Pentre Bychan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pentre Bychan is a village in the county borough of Wrexham, Wales.
It is situated between Rhostyllen and Johnstown.
The Pentre Bychan estate was once of great importance in the area. The 16th century house originally belonged to the Tegin family. It was a single storey building, half-timbered with wattle and daub. In 1620 the estate was purchased Hugh Meredith and the Meredith family, who owned several local coal mines, occupied the estate until 1802 when Thomas Meredith, the last of the male line, died. In 1823 the hall was replaced with a larger, three storey, dressed-stone building with gables, which had a stable block and coach-house at the rear. The hall was surrounded by landscaped gardens which included a brick dovecote which dated back to 1721.
The house was used to house refugees during World War II. The building was purchased by Denbighshire County Council in 1948, who at the time administered the area, and was demolished in 1963. The Wrexham crematorium was later built on the site, located on Pentre Bychan Road, off Smithy Lane.
The ancient monument Offa's Dyke runs through Pentre Bychan.
Dee Valley Water and Scottish Power are prominent businesses located on the Wrexham Road at Packsaddle Bridge.
[edit] Countryside Walk
Pentre Bychan can be visited as part of one of Wrexham County Council's Countryside Walks.
After viewing the Hafod Y Bwch Gateway, The walk begins at Croesfoel Farm. There is no plaque, as Wrexham Council's Route suggests, and there is parking space for 1 car only. Opposite the farm house is a public footpath sign next to a stile. One walks into a field along the line of a hedge, before crossing the hedge at a stile (Which is overgrown) veering off across the middle of another field where no path is evident, following the line of electricity pylons before reaching another stile, which leads to an area of nettles and brambles. Rummaging through the undergrowth it is possible to locate a stile into the lower end of a boggy field which (the route indicates) as the site of Llyn Tro (A moated house). The foundations of this house can be seen by walking to the left, around the edge of the field towards a wooded area. The route then suggests retracing ones steps and crossing a country road into a field of horses. Once one has crossed this field the B5097 is reached. Crossing the road, one reaches another stile into a field towards Cadwyan Hall. The footpath runs to the right hand side of this field and into the woods, then onto a road. One turns left at the road and walks past Cadwyan Hall, before turning left again at the stile into another field. There is an electrified fence crossing this field, however it is possible to crawl under it. One then reaches the remains of a railway bridge, and crossing another road, following the line of a dissused railway embankment, the path turns left into some trees and emerges in the site of Pentre Bychan Crematorium. The brick dovecote can be seen. The rest of the route leads mainly along roads back to Croesfoel Farm.
