Brynkinalt Hall ( cy, Neuadd Bryncunallt; or simply Brynkinalt (); also spelled as Brynkinallt or Bryn-kinallt) is a Grade-II* listed private property, built in 1612, near

Chirk Chirk ( cy, Y Waun) is a town and community in Wrexham County Borough, Wales, south of Wrexham, between it and Oswestry. At the 2011 census, it had a population of 4,468. Historically in the traditional county of Denbighshire, and later Clwy ...

Wrexham County Borough Wrexham County Borough ( cy, Bwrdeistref Sirol Wrecsam) is a county borough, with city status, in the north-east of Wales. It borders England to the east and south-east, Powys to the south-west, Denbighshire to the west and Flintshire to the nort ...

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

. The hall is surrounded by an estate including of

agricultural land Agricultural land is typically land ''devoted to'' agriculture, the systematic and controlled use of other organism, forms of lifeparticularly the rearing of livestock and production of cropsto produce food for humans. It is generally synonymous ...

and of

woodland A woodland () is, in the broad sense, land covered with trees, or in a narrow sense, synonymous with wood (or in the U.S., the ''plurale tantum'' woods), a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade (see ...

. Part of the estate extends into

Shropshire Shropshire (; alternatively Salop; abbreviated in print only as Shrops; demonym Salopian ) is a landlocked historic county in the West Midlands region of England. It is bordered by Wales to the west and the English counties of Cheshire to th ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. Brynkinalt Park is a

park A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are urban green space, green spaces set aside for recreation inside t ...

located to the hall's north-west.

History

The hall has been the home for the Trevor family, a major family of the

County of Denbigh , HQ= Denbigh and Ruthin , Arms= , Map= , Code= DEN , CodeName= Chapman code , Government= Denbighshire County Council (1889-1974) , PopulationFirst= ...

, with the area being their ancestral home since 942. The family are direct descendents of Tudur Trevor, King of Gloucester, and Angharad, daughter of

Hywel Dda Hywel Dda, sometimes anglicised as Howel the Good, or Hywel ap Cadell (died 949/950) was a king of Deheubarth who eventually came to rule most of Wales. He became the sole king of Seisyllwg in 920 and shortly thereafter established Deheubarth ...

King of Wales King of Wales was a rarely used title, because Wales, much like Ireland, rarely achieved a degree of political unity like that of England or Scotland during the Middle Ages. While many different leaders in Wales claimed the title of "King of Wale ...

, but their roots claim to be traced further, to a marriage between Severa, daughter of Roman emperor,

Maximus Maximus (Hellenised as Maximos) is the Latin term for "greatest" or "largest". In this connection it may refer to: * Circus Maximus (disambiguation) * Pontifex maximus, the highest priest of the College of Pontiffs in ancient Rome People Roman h ...

, and Gwrtheyrn Gwrtheneu, 82nd

King of Britain The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the constitutional form of government by which a hereditary sovereign reigns as the head of state of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies (the Bailiw ...

, as well as a claimed link to

Llywelyn the Great Llywelyn the Great ( cy, Llywelyn Fawr, ; full name Llywelyn mab Iorwerth; c. 117311 April 1240) was a King of Gwynedd in north Wales and eventually " Prince of the Welsh" (in 1228) and "Prince of Wales" (in 1240). By a combination of war and d ...

(

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...

) and also the

Kings of Ireland Kings or King's may refer to: *Monarchs: The sovereign heads of states and/or nations, with the male being kings *One of several works known as the "Book of Kings": **The Books of Kings part of the Bible, divided into two parts **The ''Shahnameh'' ...

. The three-storey Brynkinalt Great Hall, now forming the central section of the present-day hall, was completed in 1612, by

Edward Trevor Sir Edward Trevor (c. 1580–1642) was the founder of the fortunes of the Trevor dynasty, a major family of Denbighshire. He was the son of Robert Trevor and Katherine ap Llewellyn. His first wife was Anne Balle, daughter of Nicholas Balle. Wh ...

, the son of Robert Trevor and Katherine ap Llewellyn. The hall is said to be designed by

Inigo Jones Inigo Jones (; 15 July 1573 – 21 June 1652) was the first significant architect in England and Wales in the early modern period, and the first to employ Vitruvian rules of proportion and symmetry in his buildings. As the most notable archit ...

and was constructed using brick cut on site. The hall was part of an open courtyard, with

coaches Coach may refer to: Guidance/instruction * Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities * Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process ** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers Transportation * Coac ...

entering the site through the archway where the stairs now stand. The Jacobean Oak panelled Hall still remains, providing a look at what the original hall would have looked like. In 1808, extensive remodelling was carried out on the hall, designed by Charlotte, Viscountess Dungannon. Two new extensive wings were added to the house, containing a large dining and drawing room, with their own

antechamber A vestibule (also anteroom, antechamber, or foyer) is a small room leading into a larger space such as a lobby, entrance hall or passage, for the purpose of waiting, withholding the larger space view, reducing heat loss, providing storage space ...

, a small waiting room. Two small morning rooms (" boudoirs") and a conservatory (since removed) overlooking the

Ceiriog Valley The Ceiriog Valley ( cy, Dyffryn Ceiriog) is the valley of the River Ceiriog in north-east Wales. Its Welsh name, "Dyffryn Ceiriog", is the name of an electoral ward of Wrexham County Borough. The ward is the largest ward of the county borough b ...

were also constructed. The hall was also modified with

gothic architecture Gothic architecture (or pointed architecture) is an architectural style that was prevalent in Europe from the late 12th to the 16th century, during the High and Late Middle Ages, surviving into the 17th and 18th centuries in some areas. It e ...

, with castellations and turrets added. Around the estate, numerous gate lodges,

follies ''Follies'' is a Musical theater, musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Goldman. The plot takes place in a crumbling Broadway theater, now scheduled for demolition, previously home to a musical revue (based on t ...

and a double-walled garden were also built. From 1928, and delayed till the 1950's due to

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, various additions added by Viscountess Dungannon in 1808 were reduced or removed, this includes the

stucco Stucco or render is a construction material made of aggregates, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as a decorative coating for walls and ceilings, exterior walls, and as a sculptural and a ...

(except in the east wing's end), and the larger service wing housing a kitchen at the rear were also removed. The hall is linked to the

Duke of Wellington Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, serving twice as prime minister of ...

, whose grandmother stayed in the hall. There are a pair of

Musket balls A musket is a muzzle-loaded long gun that appeared as a smoothbore weapon in the early 16th century, at first as a heavier variant of the arquebus, capable of penetrating plate armour. By the mid-16th century, this type of musket gradually d ...

, one British, one French, in the hall's dining room, brought in from the

Battle of Waterloo The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo, Belgium, Waterloo (at that time in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium). A French army under the command of Napoleon was defeated by two of the armie ...

. The hall offers as a venue for weddings and other events. Brynkinalt is a

Grade II* listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

. The estate is, , managed by Iain and Kate Hill-Trevor.

Estate

The Brynkinalt Estate, first landscaped in the 17th century and extensively remodelled in 1808, spans of agricultural land, used mostly for rearing cattle, of forest, of hedgerows, and of public footpaths, as well as gardens. The estate is situated near the former Brynkinalt Colliery and the town of Chirk, on the other side of the A5. The Brynkinalt Business Centre provides office space on the estate. There are also some residences on the estate. There is a historic church, Chirk's St Mary's parish church, present behind the hall. A small commercial

pheasant shooting Pheasant shooting is the activity of shooting the common pheasant. It takes place in the United Kingdom, and is practised in other parts of the world. Shooting of game birds is carried out using a shotgun, often 12 and 20 bore or a .410, sometime ...

club operates on the estate, with parties held in the hall. The estate describes the club to be operating based on "traditional values with countryside conservation at its core". The estate also partners with the Corwen and District

Angling Angling is a fishing technique that uses a fish hook or "angle" (from Old English ''angol'') attached to a fishing line to tether individual fish in the mouth. The fishing line is usually manipulated via a fishing rod, although rodless techniqu ...

Club in management and conservation projects on the

River Ceiriog The River Ceiriog ( cy, Afon Ceiriog) is an long river in north east Wales, whose name may derive from a term meaning "favoured one". It is a tributary of the River Dee. It rises at an altitude of around on the south east slopes of Moel Ffern ...

. The estate also has a

horse riding Equestrianism (from Latin , , , 'horseman', 'horse'), commonly known as horse riding (Commonwealth English) or horseback riding (American English), includes the disciplines of riding, Driving (horse), driving, and Equestrian vaulting, vaulting ...

and carriage club. Accommodation on site is currently composed of seven en-suite bedrooms and one bedroom containing a private bathroom. The hall can accommodate sixteen guests for an overnight hall event. In June 2021, the Hill-Trevors, donated of land to St Martin's Parish Council in Shropshire. The land, adjacent to St Martins School would be leased to the parish council on a 999-year lease with zero rent. The land would be used for education and community recreation, with plans including a multi-use sports pitch. The donation is part of a scheme involving the Morlas Meadows development of 80 homes of distinction on the estate.

Farmland

The estate operates nearly of farmland, straddling the Wales-England border. This farmland is operated under an

organic farming Organic farming, also known as ecological farming or biological farming,Labelling, article 30 o''Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018 on organic production and labelling of organic products and re ...

system under both

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

and

Welsh Government The Welsh Government ( cy, Llywodraeth Cymru) is the Welsh devolution, devolved government of Wales. The government consists of ministers and Minister (government), deputy ministers, and also of a Counsel General for Wales, counsel general. Minist ...

rules, mainly for

organic beef Organic beef is beef grown according to organic food principles. Organic beef According to the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) Standards rules passed on October 22, 2002, certified organic livestock, including beef, must come from a fully veri ...

and

dairy milk Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfed human infants) before they are able to digest solid food. Immune factors and immune-modulating ...

production. Cows on the estate are reared, cross bred, and milked. Cows graze throughout most of the year as possible, being fed on organic silage made on the estate during the winter months.

Woodlands

There are of woodlands on the estate, situated along the rivers Ceiriog and Dee, and within a

Site of Special Scientific Interest A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Great Britain or an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle of ...

. The majority of the woodland are a mixed

hardwood Hardwood is wood from dicot trees. These are usually found in broad-leaved temperate and tropical forests. In temperate and boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostly evergreen. Hardwood (which comes from ...

forest, including trees such as

oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...

and yew, which are harvested for

timber Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, wi ...

to be used primarily as

firewood Firewood is any wooden material that is gathered and used for fuel. Generally, firewood is not highly processed and is in some sort of recognizable log or branch form, compared to other forms of wood fuel like pellets or chips. Firewood can ...

biomass Biomass is plant-based material used as a fuel for heat or electricity production. It can be in the form of wood, wood residues, energy crops, agricultural residues, and waste from industry, farms, and households. Some people use the terms bi ...

. As of 2022, the estate processes and sells 500 bags of logs annually. In the last five years, the estate has planted more than 10,000 trees.

Biomass

Brynkinalt Hall and the Brynkinalt Business Centre have been heated using biomass since 2008. Woodchips from the woodlands on the estate have been used as biomass. Therefore the hall and centre have since been sustainably heated, with any trees felled replanted.

Gardens

The gardens on the estate consist of a formal west garden with formal beds and herbaceous borders, ornamental shrubbery (since 1905), and a walled garden. The small formal west garden contains fountains, statues, and sundials. These gardens fell into decline after

but have since been restored. The gardens are part of the

National Garden Scheme The National Garden Scheme opens privately owned gardens in England, Northern Ireland, Wales, and the Channel Islands on selected dates for charity. It was founded in 1927 with the aim of "opening gardens of quality, character and interest to th ...

Parkland

To the west of the estate is parkland, styled as "Brynkinalt Park" and operated by Wrexham council. It contains a large area of community woodland and informal open space. The woodlands contain wooded slopes, with planted native woodland and

wildflower A wildflower (or wild flower) is a flower that grows in the wild, meaning it was not intentionally seeded or planted. The term implies that the plant probably is neither a hybrid nor a selected cultivar that is in any way different from the w ...

meadows A meadow ( ) is an open habitat, or field, vegetated by grasses, herbs, and other non-woody plants. Trees or shrubs may sparsely populate meadows, as long as these areas maintain an open character. Meadows may be naturally occurring or artifici ...

. Situated on and around the former Brynkinalt

Colliery Coal mining is the process of extracting coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from ...

, it is to the north-west of the hall on the other side of the A5 road. The area has some mining artefacts, such as a coal wagon and cutting disc. Prior to mining, the area was the Brynkinalt Home Farm. The park is not associated with the private estate.

Events

The estate hosts the Brynkinalt Running Festival, which is organised into a , , and route around the estate. Early in 2022 the mansion, outbuildings and grounds provided location for most of the scenes in the

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...

film, '' ''Lady Chatterley's Lover'', released in November of this year.

References

{{Wrexham Buildings and structures in Wrexham County Borough

Brynkinalt Hall Brynkinalt Hall ( cy, Neuadd Bryncunallt; or simply Brynkinalt (); also spelled as Brynkinallt or Bryn-kinallt) is a Grade-II* listed private property, built in 1612, near Chirk, Wrexham County Borough, Wales. The hall is surrounded by an est ...

Brynkinalt Hall Garden Grade II* listed buildings in Wrexham County Borough