Maelor
Encyclopedia
Maelor is a border area of north-east Wales
. It originated as a Cantref of the Kingdom of Powys, focused on Bangor-on-Dee
.
in the eighth century, but was reclaimed for Wales during the reign of Stephen of England
(1135-54) by Madog ap Maredudd
of Powys
. He died in 1160 and the region was subdivided amongst his heirs and the heirs of Tudor Trevor. By the thirteenth century Maelor had been divided into numerous parts. There was Maelor Gymraeg based upon Wrexham
and various Anglo-Norman lordships, namely Overton
, Ellesmere
, Whittington
and Oswestry
.
In 1282-1283, Edward I of England
completed the conquest of the area east of the River Dee, the various lordships being known as the Maelor Saesneg. The western area remained Welsh as the Maelor Gymraeg. These names existed by 1202.
, the Maelor Saesneg was merged with the County Palatine of Chester to form the Principality of Chester.
The Maelor Saesneg, the "English-speaking Maelor" is an area of Wales along the eastern border. In 1536 the area was included in the newly-created county of Flintshire
, forming the Hundred of Maelor. Although part of Flintshire, Maelor Hundred was an exclave, surrounded by Cheshire, Shropshire and Denbighshire. The administrative centre of the area, often referred to as Flintshire Detached, was Overton
and it included the villages of Bangor on Dee, Bettisfield, Bronington
, Hanmer
, Knolton, Penley
, Tybroughton, Willington and Worthenbury.
In 1887 a Boundary Commission
was appointed to review the boundaries of counties in England and Wales. At an inquiry at Overton, it was found that most of the population of the area favoured it becoming part of Shropshire
, and this was later supported by resolution of the Flintshire justices of the peace. However, when local government legislation
was introduced no change was made.
Under the Local Government Act 1894
the area became Maelor Rural District
, remaining as a detached part of Flintshire until 1974.
, Erbistock
, Marchwiel
, Ruabon
and Wrexham
in the historic county of Denbighshire
which was created in 1536.
, and both halves of the Maelor were included in Wrexham Maelor
, one of six districts in the new county of Clwyd
. In 1996 a further local government reorganisation
took place, and Maelor became part of the county borough of Wrexham
.
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 originated as a Cantref of the Kingdom of Powys, focused on Bangor-on-Dee
Bangor-on-Dee
Bangor-on-Dee is a local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It is a village in the ancient district of Maelor in Wales, situated on the banks of the River Dee...
.
History
The Maelor was first divided from the rest of Wales by the construction of Offa's DykeOffa'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...
in the eighth century, but was reclaimed for Wales during the reign of Stephen of England
Stephen of England
Stephen , often referred to as Stephen of Blois , was a grandson of William the Conqueror. He was King of England from 1135 to his death, and also the Count of Boulogne by right of his wife. Stephen's reign was marked by the Anarchy, a civil war with his cousin and rival, the Empress Matilda...
(1135-54) by Madog ap Maredudd
Madog ap Maredudd
Madog ap Maredudd was the last Prince of the entire Kingdom of Powys, Wales and for a time held the Fitzalan Lordship of Oswestry.Madog was the son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn and grandson of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn. He followed his father on the throne of Powys in 1132...
of Powys
Powys
Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
. He died in 1160 and the region was subdivided amongst his heirs and the heirs of Tudor Trevor. By the thirteenth century Maelor had been divided into numerous parts. There was Maelor Gymraeg based upon 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...
and various Anglo-Norman lordships, namely Overton
Overton
-People:* Constantine Overton* David M. Overton* Doug Overton* Edward Overton, Jr. , United States representative from Pennsylvania* Elli Overton* Frank Overton* Guy Overton* Hall Overton* Iain Overton...
, Ellesmere
Ellesmere, Shropshire
Ellesmere is a small market town near Oswestry in north Shropshire, England, notable for its proximity to a number of prominent lakes, the Meres.-History:...
, Whittington
Whittington, Shropshire
Whittington is a village in north west Shropshire, England.The civil parish of Whittington has a population of 2,490 as of the 2001 census. The village of Whittington is in the centre of the parish, and two smaller villages, Hindford to the north-east and Babbinswood to the south, are also within...
and Oswestry
Oswestry
Oswestry is a town and civil parish in Shropshire, England, close to the Welsh border. It is at the junction of the A5, A483, and A495 roads....
.
In 1282-1283, Edward I of England
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
completed the conquest of the area east of the River Dee, the various lordships being known as the Maelor Saesneg. The western area remained Welsh as the Maelor Gymraeg. These names existed by 1202.
Maelor Saesneg
In 1397, under Richard II of EnglandRichard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
, the Maelor Saesneg was merged with the County Palatine of Chester to form the Principality of Chester.
The Maelor Saesneg, the "English-speaking Maelor" is an area of Wales along the eastern border. In 1536 the area was included in the newly-created county of 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....
, forming the Hundred of Maelor. Although part of Flintshire, Maelor Hundred was an exclave, surrounded by Cheshire, Shropshire and Denbighshire. The administrative centre of the area, often referred to as Flintshire Detached, was Overton
Overton-on-Dee
Overton-on-Dee is a small rural town and a local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales....
and it included the villages of Bangor on Dee, Bettisfield, Bronington
Bronington
Bronington is a local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. The community has an area of 3,482 hectares and a population of 1,228 ....
, Hanmer
Hanmer
Hanmer is a village and a local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. At the 2001 Census the population of the Hanmer community area, which includes Hanmer village itself, Horseman's Green and Arowry along with a number of small hamlets,...
, Knolton, Penley
Penley
Penley is a village in the County Borough of Wrexham, in Wales close to the border with Shropshire, EnglandThe village was, until 1974, in an exclave of the ancient county of Flintshire known as Maelor Saesneg. , sometimes called "Flintshire Detached", which was administered from Overton-on-Dee...
, Tybroughton, Willington and Worthenbury.
In 1887 a Boundary Commission
Local Government (Boundaries) Act 1887
The Local Government Act 1887 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Act established boundary commissioners to reform the areas of administrative bodies in England and Wales in preparation for the creation of elected councils by the Local Government Act 1888...
was appointed to review the boundaries of counties in England and Wales. At an inquiry at Overton, it was found that most of the population of the area favoured it becoming part of 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...
, and this was later supported by resolution of the Flintshire justices of the peace. However, when local government legislation
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...
was introduced no change was made.
Under 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...
the area became Maelor Rural District
Maelor Rural District
Maelor was a rural district in the administrative county of Flintshire, Wales, from 1894 to 1974. The area approximated to the hundred of Maelor or Maelor Saesneg, and was notable for forming a detached part of the county, surrounded by Cheshire, Denbighshire and Shropshire.The district was formed...
, remaining as a detached part of Flintshire until 1974.
Maelor Gymraeg
The Maelor Gymraeg, the "Welsh-speaking Maelor", is an ancient district of Wales to the west of the River Dee. It corresponds approximately to the later parishes of BershamBersham
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....
, Erbistock
Erbistock
Erbistock is a village and a local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. The village lies on the banks of the River Dee....
, Marchwiel
Marchwiel
Marchwiel is a village and a local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales.It is about 2 miles south-east of Wrexham town on the A525 road towards Bangor-on-Dee...
, Ruabon
Ruabon
Ruabon is a village and community in the county borough of Wrexham in Wales.More than 80% of the population of 2,400 were born in Wales with 13.6% speaking Welsh....
and 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...
in the historic county of Denbighshire
Denbighshire (historic)
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...
which was created in 1536.
The Maelor today
In 1974, local government in Wales was reorganisedLocal 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....
, and both halves of the Maelor were included in 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....
, one of six districts in 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...
. In 1996 a further local government reorganisation
Local Government (Wales) Act 1994
The Local Government Act 1994 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which created the current local government structure in Wales of 22 unitary authority areas, referred to as principal areas in the Act, and abolished the previous two-tier structure of counties and districts...
took place, and Maelor became part of the county borough of Wrexham
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...
.