Caergwrle

Caergwrle

The River Alyn in Caergwrle
Caergwrle
Caergwrle shown within Flintshire
Population 1,619 (Ward, 2011)
OS grid reference SJ303575
Principal area
Ceremonial county
Country Wales
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town WREXHAM
Postcode district LL12
Dialling code 01978
Police North Wales
Fire North Wales
Ambulance Welsh
EU Parliament Wales
UK Parliament
Welsh Assembly

Caergwrle is a village in the county of Flintshire, in north east Wales. Approximately 5–6 miles from Wrexham and situated on the A541 road, it is contiguous with the villages of Abermorddu and Hope, though, in parts, the Caergwrle and Hope are separated by a river border. The village lies on the River Alyn and sits at the base of Hope Mountain. At the 2001 Census, the population was 1,650.[1] The population was subsequently absorbed in the Community of Hope and only the electoral ward remained. The population of this ward as taken at the 2011 census was 1,619.[2]

History

The 13th century ruined Caergwrle Castle was first built by prince Dafydd ap Gruffudd, in lands given to him by Edward I of England after the first Welsh campaign of 1277. The village originally had the English placename of Corley, but with the addition of the Welsh placename epithet "Caer", meaning "fortress", the name gradually took on Welsh characteristics. To explain the name, a myth developed of a giant named Gwrle, who was supposed to have lived in the castle and been buried in the nearby Neolithic burial mound at Cefn-y-bedd.[3]

Caergwrle Castle.

The 17th-century Packhorse Bridge, which is reputed to be haunted, was nearly destroyed by flooding in 2000, though it has since been restored. There have been many other developments and restorations in Caergwrle.

Caergwrle is also home to a Welsh International football player George Alfred Godding who played from 17/03/1923 to 14/04/1923 with 2 caps for Wales

Caergwrle's long association with the adjacent village of Hope has given rise to a well-known local joke: "Live in Hope, die in Caergwrle".[4] This was already described as an "old saying" in the 19th century, when it was recorded by the antiquarian John Askew Roberts.[5]

Transport

Rail

The service from Wrexham Central to Bidston passes through Caergwrle railway station. Bidston provides a connection to Liverpool via the Wirral Line. Caergwrle railway station is managed by Arriva Trains Wales.

Bus

Caergwrle has bus links giving access to Mold, Broughton, Wrexham and Chester.

Pubs in Caergwrle

There are several pubs in Caergwrle, including The Crown Inn, The Halfway Inn, The Bridge Inn (which is also a Chinese restaurant) and Ye Old Castle Inn. Many of these pubs have their own Pool and Darts teams.

The Caergwrle Bowl

The Caergwrle bowl is a unique object dating to the Middle Bronze Age, originally manufactured from shale, tin and gold. It is thought to represent a boat, with its applied gold decoration signifying shields, oars and waves. The incomplete bowl was found in 1823 by a workman digging a drain in a field below Caergwrle Castle. It was donated to the National Museum Wales in 1912, and sent to the British Museum for restoration where it was originally reconstructed from wax with the decoration attached by an adhesive. Since then the bowl has been rebuilt again as the first conservation failed to be stable.[6]

References

  1. ↑ 2001 Census: Caergwrle, Office for National Statistics, retrieved 2 July 2008
  2. ↑ "Ward population 2011". Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  3. ↑ Hywel Wyn Owen (1998), The Place-Names of Wales, ISBN 0-7083-1458-9
  4. ↑ The AA touring guide to Wales, Automobile Association, 1975, p.205
  5. ↑ Roberts, J. A. The gossiping guide to Wales, Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co, 1883, p.66
  6. ↑ Davis, Mary "Re-conserving the Caergwrle Bowl" Museum Wales Website Retrieved on 17 February 2010

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