England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Hope St Cyngar

The Parish

Ancient Flintshire is a curious county, with a separate, detached portion whence Denbighshire intervenes for a while. Hope is located in the southeastern part of the major portion of the county and forms part of the border with this intervening portion of Denbighshire as well as being part of the border with neighbouring Cheshire. Hope is located about 5 miles north of the industrial town of Wrexham in Denbighshire. Hope is a large village situated astride the A550 road which links Wrexham with the port of Connah's Quay. The parish of Hope, however, also contained the large settlements of Caergwrle, Penyffordd & KInnerton as well as numerous smaller settlements. The area is part of a coal mining district and this would have dominated employment, the other main employer being agriculture whence a mixed farming regime would have predominated. Hope has a long history, it is said to have been a Roman legionary centre and has the remains of a Norman Castle. Just to the north of Hope there is also a lengthy stretch of Offa's Dyke. Hope is largely built on the eastern banks of the River Alyn (Afon Alun in Welsh), this river marks the border of the uplands rising to the west with the Cheshire Plains to Hope's east. The Alyn flows eastwards to meet the Dee before reaching the Irish Sea through that rivers estuary. Hope if sited at around 90 metres above the sea but within the limits of the parish hills rise to local heights of over 300 metres. Hope parish was extensive and covered around 8,500 acres, it would have supported a population of almost 3,000 parishioners. Unlike much of Wales Hope is mentioned in Domesday Book it being held by one Gilbert the Hunter; its record is, however, rather scant in detail and offering ploughland and a small wood.

The Church

St Cyngar's church sits at the heart of Hope village on the eastern side of the A550 as it passes through the village. The church is curious in possessing a double nave, and a tower which is not to the immediate west of either nave. The southern nave is the earlier portion of the church with the northern having been added during the Perpendicular era. That era of architectural style pervades much of the church and there must clearly have been major work throughout as well as adding the additional nave as most of the fenestration and detail carries that style. The church sits in an oval site and this is often indicative of a very early Christian site of worship, frequently usurping a pre-Christian site. The church sits in an elevated site at the junction of the A550 and Kiln Lane, A local stone wall emphasises that lofty site and stone steps rise to enter the churchyard from several access points. The churchyard is relatively free from photographic obstructions.