Pen-y-cae, Wrexham

Pen-y-cae

Zion English Baptist Church, Pen-y-cae
Pen-y-cae
Pen-y-cae shown within Wrexham
Population 3,389 (2011)
OS grid reference SJ279452
Community
  • Penycae
Principal area
Country Wales
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town WREXHAM
Postcode district LL14
Dialling code 01978
Police North Wales
Fire North Wales
Ambulance Welsh
EU Parliament Wales
UK Parliament
Welsh Assembly
Pen-y-cae Community Council logo

Pen-y-cae is a village and a local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales The population of the community taken at the 2011 census was 3,389.[1] It adjoins the larger village of Rhosllanerchrugog.

Etymology

Pen-y-cae means 'head of the field' or 'end of the field'. It is not an uncommon name, with three other settlements in Wales having the same name - in Powys, Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot. Though often written as one word without hyphens, in its correct form the name is hyphenised due to the definite article 'y' preceding a single-syllable element.[2]

History

St Thomas' Parish Church

The village was part of the ancient parish of Ruabon and the district was known as Dynhinlle Uchaf (but also known as Y Dref Fechan or Cristionydd Fechan).

The new parish of Pen-y-cae was formed 1879, from parts of the existing parishes of Ruabon, Rhosllanerchrugog and Rhosymedre. The parish church of St. Thomas had been consecrated in 1878. However, most of the population of the parish were nonconformists and attended the Baptist chapels of Salem and Sion in Groes; the Calvinistic Methodist chapels in Groes and Tainant; the Wesleyan chapel of Soar in Stryt Issa; or the Primitive Methodist chapel in Copperas.

Industry/employment

The Pen-y-cae Upper Reservoir

Coal was extracted from pits at Plas Bennion, Wynn Hall, Afon Eitha, Cristionydd, Groes and Plas Isaf; zinc was worked at Copperas. The area descending towards Acrefair was known as "The Delph", it was served by extensions of the Ruabon Brook Tramway but these were mostly defunct by the mid-20th century.

Most inhabitants find employment outside the village in Wrexham with only a few local shops or public buildings providing jobs.

Dee Valley Water operates two reservoirs in Pen-y-cae: Pen-y-cae Upper and Pen-y-cae Lower.

Transport

Wright & Son, ran a bus service from Pen-y-cae to Wrexham via Rhos, and later via Ponciau also. When the bus industry was de-regulated in 1986 there was fierce competition between Wright's and the much larger Crosville company. Wrights', the last surviving independent local company, ceased operations in 1993 leaving Crosville as the sole service provider in the Wrexham area.

Notable residents

References

  1. ↑ "Community population 2011". Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  2. ↑ Welsh Language Commissioner (20 May 2016). "Guidelines for Standardizing Place-names in Wales" (PDF). Welsh Language Commissioner. http://www.comisiynyddygymraeg.cymru/English/My%20rights/Pages/Place-names.aspx: Welsh Language Commissioner. p. 4. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  3. ↑ Davies, Gareth; Garland, Ian (1991). Who's Who of Welsh International Soccer Players. Bridge Books. p. 180. ISBN 1-872424-11-2.

Bibliography

  • Dennis W Gilpin, "Rhosllannerchrugog, Johnstown, Ponciau, Pen-y-cae, a collection of pictures - Volume I" (1991)
  • Dennis W Gilpin, "Rhosllannerchrugog, Johnstown, Ponciau, Pen-y-cae, a collection of pictures - Volume II" (1992)
  • Colin Gibbs, "Clatter of Clogs" (1990)


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