Museums, archives and heritage in Flintshire

Flintshire, maritime county of N. Wales; is bounded N. by the Irish Sea, NE. by the estuary of the Dee, E. by Cheshire, and S. and SW. by Denbighshire; is 26 miles long, and from 10 to 12 miles broad; the detached hundred of Maelor (8 miles to the SE. of the rest of the county, and surrounded by Cheshire, Shropshire, and Denbighshire) is 9 miles long and 5 miles broad; area, 161,807 acres, population 80,587. Flintshire is the smallest county of Wales, and, next to Glamorgan, the most populous in proportion to its extent. Agriculture is advancing. Wheat and oats are grown in the plains and valleys; the uplands afford excellent pasture, and considerable quantities of butter and cheese are made. Flintshire is situated chiefly on the Coal Measures and other members of the Carboniferous rocks group, and is rich in minerals. There are numerous collieries, and the lead mines are the most productive in Britain. Copper, zinc, calamine, and limestone are also worked, and there are some coarse clay potteries. The Chester and Holyhead Railway runs all along the coast, which is lined by works for coal, iron, copper, lead-smelting, chemicals, shipbuilding, &c. Flintshire comprises 5 hundreds, 37 parishes, and parts of 4 others, and the Flint Boroughs (Caergwrle, Caerwys, Flint, Holywell, Mold, Overton, Rhuddlan, and St Asaph), and the municipal borough of Flint. It is mostly in the diocese of St Asaph.

– John Bartholomew, Gazetteer of the British Isles (1887)

Buckley Library, Museum & Gallery

The Precinct

Buckley CH7 2EF

01244 549210

www.flintshire.gov.uk

The museum, located on the first floor of the public library, tells the story of Buckley’s place as a major centre for the pottery and brick industries from medieval times through to the 20th century. Extensive local history reference resources.

Flintshire County Council Museum Service

County Hall

Mold CH7 6NB

01352 752121

goo.gl/CuxodJ

The museums Service aims to assist Flintshire residents and visitors in enjoying and exploring the history of the county. On our website you will find information about the museums in Buckley, Mold and the Greenfield Valley Heritage Park.

Flintshire Record Office

The Old Rectory, Rectory Lane

Hawarden CH5 3NR

01244 532364

goo.gl/5NRsWu

Discover your local and family history records at Flintshire Record Office.

Gladstone’s Library

Gladstone

Hawarden CH5 3DF

01244 532350

www.gladstoneslibrary.org

Gladstone’s Library is a unique institution. Founded by the great Victorian statesman, William Gladstone, following his death in 1898, it became the nation’s tribute to his life and work and is today Britain’s finest residential library and its only Prime Ministerial library. It has a unique collection of more than 250,000 printed items.

Greenfield Valley Museum & Farm

Greenfield Valley Heritage Park

Holywell CH8 7QB

01352 715 159

www.greenfieldvalley.com

An attractive collection of original and reconstructed local buildings which provide a fascinating insight into times past. Situated in the beautiful 70 acre Greenfield Valley Heritage Park, the Greenfield Valley Museum offers a glimpse of how we used to live.

Mold Museum

Museum & Gallery, Earl Road

Mold CH7 1AP

01352 754791

www.flintshire.gov.uk

The museum traces the fascinating history of Mold. You can see Bronze Age treasures including axes, jewellery and a replica of the famous gold cape.

St Winefride’s Well Museum

Holywell CH8 7PN

www.saintwinefrideswell.com

The museum is housed in Well House which is part of a pilgrimage site that attracts thousands of visitors every year. It is open every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday during the season April to October and at other times on request.