Croeso i’r Wyddgrug. Welcome to Mold. The tref (town) is not far from the border with England and as such has been the site of huge battles from as early as 430 AD. The Norman Conquest and the Civil War (1642) added to the bloodshed.
This place is called Bryn y Beili. A motte and bailey castell (castle) was built in the late 11th century by the de Montalt family who were given the land by William the Conqueror.
An eglwys (church) was built here by the de Montalt family in 1253. This building however was commissioned by Margaret Beaufort, Harry Tudor’s mother, to celebrate Harry’s success in the battle of Bosworth. It must have been built, therefore, soon after 1485.
Yr Wyddgrug (Mold) was a tref farchnad (market town) but it didn’t really begin to develop until about 1400. The Stryd Fawr (High Street) still follows a mediaeval pattern.
In the 19th century, the industrial revolution took Yr Wyddgrug (Mold) by storm. The area became famous for lead, coal, bricks and pottery. It was not a quiet time; there were riots here in 1869.
Heol yr Iarll (Earl Road) was built in Edwardian times. The red and white style was popular before the first World War.
This statue of Daniel Owen was sculptured by W.Goscombe John. Daniel Owen was trained as a tailor in Yr Wyddgrug (Mold) but rose to fame as the first Welsh language novelist.
Neuadd Gwysanne (Gwysaney Hall) is a Jacobean Mansion. The original house was built by John ap David about 1603. He was descended from Rhodri Mawr (820-878), king of much of Wales.
Rheinallt ap Gruffydd ap Bleddyn built the original tŷ tŵr (tower house) about 1445. The building has been changed many times since the seventeeth century.
Eirianell is one the houses built by ICI for their staff in 1941. Their scientists worked on a project to split the atom. The houses were built using a great deal of concrete and local bricks.
