Church Boundary Changes - 1920
The story of boundaries changes required for the establishment of the present Church of Wales - Oswestry-History content by Charles Styles
The story of boundaries changes required for the establishment of the present Church of Wales - Oswestry-History content by Charles Styles
Cae Glas
Cricket Club
The history of the Club - Webinfo (click on History tab)
The history of the Club - Webinfo (click on History tab)
Canals
See - Montgomery Canal
See - Shropshire Union Canal
This Jim Shead website provides a great deal of waterway information and links. It details how the Ellesmere, Chester & Llangollen Canals became part of the Shropshire Union Canal
The History of the Mongomery Canal to 1944 by John Davis
See - Montgomery Canal
See - Shropshire Union Canal
This Jim Shead website provides a great deal of waterway information and links. It details how the Ellesmere, Chester & Llangollen Canals became part of the Shropshire Union Canal
The History of the Mongomery Canal to 1944 by John Davis
Cambrian Railways
The rise and rise of a railway town - by Leslie Oppitz
Wikipedia - Webinfo
Cambrian Railway Police Webinfo by British Transport Police via the Internet Archive.
The rise and rise of a railway town - by Leslie Oppitz
Wikipedia - Webinfo
Cambrian Railway Police Webinfo by British Transport Police via the Internet Archive.
Oswestry
Castle
Oswestry Castle Research Project - History - Website
Read about the castle in the Oswestry Town Walls Report
Oswestry Castle Description - by David Timmins
Oswestry Castle - A database record by Philip Davis
Oswestry Castle Research Project - History - Website
Read about the castle in the Oswestry Town Walls Report
Oswestry Castle Description - by David Timmins
Oswestry Castle - A database record by Philip Davis
Chapels
Read the brief histories and see photographs of Oswestry's Nonconformist Chapels at this delightful and informative website by Janice Cox
Read the brief histories and see photographs of Oswestry's Nonconformist Chapels at this delightful and informative website by Janice Cox
Christ Church Congregational (now U.R.C. & Welsh Presbyterian) Chapel, Oswestry
Webinfo by Janice Cox
Webinfo by Janice Cox
Coal Mining
North Shropshire Coalfield information by Ivor Brown & Stuart Tomlins
North Wales Miners Association Trust Ltd. intends to preserve coal mining remains and to interpret them to the public. Their area of interest includes Oswestry Coalfield.
The following notes were written in response to an emailed local coal mining enquiry.
Note by Derek Williams - Librarian, Local History Centre, Oswestry Library
There are a number of sources for coal mining in and around Trefonen.
Our Local History Centre has copies of the following:
Shropshire Archives
Shropshire Council
Community Services, Castle Gates
Shrewsbury
Shropshire
SY1 2AQ
archives@shropshire.gov.uk - Telephone 01743 255350
Note by John Pryce-Jones, Author & Local Historian
............ two sources that spring to mind are R.D. Thomas' "Industries of the Morda Valley", published in 1939 and reprinted by Shropshire Libraries with a very bright cover in 1978, and more recently (1998) a report by the Morda Valley Research Project, part of the Oswestry & Border History & Archaeology Group, informally published in A4 size.
A third accessible source would be the parish registers for St Oswald's (up to 1812 these have been transcribed and printed, 100 years ago) - these include lots of references to coal miners amongst the baptisms, marriages and burials. The Trefonen registers from 1821 would likewise include some references to local coal mining - though these have not been printed.
Finally, the Census records from 1841 and 1851 might be a useful source - the occupation is listed, and miners would be listed alongside the rest of their immediate family so would give a glimpse of the size of families, overcrowding, and would show what we would think of as children listed as colliers or the like. The library has copies in microfilm or microfiche I think - and the various censuses are also available online on Ancestry if you have access to that.
North Shropshire Coalfield information by Ivor Brown & Stuart Tomlins
North Wales Miners Association Trust Ltd. intends to preserve coal mining remains and to interpret them to the public. Their area of interest includes Oswestry Coalfield.
The following notes were written in response to an emailed local coal mining enquiry.
Note by Derek Williams - Librarian, Local History Centre, Oswestry Library
There are a number of sources for coal mining in and around Trefonen.
Our Local History Centre has copies of the following:
- Morda Valley Research Project Interim Report (Oswestry & Border History & Archaeology Group, 1998). Section 5 'Trefonen coal fields'. Reference use only.
- Thomas, Industries of the Morda Valley, 1939, reprinted 1978. Sections on 'The Old Colleries and Brickfields' and 'Life and Labour in the Oswestry Coalfield'. Lending and reference copies available.
- Mining in Shropshire (ed Pearce). Short section on the Oswestry and Shrewsbury coalfield. Lending and reference copies available.
- Folder on Trefonen has section on 'Local mining' (recent newspaper cuttings). Reference use only.
- Subject index to the Oswestry & Border Counties Advertizer contains a few cards relating to Trefonen colliery. These deal mainly with the reporting of fatal accidents, although one relates to the sale of the colliery which was reported in the Advertizer for 6 May 1891.
- www.secretshropshire.org.uk Searching under 'Trefonen' + 'coal' produces 30 results for illustrations with captions
- www.discovershropshire.org.uk Public catalogue for Shropshire Archives and other local organisations
Shropshire Archives
Shropshire Council
Community Services, Castle Gates
Shrewsbury
Shropshire
SY1 2AQ
archives@shropshire.gov.uk - Telephone 01743 255350
Note by John Pryce-Jones, Author & Local Historian
............ two sources that spring to mind are R.D. Thomas' "Industries of the Morda Valley", published in 1939 and reprinted by Shropshire Libraries with a very bright cover in 1978, and more recently (1998) a report by the Morda Valley Research Project, part of the Oswestry & Border History & Archaeology Group, informally published in A4 size.
A third accessible source would be the parish registers for St Oswald's (up to 1812 these have been transcribed and printed, 100 years ago) - these include lots of references to coal miners amongst the baptisms, marriages and burials. The Trefonen registers from 1821 would likewise include some references to local coal mining - though these have not been printed.
Finally, the Census records from 1841 and 1851 might be a useful source - the occupation is listed, and miners would be listed alongside the rest of their immediate family so would give a glimpse of the size of families, overcrowding, and would show what we would think of as children listed as colliers or the like. The library has copies in microfilm or microfiche I think - and the various censuses are also available online on Ancestry if you have access to that.
Criggion Radio Station
The Inside Story of Criggion Radio Station by S.F. Brown. MBE. C.Eng. MIEE. - Oswestry-History Content
Subterranea Britannica - Site Record
BBC Article by Leslie Oppitz
Secret Cold War Radio Station to be Dismantled by Carl Yapp, The Western Mail, Mon 3-Mar-2003
Mid-1960's Film Footage from the John Powell Collection. 8mm film of Criggion taken by a former BT engineer who worked there. Film uncovered by Flicks in the Sticks
The Inside Story of Criggion Radio Station by S.F. Brown. MBE. C.Eng. MIEE. - Oswestry-History Content
Subterranea Britannica - Site Record
BBC Article by Leslie Oppitz
Secret Cold War Radio Station to be Dismantled by Carl Yapp, The Western Mail, Mon 3-Mar-2003
Mid-1960's Film Footage from the John Powell Collection. 8mm film of Criggion taken by a former BT engineer who worked there. Film uncovered by Flicks in the Sticks
Croesoswallt -
Croes Oswallt
Welsh name for Oswestry. This name is mentioned as far back 1254 and means Oswald's Cross. A name that supports the origin and interpretation of Oswestry as being derived from Oswald's Tree.
As the word "croes" (to rhyme with Boyce) is often pronounced as if it were written Crôs ( to rhyme with source) this would make Oswald's Tree the most likely origin.
Some have suggested that it is the Welsh Tref (Tre', as the final "f" is omitted in Welsh) meaning a town. This is a less likely interpretation as it would have preceded the name which would have become Tre'Oswallt. (Notes provided by Ian Oliver)
Welsh name for Oswestry. This name is mentioned as far back 1254 and means Oswald's Cross. A name that supports the origin and interpretation of Oswestry as being derived from Oswald's Tree.
As the word "croes" (to rhyme with Boyce) is often pronounced as if it were written Crôs ( to rhyme with source) this would make Oswald's Tree the most likely origin.
Some have suggested that it is the Welsh Tref (Tre', as the final "f" is omitted in Welsh) meaning a town. This is a less likely interpretation as it would have preceded the name which would have become Tre'Oswallt. (Notes provided by Ian Oliver)
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