John Leland's Itinerary in Wales - Historical texts and images

There cummith a broke caullid Wenbro thorough the toune. Wrexham is 3. miles north from
De Ryver. Ther be 2. other paroches [(? in) Bromefeld, and so in all 4.]
fo. 35.
De. 416
Waters In Bromefeld.
Alen.
Ruededoc Broke, having good trouttes, cummith in one place withy n a quarter of a myle
of Wrexham, and goith ynto De a mile above the Holte Castel. 417
Abon that cummith by Ruabon 418 Chirch waul, and after renning lesse then a myle goith
into Dee.
Pylleston the knight hath a faire maner yn Gresforde paroch at Llay 419 by marying an
heyre doughter to one of the Hanmere.
John Eyton dwellid yn Ruabon.
John Pylleston sergeant at armes hath a manor and place withyn half a myle of Wrexham
at Marsche.
Yale lordship yoinith to Bromefeld upon the farther side of De Ryver, and there is no
parte of it on the hither side of Dee. There is in it a 4. or 5. paroches, wherof the moste famose
is Llanarmon, i.e. Fanum Germani, and Llan Tegla, 420 i.e. Fanum Teclae.
Greate pilgremage and offering was a late to S. Armon.
Llannegwhiste 421 alias Vallis Crucis, ys yn Yale half a myle from Dee ripe.
Dinas Brane 422 Castel on a rokky hille stondith almost as neere as Vallis Crucis to Dee
ripe, and going up on De water is sumwhat lower then the abbay.
Owen Glindour had a place yn Yale apon the north side of De caullid Ragarth v. mile
above Dinas Brane.
Almost in the midle way betwixte Llanegwhist and /71/Rithyn 423 appere vestigia
of a castel of Owen Glindour (as it is saide) caullid Keuen De, 424 i.e. the bakke of the
Blake Hille wher now shepardes kepe shepe.
67
Denbighshire.
Chirk and Chirkland lye by south on De agayne Yale, so that De for a space devidith
Yale and Chirke.
The hole soile of Yale is rokky, and by that not thoroughly fruteful of corne, yet yn
diverse placis and valleyis betwixt hilles is meately good corne, medow and pasture, and
especially for corne aboute Llaneghwiste, and Llanarmon.
In Yale ys plenty of kyne, shepe and gotes.
415 Dyvrdwy = sacred water.
416 The Clywedog flows south of Wrexham and into the Dee a little north of Pickhill Hall. The brooklet flowing into
the Dee “a mile above the Holt Castel” does not come anywhere near Wrexham.
417 Rhiw Abon.
418 Llai .
420 Llan Degla.
421 Llan Egwestyl.
422 Dinas Bran.
423 Ruthin
424 Keven du
John Llued 425 dwellith in Llan Teglas 426 paroche.
Edwarde Llued 427 yn Llanarmon.
There is meately good wood yn the valley places of Yale, and esp ecially at Llanegwhist,
alias Vallis Crucis. The montaynis of Yale standing north be baren of wood. The people there
fo. 37.
for the more part brenne turffis.
De Ryver cummith by the side of Yale as limes betwixt it and Chirk.
The greatest water beside De that is yn any parte of Yale is Alen that risith in Llan
Alen. 428 This Alen rennith doune from weste to este firste to Llantegla, to Llanarmon, to
Llanuerrys yn Yale, thens into Molesdale lordship, at a place wherof caullid Hespalen 429 it
rennith into the grounde by the space of a quarter of a myle, and there is a marche betwixt
Moledale and Flynte, and after rising departith stille by v. Walsche miles in cumpase
Molesdale from Flyntshire. Thense thorough Hope Dale, a lordship perteining to Flynt. Thens
ynto Bromefeld, alias Mailor Camrege, 430 and half a mile benneth Holt-Bridg into De. This
water hath mervelus good and greate trouttes.
Chirke and Chirkclande lyith on the hither side by south of De agnynste Yale, and weste
of it upper on De hither ripe lyith a commothe of Merionithshir caullid Dernion, 431 and plaine
south of this Chirke in sum place touchith Poys 432 lande. There is never a market toun in this
lordship,. At /72/ Chirk self be a few houses, and there is on a smaul hille a mighty
large and stronge castel with dyvers towers, a late welle repayred by Syr Wylliam
Standeley, the Yerle of Darby=s brother.
There hath beene 2. parkes. One yet remaynith caullid Blake Park. Keriog Ryveret
cummith on the south side of Chirk Castel. De Ryver is wythin a myle of the north side of it.
The moste parte of Chirk and Chirkeland on the south toward Poys lande is great plenty
of mervelus good woodde, and thorough reasonable wood. Moch o the lordship ys hylly, but
yn valleys by De and Keriog good corne and medow, and in sum other places.
This lordeship or lordships in Walsch is caullid Guaine, and is devidid into Low and Hy
Guayne 433
Denbighshire
Gentilmen of Chirke.
Trevor dwelling in Chirk paroche at Place Newith. 434
Edwards sunne dwelling not far from Chirk Castel.
425 Llwyd
426 Llan Degla
427 Llwyd
428 Alun, Llyn Alun
429 Hesp Alun, about a mile east of Kilken
430 Maelor Cymraeg
431 Edernion
432 Powis
433 Y Weun, ignorantly written “y Waen”
434 Plas Newydd=New Palace
68
fo. 36.