Ponciau

Village in Wales

Human settlement in Wales

Ponciau

Post office and Salem Congregationalist chapel, Bank Street, Ponciau

Ponciau

Location within Wrexham

OS grid reference| SJ294467
Community|

* Rhosllanerchrugog

Principal area|

* Wrexham

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°00′47″N 3°03′04″W﻿ / ﻿53.013°N 3.051°W﻿ / 53.013; -3.051

Ponciau is a village within the community of Rhosllanerchrugog, Wrexham County Borough, Wales. It is close to the villages of Legacy, Pentre Bychan , and Johnstown and is overlooked by Ruabon Mountain.

The village name is also applied to a larger electoral ward, whose population at the 2011 Census was 4,842.[1]

Location of the Ponciau electoral ward in Wrexham County Borough, Wales

## Etymology[edit]

The Welsh word ponc, plural ponciau, means "bank" or "hillock", and the village probably takes its name from the large number of spoil tips which formerly covered the area. The village name was spelt using the form "Ponkey" until 1932, when the villagers convened a meeting to petition for its change to Ponciau, feeling the earlier spelling to be ugly in addition to inaccurately representing Welsh language phonetics.[2][3] While this was based on a belief that "Ponkey" was an anglicised spelling, it probably reflected a local pronunciation of the word in the dialect of Denbighshire, where the word ending -au was pronounced -e or -ey.[4]

## History[edit]

Ponciau grew up around coal and iron ore mining and iron founding. Iron ore was mined nearby at Llwyneinion. A coal pit was recorded here in 1757, with a lease on land being taken out by the great industrialist John Wilkinson, while the Ponciau ironworks is thought to have been started in 1807 by Thomas Jones of Gardden.[5] A second ironwork was commenced nearby at Aberderfyn in the same period.[5] Houses were built nearby, with little regard for planning, to house the workers. At Brynydd, close to the Royal Oak public house, was the former site of typical very basic, one room, terraced, workers' houses.

Bethel Chapel, Johnson Street. Ponciau still contains many Nonconformist chapels, some built in the distinctive 'Ruabon Red' brick.

Ponciau and Rhosllanerchrugog previously had more than 150 public houses but the majority of those have closed. The Colliers Arms and Horse & Jockey remain. One of the main streets in Ponciau is Chapel Street, which once contained a large number of nonconformist chapels: the Ponciau area had been one of the main centres of the 1859 and 1904-5 Welsh religious revivals. Several chapels remain in use. Many of the old buildings in the village are made from distinctive 'Ruabon Red' bricks, the product of local clays from the Ruabon Brick and Terracotta Company.

Ponciau ward has one of the largest populations (4,486) in Wrexham County Borough. The ward is described as "The Ponciau North, Ponciau South and Rhos wards of the Community of Rhosllanerchrugog and the Aberoer and Pentrebychan wards of the Community of Esclusham" in the OPSI document Statutory Instrument 1998 No. 3142. 29% of households do not own a car. A section of the ward boundary follows the path of the River Clywedog.

## The Ponciau Banks[edit]

The Ponciau Banks, earlier known as the Ponkey Banks, was an area of old coal spoil heaps covering around 18 acres adjacent to the village.[6] In the latter part of the 19th century and the early 20th century, the area was used for unofficial 'outcropping' by local miners. These workings were opened particularly during the miners' strike in 1921 and the 1926 lockout, when as many as 50 such pits were operating, to the concern of local union officials.[7] These pits were later capped by the National Coal Board to leave 16 acres (65,000 m2) of land being sold in 1932 for the sum of £500 to be re-developed as a park. Much of the landscaping of the park to the form that can be seen today was organised by the Miner's Institute Committee. The first sod was cut in June 1932, with the work being carried out by 50 local volunteers along with international students.

View of Ponciau village from the site of the former Hafod colliery, with Ruabon Mountain behind.

Edward, Prince of Wales paid a visit to the Ponciau Banks in May 1934 to view the progress. In 1935 the laying of the football pitch was completed and the local team, Rhos Aelwyd, have used this pitch for a number of years. The Second World War temporarily halted the reclamation works but in 1950 the works re-commenced. In the interim, the Ponciau Banks were used as the site of the "austerity" National Eisteddfod of 1945.

The park has been the site of many events, including the Gorsedd stone circle from the 1961 Eisteddfod.

The Ponciau Banks Park was refurbished by Wrexham County Borough Council in 2009 using National Lottery funding. The development added a user centre and improved recreational and sports facilities, including tennis courts, bowling greens, skateboarding facilities, a BMX cycle track and a children's play area. [8]

## Transport[edit]

In 1861 the Great Western Railway constructed an industrial branch line from Garden Lodge Junction, north of Ruabon, to the furnaces at Ponciau and Aberderfyn, which was later extended to Legacy. By 1901 this branch had been connected to the newly extended branch line from Froncysyllte via Acrefair, Plasbennion, Wynn Hall and Rhosllannerchrugog to Legacy. The Ponkey Branch, as it was then known, had a short lived passenger service between 1905 and 1915 with halts at Fennant Road, Aberderfyn and Ponkey (Ponciau) Crossing. Since the closure of passenger services on this lines the village has relied on road transport.[citation needed]

## Language[edit]

37% of the population of Ponciau speak Welsh (per the 2001 Census).

## Bibliography[edit]

* Dennis W Gilpin, "Rhosllannerchrugog, Johnstown, Ponciau, Pen-y-cae, a collection of pictures - Volume I" (1991)
* Dennis W Gilpin, "Rhosllannerchrugog, Johnstown, Ponciau, Pen-y-cae, a collection of pictures - Volume II" (1992)

## Notable natives[edit]

* Thomas William Jones, Baron Maelor
* James Idwal Jones
* Susan Elan Jones, British Labour MP Clwyd South (2010-2019)
* Gwynne Williams, poet
* Stephen Jones (1911–1995), poet and author of children's books [9]

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Ward population 2011". Retrieved 19 November 2015.
2. ^ Rhos Herald, 13 Sep 1932
3. ^ Wrexham Leader, 30 Sep 1932
4. ^ Owen, H. and Gruffydd, K. (2017) Place-Names of Flintshire, p.182
5. ^ a b Transactions of the Denbighshire Historical Society, vol 14, 173
6. ^ Holland, Youth in European Labour Camps, 1939, p.30
7. ^ McIlroy, Campbell and Gildart, Industrial Politics and the 1926 Mining Lockout, 2004, p.164
8. ^ Ponciau Park, WCBC
9. ^ Stevens, The new companion to the literature of Wales, 1998, p.405

## External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ponciau.

* Wrexham County Borough Ward Map
* www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Ponciau and surrounding area

* 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
* Cross Lanes
* Froncysyllte
* Garden Village
* 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
* Southsea
* Stansty
* Summerhill
* Sydallt
* Tanyfron
* 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|

* Abbotsfield
* All Saints' Church, Gresford
* Bangor-on-Dee Bridge
* Bangor-on-Dee racecourse
* Bersham Ironworks
* Bridge End Inn
* Brynkinalt Hall
* Butcher's Market
* Cathedral of Our Lady of Sorrows
* Cefn Viaduct
* Central Arcade
* Chirk Aqueduct
* Chirk Viaduct
* County Buildings
* Croesnewydd Hall
* Eagles Meadow
* Elephant and Castle
* Erddig
* Feathers Hotel
* The Gelli
* Hightown Barracks
* HM Prison Berwyn
* Horse and Jockey
* Holt Bridge
* General Market
* Gresford Methodist Church
* Grove Park School
* Iscoyd Park
* Marchwiel Hall
* Nags Head (Wrexham)
* Offa's Dyke (part)
* Old Carnegie Library
* Old Wrexham Infirmary
* Overton Arcade
* Pen-y-Lan Hall
* Pont Cysyllte
* Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
* Poyser Street drill hall
* Rossett Presbyterian Chapel
* Racecourse Ground
* Rossett Hall
* Soames Brewery Chimney
* St David's Welsh Church (Rhosllannerchrugog)
* St Giles' Church
* Talbot Hotel
* The North and South Wales Bank
* 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

Topics|

* Parliamentary constituencies
* Schools
* City parks and open spaces
* Council elections
* electoral wards
* SSSIs
* Country houses
* Grade I listed buildings
* Grade II* listed buildings
* 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

* v
* t
* e

Parks and open spaces in Wrexham

within Wrexham|

* Acton Park
* Bellevue Park
* Erddig Park
* Llwyn Isaf

within Wrexham County Borough|

* Alyn Waters Country Park
* Bonc-yr-Hafod Country Park
* Brynkinalt Park
* Tŷ Mawr Country Park
* Iscoyd Park
* Minera Lead Mines Country Park
* Moss Valley Country Park
* Nant Mill Visitor Centre
* Ponciau Banks Park
* Stryt Las Park

Other|

* Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB (part)
* Mersley Park (former)
* Registered parks and gardens

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