Industries of the Ceiriog Valley

The Ceiriog Valley, named after the river which flows through it, is some 12 miles long and runs generally west to east, south of the Vale of Llangollen, from the Berwyn foothills to the historic border town of Chirk.  At the head of the valley is the village of Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog.

The river powered a series of fulling mills in the valley from as early as the 14th century, processing woollen cloth woven on local farmhouse looms.

There were numerous mines and quarries on both sides of the river from Tregeiriog to Chirk.  The Glyn Valley Tramway transported the mineral produce out of the valley and onto the Shropshire Union Canal at Gledrid (later at Chirk) and the Great Western Railway at Chirk, and transported coal and other essential supplies into the valley.

The southern aspect of the valley east of Pontfaen extends into Shropshire, as the River Ceiriog thereafter forms the boundary between Wales and England until joining the River Dee.

Our Heritage Trust continues to identify, record, collect and preserve as wide a range of surviving objects and records as possible that relate to the historical industries of the Ceiriog Valley which were served by the Glyn Valley Tramway, to enable us to tell their stories at our Museum visitor centre in Glyn Ceiriog.

Over the past three centuries, the valley has produced coal, slate, chinastone, dolerite, limestone, granite, silica, chert, gunpowder, tarmac, concrete slabs, quick lime, woollen cloth, flour, timber, joinery, sheep, cattle and trout!

Pelton Water Turbine on left and Pipe Threading Machine on right 

Belt-driven Long Gap-Bed Centre Lathe originally from Hendre Quarry

Remains of the wagon loading facility at Hendre Quarry

Lime kilns at Bronygarth near Castle Mill

Robertson's railway viaduct and Telford's canal aqueduct cross the Ceiriog Valley in parallel at Chirk.  

Historical Mills on the River Ceiriog