Wrexham - Pigot's Directory 1835

From Pigot & Co., Commercial Directory, 1835:

WREXHAM is a large, populous, and respectable market town, in an extensive parish of its name, which is chiefly in the hundred of Bromfield, county of Denbigh, and extending into the hundred of Mayler, county of Flint; 177 miles N.W. from London, 25 S.E. from Denbigh, 12 S.E. from Mold, the like distance s. by w. from Chester, and 28 N.W. from Shrewsbury; pleasantly situate on a small stream running into the Dee, and consists of several streets, which diverge from the centre, and lead respectively to Shrewsbury, Ellesmere, Oswestry, Ruthin, Mold, and Chester. The buildings are in general good, and few towns possess greater local advantages. It is of Saxon origin, called by those people Wrightesham, and its inhabitants retain the language and manners of the old English. The trade of the town has much diminished since the breaking up of a large cannon foundry establishment, which once flourished in the neighbourhood: it was once also a great mart for flannels, but this branch has much declined, and its present trade arises chiefly from its central and great thoroughfare situation. Coal, iron, and lead mines are extensively and prosperously worked in the neighbourhood, and upon several streams are mills appropriated to the grinding of corn, the drawing of wire, and the manufacturing of paper; besides which the malting trade is of consequence, and there are several respectable breweries, a considerable manufactory for patent flat and round ropes, and some tanneries. A court-leet is held here occasionally, and the district magistrates have monthly meetings, and also others extraordinary for the business for the town, which is transacted in the town-hall, a convenient building, in High-street. The new system of police has been recently introduced here. The town of Wrexham contributes, with Denbigh, Holt, and Ruthin, to send one member to parliament. The Parish Church of St. Giles, Wrexham is the church (formerly collegiate), which, in point of beauty, is superior to many cathedrals in England. The tower is about one hundred and thirty-five feet high to the top of the pinnacle, adorned on three sides with rows of twenty-five statues. The inside is very spacious, and although not so overloaded with carved work as many gothic churches are, yet the admirer of fine sculpture will be highly gratified by the inspection of this ancient sanctuary: his attention will also be excited by the beautiful and celebrated monument by Roubiliac, to the memory of Mary, daughter of Sir Richard Middleton, to be seen in this church. This edifice is dedicated to St. Giles: the living is a vicarage, in the gift of the Bishop of St. Asaph, and incumbency of the Rev. George Cunliffe. Here are also two chapels of ease, five others belonging to dissenters, and one (erected a few years since) for Roman Catholics. The other public institutions are, a savings' bank, a public library, news and lecture rooms, a free grammar school, one conducted upon the national plan, and another, called 'Lady Jeffrey's charity school'. The surrounding country is extremely beautiful; the mountainous part is a rich mineral tract: the greater portion of the parish, however, is either flat or composed of gentle risings, very fertile, and the system of agriculture is peculiarly fine. The market days are Thursday and Saturday: the great fair commences on the 23rd of March, and continues for a fortnight, at which much business is transacted by manufacturers and tradesmen from the principal towns in the kingdom: the other fairs, of minor importance, are on the third Thursday in January, Holy-Thursday, the 16th of June, the 7th of August, the 19th of September, the 29th of October, and the third Thursday in December. By the parliamentary returns for 1821 the population of the parish of Wrexham amounted to 11,081, and in 1831 to 11,515; of which last number 2,043 persons were returned for the township of Wrexham Abbot, and 3,441 for that of Wrexham Regis.

Post Office, Charles-St, Richard Mosedale, Post Master. — Letters from LONDON arrive every afternoon at four, and are despatched every morning at ten. - Letters from BRISTOL and the SOUTH arrive every morning at nine, and are despatched every night at half-past eight. — Letters from MOLD and HOLYWELL arrive every morning at nine, and are despatched every afternoon at twenty minutes past four. — Letters from LIVERPOOL arrive every night at half-past eight, and are despatched every morning at nine.

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