Maelor facts for kids
The Maelor is a special area in north-east Wales, right along the border with England. Today, it's completely part of the Wrexham County Borough. The name Maelor is an old Welsh word. It means "land of the prince," coming from mael (which means "prince") and llawr (meaning "low ground" or "region").
Contents
A Look Back: The Maelor's History
The Maelor started as a cantref (an old Welsh land division, like a large district) within the Kingdom of Powys. It was centered around a religious settlement called Bangor-on-Dee. This area included smaller districts called commotes, such as Maelor, Yale (Iâl), the Alyn Valley (Ystrad Alun), and Hope (Yr Hob).
During the 700s, much of the Maelor came under the control of the Kingdom of Mercia (an old Anglo-Saxon kingdom in England). Offa's Dyke, a large earth wall, was built to mark this new border. By 1066, when the Normans took over England, the eastern parts of the Maelor were held by Edwin, Earl of Mercia. These lands were later given to a powerful Norman lord, Hugh d'Avranches, Earl of Chester.
The Maelor was brought back into Powys during the time of King Stephen of England (1135–1154) by a Welsh ruler named Madog ap Maredudd. He died in 1160, and his kingdom was split among his family.
By the early 1200s, when it was part of the lands of Madog ap Gruffydd, Prince of Powys Fadog, the Maelor was split into two main parts:
- Maelor Gymraeg ("Welsh Maelor"): This area was also known as Bromfield in English. It was west of the River Dee and included areas like Wrexham and Merford.
- English Maelor|Maelor Saesneg ("English Maelor"): This part included areas from parishes like Overton, Ellesmere, Whittington, and Oswestry. The name Saesneg ("English") likely referred to its religious connections, as it was historically part of the ancient Diocese of Lichfield and Chester (an English church area). The Welsh Maelor stayed within the Diocese of St Asaph (a Welsh church area).
Welsh political control of the Maelor ended in 1282-1283 after King Edward I of England conquered Wales. The English Maelor became the king's personal property. In 1284, it was added to the new county of Flintshire. The Welsh Maelor remained part of the Marcher Lordship of Bromfield and Yale, which King Edward gave to Earl John de Warenne.
English Maelor: A Closer Look
The English Maelor (called Welsh: Maelor Saesneg in Welsh) is the area east of the River Dee. It stretches almost to Whitchurch. In 1397, under Richard II of England, the English Maelor was joined with the County Palatine of Chester to form the Principality of Chester. It remained a personal possession of the crown until 1536, when the Laws in Wales Acts brought big changes.
Even though it was part of Flintshire, the administrative changes of 1536 made the Hundred of Maelor (or English Maelor) an exclave. This means it was a part of Flintshire that was completely surrounded by other counties like Cheshire, Shropshire, and Denbighshire. This area was often called Flintshire Detached. Its main town was Overton. It also included villages like Bangor-on-Dee, Bettisfield, Bronington, Hanmer, Halghton, Penley, Tybroughton, Willington, and Worthenbury.
In 1887, a special Boundary Commission was set up to review county borders in England and Wales. During a meeting in Overton, most people in the area wanted it to become part of Shropshire. The local officials in Flintshire also supported this idea. However, when new laws about local government were passed, no changes were made to the Maelor's borders.
Under the Local Government Act 1894, the area became the Overton Rural District. In 1953, it was renamed Maelor Rural District. It stayed a detached part of Flintshire until 1974.
Maelor Gymraeg: The Welsh Side
The Maelor Gymraeg, or "Welsh Maelor," is the part of the Maelor that lies west of the River Dee. It included parts of old parishes like Bersham, Erbistock, Marchwiel, Ruabon, Wrexham, and Gresford.
After King Edward I's conquest, this area continued to be part of the Lordship of Bromfield and Yale. Then, in 1536, it was included in the newly created county of Denbighshire as the Hundred of Bromfield.
The Maelor Today
In 1974, there was a big reorganization of local government in Wales. Both the English and Welsh parts of the Maelor were brought together into a new district called Wrexham Maelor. This was one of six districts in the new county of Clwyd.
Later, in 1996, another local government change happened. The Maelor became part of the newly created county borough of Wrexham. So, today, the entire Maelor area is part of Wrexham County Borough.
