Trefonen
Encyclopedia
Trefonen is a small village located approximately 3 miles south-west of Oswestry
, and 3 miles east of the England-Wales border, in Shropshire
, England
. The name translates into "village of the ash trees" in English. In 2001, the total population was 1,798, but there has been considerable housing development since that time. The village currently comprises over 700 households, a village hall with playing fields and play area, a parish church, one public house—the Barley Mow, one shop, pre school, and a primary school.
The 8th century earthwork Offa's Dyke
ran through the village and it is still visible today, in small sections, running adjacent to Chapel Lane. The Offa's Dyke Path
, tracing the route of the structure, also runs directly through the village. Each summer the more contemporary Trefonen Hill Walk is organised by local residents to raise money for charitable causes.
, records from 1272 show Trefonen as having an obligation to keep the lord's hounds
. However, the village owes most of its current size to mining activity from the early 18th century until the last mine closed in 1891. During this period the resident populace became engaged in the extraction of the underlying coal, the quarrying of surface carboniferous limestone and its subsequent manufacturing use in a local pottery and brickworks. As these industries declined in the latter half of the 19th century local people returned to their agricultural roots and sheep and cattle rearing flourished.
Many of the village's local facilities were built to service the expanding working population of the 18th and 19th centuries and so the Malthouse was built in 1720, the Barley Mow public house in 1760, the Calvinistic Methodist Chapel in 1795, the All Saints parish church in 1821, the school house in 1825, and the Carneddau Independent Chapel in 1832. The village hall is the latest addition and was completed in 1991.
There is also now a brewery in the village which makes Offa's brew. This is located next door to the Barley Mow, and first opened in 2006.
Each year the village holds a Trefonen Hillwalking weekend at the start of the summer, which includes a marathon race, horse trekking, walking with a Scarecrow competition as a highlight, which is held in the farmers' fields.
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....
, and 3 miles east of the England-Wales border, in 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 name translates into "village of the ash trees" in English. In 2001, the total population was 1,798, but there has been considerable housing development since that time. The village currently comprises over 700 households, a village hall with playing fields and play area, a parish church, one public house—the Barley Mow, one shop, pre school, and a primary school.
The 8th century 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...
ran through the village and it is still visible today, in small sections, running adjacent to Chapel Lane. The Offa's Dyke Path
Offa's Dyke Path
Offa's Dyke Path is a long distance footpath along the Welsh-English border. Opened in 1971, it is one of Britain's premier National Trails and draws walkers from throughout the world...
, tracing the route of the structure, also runs directly through the village. Each summer the more contemporary Trefonen Hill Walk is organised by local residents to raise money for charitable causes.
History
Although not mentioned in the Domesday bookDomesday 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...
, records from 1272 show Trefonen as having an obligation to keep the lord's hounds
. However, the village owes most of its current size to mining activity from the early 18th century until the last mine closed in 1891. During this period the resident populace became engaged in the extraction of the underlying coal, the quarrying of surface carboniferous limestone and its subsequent manufacturing use in a local pottery and brickworks. As these industries declined in the latter half of the 19th century local people returned to their agricultural roots and sheep and cattle rearing flourished.
Many of the village's local facilities were built to service the expanding working population of the 18th and 19th centuries and so the Malthouse was built in 1720, the Barley Mow public house in 1760, the Calvinistic Methodist Chapel in 1795, the All Saints parish church in 1821, the school house in 1825, and the Carneddau Independent Chapel in 1832. The village hall is the latest addition and was completed in 1991.
There is also now a brewery in the village which makes Offa's brew. This is located next door to the Barley Mow, and first opened in 2006.
Each year the village holds a Trefonen Hillwalking weekend at the start of the summer, which includes a marathon race, horse trekking, walking with a Scarecrow competition as a highlight, which is held in the farmers' fields.
Notable people
- Maurice ParryMaurice ParryMaurice Parry , was a Welsh international footballer who played for Liverpool Football Club in the early 20th century, helping them to two Football League Championships.-Playing career:...
Welsh international footballer - Sam MeredithSam MeredithSam Meredith was a former footballer, who played in the Football League for Stoke where he made forty five appearances as well as eight appearances for Wales....
Former Welsh footballer - Di JonesDi JonesDavid "Di" Jones was a Welsh footballer who played as a full back for Chirk, Bolton Wanderers and Manchester City in the late 19th century. He also won 14 caps for the Welsh national team.-Club career:...
Former welsh footballer
Football Team
In 2008 the village of Trefonen set up a football team called Trefonen F.C.Trefonen F.C.
Trefonen F.C. is an amateur football team situated in the Village of Trefonen who play in the sixth level of Welsh football. They currently play in the JT Hughes Montgomeryshire League Division Two.- History :...