Buckley Town Guide"

Saint John's United Reformed Church, Buckley

1981

The guide contains a short history of Buckley. At the time of publication, the population was 14,500.

The guide contains 14 pages of adverts which are not reproduced on this archive. A list appears below - (Page 14). Also, the addresses of the councillors are not included. The street map cannot be reproduced for copyright reasons.

See 21.45 - 49 and 21.51 for the photos included in the guide.

Page 5

BUCKLEY TOWN COUNCIL

LIST OF COUNCILLORS

Bistre East: H. L. Jones, K. Lloyd, I. M. Mc Lean, L. B. Newton, J. F. Thornton

Bistre West: J. Connah, Mrs O. Jones, D. Messham, Mrs S. J. Morris, N. Phillips, J.P.,

J. G. Reynolds

Buckley Mountain: C. C. Hughes, I. L. Roberts, J.P.

Pentrobin: P. H. Chard, M. J. Fox, A. ones, C.B.E., J.P., G. I. Roberts, W. A. Roberts

Page 6

Town Clerk - Financial Officer

Wallace Blackwell, Council Offices, Mold Road, Buckley, Clwyd. CH7 2JB

Tel: 544540

The Town Council meets each month, usually the fourth Tuesday, at the Council Chamber starting at 7 pm. Notices are published to this effect and the press and the public are cordially invited to attend.

Page 7

BUCKLEY

Buckley is situated in the east of Clwyd on the range of hills which extends between the valley of the River Alyn and the narrow plain beside the Dee Estuary. The highest point being 518 feet above sea level, covering over 4 square miles it includes Buckley, fairly centrally situated on the cross roads; Spon Green; Padeswood; Coppa View; Nant Mawr; Bistre; Burntwood Pentre; Hawkesbury; Lane End and Alltami. Buckley is 2 miles east of Mold 9 miles west of Chester and 11 miles north of Wrexham and is easily accessible via the upgraded A55 which links with the M56 Motorway.

There has been some form of civilisation in or near present day Buckley for many hundreds of years. Remains which are still being discovered and investigations show evidence of habitation in the Bronze Age. Invasion after invasion brought a stormy succession of Celts, Romans, Anglo Saxons and Normans but from each tribe the civilisation and culture and road communications were among the many benefits which accrue. The first Christian Church was founded at Bistre or Biscopestreu (Tree of the Bishops) by St. Deiniol in 550 where people gathered to worship before church buildings were erected and here in the 7^th Century a group of missionaries from Rome preached. The copestrey stretched from Bannell to Gwysaney and is mentioned in the Domesday Survey 1086.

Page 8

The name Buckley first emerges at the time of the Norman Conquest although Bistre was the principle settlement "Meadow Grass Land in a Wood" is one literal translation of the ancient place name Boklee. In 1903 a chapel was built at Spon Green and was maintained first by Monks from the Benedictine Abbey at Chester and then by Hawarden Church until the dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry the Eighth. The Chapel offered hospitality to travellers, providing rest, food and money if necessary, the last remains of this ancient edifice were demolished in the 17^th Century.

Henry the Fifth on his marriage to Kathryn in 1423 selected as an annual gift to his wife Ewloe and the pastorage of Buckley which were worth £26 per annum.

The parish church of St. Matthew was consecrated in 1822, being built of red sandstone with unusual black and white half timbering on the outside, a new chancel in memory of the great statesman W.E.Gladstone was completed in 1901 and the porch is a memorial to John Ruskin. Work was later carried out on the new western tower which houses a good peel of eight bells.

Although Bistre is the oldest place in the town its parish church, in early gothic style with an embattled belfry tower above its west porch entrance, dates only from 1842. Buckley is unique in that the town has two ecclesiastical parishes. Nearby Alltami has the first primitive Methodist Church in North Wales although the present building is not the original.

Page 9

In the medieval period Buckley was the common land of six townships: Argoed, Bistre, Ewloe, Ewloe Wood, Pentrobin and Bannell. There were squatters' rights on the common; if a squatter could build a cottage between sunrise and sunset with smoke coming out of the chimney by the end of the day the freehold was his by ancient right.

At one time there were fourteen potteries in the district one of which was set up by Jonathan Catherall in 1737. Catherall was a staunch non-conformist and received special dispensation from Lord Hawkesbury, after whom he named his house, to hold services in his house, and as they became more popular he built the first non-conformist chapel in Buckley known as "Chapel in the Meadow". He wished to erect a bell tower for this chapel using the ships bell be bought in Cork for £12, but the vicar of Hawarden objected, as only established churches could have bells; he erected the bell tower in the grounds of his new house with the approval of Lord Hawkesbury. The site of this unique non-conformist bell tower is now marked by a mound and plaque as non-conformist. As services became even more popular the "Chapel in the Meadow" was enlarged and then knocked down to be replaced by St. John's Congregational Church.

Page 10

The Buckley Jubilee, traditionally on the second Tuesday in July, was founded in 1857, is an institution of which its citizens are justly proud. It is suggested that the Jubilee was initiated through the endeavours of various non-conformists intent on promoting temperance within the community; to this end a procession was organised to demonstrate unity followed by a field day and gala of games for the children together with food and non-alcoholic drinks. The Royal Buckley Town Band accompanies the singing at the open air festival held on Higher Common to begin this event and banners are displayed by individual Sunday Schools. The Anglican Sunday Schools joined in the Jubilee in 1933. A plaque to its founders is on the wall of St. John's Church.

Having a population of some fourteen thousand five hundred Buckley is today a progressive lively community being somewhat of a commuter town. It boasts a modern shopping precinct, super stores and a variety of small shops able to supply everything connected with modern living. Health is catered for by a modern Health Centre and Clinic and convenient Doctors Surgeries. Wide range sporting facilities are available with swimming baths, up to date sports centre, bowling green, tennis courts, cricket and football pitches together with easy access to nearby golf and fishing. The elderly are not forgotten with the provision of a number of senior citizen and luncheon clubs convenient to most areas of the town. Education is catered for through five primary schools and the Elfed High School with technical education available at Deeside and Wrexham. Numerous open spaces are available together with playing fields and parks. With the demise of potteries and only one brickmaking works still in existence modern industrial facilities have taken their place within the five industrial sites in the town.

Page 14

ADVERTISERS' INDEX (Buckley businesses only; addresses as used in the advert -ed.)

Bee's Discount Wholesale Ltd, Units 1,2 & 3, Knowle Lane

Buckley Carpets, 10, Mold Road

Buckley Domestics, 49, Mold Road

Buckley Roofing, 67, Alyn Road

CLJ Fabrications, Unit 5, Pinfold Industrial Estate

Countess Taxis, Mill Lane

D. A. Fennell, Roofing Contractor

Glynne Arms, Drury Lane

Grandstand Inn, Burntwood Road

W. P. Hancocks, Plumber, 4, Linderick Avenue

G. and J. Hughes, Newsagents, 26, Central Development (The Precinct-ed.)

Humphreys and Tarran, Civil Engineering Contractors, "Denfre", Meg's Lane

Hutchinson Memorials, Newlyn, Padeswood Road

Raymond Jason, Hairdresser, 2, Padeswood Road

Jocar Self Drive Hire, Mount Pleasant Yard, Lane End

J. A. Jones, Roof Restoration, 2, Field Farm Lane

J. Magnus Macaskill, Solicitors, 3A, The Precinct

McEvoy and Davies, Builders, 80, Brunswick Road

F and J Newscentre, The Cross

Potters Wheel Pub, Precinct Way

Red Lion Inn, Liverpool Road

S. E. D. Rising Damp & Timber Treatment

G Scarfo & Son, Old Bridge Inn, Station Lane, Padeswood

Michael Sheehan, External Plasterer, Heather Lea, 75, Burntwood Road

Shones (Buckley) Ltd, Builders, Drury Lane

J. A. Shone, Electrical, The Cross

James Shone and Son, Road Transport Contractors, Knowle Lane

Spencer Industrial (N. Wales) Ltd, Steel and Timber Suppliers

Sykes Waterhouse, Estate Agents and Valuers, 2, Padeswood Road

Tele Star TV & Video Clinic, 56A, Mold Road

J. M.Weigh & Sons, Builders

Willow Landscapes, The Lair, The Willow

Woodcraft, Unit 1, Pinfold Workshops

Author: Buckley Town Council

Buckley Town Guide"

Saint John's United Reformed Church, Buckley

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