Denbigh Town Council
Places of Interest
There are several places of
interest within easy reach of Denbigh. In the immediate vicinity is
Gwaenynog Hall visited by the eminent Dr Johnson and to whom a
monument is erected within the grounds. Beatrix Potter also visited
here, and her ‘garden’ is still in evidence.
A mile or so along the Henllan Road are the ruins
of Old Foxhall erected by John Panton, the recorder of Denbigh in
Elizabethan times. Nearby is Foxhall Newydd, the birthplace of
Humphrey Llwyd the cartographer. Henllan itself has a unique church
with its ancient tower detached from the main building. Beyond
Henllan is Llansannan, the hub of an area noted for its literary
figures – Williams Salesbury, Tudur Aled and William Rees (Gwilym
Hiraethog).The village of Nantglyn, 4 miles to the west of the town,
has received several awards for its pleasing appearance. Here lived
Dr Williams Owen Pughe the antiquary, Robert Davies (Bardd Nantglyn)
and David Samwell, surgeon aboard the Discovery, who witnessed and
subsequently chronicled the killing of Captain Cook.Off the A543 is
the Brenig complex, a man-made lake set in an afforested area of
almost 2,500 acres and offering a wide range of aquatic activities
including fishing and boating.Directly north of Denbigh is St Asaph where, in the cathedral grounds is the memorial to Bishop
William Morgan who was largely responsible for the translation of
the Bible into Welsh. Here, during September, the ever-popular Music
Festival is staged.A short distance along the A55 is Bodelwyddan
Castle, which houses a superb Portrait Gallery. Within easy reach of
here is the Castle of Rhuddlan, which, together with those at
Denbigh and Ruthin dominated the Vale of Clwyd following the Norman
Conquest. Between St Asaph and Bodfari is the picturesque village of
Tremeirchion where the parish church, dedicated to Corpus Christi,
contains the famous Vinegar Bible. Nearby is Bryn Bella, the
one-time residence of the renowned Hester Thrale (Mrs Piozzi).
To the south of Denbigh is the village of
Llanrhaeadr where, in St Dyfnog’s church, built in the traditional
double-naved Vale of Clwyd style, is the remarkable Jesse window. In
the graveyard is the tomb of Ann Parry, a Methodist convert of the
18th century, whose body was found to be perfectly preserved 50
years after her interment.Further up the vale is the town of Ruthin
with its Craft Centre and the Old Gaol where the county archives are
located. Set in the Clwydian Range overlooking the Vale is Moel
Famau, capped by a ruined Jubilee Tower, erected to commemorate the
60-year reign of George III.