Rhydycroesau

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Rhydycroesau
Shropshire, Denbighshire
Christ Church at Rhydycroesau - geograph.org.uk - 325803.jpg
Christ Church, Rhydycroesau
Location
Grid reference: SJ240308
Location: 52°52’8"N, 3°7’41"W
Data
Post town: Oswestry
Postcode: SY10
Dialling code: 01691
Local Government
Council: Shropshire, Powys
Parliamentary
constituency:
North Shropshire,
Montgomeryshire

Rhydycroesau is a tiny village and ecclesiastical district on the border of Shropshire and Denbighshire, 3¼ miles west of Oswestry on the B4580 road.

History

Rhydycroesau is an old village in the Welsh Marches. Archaeological research has found evidence of Roman settlements and early Anglo-Saxon settlement within six miles of the modern village.[1]

19th century

The former Rectory was built in 1840 from the local stone for £1,260, which sum included constructing the church and village school, now the village hall, into the bargain. The church lies in Denbighshire, while the Rectory is in Shropshire. The ecclesiastical district was formed in 1838 comprising parts of the ancient parishes of Llanyblodwel, Selattyn, Oswestry and Llansilin.[2]

The first Rector was the Reverend Robert Williams, appointed in 1837. A native of Conwy, where his father was the Vicar, he was educated at Christ Church, Oxford (MA). He was a renowned scholar of his time, who wrote the Biography of Eminent Welshmen and the Cornish Dictionary.[3] In 1835, whilst curate of Llangernyw, he published The History and Antiquities of the town of Aberconwy. In 1879, Reverend Williams left to become the Rector of Culmington, near Ludlow, where he died in 1881.

20th century

In 1920 the Church in Wales was disestablished and a referendum was held in the village to decide if the Church should become part of the Church in Wales. The vote was in favour of remaining part of the established Church of England.

Rhydycroesau Village Hall, portions built 1850

Rhydycroesau is well known locally for its pantomimes, which are hosted every year in January and February at the Village Hall with the cast made up of people from the local area.[4][5] The group in 2016 has performed for over 36 years, making a new show each year.[6]

In literature

Rhydycroesau is the setting for some of the key action in the medieval mystery novel, set in 1138, by Ellis Peters, the third in her series featuring Brother Cadfael, Monk's Hood.[7]

References

  1. "British Archaeological, Historic Sites and Monuments and Local History and Archaeology of Rhydycroesau, Shropshire". ARCHI UK. http://www.archiuk.com/cgi-bin/web-archi.pl?PlacenameFromPlacenameFinder=Rhydycroesau&CountyFromPlacenameFinder=Shropshire&distance=10000&ARCHIFormNGRLetter=SJ&ARCHIFormNGR_x=24&ARCHIFormNGR_y=30&info2search4=placename_search&placename@digital-documents.co.uk. Retrieved 2 June 2016. 
  2. "Parliamentary Papers, House of Commons and Command, Volume 66, Part 1: County of Salop Table 11 Area Houses and Population of Ecclesiastical Districts or New Parishes &c.". 10 August 1872. https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=kRETAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA315. 
  3. Carruthers, Robert (1830). Chambers Cyclopedia of English Literature. 7-8. p. 19. https://books.google.com/books?id=IaMaAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA19&lpg=RA1-PA19&dq=Rhydycroesau+Welsh+history&source=bl&ots=zQFPiTGNI3&sig=EqmiAMN7XSL-Tz2b-7vMu9kTPD8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwix16y9g4nNAhUBTFIKHT7_CB04ChDoAQggMAE#v=onepage&q=Rhydycroesau%20Welsh%20history&f=false. Retrieved 2 June 2016. 
  4. "Rhydycroesau Pantomime 2016". Rhydycroesau.org. http://www.rhydycroesau.org.uk/rhydycroesauorguk.ipage.com./Pantomime.html. Retrieved 2 June 2016. 
  5. "Last chance to see Rhydycroesau's Toad Hall offering". Oswestry & Border Counties Advertizer. 4 February 2016. http://www.bordercountiesadvertizer.co.uk/lifestyle/158175/last-chance-to-see-rhydycroesau-s-toad-hall-offering.aspx. Retrieved 2 June 2016. 
  6. "Panto season goes on with village production of Moonfleet". Shropshire Star. 23 January 2015. http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2015/01/23/panto-season-goes-on-with-village-production-of-moonfleet/. Retrieved 2 June 2016. 
  7. Peters, Ellis (1980). Monk's Hood. Macmillan. ISBN 0333294106. 

Outside links

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