Llay
Llay (Welsh: Llai; meaning meadow; ⓘ) is a village and community in Wrexham County Borough, Wales.
It borders several other villages including
Prior to the 1960s, Llay was a coal mining village. Llay Main Colliery, at one time the largest colliery in Wales and after 1952 the deepest pit in the UK, was a major employer for the area before its coal reserves were exhausted in 1966.[3]
History
Llay first appears in mediaeval records as a hamlet - a small settlement without a church - of the township and manor of Burton.[4] It later formed an outlying part of the parish of Gresford, but the relatively late growth of the village is shown by the fact that the first church service was not held there until 1916, and its church was not completed until 1925.[5] Llay was eventually made a separate parish in its own right in 1944.[5]
Much of the growth of the village is connected with the development of coal mines, particularly the Llay Main Colliery. It was first established by the industrialist
Today
There is a country park in Llay called Alyn Waters country park, which has a sister country park in Gwersyllt of the same name. The site includes a children's play park and pathways for pedestrian and cycle access through the forest. There were numerous original artworks around the park such as carved wooden animals along the paths, however many of the artworks have now been stolen or destroyed. There is a small golfing range at the park, and other sporting events take place on the large playing fields, such as football (home of Llay United Youth Football Club) and archery.
There are four churches in the village of Llay; the
There are three drinking establishments, which are the
There is an
The Llay Resource Centre was opened in 2005 by
Notable residents
- Wrexham, Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace and England B Team professional footballer, was brought up by his adoptive parents in the village after being born in Newcastle upon Tyne.
- Terry Hennessey - former Welsh International professional footballer who played for Derby County in the 1970s. Now lives in Australia.
- Mark Hughes - former Manchester City Manager and former Welsh International and Manchester United professional footballer, lived in the village until age four.
- Dennis Taylor - 1985 World Snooker Championship winner and BBC snooker commentator.
References
- ^ "Community population 2011". Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- ^ "2001 Census: Llay (Parish)". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 10 November 2008.
- ^ a b c Llay Main Colliery, BBC North East Wales
- ^ Palmer, A. N. A History of Ancient Tenures of Land in North Wales and the Marches, 1910, p.232
- ^ a b Llay, St Martin, GENUKI
- ^ [1][permanent dead link], Minutes of Llay Community Committee. 23 February 2005.
- ^ "Llay Park Resource Centre | Llay.Org". Archived from the original on 15 August 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2013.