Michael-Church
MICHAEL-CHURCH, a parish, in the union
of Kington, hundred of Painscastle, county of
Radnor, South Wales, 5½ miles (S. W.) from
Kington; containing 166 inhabitants. This parish,
which derives its name from the dedication of its
church, is situated at the south-eastern extremity of
the county, bordering upon Herefordshire, and is
sometimes called Michael-Church-upon-Arrow, from
its position on the banks of the Arrow river. It
contains by computation 1600 acres; and comprises
some good tracts of arable and pasture land, which
are inclosed and in a tolerable state of cultivation.
The surrounding scenery, especially on the eastern
and south-eastern sides of the parish, is agreeably
diversified; and the views over the adjacent country,
from Huntingdon Hill, abound with variety and interest. The living is a perpetual curacy, annexed to
the vicarage of Kington, in the county of Hereford:
the church, dedicated to St. Michael, is a plain structure in the Norman style. This parish has the privilege of sending poor children to be gratuitously instructed in the grammar school of Kington.
Michaelston-Le-Pit
MICHAELSTON-LE-PIT, a parish, in the
union of Cardiff, hundred of Dinas-Powys, county
of Glamorgan, South Wales, 4½ miles (S. W. by W.)
from the town of Cardiff; containing 93 inhabitants.
Lias and mountain limestone, together with lead-ore,
are found in this small parish, which is exclusively
agricultural, and presents some fine well-wooded inclosures. Courtyrala, an Italian villa here, the seat
of T. B. Rouse, Esq., is pleasantly situated above a
stream artificially widened and improved, over which
a rustic bridge has been formed, amid scenery of the
most romantic character; the grounds are disposed
with great taste, and disclose, at various points of
view, the most admired scenes of the adjacent country.
The living is a discharged rectory, rated in the king's
books at £4. 10. 7½., and endowed with £200 royal
bounty, and £200 parliamentary grant; patron, Mr.
Rouse. The tithes have been commuted for a rentcharge of £70, and the glebe comprises more than
forty-seven acres, valued at £20 per annum; twentyfive acres of the glebe are woodland. The church is
dedicated to St. Michael. A small Sunday school is
held in it. On the summit of a hill in the parish are
vestiges of an earthwork, supposed to be of Roman
construction.
Michaelston-Le-Vedw
MICHAELSTON-LE-VEDW, a parish, in the
poor-law union of Newport, partly in the hundred of Caerphilly, county of Glamorgan, South
Wales, and partly in the Upper division of the hundred of Wentloog, county of Monmouth, England, 6 miles (W. S. W.) from Newport; containing
541 inhabitants, of whom 337 are in the Welsh portion, consisting of the hamlet of Llanvedw. This
parish, situated in the most eastern part of Glamorgan, is surrounded by the parishes of Machen, Bassaleg, Marshfield, St. Mellon's, Llanedarn, and Ruddry; and is intersected by the river Rumney, which
here separates England from Wales. It contains 3556
acres, whereof 1014 are arable, 1124 meadow or pasture, 400 woodland, and the remainder gardenground. The general surface is mountainous, with
a large portion of wood and water, and some fine
meadows on the banks of the river: from the upper
grounds is a view of the Bristol Channel. The soil
consists chiefly of clay and gravel, and their combinations in different degrees, producing the usual
kinds of corn; and the high lands present the common descriptions of timber, such as oak, &c. The
living is a rectory, valued in the king's books at
£7. 12. 3½.; net income, £400, with an excellent
house, and twenty acres of good grass land attached;
patron, C. K. Kemeys Tynte, Esq. The church is
a plain structure in the early English style, containing about 200 sittings, two-thirds of which are free.
There is a good endowed school. For a more minute
account of the Welsh portion of the parish, see the
article Llanvedw.
Michaelston-Super-Avon
MICHAELSTON-SUPER-AVON, a parish,
comprising the Upper and Lower divisions, in the
union and hundred of Neath, county of Glamorgan, South Wales, 6½ miles (S. S. E.) from Neath;
containing 2531 inhabitants, of whom 2132 are in
the Lower division. The name of this place is derived from the dedication of its church to St. Michael, and the distinguishing adjunct from its position
on the river Avon, that falls into Aberavon bay in
the Bristol Channel. The parish is pleasantly situated in the Vale of Avon, within one or two miles of
the town of Aberavon, through which passes the
turnpike-road from Cardiff to Swansea. It comprises
a large tract of country, nearly one-half mountainous,
and the remainder good arable and pasture land; the
soil is tolerably fertile, and the inhabitants of the
Upper township are altogether employed in agriculture. The parish contains iron-ore and coal, a large
vein of the latter, from ten to twelve yards in depth,
having been discovered some years ago. In the coal
are often found vegetable impressions of fern and
reeds; and a fine specimen of what is conjectured to
be an extinct species of the palm, or fern-tree, has
been dug up: it is part of the trunk of the tree, about
two feet and three-quarters in length, and one foot
and a half in diameter, and consists of what geologists
call carboniferous sandstone; the higher and lower
parts of the tree are still in the ground. Fire clay
also exists in the parish, in great abundance and of
good quality.
The village, which is in the Lower township, in a
sequestered part of the vale, that, until of late years,
was but rarely visited by strangers, formerly consisted only of a few solitary cottages thinly scattered;
but the mineral wealth with which the mountainous
district of the parish abounds has effected an important change, and the establishment of large works has
completely transformed it into a scene of cheerful activity, the population having vastly increased within
the last twenty or thirty years. Numerous houses
have been built for the accommodation of the workmen, a handsome residence for the manager of the
works, and a beautiful cottage for the minister of the
parish, who was previously non-resident. The works
are described under the head of Cwmavon. A portion of the Lower division of the parish is included
within the new boundaries of the contributory borough of Aberavon. The living is a perpetual curacy,
endowed with £800 royal bounty, and £800 parliamentary grant; present net income, £112; patron,
J. Coke, Esq. The church, dedicated to St. Michael,
and pleasantly situated on the western bank of the
Avon, is a small edifice of great antiquity, and contains an old altar-tomb, with an inscription which is
now nearly obliterated. There are places of worship
for dissenters, and some schools.
Michaelston-Super-Ely
MICHAELSTON-SUPER-ELY, a parish, in
the union of Cardiff, hundred of Dinas-Powys,
county of Glamorgan, South Wales, 4½ miles
(W.) from Cardiff; containing 54 inhabitants. This
parish derives its name from the dedication of its
church to St. Michael, and its distinguishing appellation from its position on the southern bank of the
river Ely, which separates it from the parish of St.
Fagan's. It is beautifully situated in the southeastern part of the county, and comprises 300 acres
of rich arable and pasture land, in a good state of
cultivation. The scenery is varied, and the distant
views extend over a highly fertile tract of country.
The living is a discharged rectory, with the rectory
of St. Bride's super Ely consolidated, rated in the
king's books at £8. 6. 8.; patron, Llewelyn Traherne, Esq. The tithes have been commuted for a
rent-charge of £60, and there is a glebe of twentyeight acres, valued at £36 per annum; also a glebehouse. The church, which is in honour of St.
Michael, is not remarkable for its style.
Michaelston (Upper)
MICHAELSTON (UPPER), a township, in
the parish of Michaelston-super-Avon, union and
hundred of Neath, county of Glamorgan, South
Wales, 4½ miles (S. E. by S.) from Neath; containing 399 inhabitants. Prior to the introduction of
mineral works into the Lower township, this formed
the more considerable portion of the parish. The
tithes have been commuted for £100.
Middleton
MIDDLETON, a township, in that part of the
parish of Abberbury or Alberbury which is in
the Lower division of the hundred of Cawrse, county
of Montgomery, North Wales, 6 miles (E. by S.)
from Welshpool; containing 131 inhabitants. The
township occupies a portion of the Long Mountain.
There is a place of worship for Wesleyan Methodists,
in which a Sunday school is also held.
Milford
MILFORD, a sea-port and market-town, in the
parish of Steynton, union of Haverfordwest,
hundred of Rhôs, county of Pembroke, South
Wales, 6 miles (N. W.) from Pembroke, 8 (S. S. W.)
from Haverfordwest, and 256 (W.) from London;
containing 1640 inhabitants, but, with Old Milford
adjoining, in Hubberston parish, 2377. This place,
which is celebrated for the magnificent Haven to
which it gives name, is said to have derived its appellation from a stream that turned a mill anciently
belonging to a priory, about a mile from the present
town, and over which there was a ford, previously to
the erection of a bridge here. It was in the famous
Haven of Milford that Henry II. embarked with the
troops he had assembled for the conquest of Ireland;
and here also he landed on his return from that expedition. In the reign of Henry IV., an army of
12,000 men, that had been sent from France to the
assistance of Owain Glyndwr in his insurrection
against the authority of that monarch, landed at this
place, from which they marched to the siege of
Haverfordwest, and, subsequently, to that of Carmarthen. The Earl of Richmond, afterwards Henry
VII., attended with a small body of French retainers,
ill-disciplined, and scantily provided for the great
design he had undertaken, also landed in this Haven,
where he was received by Rhŷs ab Thomas, with a
numerous train of dependents and followers, whose
warlike appearance encouraged him at once to proceed on his arduous enterprise. On this occasion it
is said that Rhŷs, who had previously, in his assurances of loyalty to Richard, declared that any
person ill-affected to the state, daring to land in
those parts of Wales where he had any employment
under the king, "must resolve to make his entrance
and irruption over his belly," evasively laid himself
on his back on the ground, that the earl, on landing,
might pass over him: a tradition still popular in the
neighbourhood states that Rhŷs remained under a
small bridge, while the earl passed over it. Immediately after his landing, Richmond, having despatched orders to his partisans in other parts of the
country, to join him with their forces at Shrewsbury,
set forward upon his march, forming his small army
into two divisions, one of which he commanded himself, taking his route through Cardiganshire, and the
other he placed under the conduct of Rhŷs, who,
passing through Carmarthenshire, was to collect his
followers on his march, and to rejoin the earl at
Shrewsbury.
In the time of Henry VIII., although the present
town of Milford was not then in existence, the port
of Llanelly, in Carmarthenshire, was esteemed a
creek to the harbour. In the reign of Elizabeth,
when the country was threatened with the Spanish
invasion, an engineer named Ivy was sent hither, to
survey the Haven, and report on the means necessary to be adopted for its defence against the enemy;
but his conduct gave so much dissatisfaction to the
inhabitants of this part of the coast, that a spirited
memorial was drawn up by the Bishop of St. David's
and the principal gentry and magistrates of the
county, and presented to the leading members of the
Privy Council. This memorial set forth the great
importance to "her Majesty and the realm," of properly and effectually fortifying the Haven of Milford,
and entreated that some engineer of experience
should be sent down for that purpose. In consequence either of this remonstrance, or of Ivy's report
of the means necessary for the defence of the place,
orders were issued for the erection of two forts near
the entrance of the Haven, which were begun in situations very ill chosen for the purpose, and were never
finished. Their remains, called respectively the
Dale and Angle blockhouses, are still visible. About
the commencement of the American war, it was resolved by the government to form a dockyard at
Nayland, in Llanstadwell parish, on the northern
shore of the Haven, and a little to the east of the
present town; and some land in the vicinity was
purchased for the erection of forts and batteries for
its defence; but, after two ships had been built there
by contract, viz., the Milford frigate, and the Prince
of Wales of seventy-four guns, and when one of the
fortifications had been constructed to a considerable
extent, the design was abandoned: nearly £20,000
had been expended. After the battle of the Nile,
Admiral Nelson visited Milford in company with Sir
William Hamilton, then proprietor of it: that great
commander regarded the Haven as the finest harbour
in the known world, capable of floating more than
the whole navy of England within its limits in perfect
safety. George IV., on his return from Dublin in
1821, encountering a gale of wind near the Land's
End, the royal squadron twice entered the Haven;
and ultimately his Majesty landed at Milford, and
proceeded hence by land to London. In commemoration of this event, a tablet, about six feet in height,
ornamented in the centre with a large shell, and with
wreaths of flowers down the sides, was placed at the
end of a public building near Milford Quay; on
which tablet is engraved a long inscription detailing
the circumstances of the occurrence.
The Town is of very recent date, owing its rise
and importance to the Hon. Mr. Greville, nephew
of Sir William Hamilton, and, after the death of
his uncle, proprietor of the estate. This gentleman,
during the lifetime of Sir William, perceiving the
advantages that might be derived from the situation
of the property, procured an act of parliament in
1790, enabling Sir William Hamilton, his heirs and
assigns, to make docks, construct quays, establish
markets, with roads and avenues to the port, to regulate the police, and make the place a station for conveying the Waterford mails, which previously had
been compelled to stop at Haverfordwest, eight miles
distant from the place of shipping. To this arrangement may be attributed the origin of the town, which
it was resolved to build opposite to the finest anchorage in that part of the Haven called the Man-ofWar Roads. The first building erected was a large
and commodious inn, for the accommodation of the
passengers by the mail coaches and packets; and a
ground plan having been regularly laid out, the
allotments were eagerly taken and built upon, and a
flourishing town soon arose. The earliest settlers in
the new town were some families from the island of
Nantucket, on the coast of North America, of whom
the Starbucks first, and subsequently the family of
Rotch, came by invitation of government to establish
the South Sea whale fishery here: this trade was
carried on successfully for some years, but was afterwards entirely discontinued. The increased population soon caused the establishment of a market, for
which a good house has been built, and which is
well and cheaply supplied for the inhabitants and
the shipping, this having been formerly a station for
men-of-war. In 1823 a custom-house was erected,
to which that of Pembroke became subordinate.
A very great addition to the prosperity of the
town was made by carrying into effect Lord Spencer's
plan for establishing a royal dockyard, which occurred about the commencement of the present
century, when a frigate of forty guns, and a sloop of
thirty, were built here, proving to be the best ships
of their respective classes in the service. In 1809,
the Milford of seventy-four guns was launched; and
in consequence of the design of government to fix the
new dockyard and naval arsenal here, a petition was
presented to the House of Commons, in 1813, for
leave to bring in a bill for the improvement of the
town, by building a bridge across one of the inlets
of the Haven to the village of Haking, to be constructed in such a manner as to convert the inlet
into a floating-dock of sixty acres. Under these
favourable circumstances the town, which had already
become considerable in its extent and population,
promised greatly to increase in importance; but its
further progress was arrested by the removal of the
royal yard and arsenal to Paterchurch, now Pembroke
Dock, in 1814. It still, however, retained its distinction as the station for the post-office packets to
Waterford; but this, also, it afterwards lost by the
removal of the establishment to Hobbs' Point, near
Pembroke Dock, where a handsome pier was built.
Milford occupies a beautiful situation, five or
six miles from the mouth of the Haven, on a point
of land sloping down to the water, by which it
is almost surrounded. It is bounded on the east by
Prix Pill, on the west by Priory Pill, and on the south
by the main Haven, which here expands into a spacious reach, having the appearance of a large inland
lake, inclosed by rocky shores presenting rich and
highly varied scenery. The town is elevated upwards
of sixty feet above the level of the sea, and consists
of three parallel streets, intersected at right angles by
others leading down to the Haven: the lower street
contains only one row of houses, overlooking the
water, and having in front a fine terrace, at one extremity of which stands the principal hotel, a large
pile of building. The houses, which are for the most
part of stone procured on the spot, are regularly disposed, and many of them of very good design. Since
the removal of the dockyard and packet-station,
numbers of excellent houses have been untenanted.
The approach to the town from the sea is defended
by two batteries, mounting each seven guns, and
erected on the opposite shores of the Haven; and
between the adjacent villages of Haking and Hubberston is an observatory, which, however, having never
been finished, is now going to decay. The air is
remarkably salubrious; the surrounding scenery
abounds with variety, and in some places is highly
picturesque.
Milford Haven is one of the most extensive and
secure harbours in the world. It is formed by the
junction of the rivers called the Eastern and Western
Cleddy, from the mouths of which it extends nearly
ten miles in length, being from one to two miles in
breadth, and having five bays, ten creeks, and thirteen roadsteads; the whole affording good anchorage
and shelter for ships of the greatest burthen, which,
from the strength and depth of the tides, can put out
to sea in any winds with more expedition than from
any other large harbour on the coast of Britain. Its
total navigable length, from its mouth, up the
main Haven and the Western Cleddy, to Haverfordwest, is twenty-one miles; from its mouth, ascending
the Haven and the Eastern Cleddy, to Canaston
bridge, about twenty miles. It has been stated, by
a naval officer once resident at the place, to be
capable of receiving, at one time, 1000 ships of the
line, and the same number of fifty-gun ships, of
frigates, of sloops of war, and of transports, without
the least danger of their being in each other's way;
and that 100 sail of the line might be brought to act
simultaneously against any ships, however numerous,
that might attempt to enter the harbour.
The Trade of the town arises from its being a
great resort of shipping, not only on account of the
custom-house, but also of the quarantine establishment, and the convenience of its situation as a port
for vessels in distress and under circumstances of
peculiar destination. The principal business is shipbuilding, which, notwithstanding the removal of the
royal dock-yard, is still carried on: there are several
yards for repairing vessels, in which also vessels of
upwards of 100 tons' burthen are built; likewise a
dry-dock, 163 feet long by 54 broad, formed by Mr.
Hogan, ship-builder, and of which the foundation
stone was laid in April 1844. American timber is
imported for ship-building and domestic uses, and also
various articles of Baltic produce, but upon a small
scale. The principal exports are, stone-coal (for
drying malt), of which great quantities are shipped
for London, and different ports on the Bristol and
English Channels; and limestone and culm, sent
coastwise. Steam communication is maintained with
Bristol, Liverpool, and other places. A large oysterfishery is carried on for the supply of distant markets,
the oysters of this coast being esteemed unrivalled in
quality. The jurisdiction of the port extends over
the whole Haven, and along the coast from near
Laugharne, in Carmarthenshire, to St. David's Head;
the number of vessels of above fifty tons registered
at the port, amounts to sixty-nine, with an aggregate
burthen of 7337 tons. Some good quays have been
constructed; there are large warehouses for bonding
stores, and two bonding-yards for timber. The
custom-house is a neat and substantial building,
commodiously situated, and well adapted to its purpose; and here is now the establishment belonging
to the lighthouse upon the "Smalls," having been
transferred of late years from Solva, which see for a
minute account of the lighthouse and rocks. A
brewery is conducted upon an extensive scale; and a
considerable trade is carried on in ship-chandlery and
other articles necessary for the supply of shipping.
The market days are Tuesday and Saturday, and
the markets, which are numerously attended, are
held in a convenient and sheltered area.
By the act of parliament passed in 1832 for
"Amending the Representation," Milford was made
a contributory borough with Pembroke, &c., in returning a member to parliament. The constituency
consists entirely of the ten-pound householders, duly
qualified and registered; and the number of houses
of sufficient value to qualify their tenants is about
250, the limits marked out for the franchise not only
including the whole area between Prix Pill and
Priory Pill, chiefly occupied by the town, but also
the old village of Haking, in Hubberston parish, on
the opposite side of the latter inlet. The lord of the
manor holds courts leet, at which constables and other
officers are appointed. Milford forms a chapelry,
the living of which is a perpetual curacy, in the gift
of the Hon. Robert Fulke Greville; income, £80.
The chapel, dedicated to St. Catherine, is situated
at the eastern extremity of the street fronting the
Haven; it was erected chiefly at the expense of the
Hon. Charles Francis Greville, then lord of the
manor, and was consecrated for divine service in the
year 1808. It is an elegant structure in the later
style of English architecture, with a lofty embattled
tower, and consists of a nave, chancel, and north and
south aisles. The roof is richly groined, and the
windows are embellished with stained glass: the font,
which is of very chaste design, is of Derbyshire
marble, and opposite to it is a vase of red porphyry,
brought from Egypt, and intended to be placed here;
also the top-gallant mast of the French ship L'Orient,
that was blown up in the battle of Aboukir. A little
to the east of the present edifice are the remains of
an ancient chapel, which was also dedicated to St.
Catherine, and, after having been desecrated for
many years, was converted into a powder magazine.
It consisted of a nave and chancel, with a finely
vaulted roof, which is still entire; the western end
has fallen down, but the boundaries of the old cemetery may be distinctly traced. There are places of
worship for Baptists, the Society of Friends, Independents, and Wesleyan Methodists; and some
schools. Milford gives the title of Baron to the
Philipps family, Sir R. B. Philipps, Bart., having
been raised to the dignity in 1847: a former barony
of Milford, in the same family, became extinct in
1823.
Minera
MINERA, an extensive chapelry, in that part
of the parish of Wrexham which is in the hundred of Bromfield, county of Denbigh, in the
union of Wrexham, North Wales, 4 miles (W.
by N.) from Wrexham; containing, in 1841, 628 inhabitants. The chapelry comprises the western
portion of the parish, and abounds with mineral
wealth, from which circumstance the name is supposed to be derived: its ancient appellation was
Mwyn-Glawdd, or "the mine upon the ditch," in
allusion to Offa's Dyke. It is bounded on the north
by the river Alyn, which rises in this hilly district.
The greater portion of the inhabitants are engaged
in the mines, consisting of iron, lead, and coal, the
last wrought to a considerable extent; the leadmines are discontinued, owing to the influx of water,
and though seven steam-engines and a mill have
been employed in clearing them, the attempt has
proved unsuccessful. A branch of the Chester and
Shrewsbury railway was opened to Minera in the
summer of 1847. The living is a perpetual curacy,
endowed with £200 private benefaction, £400 royal
bounty, and £800 parliamentary grant; patron, the
Vicar of Wrexham; income, £100. The chapel is
a small cruciform structure. A tithe rent-charge of
£128. 10. is paid to the impropriators, and one of
£34. 10. to the Vicar of Wrexham.—See Brymbo.
Miskin (Mysgyn)
MISKIN (MYSGYN), a hamlet, in the parish
of Llantrissent, union of Cardiff, hundred of
Miskin, county of Glamorgan, South Wales,
5 miles (N. E.) from Cowbridge: the population is
included in the return for the parish. It was
probably at a remote period a place of some consequence, having given name to the hundred. The
river Ely bounds it on the west, and is here crossed
by a bridge.
Mochlas (Mechlas)
MOCHLAS (MECHLAS), a hamlet, in the
parish of Kîlken, union of Holywell, Northop
division of the hundred of Coleshill, county of
Flint, North Wales; containing 100 inhabitants,
who are exclusively employed in agriculture.
Moelvre
MOELVRE, a hamlet, in the parish of Llandeveylog, hundred of Kidwelly, union and county
of Carmarthen, South Wales, 3 miles (S.) from
Carmarthen; containing 217 inhabitants. The
hamlet commands a fine view of the river Towy, by
which it is bounded on the west; and the road from
Carmarthen to Kidwelly passes through it. There
are some agreeable mansions.
Mold
MOLD, a parish, comprising the borough and
market-town of Mold, and the chapelries of Nerquis
and Tryddin, in the unions of Holywell and
Wrexham, hundred of Mold, county of Flint,
North Wales; containing 10,653 inhabitants, of
whom 3557 are in the borough and township, 6 miles
(S.) from Flint, and 200 (N. W.) from London. The
British name of this place, Y Wyddgrûg, signifying
"a lofty and conspicuous hill," and also its Romam
appellation of Mons altus, of like import, were derived
from a mound on the north-western side of the
present town, now called the Bailey Hill, a lofty
eminence, partly natural and partly artificial, upon
which a fortification appears to have been erected at
a very early period, but whether originally by the
ancient Britons, or by the Romans, is not accurately
known. The only plausible arguments for ascribing
it to the Romans are, the eligibility of its site for a
place of defence, its proximity to the seat of some of
their mining establishments, and the discovery of a
gold coin of the Emperor Vespasian near the spot.
The advantages of the situation caused it to be subsequently selected as the site of a more stately castle,
by the Normans, who in their own language, describing its elevated situation, designate it "Montault," of which the name Mold is supposed to be a
contraction.
The historical events connected with the place
refer to a remote period. Soon after the final establishment of Christianity in this part of the principality, a severe conflict occurred between the combined forces of the pagan Saxons and Picts, who
were carrying desolation through the adjacent country, and the inhabitants, of whom numbers had been
recently baptized. The latter calmly awaited the
approach of the enemy at a spot within a mile of the
town, since called Maes Garmon, or "the field of
Germanus," under the command of Bishops Germanus and Lupus, the former of whom, having given
his troops orders to repeat after him the word "Alleluiah," led them on to battle. This triumphant
shout, uttered by the whole army, struck such terror
into the hearts of the pagans, that they fled on all
sides; numbers perished by the swords of their
pursuers, and many, attempting to escape, were
drowned in the neighbouring river. The victory occurred in Easter week, in the year 420, and has been
distinguished by historians with the appellation of
"Victoria Alleluiatica;" the memorial of it has been
perpetuated by the erection of a pillar, in 1730, upon
the piece of ground where St. Germanus is said to
have stood, on the base of which is a Latin inscription commemorative of the event.
From this period till after the Norman Conquest
little is known of the history of Mold, the first notice
of which, under its present name, is in the ninth
year of the reign of William Rufus, when that monarch granted it to his vassal, Eustace de Cruier,
who did homage to him for the territories of Mold
and Hopedale. These Eustace erected into a kind
of inferior lordship marcher, and for the defence of
his newly-acquired territories he built several castles,
and among them, in all probability, the castle of
this place. In the time of Henry I., Mold formed
part of the extensive possessions of Robert, Seneschal of Chester, surnamed, from his residence here,
Robert de Montault, or Montalto. During his occupation of the castle it sustained many severe attacks from the Welsh; but it was so strongly fortified,
both by nature and by art, that it resisted every
effort to reduce it; and in numerous subsequent
sieges, during a period of fourteen years, it opposed
an impregnable barrier to the attempts of the native
Britons to repossess themselves of the lands of which
they had been despoiled by the Normans. The
garrison, which was very numerous, made repeated
inroads on the adjacent territories of their Welsh
neighbours, till, in 1144, Owain Gwynedd, Prince
of North Wales, in retaliation for their depredations,
invested the castle in person with a large body of
forces, took it by storm, put all the garrison to the
sword, and is said to have levelled the walls with the
ground: it is, however, stated that he occupied it by
a small body of troops in 1149, when he advanced to
give battle to Ranulph, Earl of Chester, whom he
defeated with great slaughter. It appears to have
been subsequently rebuilt by the English, from
whom, in 1198, it was again taken by the Welsh,
under the command of Llewelyn ab lorwerth, who
kept possession of it for some time.
After remaining alternately in the hands of the
English and the Welsh till the year 1240, it was
stipulated in the treaty of peace concluded at that
time between Henry III. and Davydd ab Llewelyn,
Prince of North Wales, that the latter should surrender all such territories as had been claimed by the
vassals of the former, except those of Mold, which
he was suffered to retain in fulfilment of a treaty
previously made between him and the Seneschal of
Chester. The year following, Henry revoked this
treaty, and entered into a new agreement, by which
he compelled Davydd to deliver up to Roger de
Montalto, Seneschal of Chester, the whole of his
lands in the lordship of Mold, together with the
castle and its dependencies. In 1245, Davydd besieged the castle, which he took by storm, putting the
whole of the garrison to the sword: Roger alone
escaped the carnage, being fortunately absent from
the castle at the time of its surrender.
The castle, always an object of obstinate contention between the native Princes of North Wales and
the English, appears soon afterwards to have fallen
into the possession of the latter, who held it till the
year 1263, when it was besieged and taken by Grufydd ab Gwenwynwyn, lord of Powysland, who razed
it to the ground. It was again rebuilt by the English, was restored to the family of De Montalto,
and placed under the custody of Roger de Clifford,
justiciary of Chester, against whose oppressive tyranny, and that of his deputy, Roger Scrochil, the
inhabitants of Ystrad-Alun, or Molesdale, were loud
in their complaints, a short time previously to the
final subjection of the principality by Edward I. In
1322, Sir Grufydd Llwyd, who had been knighted
by that monarch for bringing him the news of the
birth of his son at Carnarvon, and who, for some
time after Edward's death, had continued a faithful
adherent to the government of Edward II., finding
the English yoke no longer tolerable, took up arms;
and having assembled a large body of his countrymen, and overrun all North Wales and the Marches,
he seized upon this castle. He kept possession of
it, however, only for a very short time: his insurrection was not attended with success, and he was
soon afterwards defeated and taken prisoner.
From this time, little more occurs of any military
movements in which the castle of Mold had a share.
It remained in the hands of the descendants of
Robert de Montalto, who in 1302 had done homage
for it to Edward, Prince of Wales, at Chester; but in
1327, the last baron, in failure of male issue, conveyed it to Isabel, queen of Edward II., for life, and
subsequently to John of Eltham, younger brother of
Edward III., on whose decease without issue it reverted to the crown. It appears to have continued
an appendage of the crown till the time of Henry
IV., by whom the castle and lordship, together with
Hope and Hopedale, were granted to the Stanleys,
afterwards Earls of Derby. Its final demolition, as
a place of strength, is supposed to have occurred
during this reign, and is attributed to Owain Glyndwr, who, in the course of his determined efforts to
overthrow the government of Henry IV., committed
depredations upon most of the estates in the principality belonging to the partisans of that king. On
the first division of the principality into counties,
in the time of Henry VIII., Mold was annexed
to the county of Denbigh; but in the thirty-third
year of that monarch's reign it was assigned to the
county of Flint, of which it has ever since continued to form a part. During the civil war in the
17th century, the ancient mansion of Gwysaney,
near the town, was garrisoned for the king; but in
1645 it was taken by the parliamentarian forces
under Sir William Brereton. The lordship of Mold
remained in the possession of the Stanleys till the
death of James, the seventh earl, a zealous adherent
to the cause of Charles I., and who, after the battle
of Worcester, was made a prisoner, and beheaded at
Bolton, in Lancashire. Upon his death the lordship
was sold by the parliament; and a proposal having
been made for re-purchasing it by the Earl of Derby,
the conditions of which that nobleman failed to fulfil,
Charles II., in 1664, ordered that the former purchasers should retain it.
The Town is pleasantly situated on a gentle acclivity in a small but fertile plain, watered by the
river Alyn (which is here crossed by several bridges),
and surrounded by rugged eminences, rich in mineral
treasure. It consists principally of one long street,
intersected at right angles by two smaller ones; is
well supplied by a company with gas and water, and
is tolerably well paved. The houses are not distinguished either for their regularity or style of building, but in the environs are numerous handsome
seats and elegant mansions; the surrounding scenery
is diversified, and highly embellished with features of
picturesque beauty. The views from the higher
grounds, though confined, extend over a tract of
country richly cultivated, and varied with objects of
interesting character and romantic appearance.
The parish contains, with the chapelries of Nerquis
and Tryddin, about 20,000 acres, of which it is computed that 9000 are arable, 8000 pasture, and 3000
woodland. On the north it is bounded by Northop,
on the west by Kîlken, on the east by Hawarden, on
the south-east by Hope, and on the south-west by
Llanverras, between which two last parishes the
chapelries of Nerquis and Tryddin are situated. The
road from Chester to Denbigh intersects the parish,
and passes through the town, from which also branch
off turnpike-roads to Ruthin, Wrexham, Holywell,
&c. In 1847 an act was passed for the construction
of a railway from Mold to the Chester and Holyhead
line in the parish of Hawarden, with branches to the
Upper King's Ferry on the river Dee, and the Frith
lime-works. The river Alyn flows through the parish
in a south-east direction, and is joined by the river
Terrig. A bold undulated surface especially marks
the southern portion; clay and a wheat soil predominate in the east and south, but a lighter kind of land
prevails in the west and north. The parish abounds
with mineral wealth. The western district is particularly rich in lead-ore, which is generally found
imbedded in limestone or chertz; but the operations
are much impeded by the subterraneous stream of
the Alyn, which here runs under ground for the
space of somewhat less than a mile. The eastern
part contains coal and ironstone of excellent quality,
which are procured in great quantities for the supply
of the neighbouring works; and some fine seams of
cannel coal exist within two miles to the south of
the town: calamine is also obtained in the parish.
In the townships of Argoed and Bistre, in the northeastern part of the parish, is potters'-clay in abundance; and large manufactories of earthenware and
fire-bricks have been established, providing employment to the poor in that district. Near these works
are others for smelting lead; and almost adjoining
the town is an extensive cotton-mill. This mill, for
the spinning of cotton-twist, is situated on the river
Alyn; it was erected in 1792, first lighted with gas
in 1812, and greatly enlarged in 1825, and at present affords occupation to more than 300 persons.
Upwards of 4000 acres of waste land were inclosed
in the parish under the provisions of an act obtained
in 1792. The market days are Wednesday and
Saturday; and fairs are held on February 13th,
May 12th, August 2nd, and November 22nd.
The completion of the railway above mentioned
will tend greatly to develop the resources of this part
of the county. It traverses a district extremely rich
in coal, iron, and limestone; and from the tables
which have been prepared, it appears that the district
will probably yield a mineral traffic of from 600,000
to 800,000 tons per annum. The report presented
to the company by the directors, early in the year
1849, stated that the main line would be opened for
passenger traffic in the summer of 1849, and that the
mineral branch might be completed in the autumn of
the same year. It also stated that, up to the close of
1848, the sum of £97,155 had been expended on the
works. The line has since passed into the hands of
the Chester and Holyhead railway company, of
whose great line it forms a feeder.
By the act of 1832, for "Amending the Representation," Mold was constituted a borough, contributory with Flint and other places in the county
in the return of a member to parliament. The
right of voting is vested in every male person of
full age occupying, either as owner, or as tenant
under the same landlord, a house or other premises
of the annual value of £10 and upwards, provided he be capable of registering as the act directs;
and the present number of such tenements within
the limits of the borough, which are co-extensive
with the township of Mold, and include an area of
about 570 acres, is about 110. Though Flint is the
county town, yet, from the want of a hall there, and
the central situation of this place, which is now
within the North Wales circuit, the assizes are held
here, in a handsome shire hall lately erected. The
powers of the county-debt court of Mold, established
in 1847, extend over that part of the registration district of Holywell which comprises the sub-districts of
Mold and Flint.
The Living is a vicarage, rated in the king's
books at £10; patron, the Bishop of St. Asaph; impropriators, R. Knight, and P. D. Cooke, Esqrs.
The tithes of Mold have been commuted for £2015.
8. 11., of which a sum of £1645. 8. 11. is payable to
the impropriators, one of £333 to the vicar, who has
likewise a glebe of two and a half acres, and a glebehouse, and one of £37 to the curate of Bistre and
Argoed. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is
a spacious and handsome structure, in the purest character of the later style of English architecture. It
consists of a nave, north and south aisles, and a
chancel, with a lofty square embattled tower, enriched with sculpture and crowned by pinnacles, and
which, though erected so recently as 1773, precisely corresponds with the general design. In taking
down the old tower, the workmen discovered, at
about a foot below the ground, a layer of burnt
wheat, barley, rye, and beans, three inches thick,
upon an earthen floor from four to five yards square;
under which was deposited in regular order a great
number of human bones, about half a yard in depth,
with a stone that had been worked into the foundation, whereon was inscribed "Here lieth the body of
Gwenllian, daughter of Evan ab David ab Yorwerth." The walls of the church are crowned with
an elegant pierced parapet, under which are figures
of animals finely sculptured in stone.
The interior of the edifice, which contains 1100
sittings, is richly embellished with architectural details and sculptured ornaments. The nave is separated from the aisles by a range of seven light clustered
columns with foliated capitals, supporting on each
side a series of obtusely pointed arches, the spandrils
of which are adorned with sculptured devices of angels bearing shields charged with emblematical allusions to the Passion of our Saviour, among which is
a representation of the Veronica, and with the armorial bearings of such benefactors as contributed towards the erection of the church, among which the
arms of the Stanley family are conspicuous. Both
aisles are lighted by spacious and lofty windows of
elegant design, enriched with tracery, and corresponding in form to the arches of the nave; and at
the extremity of each aisle are three canopied niches,
in which were formerly statues, now destroyed. The
niches in the south aisle are almost concealed by
monuments, including a very superb one to the memory of Robert Davies, of Llanerch, Esq., the antiquary, who died in 1728, on which is his effigy in an
erect posture, habited in Roman costume. Near this
is a mural monument to his grandfather, Robert
Davies, of Gwysaney, the ancient residence of the
family prior to their acquisition of Llanerch in the
Vale of Clwyd. In the same aisle is an ancient
tablet to the memory of Robert Warton, otherwise
Parfew, abbot of Bermondsey in Surrey, and afterwards Bishop of St. Asaph, from which see he was
translated in 1554 to that of Hereford, where he died,
in 1557, and was interred: above his armorial bearings, in a shield on which are also quartered the arms
of the see of St. Asaph, is a label inscribed "Robtus
pmissione Divina Ep'us Assav," supported at one end
by an angel, and at the other by a bishop. Under
the foundation of the church, a stone was dug up in
1783, bearing the words Fundamentum Ecclesiæ
Christus, 1597, and the letters W. As. Eps., referring to
William Hughes, Bishop of St. Asaph, who died in the
year 1600. This stone is supposed to show the date of
the south aisle; for, although Bishop Warton is said
to have been a considerable benefactor to that part of
the church, it is probable that he merely designed it,
and was the principal contributor towards its erection; the work, it is thought, not being actually
commenced until the time of Bishop Hughes. The
nave and north aisle were built at an earlier date:
ab Shenkin, who was vicar of Mold before 1506, is
stated to have glazed two of the windows in the
north aisle.
There are several chapels within the parish;
namely, one at Nerquis, three miles from the town;
another at Tryddin, about five miles distant; one for
the townships of Leeswood and Hartsheath, at Pont
Bleiddyn, which contains 406 sittings; and a fourth
at Waen, for the townships of Gwernafield and Hendrebiffa, containing 524 sittings. A chapel, also,
has been built for the townships of Bistre and Argoed; the first stone was laid in 1841, and the whole
was completed in 1842, with a square bell-turret,
and containing 656 sittings, 449 of them free. All
the five livings are in the Vicar's gift, except that of
Tryddin, which is in the patronage of the Bishop.
There are places of worship in the parish for Independents, and Calvinistic and Wesleyan Methodists.
Of the eight Church-schools, that in the town is supported partly by an endowment of about £19 per
annum, arising from a rent-charge of £11 by the
Rev. Hugh Lloyd, in 1744, and from bequests of
£100 each by James Hughes, in 1723, and Mrs.
Martha Dodd, in 1780. The building was originally
a dissenters' meeting-house, and was purchased for
£360, of which £260 were raised by subscription, in
1819, and a sum of £100 was added by the National
Society: a stable attached was converted into the
girls' school. The old school-house was formed into
a savings' banks, the upper part being occupied by
the parish-clerk; and the whole pays a rent of £4,
received by the master. A handsome new schoolbuilding is now erecting. The endowments of
the Nerquis and Tryddin Church-schools are stated
under the head of those places. Some schools unconnected with the Established Church are also supported in the parish; and there are six Sunday schools,
belonging to the several churches, and containing
about 1100 males and females, for the most part
taught by gratuitous teachers: one of the Sunday
schools is supported by the vicar, who has given by
deed £6 a year for ever. Other Sunday schools are
conducted by the dissenters.
An estate situated in Pentrobin, or Pentre-Hobyn,
in the lordship of Eulo, county of Flint, comprising
twenty-one acres and a half, let at £17. 17. per
annum, was purchased, in 1726, for £146. 10., principally a bequest by Thomas Williams; and the produce is distributed in clothing among poor persons
on the 1st of January. Several parcels of land in
the parish of Caerwys, containing in the whole
twenty-five acres and three quarters, producing a
rent of £22 per annum, were devised by Griffith
Jones, in 1729, for a weekly distribution of bread,
which is accordingly carried into effect to the extent
of 5s. weekly, the residue being carried to a fund for
the distribution of clothing at Christmas. Another
estate, termed Ty'n-y-Bryn, in the township of Arddynwent, containing about four acres and a half (a
part being an allotment under the Mold inclosure
act, in 1792), now paying a rent of £6. 10., was purchased in 1753, with £150, the amount of charitable
bequests then in the hands of the vicar. Jane Williams, in 1671, left a rent-charge of £2 on land called
Tynryn, in the parish of Llanverras. The Rev. Dr.
Wynne, of Tower, in 1776, bequeathed £50, which
were invested in the Broughton and Mold turnpike
trust. Thomas Wynne, in 1721, gave a rent-charge
of £1. Robert Williams devised a similar sum in
1729, to be expended in buying fifteen hats, to be
given to as many poor persons on Christmas eve;
and in 1755, John Evans bequeathed £60, the interest to be appropriated in purchasing shoes for the
poor. Independently of these, were numerous other
bequests, by several persons, of sums varying from
£70 to £3, which went to purchase the PentreHobyn and Ty'n-y-Bryn estates; and the whole annual income of the charities now amounts to £62. 17.,
chiefly distributed in flannel, shoes, and other clothing among the poor. An entry on the benefactiontable states, "1789, Mrs. Louisé Bertrand left by
will to the vicar and churchwardens the remainder of
£500 navy stock (sold for £590), after defraying her
funeral expenses;" but the will not being more specific, the minister and wardens of the period divided
the amount as a legacy between them.
Of the ancient castle not a vestige at present can
be discerned, and its very site is completely covered
with thriving plantations. The three fosses by which
it was defended are still traceable, and from these it
appears to have consisted of the upper and lower ballium, and an elevated donjon, or keep, each of which
was separated from the others by a deep fosse. The
Bailey Hill, on which it stood, though naturally difficult of ascent, was rendered still more arduous by
the erection of strong ramparts and the formation of
a deep moat. Some skeletons and old relics have
been found on the hill. From its summit a fine
view of the surrounding vale is obtained, and in the
distance the bare summit of Moel Vammau, towering
amidst the Clwydian range of mountains, is seen to
great advantage. Offa's Dyke enters the parish from
Denbighshire, pursuing its course along a small valley on the south side of Bryn Yorkyn mountain, to
Coed Talwrn, and Cae Twn, a farm near Tryddin
chapel; thence it comes down through Hartsheath
Park, and proceeds through the townships of Bistre
and Argoed into the parish of Northop. Numerous
tumuli are found in the parish, affording evidence of
the obstinacy with which the possession of the Vale
of Alyn was contested by the various hostile parties
who overran this part of the country in the earlier
periods of its history. Several of these have been
opened, and found to differ materially in their construction and contents; thus proving that they were
raised at different periods and by different races of
people: one near the town contained a gold corselet,
supposed to be unique, and which was purchased for
£90 by the trustees of the British Museum.
The environs of the town, as already observed,
are enlivened by numerous ancient mansions and
handsome seats, the residence of some of the principal families of the neighbourhood; and with the
remains of others which are now occupied by farmers.
The ancient house of Gwysaney, formerly the residence of the family of Davies, of Llanerch, and
already noticed as having been garrisoned for the
king during the parliamentary war, is in the parish.
Tower, or Bryn-Coed, at one time the seat of Dr.
William Wynne, is a venerable yet desolate-looking
mansion, partly of ancient, partly of modern date;
consisting of a tall machicolated and embattled tower
of early erection, and a residence adjoining of the
time of Queen Anne. The tower appears to have
been designed as a place of fortified habitation, and
during the war between the houses of York and Lancaster, belonged to Reinalt ab Grufydd ab Bleddyn,
one of the captains that defended Harlech Castle for
Henry VI., and who was constantly engaged in feuds
with the people of Chester. In 1465 a considerable
number of the latter came to Mold fair, and a fray
arising between the hostile parties, great slaughter
ensued on both sides; but Reinalt, who obtained the
victory, took Robert Bryne, ex-mayor of Chester,
prisoner, and conveyed him to his mansion, where he
slew him. To avenge this affront, a party of 200
men was dispatched from Chester to seize Reinalt,
who, says Pennant, retiring from his house into the
adjoining woods, permitted a few of them to enter
the building, when, rushing from his concealment,
he blocked up the door, and, setting fire to the house,
destroyed them in the flames; he then attacked the
remainder, whom he pursued, and such as escaped
the sword were drowned in attempting to regain their
home. This is the traditional account of the burning
of the place as given by Pennant; but it is more probable that the citizens set the house on fire, after carousing in it; that the owner then fell upon them,
slaughtered many, and drove the rest towards Chester,
wreaking vengeance on them all the way. An old
anecdote given in the Archæologia Cambrensis for
January 1846 tends to show that the citizens, and
not its owner, burned the house; nor is it likely that
Reinalt would destroy his own dwelling, when it
would have been as easy to compass his revenge in
another manner. Lees Wood is a large handsome
mansion, situated on a fine slope, and surrounded
with woods and pleasure-grounds tastefully laid out;
the entrance is through a magnificent gateway.
Pentre-Hobyn, a fine old family mansion, built in the
year 1540, and which was formerly the property
of Trevor Lloyd, Esq., retains much of its ancient
character. Hartsheath is situated on a long eminence
in the Vale of Alyn, of which it commands a view:
the grounds, which are thickly wooded, combine a
pleasing variety of scenery; and the views embrace
many objects of romantic character, among which is
the isolated rock of Caergwrle, abruptly rising from
the vale, and crowned with the ruins of its ancient
castle. Nerquis Hall, a good family residence, built
in 1638 by John Wynne, Esq., is pleasantly situated;
the grounds comprehend some varied scenery, in
which the spire of Nerquis chapel, at no great distance, forms an interesting feature. Rhual, an ancient family house noticed by Leland, now occupied
by a descendant of the founder, was erected in 1634,
by Evan Edwards, Esq.; it is substantially built, and
contains some good paintings, among which is a portrait of the founder by Vandyke. Plâs Têg, in Hope
parish, once the property of the Trevors, is a stately
mansion, said to have been built in 1610, from a design by Inigo Jones. It consists of a centre flanked
at the angles by square towers, the whole five stories
high. The hall is forty-three feet long and twentythree feet wide, and above it is a dining-room of the
same dimensions, to which the ascent is by a spacious and noble staircase; in each of the towers is an
apartment twenty-two feet long and nineteen feet
wide, and the entire building has an air of great regularity, and an appearance of simple grandeur. In
the mines in the parish are found impressions of fern
and other vegetable plants in great perfection, a variety of marine shells of pearly freshness, and fossil
remains of various kinds. Wilson, the celebrated
landscape painter, who lived in the adjoining parish
of Llanverras, was interred in the churchyard of this
place, near the north door of the church.
Monington
MONINGTON, a parish, in the union of Cardigan, hundred of Kemmes, county of Pembroke,
South Wales, 3 miles (W. S. W.) from Cardigan;
containing 127 inhabitants. This place was by the
Welsh called Eglwys Wythwr, signifying literally
"the church of eight men," there being at the time
of its foundation precisely that number of freeholders
in the parish. It comprises but a moderate area,
which is all inclosed and in a good state of cultivation; the surrounding scenery is not distinguished
by any peculiar features, but the views from the
higher grounds embrace some objects of interest.
The living is a vicarage not in charge, united to the
living of St. Dogmael's: the tithes have been commuted for £80, of which £45 are payable to the impropriator, and £35 to the vicar. The church,
dedicated to St. Nicholas, is situated at the southwestern declivity of a lofty eminence.
Monknash (Monk-Nash)
MONKNASH (MONK-NASH), a parish, in
the union of Bridgend and Cowbridge, hundred
of Ogmore, county of Glamorgan, South Wales,
6 miles (W. S. W.) from Cowbridge; containing 109
inhabitants. This manor, together with the castle
and lordship of Neath, was given by Fitz-Hamon to
Sir Richard de Grenville, and by him conferred on
the monks of Neath Abbey, from which circumstance it derived the prefix of Monk to its name.
The parish is situated on the shore of the Bristol
Channel, which bounds it on the south-west, and on
the other sides it is bordered by the parishes of Marcross, Wick, and Llandow. It contains by admeasurement 1324 acres, of which 940 are arable, and
384 pasture or meadow: the surface is for the greater
part flat, with scarcely any timber, but presenting a
good view of the Channel; and the soil is of a stiff
and clayey quality, producing principally wheat in
moderate quantity. The coast is extremely dangerous for some miles between this place and Barry.
The Nash sands are a perilous ridge, completely
covered at high water, on which the Frolic steamvessel from Tenby to Bristol, laden with passengers,
struck, in the month of March, 1831, the weather
being exceedingly tempestuous and hazy, when all
on board perished. After that event two lighthouses
were erected at Nash point, in Marcross, which serve
to warn navigators of the danger. The living is a
perpetual curacy, endowed with £200 royal bounty,
and £200 parliamentary grant; present net income,
£70; patron, John Bruce Pryce, Esq., who is lord
of the manor, and proprietor of nearly the whole
parish. The tithes have been commuted for £189,
of which a sum of £142 is paid to the impropriator,
and £47 to the perpetual curate. The church,
dedicated to St. Mary, is of a plain style of architecture, and evidently very old; exclusively of the
chancel, which is fifteen feet by twelve, it is thirtythree feet in length and sixteen in breadth, and the
building contains nine seats inclosed, of which four
or five may be considered free. Elizabeth Jenkins
gave £5 for poor housekeepers not receiving parochial
relief, and subsequently Mrs. Alse Jenkins a similar
sum for the like purpose; but both charities have
been lost through omission and neglect, one of the
sums having been paid to an overseer, who became
a bankrupt.
Monkton
MONKTON, partly in the borough of Pembroke, and partly in the hundred of Castlemartin
and county of Pembroke.—See Nicholas, St.
Monkton
MONKTON, hundred of Narberth, county of
Pembroke.—See Mounton.