It’s Started – Roman’s Commence Fort-Building in Our Area! In January 2015 this magazine carried an Our Heritage article entitled ‘How Roman was our area in ancient times?’ The article made reference to several known Roman finds within the Parish of Hope, in particular a first century piece of Roman pottery which was found on the north-east slope of Caergwrle Castle. We know that the Romans were here. We know that they will have been familiar with this area from the evidence found at Ffrith. It is at least feasible that they may have established a marching fort along the way. What we do know is that modern-day Romans have now started to build the gateway of such a fort at Park in the Past, the site of the former quarry at Fagl Lane in Hope. The project has overcome an immense number of hurdles to arrive at this stage and credit must go to the vision and tenacity of Paul Harston in this achievement. This summer did witness Romans descending on the area in order to commence the build. They were greatly assisted by Norton Timber who provided massive oak beams and erected the initial structure of the gateway. Meanwhile Chester Zoo have taken away some of the encroaching vegetation to feed rhinos, giraffes and elephants. Unfortunately poor weather conditions (ironically given the dryness of the summer!) meant that only two of three bank holiday weekend days could be devoted to fort building. Nevertheless Roman re-enactors brought the site to life and demonstrated the process of fort building using, wherever possible, tradition tools. Additional weekend treats included Romans on horseback and the construction of a Roman quay with boats on the bank of the lake. There were also a whole variety of additional attractions which added to the festival nature of the occasion. Massive thanks go to all who helped with the organisation of this weekend and to the volunteers who helped to make it happen. It was clear to observers that this was extremely hard work and that the original Romans merited the greatest of respect for their achievement. Commenting on the weekend Paul Harston said that those involved learned a great deal about the methods used in rampart construction and the organisational skills of the Romans. Apparently more work will continue as more oak beams arrive. The initial aim is to construct a rampart for a length of 60 metres and to invite schools to have a chance of spending a day in a Roman camp. It seems that the project has actually helped to generate an element of respect within the community: Paul expressed thanks to local youths who cleared up litter and left the area in pristine condition. Many readers will agree that it is tremendous to see this Project developing within the community: It has the potential to become a world class amenity which is great news for the area. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the policy of Flintshire County Council. Readers are welcome to contact the author with any news or views on the local heritage at DHealey204@aol.com or by telephoning 01978 761 523.
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What really lies beneath the surface? Reasonable inferences or pure speculation about Hope’s wall paintings? There is good news that Friends of Hope Parish Church maybe moving closer to achieving their goal of securing funds to help with the conservation of the important post-Reformation wall texts which are a distinctive feature of the Church. The Friends have shrewdly decided that it not currently possible to take further steps to reveal what lurks beneath centuries of lime wash on other parts of the church walls. This was a project taken on by the Vale of Glamorgan Church of St Cadoc in Llancarfan. There work did reveal some stunning examples of medieval art but it was at considerable expense and involved long periods of church closure apart from services. It is, nevertheless, interesting to speculate about what does lie beneath the surface on the walls of our own church. Last month Our Heritage discussed the Doom painting which can be seen above the arch separating the nave from the chancel in the parish church of St Giles in Wrexham. This month we examine some of the other wall paintings which are evident in churches in north-east Wales. Do they provide clues about what lies beneath the surface of the lime wash in Hope Church or is it idle speculation? In his book on Medieval Wall Paintings Roger Rosewell draws attention to the special emphasis given to a syllabus of faith at the Fourth Lateran Council which met in 1215 in the Pope’s Lateran Palace. It was stated that ordinary people (the laity) should receive annual Confession and learn about the fundamental tenants of the Christian faith. Archbishop Stephen Langton, (who is also noted for drawing up the clauses of Magna Carta on behalf of the Barons in 1215) said congregations should be given ‘food of the word of God, lest they be…judged as dumb dogs.’ In 1281 English bishops adopted an educational programme known as the Igorantia Sacerdotum which required parish priests to instruct parishioners with key articles of faith. It was, perhaps, the first attempt at a National Curriculum for the illiterate masses. Does it provide a clue to the messages conveyed by medieval wall paintings of the period? Common themes which were included in the syllabus of faith were the Seven Corporal Works of Mercy, the Seven Deadly Sins, the Seven Virtues and the Seven Sacraments. These are among the most common reoccurring themes in church wall paintings and there are some key examples in north east Wales. St Mary’s Church in Ruabon does have a faded, but nevertheless significant, medieval wall painting. It depicts the Seven Corporal Works of Mercy. Thus parishioners were expected to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, provide shelter for the homeless, care for the sick, visit prisoners and bury the dead. In the case of the Ruabon example there is an angel by each of images to inspire the good deed. E. Clive Rouse, in another book entitled Medieval Wall Paintings, uses the Ruabon example in order to form a contrast with another wall painting at Corby Glen where a painting shows Seven Swearing Youths. In this case each of the offenders has a devil next to them tempting them to sin. The battle between Good and Evil is clearly evident. There are a number of interesting wall paintings at Llangar in Denbighshire. The church is particularly noted for its distinctive Death figure – a skeleton holding an hourglass and an arrow with a shovel and pick between the legs. Whilst some of the meaning may be obscured the figure undoubtedly depicts the inevitability of mortality; a similarity to the cheery theme discussed in last month’s Our Heritage article. What is also interesting about Llangar is that the walls also depict images which show the Seven Deadly Sins albeit in an extremely faded form. These date from an earlier period that that of the Death figure. The south wall has seven rectangular boxes which are said to have depicted the Seven Deadly Sins of Pride, Greed, Lust, Gluttony, Wrath and Sloth. In each case the person committing the sin is riding on the back of an animal. Much of what is depicted at Llangar has been lost or obscured. It is believed that seven rectangular boxes beneath the Seven Deadly Sins may also have depicted the Seven Works of Corporal Mercy so that parishioners had clear visual images of the contrast between Good and Evil.
Meanwhile the work at St Cadoc in the Vale of Glamorgan has revealed some of the best UK examples of the story of St George and the Dragon as well as those showing vivid examples of the Seven Deadly Sins. At this point words of caution are needed. We must be wary of generalising from particular cases. There is no necessary reason why Hope Church had or has similar images beneath the lime wash. Historical examples can be misleading and we must be prepared for local variations. History is full of surprises. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the policy of Flintshire County Council. Readers are welcome to contact the author with any news or views on the local heritage at DHealey204@aol.com or by telephoning 01978 761 523. One of my childhood memories involves my father taking me to Hyde Park Corner to listen to speakers on a Sunday afternoon. Some were notable characters, like Lord Soper, who were well known and admired. However there were always those who preached the message of Doom: the apocalyptic end of the world and Day of Judgement that would follow. As a child I was not quite ready to meet my doom and thankfully managed to take it all with a pinch of salt. However, readers should beware; the Day of Judgement really is very close indeed; it is the best example of a medieval wall painting depicting the Last Judgement in Wales and it can be seen in the parish church of St Giles, Wrexham! The Wrexham example dates from the early sixteenth century and is consistent with others found across Britain. Doom paintings are nearly always shown above the arch separating the nave from the holy space of the chancel. Where they can be found they are invariably the largest single painting in the church. The guidebook for the Church of St Giles is helpful in pinpointing the Biblical text that seems to have inflicted such fear upon medieval people. It is Matthew 25, verses 31-35 and 41: When the Son of Man comes in His glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at His right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at His right hand ‘Come, you that are blessed by the Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world’; then He will say to those at His left hand, ‘You that are accused, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’ The painting itself shows the figure of Christ at the centre. Unfortunately the top part of the painting, including the head of Christ, has been erased. The figure is flanked on his left by what are believed to be two kings and a bishop, wrapped in shrouds and arising from their coffins to present themselves to Christ in Majesty. It is a clear statement that even those at the top of the feudal order were considered to be subject to His Lordship. Flanking Christ on His right side are the figures of the Virgin Mary and St John who are believed to be interceding on behalf of the penitent. Further down, on part of the right side of Christ where the painting is badly faded, it is said that the figure of St Peter is receiving a group of figures (including kings, queens, bishops, monks and laity) into the gates of Heaven. Meanwhile to the lower left side of Christ figures are being consumed in the flames of hell. The painting is a reminder of the inevitability of death, regardless of wealth or status and of the need to lead a good life in fear of the Day of Judgement. In some cases, although this is not evident at St Giles, the Doom picture either contains an image of St Michael, weighing souls with scales, or else the image is somewhere close. The key question is: did an earlier building of Hope Parish Church ever have a Doom Picture on an archway between the nave and the chancel? We will probably never know what colourful images lay beneath the whitewash in Hope Parish Church or in earlier parts of the church which have now disappeared. However, Hope Church does have at least one reminder of the inevitability of Doom. The Eternal Truth of the medieval Doom picture has been captured in a few words of Latin which a stone mason, either because of instruction or of his own volition, chiselled onto a stone which is now in the external wall of the Church. The words ‘MORS OMINBUS COMMUNIS’ (Death is Common to All) are to be seen on one of the stones which is embedded in the section of wall connecting the main part of the church to the tower. The tower is believed to have been constructed around 1500 and we can only assume that the connecting section of wall dates from that time as well. The stone may have had an earlier location and the inscription would therefore date from an earlier period. Unfortunately, being on an external wall, it now shows signs of considerable wear and is barely discernible. It is, nevertheless, an interesting piece of evidence from a period in which the church played a key role in reminding folk of the inevitability of their own mortality regardless of their status. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the policy of Flintshire County Council. Readers are welcome to contact the author with any news or views on the local heritage at DHealey204@aol.com or by telephoning 01978 761 523. Mold has several plaques which make reference to the riot which took place on 2nd June, 1869. There is a blue plaque by the corner of Tyddyn Street and another one on the wall of the Old Court House which is said to bear the marks of shots fired on the crowd during the incident. There is also an interesting piece of ceramic artwork on the external wall of the Grosvenor Hall. This depicts a landscape of Mold but also shows members of an angry crowd engaged in the riot itself. However, none of these plaques actually remember the four people who lost their lives when troops opened fire on the crowd. Members of the Tyddyn Street United Church History Group have now addressed this issue. A new memorial board, which is the product of their research, was recently unveiled by Ted Mackay, former Miners Agent for North Wales and Director of the North Wales Miners’ Association Trust. The board gives specific details of those who lost their lives: Edward Bellis, aged 22, a blacksmith and collier from Treuddyn; Elizabeth Jones, a fifty year old woman; Margaret Younghusband, aged 19, a domestic servant; and Robert Hannaby, aged 19, a collier from Coed Talon. It is difficult to summarise the circumstances which gave rise to the riot in limited space. There had been decades of poor industrial relations on the North Wales Minefield. Miners had low wages and suffered from high prices in the ‘Tommy Shops’ where they used company tokens to buy necessities. They suffered from uncertainties of employment and housing because outsiders could take their jobs and homes. They also suffered dreadful conditions down the mines, and there was always the possibility of a serious accident. Numerous accidents occurred on the North Wales minefield during the nineteenth century. The gravestone of Owen Jones can still be seen in Pontblyddyn Churchyard. He was one of eight ‘men’ killed during a flooding accident in a Leeswood mine in 1864. Owen Jones was only 10 years old. It was not until 1872 that the age of boys who could work in coalmines was raised to 12 and eventually 13 in 1903. This grave also contains the body of his father, Robert Jones, who died on Christmas Day of the following year, aged 38. The gravestone is a tragic reminder: life can be nasty, brutish and short. The final straw for the miners of Leeswood Green colliery came after John Young, from Durham, became the new manager in 1864. It was said that he gave the best jobs to his favourites who then acted as his bodyguard. On 1st May, 1869, he put up a notice which meant that miners would get a shilling less for each ton of coal cut. There had been no consultation of the angry workforce. About 60 miners confronted Young outside his house at Cae Gwail. He told them that it was a matter for the Board of Directors and he could not do anything about the cut in wages. The crowd then kicked him and marched him to Penyffordd where they tried to put him on a train to send him packing. However, the police rescued Young before he could be dispatched and summonses were later issued for 8 of the ringleaders who had attacked him. These were the men who were put on trial at Mold Crown Court on the fateful day of 2nd June, 1869. The Chief Constable anticipated that there would be trouble as the crowd awaited the verdict of the trial. He attended with three superintendants, two inspectors and 39 policemen. There were also 50 troops of the King’s Own from Chester as backup. Estimates vary from around 500 to 1,500 for the size of the crowd that assembled outside. The stone-throwing began once those found guilty were brought out to be taken by train to Flint Gaol. The train carriage windows were shattered as were all the windows of the station platform building, which stood where Tesco’s now stands. According to newspaper reports 23 soldiers and 13 policemen were severely injured by the stones, some as a result of having their helmets cut in two. It proved to be impossible for the Riot Act to be read given the ferocity of the stone-throwing. A magistrate therefore gave permission for the troops to open fire. It is said that the troops first fired blanks over the heads of the crowd but the crowd surged forward. The troops therefore opened fire on the crowd itself. Edward Bellis was shot in the abdomen. He was taken, by friends, to the Druid Inn, Pontblyddyn but was refused admission. He was therefore taken to the Queen’s Arms, where he died on 3rd June after an operation to remove the bullet. It was later said that he had been throwing stones and waving a large stick. Elizabeth Jones was shot in the back and taken to a cottage in Chester Street, where she died three days later. It was said, by some that she had gathered stones in her apron but this was denied by others. Margaret Younghusband received a bullet wound in her thigh. It severed an artery and she bled to death shortly afterwards. She had been a completely innocent bystander who came to see what the commotion was about. Robert Hannaby was shot in the face and died on Tyddyn Street where he had been throwing stones. The Mold tragedy is a story of inequality, injustice and violence. There was no machinery for negotiation, no strategy to pacify or quell an angry workforce. There were no rubber bullets or CS gas to dissuade an angry mob. The event shows social conflict in its most stark form. It is fitting that those who lost their lives should be remembered. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the policy of Flintshire County Council. Readers are welcome to contact the author with any news or views on the local heritage at DHealey204@aol.com or by telephoning 01978 761 523.
The announcement also means that Caergwrle Castle will now feature on CADW’s website and receive national publicity. The Minister and CADW have been impressed by the level of community involvement at the site and want this to continue as part of a partnership between CADW and the community. It is anticipated that there will be a series of promotional and community engagement events which will continue to raise the profile of the Castle and put Caergwrle on the map. Meanwhile the surrounding woodland of the Castle Hill will continue to be managed by Flintshire Countryside Service on behalf of Hope Community Council.
It is expected that local businesses will benefit from the increase in visits to the area by tourists. Tourists stimulate the local economy and help communities to sustain themselves without adding to the list of patients at local medical practices or increasing the demand for school places. CADW involvement can therefore provide a boost to the rural economy. CADW itself has been known to make purchases of properties which add to the visitor experience and benefit the local economy of the area. It is unlikely that this will happen soon in the case of Caergwrle unless there is a dramatic increase in footfall. Harlech Castle is part of the chain of castles which form part of a World Heritage Site. It was here where CADW actually bought up the nearby Castle Hotel and adapted it to form a visitor centre. It also facilitated the development of apartments which are let by a company to enable tourists to stay in Harlech itself. The project, which includes a floating footbridge, received £6M in funding from the Welsh Government and won the Tourism and Leisure Category at the 2017 RICS Awards. CADW’s website includes the comment made by the judges who were impressed by the initiative: 'The visitor centre is an integral part of the visitor experience to the castle and it is hard to now imagine the site without it. The centre appears not only to have added to the overall visitor experience of the World Heritage Site but it has changed the nature of the town centre from one of quiet decay to one of optimism, with new business start-ups and expansion of existing businesses. The centre also now appears to act as a central anchor for local businesses. Future plans for the castle itself can only add to long term success.’ It has to be admitted that Harlech Castle is in a different league from that of Caergwrle but that should not stop us from holding out a vision of some of the things that could eventually happen as a result of CADW involvement. Not all of us may welcome apartments for tourists but a visitors’ centre with public toilet facilities and disability access to the Castle would be assets worth having. The locality also boasts one of the best examples of a Packhorse Bridge in Wales, a Jacobean Mansion, evidence of both Offa’s and Wat’s Dykes, the hill fort of Bryn y Gaer, the hidden gem of Hope Parish Church, the (so far unrecognised) site of the discovery of the Bronze Age Caergwrle Bowl, the Wales Link Path and the emerging Park in the Past Project. The local area has the potential to offer a unique visitor experience and the latest move by CADW is a step in the right direction in moving our community from one of ‘quiet decay to one of optimism.’ Some readers will sense something of a sea-change with regard to what has been perceived to have been CADW’s traditional position vis-à-vis castles in Wales. There has been a strong emphasis on the over-awing castles of King Edward I that form part of the World Heritage Site. The acquisition of Caergwrle, with a plaque dedicated to the native Prince Dafydd ap Gruffudd, has strong Ministerial support and represents the beginning of a new emphasis on castles built by the princes of Wales. This puts Caergwrle at the forefront of a story set to run. It is good news for enthusiasts of local history and good news for our rural economy. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the policy of Flintshire County Council. Readers are welcome to contact the author with any news or views on the local heritage at DHealey204@aol.com or by telephoning 01978 761 523. I am indebted to a local resident for letting me have sight of the handwritten copy of the Minute Book of Hope Parish & District Rate Payers Association of 1924-32. It provides evidence of a vigorous local Ratepayers’ Association. The period ushered in some of the first utilities in the villages of Hope, Caergwrle and Abermorddu against the challenging background of looming recession. The condition of local roads was raised repeatedly by local Ratepayers during the period recorded. Progress was achieved with a ‘New Road’ in Hope, a reference to the road re-alignment which involved the de-consecration of part of the churchyard of St Cynfarch’s. The Church Commissioners had opposed to this and the Ratepayers protested to the authorities in St Asaph and the Church Commissioners in Cardiff. The work, however, must have been completed by 1925 as one complaint received by the Ratepayers was that heavy vehicles were still using the ‘old Kiln Road’ rather than the New Road. The use of Kiln Lane as a short-cut is clearly a long-standing problem. The need to widen Fagl Lane, formerly ‘Cemetery Road’, became a campaigning issue throughout the period. There were constant complaints about the ditch to the side of the road and concerns about the safety of children walking to school. Ratepayers were hopeful that progress would be made, however the minutes of November 1928 recorded that the project had been deferred until March 1929. Minutes of 1930 later recorded ‘astonishment that the road improvements for Cemetery Lane had not been included in budget estimates for the year.’ Following several accidents in 1932 a County Councillor was asked if there was any hope of having the road widened. His reply was that “there was a very little likelihood of any road improvement expense being undertaken during coming years owing to the withdrawal of government grants.” Although not stated it is apparent that the Great Depression was impacting upon British public finances. The Ratepayers showed little sympathy for the Council and sounded what has become a familiar chorus: they could have saved money by filling potholes properly the first time! Caergwrle had led the way with electricity with Arthur Owen Griffiths setting up the Caergwrle Electric Light Company in 1909. However by the early 1920s Ratepayers were concerned that the proprietor was about to leave the neighbourhood and asked when the North Wales Power Company would reach the village. The initial assurance was for Christmas 1924. By 1925 the Ratepayers were still in the dark and were told that the delay was caused by the bursting of the dam at Dolgarrog. By 1928 it was apparent that electricity had arrived to some parts of the community however the issue rumbled on into the early 1930s. In November of 1929 the Ratepayers asked for the scheme to be extended to Caer Estyn and Sarn Lane. By January 1930 it was clear that it was still needed in Pigeon House Lane and Rhyddyn Hill and in December 1931 a meeting was held to consider the need for lamps, yet again, in Caer Estyn and along Mold Road, Hope. By the time the minute book end it is clear that piecemeal progress was being made. The Ratepayers complained bitterly about the charges of Wrexham Water Company. They sent letters to Hawarden Rural District Council and a deputation to meet the secretary of the Company. Particular concerns were raised about the need for a connection for residents in Stryt Isa. The minutes also record that there was an ‘urgent need’ was a sewerage system in Caergwrle by 1928. The Ratepayers continued to press the case and received an assurance the following year that ‘the scheme was being pushed as rapidly as possible.’ At one stage a public meeting was requested in order to discuss the situation. By 1931 it was apparent that the main sewers of Caergwrle village had been put down but the work involved had led to the Sarn footpath being flooded and the roads being left in a terrible state. By November 1931 it was noted that ‘roads damaged by sewerage works in Caergwrle were being repaired.’ It seems that this was a major undertaking, the likes of which do not appear to have been seen since in Caergwrle. The period also saw the public convenience being established in Caergwrle in 1930 at a cost of £400, although perhaps not surprisingly, at first, it had no electric lighting! The minutes provide an interesting snapshot of a period of change but also one of challenge with some themes which are being echoed into more modern times. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the policy of Flintshire County Council. Readers are welcome to contact the author with any news or views on the local heritage at DHealey204@aol.com or by telephoning 01978 761 523.
I had submitted apologies that there would be no Our Heritage article this month as a result of my own period of hospitalisation which resulted in the fitting of a pacemaker. However the fact that Kath Graham is retiring as Editor of the magazine is something that really must be commented upon. In an ideal world I would have liked to have sat down and interviewed Kath to get her own views of the work which she has done on the Magazine for the last 26 years. It has transformed the Magazine and given it a broader community focus. The Magazine has reached out to 500 households and even had an impact overseas. It has become an established part of Our Heritage which enriches community life. It has also, for the last eight years, given me an opportunity to celebrate and comment upon the rich heritage of our locality. Thank you Kath for all that you have done. We will all be delighted to learn that Rebecca Morgan and Claire Olsen are taking on the work of the Magazine. They both do have other commitments and it is a challenging but worthy task which benefits so many readers. I would like to wish them well in continuing with this work. There are some other things which are changing within our community which will impact upon what we have come to regard as an established part of Our Heritage. Unfortunately the on-going financial challenge faced by Flintshire County Council has impacted upon some of the rural buses which have been a familiar feature along our country lanes. Penyffordd residents have been angered by the news that the 3A Arriva bus service between Mold and Chester is to be lost and have raised a petition to fight for its retention. Meanwhile news of the loss of the valued DB1 service has hit residents in Hope and Caergwrle hard, as specially as several of them depend on the service in order to access work. This copy of the Magazine may just reach readers in time to publicise the public meeting which is being called about the loss of the DB1 service. It will be in the Masonic Hall, High Street, Caergwrle at 7pm on Thursday 12th April. County Councillors for Hope and Caergwrle have arranged for this meeting to be chaired by Askar Sheibani, Chair of the Deeside Business Forum. It is understood that Steve Jones, Flintshire’s Head of Streetscene and Transportation will also be in attendance. There is also the constant change which is impacting upon our countryside and open spaces as a result of housing development. Unfortunately speculators are taking advantage of the fact that the County does not yet have a Local Development Plan in place and cannot fulfil the requirement that it has identified a five-year supply of land for housing development. This gives developers a distinct advantage in getting applications passed. There are, and always will be, differing views about the need for housing development. In a previous article attention was drawn to the sad decline of the village pub which is often attributed to the lack of affordable housing for young people who wish to stay within a community and whose contribution would help to sustain shops, pubs and amenities. However those who have been used to living where there has been an open space often see the development as a loss of part of their heritage. There have been a large number of planning applications which have impacted upon the Penyffordd community in recent years. Meanwhile residents of Abermorddu are now learning of application number 058163 for up to 80 houses on land alongside Wrexham Road and have vowed to oppose this tooth and nail. May I express my thanks an appreciation to the many members of the community who have expressed their kind regards to me following my surgery. I am making a strady improvement and your kind thoughts are appreciated. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the policy of Flintshire County Council. Readers are welcome to contact the author with any news or views on the local heritage at DHealey204@aol.com or by telephoning 01978 761 523.
Friends of Hope Parish Church are appealing for help to conserve historic wall paintings which were first discovered in the 1950s. Commenting on a report on the wall paintings by Dr Andrea Kirkham, Chair of the Friends, David Pickering, said that there was now an ‘exciting opportunity to conserve two fragments of post-Reformation text and a medieval fragment which is believed to be the image of St Christopher.’ The Friends are seeking support to raise approximately £12,000 plus the cost of scaffolding in order to conserve the fragments so that they can be appreciated by future generations. The report is welcome because little, with the exception of a newspaper report in 1953, has been previously written about the wall paintings. The two fragments of post-Reformation text are currently difficult to read and the third fragment, which is said to be an image of St Christopher, is in a very poor condition. Some further small fragments of painting were found in several locations around the church during restoration work in 2000. Most were so small that they were not considered to be worthy of conservation. However the report does note small traces of paint still being visible on the top of the capital below one of the texts (Text A) and in the mouldings of the stone arches. Together with the remaining three fragments they are the only visible evidence of what was probably once a richly decorated church. What has been identified as ‘Text A’ is the one on the arcade which is furthest to the east. In the case of both Text A and Text B the report comments on a palimpsest of layers of two or possibly three schemes. The paintings have clearly been painted over more than once. Commenting on one of the phases the report states: “One phase consisted of texts in roundels with exuberant scrollwork in red and yellow ochre, as in text A. Lettering is in black with rubricated initials. Parallel lines have been drawn to register the lettering. Further west is an oblong shaped text (B) also with a frame in red and yellow ochre. Lettering is in black. A segment of the earlier roundel can be seen beneath the lettering. Probably both schemes are C17th.” The fragments are considered to be important because it is more usual to find traces of earlier wall paintings, rather than texts. The report is slightly critical of the conservation techniques used to preserve the texts in the 1950s and comments on the “dirty, discoloured wax coating” which was applied. Although not explicitly stated, it is apparent that the techniques employed do nothing to conserve the fragments or make them more visible for future generations. Commenting on the ‘medieval’ fragments the report notes that they have been set in a basic softwood frame and are in “Appalling condition”. They are scarcely decipherable. They have been moved and roughly set into cement. Whilst the cement cannot be removed the report does state that the appearance and presentation of the fragments could be improved. The medieval fragment was the subject of an ‘Our Heritage’ article in Hope Parish Magazine in May 2015 which included a photograph of the painting of St Christopher in St. Asaph Cathedral. This, in turn, is based on the best surviving wall-painting of St Christopher in north Wales which is in the church of Llanynys in Denbighshire. Dr Kirkham sets out recommended treatments for both the post-Reformation texts and the ‘medieval’ fragments and concludes: “St Cyngar’s Church retains interesting examples of post-Reformation texts which will benefit from cleaning and conservation and will be considerably more legible than now. The appearance and legibility of the framed ex situ fragments will also improve with cleaning.” It is to be hoped that the Friends of Hope Parish Church will be successful in raising the target sum so that these historic features can be enhanced and preserved as part of our heritage. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the policy of Flintshire County Council. Readers are welcome to contact the author with any news or views on the local heritage at DHealey204@aol.com or by telephoning 01978 761 523. It is always a delight to receive the annual card and newsletter from the Friends of Hope Parish Church because they are a dedicated team of volunteers who have done a great deal to preserve and present some of the key features of our heritage which can be seen within the Church. The term ‘volunteers’ should be stressed because with a heritage going back as far as the time of the ancient Celtic Cross which is now safely preserved within the wall of the Lady Chapel, the Church has relied on generation after generation of unsung heroes and heroines who have come forward to play a role in the life of the Church at the heart of the community. Church folk are probably the most ‘taken for granted’ group of volunteers that ever existed! The particular team who make up the committee of Friends are not themselves experts on aspects of conservation and restoration but have become adept in accessing funds, from a variety of pots, in order to commission the services of those who do possess that expertise. Thus we have seen, since 2013, work having been done to preserve the ancient Celtic Cross, conservation work on the Sir John Trevor memorials, conservation of the “George III” Coat of Arms memorial, the installation of a new stained glass panel in the windows by the pulpit and conservation of the 18th Century Benefaction Board.
Taking on de facto management of a highly significant heritage building may, at first sight, appear to be a rather daunting enterprise. However, the Friends appear to have taken on board one of the maxim’s of good management: “If you are going to eat an elephant do it one bite at a time!” They are systematically working their way round the Church to identify new projects, access the funding to address the issues and then working with those who have the expertise to complete the tasks. Not resting on their laurels, the Friends have a vision for how the Church experience can be improved in the future. The Diocesan building inspection Quinquennial report has confirmed that the ancient outer west door is in need of repair. This is likely to include work on the surrounding stonework. In addition the Friends would like to improve the inner door to provide a more inviting view of the Church as well as reduce the draft. They are awaiting proposals from the Church Architect on this before applying for funding. Then, of course, there are the three areas of exposed wall texts which have been discussed in a previous article by Allan Poynton. After seeking advice from the Royal Commission on the Ancient & Historical Monuments for Wales the Friends contacted Dr Andrea Kirkham, a registered conservator, who subsequently examined the wall texts. They are believed to date from around 1630, as does the pulpit. She also found evidence of earlier texts which are partly exposed. The Friends are awaiting Andrea’s official report so that they can assess the cost implications of any suggested conservation work. It is certainly exciting to see aspects of our heritage being cared for in this way. Volunteers alluded to in the early part of this article have included a succession of members of the local community who have wound the clock tower on a regular basis. It is actually an increasingly onerous job so those involved may be rather pleased to learn that they could be the latest group to be made redundant as a result of automation! It seems likely that this work will be carried out by Smiths of Derby, the company who maintain the clock, once the necessary permissions have been granted. The Friends have expressed their gratitude to the family of the late Russell Fidler, a keen amateur horologist for sponsoring this work. The Friends have a detailed guide for those who visit the Church but they are also working on a set of laminated sheets which can be used by visitors for walks around the building. These are likely to be available for the first “Welcome Afternoon” of 2018 on Saturday 10th March (check the date on the website nearer the time to confirm the date and time.) On a somewhat more mundane but nevertheless necessary level the Friends have supported repairs to the drains and roof to the value of £243.75. There are currently 57 members of Friends of Hope Parish Church and the Friends are keen to recruit more. Given the track record of this group in helping to preserve key features of our heritage I would certainly wish to put my weight behind such an appeal. I would like to thank Liz Poynton for allowing me to use information from the informative newsletters which she has produced. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the policy of Flintshire County Council. Readers are welcome to contact the author with any news or views on the local heritage at DHealey204@aol.com or by telephoning 01978 761 523. News of a planning application to convert the former Halfway Inn, Caergwrle into two dwellings has brought forth a number of nostalgic memories from local residents on social media. Residents have lamented the loss of Caergwrle’s pubs which used to play such an important part in the life of the village. For some pubs like the Halfway were their ‘spiritual home’. People have written with sadness of the changes to the character of the village. For some it was where they ‘had their first pint’, played for the darts team or socialised with some of Caergwrle’s fondly remembered characters. There is a sense of loss because conversion of the building means that it will never serve as a community hub again. It is also symptomatic of the more general decline of a traditional way of life which included the local pub as the main focal point of a village.The Halfway was, in the nineteenth century, the meeting place of one of the most important friendly societies of the village; the Independent Order of Oddfellows. They were, and still are, one of the largest friendly societies in the UK, having evolved from the medieval guilds. Friendly Societies played an important role in looking after the welfare of members before aspects of the Welfare State were developed, and there were several such Societies active in Caergwrle. Although membership would involve expense and obligation it also provided a safety net against hardship. The Societies used local public houses as meeting places, thereby adding to their custom and support in the locality. The name ‘Odd Fellows’ came into being because they were fellow tradesmen from an odd assortment of trades. Locally they are remembered by the street name of ‘Fellows Lane’ which, crosses the Packhorse Bridge, and would have been a popular route used by members walking to the Halfway. Other local pubs, which have now become private houses, were similarly sustained by friendly societies, some of which had influential support. The Derby Arms was used as a meeting place by the Ancient Order of Foresters. Their activities included an annual ‘Anchor of Hope’, which involved a procession round the area, led by the Band of the 1st Flintshire Engineers, before returning to the assembly room for a dinner. In the late ninetieth century they had 112 members, with Colonel Trevor-Roper, of Plas Teg, as their president. The Glynne Arms, now a residential care home, was the meeting place of the Loyal Order of Ancient Shepherds, who had 250 members in 1894. It was also a meeting place for the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes. Newspaper reports of the late nineteenth century make it clear that the Glynne Arms played an important part in communal life, having grounds for the erection two marquees and excellent reputation for dinners and refreshments. The cover provided allowed space for dancing to take place in the event of wet weather and there was often involvement of a military band or shooting match between different Rifle Volunteer Companies. With all this on offer it is not surprising that local pubs flourished. Sadly village pubs have been closing across Britain for decades and rural communities have been the hardest to be hit. There are several factors involved. It has been argued that local families are priced out of their own communities by wealthy commuters who lack the same attachment to local pubs and services. There is a strong argument for more affordable housing to save village life but there will always be an issue about where such housing should be permitted. Breweries place their own demands on pub landlords and the pubs themselves have difficulty competing with the low price of alcohol on supermarket shelves, especially when people have limited disposable income. When footfall declines the value of the site itself becomes an attractive opportunity for housing development. It is the old adage: if you don’t use it, you lose it. It seems fitting to conclude with a note of optimism and to use a rare photograph to make the point. Although Hope’s Red Lion Inn will never revert to being a traditional pub with a thatched roof it is due to and as a public house and restaurant. Let us hope that the new owners have a successful future and that Hope receives a much needed lift from the new investment which the pub will be receiving.The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the policy of Flintshire County Council. Readers are welcome to contact the author with any news or views on the local heritage at DHealey204@aol.com or by telephoning 01978 761523. |
AuthorDave Healey Archives
January 2021
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