Mold, Flintshire

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Mold (Welsh: Yr Wyddgrug) is a town in Flintshire, North Wales, on the River Alyn. It is the administrative seat of Flintshire County Council, and was also the county town of Clwyd from 1974 to 1996. According to the 2001 UK census, it has a population of 10,547.

1 Origin of the name
2 History & Amenities
3 The Mold Riot
4 Incidental information
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Origin of the name

The name Mold originates from the Norman-French "mont-hault" (high hill), and is recorded as "Mohald" in a document of 1254. The Welsh language name of Yr Wyddgrug is recorded as "Gythe Gruc" in a document of 1280-1, and comes from the words "Yr" (the), "gwydd" (tomb, sepulchre) and "crug" (mound). [1]

[edit] History & Amenities

The town grew up around a now ruined castle, built by William II of England, and was the site of frequent battles between English and Welsh forces. The castle was captured for the Welsh by Owain Gwynedd in 1144, was lost to the English, and recaptured by the Welsh in 1201 and 1322. About a mile west of the town is Maes Garmon, (The Field of Germanus), which is the traditional site of the Alleluia Victory by British forces led by Germanus of Auxerre over invading Picts and Scots, fought shortly after Easter 430.

Attractions in Mold include the 13th century parish church a small museum, and the regional arts centre, Clwyd Theatr Cymru. Famous people from the town include the artist Richard Wilson and Daniel Owen, the foremost novelist in the Welsh language. Jonny Buckland, Coldplay's lead guitarist, hails from Pantymwyn, a village two miles from Mold.

The Mold cape.

In 1833, workmen digging a prehistoric mound at Bryn yr Ellyllon (Fairies' or Goblins' Hill) discovered a unique golden cape, which dates from 1900-1600 BC in the Bronze Age. The cape weighs 560 g and was produced from a single gold ingot, which now forms one of the great treasures of the British Museum in London. This golden cape provided inspiration in the naming of the town's "Wetherspoons" pub.

Mold hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1923 and 1991, and again in 2007. There was an unofficial National Eisteddfod event in 1873.

Mold was also once very much connected to the British Rail network, having a large railway station and adjacent marshalling yards and engine sheds; however, this closed when Croes Newydd at Wrexham was opened. The station was closed in the Beeching Cuts of the early 1960s, though the track survived until the 1970s to serve the Synthite works. Subsequently the town's new Tesco supermarket was built on the station site.

Mold is a cittaslow (slow food town). It has only a few restaurants, but its Belvedere is a classic Italian cuisine restaurant, and there are others in the town and nearby that are highly regarded. Mold also has a market every Wednesday and Saturday at which much fresh produce can be obtained. For speciality and fresh local food, the Celyn Farmers Market is held on the first Saturday of every month in Mold (and it continues, as it started, on the third Sunday of the month in nearby Northop). There are several producers in the Mold markets who also appear regularly at the famous Borough Market in London. The Mold Food & Drink Festival is held during September each year. The festival has a central event area on the edge of the town centre, and many central and nearby businesses contribute to the event.

Mold has a very successful secondary school that serves the town and the surrounding villages - the Alun School. With approximately 1,800 pupils it is the largest school in the county and is adjoined by another school which achieves excellent results: the only Welsh language secondary school in Flintshire, Maes Garmon.

[edit] The Mold Riot

In the summer of 1869 a riot occurred in the town which had considerable effects on the future policing of public disturbances in Great Britain. On 17 May 1869, John Young, the English manager of the nearby Leeswood Green colliery, angered his workers by announcing a pay cut. He had previously strained relationships with them by banning the use of the Welsh language underground. Two days later, following a meeting at the pithead, the miners attacked Young before frogmarching him to the police station. Seven men were arrested and ordered to stand trial on 2 June. All were found guilty and the alleged ringleaders, Ismael Jones and John Jones, were sentenced to a month's hard labour. A large crowd had assembled to hear the verdict, and the Chief Constable of Flintshire had arranged for policemen from all over the county, and soldiers from Chester to be present. As the convicts were being transported to the railway station the crowd grew restive and threw missiles at the officers. The soldiers opened fire on the crowd, killing four people including one completely innocent bystander. Although he strenuously denied the connection, Daniel Owen's first novel, Rhys Lewis, published in instalments in 1882-1884, was heavily based on these events. Daniel Owen was a writer who lived in Mold, in Mold he is now a saint.

[edit] Incidental information

The film actor Rhys Ifans, star of films such as Notting Hill, The 51st State and Kevin & Perry Go Large - attended Mold's Welsh speaking high school, Maes Garmon.
Miss Wales 2005, Rhian Fisher, also attended Maes Garmon.
Jonny Buckland (guitarist for Coldplay) attended The Alun School, a neighbouring English speaking school.
Adam Walton (Radio Cymru DJ) attended the Alun School and comes from Nannerch, a nearby village.
Richard Wilson, a Welsh landscape painter, and one of the founder members of the Royal Academy, settled in Mold in 1781 and is buried in the grounds of St Mary's Church, Mold.
Daniel Owen Welsh writer famous for novels such as 'Rhys Lewis' and 'Enoc Huws'
Rhodri Meilir Actor best known for 'Alfie' in BBC comedy, 'My Family
Ron Hughes, a former professional footballer who enjoyed a long career with Chester was born in Mold and also played for and managed Mold Alexandra