The Historic Village of Hope

The villages of Hope and Caergwrle are steeped in history. The area boasts a medieval castle, possibly the oldest Church in Flintshire, a seventeenth century Packhorse Bridge, a fine example of a Renaissance stately home (Plas Teg) and many more intriguing buildings. Below you will find snippets of the fascinating history and if you are interested to know more, there are some excellent resources listed at the foot of this page.

Caergwrle Castle is the jewel in the crown with regard to the local heritage. It’s story provides access to the critical period of medieval history and Anglo-Welsh relations which shaped modern Wales. This has been summarised in an article which may be viewed at: https://www.love-wrexham.com/2019/10/19/caergwrle-castle-welsh-history-on-our-doorstep/

Further research

The researcher is referred to the seminal work by Rhona Phoenix and Alison Matthews ‘A History of Hope and Caergwrle’ as the most appropriate starting point. North East Wales Archives contain a wealth of source material about the area. The Flintshire source material is currently stored at The Old Rectory, Rectory lane, Hawarden CH5 3NR email: archives@flintshire.gov.uk/ 01244 532 364. There is also a Local Heritage Archive housed at Hope Community Library.

A number of articles on ‘Our Heritage’ have been archived at by Hope Parish Church at: http://www.hopeparishchurch.org/our-heritage

Also of interest is Discover Hope and Caergwrle which may be viewed at: https://www.flintshire.gov.uk/en/PDFFiles/Tourism/Discover-Hope-and-Caergwrle.pdf

The website https://caergwrle.com/ has a wealth of local information including a downloadable copy of ‘A Ramble Around the Historic Village of Caergwrle’ at: https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/4ee1d920-266f-4e28-92ca-8f776db394eb/downloads/Ramble%20Round%20Caergwrle.pdf?ver=1594305296509

The Bronze-Age Caergwrle Bowl, dated between 2000BC – 1000BC was found in a boggy area by the River Alyn in 1823 and is currently housed in St Fagan’s Museum, Cardiff. It is considered to be Word Object http://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/objects/c3KvVRGoSYSlyesShl8J3A

 Work is currently on-going to have the villages of Hope and Caergwrle included on the North East Wales App which may be downloaded on iPhones and iPads from the App Store.

A wonderful poem written by a local resident many many years ago……….

CAERGWRLE

There’s a little spot in Flintshire, on the border of North Wales,
So profoundly decked by Nature, through the hand that never fails,
So delightful and enchanting, circumspect if you will
Is the village of Caergwrle with its Castle on the hill. 

The hills are clothed with verdure, with the fern and foliage fair,
The fragrance of their perfume intermingles with the air,
Little need for appetizers, neither indigestion pill,
In the village of Caergwrle with its Castle on the hill. 

Should you ever need an outing to eliminate dull care,
Visit where the songs of Nature, sweetly fill the balmy air,
Pretty song birds there will greet you with their twitter and their trill,
At the village of Caergwrle, with its Castle on the hill. 

If you take delight in climbing there’s Hope Mountain close to hand,
It takes ‘puff’ to reach the summit, by the scene’s extremely grand,
But be careful of your footings and remember Jack and Jill
In your climbing at Caergwrle with its Castle on the hill. 

Or if you are fond of fishing, surely get your tackle out
For the famous stream, the Alyn, just abounds with speckled trout
The chief delight of all sportsmen is to hook them in the gill
In the village of Caergwrle with its Castle on the hill. 

Yes, that little stream, the Alyn, gently ripples down the Vale,
It passes close beside the Brewery where they make Caergwrle ale,
It gives swimming to the youngsters, it gives power to the Mill,
In the village of Caergwrle with its Castle on the hill. 

One other great attraction is the famous mineral spring,
Experts and physicians have pronounced it just the thing,
To rejuvenate the system and abolish every ill
In the village of Caergwrle with its Castle on the hill. 

Yes the lean, the lank, the weakly, quickly change to strong and stout,
And also very strangely, the dwarves are lengthened out,
St Winifreds is not in it with those that drink their fill,
In the village of Caergwrle with its Castle on the hill. 

There are good accommodations to supply the inner man,
Substantial food and dainties, just whatever suits your plan,
You will find you’re treated fairly when you come to pay the bill
In the village of Caergwrle with its Castle on the hill. 

No surprise that crowds of trippers during summer gather there,
Such delightful scenes of landscape, they cannot enjoy elsewhere,
Nothing like it seen at Blackpool or Llandudno, either Rhyl
They will find at Old Caergwrle with its Castle on the hill.