The
ancient parish of Ruabon included the townships of Belan, Bodylltyn,
Cristionydd Cynrig (or Y Dref Fawr), Coed Cristionydd, Cristionydd Fechan
(or Y Dref Fechan, or Dynhinlle Uchaf), Dinhinlle Isaf, Hafod (or Hafod y
Gallor), Moreton Anglicorum (or Moreton Above), Moreton Wallichorum (or
Moreton Below) (where Above and Below refer to Offa's Dyke), Rhuddallt, and
Tref Robert Llwyd.
"A parish in the Union of Wrexham, hundred of Bromfield, county of Denbigh;
5 miles (SW by S) from Wrexham; containing, in 1841, 11292 inhabitants.
..... The parish is situated in a picturesque part of the county, within three
miles of the great Holyhead road, and is bounded on the south by the river
Dee. The village ..... seems to have been indebted for its original
prosperity to the noble mansion of Wynnstay, in the immediate vicinity, and
to owe its present importance chiefly to the mines of ironstone and coal
which abound, especially in the southern and western parts of the parish.
..... The parish comprises an important part of the Denbighshire coal tract,
of which the principal seam is here nine feet thick; and its mineral wealth
in coal and iron ore, particularly in the southern and western parts of it,
has caused the establishment of numerous works. The whole give employment to
from 1400 to 1500 men and boys. ..... Offa's Dyke and Wat's Dyke both
intersect the parish, and in their courses approach within a quarter of a
mile of each other, near the village, but diverge as they are traced either
northward or southward, so as shortly to leave an interval of several
miles." [A Topographical Dictionary of Wales, 1833 & 1849, Samuel Lewis]
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