Bersham

Village in Wales

Human settlement in Wales

Bersham

* Welsh: Y Bers

Bersham's picturesque cottages, formerly offices of the ironworks

Bersham

Location within Wrexham

OS grid reference| SJ306491
Community|

* Esclusham

Principal area|

* Wrexham

Preserved county|

* Clwyd

Country| Wales
Sovereign state| United Kingdom
Post town| WREXHAM
Postcode district| LL14
Dialling code| 01978
Police| North Wales
Fire| North Wales
Ambulance| Welsh
UK Parliament|

* Clwyd South

Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament|

* Clwyd South

List of places

Wales
Wrexham

53°02′06″N 3°02′02″W﻿ / ﻿53.035°N 3.034°W﻿ / 53.035; -3.034

Bersham (Welsh: Y Bers; standardised: Bers[1]) is a village in Wrexham County Borough, Wales, that lies next to the River Clywedog, and is in the community of Esclusham. Bersham was historically a major industrial centre of the area, but despite this the village still retains a rural feeling.

## Historical significance

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The village holds special importance for economic historians, for not only did it house the workshops of the skilled Davies brothers, it was one of the cradles of the Industrial Revolution. This is the place where British iron making began in 1670, where smelting iron ore with coke began in 1721, and where John Wilkinson, the 'Iron Mad' pioneer of the Industrial Revolution, set up shop in 1761. For many years the area was one of the most important iron manufacturing centres in the world. The Bersham Ironworks Museum tells the story of the man who bored cannon for the American War of Independence and cylinders for James Watt's revolutionary steam engine that changed the face of the world.

Bersham Colliery, the last working coal mine in the former Denbighshire Coalfield, was not actually in the village of Bersham but situated nearby in the village of Rhostyllen, it closed in 1986. Mining and consequent subsidence impacted the nearby Erddig House, and in the 1970s, the National Trust, which managed the house, made a successful claim for compensation against the National Coal Board.[2]

## Plas Power Woods

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Plas Power Woods comprise 33.7ha of woodland running along the River Clywedog between Coedpoeth and Bersham, and stretches to the Nant Mill Wood situated upstream to the east on the Clywedog Trail. The vast majority of the woodland is ancient woodland although some parts were replanted with conifers and, locally, with beech and/or sycamore as late as the 1960s. The Woodland Trust is gradually restoring the native broadleaf woodland character of the plantation areas.

Several features of historical importance are present; a section of Offa's Dyke runs across the Clywedog Valley through Plas Power Woods. Several Listed structures are also present including Plas Power Park wall, an ornate cast iron Victorian era bridge and railings and the Western Weir, Nant Bridge, Bersham Lodge and Caeau Wier.

## Bersham Church and the FitzHugh family

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Bersham Church Bersham Church

St Mary's in Plas Power is a 19th-century parish church in the heart of the village. The architect was John Gibson, the builder was Mr George Clark of Pen-y-gelli Hall, Coedpoeth, and the church was entirely funded by Thomas Lloyd FitzHugh, with first services held there in January 1876.[3] His wife Emily Mary from Charlecote in Warwickshire took a great interest in the building and is the reason the architect and organ builder were both from that county. It was originally built without a bell tower; however, one was added some years later. When Captain Godfrey FitzHugh was killed on active service in Palestine in 1917 his widow Ethel had the bells installed in his memory. They consist of a carillon of eight bells operated by hand and are still in use today.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ The Welsh definite article "Y" is recommended to be dropped by the Welsh Language Commissioner."Standardised Welsh Place names". www.welshlanguagecommissioner.wales. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
2. ^ "Erddig in the 20th Century - Ruin and Repair". BBC Legacies. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
3. ^ "Opening of Bersham New Church". Wrexham Advertiser. 5 February 1876. p. 5.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bersham.

* www.geograph.co.uk Photos of Bersham and surrounding area
* Welsh Coal Mines - histories and information

* v
* t
* e

Wrexham County Borough

* Wrexham County Borough Council

Principal settlements|

* Chirk
* Wrexham (Built-up area)

Communities|

* Abenbury
* Acton
* Bangor-on-Dee
* Bronington
* Broughton
* Brymbo
* Caia Park
* Cefn
* Ceiriog Ucha
* Chirk
* Coedpoeth
* Erbistock
* Esclusham
* Glyntraian
* Gresford
* Gwersyllt
* Hanmer
* Holt
* Isycoed
* Llangollen Rural
* Llansantffraid Glyn Ceiriog
* Llay
* Maelor South
* Marchwiel
* Minera
* Offa
* Overton
* Pen-y-cae
* Rhosddu
* Rhosllanerchrugog
* Rossett
* Ruabon
* Sesswick
* Willington Worthenbury

Other villages and areas|

* Aberoer
* Acrefair
* Arowry
* Bersham
* Bettisfield
* Borras
* Borras Park
* Bowling Bank
* Bradley
* Bryn Offa
* Brynteg
* Burton
* Bwlchgwyn
* Caego
* Cefn Mawr
* Ceiriog Valley
* Chapel Street
* Charles Street
* Chester Street
* Church Street
* College Street
* Cross Lanes
* Fairy Road
* Froncysyllte
* Garden Village
* Grosvenor Road
* Grove Road
* Glyn Ceiriog
* Gwynfryn
* Halghton
* Hightown
* Horseman's Green
* Island Green
* Johnstown
* Knolton
* Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog
* Llan-y-pwll
* Llwyneinion
* Llwynmawr
* Maelor
* Maelor Saesneg
* Marford
* Moss
* Newbridge
* New Brighton
* New Broughton
* Pandy (Ceiriog)
* Pandy (Gwersyllt)
* Pant
* Penley
* Pentre Broughton
* Pentre Bychan
* Pentre Maelor
* Plas Coch
* Plas Madoc
* Ponciau
* Pontfadog
* Queen's Square
* Rhosnesni
* Rhosrobin
* Rhostyllen
* Rhosymedre
* Ridleywood
* Salisbury Park/Road
* Southsea
* Stansty
* Summerhill
* Sydallt
* Tanyfron
* Temple Row
* Town Hill
* Tregeiriog
* Trevor
* Tybroughton
* Wrexham Industrial Estate
* Wrexham City Centre
* Whitewell

Universities and colleges|

* Coleg Cambria (Yale College)
* Wrexham University
* School of Healthcare Sciences, Bangor University

Buildings and structures|

* 2 Grosvenor Road
* Abbotsfield
* All Saints' Church, Gresford
* Bangor-on-Dee Bridge
* Bangor-on-Dee racecourse
* Bersham Ironworks
* Bridge End Inn
* Brynkinalt Hall
* Butchers' Market
* Cathedral of Our Lady of Sorrows
* Cefn Viaduct
* Central Arcade
* Chirk Aqueduct
* Chirk Viaduct
* Chirk War Memorial
* County Buildings
* Croesnewydd Hall
* Eagles Meadow
* Elephant and Castle
* Erddig
* Feathers Hotel
* The Gelli
* Halghton Hall
* Hightown Barracks
* HM Prison Berwyn
* Horse and Jockey
* Holt Bridge
* General Market
* Gresford Methodist Church
* Grosvenor Lodge
* Grove Park School
* Iscoyd Park
* Marchwiel Hall
* Nags Head (Wrexham)
* Offa's Dyke (part)
* Old Carnegie Library
* Old Wrexham Infirmary
* Overton Arcade
* Pant-yr-Ochain
* Pen-y-Lan Hall
* Pont Cysyllte
* Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
* Poyser Street drill hall
* Rossett Presbyterian Chapel
* Racecourse Ground
* Rossett Hall
* Saith Seren
* Soames Brewery Chimney
* St David's Welsh Church
* St Deiniol's Church
* St Giles' Church
* St Mary's Church (Chirk)
* St Mary's Church (Ruabon)
* The Midland
* Talbot Hotel
* Trevalyn Hall
* Trinity Presbyterian Church
* Tudor Court
* Turf Hotel
* Tŷ Pawb
* Wat's Dyke (part)
* Waking the Dragon (proposed)
* War Memorial Hospital
* Waterworld
* Wrexham bus station
* Wrexham Cemetery
* Wrexham Lager Brewery
* Wrexham Library
* Wrexham Guildhall
* Wrexham Maelor Hospital
* Wrexham Police Station (1973–2020)
* Wynn Hall
* Wynnstay
* Wynnstay Arms (Ruabon)
* Wynnstay Arms (Wrexham)
* Xplore!

| Castles|

* Chirk Castle
* Holt Castle
* The Rofft (former)

|

Geography|

* Berwyn range
* Ceiriog Valley
* Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB
* Clywedog Trail
* Craig Berwyn
* Esclusham Mountain
* Fenn's Moss
* Nant-y-Ffrith
* Ruabon Moors

| Rivers|

* Alyn
* Cegidog
* Ceiriog
* Clywedog
* Dee
* Eitha
* Gwenfro
* Nant-y-Ffrith
* Wych Brook

|

Reservoirs and lakes|

* Acton Park Lake
* Cae Llwyd Reservoir
* Chirk Castle Lake
* Fenn's Bank Mere
* Gresford Flash
* Hanmer Mere
* Llyn Bedydd
* Monk's Pool
* Pant-yr-ochain Lake
* Penycae Top Reservoir
* Ty Mawr Reservoir
* Wynnstay Park Lake

Transport|

* Wrexham bus station
* A5 road
* A483 road
* A525 road
* A528 road
* A541 road
* B5101 road
* Chester and Wrexham Turnpike (former)
* Llangollen Canal
* Trevor Basin
* Wrexham & Shropshire (former)
* North Wales Metro (part)

| Railway lines|

* Borderlands line
* Shrewsbury to Chester line

|

Former lines|

* Glyn Valley Tramway (re-opening proposed)
* Moss Valley Branch
* Wrexham and Ellesmere Railway
* Wrexham and Minera Railway
* Wrexham, Mold and Connah's Quay Railway
* Croes Newydd (former)
* Former stations

Railway stations|

* Chirk railway station
* Gwersyllt railway station
* Ruabon railway station
* Wrexham Central railway station
* Wrexham General railway station

Proposed stations
Wrexham North railway station
Wrexham South railway station

Media and events|

* Calon FM
* Capital North West and North Wales
* Heart North Wales
* Capital Cymru (some broadcasts)
* Smooth Wales (some broadcasts)
* MuxCo (radio operator)
* Wrexham-Rhos transmitting station
* Marcher Radio Group (former)
* BBC Cymru Wales (local studios)
* The Leader newspaper
* Wales Comic Con (2008–2019; 2022)
* Focus Wales
* Eisteddfoddau
* 1876
* 1888
* 1912
* 1933
* 1945
* 1961
* 1977
* 2011
* 2025

Topics|

* Parliamentary constituencies
* Schools
* City parks and open spaces
* Council elections
* electoral wards
* SSSIs
* Country houses
* Churches
* Listed buildings
* Grade I
* Grade II*
* Grade II
* Scheduled monuments
* Listed parks and gardens
* History
* Former RAF Wrexham
* Lord Lieutenants
* High Sheriffs
* Mayor
* Museums
* Museum
* Archives
* National Football Museum
* Wrexham Library
* Wrexham Guildhall
* Public art
* Wrexham Art School
* Wrexham A.F.C.
* Women
* Wrexham RFC

* Preserved county of Clwyd
* Historic counties of Denbighshire and Flintshire

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