A-Z of Services

The Big Town Story Map

Finding the places mentioned in the text.

Llwyn Isaf
This public park is all that is left of the gardens of Llwyn Isaf, the vicar of Wrexham's home between 1875 and 1950. The vicarage was demolished to make way for the Guildhall.
Beast Market
The home of Wrexham's historic market. Cattle and sheep were sold here from medieval times to the 20th Century. The annual March Fair also took place here.
Mount Street
Named after a large house called The Mount that stood to the south. An historic property mentioned in records as early as 1391. Demolished to make way for the Wrexham - Ellesmere railway line.
Eagles Meadow
A meadow on the edge of Wrexham. In its time used as a recreation ground and as a tethering ground for horses whose owners were bringing them to the March Fair or for sale at the nearby Horse Repository. US servicemen were stationed on it during World War Two. Now a car park.
Miners' Institute
Still open as a social club for former miners who worked in local collieries and their friends.
Grove Park Road
This area was the exclusive housing development in late 19th century Wrexham.
Newtown
This area was built in the late 19th century. It offered quality terraced housing for the workers of Wrexham. A great improvement on the 'courts' off Brook Street.
Garden Village
An innovative housing scheme situated in north Wrexham. The intention was to create a healthy environment for the residents. The Great Depression prevented the completion of the scheme.
Acton Park
Originally the grounds of Acton Hall, the historic home of the Jeffreys and Cunliffe families. The most famous Jeffreys was Hanging Judge Jeffreys, the judge who condemned many to death after Monmouth's rebellion against King James II in 1685. The Cunliffes were a wealthy family who lived at Acton Hall in the 18th & 19th centuries. The house was demolished during 1955-56.
Queen's Park
Post war housing development that was state of the art in its time.
Thomas Griffith's dispensary
Thomas Griffiths opened this early example of a doctor's surgery and chemists in Yorke Street in 1833. It was for people who were too poor to pay for their own doctor but, luckily, not poor enough to end up in the Workhouse.
Wrexham Infirmary
The Wrexham Infirmary on Regent Street opened in 1838. Wealthy people sponsored the infirmary, while workers paid a subscription out of their wages to ensure medical care when in need. The building is now home to NEWI's School of Art & Design.
Wrexham & East Denbighshire War Memorial Hospital. Also the site of the Groves Academy
Wrexham people raised the money to build the Memorial Hospital between 1918 - 1927. The children's ward was paid for by an annual pantomime by the Walter Roberts Pantomime Company. The hospital closed in 1986 and is now home to Yale College. The Groves Academy was a 19th century private school on the site of Yale College's new buildings.
The Guildhall, Chester Street
Originally home to Wrexham's Grammar School, it became the seat of local government in 1883. The Fire Brigade, the town's free library and the School of Arts & Sciences were also there. A statue of Queen Victoria stood in front of the Guildhall. She now stands in Bellevue Park. The Guildhall was demolished in the 1970s and is now the site of T.J Hughes.
The Bridewell, Tenters Square
Wrexham's first Bridewell or lock-up dated back to the 17th century and was off Salop Road. The Bridewell at Tenters Square, off Pen-y-Bryn, was a larger building. Demolished in the 1980s. Tenters refers to the practice of hanging out cloths to dry, a process in the manufacture of woollen and linen cloth.
The Feathers Inn and the Wynnstay Arms Hotel
Two historic inns in the heart of Wrexham. The Feathers Inn's stabling for 30 horses and coach houses are still there, though the inn now stands derelict. The façade of the Wynnstay Arms dates to the early 18th century. The hotel has been the scene of many important events in the town's history, including the founding of the Football Association of Wales.
The Markets: Butchers' Market, Butter Market (previously Manchester Square) and Vegetable Market (previously Birmingham Square)
Wrexham has always been a market town. It is ideally situated to enable trade between farmers in the Welsh hills and buyers from wealthy Cheshire and beyond. The markets were until the mid 19th century the base for travelling salesmen. Then they were converted into covered markets.
Cambrian Iron Works
Powell Bros & Whittaker had their Cambrian Iron Works next to Wrexham General Station. They made farm machinery. During the First World War the works became a munitions factory. After the war, they manufactured motorbikes. A rare surviving example is in Wrexham Museum's collection.
Cambrian Leather Works
The Cambrian Leather Works grew from humble beginnings as a sheep tannery owned by John Peers in the late 18th century. Charles Rocke & John Meredith Jones turned it into a massive concern, just off Salop Road, in the 1860s-80s. The leather works closed in 1975.
Hugh Price & Co. Leather Works, Bridge Street & later Pentrefelin
Hugh Price & his descendants ran this leather works. They made leather, exclusively from sheep skins, for use on rollers in the cotton industry, boots, shoes and even the covers of an issue of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. Their logo was a cat and a monkey and the Welsh words Dal vi os medri "Catch me if you can."
Site of Wrexham Art & Industry Exhibition
The Wrexham Art & Industry Exhibition took place in 1876. The event was held in a huge temporary hall stretching from Hope Street (south) to Rhosddu Road ( north) and Egerton Street ( west) to Argyle Street (east). The Westminster Gateway on Hope Street was the main entrance to the exhibition area and is all that remains of Wrexham's own Great Exhibition.
Cambrian Brewery
Opened as the Clark & Orford Brewery in the mid 19th century. Peter Walker, the founder of Walker Breweries, later Tetley Walker, trained as a brewer here. The brewery was demolished in 2004 as part of a redevelopment scheme.
Soames's Brewery
Historic former brewery below St Giles's parish church. Originally known as the Nag's Head Brewery, a pub of the same name still stands next door to the brewery. Frederick Soames build the brewery into a successful company between 1879 - 1926. Currently being converted into apartments and a restaurant.
National School, Madeira Hill
National Schools were Church of England Schools. The original school was by the Beast Market. That school was condemned. The new school in this fine building was opened in 1885.
Victoria Board Schools, Poyser Street
This school opened in 1901. Fine medallions were made to mark its opening. The school playing field is on the site a former burial ground.
Denbighshire Technical Institute, now NEWI
The building on the Mold Road is an excellent example of modern architecture. The reliefs on the outside of the building celebrate the vocational education that the Institute offered its students.
Cartrefle College and now Ysgol Morgan Llwyd
Cartrefle College was initially built as hostel accommodation for munitions workers at the Royal Ordnance Factory, Marchwiel, during World War Two. Later it was a teacher training college for women. Now it is the site of a Welsh language secondary school.
Wrexham Racecourse
Historic home of Wrexham Football Club. The first horse race was held here in 1807. Racing of varying standards continued on and off throughout the 19th century. The Denbighshire Militia used it as their training ground until they moved to Hightown Barracks in 1877.
Tuttle Street Baths, opposite former site of Old Yorkshire Square
Wrexham's first proper swimming baths were here on Tuttle Street. Many local people have fond memories of the baths. They were ahead of their time environmentally. The town's incinerator created the heat to keep the water warm. Old Yorkshire Square was an early "shopping centre" used by cloth dealers from Yorkshire
Church House, St Mark's Road
The Church Hall for St Mark's Church, off Regent Street. The official inquiry into the Gresford Colliery Disaster took place in this building. Sir Hartley Shawcross, later the chief British prosecutor at the Nuremburg Trials and Sir Stafford Cripps, later Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Attlee Labour Government, both took part in the enquiry.
The Glynn, off Lambpit Street
Claimed to be the first purpose built cinema in North Wales, the Glynn opened in 1910. It used to be where the Council offices and Tourist Information Centre now are.
The Public Hall and later the Hippodrome, Henblas Street
The Public Hall on Henblas Street opened as a venue for music hall and light entertainment in 1873. Destroyed by fire in 1906. Reopened as the New Opera House, it became the Hippodrome Variety Theatre in 1913. It showed the first 'talkie' ( film with sound) in 1929. It closed as a cinema in 1998 and awaits new development.
Acton Hall, demolished 1955-56
The home of the Cunliffe family. The house had a varied history after their departure. Sir Bernard Oppenheimer bought the hall in 1917. He opened a diamond factory and also set up a smallholders' scheme for former soldiers. Later Sir Williams Aston turned the grounds into a public park. The Royal Marines and US forces were billeted at Acton during the Second World War. Neither treated the place well. The house was demolished not long after the war.
Erddig
A glorious country house built between roughly 1680 -1730. Home to popular members of the local gentry, the Yorke family. Philip Yorke gave Erddig to the National Trust in 1973. It was recently voted 2nd best country house open to the public in Britain.
Wynnstay Hall, Ruabon
The home of the fabulously wealthy and politically important Williams Wynn family from the mid 18th to the mid 20th centuries. Successive generations were known as Sir Watkin. The house dates from the 19th century and is French in style. The house was sold in 1947 and became a school, before its recent conversion into apartments.
Croesnewydd, site of the former workhouse.
Croesnewydd is a late 17th century country house that still stands on the western edge of Wrexham. The workhouse was just off the road to Croesnewydd, close to the railway line. If you were down on your luck in 19th century Wrexham, this was the welfare state you had to rely on. Most descriptions of it make depressing reading.
Wrexham Lager Brewery
The famous Wrexham lager brewery was founded by German immigrants to the town in 1882. Robert Graesser rescued the firm in 1892 and made it a world renowned brewery. It was the first successful lager brewery in Britain. The Graessers and their German headbrewers ran the brewery until 1949. The brewery closed in 2000. Only the original brewery stands after demolition work during 2002-03.
Police Station, County Buildings, now Wrexham County Borough Museum
This building on Regent Street opened as the Militia Barracks for the Royal Denbighshire Militia in 1857. In 1879 it became the town's police station and court house. There were two court rooms and cells for those held on remand or overnight if drunk. The exercise yard for prisoners is still there with its extra high walls to prevent any thought of escape.
Wrexham General Railway Station
The first station was built for the Shrewsbury & Chester Railway to a design by Thomas Penson, a local architect. The current station building dates to c1882.
Bellevue Park
Wrexham's first public park, also known as the Parciau. Laid out as a park in the 1910s and the venue for the 1933 National Eisteddfod. The park recently had a make-over and is the setting for many communal events.
St Giles Parish Church
Surely the most important historic building in the County Borough of Wrexham. This glorious church is an example of the last flowering of Roman Catholic medieval architecture. Inside the ceiling of the nave with its angels on high, the excellent stained glass windows, the Day of Judgement medieval wall painting above the arch to the chancel and the climb to the top of the tower; all together they make this church a must see for any visitor to Wrexham.
Town Hall, demolished 1940
The Town Hall stood next to the junction between High Street, Hope Street and Church Street. Demolished in 1940 in a road widening scheme. Charles I spoke to the people of Wrexham from the Town Hall. At the back was the Black Chamber (Siambr Du), the local lock up, which had a grim reputation.
Royal Ordnance Factory, Marchwiel, now Wrexham Industrial Estate
The Wrexham Industrial Estate had its origins as an Ordnance Factory during the Second World War. The factory made explosives so the buildings were spread over a large area.
Grove Park County School for Boys
The boys' school opened in 1895. It provided a grammar school education. The school was on Chester Road. The school went comprehensive and co-ed in 1972 and closed in 1983. The buildings are now part of Yale College.
Grove Park County School for Girls
The girls' school opened in 1896, but only got its own purpose built buildings in 1939. The school went comprehensive and co-ed in 1972 and after a series of name changes finally closed in 2004. The future of the site is still under discussion.
The Joy Centre, Willow Road
The Joy Centre was a club set up by William Aston to provide facilities for young people in Wrexham.
Bodhyfryd hut
A venue for dances and other social events near Bodhyfryd, just to the north-east of the town centre.
Grove Park Little Theatre, Hill Street
This community theatre was initially the Hill Street English Presbyterian church schoolroom. The theatre stages amateur productions and also runs a community youth theatre group as well.

Cartoons

The Catholic Cathedral cartoon
This cathedral serves the Catholic community of North Wales. The cathedral was paid for by Richard Thompson, a local industrialist, in memory of his wife.

Wrexham Football Club cartoon
Wrexham Football Club was founded at the Turf Hotel in 1872 by members of the local cricket club who wanted to keep fit during the winter months. The team is a great source of local pride in Wrexham. Many of Wales's international players have played for Wrexham including Tommy 'TG' Hughes and Joey Jones. Ted Robbins, a stalwart of Welsh football, also managed the club. He is why the team, until recently, were known as The Robins.

Waterworld cartoon
Wrexham's modern looking swimming baths replaced the old Tuttle Street Baths. Waterworld opened in 1970.

Police station cartoon
The police station tower was meant to be shorter than the tower of St Giles.

Greyhound cartoon
The greyhound was the symbol of the Cunliffe family. Four wooden greyhounds stood on top of the gateway to Acton Park. Over the years the greyhounds suffered the elements and the souvenir hunting tendencies of US soldiers. The best surviving greyhound is on display at Wrexham Museum. The current occupants on top of the Acton Gate are made of fibre glass.

Motorbike cartoon
An example of the motorbikes made by Powell Bros & Whittaker, Wrexham.

Bus station cartoon
The new bus station opened in 2003.

Guildhall cartoon
The Guildhall was officially opened in 1961. It is the headquarters of Wrexham County Borough Council. Wrexham is twinned with Markischer Kreiz in Germany and Raciborz in Poland.

Tram cartoon
The first electric trams in Wrexham ran in 1903. They replaced the previous horse drawn trams. The electric trams served a route running between Wrexham General railway station and the top of Gutter Hill in Rhosllanerchrugog. The trams stopped running in 1927.

Brewer cartoon
Julius Kolb, the Head Brewer at Wrexham Lager Brewery, was interned on the Isle of Man during the First World war as an 'undesirable alien.'

Tanner cartoon
The tanneries originally lined the River Gwenfro. The stench must have been horrendous.

Old Cambrian Brewery cartoon (below St Giles Way)
The brewery site probably is the medieval industrial quarter of Wrexham. The oldest part of the town is almost certainly the area around St Giles such as Church Street, High Street and Town Hill. With the Gwenny just below the Church providing a source of power, local industries probably congregated in this area.

Wrexham Museum cartoon
Built initially in 1854 as the barracks for the Royal Denbighshire Militia. The NCOs lived on site with their families. The building had four towers, armoury and hospital. The original plans included a moat and arsenal for ammunition. In 1879 it became the town's police station and the court house for the Borough of Wrexham and Bromfield. The cells have gone but the exercise yard for prisoners and the former court room remains.

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Related links
	The Big Town Story
	The Beginning of Wrexham
	Growth of the Town
	Safe & Sound
	Hospitals & Hygiene
	Transport
	A Market Town
	A Hive of Industry
	Brewers & Brewing
	Learning
	Entertainment
	A Sporting Town
	Rich & Poor
	Interactive Map
	Culture & Heritage