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| Mold Welsh: Yr Wyddgrug | |
| Flintshire | |
|---|---|
 Street Market, Mold | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SJ237640 |
| Location: | 53°9’58"N, 3°7’59"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 10,058 (2011) |
| Post town: | Mold |
| Postcode: | CH7 |
| Dialling code: | 01352 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Flintshire |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Delyn |
Mold is a town in Flintshire, on the River Alyn. It forms part of the Mold Hundred, which is named after it.
Name of the town
The name "Mold" derives from Norman-French; mont hault means "high hill". The name is recorded as Mohald in a document of 1254. The Welsh language name Yr Wyddgrug is recorded as Gythe Gruc in a document of 1280-1, and comes from the words gwydd ("tomb" or "sepulchre") and crug ("mound"), hence "The Tomb Mound".
The Mold cape
In 1833, workmen digging a prehistoric mound at Bryn yr Ellyllon (Fairies' or Goblins' Hill) discovered a unique golden cape, which dates from 1900-1600 BC, in the Bronze Age. The cape weighed 20 oz and was produced from a single gold ingot about the size of a golf ball.
The cape was broken when found and the fragments were shared out among the workmen, the largest piece going to Mr Langford, tenant of the field in which the mound stood.
The find was recorded by the Vicar of Mold and came to the notice of the British Museum. In 1836 Langford sold his piece to the Museum and subsequently most of the pieces were recovered, though there is a tradition that the wives of some of the workmen sported new jewellery after the find. Restored, the cape now forms one of the great treasures of the British Museum in London.[1][2]
History
About a mile west of Mold is Maes Garmon, (The Field of Germanus), the traditional site of the Alleluia Victory by British forces led by Germanus of Auxerre over invading Picts and Scots, which was fought shortly after Easter 430.
The town of Mold grew up around Mold Castle, now in ruins. The castle was built by Robert de Montalt in around 1140, and was the site of frequent battles between the forces of the English and of Welsh princes. A chroncle reporting Owain Gwynedd's rebellion in 1146 says that Owain captured Mold castle, though it is equally possible that a castle of the same name in mid-Wales was meant. Mold was taken by King Henry II in 1167, and recaptured by the Prince of Gwynedd in 1201. In 1241, Dafydd ap Llywelyn yielded possession of the castle to the de Montalt family, but he returned in arms in 1245 and took it back.
Mold hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1923, 1991 and 2007. There was an unofficial National Eisteddfod event in 1873.
The Mold Riot
In the summer of 1869 a riot occurred in the town[3] which had considerable effect on the subsequent policing of public disturbances in Great Britain.
On 17 May 1869, John Young, the manager of the nearby Leeswood Green colliery, angered his workers by announcing a pay cut. He had previously strained relationships with them by banning the use of the Welsh language underground. Two days later, following a meeting at the pithead, the miners attacked Young before frogmarching him to the police station.
Seven men were arrested and ordered to stand trial on 2 June. All were found guilty and the convicted ringleaders, Ismael Jones and John Jones, were sentenced to a month's hard labour. A large crowd had assembled to hear the verdict, and the Chief Constable of Flintshire had arranged for police from all over the county and soldiers from Chester to be present. As the convicts were being transported to the railway station the crowd grew restive and threw missiles at the officers. The soldiers opened fire on the crowd, killing four people[3] including one completely innocent bystander. Local author Daniel Owen's first novel, Rhys Lewis, published in instalments in 1882-1884, was heavily based on these events, though Owen strenuously denied the connection.
Churches
- Church in Wales: St Mary's (parish church), High Street, built in the 15th century.
- Bethel Welsh Congregational Church, New Street
- Bethesda Welsh Presbyterian Church, New Street
- Ebenezer Baptist Church, Glanrafon Road
- King's Christian Centre, Pendref Chapel, Bailey Hill
- Methodist:
- English Methodist Church, Wrexham Street
- Pendref Welsh Methodist Church, Bailey Hill
- Mold Christian Fellowship, The Village Centre, Gwernymynydd
- Presbyterian Church of Wales and United Reformed Church, Tyddyn Street Church
- Quaker: (Society of Friends), Cathrina House, Victoria Road
- Roman Catholic: St David's, St David's Lane
In and around the town
- Museum
- Clwyd Theatr Cymru, the regional arts centre
Celyn Farmers' Market is held on the first Saturday of every month in Mold (and on the third Sunday of the month in nearby Northop), for speciality and fresh local food.
Several producers in the Mold markets also appear regularly at the famous Borough Market in London.
Mold has a market every Wednesday and Saturday at which much fresh produce can be obtained.
The Mold Food & Drink Festival is held during September each year. The food festival has a central event area on the edge of the town centre, and many central and nearby businesses contribute to the event.
Mold achieved the status of "slow food town", the first town in Wales to do so.[4]
Notable people
- Jane Brereton (née Hughes, 1685–1740), poet, was born at Bryn Gruffydd near Mold.
- Jonny Buckland (born 1977), Coldplay guitarist, is from nearby Pantymwyn and attended the Alun School.
- Sian Gibson (born Siân Foulkes) (1976), actress, was born and raised in Mold.
- Raymond Davies Hughes (1923–1999), airman and Nazi collaborator, was from Mold.
- Ron Hughes (born 1930), footballer with Chester City F.C. and Mold Alexandra F.C., which he managed, was born in Mold.
- Rhys Ifans (born 1967), actor in the films Notting Hill, The 51st State and Kevin & Perry Go Large, attended the Maes Garmon high school.
- The Joy Formidable, alternative rock band, were formed in Mold.
- Rhodri Meilir (born 1978), actor, was born in the town.
- Daniel Owen (1836–1895), a novelist writing in Welsh, was born in Mold.
- Adam Walton (born 1971), BBC Radio DJ, was brought up at nearby Nannerch and attended the Alun School.
- Richard Wilson (1714–1782), a landscape painter and founder member of the Royal Academy, settled in Mold in 1781 and lies in St Mary's churchyard.
References
- ↑ The Mold gold cape, British Museum, http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/pe_prb/t/the_mold_gold_cape.aspx, retrieved 25 September 2008
- ↑ Mold cape, BBC Wales, http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northeast/sites/flintshire/pages/cape.shtml, retrieved 19 October 2007
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Mold Riot of 1869, Historic UK, http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/Wales-History/MoldRiots.htm, retrieved 2 August 2009
- ↑ Cittaslow Status for Mold, Mold Town Council, http://moldtowncouncil.org.uk/moldtc/index.php?Cittaslow_Mold:Cittaslow_Status_for_Mold, retrieved 25 September 2008