

     ;
  • Pillar of Eliseg
    Pillar of Eliseg
    The Pillar of Eliseg also known as Elise's Pillar or Croes Elisedd in Welsh, stands near Valle Crucis Abbey, Denbighshire, Wales, at . It was erected by Cyngen ap Cadell , king of Powys in honour of his great-grandfather Elisedd ap Gwylog...

     ;
  • Plas Newydd
    Plas Newydd (Llangollen)
    Plas Newydd in the town of Llangollen, Wales, was the home of the Ladies of Llangollen, Lady Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby, for nearly 50 years. Today, it is run as a museum by Denbighshire County Council....

    , Llangollen ;
  • Valle Crucis Abbey
    Valle Crucis Abbey
    Valle Crucis Abbey is a Cistercian abbey located in Llantysilio in Denbighshire, Wales. More formally the Abbey Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Valle Crucis it is known in Welsh both as Abaty Glyn Egwestl and Abaty Glyn y Groes.The abbey was built in 1201 by Madog ap Gruffydd Maelor, Prince of...

    , Llangollen .

Municipal reform

An administrative county
Administrative county
An administrative county was an administrative division in England and Wales and Ireland used for the purposes of local government. They are now abolished, although in Northern Ireland their former areas are used as the basis for lieutenancy....

 of Denbighshire was created in 1889 by the Local Government Act 1888
Local Government Act 1888
The Local Government Act 1888 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which established county councils and county borough councils in England and Wales...

. The county was governed by an elected county council
County council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...

, who took over the functions of the Quarter Sessions
Quarter Sessions
The Courts of Quarter Sessions or Quarter Sessions were local courts traditionally held at four set times each year in the United Kingdom and other countries in the former British Empire...

 courts.

The administrative county was subdivided into municipal borough
Municipal borough
Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002...

s and urban
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....

 and rural district
Rural district
Rural districts were a type of local government area – now superseded – established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales, and Ireland for the administration of predominantly rural areas at a level lower than that of the administrative counties.-England and Wales:In England...

s.
  • The boroughs 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...

     and Ruthin
    Ruthin
    Ruthin is a community and the county town of Denbighshire in north Wales. Located around a hill in the southern part of the Vale of Clwyd - the older part of the town, the castle and Saint Peter's Square are located on top of the hill, while many newer parts of the town are on the floodplain of...

     were reformed in 1835 by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835
    Municipal Corporations Act 1835
    The Municipal Corporations Act 1835  – sometimes known as the Municipal Reform Act, was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in the incorporated boroughs of England and Wales...

    . The county's third borough, 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...

     was incorporated in 1857. Colwyn Bay urban district was incorporated in 1934.
  • Three urban districts were formed by the Local Government Act 1894
    Local Government Act 1894
    The Local Government Act 1894 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales outside the County of London. The Act followed the reforms carried out at county level under the Local Government Act 1888...

    : Abergele and Pensarn
    Abergele
    Abergele is a community and old Roman trading town, situated on the north coast of Wales between the holiday resorts of Colwyn Bay and Rhyl, in Conwy County Borough. Its northern suburb of Pensarn lies on the Irish Sea coast and is known for its beach, where it is claimed by some that a ghost ship...

     (renamed Abergele in 1935), Colwyn Bay and Colwyn
    Colwyn Bay
    - Demography :Prior to local government reorganisation on 1 April 1974 Colwyn Bay was a municipal borough with a population of c.25,000, but in 1974 this designation disappeared leaving five separate parishes, known as communities in Wales, of which the one bearing the name Colwyn Bay encompassed...

     (renamed Colwyn Bay in 1926, and incorporated as a borough in 1934) and Llangollen
    Llangollen
    Llangollen is a small town and community in Denbighshire, north-east Wales, situated on the River Dee and on the edge of the Berwyn mountains. It has a population of 3,412.-History:...

    , as successors to urban sanitary districts
    Sanitary district
    Sanitary districts were established in England and Wales in 1875 and in Ireland in 1878. The districts were of two types, based on existing structures:*Urban sanitary districts in towns with existing local government bodies...

    . in 1897 Llanrwst
    Llanrwst
    Llanrwst is a small town and community on the A470 road and the River Conwy in Conwy County Borough, Wales. It takes its name from the 5th century to 6th century Saint Grwst, and the original parish church in Cae Llan was replaced by the 12th-century church....

     urban district was formed.
  • Eight rural districts were formed (also by the 1894 Act), based on existing rural sanitary districts: Chirk
    Chirk Rural District
    Chirk was a rural district in the administrative county of Denbighshire from 1894 to 1935.The rural district was formed from parts of Oswestry and Corwen Rural Sanitary Districts.The district contained three civil parishes:*Chirk*Glyntraen...

    , Llangollen
    Llangollen Rural District
    Llangollen was a rural district in the administrative county of Denbighshire, Wales, from 1894 to 1935.The rural district comprised part of the existing Corwen Rural Sanitary District, and consisted of three civil parishes:*Bryneglas*Llangollen Rural...

    , Llanrwst
    Llanrwst Rural District
    Llanrwst was a rural district in the administrative county of Denbighshire from 1894 to 1935.The rural district was formed from the part of Llanrwst Rural Sanitary District in Denbighshire...

    , Llansillin
    Llansillin Rural District
    Llansillin was a rural district in the administrative county of Denbighshire from 1894 to 1935....

    , Ruthin
    Ruthin Rural District
    Ruthin was a rural district in the administrative county of Denbighshire from 1894 to 1974.The rural district was formed from the area of Ruthin Rural Sanitary District.The district originally contained nineteen civil parishes:*Aberwheeler Rural*Clocaenog...

    , St Asaph (Denbigh)
    St Asaph (Denbigh) Rural District
    St Asaph was a rural district in the administrative county of Denbighshire from 1894 to 1935.The rural district was formed from the parts of St Asaph Rural Sanitary Districts in Denbighshire...

    , Uwchaled
    Uwchaled Rural District
    Uwchaled was a rural district in the administrative county of Denbighshire, Wales, from 1894 to 1935. The name denoted the upper reaches of the River Aled, and originated in the medieval cwmwd of Uwch Aled....

     and Wrexham
    Wrexham Rural District
    Wrexham was a rural district in the administrative county of Denbighshire from 1894 and 1974.The rural district took over the of the existing Wrexham Rural Sanitary District...

    .


Two civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...

es: Llaneilian yn Rhos and Llansanffraid Glan Conway were administered as part of Conwy Rural District in the neighbouring county of Caernarfonshire
Caernarfonshire
Caernarfonshire , historically spelled as Caernarvonshire or Carnarvonshire in English during its existence, was one of the thirteen historic counties, a vice-county and a former administrative county of Wales....

. This area was sometimes called Glan Conway Rural District
Glan Conway Rural District
Glan Conway was an area in the administrative county of Denbighshire which was administered by the Conway Rural District in the neighbouring county of Caernarvonshire....

.

In 1935 the rural districts were reorganised by a County Review Order
Local Government Act 1929
The Local Government Act 1929 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that made changes to the Poor Law and local government in England and Wales....

, and reduced to five in number: Aled
Aled Rural District
Aled was a rural district in the administrative county of Denbighshire, Wales, from 1935 to 1974.The district was created by a county review order in 1935 which reoganised districts in the county. It was formed by merging the bulk of St Asaph Rural District with the Nant Conway area previously...

, Ceiriog
Ceiriog Rural District
Ceiriog was a rural district in the administrative county of Denbighshire from 1935 to 1974.The rural district was formed by a County Review Order in 1935 from the merger of Chirk and Llansillin Rural districts...

, Hiraethog
Hiraethog Rural District
Hiraethog was a rural district of the administrative county of Denbighshire, Wales, from 1935 to 1974. The district took its name from the historic district of Mynydd Hiraethog....

, Ruthin and Wrexham.

The administrative county was abolished in 1974, with most of its territory becoming part of the new districts of Colwyn
Colwyn
The Borough of Colwyn was one of six districts of the county of Clwyd, north-east Wales, from 1974 to 1996.It was formed under the Local Government Act 1972 from the following parts of the administrative county of Denbighshire:...

, Wrexham Maelor
Wrexham Maelor
Wrexham Maelor was one of six local government districts of the county of Clwyd, north-east Wales, from 1974 to 1996.It was formed from parts of the administrative counties of Denbighshire and Flintshire....

 and Glyndŵr
Glyndwr
Glyndŵr was one of six districts of Clwyd between 1974 and 1996.It was formed on April 1, 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, from parts of the administrative counties of Denbighshire and Merionethshire....

 in Clwyd
Clwyd
Clwyd is a preserved county of Wales, situated in the north-east, bordering England with Cheshire to its east, Shropshire to the south-east, and the Welsh counties of Gwynedd to its immediate west and Powys to the south. It additionally shares a maritime border with the metropolitan county of...

. The urban district of Llanrwst and five rural parishes were included in Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...

.

External links

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