Denbigh
Denbigh maps (2 available)
Map of Clwyd
Beautifully hand-drawn and coloured, dating from around 1840
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Denbigh memories
Read and share memories of Denbigh and Clwyd inspired by Frith photos
Growing up in Denbigh
I was born at the Denbighshire Infirmary and grew up in Denbigh - it's a lovely town and the surrounding area is beautiful. Both my parents, and my aunt and uncle, worked at the North Wales Hospital, as did so many people from the town. I return there as often as I can, and find it a relaxing place to be. We have kept my parents' home and it's such a pleasure to be there. Thanks for some great photos from the '50s and '60s - happy memories!
Contributed by Eryl Aynsley
Old Cock Pit
I was born in Denbigh Infirmary in January 1944. My father, Emlyn, was in the army at the time, he was the son of Abel Jackson, a local decorator. My mother came from Huddersfield. They married Boxing Day 1942. My GGF was Daniel who came from Glasgow. He worked at Coppy Farm, Henllan Road. Daniel married twice, his second wife was the cook at the Hawk & Buckle and he helped serve beer to those who bet on the cock fights.
The cock pit is now at the Folk Museum in Cardiff.
Contributed by First name Last name
Clwyd memories
Old Cock Pit
I was born in Denbigh Infirmary in January 1944. My father, Emlyn, was in the army at the time, he was the son of Abel Jackson, a local decorator. My mother came from Huddersfield. They married Boxing Day 1942. My GGF was Daniel who came from Glasgow. He worked at Coppy Farm, Henllan Road. Daniel married twice, his second wife was the cook at the Hawk & Buckle and he helped serve beer to those who bet on the cock fights.
The cock pit is now at the Folk Museum in Cardiff.
A memory of Denbigh contributed by First name Last name
Growing up in Denbigh
I was born at the Denbighshire Infirmary and grew up in Denbigh - it's a lovely town and the surrounding area is beautiful. Both my parents, and my aunt and uncle, worked at the North Wales Hospital, as did so many people from the town. I return there as often as I can, and find it a relaxing place to be. We have kept my parents' home and it's such a pleasure to be there. Thanks for some great photos from the '50s and '60s - happy memories!
A memory of Denbigh contributed by Eryl Aynsley
Extracts From Denbigh & Clwyd books
During the revolt of 1294 the Welsh won a victory at Denbigh: it is unclear as to whether this refers to a pitched battle, taking the castle, or the town, or any combination of these three. The English were soon back, and work continued on the castle, but it stopped again a few years later when Henry de Lacy, distraught at the death by drowning of his only son in the castle well, wanted nothing more to do with the place. Following de Lacy’s death in 1311, the castle passed through a number of hands.
An extract from from"Welsh Castles".
It was from the top of the Goblin Tower that the keys to the castle and town were hurled at the feet of the Parliamentarian commander Major General Mytton upon the surrender of the Royalist garrison.
An extract from from"Welsh Castles".
This pleasant stone-built market town, on the western side of the lovely vale of Clwyd, climbs the hillside crowned by its ruinous castle. Still recognisable today, this view shows on the right the well-known arcade of shops which started life as an island block between Back Row and the present Market Place; note the rabbits hanging outside the butcher’s on the right. In the background is the Star Corn Warehouse.
An extract from from"North Wales Photographic Memories".
Here we see the remains of the great triple-towered gatehouse. It is thought that Edward I’s engineer-architect Master James of St George was responsible for its design. The towers were arranged two at the front and one at the rear, thus creating a small octagonal courtyard in the middle of them. This sounds very attractive, but any attackers reaching this point would be caught in a vicious crossfire from murder holes. The gatehouse was also defended by two portcullises and two doors.
An extract from from"Welsh Castles".
Work on Denbigh began in October 1282 during the second of Edward I’s Welsh Wars. It was not a royal fortress, but was built by Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, though his architect was Master James of St George and Edward I gave support. As with a number of fortresses raised at this time, Denbigh was deliberately built on a site that had meaning to the Welsh - in this instance a former royal residence of the princes of Gwynedd.
An extract from from"Welsh Castles".