There are many places of interest to visit within Wrexham County Borough and I’m sure we’re all ready to get out and about to enjoy what the area has to offer. The Wrexham County Borough area has a wealth of beauty and history to explore.
Holt is a lovely village a few miles North East of Wrexham and sits on the banks of the river Dee which marks the border between Wales and England. The village is a place with a great amount of history with some interesting landmarks to explore, for example, the bridge over the River Dee (connecting Holt and Farndon), Holt Castle and St Chad’s church.
Holt Bridge which crosses the river Dee was constructed of local red sandstone and completed in 1353 and consists of nine arches. On the Welsh side of the bridge the third arch has two arch rings and there was once a gatehouse and drawbridge here to defend Holt. The arch was called Lady’s arch and housed a chapel. In 1643 during the Civil war a huge battle took place and the bridge and town were captured by Parliamentarian forces. Holt Bridge is now a scheduled ancient monument.
Holt Castle was built between 1283 and 1311 by John de Warenne and his grandson following the defeat of Llywellyn ap Gruffudd, Prince of Wales. Over the years the castle had a very eventful history having several owners including Edward the Black Prince, Richard II and many more. Another resident, William Brereton who lived at the castle during the reign of Henry VIII was beheaded after being falsely accused of having an affair with Henry’s second wife, Ann Boleyn.
The castle withstood an eleven month siege during the Civil War when the garrison surrendered deciding supporting Charles I was pointless. Sadly the Castle site was eventually used as a stone quarry. A restoration project was carried out and the remains of the castle opened to the public in 2015. It is now an open access site.
St Chad’s Church is a Grade 1 listed building. It is believed the church was established around 1280. The church bears signs of damage from the Civil War with pitted holes made by musket balls visible in the walls and in the north door there are plugged loopholes which were made for firing muskets.
Holt is certainly a pleasant and interesting place to visit. There are heritage walks within the village and walks along the banks of the Dee. The village has a very pretty centre with shops and cafes where you can sit and take in the ambience and surroundings. There are farm shops and a garden centre to visit, pubs in the village and a hotel nearby.
For those who enjoy fishing there is a coarse fishery set in 60 acres near the village with a lodge, café and bait shop.
There is a public car park in the village with access to public toilets.
We hope you enjoy the experience if you decide to visit Holt but please remember to check if there are any restrictions in place before you visit and stay safe.
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