brief history of old rectory - part 1

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A Brief History of A Brief History of The Old Rectory, Hawarden The Old Rectory, Hawarden by E. Newman by E. Newman PH/28(J)/29 Hawarden Church and Rectory, c.1900

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Page 1: Brief History of Old Rectory - Part 1

A Brief History ofA Brief History ofThe Old Rectory, HawardenThe Old Rectory, Hawarden

by E. Newmanby E. Newman

PH/28(J)/29Hawarden Church and Rectory,

c.1900

Page 2: Brief History of Old Rectory - Part 1

A A Brief History ofBrief History of The Old Rectory, HawardenThe Old Rectory, Hawarden

Flintshire Record Office has been housed in The Old Rectory, Hawarden, for over 50 years. Staff are often asked about the history of the building, and this short history of the Rectory has now been compiled for interested readers. Whilst it does not claim to be comprehensive, it aims to offer an insight into some of the people who have lived in the Rectory since the 18th-century and the various uses the building has been put to over time. It also highlights some of the original records which the Record Office holds relating to the building and its inhabitants, which may be of interest to those wishing to do further research.

When visiting the Record Office for the first time, people often remark that it is ‘like walking into an old house’, and indeed the Old Rectory was lived in by the rectors of Hawarden and their families until 1925. It has served as a family home and witnessed the happy moments, as well as the trials and tribulations, of its inhabitants for at least 200 years. The current building is classed as being of special architectural and historic interest, and probably dates from the 18th-century. The centre of the east front, with its bay windows overlooking the gardens, is thought to be the earliest part of the existing building. The Rectory was first given a Grade II listing by CADW (The Welsh Historic Monuments Executive Agency) in 1962. According to their report, a Rectory on the site is first mentioned in 1663, and is described as: ‘3 bays of new buildings and one of old half-timbered building.’ 1

The earliest recorded rector of Hawarden was William de Montalt, who was admitted to the living in 1180. A full list of the rectors from 1180 to the present day can be found carved in stone inside the church of St Deiniol, Hawarden. However, this history will concentrate on those who are most likely to have lived in the Rectory itself in its current location, beginning with the 18th-century rectors.

The 18 th Century

John Fletcher, Rector of Hawarden, 1728-1741 John Fletcher was the rector of Hawarden from 1728. He repaired the Rectory house and added new pipes in 1732.2 As part of the collection of Hawarden Parish Records, the Record Office holds ‘An Inventory of the late Rev[eren]d Fletchers Goods &c taken & Appraised by Ralph Bingley Sworn Appraiser’ in 1741.3 This was taken after Rector Fletcher’s death, and tells us a great deal about the Rectory building and the layout of the rooms and outbuildings at this time.

1 C.A.D.W. Welsh Historic Monuments Report: Hawarden, Alyn & Deeside District (part). Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. 1994. p.54.2 Bell Jones, W. A History of the Parish of Hawarden. Vol.1. 1943. p.18.3 Flintshire Record Office. Ref: P/28/1/41.

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The rooms in the Rectory are listed as follows:

The following outbuildings and areas are also listed:

The Yellow GarrettThe Middle GarrettThe Red RoomThe Little Blue RoomDining RoomThe PassageThe NurseryThe Housekeeper’s ClosettThe Men’s GarretThe Right Hand GarretThe Store RoomThe KitchenServants’ Hall and Jack HolePantryThe Butler’s Press and Passage to the HallThe HallThe ParlourThe Cellar

The BrewhouseThe LaundryThe BackyardThe GranaryThe StableThe GardenThe HogyardThe BarnThe BarnyardThe Bottle Rack Yard

Extract from the Inventory ofRector Fletcher’s Possessions,1741 (P/28/1/41)

Reverend Fletcher’s possessions were valued at a total of £190-1s-4d. The dung in his barn yard was valued at £2-10s!

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Richard Williams, Rector of Hawarden, 1741-1770Richard Williams was rector after the death of John Fletcher, from 1741. He was married twice, firstly to ‘Hany’, daughter of Sir Thomas Longueville, and secondly to Margaret, daughter of Reverend Samuel Davies, rector of Tattenhall in Cheshire.4 During his incumbency at Hawarden, rector Williams made significant changes to the Rectory. He added the bow windows on the east garden side, and built a new kitchen. He also opened a new private doorway near the Rectory porch which communicated with the churchyard. 5

Rector Williams died in 1770 and is buried in the chancel of St Deiniol’s church with his two wives.6

The Rector’s ApprenticeIn 1742, Richard Williams took Robert Preece, ‘a poor Child of the said Parish’, to be his apprentice. It is likely that Robert would have lived at the Rectory with the rector and his family. His Apprenticeship Indenture tells us that Robert was bound as an apprentice to the rector until he reached the age of 24 years.7 He was to be trained in the ‘Business & Employment of a Servant & Husbandman’. Once he had completed his apprenticeship, the rector was obliged to provide him with ‘double Apparel of all Sorts, good and new (that is to say) a good new Suit for the Holy-Days, and another for the Working-Days’.

Apprenticeship Indenture of Robert Preece, 1743 (Ref: D/BJ/J36)

4 Bell Jones, W. A History of the Parish of Hawarden. Vol. 1. p.65. 5 Bell Jones, W. A History of the Parish of Hawarden. Vol. 1. p.186 Bell Jones, W. A History of the Parish of Hawarden. Vol. 1. p. 65 7 Flintshire Record Office. Ref: D/BJ/J36.

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Violent assault outside the RectoryThe records of Hawarden Church Court document a violent attack on the vestry clerk of Hawarden Parish, during the time of rector Williams’ incumbency.8 The Rectory building provided the backdrop for a violent disturbance between parishioners. On 30th January 1746, Edward Thomas, vestry clerk, was on his way to Hawarden Rectory to meet with the rector, Mr Williams, to ‘Consult ab[ou]t Parish Affairs’. He was on horseback, and stopped to speak to two passers-by ‘in the open Street, near to the s[ai]d Rector’s house’. Thomas Fisher of Hawarden, previously parish clerk, had been suspended from his office the previous week due to complaints by the parishioners. He appeared ‘hastily out of the house of one Thomas Fox, a Victualler, opposite the place where we were conversing’ and began an argument with Edward Thomas about a charity fund.

Fisher advanced on Thomas, who was on horseback, and ‘told me I was a Villain and a Rascall, and at the same time uttered a great deal of Scandalous reproachfull & undecent Language, and threatned me to a great Degree.’

Thomas tried to reason with Fisher and asked him to go home and calm down, but ‘he suddenly snatch’d my stick out of my hand, w[hi]ch had a large Knobb at one End, and therewith, & without the least provocation……he the s[ai]d Fisher gave me such a violent Stroke or blow on the right side of my head, & that seemingly with all his Strength & might, w[hi]ch Stunned me to that Degree, that it was with the greatest Difficulty I sat on horseback.’

The attack led to a ‘great effusion of blood’ and Edward Thomas claimed that afterwards, he was often seized with dizziness or giddiness which caused him to have two very dangerous falls; and his memory and constitution were very much impaired.

This unusual contemporary account of events in 18th-century Hawarden demonstrates that life in the village 250 years ago was not always as peaceful and tranquil as might be imagined.

8 Flintshire Record Office. Ref: D/CL/70.

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Stephen Glynne, Rector of Hawarden, 1770-1780 Stephen Glynne was rector of Hawarden between 1770-1780, and made changes, both to the interior of the Rectory, and particularly to the gardens. He built a dining room about 1774 to a design by Mr Booth Grey. He also employed William Emes to work on the Rectory grounds. Emes designed and worked on gardens at Eaton Hall, Cheshire, and at Chirk Castle and Erddig in Denbighshire. He was a very famous landscape designer of the period, whose style was similar to those of ‘Capability’ Brown and Humphrey Repton.9 He worked on the four acres of Rectory grounds and planted several rare trees.10

Rector Glynne paid Mr Emes £97-2s-8d to landscape the grounds, which was quite a considerable sum at that time.11

Reverend Stephen Glynne (P/28(K)/57). Photographer: Bell Jones, from original portrait.

9 Goodway, Keith. ‘Emes, William (1729/30–1803)’. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Online. www.oxforddnb.com10 Veysey, G.A. Mr Gladstone and Hawarden. Clwyd County Council. 1982. p.16. 11 Bell Jones, W. A History of the Parish of Hawarden. Vol. 1. p.19.

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According to a 19th-century source, Glynne ‘also contemplated further additions to the mansion, but the death of his eldest Brother in 1774 materially altered his views & three years later he succeeded his Father in his title & estates, & took possession of Hawarden Castle.’ The Rectory was then rented to a widow, Mrs Lloyd, who lived there for the remainder of rector Glynne’s incumbency, whilst he enjoyed the more luxurious surroundings of Hawarden Castle. 12

The Rectory Gardens in the 18 th -century This watercolour illustration of the Church and Rectory in the 18th-century (possibly before the re-styling by William Emes) shows a smaller Rectory house than that which is in existence today, but with a far larger amount of land attached to it. The gardens are formal and terraced, with parterre and topiary style planting. The formal style of gardening was going out of fashion in the mid-18th-century, when sweeping parkland and landscapes in the style of ‘Capability’ Brown were becoming much more sought-after.

Watercolour of Hawarden Rectory and Gardens by Thomas Boydell, 1756. (PR/F/123)

12 Flintshire Record Office. Ref: D/BJ/445.

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Randolph Crewe, Rector of Hawarden, 1780-1813Randolph Crewe was the son of the Reverend Randolph Crewe and his wife Anne, daughter of Bagot Read Esq. of Montgomery. Educated at Shrewsbury and later Trinity College, Oxford, he married Frances, daughter of Sir John Glynne of Hawarden.13 They had 7 children baptised at St Deiniol’s church, Hawarden between 1782 and 1792.

Reverend Randolph Crewe was admitted to the living of Hawarden on 22nd

May 1780. His admittance certificate is held at Flintshire Record Office.14 This tells us that the churchwarden at the time was Joseph Rigby, Hugh Jones was curate, and Thomas Sharp was vestry clerk.

Randolph Crewe did not make many recorded alterations to the interior of the Rectory, but he did try to solve the problem of having no water supply. According to a 19th-century source: ‘He commenced a well near the present Entrance, but the shaft being too much contracted, the work was never completed. It is a curious circumstance that altho[ugh] the site of the Rectory house had been the same for ages, there was no water whatever on the spot until the year 1814, when a well was sunk adjoining the offices: it is 81 feet deep, the water is particularly clear & good & the supply has never failed.‘ 15

13 Bell Jones, W. A History of the Parish of Hawarden. Vol. 1. p.66. 14 Flintshire Record Office. Ref: D/DM/1167/2.15 Flintshire Record Office. Ref: D/BJ/445.

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