Chirk
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Coordinates: 52°55′49″N 3°03′01″W / 52.93026°N 3.05025°W
| Chirk | |
| Welsh: Y Waun | |
  Chirk
Chirk shown within Wales |
|
| OS grid reference | |
|---|---|
| Principal area | Wrexham |
| Ceremonial county | Clwyd |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | WREXHAM |
| Postcode district | LL14 |
| Dialling code | 01691 |
| Police | North Wales |
| Fire | North Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| EU Parliament | Wales |
| UK Parliament | Clwyd South |
| Welsh Assembly | Clwyd South |
| List of places: UK • Wales • Wrexham | |
Chirk (Welsh: Y Waun) is a small town in north-east Wales, between Wrexham and Oswestry. Chirk has been part of the County Borough of Wrexham since local government reorganisation in 1996; prior to which it was administered as part of the county Clwyd and was part of the former county of Denbighshire. The border with the English county of Shropshire is a mile east of the town.
The town is served by Chirk railway station.
Contents |
[edit] History and heritage
Chirk Castle, a National Trust property, is a medieval castle. Two families are associated with the town and its castle, the Trevor family of Brynkinallt and the Myddletons.
Attractions in the town apart from Chirk Castle include a section of Offa's Dyke and the Chirk Aqueduct on the Llangollen Canal, built in 1801 by Thomas Telford. The Glyn Valley Tramway operated from here.
The Parish Church of St Mary's is a Grade I listed building. The current church building was begun during the 11th Century by the Normans, although it is believed that an older llan, dedicated to St Tysilio, had existed on the site. Indeed, the current church was known by the dedication of St Tysilio until the late 15th or early 16th century, after which it was re-dedicated to St Mary. Today, the church is a member of the Open Church Network and participates in the Sacred Space Project.
Chirk was formerly a coal mining community with coal being worked since the 17th century. The largest of these collieries were Black Park (one of the oldest in the north of Wales) and Brynkinallt (Welsh: Bryncunallt). After the closure of these mines, an open-cast coal mine opened in the late 1980's. This coal mine has now also closed.
Chirk was a coaching stop on the old Mail coach route along the A5 from London to Holyhead.
The Chester to Ruabon railway had been extended south to Shrewsbury by 1848 with stations at Llangollen Road (at Whitehurst) and Chirk. South of the town a railway viaduct was constructed by Henry Robertson to take the line over the Ceiriog Valley.
The Llangollen branch of the Shropshire Union Canal runs through Chirk. The canal crosses the Ceiriog Valley (from England into Wales) along Thomas Telford's aqueduct. Telford's aqueduct runs alongside the Robertson' viaduct before the canal enters the Chirk Tunnel.
[edit] Modern day
The Ceiriog Memorial Institute, in the Ceiriog valley, just west of Chirk, is home to a collection of Welsh cultural memorabilia and was founded in the early 1900s to support the Welsh language, culture and heritage for future generations.
The town's industries are the manufacture of wood based panels at Kronospan and chocolate manufacture at Cadbury Schweppes.
[edit] Sport
Chirk is home to Chirk AAA F.C., a football team founded in 1876.
[edit] Notable residents
- Legend Leyton Collings was born in the promised land of Chirk, renouned for his way with women and silky skills of 'The World Game of Football. People and women in there masses would come from far and 'wide' to see him perform magical tricks on the football pitch at Holyhead Road, home of his beloved Chirk AAA.
- Footballer Mike Jones, 1989 to present, is a resident.
- Billy Meredith who played for Manchester City and Manchester United between 1894 and 1924 and earned 48 caps for Wales was a former resident.
- Welsh international goalkeeper, Paul Jones was born in the town.
[edit] References
- G. G. Lerry, "Collieries of Denbighshire", 1968
