Llangollen & District

Llangollen and the surrounding district

Llangollen - The Corn Mill - September 29, 2018
The Llangollen Corn Mill was founded around 700 years ago by the Cistercian Monks of Valle Crucis Abbey. The mill was rebuilt into its present form in 1786 and continued in operation until 1974. It was restored and reopened as a public house in 2000.
Llangollen - River Dee Bridge - September 29, 2018
The present bridge was probably constructed in the 16th Century although records show that there was a crossing here in 1284; this may have been built soon after the foundation of Valle Crucis Abbey. Traditionally the present structure has been attributed to John Trefor (Bishop of St Asaph 1346-1357) and is described as one of the Seven Wonders of Wales. This reference may in fact mean to refer to Bishop John Trefor II (Bishop of St Asaph 1395-1411) who was a local man of the house of Pengwern. Leland's Itinerary (1536-39) mentions a great stone bridge but it is highly questionable as to whether this is the present bridge. Fragments of sepulchral slabs were embeded into the masonry which could suggest that the present structure was constructed after the Dissolution. Alternatively, there is a strong case for believing that the 'Rondle Reade 1656' stone (now in Hall Street) refers to the construction of the existing bridge especially in view of the £250 fee that he was paid for the work of that date. On 11 May 1863 provision was made for the construction of the new railway station which entailed extending the bridge at the N end to span the railway line. In order to achieve the necessary height, the roadway had to be ramped up towards N and so the parapets were rebuilt. A round castellated tower was also built at the NE corner - demolished in 1940. The width of the bridge was greatly widened on the upstream side 1873 and in 1968 it was again nearly doubled in width to the same side. (Notes: British Listed Buildings)