In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Overton like this:
OVERTON, a village, a parish, and a sub-district, in the district of Ellesmere and county of Flint. The village stands on an eminence adjacent to the river Dee, 2 miles N of the boundary with Salop, and 4½ N N W of Ellesmere r. station; was known at Domesday as Ovreton; is a seat of petty sessions and a polling-place; unites with Flint, Holywell, Mold, Caeswys, Caergwrle, Rhuddlan, and St. ...
Asaph, in sending a member to parliament; is, as a borough, conterminate with the parish; enjoys delightful environs, with most lovely views of the Dee; was once a market-town; and has a post-office‡under Ruabon, and toll-free fairs on the Saturday after 7 March, the Monday before Holy Thursday, and the Saturday after 2 Oct. The parish contains also the hamlets of Clog, Knolton, and Maesgwaylod. Acres, 4, 398. Real property, £6, 846. Pop. in 1851, 1, 479; in 1861, 1, 397. Houses, 296. The property is much subdivided. The manor belonged anciently to Robert Fitzhugh; and passed to Robert de Crevecœnr, the Stranges, and others. A castle was built here by Madoc ab Meredydd, prince of Powis; and has left some traces. Knolton Hall is the seat ofR. Cotton, Esq.; Gwernhaelod, of the Fletchers; and Bryn-y-Pys, of E. Peel, Esq. A barrow and ancient camp are in Gwernhaelod park. The first Duke of Wellington spent considerable portions of his boyhood at Bryn-y-Pys. The living is a rectory in the diocese of St. Asaph. Value, £551. The church is cruciform and good. The churchyard contains some old yews. Charities, £34.—The sub-district contains also Penley chapelry. Acres, 6, 434. Pop. in 1815, 1,885: in 1861, 1, 779. Houses, 387.
Overton through time
Overton is now part of Wrexham district. Click here for graphs and data of how Wrexham has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Overton itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Overton, in Wrexham and Flintshire | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/8407
Date accessed: 24th April 2024
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