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N.B. The figures refer to the Notes which are to follow.

NORTHOP, written in ancient records, Northorpe, is derived from North and Thorpe, the latter word, in the Saxon language, signifying village or town. It was called Northop after the surrender of Chester to Egbert, about the year 828, when the whole of Flintshire was brought under the Saxon dynasty, and new appellations were given to towns, villages, and hamlets which they seized. Wyddgrug was called Mold; Penyrhalawg was called Hawarden; Caer Estyn was called Hope, which means a small eminence; Lugan1 was called Halkin, &c.

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The Welsh name of Northop is Llaneurgain, from Eurgain, the saint to whom the church was dedicated. She was daughter of Maelgwn Gwynedd, mab Caswallon Law Hir, ab Einawn Urth, ab Cynedda Wledig, ab Edeyrn, ab Padarn Peisrudd, ab Tegid, ab Iago, ab Gwridawg, ab Cein, ab Gwrgein, ab Doli, ab Gwrddoli, ab Dwvyn, ab Gorddwvyn, ab Anwerid, ab Onwedd, ab Dwywng, ab Brychwein, ab Ywein, ab Avallach, ab Avlech, ab Beli mawr, &c.7

Eurgain was educated under St. Asaph,8 her uncle. Tradition asserts, that her original name was Cain, signifying fair, or beautiful; and, on account of her piety and excellent worth, in her maturer years she was called Eurgain, or the fairness of gold. When her brother Rhun was sovereign of North Wales, he was frequently engaged in opposing the Saxons; and from fear of the persecutions of those tumultuous times, when houses, towns, and churches were often laid in ashes, and those who professed Christianity were numbered among the slain, it would appear that Cain retired from the scene of carnage and devastation, to one of the secluded vallies east of Voel Vamma,* which to this day is called Nant Cain, or Cain Valley. Notwithstanding her royal birth and elevated station, she was happy to impart the rudiments of Christianity to her countrymen, who, under

*Or Mother of Hills.

the Druidical system of mysteries, no doubt were plunged in the thickest darkness. During her stay in that part, her time was devoted, and her riches expended for their relief. She had a cell* erected near that place, and the church in the neighbourhood is still called Cilcain, or the retreat of Cain.

From thence it is supposed she came to this parish, where she not only established Christianity, and erected a place of worship, but she also made provision for its support, by bestowing the lands of Cevn Eurgain,+ and it is possible those of Monachlog adjoining; but neither the sanctity of the donor, nor the sacred purpose to which it was given, protected the property from the voracious avarice of the barbarous Saxons; the whole of that estate being by them wrested from the church. Soon after the memorable and horrid massacre of the monks of Bangor Iscoed, the clergy became scattered: the bishops and other ecclesiasticals travelled over Wales to exhort the nobility to assist them in building places of worship, in which the subordinary clergy were to perform the functions of their office, in particular districts. At that period a great many churches were erected in Wales, and remain to this day; and, most likely, that is the time we ought to date the church of Eurgain in this parish.

Eurgain married a chieftain from the north, of the name of Elidyr Mwynvawr, or Elidyr the Courteous, ab Gwrwst Briodor, ab Dyvnwal Hen, 10 king of Gwent. Her husband was a conspicuous character in the transactions that took place in the beginning of the sixth century: his residence is supposed to have been in some part of Lancashire, which the following extract from our Historical Triads appear to corroborate. "The three horse-loads of the Isle of Britain: 1st, the black sea-horse of Elidir Mwynvawr, which carried seven persons and a half from the stone of Elidirț in the north, to the stone of Elider in Mon; namely, Elidir and Eurgain, his wife, daughter of Maelgwn; Gwyn da, the herdsman; Gwyn, the spearman; Namon, a monk, the teacher; Pedrillaw, the servitor, or cup-bearer; Arianvagl, the silver crook, (or Arianagl, purse-bearer,) and Gellveinevin, the cook, who swam with his hands on the horse's crupper, and he was the half man." It is clear that this triad is enigmatical; and the "black horse of the seas" was a vessel in which the family were conveyed from the shores of Lancashire, across the channel to Anglesea, where, on the sea-coast of the island, north of Amlwch, Llech Elidir is known to this day. That there was something extraordinary in the event, is obvious by its being committed to record; and judging from what took place after, the probability is, they had to flee from the sudden attack of the * Cell, of the Welsh.

+ Or the support of Eurgain.

Llech, the original word, means also a place of concealment.

Saxons of Northumberland, and taking to a boat which would carry only seven of them, Gellveinevin supported himself in the waters by clinging to the stern, and being thus buoyant, was considered as only half the weight of a man.

Taliesin,11 in his "Graves of Warriors," states that Elidyr was slain at a place nalled Aber Mewedus, in Arvon; where he also was buried. His words are to the following effect:

The grave of Elidyr the Courteous

On the great bank of Nwyedus.

The recorded fate of a prince

From the north, a man a match for a giant.

Or, as the last line might be read,

A man bold to the shout.

It would appear that he came by his death in a clandestine manner, for after that event, "the men of the north, namely, Clydno Eiddyn,12 Nudd Hael,13 ab Senyllt, 14 Mordav Hael, 15 ab Servan, Rhydderch Hael,16 ab Tudawel Tudglud, went to Arvon with their united forces to avenge his death, and burnt Arvon in excess of revenge."

After the death of her husband, it does not appear that Eurgain ever visited this parish, but that she spent the remainder of her days in the neighbourhood of St. Asaph, where she breathed her last, and her remains were deposited in a grave according to the fashion of those days, with a tumulus raised over her, which is still to be seen near Rhuddlan, and is called Crug Cain, or Cain's Cairn.

The parish, situated in the hundred of Cwnsyll, or rising prospect, is bounded on the north-east, by the estuary of the Dee; on the south, by the parishes of Hawarden and Mold; on the west, by the parish of Cilcain; and on the north, by the parishes of Halkin and Holywell. It consists of eight townships; viz. Northop, Caerallwch, Sychtyn, Gwybre, Celstryn, Golftyn, Leadbrook Major, and Ladbrook Minor, besides the Chapelry of Flint, a parochial chapel of ease in this parish; built, as is supposed by some, in 1157, by Henry II., for the convenience of the garrison of the castle; but more likely it was built by Edward I. in 1277, when that monarch resided at Flint.17 This chapel is dedicated to St. Mary,

In Doomsday-book,18 the township of Leadbrook is called Lathroc, from the old smelting hearths which lie a little below Leadbrook house, near the extremity of the brook. Here the Romans smelted the lead ore which was obtained from Halkin mountain. After the conquest, about 1098, Leadbrook was held by Robert of Rhuddlan, the nephew and lieutenant to Hugh, earl of Chester.

About the year 1068, the township of Lleprog Vawr, Lleprog

Vechan, and Trev y Nant, all freehold land, were given by Bleddyn 19 ab Cynvin, king of Wales, to Gwenllian, the only daughter of Rhys ap Marchen, then the wife of one Gwerngwy. In the beginning of the thirteenth century, the same townships were inherited by Ithel ab Ednyved.

Golftyn, in Doomsday-book, is called Ulfmilton; a name, no doubt, derived from wolf, this part being, in all probability, infested by those animals.

The township of Gwybre, after the conquest, was held by William de Malbedeng, from the church of Chester; and it is said to have had on it wood a league and a half long, with two villeyns and two boors. All this part of the parish which stretches along the banks of the Dee, was at that period a wild forest; even so late as 1283, the burgesses of Flint received from Edward a grant of timber out of the woods of Northop, Ledebroke the Greater and Lesser, Keldreston, Wolfynton, Wepre, and Sutton, in order to smelt their lead ore; and at the same time, a right of pasturage in the same woods.

About the year 1140, Caervallwch, Hendre Vigill, and Pentre Hyvaidd, near Rhos Esmor,† were the inheritance of Ithel Velyn, ab Llywelyn Aurdorchawg, of Ial, a chieftain, whose wife was Elen, daughter of Grufydd ab Cynan.20

The length of the parish from the boundary stone on IIalkin mountain to Gwybre Gutter, is about six miles; its breadth from Nant Bigill to the sea, about five miles. It contains about 6000 acres; nearly the whole of which is cultivated. The soil is various, but chiefly friendly to tillage.

Improvement in agriculture is making rapid progress. The principal manure is lime, brought from Halkin mountain and Caerallwch, and is burnt by the farmers in their own kilns.

From the sea, the land ascends gradually for about a mile, when it becomes generally level for a mile and a half, and then rises again. The whole is beautifully embellished with woods.

The population in 1821 was 2984, and the number of houses 556, occupied by 565 families. The people generally live to a great age; their habits are industrious, and, consequently, the number of poor is but small.

Besides the established church, there are seven dissenting places of worship; two in the village, one in Pen y Parc, one on Rhos Esmor, one on Sychtyn Common, and two in Golftyn; four of which belong to the Calvanistic Methodists, two to the Wesleyans, and one to the Baptists.

From gwy, water; and bre, hill.

+We read of one Osmer, a sais, (an Englishman,) possessing lands in Flintshire about the year 828. Esmor might be a corruption of Osmer.

The Village stands on a fine luxuriant plain, studded with trees, nearly in the centre of the parish; the number of houses, including those on the green, are now 130, six of which are public-houses; viz. the Swan, the Boot, the Feathers, the Yacht, the Red Lion, and the Bull. About the middle of the village stands a house called Ty Mawr, or Great House; which, according to the style of building, the entrance, garden, &c. would appear to be a dwelling of some person of consequence. On a stone over the front door, is the following inscription: "Woe to him that buildeth in unrighteousness. A.D. 1673."

The malting and tanning trades are carried on here on a moderate scale: the latter conducted at the bottom of the village, in convenient and well arranged premises, with a respectable house and garden attached.

The Vicarage is situated on the south side of the church: for many years past, the building was in such a state of decay, as to exclude the residence of any respectable person; it is now taken down, and a neat brick house substituted by the present worthy vicar, the Rev. Henry Jones, of Jesus College, Oxford, who has improved the grounds with much taste.

Fairs are held on March 14, July 7, and October 12: most likely they were proclaimed in 1277, under the sanction of Edward I., son of Henry III., when he resided at Flint. The market is on Saturday. The petty sessions are holden here every month. The post-office is kept at the Red Lion; over the back door of this house is a square stone, on which is inserted, "Neuadd Fadog, RD, 1621;" that is, Madock's Hall, and date of its erection. The main road from Chester to Holyhead leads through the village, and is in excellent condition, but the byroads are generally bad.

Mr. Pennant states that, "William Parry, LL.D. and member for Queensborough, was born at Northop. He was executed before the door of the Parliament house, in 1584, for designing the death of Queen Elizabeth. He had before rendered himself obnoxious for having had the courage to speak against the Bill for the Expulsion of Popish Priests, and was committed to prison, but restored to his seat on making submission. He asserted that his mother was a Conwy of Bodrhyddan; that his father had thirty children by two wives, and died aged 108. His enemies, on the contrary, say he was of mean parents, and that his father was a publican of this village, of the name of Harry ap Davydd: be that as it may, his abilities were considerable, but his duplicity brought him to his fatal end: he went a voluntary spy to foreign parts, was gained over by the Romish party, and probably meant to deceive both sides; so fell a just victim to his artifices."

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