Penley
Encyclopedia
Penley is a village in the County Borough of Wrexham
, in Wales
close to the border with Shropshire
, England
The village was, until 1974, in an exclave of the ancient county of Flintshire
known as Maelor Saesneg. (English
: "English-speaking Maelor"), sometimes called "Flintshire Detached", which was administered from Overton-on-Dee
. Between 1974 and 1996, Penley was in the short-lived county of Clwyd
.
Penley lies on the path of the long-distance walk, the Maelor Way
. The hospital was founded following a decree from Sir Winston Churchill
after World War II
, to care for Polish
ex-servicemen who fought alongside the Allies
in World War II
, as well as their families, who settled in the area. As a result of this influx, the population of Penley increased threefold. Residents at the hospital and camp included the Polish military commander, Wacław Przeździecki. At its peak, in the early 1950s, the hospital housed more than 2,000 patients and staff.
.
Penley was originally part of the parish
of Ellesmere
in neighbouring Shropshire
, but it became a separate parish towards the end of the Commonwealth
period. In early 1661, it reverted to being part of the parish of Ellesmere, after the Restoration
of Charles II
. In 1860, it again became a separate parish.
It was then in the English (Y)Diocese of Lichfield
until 1920, when following the disestablishment and disendowment of the Church in Wales
, it was transferred to the Welsh Diocese of St Asaph
, where it remains.
of Gredington. Penley's secondary school, The Maelor School
, was built in 1957 and serves the rural communities on both sides of the border. It has had excellent GCSE results over the last few years with a high percentage of pupils getting A*s; it was awarded the title of the "most improved secondary school
in North Wales" from the Curriculum Authority for Wales in 2006 .
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...
, in 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...
close to the border with 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...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
The village was, until 1974, in an exclave of the ancient county of Flintshire
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...
known as Maelor Saesneg. (English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
: "English-speaking Maelor"), sometimes called "Flintshire Detached", which was administered from Overton-on-Dee
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....
. Between 1974 and 1996, Penley was in the short-lived 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...
.
Penley lies on the path of the long-distance walk, the Maelor Way
Maelor Way
Maelor Way is a key long distance footpath, running 38 kilometres / 24 miles from the Offa's Dyke Path National Trail at Bronygarth to the Shropshire Way, Sandstone Trail, Llangollen Canal, South Cheshire Way, and the Marches Way all at Grindley Brook near Whitchurch.- The route :Most of the way is...
Penley Polish Hospital
Penley is home to the Penley Polish Hospital, which is still in operation and cares for 2 patients at present. It is managed by the North East Wales NHS TrustNorth East Wales NHS Trust
North East Wales NHS Trust is an NHS Trust in Wales. The headquarters of the Trust is in the Maelor Hospital, in Wrexham. It was founded on 1 April 1999, when the NHS Trusts in Wales were reconfigured...
. The hospital was founded following a decree from Sir Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, to care for Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
ex-servicemen who fought alongside the Allies
Polish contribution to World War II
The European theater of World War II opened with the German invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939. The Polish Army was defeated after over a month of fighting. After Poland had been overrun, a government-in-exile , armed forces, and an intelligence service were established outside of Poland....
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, as well as their families, who settled in the area. As a result of this influx, the population of Penley increased threefold. Residents at the hospital and camp included the Polish military commander, Wacław Przeździecki. At its peak, in the early 1950s, the hospital housed more than 2,000 patients and staff.
Church and parish history
Penley Church was originally built in 1538. The timber structure was replaced by a brick one in 1793. This was demolished in 1893, and the current church was completed in 1899; it was consecrated in 1902, and dedicated to Mary MagdaleneMary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene was one of Jesus' most celebrated disciples, and the most important woman disciple in the movement of Jesus. Jesus cleansed her of "seven demons", conventionally interpreted as referring to complex illnesses...
.
Penley was originally part of the parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
of 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:...
in neighbouring 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...
, but it became a separate parish towards the end of the Commonwealth
Commonwealth of England
The Commonwealth of England was the republic which ruled first England, and then Ireland and Scotland from 1649 to 1660. Between 1653–1659 it was known as the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland...
period. In early 1661, it reverted to being part of the parish of Ellesmere, after the Restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
of Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
. In 1860, it again became a separate parish.
It was then in the English (Y)Diocese of Lichfield
Diocese of Lichfield
The Diocese of Lichfield is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury, England. The bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Chad in the city of Lichfield. The diocese covers 4,516 km² The Diocese of Lichfield is a Church of England...
until 1920, when following the disestablishment and disendowment of the Church in Wales
Church in Wales
The Church in Wales is the Anglican church in Wales, composed of six dioceses.As with the primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Archbishop of Wales serves concurrently as one of the six diocesan bishops. The current archbishop is Barry Morgan, the Bishop of Llandaff.In contrast to the...
, it was transferred to the Welsh Diocese of St Asaph
Diocese of St Asaph
The Diocese of Saint Asaph is a diocese in north-east Wales, named after Saint Asaph, its second bishop.-Geography:The Anglican Diocese of St Asaph in the north-east corner of Wales stretches from the borders of Chester in the east, to the Conwy valley in the west, to Bala in the south-west, and...
, where it remains.
Schools
Penley has one primary school and one secondary school. The primary school, known as the Madras School, was built in 1811 by George Kenyon II, Baron KenyonBaron Kenyon
Lord Kenyon, Baron of Gredington, in the County of Flint, is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1788 for the lawyer and judge Sir Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baronet. He served as Master of the Rolls and as Lord Chief Justice of England. Kenyon had already been created a Baronet, of...
of Gredington. Penley's secondary school, The Maelor School
The Maelor School
The Maelor School, Penley is a British mixed comprehensive school situated in the village of Penley, north-east Wales. As of February, 2008, the school had a total of 794 pupils aged 11-18 of whom 138 students are in the sixth form ....
, was built in 1957 and serves the rural communities on both sides of the border. It has had excellent GCSE results over the last few years with a high percentage of pupils getting A*s; it was awarded the title of the "most improved secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
in North Wales" from the Curriculum Authority for Wales in 2006 .